Introduction

Google Forms is a free online software that enables you to develop surveys, quizzes, questionnaires, interview forms, etc. It is one of the features provided by Google suite, and one of the requirements to access this feature is a Google account.

This post will analyze Google forms, their pros and cons, and everything else in between.

What Are The Advantages of Google Forms?

Collecting information via personalized surveys is one of the features of Google Forms. Templates were then introduced as an add-on to simplify the process.

The advantages of Google forms are numerous, from the ability to distribute surveys to a large audience, editable and customization forms to align with any brand, combining various arrangements using texts and images, and many more. 

Let us take an in-depth look at some of the advantages of Google Forms.

Easy-to-use Interface

The Google form design interface is intuitive, friendly, and easy to use. From newbies to professionals, the Google interface doesn’t discriminate. Both parties can achieve remarkable results the first time they interact with the application. The integration is flawless, and the forms are customizable and can be tweaked to suit some requirements.

The Google form is designed to be incredibly easy to use, and this feature makes it a favorite among other similar applications. There is no need for any technical skill, like knowledge of codes, to be able to use the application. As long as you know the basics of reading and writing, you can create and use Google forms.

Free

The fascinating aspect of Google forms is that it is 100% free to use, and there is no paid or premium user version. Best of all, with a Google account(Gmail address), you are on your way to creating your forms and receiving submissions. 

For such a great application, it isn’t easy to believe that it is free from the seamless integration that facilitates benefits like distance learning, e-learning, survey creation, customer feedback, and more. Unlike other forms with similar benefits, you can do all this and more free of charge with Google forms.

Create as Much as you Want

 Several paid Form builders have a limit per payment plan, ranging from $24 per month for 100 forms. However, with Google forms, you have limitless access to create unlimited Google forms and submissions, all for free.

Create all Forms of Question

 Google Forms enables you to create different questions, such as multiple choice, linear scale, check boxes, paragraph, short answer, and multiple choice grid, all customizable to suit your requirements. 

Take a Few Minutes to Create Surveys

Surveying your research studies has never been easier with Google forms. Best of all, it only takes a few minutes because of the various editable template questions and answer options. All you need is to sign into your Google account, click on  forms.google.com, and follow the prompts.

Keeps you Organized

Google keeps you organized by curating all the feedback from your respondents in one place while sorting them according to the parameters available. You can see a summary of all responses, and you also have the option of viewing them by individuals. Best of all, your feedback can be exported to a spreadsheet for easy analysis.

Customizable

Another benefit is its flexibility which allows editing for up to 300 pieces of content, like videos and question images, i.e., You can either use the existing theme options or upload your images, change the theme, background color fonts, and more. For more options, there are add-on features that can help.

Collaboration Available

Team collaboration is one of the advantages of Google applications. As long as you and your team members have a Google account, you can work collaboratively without anyone getting in the way, all in real-time.

With the editor access feature enabled, every member of your team can access the application and achieve the following together:

• Create forms together
• Create Surveys
• Share forms with your audience 
• View Google Form submissions

Sections and Logic Branching

Allows you to tweak your questions so that respondents get served questions based on their responses. For example, if a respondent selects an option, say option a, the next question would be question 2; however, if they choose any other option, it would decide to influence the next question.

Share Anywhere you Want

Creating a form using Google forms with all the beautiful advantages is excellent. However, distribution is critical, and seamlessly sharing your forms with your target audience is vital. The good news is that Google forms have diverse options that allow you to reach your desired target audience. The possibilities range from emailing your forms to respondents, sharing via a link, embedding the forms on a web page via socials, etc. 

Get an Email  Notification for Responses

Google Forms are linked to your Google account. This synchronization with your Gmail account allows you to get information for each answer. That way, you can keep up with your respondents on the go.

Great for Educational Purposes

A Google form is a fantastic tool for both students and teachers. The advent of the Covid 19 pandemic led to the closure of most educational institutions, and online teaching gained prominence.

The features offered by Google forms make it ideal for learning because, with Google forms, teachers can create and administer surveys to students to gain deep insight into their preferences and more.

Teachers can also design lesson plans with the application and update students on what to expect in the next class.

Class attendance can also be monitored through the sign-up and signout sheet online. 

Quizzes can also be administered during classes with Google forms to gauge the student’s understanding of the subject being taught.

Part of Google’s Ecosystem

Google forms is not a stand-alone application but part of a functional and efficient ecosystem – the Google workspace. This interconnectivity ensures adequate support and cohesion in the workspace. Team members and colleagues can access your Google forms through Google drive and work simultaneously and track progress, all in real time.

In addition, data from respondents’ submissions can be downloaded and transferred. Requests can also be tracked on Google forms by team members. Updates and edits can be monitored via notifications in your Gmail account linked to the Google forms.

Mobile Friendly

One critical benefit of Google forms is its compatibility with different platforms. The user experience is the same, with no downsides or limitations for desktop browsers, laptops, tablets, or smartphones. Each template design is responsive and renders effectively, irrespective of the device used to create or access the forms. This is good because you have no control over what device your respondents would use to access the surveys or questionnaires.

What are the Disadvantages of Google Forms?

There are some disadvantages to using Google forms, including the difficulty in embedding the forms into other websites.

Here are some significant disadvantages of Google forms:

Need an Internet Connection

Like every good thing, there are downsides. The first for Google Forms is its dependence on the internet. No internet means no access to view, make changes, or anything at all.

Must Have a Google Account

With Google forms, the only way after the internet is accessible is a Google account, unlike other applications that give you access to sign in with a Google account. The irony is that it doesn’t apply to Google, so it is one-way traffic; a Google account is compulsory.

Lack of Intergrations

Google Forms fits right in with all the other applications in the Google Workspace ecosystem, like Google Sheets and Gmail. However, it doesn’t have the option of integrating with any other application outside the Google ecosystem. A purchased third-party connector is required to carry out any integration, eroding the security of direct integration, and it doesn’t have native integrations with third-party applications. 

Limited Versatility

While the options may seem robust, the truth is Google Forms are mostly suited for questionnaires or surveys, as it simply does not have the functionality to create a wide range of forms, like payment forms, lead generation forms, and more. If you want a wide range of options, you might have to consider other form builders.

Limited Reporting and Analytics

One of the most glaring limitations of Google forms is the biased reporting and analytics feature. All you get is a breakdown of the feedback to the questions asked. Deeper insights like how much time it took per participant, how many recipients viewed the questions, the abandonment ratio, viewing the result with images or graphs, and more are not available with Google forms. To go beyond the basics in reporting and analytics, you will need a more robust form builder like Formplus.

No Payment Gateway/Integration

The features available on Google forms are limited. For example, there are no payment gateway elements with Google forms that allow for collections of online payments, unlike other form builders with a robust offering of payment gateway solutions.

Conclusion

When looking for a form builder, it is essential to review Google Forms’ pros and cons objectively. If you are not tech-savvy and are looking for a hassle-free form builder, then Google Forms are the way to go.

However, suppose you require more advanced features, like integration, reporting, analytics, offline functionality, and more personalized designs, you should consider other options with all these capabilities, like Formplus.

Notwithstanding, free is always a good deal, so you can try out Google forms to see if it works for you. With Google forms, you can create and administer surveys and questionnaires in minutes and see your results in real time as they come in.