Jotform alternative from Germany

Jotform is based in San Francisco and stores form data in the USA by default. Unlike most US providers, though, you can switch on storage in Frankfurt in the account settings. On storage location the two services are close. The difference: Jotform stays a US company and transfers data under standard contractual clauses and the Data Privacy Framework. Mailiy is based in Germany, with no transfer to a third country.

Mailiy and Jotform compared

Feature	Mailiy	Jotform
Operator	26LAB.IO, Mettmann (Germany)	Jotform Inc. (USA)
Server location	Hetzner in Germany, own mail server	USA by default; Frankfurt (on Google) selectable in the account settings
Storing submissions	Encrypted, retention of your choice down to “Don't store”	Yes, automatic deletion after a set period available
Free	250 submissions a month, 1 website	100 submissions a month, 5 forms, with branding
Paid plans	From €9 a month	Bronze $39 a month, $408 a year (1000 submissions)
Spam protection	Honeypot, rate limits, content filter, optional captcha (self-hosted ALTCHA, hCaptcha; Turnstile and reCAPTCHA from Developer)	JotCAPTCHA, reCAPTCHA or hCaptcha
File uploads	Up to 5 files, 10 MB, encrypted in the EU	On every plan, 100 MB storage on Free, up to 1 GB per file
Webhooks	From Developer	Yes, according to support also on the free plan
DPA under Art. 28 GDPR	Concluded when you sign up	Requested and signed online; transfers under standard contractual clauses and the DPF

As of 6 November 2026, based on the provider's public pages. Prices and plans change, so check them there before you switch: www.jotform.com/pricing, www.jotform.com/security.

When Jotform is the better fit

You need very large uploads: Jotform allows up to 1 GB per file.
You need HIPAA, which Jotform offers from the Gold plan.
Storage in Frankfurt is enough for you and a US operator is not a problem.

Switch from Jotform to Mailiy

Create a free account, then under “New form” pick “Hosted by Mailiy” and “In the editor”.
Rebuild the questions from Jotform with the blocks: text, email, choice, date, file, rating and more. Set conditions per field under “Only show when”.
Publish the page. You get a link, a QR code and an iframe embed code.
Replace the old Jotform link or embed on your website, in emails and on flyers.

Every block, condition and payment option is described in the hosted form docs. If you have your own website, you can also build the form in HTML yourself; the guides show how.

Before you cancel

After the change, send a test message and check that it reaches your inbox and the dashboard.
Enter the domains the form may send from in the dashboard.
If you used webhooks or Zapier flows with Jotform, set them up again in Mailiy. From the Developer plan, Slack, Discord and Telegram are built in, and everything else runs through a webhook.
Update your privacy policy and name Mailiy as the recipient of form data.
Cancel Jotform only after the new form has run for a few days without problems.

What matters when comparing

Server location and operator

A contact form transfers names, email addresses and often more. If the provider sits outside the EU or stores data there, you need a legal basis for the transfer to a third country and have to name it in your privacy policy. With a provider based and hosted in Germany, that step goes away.

Storage

Many services keep every submission so you can see it in a dashboard. That is handy, but it adds to the data you have to protect and delete at some point. Check whether you can set the retention yourself or switch storage off entirely.

Limits on the free plan

The number of submissions is rarely the problem. More often the free plan lacks uploads, custom redirects or a way to remove the branding. Check which feature you actually need before you decide on price. On Mailiy the Free plan has uploads and custom redirects too. You remove the branding from Developer with a €9 a month add-on, and Agency Plus has none.

Spam protection

A honeypot stops most bots without visitors noticing. Captchas help against persistent spam but cost conversions and often load third-party scripts. A good service lets you add a captcha only when you need one.

What else a contact form needs for the GDPR is covered in the GDPR checklist.

Frequently asked questions

Where are Jotform's servers?

USA by default; Frankfurt (on Google) selectable in the account settings. Mailiy: Hetzner in Germany, own mail server.

How much does Jotform cost?

Free: 100 submissions a month, 5 forms, with branding. Paid: Bronze $39 a month, $408 a year (1000 submissions). As of 6 November 2026.

Do I have to rebuild my form to switch from Jotform?

Yes. Mailiy does not import forms from Jotform, so you rebuild the questions in the editor. A form holds up to 50 fields. Conditions work on every plan; multi-page forms, signatures and calculations need Developer.

Can I bring my old submissions over from Jotform?

Yes, from the Agency plan, if you have them as a CSV file. Export them from Jotform before you cancel and import the file in the form's Submissions tab. On smaller plans, keep the file separately. Mailiy collects new submissions from the first test on.

Do I need a new DPA with Mailiy?

Yes, because Mailiy processes your visitors' data on your behalf. The DPA is concluded when you sign up, so there is nothing to print or sign. In your privacy policy, replace the old provider with Mailiy.

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