A Microsoft Forms alternative for forms people see
Microsoft Forms is handy inside Microsoft 365. When a form faces customers, HornetForms gives you unlimited responses, real logic and your own look on a Free plan that stays free.
When Microsoft Forms isn't the right fit
Microsoft Forms is a sensible choice for internal surveys and quizzes in a company that already pays for Microsoft 365. Outside that, its response limits per form, its light design options and its simple branching start to show.
- Unlimited forms and responses within fair use, on every plan, Free included
- Conditional logic, piping, calculations and endings, free
- File uploads on public forms, no sign-in for respondents
- Your logo, cover image and custom CSS on Pro
- Embeds, popups, QR codes and link previews
- Google Sheets, Slack, Discord, Notion and Zapier, free
HornetForms and Microsoft Forms side by side
Microsoft Forms details come from Microsoft's own support and pricing pages on the date below the table. Check them before you decide.
scroll sideways to see both columns
| What's compared | HornetForms | Microsoft Forms |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free forever, with unlimited forms and responses within fair use | Works with a free personal Microsoft account |
| Responses you can collect1 | Unlimited on every plan, under a fair use policy | Per form: 200 on free personal accounts, 1,000 on paid personal accounts, up to 5,000,000 on work or school accounts |
| Number of forms | Unlimited on every plan, under a fair use policy | Up to 400 per account |
| Price points2 | $0 forever. Pro $29/mo or $240/yr, Business $89/mo or $720/yr | Business features come with Microsoft 365; check their pricing page |
| Team members | Unlimited on Pro and Business, no per-seat pricing | Check Microsoft's pricing page |
| File uploads3 | Free up to 10 MB a file. Pro and Business have no plan limit on file size | Only on forms limited to your organisation; files up to 10 MB, 100 MB or 1 GB, saved to OneDrive for Business |
| Conditional logic | Logic on any question, piping, calculations and up to 20 endings, free | Branching to a later question or section |
| Payments in forms | One-time payments through your own Stripe account, on every plan. No HornetForms fee; Stripe's fees apply | Check Microsoft's help pages |
| Custom domains | 1 on Pro, 10 on Business | Check Microsoft's help pages |
| Remove the builder's branding | Pro and Business | Check Microsoft's help pages |
| AI form builder | 3 generations a month on Free, 30 on Pro, 100 on Business. Credit packs from $5 for 25 to $100 for 1,000 on every plan | Check Microsoft's help pages |
| Data export | CSV and response PDFs on every plan, Excel on Pro and Business | Open in Excel (work or school accounts) |
| Integrations | Google Sheets, Slack, Discord, Notion, Zapier and signed webhooks free on every plan. REST API on Business | Excel |
Notes
- Microsoft's limits are per form and depend on the account type. Typeform and Jotform count responses per month across all your forms. HornetForms and Tally both have a fair use policy.
- US dollars as shown on each pricing page, before tax. HornetForms' yearly prices are totals for the year.
- Respondents never sign in to upload a file to a HornetForms form.
Where the numbers come from
Everything in the HornetForms column is a feature you can use today, on the plan named. Competitor prices and limits come from their own pricing and help pages, linked above, on the date shown; they change, so check them before you decide. Where we couldn't confirm something on their site, we say so instead of guessing. Typeform, Jotform, Google Forms, Microsoft Forms and Tally are trademarks of their respective owners; HornetForms is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any of them.
Bundled with Microsoft, or free forever
Microsoft Forms works with a free personal Microsoft account, with lower response limits per form. Business features come with Microsoft 365 plans, which cover all of Microsoft's apps. HornetForms is free forever with unlimited forms and responses. Pro and Business are one subscription per account, with unlimited teammates and no per-seat pricing.
HornetForms plans
- Free
- $0/moFree forever
- Pro
- $29/mo or $240/yrUnlimited teammates included
- Business
- $89/mo or $720/yrUnlimited teammates included
Microsoft Forms plans
Microsoft Forms works with free personal Microsoft accounts. Business features come with Microsoft 365 plans; see Microsoft's pricing page for current prices.
Last checked
Microsoft Forms pricing pageMore room for your brand
Microsoft Forms keeps the look simple. That's fine for a staff survey. HornetForms gives you theme presets, 21 fonts, buttons and backgrounds on every plan, plus your logo, cover image, custom CSS and badge removal on Pro, and custom domains on Pro and Business.
Logic and integrations beyond Microsoft 365
Microsoft Forms branches forward to a later question or section and opens responses in Excel. HornetForms adds conditional logic on any question, answer piping, calculations, hidden fields and up to 20 endings, all free. Responses go to Google Sheets, Slack, Discord, Notion, Zapier or your own signed webhook on every plan, and Business adds a REST API.
When Microsoft Forms is the better pick
- Your company already pays for Microsoft 365 and it's an internal survey.
- You want responses in Excel or SharePoint with no extra setup.
- Everyone who fills in your form already signs in to Microsoft 365 at work or school.
HornetForms vs Microsoft Forms questions
Is HornetForms free?
Yes. The Free plan is free forever, with unlimited forms and responses, logic, uploads, signatures and integrations.
Does HornetForms limit responses per form?
No. Responses are unlimited on every form and every plan, within fair use. Fair use means you use HornetForms to build forms and collect answers from real people.
Can I get my responses into Excel?
Export responses as CSV on every plan, or as Excel on Pro. Many teams send them to Google Sheets with the free integration, or anywhere else through Zapier.
Can I import my Microsoft Forms?
Save your responses from Excel as a CSV, drop it in, and HornetForms turns its columns into questions, free. Or upload a PDF or Word copy of the form and AI rebuilds it as a draft, which uses one AI generation.
For the forms the world sees
Unlimited responses, real logic and your own look, on a Free plan that stays free. No card needed.