SurveyMonkey vs. Microsoft Forms

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When running a small business, gathering feedback is crucial for growth. Surveys are a great way to collect this information. However, so many tools are available to create surveys, and choosing the one that's right for your needs can take time. In this guide, we compare SurveyMonkey and Microsoft Forms, two of the best survey tools for small businesses. By reading this guide, you'll gain valuable insights into both platforms' features, pricing, and ease of use to help you decide which tool is right for your business.

Before reading about SurveyMonkey vs. Microsoft Forms, check out NoteForms's solution, Notion Forms. This tool is excellent for creating and customizing surveys to collect business data. And because it integrates smoothly with Notion, you can visualize and organize your responses in a way that makes sense for your business.

What Is SurveyMonkey?

SurveyMonkey is the leading platform for creating surveys and forms, trusted by businesses and loved by users worldwide. It combines advanced features with user-friendly design, catering to diverse needs such as customer experience, employee engagement, market research, and payment forms. Powered by AI-assisted technology and built-in research expertise, SurveyMonkey offers the tools and insights to make data-driven decisions quickly.

Key Features of SurveyMonkey

1. Extensive Question Types and Templates

What It Offers

SurveyMonkey provides over 40 question types, including multiple-choice, Likert scales, text boxes, and drop-down menus. Users can choose from hundreds of pre-designed templates for various industries, like healthcare, education, and customer feedback.

Why It Matters

Offers flexibility to design surveys tailored to specific needs without starting from scratch. Templates save time and ensure best practices in question design.

2. Advanced Analytics and Reporting Tools

What It Offers

Real-time analytics for tracking responses as they come in. Customizable reports with graphs, charts, and filters. Export options to CSV, Excel, or PDF for further analysis.

Why It Matters

Allows users to gain actionable insights quickly and effectively. It helps identify trends and patterns that inform decision-making.

3. Custom Branding and Design Options

What It Offers

Adding custom logos, colors, and themes to surveys. White-labeling options for premium users to remove SurveyMonkey branding.

Why It Matters

Ensures surveys align with a company’s brand identity, enhancing professionalism and trust.

4. Team Collaboration Features

What It Offers

Multi-user access with role-based permissions. Shared workspaces for team collaboration on survey creation and analysis.

Why It Matters

Facilitates teamwork, especially for larger organizations with distributed teams.

5. Distribution Across Multiple Channels

What It Offers

Surveys can be shared via email, social media, website embeds, and QR codes. Offers the ability to target specific audiences through SurveyMonkey’s Audience Panel feature.

Why It Matters

Increases the reach and response rate by making surveys accessible on preferred platforms.

6. Integration with Third-Party Tools

What It Offers

Integrates seamlessly with popular tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, Google Sheets, and Slack.

Why It Matters

Streamlines workflows by automating data transfer between platforms, saving time and reducing errors.

Pricing Overview

SurveyMonkey offers a range of plans to cater to different users, from individuals to enterprises.

Team Advantage

$25/month.

Premier Plan

$75/month. Best for enterprises needing white-labeling and advanced features like A/B testing and API access.

Who Should Use SurveyMonkey?

SurveyMonkey’s robust features and scalability make it ideal for:

Large Organizations

Businesses conduct in-depth customer satisfaction surveys, market research, or employee feedback surveys.

Educators and Researchers

Academic institutions and independent researchers were seeking detailed data collection and analysis tools.

Small to Medium Businesses (SMBs)

Companies requiring insights into customer preferences and market trends.

Nonprofits and Community Groups

Organizations gather public opinion or stakeholder feedback for decision-making.

Why SurveyMonkey Stands Out

1. Reliability and Reputation

As a pioneer in online surveys, SurveyMonkey is a trusted brand with millions of users worldwide.

2. Depth of Features

Its combination of advanced analytics, custom branding, and extensive question options makes it a leader in the industry.

3. Flexibility and Scalability

Suitable for everyone, from individuals creating simple polls to enterprises managing large-scale survey campaigns. G2 Rating (4.4/5.0) What do you like best about SurveyMonkey? I like how you can quickly survey with unique URLs. I have used this to track which CSMs get the most responses, allowing us to gamify sending surveys and maximizing CSM involvement. I also love that setting up a quiz that shows the correct answers is easy. This makes it an excellent tool for knowledge checks! Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Types of Survey Methods

Market Research Surveys

Survey Automation

What Are Surveys

Conduct Surveys

How to Get People to Take a Survey

What is a Panel Survey

Survey Data Collection

How to Increase Survey Response Rates

What Is Microsoft Forms?

A Simple Survey Tool for Beginners

Microsoft Forms is a survey tool with a clean, lightweight interface that makes it easy to create surveys and collect data. Users can quickly build forms from scratch or choose from pre-designed templates for quizzes, feedback forms, and surveys. Microsoft Forms also lets users drag and drop questions to add or rearrange them. This intuitive design reduces the learning curve for new users and allows teams to create professional forms without technical expertise.

Work Together Seamlessly in Real Time

Microsoft Forms allows multiple team members to collaborate on the same form simultaneously. Changes are updated in real-time, allowing for seamless teamwork. This feature enhances productivity for teams working on shared projects and ensures everyone can access the latest form version.

Easy Integration With Microsoft 365 Apps

If your organization already uses Microsoft 365, you’ll benefit from the centralized workflow Microsoft Forms provides. The survey tool automatically exports data to Microsoft Excel for advanced analytics. You can integrate Microsoft Forms with Microsoft Teams for easy sharing and collaboration and embed forms in SharePoint and other Microsoft platforms.

Real-Time Feedback and Basic Analytics

Microsoft Forms offers nice survey analytics features. Users can view responses as they come in. The tool provides visual summaries, such as bar charts and pie graphs, for quick analysis. This helps users monitor and evaluate responses without exporting data and offers insights at a glance, which is suitable for small-scale projects.

Mobile-Friendly and Accessible

Microsoft Forms creates forms optimized for mobile devices, ensuring easy access for respondents. The survey tool also supports accessibility features like screen readers to accommodate diverse user needs. This increases response rates by allowing participants to complete forms on any device, ensuring inclusivity for respondents with disabilities.

Basic Customization Options

Microsoft Forms offers basic customization options to help businesses maintain a consistent brand identity. You can add logos and change colors to personalize forms. The survey tool also supports diverse question formats for different data collection needs. There are options for various question types, including multiple-choice, text, and rankings.

SurveyMonkey vs. Microsoft Forms

Overview of Comparison: SurveyMonkey vs. Microsoft Forms

When comparing SurveyMonkey and Microsoft Forms, the differences are striking. Microsoft Forms has 362 reviews, while SurveyMonkey boasts 22,900 reviews. Microsoft Forms users are primarily mid-market (41.7%) and enterprise (39.7%). They praise the tool for its simple setup and easy integration with the Microsoft ecosystem. Conversely, SurveyMonkey appeals to small businesses (36.2%) and mid-market organizations (34.1%) looking for advanced survey features, customization, and analytics.

Ease of Use and Administration: SurveyMonkey vs. Microsoft Forms

The ease of use ratings for SurveyMonkey and Microsoft Forms are similar. Both tools scored 9.2/10, with users appreciating the intuitive interfaces of both platforms. Microsoft Forms scored slightly higher in setup (9.3/10) and administration (9.1/10) than SurveyMonkey (9.0/10 for setup and 8.9/10 for administration). Users praised Microsoft Forms for its quick and straightforward setup and seamless integration with the Microsoft ecosystem for managing surveys. SurveyMonkey has a more extensive range of features, and some reviewers noted a steeper learning curve due to its vast capabilities.

Features and Capabilities: SurveyMonkey vs. Microsoft Forms

SurveyMonkey and Microsoft Forms share several features, including introductory survey and form-building capabilities, real-time response tracking, and similar question types. SurveyMonkey includes advanced features like Feedback Analytics, which is ideal for in-depth data trends and summaries. Microsoft Forms, on the other hand, is optimized for rapid response collection with minimal complexity and has strong integration with Microsoft 365 apps (Excel, Teams, SharePoint).

Pricing and Trial Options: SurveyMonkey vs. Microsoft Forms

Microsoft Forms is included in Microsoft 365 subscriptions, starting at $6.99/per month for personal plans and $12.50/per user/per month for business plans. This makes it a cost-effective option for organizations already using the Microsoft ecosystem. There is no standalone pricing or free trial available. SurveyMonkey provides a free trial with limited features. Paid plans start at $25/month, with higher tiers offering additional features like advanced analytics and custom branding.

Quality of Support and Product Direction: SurveyMonkey vs. Microsoft Forms

Users rated Microsoft Forms support 8.8/10, with many appreciating the responsive customer service and Microsoft 365 support network. SurveyMonkey scored slightly lower at 8.6/10, as some users found support slower for complex issues. Product direction ratings indicate that Microsoft Forms has a roadmap and future updates that users feel confident about (9.0/10). SurveyMonkey scored 7.7/10, with reviewers noting a slower pace of innovation.

User Feedback by Market Segment: SurveyMonkey vs. Microsoft Forms

Microsoft Forms users from mid-market organizations (41.7%) praised the tool for its seamless integration with Microsoft tools and easy administration. Enterprise users (39.7%) highlighted its cost-effectiveness for organizations already using Microsoft 365. On the other hand, SurveyMonkey caters to small businesses (36.2%) that appreciate its advanced features and customization for tailored surveys. Mid-market users (34.1%) found its analytics and data visualization tools ideal for gaining actionable insights.

Key Insights from Reviews: SurveyMonkey vs. Microsoft Forms

Microsoft Forms has strengths in simplified setup and administration, better integration with existing workflows for Microsoft 365 users, and high satisfaction as a partner tool for quick surveys. Its limitations include the need for more advanced analytics and branding options than SurveyMonkey. SurveyMonkey’s strengths include comprehensive survey features, advanced logic and detailed analytics, customizable templates, and branding for professional-grade surveys. Its limitations include being complex and overwhelming for new users and requiring a higher investment for advanced features.

Recommendations Based on Insights: SurveyMonkey vs. Microsoft Forms

Choose Microsoft Forms if you already use Microsoft 365 and want seamless integration. It is a cost-effective tool for basic surveys, quizzes, or polls. Users who value ease of setup and administration over advanced customization will also find Microsoft Forms appealing. Choose SurveyMonkey if you require advanced survey features, analytics, and branding options. This tool is ideal for managing high-volume, detailed survey campaigns and is scalable for in-depth market research or customer feedback.

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Survey Tools For Data Collection

Survey vs Questionnaire

How to Create an Effective Survey

Customer Satisfaction Survey Best Practices

Survey Design Best Practices

Survey Question Types

Survey Data Analysis

Employee Survey Tools

Customer Satisfaction Survey Software

Best Customer Feedback Tools

HIPAA Compliant Survey Tools

Redcap vs Qualtrics

Which One Is Right for Your Needs?

When choosing between Microsoft Forms and SurveyMonkey, consider the following key factors:

Workflow Integration

Microsoft Forms

Designed for organizations already using the Microsoft 365 suite. Integrates seamlessly with Excel, Teams, SharePoint, and other Microsoft tools. It is ideal for teams needing a centralized workflow with minimal setup.

SurveyMonkey

Integrates with a broader range of third-party tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Slack. Best for businesses requiring a multi-platform approach to data management and analysis.

Customization and Branding Needs

Microsoft Forms

Offers basic customization options like adding logos and changing colors. Suited for internal surveys or simple projects where branding isn’t a priority.

SurveyMonkey

Provides extensive branding capabilities, including custom themes, logos, and white-labeling. It is ideal for professional-grade surveys that require alignment with corporate branding.

Data Collection and Analysis

Microsoft Forms

Basic analytics with real-time response tracking and visual summaries like bar charts and pie graphs. Data is exported to Excel for more advanced analysis.

SurveyMonkey

Offers robust analytics tools, including skip logic, trend analysis, and detailed reporting. Suitable for large-scale surveys or research projects requiring in-depth insights.

Use Case Scenarios

Small Businesses and Teams Needing Simplicity

Best Choice: Microsoft Forms

Why? Straightforward setup and minimal learning curve. Integration with existing Microsoft tools ensures a cohesive workflow. Cost-effective, as it’s included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

Enterprises Requiring Advanced Features

Best Choice: SurveyMonkey

Why? Advanced analytics and custom branding capabilities. Scalability for handling large datasets and complex survey logic. Better suited for professional use cases, such as customer satisfaction surveys and market research.

Education and Training Purposes

Best Choice: Microsoft Forms

Why? Designed for creating quizzes, polls, and feedback forms in educational settings. Allows collaboration among students and educators within the Microsoft ecosystem.

Marketing and Customer Feedback

Best Choice: SurveyMonkey

Why? Comprehensive survey templates tailored for marketing, customer satisfaction, and employee feedback. Advanced data visualization tools for analyzing customer trends and behaviors.

Budget-Conscious Users

Best Choice: Microsoft Forms

Why? Included in Microsoft 365 subscriptions, eliminating the need for additional spending. Provides sufficient features for basic survey needs.

Strengths and Limitations

Microsoft Forms Strengths

Easy setup and administration. Integration with Microsoft apps. Cost-effective for existing Microsoft 365 users.

Microsoft Forms Limitations

Limited customization options. Basic analytics may not meet the needs of larger organizations.

SurveyMonkey Strengths

Advanced survey features and logic. Custom branding and white labeling. Robust analytics and reporting tools.

SurveyMonkey Limitations

Higher pricing for advanced features. Slightly steeper learning curve for beginners.

Pro Tip: When Neither Fully Fits Your Needs

If you need a solution that integrates seamlessly with Notion databases and offers advanced customization and flexibility, consider NoteForms.

Why NoteForms Stands Out

Combines the ease of form creation with Notion database integration. Offers unlimited forms, advanced customization, and embeddable forms for websites. Solves inefficiencies in data entry and fragmented workflows, making it a robust alternative.

Final Recommendations

Choose Microsoft Forms If You

Work within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. A cost-effective solution for internal surveys or simple data collection tasks is required. Need a tool with minimal setup and straightforward functionality.

Choose SurveyMonkey If You

Professional-grade surveys with custom branding and advanced analytics are required. Need a scalable solution for large datasets and complex survey logic. Want to target diverse audiences through advanced distribution options?

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Key Features of NoteForms

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Who Should Use NoteForms?

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