Head-to-head · 2026

Tally vs Google Forms

Tally is a European alternative to Google Forms: same surveys & forms use case, headquartered in Belgium and governed by EU GDPR, while Google Forms (Google) is based in the United States.

By the EU Alternatives team Last updated

European alternative
Tally logo
Tally
Belgium

Create unlimited online forms for free with an intuitive, doc-like builder. Features conditional logic, payments, and robust privacy. Hosted in Europe.

Jurisdiction
EU / EEA
Primary privacy law
EU GDPR
US CLOUD Act exposure
No
Open source
Yes
Free tier
Yes
Non-EU
Google Forms logo
Google Forms
Google · United States

Google Forms is a free form and survey builder tied to a Google account, with responses landing straight in Sheets, which is why it spread through schools and small teams. There is no paid tier and no real branding control. Responses are stored on Google's US infrastructure.

Jurisdiction
United States
GDPR by default
Requires DPA + TIA
US CLOUD Act exposure
Yes
All European alternatives to Google Forms

Tally vs Google Forms at a glance

Tally Google Forms
Headquarters Belgium United States
Data jurisdiction EU / EEA United States
Primary privacy law EU GDPR Requires DPA + transfer assessment
US CLOUD Act exposure No Yes
Best for Teams that need surveys & forms built for European data-protection requirements Teams already invested in the Google ecosystem

Choose Tally if…

  • You want a provider governed by a European privacy regime
  • GDPR or public-sector data-protection requirements apply to you
  • You want to start free and scale up later
  • Open-source code and self-hosting matter to you
  • You'd rather back the European tech ecosystem

Stick with Google Forms if…

  • You depend on integrations only available in the Google ecosystem
  • Your organisation has no EU data-residency constraints
  • Migration costs outweigh the jurisdiction benefits for now

Why choose Tally over Google Forms?

The decisive argument is data jurisdiction. Google Forms is headquartered in the United States, which means personal data processed through it can be subject to non-EU legal regimes: the US CLOUD Act, FISA 702, or similar laws depending on the provider. After the 2020 Schrems II ruling, EU organisations must carry out a transfer impact assessment for every such data flow.

Tally removes that overhead. As a Belgium-based provider, it operates under EU GDPR, and data stays inside the EU/EEA by default. For regulated sectors such as health, public administration, and finance, that's not a nice-to-have but a requirement. For everyone else, it's concentration-risk insurance: you avoid depending on a single jurisdiction that can change the rules without warning.

Frequently asked questions

Is Tally a good alternative to Google Forms?
Yes. Tally is one of the top-ranked European alternatives to Google Forms in our directory, covering the same surveys & forms use case. It is headquartered in Belgium, where EU GDPR applies.
What's the main difference between Tally and Google Forms?
The biggest difference is jurisdiction: Tally is based in Belgium, where EU GDPR applies, while Google Forms is headquartered in the United States and may transfer data outside Europe. For regulated industries or organisations following Schrems II guidance, this difference is decisive.
Is Tally GDPR-compliant?
Tally is based in Belgium, where EU GDPR applies. EU customers should still verify the provider's hosting and subprocessors, but the service is designed for European data-protection requirements.
How do I migrate from Google Forms to Tally?
Start by exporting your data from Google Forms (most providers offer an export in their settings). Then import into Tally using its native import tool or migration guide. Running both in parallel for a week catches any feature or workflow gaps before you fully switch.

Other European alternatives to Google Forms