Tally vs Google Forms
Both are alternatives to Typeform. Here's how they stack up — verified facts, no spin.
Also searched as Google Forms vs Tally — same comparison, one verdict.
Tally
Free for unlimited responses — and that is the whole pitch.
Tally is a hosted form builder that works like a text document: you type, and form fields appear where you need them. Its distinguishing feature is commercial rather than technical — unlimited forms and unlimited responses on the free tier, with payment only for branding removal and advanced features. For a team whose objection to Typeform is purely the per-response bill, Tally removes it entirely without any self-hosting. It is proprietary and hosted, so the data-residency objection is unaddressed.
Google Forms
Free, adequate, and the honest answer more often than people admit.
Google Forms collects responses into a spreadsheet, handles basic logic, and costs nothing. It is not conversational, the design options are thin, and it looks like what it is. Included because a significant share of Typeform subscriptions exist for forms that Google Forms would have handled perfectly — an internal survey, an event signup, a feedback box — and recommending an open alternative for a job that needs no tool at all would be padding this page rather than helping. If your form has fewer than ten questions and no brand requirement, start here.
Side by side
| Tally | Google Forms | |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty Score | 40 | 22 |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| Local-first | No | No |
| License | Proprietary (hosted service) | Proprietary (free with a Google account) |
| Pricing | Free with unlimited forms and responses. Tally Pro around $29/month for branding removal and advanced features. | Free with any Google account. Included with Workspace. |
Tally edges it on the Sovereignty Score, but the right pick depends on the trade-offs below.
Tally
Strengths
- +Unlimited responses free — removes Typeform's core cost problem outright
- +Document-style builder is genuinely fast to use
- +Good conditional logic and payment collection on the free tier
- +Nothing to host or maintain
Trade-offs
- −Proprietary and hosted — data residency unchanged
- −Free tier is a business decision that can change
- −Less polished than Typeform on presentation
- −No self-hosting at any price
Google Forms
Strengths
- +Free, unlimited, and already available to nearly everyone
- +Responses land directly in Sheets for analysis
- +Zero learning curve — most people have used it already
- +Fine for internal surveys, signups and feedback
Trade-offs
- −Google holds the responses, which is the objection this page exists for
- −Dated presentation with limited branding
- −Basic conditional logic only
- −Not appropriate for anything customer-facing where design matters
Related alternative guides
Facts verified 2026-08-07. Licenses and pricing change — spotted something out of date? That's a correction we want.