Google Forms VS Microsoft Forms

If you are planning to collect data, one of the simplest and most effective ways to do it is with online forms, surveys, polls, quizzes, and more. With an online form-building tool, you can easily create custom forms with different types of questions, such as multiple-choice, rating scale, and open-ended text.

Microsoft Forms and Google Forms are two leading solutions that are easy to use, offer extensive features, and work well with various business and educational settings.

Google Forms and Microsoft Forms are powerful tools for creating surveys, quizzes, and forms, yet they differ significantly in their key features and functionalities. We have differentiated both solutions based on their pros and cons, user interface, integration capabilities, customization options, and more.

Google Forms vs. Microsoft Forms: Overview

Google Forms is an easy-to-use solution that features different question formats, the ability to add images and videos, and themes so that a user can easily customize the overall look and feel of the survey. Like Microsoft, it can also integrate with various Google products, such as sheets for data analysis and docs for creating surveys from scratch.

On the other hand, an essential part of the Microsoft 365 suite, Microsoft Forms will be an excellent choice if you are already using various Microsoft products, including Word or Excel. It easily integrates with these programs, and the data collected through these forms can be seamlessly exported to Excel for in-depth analysis.

Between Google Forms and Microsoft Forms, Google Forms is preferred by users who value simplicity and seamless integration with various Google Workspace tools. On the other hand, when it comes to advanced data analysis and integration with Microsoft 365 services, Microsoft Forms takes the lead.

Google Forms vs. Microsoft Forms: Pros & Cons

• Compared to Google Forms, Microsoft Forms is limited in their ability to enable multiple users to collaborate on a form. For instance, you cannot add comments to MS forms like in Google Docs and Google Docs alternatives. Therefore, this makes it difficult to provide feedback or make necessary changes.
• At present, Microsoft Forms does not have a mobile app, which makes it even more difficult to access your forms on the go. Google Forms, on the other hand, has a user-friendly mobile app that makes it very easy for users to access their forms from anywhere.
• With Microsoft Forms, sharing the forms via a QR code or directly to social media is very simple. On the contrary, with Google Forms, you can share the forms only via a link. This is a major drawback and it can make collecting data very challenging.
• Google Forms provide very basic and limited customization options. Still, if you plan to brand your form or add complex functionalities, use a different tool like Microsoft Forms. Since Google Forms does not offer any themes or templates, you'll need to look for a different solution to make your form stand out.

Google Forms vs. Microsoft Forms: In Terms of Features

• Form Templates: Microsoft Forms offers very limited options for templates. In fact, it only offers a few categories, such as feedback surveys, registration forms, quizzes, and workflows. Moreover, customizing these templates to achieve a particular design can be very challenging for users. On the other hand, Google Forms offers a comprehensive range of templates for various purposes, like events, invitations, and feedback, making it easy for the user to create visually appealing forms.
• Forms With Payments: Google Forms and Google Forms alternatives excel in integrating payments into forms, with various integration options available as add-ons. In contrast, Microsoft Forms lacks built-in payment integration functionalities, requiring users to look for various third-party applications.
• Email Notifications: Both Google Forms and Microsoft Forms offer a similar feature of email notifications that enables the users to receive alerts. However, Google Forms takes the lead as it has a slight edge in flexibility, providing an extensive range of notification customization options.
• Approvals: With a robust and integrated workflow ecosystem, Microsoft Forms and Microsoft forms alternatives excel in approvals, allowing users to easily automate their form submission approvals. On the other hand, Google Forms does not offer native support for approval workflows, so users have to depend on third-party add-ons.

Google Forms vs. Microsoft Forms: Insights and Analytics

Carefully analyzing the data is very important to derive useful insights. While Microsoft Forms can easily integrate with Excel, this allows for comprehensive data analysis, including custom charts and detailed formulas. Compared to Google Forms, it lacks analytics and insights functionality, and the user is supposed to use Google Sheets, where they can use pivot tables for an in-depth analysis. This can confuse users and affect their experience while working with Google Forms.

Google Forms vs. Microsoft Forms: Conditional Logic

Microsoft Forms stands out for its strong conditional logic functionalities, which, in turn, allow users to create dynamic forms that can easily adapt themselves to input from the respondent. In contrast, Google Forms does not offer comprehensive support for branching.

Google Forms vs. Microsoft Forms: Add-Ons and Scripting

Google Forms offers comprehensive support for add-ons and scripting with Google Apps Script. However, Microsoft Forms lacks this functionality as it offers very limited add-ons and scripting features.

Google Forms vs. Microsoft Forms: Customization

Google Forms provides limited themes and image options but has a user-friendly interface. Microsoft Forms, on the other hand, provides a wide range of customization options, including themes, images, and branding.

Which is better, Google Forms vs. Microsoft Forms?

Google Forms and Microsoft Forms both offer unique features and functionalities, which make them suitable for different user needs and preferences. Google Forms stands out with its clean and user-friendly interface, thereby making it easy for users to quickly grasp the basic functionalities. Its comprehensive support for add-ons and scripting with Google Apps Script makes it an ideal choice for most users.

On the other hand, Microsoft Forms excels under the customization parameter, offering users a range of customization options, including themes, images, and branding.

However, the final choice between Google Forms and Microsoft Forms depends on the user or organization's specific requirements and existing toolsets. Google Forms is ideal for beginners as the platform is easy to use and offers broad accessibility. Microsoft Forms caters to businesses and experienced users who need comprehensive integration with Microsoft's products.