Google Forms vs. SurveyMonkey: Which one is better?

Google Forms and SurveyMonkey are both popular online survey tools, and they each have their own set of features and advantages. The choice between them depends on your specific needs and preferences. Here’s a comparison:

What is Google Forms?

Google Forms, a web-based tool offered by Google, is freely accessible and enables users to generate, distribute, and gather data through online forms and surveys. This application is an integral part of the Google Workspace suite of productivity tools and finds extensive utility in numerous domains such as feedback collection, survey administration, quiz creation, and research or analysis data accumulation.

Google Forms is commonly used for various purposes, including:

  • Conducting customer satisfaction surveys.
  • Gathering feedback from employees or team members.
  • Creating quizzes and assessments for educational purposes.
  • Collecting event registrations and RSVPs.
  • Organizing and managing volunteer sign-ups.
  • Conducting research surveys.
  • Running opinion polls and voting

What is SurveyMonkey?

SurveyMonkey is a digital survey platform that permits individuals and companies to produce, distribute, and assess surveys and questionnaires. It is extensively employed for accumulating feedback, executing market research, gauging customer contentment, and gathering data for diverse intentions. SurveyMonkey provides an array of functionalities and resources to support users in designing, circulating, and analyzing surveys proficiently.

SurveyMonkey offers both free and paid plans, with the free plan providing basic survey creation and data collection capabilities. The paid plans, such as SurveyMonkey Standard and SurveyMonkey Premium, offer more advanced features and options for larger-scale surveys and data analysis.

Common Feature Comparison: Google Forms vs. SurveyMonkey

Google Forms and SurveyMonkey are both popular survey tools, and they share many common features that are essential for creating and conducting online surveys.

Here’s a comparison of common features you’ll find on both platforms:

1.       Common FeatureGoogle formsSurveyMonkey
2.       Survey Creation:

 

Both platforms offer user-friendly interfaces for creating surveys with various question types, including multiple-choice, open-ended, and Likert scale questions.
3.       Customization:

 

 

You can customize the appearance of your surveys by adding logos, and images, and adjusting colors and fonts in both Google Forms and SurveyMonkey
4.       Question Logic:

 

Both platforms support skip logic and branching, allowing you to create surveys with dynamic paths based on respondents’ answers.

 

5.       Distribution:

.

 

Both platforms allow you to distribute surveys through email, social media, web links, and embedded forms on websites
6.       Response Collection:

 

Responses are collected and stored securely on both platforms, and you can monitor response rates in real time.

 

7.       Reporting and Analytics:

 

 

Google Forms and SurveyMonkey provide tools for analyzing survey results, including charts, graphs, and filters. You can export data to various formats for further analysis
8.       Collaboration:

 

Multiple users can collaborate on survey projects on both platforms, making them suitable for teamwork.

 

9.       Mobile Accessibility:

 

Google Forms and SurveyMonkey offer mobile apps that allow you to create, edit, and monitor surveys on mobile devices.

 

10.   Security:

 

Both platforms take measures to ensure data security and offer options for anonymous responses

 

11.   Question Types:Both platforms offer a variety of question types, including multiple-choice, checkboxes, text fields, and more
12.   Embedding:You can embed surveys created with both Google Forms and SurveyMonkey on your website or within other digital platforms.
13.   Integration:Both platforms integrate with third-party apps and tools to expand functionality and connect survey data to other systems
14.   Templates:Google Forms and SurveyMonkey provide templates to help you get started with survey creation.
15.   Export:You can export survey data to formats like Excel, CSV, and SPSS in both platform
16.   Reporting:Both platforms offer customizable and shareable reports to present survey findings.
17.   Privacy and Compliance:Both platforms have features to ensure data privacy and compliance with data protection regulations.

Feature Comparison: Google Forms vs. SurveyMonkey

FeatureGoogle forms  SurveyMonkey
Survey Creation:

 

offer user-friendly interfaces for creating surveys with various question types, including multiple-choice, open-ended, and Likert scale questions.

 

provide easy-to-use tools for survey creation, including a wide range of question types.

 

Customization:

 

You can customize the appearance of your surveys by adding logos, and images, and adjusting colors and fontsSurveyMonkey also allows customization, letting you match the look and feel of your surveys to your branding.

 

Question Logic:

 

support skip logic and branching, allowing you to create surveys with dynamic paths based on respondents’ answers.

 

 

offers advanced logic options, such as question piping and more complex branching.

 

Distribution:

 

allow you to distribute surveys through email, social media, web links, and embedded forms on websites.

 

 Similar distribution options are available in SurveyMonkey, including anonymous responses and password protection.

 

Response Collection:

 

Responses are collected and stored securely on both platforms, and you can monitor response rates in real time.

 

Responses are collected securely, and you can track and manage responses efficiently.

 

Reporting and Analytics:

 

provide tools for analyzing survey results, including charts, graphs, and filters. You can export data to various formats for further analysis.

 

SurveyMonkey offers more advanced reporting and analytics features, especially in its paid plans

 

Collaboration:

 

Multiple users can collaborate on survey projects on both platforms, making them suitable for teamwork.

 

 

Support collaborative survey creation
Mobile Accessibility:

 

offer mobile apps that allow you to create, edit, and monitor surveys on mobile devices.

 

Mobile app access for convenience
Security:

 

take measures to ensure data security and offer options for anonymous responses.

 

prioritize data security and offer secure response collection.

 

Question Types:offer a variety of question types, including multiple-choice, checkboxes, text fields, and more.provide a wide range of question types to meet various survey needs
Embedding. allow you to embed surveys in websites or other digital platforms.You can embed surveys created with both platforms on websites or within other digital platforms
Integration:Google Forms integrates primarily with other Google Workspace apps.offers extensive third-party integrations, expanding its functionality.
Templates:provide templates to help you get started with survey creation.Both platforms offer templates for different types of surveys.
Data Export:allow you to export survey data to various formats.You can export survey data to different formats for further analysis.
Reporting:Both platforms offer customizable and shareable reports.SurveyMonkey provides more advanced reporting options, especially in its paid plans,
Privacy and Compliance: – features to ensure data privacy and compliance with data protection regulations.Both platforms prioritize data privacy and compliance with relevant regulations.

Pros of SurveyMonkey:

Advanced Features:

SurveyMonkey offers a wide range of advanced features, including skip logic, randomization, question piping, and more, making it suitable for creating complex surveys.

Customization:

SurveyMonkey provides more customization options for survey design, allowing users to match the surveys to their branding and style.

Question Variety:

It offers a broader range of question types, allowing for more flexibility and complexity in survey design.

Integration:

SurveyMonkey has extensive third-party integrations, connecting with popular tools for data analysis, CRM, and reporting.

Advanced Reporting:

SurveyMonkey provides more advanced reporting and analytics features, especially in its paid plans.

Customer Support:

Paid plans include customer support options, which can be helpful if you encounter issues.

Cons of SurveyMonkey:

Cost:

SurveyMonkey’s advanced features are only available in its paid plans, making it more expensive compared to Google Forms for users who require these features.

Learning Curve:

The added complexity of features can result in a steeper learning curve for new users.

Limited Free Plan:

While SurveyMonkey does offer a free plan, it has limitations on the number of questions and responses, making it less suitable for large-scale surveys.

Pros of Google Forms:

Cost:

Google Forms is entirely free to use, making it budget-friendly for individuals and small businesses.

Integration:

It seamlessly integrates with other Google Workspace apps like Google Sheets and Google Drive, facilitating data collection and analysis.

Ease of Use:

Google Forms is user-friendly and straightforward, making it suitable for beginners.

Collaboration:

Multiple users can collaborate on the same form simultaneously, enhancing teamwork.

Basic Features:

It offers a wide range of features for the most common survey needs, making it a good choice for simple surveys.

Cons of Google Forms:

Limited Advanced Features:

Google Forms may not have the same level of advanced features as SurveyMonkey, which can be limiting for users with complex survey requirements.

Design Customization:

While it offers customization options, Google Forms’ design customization capabilities are more limited compared to SurveyMonkey.

Data Export and Reporting:

Although it provides basic reporting, Google Forms may not be as robust as SurveyMonkey in terms of data export and reporting options.

Privacy Concerns:

Some users may have concerns about data privacy, especially when collecting sensitive information through Google Forms.

Pricing Comparison: Google Forms vs. SurveyMonkey

 

Google forms

SurveyMonkey
Price 

Google Forms can be used for free, including its third-party apps that are also free to install. However, certain internal features of some apps may require payment.

 

.

 

SurveyMonkey provides both free and paid plans.

 

The free plan has restrictions on the number of questions and responses allowed, whereas the paid plans offer additional features and functionalities

Certainly, there’s a pricing comparison between Google Forms and SurveyMonkey in table format:

AspectGoogle FormsSurveyMonkey
Free PlanFreeFree
Paid PlansN/A (No paid plans)Yes
Advanced FeaturesLimited to basic featuresAvailable in paid plans
Paid Plan TiersN/AMultiple paid plan options
Pricing ModelFreeSubscription-based pricing
Cost for Advanced FeaturesN/AVaries by plan level
Cost RangeFreeStarting from $25/month/user
Additional CostsN/AAdd-ons available for extra cost

Google Forms is entirely free to use with all its basic features available at no cost. In contrast, SurveyMonkey offers a range of paid plans with varying levels of features and functionality, and the pricing can vary depending on the plan tier

Which is better, Google Forms vs. SurveyMonkey?

SurveyMonkey’s paid plans provide advanced survey features and robust data analysis tools that surpass those offered by Google Forms. In addition, SurveyMonkey offers comprehensive customer support options including 24/7 email support, live chat, and phone support. The range of features and available assistance make SurveyMonkey a preferred choice for individuals seeking more sophisticated survey capabilities.