Build Stellar Online Application Forms with the Best Builders

The Growing Importance of Online Forms

Online forms have become a critical tool for businesses, organizations, and services providers looking to efficiently collect information from users, customers, applicants, and the general public. Choosing the right online form builder makes creating customized, effective forms easy without requiring any coding skills. With optimized templates, drag-and-drop editors, built-in submission management, and deep integrations with other platforms, the top builders provide convenience, automation, analytics, and multi-channel accessibility.

According to statistics from G2, the usage of online web forms has grown over 200% in the last 5 years as more services move online. This demonstrates the rising importance of identifying a form builder suited to specific use cases and audiences. With so many options available, this article compares the leading form builders across key criteria like customization, templates, analytics, integrations, pricing, and ease of use.

By leveraging the evaluation framework and expert recommendations covered here, you can confidently select an online form builder to create stellar application forms tailored to your needs that drive results. Whether you need forms for contact, lead generation, events, surveys, or any other use case, the guide will help you find the ideal platform.

Background on Online Form Builders

Online form builders empower anyone to create customized forms for their specific needs without needing to code. Some key advantages of online form builders:

• Forms can be embedded anywhere or accessed via links and QR codes
• Platforms handle submission management, data storage, analysis, and integrations
• Many template galleries suited for diverse use cases like contact forms, surveys, applications etc.
• Advanced features like conditional logic, file uploads, payments, e-signatures
• Benefits include convenience, automation, analytics, multi-channel accessibility

Popular use cases that online forms help streamline:

• Contact forms on websites and landing pages
• Customer surveys and feedback collection
• Job or event applications and registrations
• Online order forms and shopping carts
• Patient intake forms and appointment requests
• Donation forms and crowdfunding campaigns
• Research data collection and market research
• Product giveaways and lead generation

Key Criteria for Evaluating Form Builders

With the wide range of form builders available, focus on options suited to your specific use cases, audience, and goals. Here are some key factors to consider:

Customization and Templates

• Ability to customize form colors, fonts, branding, layout, field types and logic
• Large gallery of pre-made templates for diverse needs
• Well-designed templates improve completion rates
• Balance of customization flexibility and templated starting points

Integrations and Analytics

• Integrations allow seamless data flow to platforms like CRM, email, accounting
• Built-in analytics provide insights into form completion, responses
• Identify areas for improvement and optimization via analytics
• Assess required integration and reporting needs upfront

Developer Integration and Customization

• Developer API and custom JavaScript for advanced customization
• Ability to embed forms in code-based web projects
• Backend submission handling integrates with developer tools
• Ideal for developers building custom forms and web projects

Ease of Use and Scalability

• Intuitive drag-and-drop editor for WYSIWYG building
• Quality documentation and onboarding to flatten learning curve
• Ensure platform can scale to meet your growing form needs

Other important criteria:

• Mobile and accessibility optimization
• Security compliance for collecting sensitive data
• Responsive customer support when issues arise
• Pricing models suiting diverse budgets and usage

Top Online Form Builders Compared

Let's overview 5 leading options for creating online forms and see how they compare based on the key criteria:

Google Forms

• Free builder with great features despite basic interface
• Tightly integrated with Google Workspace ecosystem
• Intuitive drag-and-drop editor with branching logic
• 100+ templates for surveys, quizzes, event registrations etc.
• Real-time response analytics and charts
• Easy integration with Google Drive, Sheets, Docs
• Limited customization capabilities

Typeform

• Emphasizes beautiful, conversational forms and surveys
• Library of professionally designed UX-focused templates
• Advanced customization options for questions, logic, design
• Built-in analytics with summary reports
• 1000+ app integrations via Zapier and APIs
• Higher pricing for advanced functionality
• Ideal for market research, lead gen, quizzes

Wufoo

• Intuitive drag-and-drop builder with mobile optimization
• Large template gallery covering diverse use cases
• Collaboration tools to manage forms as a team
• Accept payments and donations directly through forms
• Integrates with marketing, sales and email tools
• Basic analytics included, premium for advanced
• More expensive but very robust capabilities

JotForm

• All-in-one form building and submission management
• Advanced editor with sections, pages, branching logic
• HIPAA compliant options for protected health data
• Accept payments, signatures, file uploads through forms
• Mobile form apps for collecting data on-the-go
• 100+ integrations like MailChimp, PayPal, Slack
• Wide range of pricing plans based on usage

Formspree

• Developer-focused form backend for handling submissions
• Easy integration by adding one line of code
• Real-time email notifications with response data
• Lightweight option great for developers
• Limited customization but works with any frontend
• Free tier for up to 50 submissions/month
• Featured on DevHunt for developer appeal

Honorable Mention - FormBackend

FormBackend is an open source self-hosted form backend similar to Formspree but with more customization capabilities. It's ideal for developers wanting maximum control and customization in a form handler.

Tips for Creating Effective Online Forms

Follow these tips to create stellar online application forms:

Optimize Form Design

Well-designed forms dramatically improve completion rates.

• Make key fields prominent and easy to complete
• Use sections/pages to break up long forms
• Clean layouts and ample white space
• Ensure readable fonts on all devices

Boost Completion Rates

Keep users engaged to the end.

• Limit free response questions when possible
• Show progress indicator displaying time left
• Allow saving and resuming forms over multiple sessions
• Send reminder emails to incomplete respondents

Mobile and Accessibility

Optimize for all users.

• Ensure forms are mobile-friendly with tap targets
• Support screen readers and keyboard navigation
• Use web accessibility standards
• Test forms on all devices

Refine Via User Testing

Iterate based on feedback.

• Recruit sample users for moderated testing
• Identify points of friction and confusion
• Fix issues prior to full launch
• Continuously collect feedback post-launch

Start Building Your Own Online Forms

Choosing the right online form builder tailored to your specific use cases and audience is critical for creating effective, customized application forms. This guide has compared leading options like Google Forms, Typeform, Wufoo, JotForm and Formspree across key evaluation criteria. We encourage you to explore featured online form builders on DevHunt as you search for the ideal platform. With the recommendations covered here, you can confidently select a builder and start creating stellar forms that engage users and deliver results.