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
Tally builds forms the way Notion builds pages: you open a blank document, start typing, and hit "/" to insert questions, layout blocks and logic. There is no separate field palette or property panel to learn, and the result renders as a clean, text-first form. That editing model is the reason people fall for it — it is genuinely the fastest way to knock out a simple form if you already think in documents.
The commercial model is unusually generous. Unlimited forms and unlimited submissions are free, and so are most of the things other builders gate: conditional logic, calculations, answer piping, payments via Stripe, signatures, file uploads (10 MB per file), password protection, webhooks and native integrations with Notion, Google Sheets, Airtable, Zapier and Make. Tally Pro ($29 / mo, or $24 on annual) exists mainly to remove branding, add custom domains, capture partial submissions and unlock team workspaces. Tally Business ($89 / mo, or $74 on annual) adds data-retention controls and email verification.
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; Tally 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 | TTally | PPaperform | FFormBuilder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building | |||
| AI form generation from a prompt | No | YesAI form builder + AI calculations assistant | Yes |
| Drag-and-drop visual builder | PartialNotion-style block editor; type "/" to insert | PartialDocument-style editor; blocks, not a canvas | Yes |
| Template library | Yes~200 community & official templates | Yes700+ | Yes300+ |
| Conditional logic / branching | Yes | YesQuestions, content, emails & summaries | Yes |
| Multi-page / multi-step forms | YesPage-break block, free | Yes | YesPro |
| Calculations & scoring | YesCalculated fields, free | YesCalculations field & scoring | YesCalculation field + auto-graded quizzes |
| File uploads | Yes10 MB / file free; larger on Pro | Yes100 MB free · 1 GB Essentials · 10 GB Pro | Yes100 MB free · 1 GB Pro |
| Payment collection | YesStripe, free | YesStripe, Square, PayPal, Braintree, Mollie; products & coupons | YesStripe — paid to your own account, no platform fee |
| E-signature field | Yes | YesSignature field; Papersign for documents | Yes |
| Design | |||
| Custom themes & branding | PartialBasic themes free; custom CSS on Pro | YesThemes free; custom CSS on Pro | YesPro |
| Remove vendor badge | YesPro, $29 / mo | YesPro, $49 / mo | YesPro, $39 |
| Custom domain | YesPro | 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 | YesUnlimited (fair use) | Partial30 / mo | Partial100 / mo, overflow held |
| Over-limit responses kept (not rejected) | YesNo cap to exceed on free | NoUpgrade or buy top-ups to avoid disruption | Yes |
| Email notifications & autoresponders | PartialSelf-notifications free; respondent emails via integrations | Yes | Yes |
| Webhooks | YesFree | YesPro and above | YesAll plans |
| Zapier / native integrations | YesZapier, Make, Notion, Sheets, Airtable, Slack | Yes2,000+ via native, Zapier & Make | Yes6,000+ apps |
| Built-in analytics (views, drop-off) | PartialSubmission counts free; visits & drop-off on Pro | YesPaperform Analytics on Pro+ | Yes |
| CSV / spreadsheet export | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Team workspaces & collaboration | YesPro | Yes3 users on Pro; 5 + $9 / user on Business | Yes |
| Security | |||
| Password-protected forms | YesFree | YesPaid plans | YesPro |
| HIPAA / BAA | NoNo BAA offered | NoNo BAA offered | PartialHIPAA plan coming soon |
| GDPR tooling & DPA | YesEU-hosted, DPA available | Yes | Yes |
| SSO / SAML | PartialGoogle / Microsoft login; no SAML | 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 Tally's (Pro at $29 / month ($24 annual)). Both offer a free plan (30 submissions / mo · unlimited forms · 1 user · 100 MB · Paperform branding · 5 payment submissions / mo) and a free plan (Unlimited forms & submissions (fair use) · logic, payments, signatures, uploads (10 MB / file), webhooks, integrations · Tally branding) respectively. Note the plans differ in limits — see the tables above. FormBuilder Pro, for reference, is $39 / month for 10,000 responses.
Tally offers a free plan (Unlimited forms & submissions (fair use) · logic, payments, signatures, uploads (10 MB / file), webhooks, integrations · Tally branding). Prices shown are monthly billing; annual billing gives "2 months off" (Pro $24 / mo, Business $74 / mo). Free plan is unlimited within Tally's fair-use policy.
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.
Tally payments: Yes (Stripe, free). 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.
Tally HIPAA / BAA: No (No BAA offered). Paperform HIPAA / BAA: No (No BAA offered). FormBuilder's HIPAA plan with BAA ($99 / month) is currently rolling out.
Tally is the document-style form builder that gives away unlimited forms and submissions for free and charges only for branding, domains and team features. 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. Tally is best for indie makers, founders and Notion-first teams who want a free form that just works; 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 Tally 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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