How to create a form for free with Tally (2026 guide)

Introduction

Having a form on your website is essential for collecting information, gathering user feedback or managing sign-ups. However, many form-building tools are either paid-for or heavily limit functionality in their free versions.

This is where Tally.so stands out. Tally is an online form-building platform that offers completely free use, with an unlimited number of forms and responses. What's more, it allows for easy integration on your website via a simple embed code (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 integrate it onto your website in just a few clicks

Let's now take a closer look at Tally.so and its advantages.

What is Tally.so?

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

Why choose Tally.so?

100% free – The free version offers all the essential features, with no limit on the number of forms or responses.
Unlimited – Create an unlimited number of forms and collect as many responses as you like.
Ease of use – No coding required: the interface looks like a simple document.
Advanced customisation – Add images, videos, conditional fields and customise the design of your form.
Easy integration on a website – Thanks to the Tally widget or a simple HTML embed code, you can integrate your form in just a few clicks.
Connected to other tools – Tally integrates with Google Sheets, Notion, Mailchimp, Zapier, and many other services.

How to create free forms with Tally.so?

Let's now look at the steps for creating 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, much as you would when writing in a standard document.

1. Sign up on Tally.so

To get started, head 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 signed up, you'll be taken straight to your dashboard, where you can manage all your forms.

2. Create a new form

Click "Create new form" to get started.

A blank page opens, resembling a word-processing document.

3. Add fields

One of the great advantages of Tally.so is that you can add fields simply by typing text and using the / command 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 corresponding field.
Checkbox → Type /checkbox to insert a checkbox.
Radio button → Type /multiple choice to offer several possible answers.
File field → Type /file upload to let users upload 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 better match 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 get the URL or embed code.

Step 2: Integrating the form on your website

Once your form has been created on Tally.so, it's time to integrate it into your website. Tally offers several integration methods, including an interactive widget that lets you display your form as a pop-up or floating button.

1. Access the integration options

From your Tally.so dashboard, open your form and click "Share".
Select "Embed" to see the various integration options.

Tally offers three ways to integrate your form onto your website:

IFrame – Displays the form directly on a web page.
Tally widget – Adds a button or pop-up to open the form.
Direct link – Simply shares your form's URL.

2. Add the Tally widget to your website

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

In "Embed", choose "Tally Widget".
Set up the display:

Floating button (at the bottom of the page)
Pop-up that opens after a delay
Opens when a link is clicked

Copy the HTML code provided.
Paste it before the </body> tag on your website.

3. Integration depending on your CMS

Ghost CMS:

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

WordPress:

Add a custom HTML block in the editor and paste the code.

Webflow:

Use an Embed Block and insert the HTML code provided.

Standard HTML sites:

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

4. Customise the Tally widget

You can change the colours, the button's position, the pop-up's behaviour and more.
Add a display delay to stop the form appearing immediately.

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

Step 3: Collecting and managing responses

Once your form is integrated on your website, it's crucial to properly manage the responses collected. Tally.so offers an intuitive interface for tracking responses in real time and exporting them to other tools.

1. Access responses in Tally

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

2. Export responses

Tally lets you easily export responses to analyse them or use them in other tools:

CSV export – Downloads a CSV file of responses for analysis in Excel or Google Sheets.
Google Sheets sync – Automatically updates a Google Sheets table with new responses.
Notion connection – Saves data directly to a Notion database.
Webhooks and API – For advanced integration with custom tools.

3. Automate response management with Zapier

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

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

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

4. View statistics and insights

In the "Responses" tab, you can see statistics on 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.

Our experience: Tally on abstract27.com

We use Tally for the “free quote” form on our own website, in French and English: a single page, roughly a minute to fill in, with hidden fields that pass through the language, the originating page and campaign parameters (UTM). Responses arrive by email and a confirmation is sent automatically to the client.

Two tips from this experience: integrate the form using the “iframe” code provided by Tally rather than custom scripts, and set up a thank-you page on your own website — this is what lets you measure enquiries in your analytics.

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 comprehensive WordPress plugin with payment integration.
Cognito Forms – Advanced options for calculations and conditional logic.
Paperform – Customisable design and a variety of integrations.
Wufoo – Older but reliable, with good database support.

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

Conclusion

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

Its easy integration and numerous 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. Try it now to simplify data collection on your website!