A form collects sign-ups; Etkin runs the event to the door.
Google Forms is fast, free and familiar — genuinely a good place to start collecting sign-ups. But once the response lands in a spreadsheet, the rest is manual: confirmation emails, reminders, searching a printed list at the door, marking who showed up, preparing certificates one by one. Below is an honest comparison, including the rows where Forms wins.
The response is in. Then what?
A QR ticket the moment they register
With Forms, the most an attendee gets is a copy of their response. On Etkin every registration instantly sends a confirmation email with a personal QR ticket; attendees find it in their inbox and on their attendee screen.
A waitlist when you are full
Capping sign-ups in Forms means installing an add-on or closing the form by hand. On Etkin you set the capacity; once it fills, new sign-ups go to the waitlist and you can notify the next person when a spot opens.
QR at the door, not a list
Searching a printed list means a queue at the door. On Etkin a volunteer scans the QR with their phone; the check-in is written to the same attendee record and the headcount updates live on the dashboard.
Attendance takes care of itself
No more filling in a “came” column by hand. Every scan at the door is attendance; after the event you see who registered, who came and the turnout rate on one screen, and you can download the attendee list as Excel or CSV.
Survey and certificate tied to the same record
In Forms the feedback survey is a separate form, and matching it to registrations is up to you. On Etkin the post-event survey is linked to the attendee’s registration; whoever completes it receives a certificate automatically, and anyone can check that it is genuine on a public verification page.
Google Forms vs Etkin
| Job | Etkin | Google Forms |
|---|---|---|
| Registration form | ~Standard fields + extra questionsNo conditional branching (skipping sections based on answers) | ✓More flexibleSections, conditional branching, many question types |
| Capacity and waitlist | ✓Yes | —NoVia an add-on or by closing the form manually |
| Confirmation email and QR ticket | ✓Automatic | ~Copy of the responseNo QR ticket |
| Pre-event reminder | ✓Automatic emailSMS on credits; WhatsApp on paid plans | —NoManual email or a group chat |
| QR check-in and live headcount | ✓YesA volunteer’s phone is enough | —No |
| Attendance and turnout rate | ✓Automatic from check-in | ~ManualTicking rows in a spreadsheet |
| Post-event survey | ✓Linked to the registration | ✓As a separate formMatching to registrations is manual |
| Verifiable certificate | ✓YesFree plan: basic template with a “verified by etkin.app” mark | —NoAdd-on or manual preparation |
| Shareable event page | ✓YesAgenda, location and sign-up button on one page | ~A form link |
| Card ticket sales | ✓YesCharged in Turkish Lira; opens once billing and payout details are approved | —No |
| Attendee limit | ~Free plan: 50 attendees per eventLarger events on a paid plan | ✓Practically unlimited and free |
| Working with Google Sheets | ~Export to Excel and CSV | ✓Connected directly |
Comparison based on Google Forms’ built-in features as of 28 October 2026; add-ons (Workspace Marketplace) can cover some gaps, but each needs its own setup and its own permissions.
Start with your next event
You do not need to move old form responses; past events can stay in Forms. Setting up the next one on Etkin takes three steps.
Create the event
Enter the title, date, location and capacity. Add the extra questions from your form to the registration form; name and email fields come built in.
Share the link where you always do
Wherever you used to post the form link (a group chat, your Instagram bio, an email), post the event page link instead. Everyone who registers gets their QR ticket automatically.
Scan QR codes at the door
Volunteers scan check-ins with their phones; when the event ends, attendance and the turnout report are ready. Add the survey and certificate if you like.
The free plan needs no card; events are unlimited, and each event can take up to 50 registrations.
When is Google Forms enough?
If you are only gauging interest, have no check-in at the door, do not issue certificates, or need a long application form whose questions branch on answers, Google Forms does the job well — and it is free. When you need to keep in touch with attendees after they register, see who actually came, and produce certificates or a report afterwards, look at Etkin. Some organisers use both: the long application screening in Forms, the event for accepted people on Etkin.
About switching from Google Forms
What is missing when you use Google Forms for event registration?
Forms is good at collecting sign-ups; what is missing is everything after. Attendees get no QR ticket, the form does not close itself when you are full, reminders are manual, check-in and attendance are ticked by hand in a spreadsheet, and certificates are prepared separately.
Can Google Forms do QR code check-in?
Forms has no built-in QR tickets or door scanning; it can be assembled with add-ons and separate apps. On Etkin every registration gets its own QR ticket, scanned at the door with a phone, and the check-in is written to the same attendee record.
Is Etkin free?
On the free plan events are unlimited and each event can take up to 50 registrations. Registration, QR tickets, check-in, email, surveys and certificates all work; on the free plan certificates carry a “verified by etkin.app” mark. For larger events and ticket sales, see the paid plans.
Can I ask the custom questions from my form?
Yes, you can add extra questions to the registration form. There is no conditional branching that skips sections based on answers; if you run a long, branching application form, you can screen in Forms and invite the accepted people to the event on Etkin.
Can I get registrations into Excel?
Yes. You can download the attendee list as Excel or CSV. There is no live connection to Google Sheets; you can open the exported file in Sheets.
Do attendees need to create an account?
No. Attendees register with their name and email and receive their QR ticket by email. Those who choose to create an account see their past events and certificates in one place.