A Google Form on an iPad,
or a real sign-in?
Plenty of clubs start with a Google Form open on an iPad by the door. It's free and it works, until the wifi drops, the line backs up, or you want to know who keeps coming back.
Sign-in: $12 a month, for your whole organization · 30 days free, no card needed
Pass the Pad vs Google Forms on an iPad with Pass the Pad
Keeps working offline
Sign-ins are saved on the tablet and upload when the connection returns. Google says a form's autosave doesn't work offline.
Regulars sign in in seconds
Returning guests type two letters and tap their name instead of filling the whole form again.
Clean email addresses
Typos like gmial.com are caught at the door, and the address's domain is checked.
Locked to the sign-in
The sign-in screen runs full screen and organizer tools sit behind a PIN, so guests can't wander off into the form editor.
Headcounts by event
Every sign-in belongs to an event, with first visits, returning guests and trends, no spreadsheet formulas needed.
Straight onto your list
A tick box records consent, and opt-ins go to Mailchimp or newsletters sent from Pass the Pad.
Pass the Pad and Google Forms on an iPad
| Topic | Pass the Pad | Google Forms on an iPad |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plan (one tablet, 100 sign-ins a month); Sign-in $12 a month | Free with a Google account; in every Workspace plan |
| No wifi at the venue | Keeps signing in, uploads later | Autosave doesn't work offline |
| Returning guests | Type two letters, tap their name | A blank form each time (pre-filled links can help) |
| Email typos | Caught at the door | Checks the format only |
| Keeping guests in the sign-in | Full screen, organizer PIN | No kiosk mode; use Apple's Guided Access |
| Attendance | Headcounts and trends per event | Rows in a Google Sheet |
What we say about Google Forms on an iPad comes from its own pages, checked October 25, 2026: Google Forms autosave (Google help), Using Docs, Sheets and Slides offline (Google help), Response validation (Google help), Google Workspace plans, Guided Access (Apple support). Prices and features change, so check their site before you decide. Something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.
Ready in three steps.
Bring your sheet
Upload the responses spreadsheet from your Google Form: past sign-ins come across as attendance.
Pair the iPad
Open your sign-in page on the same iPad and type the pairing code.
Keep the door moving
Regulars tap their name; newcomers sign in once and are remembered.
Why clubs outgrow the form
Google Forms costs nothing with a Google account and is part of every Google Workspace plan, responses land in a Google Sheet, and a pre-filled link can save some typing. For an occasional event, it's a perfectly good sign-in sheet.
At a busy door the gaps show. Google's own help says a form's autosave doesn't work offline, so a venue with patchy wifi can lose a sign-in; the form has no kiosk mode of its own, so an iPad needs Apple's Guided Access to keep guests in it; and every guest starts from a blank form, regulars included. Its response checks can make sure an answer looks like an email address, but not catch gmial.com.
Pass the Pad keeps the simplicity and fills those gaps: an offline sign-in screen, returning guests by name, typo checks, consent to your list and headcounts per event. Your Google Form's responses can come with you, so your history isn't lost.
Frequently asked questions
Can Google Forms work offline on an iPad?
Google's help centre says a form's autosave doesn't work while you're offline, and its offline mode covers Docs, Sheets and Slides (checked October 25, 2026). Pass the Pad's sign-in keeps working with no connection and uploads later.
Is Pass the Pad free like Google Forms?
There's a free plan with one tablet and 100 sign-ins a month, and a 30-day free trial of everything. Sign-in is $12 a month after that, for every tablet and event.
How do I stop guests leaving the sign-in on a shared iPad?
With a Google Form, Apple's Guided Access can lock the iPad to one app. Pass the Pad runs full screen and keeps organizer tools behind a PIN; Guided Access works with it too.
Can I import my Google Forms sign-in sheet?
Yes. Download the responses spreadsheet and upload it: names, emails and dates come across as past sign-ins.
More from Pass the Pad
Try it at your next event.
30 days free. No card needed.