Forms & surveys: build, buy or switch?
4 tools compared on 3-year cost, cheaper options and risk. Prices checked October 2026.
| Tool | Verdict | From | Buy, 3 yrs | Build, 3 yrs | Cheapest option |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jotform | SWITCH | $34/mo | $1,224 | $1,525 | Tally (free) |
| SurveyMonkey | SWITCH | $39/mo | $1,404 | $1,825 | Tally (free) |
| Tally | BUY | $24.17/mo | $870 | $1,465 | Fillout (free) |
| Typeform | BUILD | $28/mo | $2,016 | $805 | Tally (free) |
3-year costs use each tool’s typical plan and team size and $30/hour for your time. Open a tool to change them.
Jotform
Forms & surveys
Switch to Tally. Its free plan covers what most small teams use Jotform’s $34 plan for.
- Buy, 3 yrs
- $1,224
- Build, 3 yrs
- $1,525
SurveyMonkey
Forms & surveys
Switch to Google Forms or Tally. Both are free, and both handle a typical team survey.
- Buy, 3 yrs
- $1,404
- Build, 3 yrs
- $1,825
Tally
Forms & surveys
Buy it, or stay on the free plan. Tally Pro costs $24 a month and mostly removes branding and adds a custom domain.
- Buy, 3 yrs
- $870
- Build, 3 yrs
- $1,465
Typeform
Forms & surveys
Build it if your forms rarely change. A form plus a database is a weekend job.
- Buy, 3 yrs
- $2,016
- Build, 3 yrs
- $805
Paying for more than one of these?
Stack Scan spots tools that do the same job and shows what you’d save by keeping one.
Verdict key: BUILD = Build it · BUY = Buy it · HYBRID = Hybrid · SWITCH = Switch. How we score.