Customer Reviews (500)

Littleleoheehoo • 2025-03-28T14:02:03-07:00

It’s really annoying that you can’t listen to any audio attachments that are responses on your form until you have premium. Also, I’m trying to move my form to a folder and it just says “increasing the number of parents is not allowed.”

psychpineaple20 • 2025-03-28T02:16:57-07:00

They have admitted in the comments of another review that they are not the official Google forms. Yet, they use an image and format that is nearly identical to the official Google forms. Not only did they waste my time with ridiculous adds for their overprice paid service, which is not as good as the actual free Google Forms, but they also wasted my time because now I need to transfer over the forms I had created in the app, to the real Google Forms. Disappointed and annoyed.

Trojojojo • 2025-03-27T17:18:58-07:00

Very different from previous design with no warning.

Summary of Key Insights

This app, "Forms for Google Docs," aims to provide a mobile solution for creating, editing, and managing Google Forms. While many users appreciate its ease of use and convenience, a significant portion of reviews express strong concerns about the app's deceptive practices, aggressive monetization strategies, and the fact that it is a third-party app masquerading as an official Google product. The app's freemium model is a major point of contention, with users feeling nickel-and-dimed for features readily available for free on the web version of Google Forms. There are also complaints about functionality issues, confusing UI, and difficulties canceling subscriptions. While some users find it helpful for specific tasks, the negative sentiment surrounding its business practices and perceived lack of transparency significantly overshadows the positive aspects.

  • Strengths: Ease of use, convenience for mobile form creation, some useful features.
  • Weaknesses: Deceptive marketing, aggressive monetization, limited free functionality, intrusive ads, potential data security concerns, confusing UI, subscription cancellation issues.
  • Overall Sentiment: Mixed, leaning negative due to monetization and deceptive practices. Many users feel misled into thinking it's an official Google app.
  • Overall Rating: While the average rating is skewed upwards due to many 5-star reviews, the negative reviews highlight significant issues.
  • Score Distribution: 5-star (68.4%), 4-star (8.4%), 3-star (3.6%), 2-star (2.4%), 1-star (17.2%)

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: Reviews scraped on November 4, 2024, so timeframe is assumed to be recent leading up to this date.
  • Analysis Methods: Manual review and categorization of user reviews, sentiment analysis based on keywords and overall tone, frequency analysis of mentioned issues and features.

Key User Pain Points

  • Aggressive Monetization: Users are constantly bombarded with prompts to upgrade to a paid subscription, even for basic features that are free on the web version of Google Forms. This leads to frustration and a feeling of being nickel-and-dimed.
  • Deceptive Marketing: Many users download the app believing it to be an official Google product, only to discover it's a third-party app with a subscription model. The app's name and icon closely resemble Google Forms, contributing to the confusion.
  • Limited Free Functionality: The free version of the app is severely restricted, making it difficult to perform even simple tasks without a subscription. Features like changing colors, sharing links, and refreshing responses are often locked behind a paywall.
  • Intrusive Ads: Frequent and unavoidable ads for the premium version disrupt the user experience and further contribute to the feeling of being pressured to subscribe. The delay before the close button appears is particularly annoying.
  • Subscription Cancellation Issues: Some users report difficulty canceling their subscriptions, with charges continuing even after cancellation requests. Customer service is often unhelpful or unresponsive.
  • Data Security Concerns: Users express concerns about providing their Google account credentials to a third-party app, raising questions about data privacy and security.
  • Functionality Issues: Some users report bugs, glitches, and features that don't work as expected. This includes problems with saving forms, publishing forms, accessing responses, and syncing with the web version of Google Forms.
  • Confusing UI: Some users find the app's interface confusing and difficult to navigate, especially compared to the web version of Google Forms.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Full Functionality in Free Version: Users want access to more features in the free version of the app, especially those that are already available for free on the web version of Google Forms.
  • No Ads or Less Intrusive Ads: Users want a less disruptive ad experience, with fewer prompts to upgrade to the premium version.
  • Easier Subscription Cancellation: Users want a simple and straightforward way to cancel their subscriptions, with confirmation that their cancellation has been processed.
  • Improved Syncing with Web Version: Users want seamless syncing between the app and the web version of Google Forms, with all forms and responses accessible on both platforms.
  • More Customization Options: Users want more options for customizing their forms, such as different themes, fonts, and layouts.
  • Offline Access: The ability to create and edit forms offline would be a valuable addition for users who don't always have an internet connection.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Ease of Use: Many users find the app easy to use for creating basic forms, especially on mobile devices.
  • Convenience: The app provides a convenient way to create, edit, and manage Google Forms on the go.
  • Specific Features: Some users appreciate features like setting response notifications, response limits, and response schedulers.
  • AI conversation: Some users found the AI conversation feature to be helpful.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

  • High Priority:
    • Transparency and Honesty: Clearly disclose that the app is a third-party product and not affiliated with Google. Address the deceptive marketing practices that mislead users into thinking it's an official Google app.
    • Revise Monetization Strategy: Reduce the frequency and intrusiveness of upgrade prompts. Offer a more generous free tier with access to essential features. Consider alternative monetization methods that are less disruptive to the user experience.
    • Simplify Subscription Cancellation: Implement a clear and easy-to-use subscription cancellation process, with immediate confirmation of cancellation.
    • Address Functionality Issues: Fix bugs, glitches, and features that don't work as expected. Improve syncing with the web version of Google Forms.
  • Medium Priority:
    • Improve UI/UX: Redesign the app's interface to be more intuitive and user-friendly. Make it easier to navigate and find features.
    • Enhance Free Features: Add more customization options and functionality to the free version of the app.
    • Data Security: Clearly communicate data privacy and security measures to address user concerns about providing their Google account credentials.
  • Low Priority:
    • Offline Access: Implement offline access for creating and editing forms.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Google Forms Mobile App Alternative (Ethical Approach): Develop a mobile app for Google Forms with a focus on transparency, fair pricing, and a user-friendly experience. Avoid deceptive marketing practices and offer a generous free tier.
  • AI-Powered Form Analysis Tool: Create a tool that uses AI to automatically analyze form responses and provide insights. This could include sentiment analysis, topic extraction, and personalized recommendations.
  • Enhanced Form Customization Platform: Develop a platform that provides advanced customization options for Google Forms, such as custom themes, layouts, and branding.
  • Google Forms Template Marketplace: Create a marketplace where users can buy and sell Google Forms templates for various purposes, such as surveys, quizzes, and registrations.

Trends and Observations

  • Language Preferences: The majority of reviews are in English, but there are also reviews in Spanish and other languages, indicating a global user base.
  • Shift in Sentiment: There is a clear trend of negative sentiment increasing over time as users discover the app's deceptive practices and aggressive monetization strategies.
  • Recurring Patterns: The same issues are mentioned repeatedly across multiple reviews, indicating that these are widespread problems that need to be addressed.
  • Demographic: Many users mention using the app for school, business, or organizing events, suggesting a diverse user base with varying needs.
  • Subscription Issues: Many users are complaining about the subscription model and the lack of transparency around pricing.

Conclusion

The "Forms for Google Docs" app faces significant challenges due to its deceptive marketing, aggressive monetization, and functional limitations. While some users appreciate its ease of use, the negative sentiment surrounding its business practices overshadows the positive aspects. To improve its reputation and user satisfaction, the developer needs to prioritize transparency, revise its monetization strategy, and address the functional issues reported by users. Without these changes, the app is likely to continue receiving negative reviews and losing users to alternative solutions or the web version of Google Forms. A more ethical and user-centric approach is crucial for the app's long-term success.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/forms-for-google-docs/id1619382448?uo=2