Two popular form builders compared on the same 25-row feature matrix and pricing, with FormBuilder shown as a third column so you can see another option to consider.
Overview
Formstack started as an online form builder in 2006 and has grown into a workflow suite: Formstack Forms (the builder), Formstack Documents (merge submissions into PDFs, Word files and contracts), and Formstack Sign (e-signature). The pitch is that one platform can take a request from intake form to generated document to signed agreement without code, which is why it sells mainly to operations, HR, healthcare and higher-ed teams.
The form builder itself is capable rather than flashy: drag-and-drop fields, conditional logic, multi-page forms, calculations, save-and-resume, payments (Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net and others), workflows with approvals, and 300+ integrations. Its Salesforce apps are a genuine differentiator — forms that read and write Salesforce records natively and can live inside Experience Cloud — and it offers HIPAA compliance, PCI and SOC 2 for regulated buyers.
Paperform takes a different approach from most builders: you write a form the way you would write a document. Headings, images, paragraphs and questions live in one free-flowing editor, so a Paperform can double as a landing page, a product page or a booking page. That editing model is the product's identity — it produces attractive, content-rich forms without a separate page builder.
Its commercial features are unusually deep for a form tool. Native payments through Stripe, Square, PayPal, Braintree and Mollie, a product catalogue with quantities and coupons, appointment scheduling, calculations, and an AI calculations assistant make it a genuine fit for taking orders, deposits and registrations. It also ships a sibling e-signature product, Papersign, plus a native integrations catalogue alongside Zapier and Make.
Pricing
In each vendor's own terms; Formstack checked 2026-08-17, Paperform checked 2026-08-17. FormBuilder: free plan (5 forms, 100 responses / mo) and Pro at $39 / month or $390 / year.
Feature comparison
25 capabilities across building, design, data workflow and security.
| Feature | FFormstack | PPaperform | FFormBuilder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building | |||
| AI form generation from a prompt | PartialAI features rolling out; not the core building flow | YesAI form builder + AI calculations assistant | Yes |
| Drag-and-drop visual builder | Yes | PartialDocument-style editor; blocks, not a canvas | Yes |
| Template library | YesHundreds, skewed to HR, healthcare, education | Yes700+ | Yes300+ |
| Conditional logic / branching | Yes | YesQuestions, content, emails & summaries | Yes |
| Multi-page / multi-step forms | Yes | Yes | YesPro |
| Calculations & scoring | Yes | YesCalculations field & scoring | YesCalculation field + auto-graded quizzes |
| File uploads | Yes2 GB on Forms · 10 GB Suite | Yes100 MB free · 1 GB Essentials · 10 GB Pro | Yes100 MB free · 1 GB Pro |
| Payment collection | YesStripe, PayPal, Authorize.net, Square & more | YesStripe, Square, PayPal, Braintree, Mollie; products & coupons | YesStripe — paid to your own account, no platform fee |
| E-signature field | YesSignature field; full e-sign via Formstack Sign | YesSignature field; Papersign for documents | Yes |
| Design | |||
| Custom themes & branding | YesThemes & CSS | YesThemes free; custom CSS on Pro | YesPro |
| Remove vendor badge | YesPaid plans; no free tier | YesPro, $49 / mo | YesPro, $39 |
| Custom domain | YesPaid plans | Partial+$20 / mo per domain on Pro; 1 included on Business | Yes |
| Embed on any site | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Data & workflow | |||
| Free-plan monthly responses | NoNo free plan; 14-day trial | Partial30 / mo | Partial100 / mo, overflow held |
| Over-limit responses kept (not rejected) | PartialPer-form submission caps; overage handled by upgrade | NoUpgrade or buy top-ups to avoid disruption | Yes |
| Email notifications & autoresponders | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Webhooks | Yes | YesPro and above | YesAll plans |
| Zapier / native integrations | Yes300+ native + Zapier; deep Salesforce | Yes2,000+ via native, Zapier & Make | Yes6,000+ apps |
| Built-in analytics (views, drop-off) | YesSubmission analytics; conversion kit on higher tiers | YesPaperform Analytics on Pro+ | Yes |
| CSV / spreadsheet export | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Team workspaces & collaboration | YesExtra builder seats cost more | Yes3 users on Pro; 5 + $9 / user on Business | Yes |
| Security | |||
| Password-protected forms | Yes | YesPaid plans | YesPro |
| HIPAA / BAA | YesAdd-on on Forms/Suite; included Salesforce & Enterprise | NoNo BAA offered | PartialHIPAA plan coming soon |
| GDPR tooling & DPA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SSO / SAML | YesEnterprise | YesBusiness only | PartialEnterprise |
Another option to consider
AI-first form builder with a generous free plan, held (never lost) responses, and 6,000+ integrations. Describe the form you need, the AI drafts it, and you refine it with logic, multi-page layouts, uploads, signatures and Stripe payments. Free plan: 5 forms and 100 responses a month with overflow held, never lost. Pro: $39 / month for 100 forms and 10,000 responses with the badge removed.
Questions
Paperform's entry paid plan (Essentials at $24 / month (annual)) is cheaper than Formstack's (Forms at $83 / month (annual, $99 monthly)). Both offer a free plan (30 submissions / mo · unlimited forms · 1 user · 100 MB · Paperform branding · 5 payment submissions / mo) and a 14-day trial respectively. Note the plans differ in limits — see the tables above. FormBuilder Pro, for reference, is $39 / month for 10,000 responses.
Formstack offers a 14-day trial. Prices shown are per month billed annually; monthly billing is roughly 20% higher. Submission limits are per form. No free plan — 14-day free trial of Forms.
Paperform offers a free plan (30 submissions / mo · unlimited forms · 1 user · 100 MB · Paperform branding · 5 payment submissions / mo). Prices shown are per month billed annually; month-to-month billing is higher. Submission limits are pooled per year, with paid top-ups available. 7-day free trial on paid plans.
Formstack payments: Yes (Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net, Square & more). Paperform payments: Yes (Stripe, Square, PayPal, Braintree, Mollie; products & coupons). FormBuilder collects Stripe payments to your own account with no platform fee on every plan, including free.
Formstack HIPAA / BAA: Yes (Add-on on Forms/Suite; included Salesforce & Enterprise). Paperform HIPAA / BAA: No (No BAA offered). FormBuilder's HIPAA plan with BAA ($99 / month) is currently rolling out.
Formstack is a no-code workflow platform for mid-size and enterprise teams that bundles forms, document generation and e-signature, with a deep Salesforce integration. Paperform is a document-style form builder where you type a form like a page — great for order forms, bookings and payments, priced by yearly submissions. Formstack is best for operations, HR and admissions teams that need forms to feed documents, approvals and e-signatures; Paperform is best for small businesses selling products, taking bookings or collecting deposits through a form.
FormBuilder is worth a look if you want an AI generator that drafts forms from a sentence, 100 free responses a month with overflow held rather than lost, Stripe payments with no platform fee, and a flat $39 / month Pro plan for 10,000 responses. See our full FormBuilder vs Formstack and FormBuilder vs Paperform comparisons.
Last reviewed August 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.
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