Cognito Forms
Online form builder with workflow automation, file uploads and approvals
- #6 of 11 in best form and survey builders
- Free plan, paid upgrades
- Free to use
- Web
Ranked 6 of 11 in best form and survey builders
Forms with approvals, file uploads and document generation, with sign-up free through Google, Microsoft or email. Feature limits and paid tiers need checking before a rollout, and it is more setup than Google Forms.
Best for Small offices that want forms with approval steps
About Cognito Forms
Cognito Forms is an online form builder where users design forms, collect responses and automate follow-up steps. The site lists document generation, file uploads, signatures and approvals as part of the workflow, and it offers government and industry form templates. Sign-up works with Google, Microsoft or email.
It suits small organizations and government offices that want forms and approval workflows without a developer. Sign-up is free, and the site describes it as a free online form builder, but feature limits and any paid plans should be checked before a rollout. Compared with Google Forms in this list, Cognito adds approval workflows and document generation, while Google Forms is simpler.
Key features
- Workflow automation
- File uploads
- Signatures and approvals
- Document generation
- Government templates
Strengths
- Approvals and document generation
- Government and industry templates
Limits
- Plan limits need checking before rollout
- More setup than Google Forms
Where Cognito Forms ranks
How Cognito Forms compares
| Product | Score | Price | Platforms | Self-hosted option | Collects payments | Where responses are stored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
#4 Jotform | 86.5 | Free plan, paid upgrades | WebiOSAndroid | No | Yes | Jotform's servers |
#5 Microsoft Forms | 84.0 | Free | Web | No | No | Microsoft cloud, Excel export |
| #6Cognito Forms | 83.5 | Free plan, paid upgrades | Web | No | Yes | Vendor cloud |
#7 Fillout | 82.5 | Free plan, paid upgrades | Web | No | Yes | Fillout's servers |
#8 Formstack | 81.0 | Contact for pricing | Web | No | Yes | Vendor cloud |
The full comparison table for best form and survey builders has all 11 products.
Alternatives to Cognito Forms
All 10 alternatives
TallyFree form builder with unlimited forms and submissions
Google FormsFree online form and survey builder with Google Sheets responses
TypeformConversational forms and surveys with AI form creation- JotformAlso runs on iOS, Android.
- Microsoft FormsFree survey, quiz and form tool from Microsoft
- FilloutForm builder with unlimited forms on its free plan
Questions about Cognito Forms
- Is Cognito Forms free?
- Cognito Forms can be used without paying: Free Individual plan with 100 entries a month; paid plans from $24 a month. Check the vendor’s pricing page for current limits.
- Is Cognito Forms open source?
- No. Cognito Forms is proprietary software; its source code is not public.
- Which platforms does Cognito Forms support?
- Cognito Forms is available on: Web.
- What is Cognito Forms best for?
- Small offices that want forms with approval steps. In our ranking of form and survey builders it is number 6 of 11 with a score of 83.5.
- What are the best alternatives to Cognito Forms?
- The highest-ranked alternatives on listme.name are Tally, Google Forms, Typeform, Jotform.
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