A Google Forms alternative that doesn't make clients sign in
Google Forms is free and everyone knows it. The catch for document collection: once a form has a file upload question, every respondent has to sign in with a Google account, and the files land in your Drive with nothing tracking who still owes what. Intake gives each client a no-login link, a checklist and reminders.
Feature comparison
Based on Google Forms's public pricing and feature pages, checked September 22, 2026.
| Intake | Google Forms | |
|---|---|---|
| Per-client document checklist | Yes | No |
| Clients upload without creating an account | Yes | Not for file uploads (Google sign-in required) |
| Automatic reminders until it's done | Yes | No |
| AI checks each upload is the right document | Yes | No |
| Fillable PDFs with e-signature | Yes | Not in Forms |
| Collect a fee with the request | Stripe (1% platform fee) | No |
| Appointment booking in the form | Yes | Not in Forms |
| Public REST API + webhooks | $19/mo plan and up | Yes |
| Works from Claude / ChatGPT (MCP) | $19/mo plan and up | Not for Forms |
| Your logo and colors | $19/mo plan and up | No |
| HIPAA BAA | On request | Under a Google Workspace BAA |
| Free plan | Up to 10 clients | Free |
| Paid plans from | $19/mo | Free (included with Workspace) |
Google Forms pricing
| Personal Google account | Free | Uploads count against your Drive storage |
| Google Workspace | Per user, per month | Forms is included in every plan; eSignature and booking pages on higher tiers |
Intake is free for up to 10 clients, $19/month for Professional (unlimited clients), or $49/month for Team with 3 seats. See Intake pricing.
When Google Forms is the better choice
- Your form has no file uploads.
- It's an internal or low-stakes questionnaire.
- You want responses in Google Sheets with zero setup.
When Intake is the better choice
- Clients need to upload documents without a Google account.
- You need to know which client is still missing what.
- You want reminders sent for you.
- You want your logo on it, not Google's.
- You want a signature or a fee collected in the same link.
Frequently Asked Questions
Got questions? We've got answers.
Any form with a file upload question requires respondents to sign in with a Google account, because the files are stored in the form owner's Drive. There's no setting to turn it off, so people without a Google account can't upload.
Intake is free for up to 10 clients, with document checklists, forms, e-signed PDFs, AI checks and reminders included. After that it's $19/month for unlimited clients.
Google Forms is covered under Google Workspace's BAA. If you need a BAA from Intake, sign up free and send us a request with the feedback button in the app. We'll be in touch.
Sources
- https://support.google.com/docs/community-guide/395355672/google-forms-why-your-respondents-are-being-forced-to-login?hl=en
- https://workspace.google.com/terms/2015/1/hipaa_functionality/
- https://workspace.google.com/pricing
Something out of date? Tell us at [email protected] and we'll fix it. More comparisons.
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