Microsoft Forms works fine until you outgrow it.
Tally gives you unlimited forms and submissions for free, with the flexibility and integrations that Microsoft Forms can't match.
The best part? No Microsoft account needed. No org policies in the way.
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Microsoft Forms is a solid, no-frills form builder bundled with Microsoft 365. It's convenient if your whole team already lives in Teams or SharePoint, but it's tightly coupled to the Microsoft ecosystem, limited in design flexibility, and inaccessible to anyone outside your org without extra configuration.
Tally is built for anyone who wants a powerful, beautifully simple form builder without needing to be part of a specific tech stack. Our free plan includes unlimited forms and responses, advanced logic, payments, and integrations that Microsoft Forms simply doesn't offer.
| Features | Tally | Microsoft Forms |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited forms | ✅ Free | ✅ Free |
| Unlimited responses | ✅ Free | ✅ Free (with Microsoft 365) |
| No Microsoft account required | ✅ Free | ❌ Microsoft account required |
| Share with non-org respondents | ✅ Free | ⚠️ Admin settings may restrict |
| Multi-page forms | ✅ Free | ❌ |
| Column layout | ✅ Free | ❌ |
| Conditional logic | ✅ Free (advanced) | ✅ Free (basic branching only) |
| Accept payments | ✅ Free | ❌ |
| File uploads | ✅ Free (10MB/file) | ✅ Free (via OneDrive, org only) |
| Custom form design (fonts, colors) | ✅ Free | ✅ Limited themes only |
| Custom CSS | ✅ $29/mo | ❌ |
| Add a logo or cover image | ✅ Free | ❌ |
| Embed images and video | ✅ Free | ✅ Free |
| Embed Calendly, Maps, audio & more | ✅ Free | ❌ |
| Answer piping | ✅ Free | ❌ |
| Calculations / scored quizzes | ✅ Free | ✅ Free (quizzes only) |
| Custom Thank You screen | ✅ Free | ✅ Limited |
| Redirect on completion | ✅ Free | ❌ |
| Prevent duplicate submissions | ✅ Free | ✅ Free (1 response per person) |
| Password-protected forms | ✅ Free | ❌ |
| GDPR compliant | ✅ Free | ⚠️ Depends on M365 tenant region |
| Notion integration | ✅ Free | ❌ |
| Airtable integration | ✅ Free | ❌ |
| Slack integration | ✅ Free | ✅ Free (via Power Automate) |
| Google Sheets integration | ✅ Free | ❌ (Excel only) |
| Zapier integration | ✅ Free | ✅ Free (via Power Automate) |
| Webhooks | ✅ Free | ❌ |
| API | ✅ Free | ✅ Free (Graph API, dev effort required) |
| Custom domains | ✅ $29/mo | ❌ |
| Remove branding | ✅ $29/mo | ✅ Free (no Tally-style branding) |
| Team collaboration | ✅ $29/mo, unlimited members | ✅ Free (Microsoft 365 users only) |
| Drop-off analytics | ✅ $29/mo | ❌ |
| Partial submissions | ✅ $29/mo | ❌ |
| Submissions data retention | ✅ $89/mo | ❌ |
| Email verification | ✅ $89/mo | ❌ |
| Model Context Protocol (MCP) | ✅ Free | ❌ |
Tally empowers you to build professional forms without being locked into a single ecosystem. Whether you're a freelancer, a startup, or part of a company that doesn't run on Microsoft 365, Tally gives you more for free.
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Tally
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Tally offers unlimited forms and responses completely free. No Microsoft account, no subscription, no org required. Most features are available at no cost from day one.
If you need team workspaces, custom CSS, or custom domains, Tally Pro is $29/month. Tally Business at $89/month adds email verification and data retention control.
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Microsoft Forms
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Microsoft Forms is included with Microsoft 365 plans, starting at $6/user/month for Business Basic. It's effectively free, but only if you're already paying for the Microsoft ecosystem.
There's no standalone free plan. If your organisation doesn't use Microsoft 365, you can't meaningfully access Microsoft Forms. And even with a subscription, form features are limited compared to dedicated form builders.
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Tally
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Tally's editor works like a text document. Just start typing to insert content blocks, no clicking through menus or navigating modal dialogs. The interface supports multi-page forms, column layouts, and click-to-drag reordering.
You can preview your form in real time as you build it, and there's no separate "design" mode to switch between.
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