6 Best Free Survey Tools Every Marketer Needs

Marketers thrive on data. Every campaign, from email sequences to social media ads, depends on understanding what customers want. But here’s the challenge—traditional research is expensive and time-consuming. That’s where free survey maker tools come in.

Surveys allow you to capture customer insights at scale without breaking your budget. They help you uncover pain points, test campaign ideas, and validate messaging. According to Statista, 89% of marketers say customer surveys are one of their most effective research methods.

But not all tools are created equal. Some prioritize speed, others design, and a few excel in analytics. After testing and researching dozens of platforms, I’ve narrowed it down to the top six free survey makers that every marketer should consider in 2025.

1. Google Forms

If you need speed and simplicity, Google Forms is unbeatable. It’s free, unlimited, and integrates seamlessly with Google Sheets. Whether you’re running a quick customer feedback loop or collecting event registrations, it gets the job done.

Why Marketers Love It

  • Unlimited everything: Forms, responses, and questions.
  • Data-ready: Results appear instantly in Sheets for real-time analysis.
  • Collaboration-friendly: Multiple team members can edit the form simultaneously.

Real-World Use Case

I once worked with a DTC skincare brand that wanted to test three tagline options for a TikTok campaign. Instead of paying for a third-party platform, they used Google Forms, shared the link in their customer email list, and received over 1,200 responses in 48 hours. The winning tagline boosted ad engagement by 32%.

Best For

  • Quick surveys with no frills
  • Teams already using Google Workspace
  • A/B testing messaging or campaign ideas

2. SurveyPlanet

SurveyPlanet is one of the most generous free survey tools out there. Unlike many platforms that limit responses, it gives you unlimited surveys, unlimited questions, and unlimited responses—even on the free plan.

Why Marketers Love It

  • Unlimited capacity: Perfect for large-scale audience research.
  • Intuitive design: Clean interface that requires zero learning curve.
  • Multi-language support: Great for global campaigns.

Real-World Use Case

A SaaS company I consulted with needed customer feedback across five regions. Their challenge? Language diversity. SurveyPlanet allowed them to design a multilingual survey without upgrading to a paid plan. They collected feedback from 10,000+ users worldwide at zero cost, informing product updates that increased retention by 12%.

Best For

  • Global teams needing multilingual surveys
  • Large-scale market research without budget concerns
  • Startups gathering feedback from big audiences

3. Jotform

If design and customization matter, Jotform is your go-to. It comes with thousands of templates and even an AI-powered form builder. While the free plan is limited to 5 forms and 100 submissions/month, the level of polish makes it worth considering.

Why Marketers Love It

  • Professional templates: Industry-specific designs make your surveys look branded.
  • AI-assisted creation: Generate survey forms in seconds.
  • Custom branding: Add logos, themes, and colors for consistency.

Real-World Use Case

An event marketing agency I worked with used Jotform for post-event surveys. Instead of plain text surveys, they branded the forms to match the event’s look and feel. The design consistency improved completion rates by 22% compared to their old Google Forms surveys.

Best For

  • Marketing teams who care about brand aesthetics
  • Agencies running client-facing surveys
  • Surveys where first impressions matter

4. Microsoft Forms

If your team is already using Microsoft 365, Microsoft Forms is a natural fit. It integrates with Excel, Power BI, and Teams, making collaboration seamless.

Why Marketers Love It

  • Data visualization: Export to Power BI for deep insights.
  • Multiple question types: Ranking, Likert scales, and ratings.
  • Enterprise-ready: Works perfectly for corporate teams.

Real-World Use Case

A global B2B marketing team I supported used Microsoft Forms for a webinar feedback survey. Because they were already working in Teams and Excel, the survey data automatically synced into their dashboards. This cut reporting time by 40% and helped them adjust their webinar strategy faster.

Best For

  • Corporate teams within Microsoft ecosystems
  • Marketers need simple surveys with easy reporting
  • Internal feedback collection (employees, partners, stakeholders)

5. LimeSurvey

Looking for complete control? LimeSurvey is an open-source survey platform that you can self-host. It’s not as beginner-friendly as Google Forms, but it’s powerful for marketers who need advanced logic and customization.

Why Marketers Love It

  • No limits: Unlimited surveys, participants, and questions.
  • Advanced logic: Conditional branching, quota management, and survey rules.
  • Customizable: Full control over templates and design.

Real-World Use Case

A nonprofit client wanted to run a detailed donor survey with multiple branching paths based on previous answers. Off-the-shelf tools couldn’t handle the complexity without expensive upgrades. With LimeSurvey, they created a tailored survey that led to better donor segmentation and a 19% increase in campaign conversions.

Best For

  • Technical marketers with IT support
  • Complex surveys requiring branching logic
  • Organizations prioritizing data privacy and control

6. Survio

Survio is all about versatility. It allows distribution via email, QR code, or embedded links, and the reporting features are among the best in the free category. You can export results to PDF, PPTX, and DOCX, making it presentation-ready.

Why Marketers Love It

  • Beautiful analytics: Built-in charts and reports.
  • Multi-channel distribution: Reach respondents anywhere.
  • Mobile-friendly design: Surveys look great on any device.

Real-World Use Case

A retail brand I worked with used Survio to collect customer satisfaction data post-purchase. The reporting exports made it easy to present findings directly to stakeholders in board meetings. With data visualization handled by Survio, the marketing team saved 15+ hours per month on reporting.

Best For

  • Teams needing polished reports for stakeholders
  • Retail or e-commerce feedback collection
  • Marketers running surveys across multiple channels

At-a-Glance Comparison

ToolFree Plan LimitsBest StrengthKey Advantage
Google FormsUnlimited everythingSpeed & simplicitySheets integration
SurveyPlanetUnlimited everythingScale without costMulti-language support
Jotform5 forms, 100 submissions/moTemplates & designAI + branded forms
Microsoft FormsUnlimited (with MS account)Enterprise collaborationPower BI & Excel integration
LimeSurveyUnlimited (self-hosted)Customization & logicOpen-source flexibility
SurvioFree with export limitsPolished reportingMulti-channel distribution

Choosing the Right Tool

Here’s how I’d choose, depending on the situation:

  • Quick insights with no limits? Google Forms.
  • Need multilingual global reach? SurveyPlanet.
  • Brand polish and templates? Jotform.
  • Already using Microsoft 365? Microsoft Forms.
  • Complex logic and data privacy? LimeSurvey.
  • Stakeholder-ready reports? Survio.

If you’re just starting, I recommend testing at least two of these tools side by side. For example, try Google Forms for speed and Jotform for design. Compare response rates—you might be surprised how much form aesthetics affect participation.

Making the Right Choice

Surveys are more than just questionnaires—they’re a direct line to your audience’s mind. With the right survey tool, you can validate campaigns before spending on ads, uncover hidden customer needs, and improve retention strategies.

The best part? You don’t need to spend a dime to get started. These six free tools give you everything from unlimited scalability to branded experiences. As a marketer, the real value lies in how you use the insights, not just which platform you choose.

So, the question is: which tool will you test first in your next campaign?

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