How to create a free form with Tally.so

Introduction

Having a form on your website is essential for collecting information, gathering user feedback or managing sign-ups. Yet many form-building tools are paid for, or heavily restrict their features in the free versions.

This is where Tally.so stands out. Tally is an online form-building platform that is completely free to use, with an unlimited number of forms and responses. On top of that, it lets you embed forms easily on your website thanks to a simple embed snippet (widget or iframe).

In this article, we'll look at:

• How to create a form for free with Tally.so
• How to customise the form to suit your needs
• How to embed it on your website in just a few clicks

Let's now dive into Tally.so and what makes it so useful.

What is Tally.so?

Tally.so is a platform that lets you create online forms in a simple, intuitive way, with no technical skills whatsoever. Unlike other tools such as Google Forms or Typeform, Tally works like a text editor, which makes it incredibly easy to get to grips with.

Why choose Tally.so?

1. 100% free – The free version offers all the essential features, with no limit on the number of forms or responses.
2. Unlimited – Create as many forms as you like and collect as many responses as you want.
3. Ease of use – No coding needed: the interface feels just like a plain document.
4. Advanced customisation – Add images, videos and conditional fields, and personalise the design of your form.
5. Easy to embed on a website – Thanks to the Tally widget or a simple HTML embed snippet, you can add your form in just a few clicks.
6. Connected to other tools – Tally integrates with Google Sheets, Notion, Mailchimp, Zapier and plenty of other services.

How to create free forms with Tally.so?

Let's now walk through the steps to create your first form with Tally.so.

Step 1: Creating the form

Creating a form with Tally.so is a quick and simple process. The minimalist, intuitive interface lets you add fields by typing text directly, a bit like writing in an ordinary document.

1. Sign up to Tally.so

To get started, head over to Tally.so and click "Sign up" to create a free account.

• You can sign up with your email address or log in with Google.
• Once you're signed up, you'll go straight to your dashboard, where you can manage all your forms.

2. Create a new form

Click "Create new form" to begin.

• A blank page opens up, looking just like a word-processing document.

3. Add fields

One of the big advantages of Tally.so is that you can add fields simply by typing text and using the / bar to insert the elements you need.

For example:

• Free text → Type your text directly to ask a question.
• Email field → Type /email and select the matching field.
• Checkbox → Type /checkbox to insert a checkbox.
• Radio button → Type /multiple choice to offer several answers.
• File field → Type /file upload to let users send files.

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Tip: Tally also lets you add conditional fields (conditional logic) to show or hide certain questions depending on the user's answers.

4. Customise the form

Tally lets you add:

• Custom colours and fonts to blend in better with your website.
• Images and videos to illustrate your questions.
• Custom thank-you pages after the form is submitted.
• Once your form is ready, click "Share" to grab the URL or the embed snippet.

Step 2: Embedding the form on your site

Once your form is created on Tally.so, it's time to embed it on your website. Tally offers several embedding methods, including an interactive widget that can display your form as a pop-up or a floating button.

1. Access the embed options

• From your Tally.so dashboard, open your form and click "Share".
• Select "Embed" to see the different embedding options.

Tally offers three ways to embed your form on your site:

1. iFrame – Displays the form directly on a web page.
2. Tally Widget – Adds a button or pop-up to open the form.
3. Direct link – Simply share your form's URL.

2. Add the Tally widget to your site

The Tally widget is the most interesting option, because it lets you display the form without cluttering your page. To add it:

1. In "Embed", choose "Tally Widget".
2. Configure how it appears:

• Floating button (at the bottom of the page)
• Pop-up that opens after a delay
• Opens after a click on a link

1. Copy the HTML snippet provided.
2. Paste it before the </body> tag of your site.

3. Embedding by CMS

Ghost CMS:

• Open your post or page editor.
• Add an HTML block (</>) and paste the embed snippet.
• Save and publish.

WordPress:

• Add a custom HTML block in the editor and paste the snippet.

Webflow:

• Use an Embed Block and insert the HTML snippet provided.

Plain HTML sites:

• Simply insert the Tally script before the </body> tag of your HTML file.

4. Customise the Tally widget

• You can change the colours, the button position, the pop-up behaviour and much more.
• Add a display delay so the form doesn't appear straight away.

Once embedded, your form will be accessible directly from your site, with no need to redirect to another page.

Step 3: Collecting and managing responses

Once your form is embedded on your site, it's vital to manage the responses you collect properly. Tally.so offers an intuitive interface to track responses in real time and export them to other tools.

1. Access your responses in Tally

• Log in to Tally.so.
• Select your form from the dashboard.
• Click the "Responses" tab to see every response submitted.
• Responses are stored directly in your Tally account, accessible from any device.

2. Export your responses

Tally lets you export your responses easily so you can analyse them or use them in other tools:

• CSV export – Download a CSV file of the responses to analyse in Excel or Google Sheets.
• Sync with Google Sheets – Automatically update a Google Sheets spreadsheet with new responses.
• Connect with Notion – Save the data directly into a Notion database.
• Webhooks and API – For advanced integration with custom tools.

3. Automate response handling with Zapier

If you want to automate sending responses to other apps, Tally integrates with Zapier, which lets you, for example:

• Send a confirmation email to each participant.
• Add a new subscriber to Mailchimp or your Ghost CMS newsletter.
• Automatically save the data into Airtable, Notion or Slack.

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Automation example: If someone fills in an event sign-up form, you can automatically add their email to your Mailchimp list and send them a personalised confirmation message.

4. Review statistics and insights

In the "Responses" tab, you can see statistics on your responses, such as:

• The total number of submissions.
• The completion rate (how many people started but didn't finish).
• Response trends.

This lets you fine-tune your form to improve engagement and get more responses.

Other form-building tools

If Tally.so doesn't fully meet your needs, here are a few alternatives:

• Google Forms – Free and simple, but limited in terms of customisation.
• Typeform – Interactive interface, but a restricted free version.
• Jotform – Feature-rich, with ready-to-use templates.
• Forminator – A complete WordPress plugin with payment integration.
• Cognito Forms – Advanced options for calculations and conditional logic.
• Paperform – Customisable design and varied integrations.
• Wufoo – Old but reliable, with good database support.

Each tool has its strengths and limits, but Tally.so remains one of the best free, unlimited options for building professional forms.

Conclusion

Tally.so is an ideal solution for building free, unlimited and customisable forms with no technical skills.

Its easy embedding and its many automations make it a powerful tool for bloggers, businesses and content creators.

If you're looking for an alternative to Google Forms or Typeform, Tally.io offers unmatched flexibility with no hidden fees. Give it a try right now and simplify data collection on your site!