Google Forms can collect file uploads, but there are several limitations that make it awkward for education use.
Google Forms limitations for file collection
- Respondents must have a Google account — this is the biggest problem. Not every student (or their family) uses Google.
- Files use YOUR Google Drive storage — the 15 GB free limit fills up fast with a full class.
- 10-file limit per upload field — students with larger projects can't upload everything at once.
- No progress bar — students don't see upload progress for large files, leading to confusion.
- Overkill for simple file collection — you're building a form when all you need is a file drop zone.
A simpler alternative
getfiles.app does one thing: collect files. No form building, no Google account requirements, no storage counting.
| Feature | Google Forms | getfiles.app |
|---|---|---|
| Needs Google account (student) | Yes | No |
| Setup time | 5-10 minutes | 10 seconds |
| Max files per upload | 10 | 200 |
| File size limit | 10 GB total per form | 500 MB per file |
| Progress bar | No | Yes |
| Download all as ZIP | No (manual) | Yes |
| Mobile experience | Clunky | Clean |
| Additional questions | Yes | Name only |
Common classroom scenarios
Collecting final project submissions
A high school art teacher needs to collect 30 student projects by Friday. Each project is a 50 MB PDF portfolio plus a 200 MB video walkthrough. Google Forms rejects the video on the 10 GB aggregate limit halfway through the week. With getfiles.app, the teacher creates one upload page titled "Art 301 — Final Project (due March 14)", shares the link, and downloads a single ZIP after the deadline.
Weekly lab reports
A biology professor wants lab reports every Monday for 12 weeks. Instead of rebuilding a form each week, they create 12 upload pages at the start of the semester — one per lab — each with its own deadline. Students bookmark the course page that links to all twelve. No Google account needed for the students who use iCloud or don't have a personal Google.
Late submissions without drama
Extending a deadline in Google Forms means editing the form and risking broken links. With getfiles.app, pushing the expiration forward by two days is a single click in the dashboard — the student's link keeps working.
When to still use Google Forms
If you need to collect files AND additional information (multiple text answers, multiple choice questions, etc.), Google Forms is the better tool. It's a form builder — that's its strength.
But if you just need files, skip the form. Use an upload link.
FAQ
Do students need to sign up for anything? No. They open the link, drop their files, and they're done. No email verification, no account creation, nothing.
What happens to the files after the semester? Upload pages expire between 1 and 10 days after creation by default. You can download the ZIP any time before expiration, and files are automatically deleted three days after the page expires.
Can I see who submitted what? Yes. Each upload shows the filename, size, upload time, and optionally a name or email the student entered. No student accounts required — they just type a name.
Is there a file size cap for students? You set the cap per page (up to 500 MB per file). The default is 100 MB, which covers most PDFs, images, and short videos.
Can I password-protect the upload page? Yes. Any upload page can have a password that students enter before uploading — useful for gated assignments or draft collection during peer review.