Wufoo vs. Google Forms for Business
Web forms were already common when I first joined the workforce, so I can only imagine how messy it was working with printed forms to collect and organize data. Online forms are a game changer, but now the problem is choosing the right one.
There are countless online forms that allow you to gather data, and each specializes in a different use case. Forms can be used for quizzes and polls, newsletter signups, event registrations, fundraising drives, and gathering feedback from customers. For businesses, they play a vital role in sales and marketing through lead generation, online ordering and payments, customer feedback, and sales contact. For both B2C and B2B, online forms provide a secure solution for collecting data essential to business operations.
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Wufoo or Google Forms?
Among the online form creation tools available, Google Forms is the most widely used mainly due to its availability and accessibility. You just need a Google account to use it for free, and creating a form here only takes a few minutes. However, Google Forms has limitations in design customization, security, and function.
For business use, Wufoo is often a better option. It provides more features than Google Forms and is also quite easy to use. It also offers more options for custom styling. Best of all, it enables online payment processing , so customers can complete an entire transaction using just one form. You can even use Wufoo to prototype a new product or business.
To better understand which of these two forms is ideal for business organizations, let’s go over each one in detail and how they can be used for your business.
Wufoo
Wufoo is an online form builder owned by SurveyMonkey. It allows users to create contact forms, payment forms, invitations, and pretty much everything else you can expect from an online form. But, aside from the basics, Wufoo can also be used to collect online payments, accept file uploads, and get dynamic analytics. These make it a good option for businesses.
I’ll sum up the things that I love about Wufoo in five points:
Customizable forms for better branding
With over 400 customizable templates, you can easily design online forms that speak your brand. Customization goes beyond the typical color palette and background image. You can change fonts, choose from 18 field types, set custom rules, and enable file uploads. Best of all, you can do these on an easy-to-use drag and drop interface that requires no code.
Online payment processing for seamless transactions
One specific feature of Wufoo that makes it ideal for business is its capability to process online payments securely. You can accept payments through PayPal, Stripe, Braintree, Chargify, USAePay, and other payment processors. Payment-enabled forms are all encrypted to protect you and your customers. With Wufoo, your customers can conveniently complete transactions on one form and you can also easily track orders and payments on one interface.
Automated workflows and easy integrations for business efficiency
Aside from processing online payments, Wufoo makes business processes even more efficient with its automated workflows and integrations. Data collected through your forms are seamlessly transferred to your CRM and marketing automation systems. They can also be easily integrated with other online tools, including Salesforce, Asana, DocuSign, WordPress, Mailchimp, and Dropbox. This helps you keep everything organized in one account.
Smart reporting that aids in business decisions
Wufoo also helps you make better business decisions with its dynamic analytics and smart reporting. You can customize charts, graphs, data grids, and reports so data gathered can be presented in formats you can easily understand. You can also export data entries to a spreadsheet and filter them using the parameters you set.
Range of pricing plans including free
Signing up for a Wufoo account is free of charge. A free account gives you access to templates, reports, integrations, and customer support. However, you can build only up to 5 forms and receive a maximum of 100 entries.
To maximize the benefits you can gain from your Wufoo account, sign up for one of its plans. They offer plans that range from $14.08 to $183.25 per month. Just choose the one that fits your budget and your needs.
The biggest downside of Wufoo is that it requires monthly or annual subscriptions to fully unlock all its features. But, it might be a worthwhile investment, considering the convenience it can bring you and your customers.
Google Forms
Google Forms is an online form builder that you might already be familiar with. Even young students can use the form to make quizzes, polls, and other things either for school or just for fun. All you need to use this tool is a Google Account, which you might already have.
The primary appeal of Google Forms is its price point. It’s absolutely free to use. Data can also be stored for free in your Google account and can be easily integrated with other Google tools. You won’t need IT or coding skills, special software, or powerful hardware. You can use it on any gadget—even on your smartphone.
While I lean towards Wufoo for business use, Google Forms also has features that make it suitable for those who need only the basics and have a limited budget.
Extremely easy to use
The interface of Google forms is so easy to use that even young students can create online forms with it. Just choose a template or a blank form and edit it. You can change the color palette and the background image to match your brand.
You can also choose from several question types including multiple choice, dropdowns, tick boxes, fill-ins, and short answers.
It’s also easy to customize the settings for your forms. You can restrict users, limit responses, or enable edits after submission.
Google file uploads
You can also receive file uploads using Google Forms. The maximum size of total uploads is 1TB with a maximum of 10 files per respondent and 10 GB per upload. However, the file you receive depends on how much storage is available in your Google account.
Instant results and real-time reporting
Google Forms are integrated with Google spreadsheets. You can see results the instant they come in and generate reports through charts and graphs. In Forms, you can view both the summary and the individual responses. In Sheets, you can view data in spreadsheet form and filter responses to a set parameter. You can also download responses as CSV files and use other spreadsheet programs to filter and analyze your data.
Real-time edits and collaboration
Google Forms allows you to add as many collaborators as you want. You can build forms together with your team and see edits in real-time. This makes collaborations easier and faster. In contrast, Wufoo allows multiple access to one account but users can’t edit a page simultaneously. If two users edit a page at the same time, only the changes made by the person who clicks Save would be kept. Changes by the other user would be overwritten. So, in this regard, Google Forms has the upper hand.
Google Forms is a great online builder tool for basic use. However, it has a few limitations. For one, design customization is limited to changing the color palette and the background image. You can’t change fonts or the layout.
There is also a limit to the amount of data you can collect. Google Forms only accepts texts up to 500kb and images up to 2MB. Spreadsheets are also limited to 256 cells or 40 sheets.
Choose the Right Form for Your Needs
While Google Forms is great for personal use, Wufoo tends to be better for businesses. Wufoo will help you analyze results and not just merely collect data. It also has online payment features that make sales transactions possible - something you can’t pull off easily in Google Forms.
But, these two are just a couple of the many online builder tools out there. There are other forms that may provide better results, depending on what you need for your business. You can check out my post on the various alternatives for Google Forms and decide which one suits you best.