Top Poll Makers and How to Pick One
Creating a poll should be simple: ask a question, share it and collect votes. Yet the number of poll‑making tools today—from bare‑bones widgets to feature‑rich survey suites—can be overwhelming. Each platform offers different question types, branding options, integrations and pricing models. This guide compares popular poll makers to help you choose the right one for your needs.
What to consider when choosing a poll tool
Before comparing specific providers, think about your goals and constraints:
- Audience size and anonymity. Will your poll reach a small team or thousands of customers? (Check our Sample Size Calculator to plan for statistical significance). Do you need to collect names and emails, or should responses be anonymous? For more on anonymity, read our FAQ How to make an anonymous survey and Are employee surveys really anonymous?.
- Question complexity. Simple polls may only need one multiple choice question. More sophisticated surveys might require branching logic, ranking or open‑ended responses.
- Branding and design. If aesthetics and brand consistency matter, look for customization options: custom colours, fonts and logos.
- Integrations. Do you need the poll to feed data into a spreadsheet, CRM or database? Tools that offer webhooks or native integrations save time. Our platform, Tofu Surveys, includes connectors and webhooks so you can automatically save survey responses to your database.
- Budget. Many poll makers offer free tiers with basic features, while advanced capabilities often require a paid plan.
Comparing popular poll makers
Google Forms
Google Forms is a free tool included in Google Workspace. It supports multiple question types, response validation and automatic summaries. The interface is simple and collaboration is easy if you already use Google Drive. However, design options are limited, and there’s no built‑in branding for business logos. For more details see our FAQ Is Google Forms free?.
Microsoft Forms
Part of the Microsoft 365 suite, Microsoft Forms offers similar functionality to Google Forms with a few extra features like question branching and automatic charts. It integrates tightly with Excel, making it easy to analyse results. If you’re within the Microsoft ecosystem, it’s often the default choice. If you’re curious about the equivalence, check our FAQ What is the Microsoft equivalent to Google Forms?.
SurveyMonkey
SurveyMonkey is a seasoned player in the survey space, offering a robust poll and survey builder, logic jumps, templates and analytics. Its free plan is limited to 10 questions and 40 responses per survey. Paid plans unlock advanced branching, custom branding and export options. Because of its reach, many people search for alternatives. Our FAQ What are some alternatives to SurveyMonkey? explores options if you’re considering a switch.
Typeform
Typeform stands out for its conversational, one‑question‑at‑a‑time interface. It delivers a sleek user experience and supports images and videos within questions. Typeform’s free plan restricts the number of questions and responses, and advanced features like logic jumps require a paid subscription. It’s ideal for businesses that prioritise aesthetics.
Tofu Surveys
Our own platform, Tofu Surveys, strikes a balance between ease of use and power. You can create polls and full surveys using a drag‑and‑drop builder, customise colours and fonts to match your brand and embed forms on your site. We offer connectors and webhooks so you can automatically save data to your database. If you’re collecting feedback regularly, recurring surveys and analytics dashboards help you act on trends. We believe that forms should be flexible yet simple enough for non‑technical users.
Feature comparison table
| Tool | Free Plan | Branching Logic | Custom Branding | Integrations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Forms | Yes | Limited | Minimal | G Drive |
| Microsoft Forms | Yes (with Microsoft 365) | Basic | Minimal | Excel, Teams |
| SurveyMonkey | Yes (10 Qs/40 responses) | Yes (paid) | Yes (paid) | Many |
| Typeform | Yes (10 responses) | Yes (paid) | Yes (paid) | Zapier, Slack |
| Tofu Surveys | Yes | Yes | Yes | Webhooks, CRMs |
When evaluating these tools, think about how many polls you need to run, the types of questions and the importance of branding. If you just need a quick poll for a small group, free offerings from Google or Microsoft are excellent. If you require deeper logic, advanced analytics or a polished user experience, a paid plan might be worthwhile.
Tips for effective polls
- Keep questions clear. A poll with ambiguous wording will produce unreliable results.
- Limit options. Too many choices can overwhelm respondents. Aim for three to five options.
- Use anonymous responses when appropriate. People are more likely to be honest when they know their names aren’t attached to their answers.
- Share results. People appreciate seeing the outcome of polls. Sharing results builds trust and engagement.
For more guidance on building forms beyond polls, see our FAQs How to create a survey in Excel and How to create a survey in Word. These articles explain how to build surveys using tools you may already have.
Conclusion
Polls are a quick and effective way to gather opinions, measure sentiment and make decisions. By understanding the strengths and limitations of each poll maker—and aligning them with your needs—you can select the right tool for the job. Whether you’re running a one‑off poll or incorporating surveys into a broader feedback strategy, choosing the right platform will help you collect better data and improve engagement.