Collecting feedback is vital for product teams, researchers, and educators. Whether you’re measuring customer satisfaction, conducting research or gathering employee feedback, surveys serve as fundamental methodology to gather feedback.
Many users default to Google Forms as it's a completely free, but it has limitations. If you need more customization, advanced analytics, or diverse question types, it's worth exploring alternative tools that offer more flexibility.
Here we’ll cover:
✔️ Why free survey tools matter
✔️ The limitations of free survey tools like Google Forms
✔️ The top free online survey tools
✔️ How to choose the best survey platform for your needs
Smarter Surveys, Better Decisions with Hubble
Launch surveys with smart AI-assistance, analytics, and participant recruitment all within a single platform
Why You Need Free Online Survey Tools
Surveys serve different use cases across various industries as they are fundamental tool for identifying trends and gathering insights. Starting a survey with a free version can be an easy and cost-effective way to start with. Below are some key benefits:
1. Cost-Effective Data Collection
Not every business or individual has the budget to invest in paid survey software. Free survey platforms allow organizations to gather valuable insights without extra cost.
Many of these platforms offer a generous free plan that includes unlimited questions, basic analytics and different question types, making them excellent free alternatives for small-scale projects.
2. Quick and Convenient Setup
Unlike traditional paper-based questionnaires, which require printing and manual data entry, online surveys can be created and shared in minutes. Online platforms offer pre-made templates, a drag-and-drop question builder, and easy sharing options through links, email, or social media.
3. Accessibility and Remote Collaboration
Since most survey tools are cloud-based, they enable team collaboration and remote access. Whether you're working with a marketing team, HR department, or research group, you can collaborate in real time, edit surveys, and collect survey responses from anywhere.
4. Instant Response Collection & Basic Analytics
Most survey software allow you to see real-time responses, which is important for making quick decisions. Even free plans have limited analytics but still provide survey response summaries, graphs, and charts. Some platforms even allow you to export data to Excel or Google Sheets for further analysis.
5. No Coding or Technical Skills Required
Online survey tools come with accessible UIs which does not require technical expertise. With drag-and-drop editors, customizable templates, and AI-powered suggestions, anyone can create a professional survey in minutes.
6. Useful for Multiple Purposes
Many free survey software provide basic functionalities to build and launch a survey. Whether you need a simple form for event feedback, an employee engagement questionnaire, or customer satisfaction survey with Net Promoter Score, platforms offer online survey templates for different industries and use cases.
✅ Business Use – Market research, product development surveys.
✅ Academic Use – Student feedback, research studies, thesis surveys.
✅ HR & Employee Engagement – Team feedback, performance evaluations, pulse surveys.
✅ Nonprofits & Government Surveys – Community feedback, volunteer satisfaction, public opinion polling.
7. Streamlining Your Survey Development
The survey building process becomes significantly more efficient when you choose the right platform. Modern tools streamline every step, from initial concept to final deployment. While many professionals start with basic platforms, they often find that a more robust free online form builder provides additional features that save time and improve results. These might include AI-powered question suggestions, logic branching capabilities, and pre-built question templates that ensure you're following survey best practices.
For a detailed breakdown of survey formats and when to use them, explore our article on different types of survey questions.
Limitations of Free Survey Platforms
Google Forms and Typeform are among the most popular free tools. Still, they have limitations that may not be suitable for businesses and researchers looking for more scalability and advanced analytics.
1. Limited Question Types = Limited Data
Google Forms supports limited question types like multiple-choice, short text, and numerical scale. However, they lack:
❌ Ranking & Rating Scales: Important for prioritization surveys.
❌ Card Sorting: Often used for UX research and product categorization. It's common drag-and-drop interaction can be creatively used to make surveys more engaging.
❌ Tree Testing: Helps evaluate website navigation structures.
❌ Multi-modal Questions: Often times, you would want to test more Useful for marketing research.
For those who need interactive and complex survey questions, these free survey makers fall short compared to advanced platforms like Hubble.
2. Lack of Advanced Data Analytics
Both Google Forms and Typeform offer basic analytics but lack the following:
- Data visualization beyond standard bar graphs and pie charts.
- AI-powered insights to uncover patterns in survey responses.
- Custom filtering and segmentation for deep analysis.
Exporting data using third-party tools (like Excel or Google Data Studio) is often necessary for large-scale research or business insights.
3. Limited Customization and Branding
If you’re running surveys for a business or a brand, Google Forms' limited customization can be a major drawback.
- No custom branding: No white-label or custom domain support.
- Limited styling options: Can’t match brand aesthetics.
- No logic-based customization: Basic skip logic but no advanced branching.
For companies that want to maintain brand consistency in surveys, switching to a more customizable alternative is a better choice.
4. Restrictions on Free Plans
Many free survey tools, including Typeform, heavily restrict the number of questions or responses per survey.
- Google Forms: Unlimited questions and responses but lacks advanced features.
- Typeform Free: 10 questions per survey, 10 responses per month.
- Other platforms: Often cap responses at 100-200 per month on free plans.
For businesses or researchers running large-scale surveys, these limits may force them to upgrade to paid plans.
5. Not Ideal for Large-Scale or Professional Use
While Google Forms is great for quick, informal surveys, it lacks the capabilities for:
🚫 Enterprise-level research
🚫 Customer feedback loops
🚫 Market research and usability testing
🚫 Advanced audience segmentation
This is where different alternatives come in—offering more question types, advanced features with reporting, integrated data analysis, and an overall streamlined process.
Top Free Online Survey Tools
1. Hubble
Hubble is a comprehensive user research platform that streamlines the entire survey process from creation to participant recruitment and advanced data analysis. It has various question types, including image preference questions, ranking, matrix, card sorting, and tree testing, so you design surveys with relevant questions that gather nuanced insights tailored to your needs.
With robust customization options, you can design surveys that match your brand and research objectives, use complex question types, and implement skip logic to engage respondents.
Hubble’s AI-powered survey creation and pre-built templates make it easy to create effective surveys for both novice and experienced researchers. Plus, it has participant recruitment services, which connects you with a diverse pool of respondents, and provides advanced data analysis tools to get insights from the collected data.
💡 Good for: Comprehensive user research, prototype testing, and in-product feedback collection.
📌 Unique Features:
- Supports various question types like image preference, ranking, matrix, card sorting, and tree testing.
- Advanced customization options, including complex question types and skip logic.
- End-to-end survey management from design to participant recruitment and data analysis.
- AI-powered survey creation with pre-built templates for easy survey development.
Smarter Surveys, Better Decisions with Hubble
Launch surveys with smart AI-assistance, analytics, and participant recruitment all within a single platform
2. Qualtrics
Qualtrics is an enterprise-level survey platform known for its advanced features and robust analytics. This is for organizations that need in-depth analysis tools to inform decision-making. Qualtrics has various customizable survey templates and question types for various research needs, from market research to employee engagement surveys.
It’s great at advanced analytics, including text analysis and predictive intelligence so that you can get insights from complex data sets. Its integration with other enterprise systems makes it useful in large organizational ecosystems.
💡 Good for: Enterprise-level surveys, market research, and detailed data analysis.
📌 Unique Features:
- Advanced text analytics to interpret open-ended responses.
- Predictive intelligence for forecasting trends and behaviors.
- Robust integration with various enterprise systems and CRM platforms.
- Custom scripting capabilities for tailored survey experiences.
3. SurveyMonkey
SurveyMonkey is a well-known survey tool with a user-friendly interface and survey templates for individuals and organizations that want to collect feedback without technical expertise. SurveyMonkey’s free plan has basic features, and paid plans have data export options and custom branding.
It has real-time results and basic analytics so you can see responses as they come in. Its massive question bank and customizable themes make it adaptable to any survey need, from customer satisfaction to event feedback.
💡 Good for: Quick feedback collection, customer satisfaction surveys, and event planning.
📌 Unique Features:
- Extensive library of survey templates and question types.
- Real-time response tracking with basic analytical tools.
- Integration with popular apps like Mailchimp, Salesforce, and Slack.
- Option to distribute surveys via web links, email, or social media.
4. Alchemer
Alchemer is a flexible survey tool with features for both beginners and advanced users. Customizable surveys with various question types and logic options so you can create tailored survey experiences. Alchemer’s free plan has basic features, and paid plans have data export, custom scripting, and advanced reporting.
The platform is great for flexibility in new survey design and distribution and can integrate with other 3rd party apps. Its reporting tools help you analyze data effectively, so it’s good for detailed research projects.
💡 Good for: Customizable surveys, and integration with other tools.
📌 Unique Features:
- Advanced survey logic and branching to create better surveys.
- Customizable templates and themes to align with brand identity.
- Integration with CRM systems and marketing automation tools.
- Comprehensive reporting and analytics to derive actionable insights.
5. Typeform
Typeform is known for its creative and interactive survey designs that engage respondents. Its conversational approach shows one question at a time, so surveys feel more personal and less overwhelming. Typeform has a free plan with basic features, and paid plans have logic jumps, custom branding, and integrations.
The platform has a drag-and-drop interface, so you can create visually appealing forms without coding knowledge. It has many templates and question types, so it’s good for various applications, from simple polls to complex feedback forms.
💡 Good for: Creating engaging and interactive surveys, quizzes, and forms.
📌 Unique Features:
- Conversational form design that enhances user engagement.
- Logic jumps to personalize the survey experience based on responses.
- Integration with numerous applications like Zapier, Slack, and Google Sheets.
- Customizable design elements to match brand aesthetics.
6. Zoho Survey
Zoho Survey is part of the Zoho suite of apps and has seamless integration with other Zoho products. It has various features, including customizable templates, different question types, and real-time reporting. The free plan has limited responses and paid plans have multilingual support and advanced reporting.
The platform is designed for businesses of all sizes to create surveys for customer feedback, employee satisfaction, and market research. Its collaboration features allow teams to work together on survey projects.
💡 Good for: Businesses seeking integration with CRM systems, customer feedback, and employee engagement surveys.
📌 Unique Features:
- Seamless integration with Zoho CRM and other Zoho applications.
- Multilingual support to reach a diverse audience.
- Advanced reporting tools with real-time analytics.
- Customizable themes and templates to align with brand identity.
7. Microsoft Forms
Microsoft Forms is part of the Microsoft 365 suite, which allows users to create surveys, quizzes, and polls. It has real-time response tracking and integrates well with other Microsoft apps like Excel and SharePoint to enhance data analysis and sharing.
The platform has a user-friendly experience with customizable themes and multiple question types. While it covers basic survey needs, additional features like complex branching, third-party integrations, and in-depth analytics are limited in the free version.
💡 Good for: Basic surveys, educational quizzes, and organizations utilizing Microsoft 365.
📌 Unique Features:
- Integration with Microsoft Excel for advanced data analysis.
- Real-time collaboration and response tracking.
- Customizable themes to align with branding.
- Automatic generation of visual charts to represent data insights.
8. Jotform
Jotform is an online form builder that allows users to create a survey that's highly customizable. It has a drag-and-drop interface, so you can create forms without coding knowledge. The platform has many templates and supports many 3rd party apps.
While Jotform’s free plan has the essentials, it also has limits on the number of forms, submissions, and storage. Advanced features like payment integrations, HIPAA compliance, and increased submission limits are included in paid plans.
💡 Good for: Customizable forms, businesses requiring payment integrations, and users seeking a wide range of templates.
📌 Unique Features:
- Drag-and-drop form builder for easy customization.
- Extensive template library catering to various industries and use cases.
- Integration with numerous third-party applications, including PayPal, Stripe, and Google Drive.
- Conditional logic to create dynamic and responsive forms.
9. SurveyPlanet
SurveyPlanet is an online survey tool that offers free and paid plans. It has a user-friendly interface and is accessible to individuals and organizations without technical expertise.
The free version of SurveyPlanet has unlimited surveys and responses, basic themes, and question types. Upgrading to the Pro version unlocks custom themes, question branching (skip logic), data export options, and the ability to add images to surveys. These features allow users to create more engaging and tailored survey experiences.
💡 Good for: Users seeking a straightforward survey tool with essential features and the option to upgrade for advanced functionalities.
📌 Unique Features:
- Unlimited surveys and responses in the free version.
- Customizable themes and the ability to create custom themes in the Pro version.
- Question branching to direct respondents through different paths based on their answers.
- Data export options in various formats, including CSV, Excel, and PDF.
10. Hotjar
Hotjar is a tool that combines website analytics with user feedback. While known for heatmaps and session recordings, Hotjar also has survey capabilities to collect qualitative data directly from website visitors. This combination of behavioral analytics and feedback collection provides a complete view of user experience.
Hotjar’s surveys can be customized and targeted to specific user behavior so businesses can ask the right questions at the right time. Features include multiple question types, sentiment analysis, and automated tagging to categorize responses. While the free plan has basic features and advanced features, more response limits are available for paid plans.
💡 Good for: Businesses seeking to understand user behavior and collect on-site feedback to enhance website performance and user experience.
📌 Unique Features:
- Integration of surveys with heatmaps and session recordings for comprehensive user insights.
- Behavior-based targeting to display surveys to specific user segments.
- Sentiment analysis and automated tagging for efficient response categorization.
- Customizable survey appearance with the option to add images and adjust design elements.
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Free Survey Tool
With so many options out there, choosing the right survey software tool depends on your needs. Some tools have basic functionality for quick feedback, while others have advanced question logic, detailed analytics, and customization options. Before committing to a survey platform, consider the following:
1. Question Types & Customization
Not all survey tools support complex question types. If your research requires more than multiple-choice or open-ended questions, look for platforms that have ranking, matrix, card sorting, and tree testing. These advanced formats help gather deeper insights, especially for UX research, product testing and customer segmentation.
Customization is also important. Many free survey tools have limited branding options and display their logo on your survey. If you need to look professional, choose a platform that allows custom themes, branded colors, and personalized URLs. Some tools even have skip logic and conditional branching to create dynamic and interactive surveys that adjust based on user answers.
To learn more about surveys and their fundamental principles, check out our comprehensive guide to UX research surveys.
2. Ease of Use
A good survey tool should simplify the process with minimalistic user interface to design and launch surveys. Drag-and-drop interfaces, pre-built survey templates and AI-powered question generation make survey creation faster and more intuitive. While Google Forms and Microsoft Forms are completely free and easy to use, they lack advanced aspects that could further streamline your process.
Think about how quickly you can create, distribute, and analyze your surveys. If you’re doing research frequently, a tool that automates repetitive tasks like sending follow-ups or segmenting responses can save you a lot of time.
3. Advanced Data Collection & Analysis
The real value of a survey is how well you can make sense of survey results. Some online surveys limit how you can view and export data, restricting access to CSV downloads, filtering tools, or real-time reports. If your research requires advanced analytics, AI-driven insights or reporting, you may want to take a look into tools like Hubble or Qualtrics.
Whether the tool is free or not, think about how you will collect data from survey participants and uncover insights. Some tools have built-in dashboards, others require exporting data to Google Sheets, Excel or BI tools for deeper analysis. If your team is working on surveys, look for real-time collaboration features that allow multiple users to work on responses together.
4. Data Security and Privacy
Depending on the industry or purpose of the project, survey questions may collect sensitive information, whether it’s customer feedback, employee opinions, or user testing data. Make sure the tool you choose complies with privacy regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or CCPA, especially if you’re in an industry handling confidential information.
Before choosing a tool, check its data encryption, compliance certifications, and user permission settings. Some survey makers store responses in shared databases or allow third-party access, making them less safe for handling personal or proprietary data. If privacy is your top priority, platforms like Zoho Survey, Qualtrics, or Hubble offer enterprise users strict data protection.
5. Limitations of Free Survey Makers
Most free survey makers have limitations that may impact how you collect survey responses and analyze data. Some cap the number of questions per survey, while others limit responses per month—Typeform allows only 10 responses per month on its free plan.
Many free versions lack complex survey question types, customizable survey flow, or advanced reporting. If you plan to run multiple surveys regularly, check if an upgrade will be necessary in the future.
Streamline Your Surveys with Hubble
We've looked at the best free survey makers available in the market. Choosing the right free survey tool depends on your needs—While Google Forms and Microsoft Forms work for basic surveys, Typeform and Qualtrics offer more customization. However, Hubble is the better option if you want to effectively streamline the overall process with advanced question types, AI-assisted study creation, pre-built templates, and advanced reporting.
Smarter Surveys, Better Decisions with Hubble
Launch surveys with smart AI-assistance, analytics, and participant recruitment all within a single platform
