Easily Build Forms without Code using Form Software

Introduction

Forms are everywhere on the internet. From signup forms on sites like Facebook and LinkedIn to contact forms on company websites and customer surveys from brands like Nike and Starbucks, online forms allow businesses and organizations to easily collect structured data from users. However, creating customized online forms typically requires coding skills. This is where form building software comes in - it empowers anyone to create sleek, professional-looking forms through an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, without needing to write a single line of code.

In this article, we'll explore the top dedicated form building platforms and how they can help you launch forms quickly for various use cases, with a focus on selecting the right solution based on factors like target audience, form complexity, branding needs, and required integrations.

What are Form Builders?

Form builders are software applications that let you create, customize, and publish online forms without needing web development skills. Key features of form builders include:

• Drag-and-drop form design with fields like text boxes, dropdowns, radio buttons, etc.
• Providing templates and themes to style and brand your forms.
• Handling the data collection and storage when forms are submitted.
• Integration capabilities with third-party apps like CRM, email marketing, databases.

Some popular examples of dedicated form building platforms are Typeform, Formstack, JotForm, Wufoo, and more.

Benefits of Using Form Builders

Some notable benefits of using form building software instead of hard-coding forms include:

• Speed and simplicity - You can launch forms in minutes with no coding required. Easily make changes anytime after publishing.
• Flexibility - Form builders make it simple to add, remove or rearrange fields and sections even after publishing.
• Styling options - Match forms to your brand with themes, custom fonts, and more.
• Built-in analytics - Track form views, submissions, drop-offs etc. over time to optimize conversion.
• Connect to workflows - Integrate form data submissions into other apps like CRM and marketing automation.
• Accept payments - Collect fees or payments with integrated payment gateways.
• Accessibility - Form builders allow compliance with ADA standards for disabled users.

Top Form Building Platforms

There are many form builders to choose from, each with unique strengths and limitations. Here we'll cover some of the most popular dedicated form building tools:

Typeform

Known for beautiful, engaging forms with slick animations and transitions. Key features:

• Powerful styling options and professionally designed themes.
• Advanced conditional logic features to create dynamic forms.
• Limitations include less enterprise-scale capabilities.
• Pricing: Free plan for basic forms, Pro plan starts at $35/month.

Formstack

Robust enterprise-grade form builder with hundreds of field types and form options.

• Rules engine for complex multi-step workflows and logic.
• HIPAA compliance available for healthcare forms collecting sensitive data.
• Scales well for large business and enterprise use cases.
• Pricing: Free Lite plan, paid plans start at $14/user/month.

JotForm

Great for basic contact forms, surveys, and other marketing forms.

• Library of beautifully designed form templates.
• Integrates with tools like MailChimp, PayPal, Slack and more.
• Limitations include less robust features compared to Formstack.
• Pricing: Free plan, paid plans starting at $12/month.

Wufoo

Intuitive form builder with a simple drag-and-drop interface.

• Entry management features to view and export form submissions.
• Integrates with MailChimp, Salesforce, Slack and more.
• Geared more for marketing vs complex multi-page forms.
• Pricing: Free for up to 3 forms, paid plans from $15/month.

Google Forms

• Free basic form builder included with Google Workspace.
• Tight integration with Google Sheets, Docs and other Google services.
• Very limited styling and customization options compared to paid builders.
• Not suitable for collecting sensitive data.
• Pricing: Free with Google account, paid Workspace plans for more features.

Use Case Examples

Form builders excel at a variety of real-world use cases. Here are some examples along with ideal form builder recommendations:

Lead Generation

Collect contact info from site visitors interested in demos/trials.

• Typeform optimized for conversion rate optimization. Beautiful forms convert.
• Wufoo integrates with marketing automation like HubSpot and Marketo.

Event Registration

Accept signups and payments for conferences, meetups, etc.

• Formstack integrates with payment gateways like Stripe, PayPal.
• JotForm features event management and ticket sales add-ons.

Pre-Launch List Building

Gather emails from interested users before a product launch.

• Typeform offers slick templates to capture leads and build buzz.
• JotForm integrates easily with Mailchimp for list building.

Customer Feedback

Survey customers for testimonials, reviews, and suggestions.

• Wufoo polls easily integrate with sites and show social proof.
• JotForm analyzer summarizes survey results with charts.

Choosing the Right Form Builder

With many form builders to choose from, here are some key factors to consider:

Audience and Branding

• For tech savvy audiences, Typeform provides the best user experience.
• Need polished branding? Formstack offers themes and custom CSS styling.
• For enterprise branding, Formstack and Wufoo are solid picks.

Form Complexity

• For simple contact forms, Wufoo and JotForm suffice.
• For advanced logic, Formstack has the most robust builder.
• Accepting payments requires Formstack, JotForm or Wufoo.

Integrations Needed

• For marketing automation, Typeform and Wufoo have integrations.
• Formstack connects to anything via Zapier.
• Google Forms if only Google Workspace integrations are needed.

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

The key benefits of using dedicated form building software are the speed of launching forms without coding, flexibility to make changes after publishing, built-in analytics, and integrations with workflows and payment processing.

When selecting a form builder, evaluate factors like target audience, form complexity, branding needs, required integrations, and free plan limitations. For developer tools, Typeform is great for slick, high-converting launch forms that connect easily to platforms like Mailchimp.

Form builders empower easy data collection without writing code. They are essential tools for quickly launching forms tailored to specific use cases and audiences. With the right platform, you can build forms as easily as Lego blocks!

Looking for an easy way to build and launch customized online forms for your next developer project? Check out DevHunt to find and compare the top form building software solutions all in one place. Their comprehensive listings and unbiased reviews make it simple to find the right form platform for your specific needs. Learn more about launch marketing for your dev tool now!