Calculations and totals
Cognito's calculation fields run real formulas: line totals, tax, discounts, scored assessments. Upform has no calculation engine. Its conditional logic decides which question comes next; it never computes a number.
FreeOne question per screen, unlimited responses
A Cognito Forms alternative that respondents enjoy
Cognito Forms is built around your data: formulas, totals, payments, repeating sections. Upform is built around the person filling it in: one question per screen, 21 question types, unlimited responses, $0.
No entry capLogic includedNo card
No calculations, no payments. If your form needs either, this page will tell you to stay where you are.
The short answer
Upform vs Cognito Forms, in 60 words
Cognito Forms and Upform solve opposite halves of the same problem. Cognito is a data tool: calculation fields, payment collection, repeating sections and approvals, with 500 entries a month free. Upform is a respondent tool: one question per screen, 21 question types, conditional logic and unlimited responses for $0. It has no calculations and no payments at all.
∞
Responses, free plan
21
Question types, none gated
4
Logic actions: show, hide, jump, end
$12
Pro, per month
Read this part first
What Cognito Forms still does better
Cognito Forms is a strong product and four of its best features have no equivalent in Upform. If your form depends on any of them, stay where you are. A switch would cost more than it saves.
Payments inside the form
Cognito connects to payment processors, so an order or registration form can take the money in the same submission. Upform has no payment field. A form that has to charge someone is not an Upform form, and we would rather say that on this page than after you have rebuilt it.
Repeating sections and approvals
A table of line items that grows as the respondent adds rows, or a submission that routes through two approvers. Cognito does both. Upform collects one flat set of answers per submission and sends it onward.
Electronic signatures
Waivers, consent forms and simple contracts need a signature field, and Cognito has one. Upform does not, and there is no plan to add one. Anything that has to produce a signed record belongs somewhere else.
Side by side
Upform vs Cognito Forms, feature by feature
Two honest columns. Cognito wins the rows about data; Upform wins the rows about the person answering.
| Feature |  Upform | Cognito Forms |
|---|---|---|
| Responses on the free plan | Unlimited | 500 entries per month |
| Format | One question per screen | A page of fields, top to bottom |
| Question types | 21, all free | Broad set, including calculation, payment and signature |
| Conditional logic | Free, 20 operators, 4 actions | Included, and formula-driven |
| Calculations and totals | None | Full formula engine |
| Card payments | None | On paid plans |
| Electronic signature | Not available | Included |
| File uploads | Free, 100 MB storage | Included, storage varies by plan |
| Per-question drop-off funnel | Free, with severity coloring | Reporting is built around entries and documents |
| Keyboard-first answering | Enter, arrows, 1–9, A–Z, Y/N | Standard tab-through fields |
| Remove the maker's branding | Pro, $12/month | Paid plans |
| First paid tier | $12/month | Around $19/month |
| How you upgrade | Email us, set up the same day | Self-serve card checkout |
Cognito Forms plans and limits checked September 2026 on their public pricing page; Upform's on our own pricing page. Plans change, so verify both before you decide.
The other half
A form that reads like a question, not a record
A Cognito form is excellent at capturing structured data and it looks like it. Twenty fields on one page is fine for an internal process and hard work for a stranger. Upform asks one thing at a time, and the questions that do not apply are never shown.
- One question per screen, with a smooth transition and a progress bar, dots or percentage
- Enter to continue, arrow keys to move, 1–9 and A–Z to pick a choice, Y and N for yes-no
- Full-width targets and a sticky back and next bar on mobile, where most of your links get opened
- Your logo, colors, Google font and corner radius, set once and saved as a reusable theme
- Drop-off analytics that name the question people quit on, not just the total that finished
3 →
When do you need the work finished?
An approximate date is fine. We will confirm it with you.
14 March 2027
Next →press Enter ↵
A Date question inside a quote request form, one of 21 types, free on every plan.
Migration
Rebuilding a Cognito Form takes about twenty minutes
There is no importer. Upform reads Google Forms and nothing else. That matters less than it sounds, because the fields that survive the move are the plain ones, and they map almost one to one.
Export your entries first
Download everything you have collected before you switch anything off. Your answer history should never depend on a subscription staying active, on either side of the move.
Cut the form down, then rebuild it
Long forms usually carry questions nobody reads. Drop those, then set the rest as short text, email, phone, date, address, single choice, rating or file upload. Move the branching into the Logic panel: 20 operators, and show, hide, jump or end.
Publish and point your tools at it
Copy the public link or the embed snippet, replace the old URL wherever it lives, then connect Google Sheets so the data still lands in a grid you can sort.
Connect
You lose the formulas, not the pipeline
Every destination below is on the free plan, connected with your own account, with no automation tool billing you per task in the middle.
Google SheetsOne row per response, so put your formulas here instead
SlackA message in the channel for every submission
NotionDatabase rows, with your own field mapping
HubSpotContacts created or updated as they answer
n8nA signed webhook, no n8n credentials needed
Custom webhooksAny endpoint, with an HMAC-SHA256 signatureResponses stay in Upform too: searchable, filterable, exportable as CSV, with a drawer for every submission. See all integrations.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free Cognito Forms alternative?
Yes. Upform's free plan is permanent, not a trial, and it carries unlimited forms, unlimited responses, all 21 question types, conditional logic and every integration. No card is asked for at any point. Only unlimited file storage, branding removal and team seats sit behind Pro at $12 a month.
How many entries does Cognito Forms allow on the free plan?
Cognito Forms' free plan is capped at 500 entries per month at the time of writing, which is generous compared with most form builders. Upform has no response cap on any plan. Caps and tiers do change, so check Cognito's own pricing page before you decide.
Does Upform do calculations or scoring like Cognito Forms?
No. Upform has no calculation engine and no scoring. Its conditional logic routes people between questions using 20 operators and four actions (show, hide, jump and end form), but it never computes a total or grades an answer. If your form has to produce a number, Cognito Forms is the better tool and you should stay on it.
Can Upform collect payments or a signature?
Neither. Upform has no payment field and no signature field, and there is no card processor connected to the runtime. Cognito Forms handles both, so an order form that charges a card or a waiver that needs a signed record belongs there rather than here.
Can I import a Cognito Form into Upform?
Not automatically. Upform has a one-way import from Google Forms only, so a Cognito Form is rebuilt by hand. Most take fifteen to twenty minutes: the plain field types map closely, and the work is mainly deciding which questions to drop now that the form is answered one screen at a time.
Which tool should I use for a quote or order form?
If the form has to price the job on screen or take payment, use Cognito Forms. If it collects the details and a human sends the quote afterwards, Upform usually gets more of them finished, because the questions arrive one at a time and the logic hides everything that does not apply.
Get started
No formulas. No cap. No card.
If your form collects answers rather than money, rebuild it tonight and keep every response you get.
Unlimited forms and responses on the free plan. Pro is $12/month when you want the branding gone.