If you already have a website built on WordPress or is looking to create one, you will or have noticed the caption “WordPress powers 25% of the internet“. True as it is, WordPress lets you create powerful websites and blogs. With a host of plugins and features, WordPress is a boon to nontechnical people aiming to launch a blog or website. Previously, I already wrote about the 6 Basic Reasons why I use WordPress for Content Marketing, and the top converting landing page which can be built using WordPress. Now in this blog post, I will discuss about WordPress Form Builder Plugin.
One of the many interesting plugins of WordPress is the WordPress Form Builder. Forms have always been like a bridge connecting the users or readers to the marketers. It is a convenient and convincing way of getting information like name, email ID and any other information as per need. So, having this facility in WordPress add ability for marketer to collect lead information effectively.
Types of Forms for Websites and Blogs
On a general note, there are typically four main types of forms for websites:
Subscription form
- This form is mostly used to enable visitors to add themselves to your contact list. You can include custom fields like name, email ID, etc in your form.
Unsubscribe form
- This form functions exactly the opposite of the subscription form. It should be noted that in an unsubscribe form, you cannot create custom fields.
Send to friends form
- This type of form is to enable your users to forward the email to a friend or acquaintance. The creation is almost similar to that of subscription forms. However, when you need to include this form, you have to do it separately by placing it as a custom field. Only by doing so, you will be able to keep a tab on to whom it was forwarded and when. When you add this as a custom field, it gets converted into an unique link that helps you track the activities.
Modify profile detail form
- This form creation is similar to that of send a friend form. With this form, your users can easily login and make any changes they need to, like change of email addresses, modification of the list they are subscribed to, etc.
WP Forms – Drag and Drop WordPress Form Builder
Time saving and fast paced tools are essentials for marketers. If you can easily build a form with no technicalities involved, it helps in pacing up your work. Whether its a contact form or an order form, WP Forms ensures that you can build a customised form in no time.
Easy Drag and drop feature
WP forms are the best in class when it comes to drag and drop form builder. You don’t need to write long lines of code, but can get a form created using WP Forms in less than 60 seconds.
It is touted as the easiest form builder for a beginner but has features of an advanced form builder that you can use seamlessly. Developed by Syed Balkhi and his team, WP forms are classically the best available at a reasonable price.
Built-in Form Templates
Every time you need a form, you need not have to start building it from scratch. WP has pre-built templates which makes form building process much easy and less time consuming.You can add or remove fields in all these templates as needed. Pre-built templates include:
- Blank form – This allows you to build any kind of form.
- Contact us form – Makes it easy for your users to contact you. You can add/remove fields as required.
- Request a quote form – Enables you to collect leads.
- Donation form – You can collect donation payments on your website with this ready to use form.
- Billing/Order form – Any payment for your product or services can be collected using this form.
- Newsletter Signup Form – This form helps you to add subscribers to your contact list easily.
Mobile-responsive design
WP forms are compatible on any and every device. Whether you view it on a laptop or a mobile device, the design quality remain intact. This feature catalyses your conversion rate as we all know how majority users access mobile devices to work, read and stay-updated.
Smart Conditioning Logic
WP forms Smart conditional logic lets you to a multiple functions like show or hide fields and sections, and also enables you to send notifications to specified user. This feature lets you create smart and useful forms in order to give you the best deliverables. Few scenarios where this feature comes handy are:
- Multi-level forms. If an user clicks on a particular button while filling up two-step form, only then will he/she be redirected to the new form.
- While sending an email, if he/she ticks the box for subscription, he/she is automatically added to your contact list. However, in order to do so, you need to put a tick box separately in your form.
Instant Notifications
User satisfaction and experience is always deemed as a top priority in any business. You need to be quick and prompt in replying back to your users’ queries or grievances. By doing so you can successfully create a rapport with your users on a personal and psychological level.
The moment an user signs up or sends an email or posts a query using the WP form, you will be notified instantly via email. You can choose to get notified alone or include other team members too. If you have multiple people in loop, you can ensure much faster response rate. Incase you feel the need of it, you ca turn off email notification for a particular form.
Multi-page form
WP forms lets you split a long form in two parts or more so that your users are not bored while filling out information. By making a split, you create a break for your users and rule out any kind of monotony that might turn-off your users. After your user has filled out all the information, all the information are displayed on a single page enabling you to see all the information on one page.
All leads on one dashboard
Entry Management is a dashboard where you can view all your leads at one go. This helps in saving a lot of time.
Protected from Spam
Smart honeypot technique ensures spam prevention in Wp forms. This technique does not create any hurdle in user experience. All you need to do is add a CAPTCHA to your forms. These CAPTCHA may be easy for users to bypass but for spam bots its a tough call.
Easy Payment
PayPal and Stripe add-on makes it easy for you to receive any payments like collecting donations and/or online orders on your websites. You can add the Paypal or Stripe add-on by going to the first fields and adding it. The rest is taken care by PayPal/ Stripe.
Contact forms Plugin Comparison
After going through the features of WP Forms builder, it is essential to draw to have an overview of what other WP plugins have and which one will suit your need. Here, I will walk you though the three other WP forms builder plugins which are equally popular among web masters.
- Completely free and open-source. You can install on as many websites you want
- Third-party plugins act as add-ons
- Cannot store entries in WP database. Requires Contact Form DB add-on
- Protection via Honeypot as free extension for spam control
- Free MailChimp extension
- Difficult to set up for beginners
- Since its completely free, support options are limited [public forum]
- No add-ons are there
- In market since 2007
- Base plugin is free and open source. It has over 40 add-ons that are paid
- Free version includes features like:
1. drag and drop form editor
2. Entry management
3. Notifications and autoresponders
4. Pop-up/Fly-in forms
5. Export/import forms - Community Support, guides, documentation, and email support available
Gravity Form plugin
- No free version. Its completely paid
- You can create surveys, polls, quiz, user submitted contests, etc.
- Gravity form coupons give 25% off
- Email support, FAQs, forums available
Both, WP forms builder and Gravity forms start at $39/year for 1 site. Basic for Ninja is free, and Contact form 7 is completely free.
WP forms vs Gravity forms
WPForms Basic version (paid) includes all the features like:
- Drag and drop form builder
- Form templates
- Instant notifications
- Entry managements
- Custom CSS
- Spam protection
- Autoresponders
- File uploads
- Multi-page forms
Price: Starting at $39/year for 1 site and unlimited forms.
However, Gravity forms being fully paid, at $39/year features available are:
- Drag and drop form builder
- Form templates
- Autoresponders
- Export entries
- Spam protection
The Unlimited version of WPForms allows add-ons such as Mailchimp, Aweber, PayPal, Stripe.
Gravity forms, on the other hand, at $99/year gives add-ons like CampaignMonitor and mad Mimi along with Aweber and Mailchimp.
WPForms vs Ninja Forms
Ninja forms has almost all the features of basic WPForms as paid add-ons:
- Pushover notifications, unlike instant notifications in WPForms
- Layout and style presets
- Entry managements
- Spam protection: Pitcha and Captcha
- Multi-page forms
Ninja paid add-ons include Aweber, Mailchimp, CampaignMonitor, Freshbooks, Mad Mimi, Mailpoet, Constant Contact and Zoho CRM.
Like WPForms, its also has PayPal and Stripe add-ons.
WPForms vs Contact form 7
One of the basic differences between WPForms and Contact Form 7 is that Contact Form 7 does not have any add-ons. In otherw ays, there is no way you can extend the plugin.
It is absolutely free and open source unlike WPForms that has paid versions.
Another winning point for WPForms is the intuitive user interface. Contact form 7 is difficult for a beginner to set up and use unlike WPForms.
WPForms Integrations
WPForms provide integrations with Aweber and Mailchimp for emails; and, PayPal and Stripe for payments.
While Aweber and Mailchimp integrations can be availed in the Plus version, PayPal and Stripe can be availed only after upgrading to Pro version.
WPForm Pricing
WPForms have four pricing offers to make: Basic, Plus, Pro and Ultimate. Here’s a look at the features that are common to all the four packages:
- Unlimited forms
- Form templates
- Multi-page forms
- Spam protection
- File uploads
- Advanced fields
- Form Layouts
- Entry Management
- Form Confirmation
- Form Notification
- Custom CSS
With Unlimited package at $349/year, you can avail these and more features like:
- Mailchimp and Aweber forms
- Paypal integration
- Stripe integration
- Conditional logic
- User registration
- Logic forms
With the basic version at $39, only one site is supported for a year. The Plus package supports upto 3 sites for 1 year at $99; Pro gives you unlimited sites for a year at $199 and Unlimited version supports unlimited sites for a lifetime.
NB: WPForm coupons can be used for a 100% off!
For more details, check the pricing page.
WPForms is the best option for those who put user interface above everything else. It is one of the easiest, fast and simple form plugin that can give every other alternative a run for money. This brainchild of Syed and his partners are sure to release more features making WPForm builders the best and affordable option in the market.
GDPR and CCPA update: In case you are wondering about GDPR and CCPA then Wpforms has introduced additional GDPR and CCPA enhancement features. These features will make sure that your website complies with the new GDPR and CCPA law. The best thing about the enhancement features is that they are applied globally to all your WP forms.
As the beginner in the field of Content writing ! i really appreciate the way you have described all that. As i use bunch of word press websites to post my related data. Your article will be completely helpful for me in maintaining the standards of my writing and posting blogs.
Do give WpForms a try on your WordPress website.
I am using Formidable which is another good WordPress Form Builder. It is easy to setup and have options. But now I could see there are features where wpforms are way ahead, which I can use in my website like, instant notification and conditional logic are the features I am looking for my service.
Thats great to hear Juan. Hope, WpForms matches your expectation.
Reading your short impartial audits of each Word press form builder, I can say they all filled well for the need they were made. In the event that I simply need a contact form that permit clients to reach and nothing more, I’ll stay with Contact form 7 for the basic reason of getting job done easier and fast.
Which of these forms is mobile responsive though?
I’ve noticed that some email forms aren’t responsive at all.
Elizabeth, most of the WordPress forms are responsive and mobile screen compatible; give this a try.
WordPress form builder audits appears to be awesome and they appear to be huge but difficult to use too. Nonetheless, I have been using this form called SoGoSurvey according to one of my colleague’s recommendation. The software description says that it can be used to make forms also and they have this ‘insert overview’ builtin as well. But after reading this I am now changing my mind.
Thats great to hear Owen!
You liked WpForms quite well. Hope this helps you in great way.
Why are WordPress forms important for your marketing strategy? The WordPress forms build a bridge among the marketers and the customers; hence it serves as an efficient strategy for getting customer information.
Yes Roosevelt, its a good strategy and WordPress form is most useful option.
WpForms WordPress Form Builder is considered to be one of the most interesting WordPress plugins. There are forms that act to be the bridges to connect the users with the marketers. It is a very convincing as well as convenient way to get the information such as email address and name.
Ashley , there are hundreds of other super useful add-ons that can improve the performance of your blog. Since your blog is a central figure of your efforts on social media, these plugins will definitely give you a great start. So if your blog needs a little push, consider adding some of these fantastic finds and watch your traffic and subscriber numbers soar.
Hi
I recently added wp forms LITE to my blog site. How do I get it to send emails? I am thinking of using MAILERLITE email application. It might sound dumb, but contact US emails must have a third party integration, NO…(like Mailerlite)
Thanks
Okay, so what do you ideally recommend Ankit. I would like to create a form which would be slightly elaborate and I would like to have options given to the customer. Which form tool would you recommend from WordPress?
Kathy, I would suggest you to use WpForms only; as I could see that, it is very active under development and are adding many new features.
This is brilliant..I think I am going to use WordPress after reading this article. It has been quite long that I’ve been thinking of launching my own consultancy website. From your article, it seems wordpress is a great fusion of blog and e-commerce. I can not only receive customer work request through forms but also collect payments via paypal or stripe.
Can you give some suggestions, what else I can use with WordPress for free that can add value to my website (which would be a generic consultancy website).
Mukesh, it’s my pleasure to hear that you would like to start your website on WordPress. After you are done with website design, do try out wpforms on your website.
Hi Ankit! Good Article.There should be a trial version..Anyways. Which WP form would you suggest one to use for events? Is there a webchat support for WP form?
Julia, it seems there is no web-chat support available for WP-forms.
Hello Ankit,
here are hundreds of other super useful add-ons that can improve the performance of your blog. Since your blog is a central figure of your efforts on social media, these plugins will definitely give you a great start
WP forms plugins are pretty important if you want to reach a large number of audiences. It creates a constructive platform where you can connect with the marketers with ease and comfort. It also helps in generating traffic and making the site popular.
Agree to you Catherine.
The user interface is very smooth and you can build a form with just few clicks. Also, anyone can use it without any technical discomfort because I feel that this is one of the most basic drawbacks that come with these softwares.
The best thing about this form builder is the instant notification. I mean how cool is that as soon as any of your subscriber responds to any of your activity you are instantly notified which gives you an opportunity to get the hold of that user.