Linear Scale Questions in Google Forms (NPS, Ratings, Satisfaction)
Quick answer: Add a question, set its type to Linear Scale, pick a start point of 0 or 1 and an end point up to 10, then label the low and high ends. It's the go-to question type for NPS scores, satisfaction ratings, and any "rate this from X to Y" question — and each answer is stored as a clean number in your response Sheet.
Linear Scale is Google Forms' built-in numeric rating question — a horizontal row of numbers respondents pick from, with optional labels at each end. It's the simplest way to collect a rating, and because the answer comes back as a number rather than text, it's also the easiest question type to analyze afterward. This guide covers setup, the most common use cases, and where Linear Scale fits next to the grid and quiz-style question types.
How to set up a Linear Scale question
1. Add the question and choose the type
Click the + icon to insert a new question, type your question text, then open the type dropdown and select Linear Scale.
2. Set the number range
Two dropdowns appear: the starting number, which can be 0 or 1, and the ending number, which can go as high as 10. Common ranges are 1 to 5 for a simple rating and 0 to 10 for Net Promoter Score questions.
3. Label the low and high ends
Underneath the number range are two optional text fields for labeling the low end and the high end, such as "Not satisfied" and "Very satisfied," or "Not at all likely" and "Extremely likely." Labels make the scale self-explanatory without needing extra instructions in the question text.
4. Mark it required
Toggle Required in the bottom-right of the question if you don't want respondents skipping past it.
The classic use case: Net Promoter Score (NPS)
NPS is a 0-to-10 scale question — usually phrased as "How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?" — used to gauge overall customer sentiment. To build it in Forms: set the scale to start at 0 and end at 10, label 0 as "Not at all likely" and 10 as "Extremely likely," and mark it required. NPS is often the anchor question in a larger customer feedback form; see our Google Forms survey examples guide for how it fits alongside other feedback questions.
Satisfaction and rating use cases
Beyond NPS, Linear Scale covers most single-item rating needs:
- "How satisfied were you with today's event?" on a 1-5 scale.
- "How would you rate the ease of checkout?" on a 1-10 scale.
- "How confident do you feel about this topic?" on a 1-5 scale for a classroom or training check-in.
Each of these works as a standalone Linear Scale question when you're rating one thing. If you need to ask the same scale about several items at once — rating five separate features, for example — that's when a grid question becomes the better tool; see the note below.
How Linear Scale data looks in the response Sheet
When responses flow into a linked Google Sheet, a Linear Scale answer lands as a plain number in its own column — no parsing required. That means you can drop a simple AVERAGE() formula on the column to get a mean score, build a quick chart, or calculate an NPS score directly with a formula, without needing to clean or convert the data first. This is one of the more analysis-friendly question types in Forms precisely because the output is already numeric.
Linear Scale vs. Multiple Choice Grid vs. star ratings
It's worth being clear about the boundaries between similar-looking options:
- Linear Scale — best for rating one single item. Simple to build, renders cleanly at any screen size.
- Multiple Choice Grid — best when you need to rate several items on the same scale in one compact block. See our guide to the Multiple Choice Grid for setup and its mobile caveats.
- Star rating — Google Forms has no native star-rating question type. If you want something that looks like stars, the honest answer is that Forms doesn't offer it; Linear Scale, answered as plain numbers, is the closest built-in substitute.
FAQ
What range can a Linear Scale use in Google Forms?
It can start at 0 or 1 and go up to any number between 2 and 10. 1-5 is common for simple ratings; 0-10 is standard for NPS.
Does Google Forms have a star rating question?
No, there's no native star-rating type. Linear Scale, presented as numbers, is the closest built-in option.
How does Linear Scale data look in the response Sheet?
It's stored as a plain number in its own column, so it's easy to average, chart, or calculate on directly in Sheets.
Should I use Linear Scale or Multiple Choice Grid for NPS?
Use Linear Scale for a single NPS question. Switch to Multiple Choice Grid only if you're asking the same scale about multiple separate items.