Quick answer
Fabform - Fabform wins for most builders who want a free plan without a response cap, while Fillout wins if you need broader form-product features and can live within 1,000 responses a month.
How the free tiers compare
The main difference is not just price, but where each free tier draws the line. Fabform’s free plan is unusually open-ended on usage: unlimited forms, unlimited responses, unlimited questions, plus logic, embeds, webhooks, integrations, and basic analytics. That makes it the better fit for builders who expect real traffic and want to avoid a hard ceiling early. Fillout’s free plan is broader in product capability, with things like payments, scheduling forms, PDF generation, workflows, resume-in-progress, 2FA, and REST API access, but it is capped at 1,000 responses per month. So Fillout is the richer free toolbox, while Fabform is the more forgiving free tier for volume. Once paid, Fillout has a clear ladder from $15 to $75 per month; Fabform only lists a $99 lifetime deal, so the long-term cost picture is less conventional and less expandable.
Fabform vs Fillout free tier, side by side
| FabformFTV 48 | FilloutFTV 42 | |
|---|---|---|
| Forms | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| ResponsesThis is the biggest practical difference on free usage. | Unlimited | 1,000 per month |
| Questions per formFabform explicitly includes unlimited questions per form. | Unlimited | Not stated |
| SeatsFillout explicitly includes unlimited seats on free. | Not stated | Unlimited |
| File uploadsFillout does not state a file size limit in the provided input. | Up to 10 MB | Unlimited file uploads included |
After you outgrow the free tier
Fabform’s only listed paid option is a $99 lifetime deal, so its post-free pricing is flat and unusual: pay once, rather than moving through recurring tiers. Fillout uses recurring flat tiers, starting at $15 per month for 2,000 responses, then $40 per month for 5,000 responses, then $75 per month for unlimited responses. For small teams, Fabform can be cheaper over time if the lifetime deal fits your needs. Fillout is cheaper to start, but costs rise as you need more responses or premium controls like custom domains and branding removal.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Fabform | Fillout |
|---|---|---|
| 1,500 responses/moFillout free is capped at 1,000 responses/month, so this would require Starter. | Free (unlimited responses) | $15/mo |
| 3,500 responses/moFillout would need Pro for the 5,000-response tier. | Free (unlimited responses) | $40/mo |
| 6,000 responses/moFillout would need Business for unlimited responses. | Free (unlimited responses) | $75/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick Fabform when…
- You expect more than 1,000 form responses a month and do not want to hit a hard cap.
- You want unlimited forms and unlimited questions on the free tier for lead capture or internal intake.
- You need webhooks, Zapier, Slack, Google Sheets, or calendaring integrations without paying first.
- You are fine with a simpler form product and mainly care about keeping usage free as long as possible.
Pick Fillout when…
- You need payments, scheduling forms, or PDF generation on the free tier.
- You want workflows, resume-in-progress forms, or REST API access without moving immediately to paid.
- You need unlimited seats from day one for a small team.
- You are testing a more feature-rich form stack and can stay under 1,000 responses per month.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, Fabform is the better free-tier pick because it does not cap responses and still includes core form automation features. That matters more than Fillout’s wider feature list for teams trying to postpone paid plans. Choose Fillout if your free-stage needs include payments, scheduling, PDFs, workflows, or richer admin controls and you can stay within 1,000 responses per month. If you expect real volume early, Fabform is the safer free option.
Read the full listings: Fabform and Fillout. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.