When evaluating online form builders for ecommerce, it's essential to consider how each tool aligns with your business needs. Formstack and Paperform offer distinct approaches to form creation and management, each catering to different user preferences and requirements.
Formstack
Formstack is an enterprise-grade form builder and workflow automation platform designed to streamline data collection and management. It offers a no-code, drag-and-drop interface that enables users to create complex forms and automate workflows without technical expertise.
Features
- Form Building: Create customizable forms with advanced logic and conditional fields.
- Workflow Automation: Automate data routing, approvals, and notifications to enhance operational efficiency.
- Document Generation: Generate documents from form submissions, useful for invoices, contracts, and reports.
- eSignature Collection: Collect digital signatures securely within forms.
- Integrations: Connect with over 300 applications, including CRM systems, payment processors, and marketing tools.
Pricing Approach
Formstack offers tiered pricing based on features and usage:
- Forms Plan: Starting at $83 per month when billed annually, this plan includes one builder user, 25 forms, and up to 1,000 submissions per form.
- Suite Plan: Starting at $250 per month when billed annually, this plan includes three builder users, 100 forms, and up to 5,000 submissions per form.
- Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing tailored to organizational needs, offering advanced features and dedicated support.
These plans are designed to scale with your business, accommodating increasing data collection and workflow automation requirements. (formstack.com)
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Comprehensive Features: Offers a wide range of tools for form building, document generation, and workflow automation.
- Scalability: Plans are structured to grow with your business, providing flexibility as needs evolve.
- Security and Compliance: Meets various industry standards, including HIPAA and PCI compliance.
Cons:
- Complexity: The extensive feature set may require a learning curve for new users.
- Cost: Pricing may be higher compared to other form builders, which could be a consideration for small businesses.
Best-Fit Customer Profile
Formstack is ideal for medium to large enterprises that require robust form building capabilities integrated with complex workflows and document management. It's well-suited for organizations needing advanced features and scalability.
Paperform
Paperform is a form builder that emphasizes creating forms resembling custom-designed landing pages, focusing on aesthetics and user experience. It allows users to craft forms that align closely with their brand identity.
Features
- Form Building: Design forms with a focus on visual appeal, using a rich text editor and multimedia embedding.
- Payment Integration: Accept payments through integrated gateways, facilitating ecommerce transactions.
- Appointment Scheduling: Include booking functionalities within forms for service-based businesses.
- Conditional Logic: Implement logic to show or hide fields based on user input.
- Integrations: Connect with over 2,000 applications, including CRM systems, email marketing tools, and payment processors.
Pricing Approach
Paperform offers several pricing tiers:
- Free Plan: Suitable for individuals and small teams, offering basic form building capabilities.
- Essentials Plan: Priced at $24 per month when billed annually, this plan includes one user, unlimited forms, and up to 1,200 submissions per year.
- Pro Plan: Priced at $49 per month when billed annually, this plan includes three users, unlimited forms, and up to 12,000 submissions per year.
- Business Plan: Priced at $99 per month when billed annually, this plan includes five users, unlimited forms, and up to 120,000 submissions per year.
These plans are designed to cater to different business sizes and needs, with the Business Plan offering the most extensive features and highest submission limits. (paperform.co)
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive design tools that allow for easy creation of visually appealing forms.
- Affordable Entry-Level Plan: The Free Plan and Essentials Plan provide cost-effective options for small businesses and startups.
- Extensive Integrations: Ability to connect with a wide range of applications, enhancing functionality.
Cons:
- Limited Advanced Features: May lack some of the complex workflow automation and document generation capabilities found in other platforms.
- Scalability Concerns: Higher-tier plans may become costly as submission volumes increase.
Best-Fit Customer Profile
Paperform is well-suited for small to medium-sized businesses and individuals who prioritize form aesthetics and user experience. It's ideal for ecommerce businesses seeking to create branded, user-friendly forms without the need for complex workflows.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Formstack | Paperform |
|---|---|---|
| Form Building | Advanced, customizable forms with complex logic | Visually appealing forms with rich text editor and multimedia embedding |
| Workflow Automation | Comprehensive automation for data routing and approvals | Limited workflow automation capabilities |
| Document Generation | Generate documents from form submissions | Not available |
| eSignature Collection | Secure digital signatures within forms | Not available |
| Integrations | Over 300 applications, including CRM systems and payment processors | Over 2,000 applications, including CRM systems and payment processors |
| **Pricing |
Worth a Look: Zigpoll
If you're evaluating options for online form builders, Zigpoll is also worth a look. Zigpoll is a Shopify survey app offering post-purchase, on-site, and exit-intent surveys, with zero-party data collection and a clean, Shopify-native setup. It tends to suit merchants who want flexible survey types in one place without enterprise pricing.
