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Collecting personal information from website visitors is a lot like fishing. Without the right bait and equipment, you’ll be waiting a long time for a bite.
Contact forms on your website allow you to collect visitor contact details and build your email subscriber list. This article will look at why you need to use a WordPress contact form plugin on your website.
With tons of WordPress form builder plugins and software, it can get overwhelming to pick the right one for you.
In this article, we’ll share our selection criteria for picking the right form builder and discuss in detail seven form plugins for WordPress that will allow you to collect contact details from your website visitors.
First, let’s look at why you need to use a form builder on your WordPress website.
Why use a WordPress form plugin?
A basic form on your website enables you to collect useful information from your website visitors. And the easiest way to do it is by using a WordPress form builder plugin.
WordPress form plugins are essential tools designed to facilitate the creation and management of forms on WordPress websites.
These plugins offer a user-friendly interface that enables website owners to create simple forms and advanced forms, such as contact forms, subscription forms, registration forms, conversational forms, surveys, and more, without needing to write any code.
The primary purpose of WordPress form plugins is to streamline the process of collecting information from website visitors, enabling better communication, data collection, and user engagement.
With so many options to choose from, how do you decide which the best WordPress form builder plugin is?
In the next section, we’ll cover some of the criteria you can use to evaluate and choose the right visual form builder for your WordPress website.
How to choose the best WordPress form plugin?
There are hundreds of form plugins, extensions, and add-ons in the WordPress Plugins directory. So it can be overwhelming to choose the right option for your website, especially when most of them have similar features and pricing.
Let’s look at some of the criteria that will help you choose.
- Features: Each website has unique requirements about the type of information they want to collect from their contact forms.
- Ease of installation: Ideally, the form plugin should be easy to install and require little to no coding.
- Form fields: The plugin should provide you the flexibility to customize the form fields shown to the visitor.
- Customization options: The plugin must provide some design and styling options to ensure that the forms match a website’s brand guidelines.
- User experience: The forms displayed to visitors must not affect user experience. Mobile responsiveness is also an essential factor.
- Available integrations: Ideally, the form plugin connects or integrates with the existing marketing or sales software a business uses.
- Support levels: It’s essential to know the type of support available for any troubleshooting or technical issues.
- Cost: Every website has a different budget. So, it’s important to choose a WordPress form plugin that matches both your needs and budget.
7 best WordPress form plugins
Now let’s delve into a curated list of the top WordPress form plugins available.
| Plugin | Key features | Pricing |
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OptiMonk |
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Jotform |
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WPForms |
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Gravity Forms |
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Ninja Forms |
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Contact Form 7 |
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Formidable Forms |
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1. OptiMonk
OptiMonk is a professional popup builder that provides popups, website personalization, and A/B testing.
It enables WordPress websites to build simple contact forms and messages that can be displayed in overlays or embedded forms.
OptiMonk helps WordPress users build email subscriber lists, collect feedback, increase form submissions, and grow sales.
More than 30,000 websites use OptiMonk to convert visitors into revenue and long-term customers.
OptiMonk key features:
Wanna take a closer look at the key features? Let’s check them out.
More than 300 pre-built templates
OptiMonk offers over 300+ professionally designed templates for popups, sticky bars, side messages, and embedded content. These pre-made form templates are mobile-optimized and customizable, allowing you to create high-converting forms without starting from scratch.
Flexible drag & drop editor
The drag-and-drop editor makes form customization effortless, even for those with no coding experience. You can easily adjust the layout, move elements, and modify text to match your brand’s design.
Enhance customizations
With OptiMonk, you can fully customize your forms, including colors, fonts, animations, and multi-step options. Personalization features allow you to display dynamic content based on visitor behavior.
In-built analytics
The built-in analytics dashboard provides real-time insights into your forms’ performance. Track key metrics like conversion rates, impressions, and revenue to optimize your campaigns.
Custom form fields
OptiMonk enables you to collect valuable zero-party data directly from visitors. Custom fields allow you to gather emails, names, preferences, and other essential information for better segmentation.
Gamification
OptiMonk allows you to create forms that are fun and engaging with the help of gamification. Gamified popups, such as spin-the-wheel or scratch-to-win, make form interactions more captivating.
A/B testing
Easily run A/B tests to compare different form variations and track performance. By analyzing the results, you can refine your strategies and improve conversions.
Smart headline generator
The AI-powered Smart Headline Generator helps create attention-grabbing headlines. This tool improves engagement by crafting compelling messages that drive conversions.
OptiMonk pricing:
OptiMonk has a freemium pricing model. It also has four different premium plans based on the number of pageviews and domains, but each of them includes all features.
Check out OptiMonk’s pricing page for more details.
OptiMonk integrations:
OptiMonk integrates with some of the most popular email marketing software and payment gateways.
- Email marketing software: ActiveCampaign, Act-on, Aweber, Campaign Monitor, CleverReach, ConvertKit, Dotmailer, GetResponse, HubSpot, iContact, InfusionSoft, Mailigen, Mailjet, Ontraport, Moosend, Omnisend, Robly, VerticalResponse, Bizzy, Emarsys, MailerLite, SilverPop, Automizy, Mailwizz.
- Marketing automation: Marketo, Salesforce, HubSpot, Copernica.
- SMS/Messenger solutions: SMSBump, Recart, Mailup, ShopMessage.
- Ecommerce platforms: WooCommerce, Shopify, BigCommerce, 3DCart, Opencart, CoreCommerce, OSCommerce, Volusion, Magento, Shopware.
- Content management systems: WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Squarespace, Weebly, Duda, Unbounce.
- Analytics: Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager.
- Others: Zapier, Webhooks.
2. Jotform
Jotform is a no-code online form builder that is packed with features. You can utilize these features to set up your online store, create a custom mobile app to increase your brand identity, or collect form submissions and keep track of your data.
Jotform’s WordPress form plugin lets you use all these features while letting you embed your forms securely on your website.
Jotform key features:
- Templates: Choose from over 10k templates to get a head start on your forms.
- Data management: Use Jotform Tables to see your data on beautiful spreadsheets and track your submissions.
- Widgets: Choose from over a hundred widgets to let your forms have a greater impact on your users.
Jotform pricing:
Jotform has a free plan that includes all of its features just with a limited form creation and submission count. It also has four different paid plans so you can choose which one best suits your needs.
- Free: All features included. 5 Forms limit.
- Bronze: $39/month. 25 Forms limit, increased storage, and removal of Jotform branding.
- Sliver: $49/month. 50 Forms limit, increased storage.
- Gold: $129/month. 100 Forms limit, HIPAA Compliance for your forms.
- Enterprise: Contact sales for details. Unlimited Everything.
3. WPForms
WPForms is a drag-and-drop WordPress form plugin installed and used by over three million WordPress users.
WPForms customers use the WordPress forms plugin to build customizable contact forms, surveys, user registrations, and workflows to help power their businesses.
WPForms key features:
- Drag-and-drop builder: Easy to build, edit, and customize your forms with the help of their intuitive front-end builder. Choose from dozens of pre-existing form templates to speed up your form creation. WPForms requires no coding and can be used within your WordPress dashboard.
- Mobile-friendliness: WPForms works seamlessly on all devices whether it’s desktop, tablet,or mobile.
- Instant notifications: Receive instant notifications via email as soon as a visitor fills out a form. It allows your team to respond to incoming visitor inquiries and provide an exceptional user experience.
- Multi-page forms: If you need to collect more information and yet at the same time provide an optimal user experience, then WPForms allows you to build multi-step forms quickly.
- Additional customizations: WPforms comes with additional developer-friendly customization options such as Custom CSS, and HTML Blocks that allow you to modify the branding and the look and feel of your advanced forms.
WPForms pricing:
WPForms has no free trial or free plan. It has four different premium plans, each with unique features and integration options:
- Basic: $99/year. Single site license.
- Plus: $199/year. 3-sites license. This plan includes all the features in the Basic Plan, plus Email Marketing Software integrations.
- Pro: $399/year. 5-sites license. This plan includes all the features in the Plus Plan, plus additional integrations.
- Elite: $599/year. Unlimited site license. This plan includes all the features in the Pro Plan, plus additional integrations.
4. Gravity Forms
Gravity Forms is a WordPress form plugin that allows you to create unlimited forms on your WordPress website. Its extensive list of integrations will enable you to automate your marketing workflows and create an exceptional user experience.
Gravity Forms key features:
- 30+ form fields: Gravity Forms provides greater flexibility and control over your forms with a library of form field inputs.
- Conditional logic: Instead of showing the same form fields to all users, Gravity Forms helps you control the form fields shown to visitors based on their behaviors.
- Email notifications: Every time a visitor submits your online forms, you can set up notifications directly to your email.
- User-generated content: Gravity Forms allows you to create WordPress posts directly from the visitor entries on your forms.
Gravity forms pricing:
Gravity Forms does not offer a free trial or a freemium version.
There are three different pricing options for Gravity Forms, based on the features you would need:
- Basic license: $59/year. Single site license. Create unlimited forms.
- Pro license: $159/year. 3-sites license. This plan includes all the features in the Basic License.
- Elite license: $259/year. Unlimited site license. This plan includes all the features in the Pro License, plus priority support.
For a list of features included in each of the four Gravity Forms pricing plans, check out their pricing page.
5. Ninja Forms
Ninja Forms is a freemium WordPress form plugin and lead generation software that allows you to collect website leads.
The premium or paid licenses will enable you to extend the software’s functionality by integrating with other software and building a marketing workflow. Ninja Forms has been downloaded over 20 million times.
Ninja Forms key features:
- Styling options: Ninja Forms offers greater flexibility in your WordPress forms’ styling and design, all of which can be done without extensive coding.
- Multi-step forms: Ninja Forms enables you to collect more information on a multi-step form without hampering the user experience. It requires no coding and can be used within your WordPress dashboard.
- File uploads: Visitors can also be given the option to upload files and media on your forms, such as PDF documents, images, etc.
- Conditional logic: Create dynamic and complex forms based on conditions and also user interaction. It helps provide a personalized experience for each visitor and also helps boost form completion rates.
Ninja Forms pricing:
Ninja Forms has both a freemium pricing model, which includes a free version, and three premium versions.
Besides, there are individual add-ons that you can purchase, costing from $29 to $129 per year per add-on.
- Core: Free. Unlimited site license. This plan includes basic form-building features.
- Plus: $99/year. 3-site license. This plan includes advanced functionality like file uploads and conditional logic.
- Pro: $199/year. 20-sites license. This plan includes all the features in the Plus plan, plus CRM & automation integrations.
- Elite: $499/year. Unlimited site license. This plan includes all the features and integrations.
6. Contact Form 7
Contact Form 7 is a free WordPress form builder plugin installed and used on over 5 million WordPress websites. It’s a simple yet useful WordPress plugin that allows you to collect information from your visitors and send an automated email.
Contact Form 7 key features:
- Shortcodes: Contact Form 7 includes multiple shortcodes that can be easily embedded in your WordPress posts and pages.
- 3rd-party add-ons: You can find a library of hundreds of third-party plugins and add-ons created by the WordPress community. These add-ons can be used to enhance the functionality of Contact Form 7.
- Email autoresponder: The built-in email feature allows you to send automated emails to visitors who have completed the form.
Contact Form 7 pricing:
Contact Form 7 is a free WordPress form plugin.
7. Formidable Forms
Formidable Forms is one of the best WordPress form plugin out there. Installed and used by over 30,000 businesses, Formidable Forms allows you to collect and build data-driven business applications.
Formidable Forms key features:
- Feature-rich form builder: Formidable Forms has one of the most advanced features amongst WordPress form plugins. It allows you to collect surveys, polls, and quizzes and help convert them into relevant business data.
- Over 100 pre-built templates: The software includes various form templates that you can pick, edit, customize, and launch on your website.
- File uploads: Enable your visitors with the option to upload various file formats such as .jpg, .png, and .mpeg along with their form submissions.
- Collect payments: The payment gateway and ecommerce integrations allow you to collect payments on your payment forms directly. It eliminates the need to have multiple software to run your business.
Formidable Forms pricing:
Formidable Forms has a freemium pricing model, which includes a free version and four premium versions.
The Free version includes all the core features to collect information from your website visitors. The Free version also does not have any direct support from the Formidable Forms team.
If you want access to integrations and additional features, you need to upgrade to one of the premium versions.
- Free: Single site usage. This plan includes basic form-building features.
- Basic: $79/year. Single-site license. This plan includes all the core features.
- Plus: $199/year. 3-sites license. This plan includes all the features in the Basic Plan, plus Email Marketing Software integrations.
- Business: $399/year. 15-sites license. This plan includes all the features in the Plus Plan, plus additional payment gateway integrations.
- Elite: $599/year. Unlimited site license. This plan includes all the features in the Pro Plan, plus additional ecommerce and payment gateway integrations.
FAQ
Are all WordPress form plugins compatible with my WordPress theme?
Most WordPress form plugins are designed to be compatible with a wide range of WordPress themes. However, it’s essential to check compatibility before installing a plugin. Some plugins may offer customization options to better integrate with your theme’s design.
Do I need coding skills to use a form plugin on my WordPress site?
No, most WordPress form plugins are designed with a user-friendly interface that allows users to create and manage forms without any coding knowledge. However, some advanced customization options may require basic HTML or CSS skills.
Can I use WordPress form plugins to create different types of forms?
Yes, WordPress form plugins typically offer the flexibility to create various types of forms, including contact forms, registration forms, surveys, polls, quizzes, feedback forms, and more. Look for a plugin that offers customizable form fields and advanced features to meet your specific needs.
How can I create payment forms?
To create a payment form, choose a WordPress form plugin that supports payment form functionality. Many popular plugins offer this feature, such as Gravity Forms, WPForms, Ninja Forms, and Formidable Forms.
Wrapping up
The best WordPress form plugin for you depends on your budget, feature requirements, design requirements, and necessary integrations.
If you’re looking for a simple form builder that also has a free version, then Contact Form 7 might be the right choice.
If you need to collect a lot of data from your forms and convert them into actionable business, then both Gravity Forms and Formidable Forms could be excellent choices.
If you are looking for all-in-one form builder solution that allows you to collect visitor information using custom forms and multi-page forms, while also help time grow your subscriber list and boost revenue, then OptiMonk is an excellent choice.
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Written by
Barbara Bartucz
Barbara is a Content Marketer at OptiMonk. She takes pride in creating different forms of content, whether it’s an article, a video, or an e-book.
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Product updates: January Release 2025
