WordPress can do everything these days, but many users fail when it comes to a seemingly simple topic like creating a WordPress contact form or a simple form. Whether it’s a simple contact form or a complex multi-step form for lead generation, applications, etc., there are countless possibilities with form plugins, and in this article, we have listed the most important WordPress form plugins for form creation with their pros and cons.

Creating a WordPress Contact Form: A Comprehensive Guide to Building Forms

WordPress is a user-friendly, flexible, and powerful content management system (CMS) used by millions of people worldwide to create impressive websites. One of WordPress’s strengths lies in its adaptability, which is achieved through the use of plugins. These small software packages extend WordPress’s functionality to meet specific needs.

Implementing the Most Important Form Types in WordPress with the Right Plugins

What are Contact Forms and General Forms?

A contact form is an interface on a website that allows visitors to send a message to the website operator. General forms, on the other hand, can be used for a variety of purposes, including surveys, orders, registrations, and more. Both types of forms are essential for effective communication and interaction with users.

What are Multi-Step Lead Generation Forms?

Multi-step lead generation forms, also known as multi-step forms, are online forms that divide the data collection process into smaller, manageable steps. Instead of making users enter all information at once in a large form, data entry is divided into several sections. Each step focuses on a specific area of the required information, making the process less overwhelming and time-consuming for the user.

Here are some reasons why multi-step forms can be particularly effective for lead generation:

1. Improved User Experience: By breaking down the form into smaller, manageable steps, users can more easily focus on what is required of them. This can lead to them feeling less overwhelmed and being more willing to complete the form.
2. Higher Conversion Rates: Studies have shown that multi-step forms tend to have higher conversion rates than single-step forms. This is likely due to the improved user experience and the fact that users who start filling out the form are more likely to finish it, as they have already invested in the process.
3. Higher Quality Leads: By asking specific questions in each step of the form, you can generate higher quality leads. For example, you can collect basic contact information in the first step and then ask more in-depth questions in the second step to learn more about the lead’s specific needs and interests.

It should be noted that not every form plugin for WordPress supports the creation of multi-step forms. More on this later in the text.

Online applicant forms, also known as online application forms, are digital forms designed to collect information and data from applicants. They are often used by companies and organizations to simplify and automate the application process for open positions.

Such forms can capture a variety of information, including:

1. Applicant’s personal data: This may include full name, address, email address, phone number, and other contact information.
2. Qualifications and experience: Online application forms may also include fields where applicants can enter their education, work experience, skills, and qualifications.
3. Resume and cover letter: Many online application forms allow applicants to upload their resume and cover letter or paste them directly into the form.
4. Job-specific questions: Some forms may include specific questions about the job, such as why the applicant believes they are suitable for the position or what their salary expectations are.

Online application forms offer advantages for both companies and applicants. For companies, automating the application process can save HR managers a lot of time and effort. They can manage, sort, and evaluate incoming applications more efficiently.

For applicants, the advantage is convenience, as they can submit their application anytime, from anywhere. In addition, they can complete their application at their own pace, without having to struggle with paperwork.

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It is important to note that a well-designed online application form should be user-friendly and easy to navigate. It should also be secure to protect applicants‘ privacy and ensure that their personal information is safe. Some good plugin solutions are listed further down in the text.

Top 10: The best WordPress form plugins

Here are the top 10 WordPress form plugins you can consider:

1. Contact Form 7: One of the oldest and most popular WordPress form plugins, allowing you to manage multiple contact forms.
2. WPForms: A drag-and-drop WordPress form plugin that can create both simple and complex forms.
3. Gravity Forms*: A powerful plugin that can create advanced forms, including multi-page forms, appointment bookings, and more.
4. Ninja Forms: A flexible and easy-to-use form plugin that comes with a wide range of add-ons.
5. Formidable Forms: A plugin that can create both simple contact forms and complex application forms.
6. Caldera Forms: A free and user-friendly drag-and-drop form plugin with many premium add-ons.
7. Form Builder: A versatile plugin that can create both simple and complex forms.
8. weForms: A fast and lightweight plugin that creates forms with drag-and-drop functionality.
9. Everest Forms: A user-friendly WordPress form plugin that creates both simple and advanced forms.
10. FunnelForms*: A relatively new plugin specifically designed for creating multi-step forms.

Below you will find a detailed list of advantages and disadvantages.

First: Calculators with price calculation via a form? Then read on here:

Build WordPress Calculator & Online Calculator for Cost Estimation + Payment Forms easily (without WooCommerce!)

Comparison of the Top 10 WordPress Form Plugins

1. Contact Form 7

Contact Form 7

Contact Form 7 is one of the oldest and most frequently downloaded form plugins for WordPress. With over 5 million active installations, it is a user favorite.

• Features: Create and manage multiple contact forms, flexibly customize forms and mail content with simple markup, supports CAPTCHA, Akismet spam filtering, and Ajax-powered submission.
• Advantages:
  • 1. Simplicity: It is very easy to use and understand.
  • 2. Adaptability: You can design forms according to your wishes.
  • 3. No costs: It is a free plugin.
  • 4. Spam protection: It supports CAPTCHA and Akismet to prevent spam.
  • 5. Multilingual: It supports numerous languages.
• Disadvantages:
  • 1. No Drag-and-Drop Builder: Not as user-friendly for beginners.
  • 2. Limited Support: You are dependent on the WordPress forum.
  • 3. Limited Features: For advanced features, you may need to install another plugin.
  • 4. No Payment Integration: You cannot create payment or booking forms.
  • 5. Lack of Updates: There are not as many updates as with other plugins.

2. WPForms

WPForms – Easy Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Surveys, & More

WPForms is a powerful and intuitive plugin for WordPress forms, characterized by its user-friendliness and flexibility. It features a drag-and-drop interface and supports a variety of form types.

• Features: Drag-and-drop form builder, form templates, multi-page forms, conditional logic, spam protection, instant notifications for form submissions, integrations (e.g., with email marketing services, payment services, etc.)
• Advantages:
  • 1. User-friendliness: Easy to use thanks to the drag-and-drop functionality.
  • 2. Customizable: Offers a variety of form templates.
  • 3. Features: Supports multi-page forms and conditional logic.
  • 4. Spam Protection: Includes Google reCAPTCHA and Honeypot method for spam defense.
  • 5. Integrations: Easy integration with email marketing services and payment gateways.
• Disadvantages:
  • 1. Price: Many advanced features are only available in the paid versions.
  • 2. Limitation: The free version is severely limited in its functions.
  • 3. Memory Consumption: WPForms can consume a larger amount of resources due to the multitude of functions.
  • 4. Customer Support: While customer support is very helpful, it is only available to paying customers.
  • 5. Fewer Add-ons: Compared to other plugins, WPForms offers fewer add-ons.

3. Gravity Forms

Gravity Forms is a popular premium form plugin that offers a wealth of features and add-ons. It supports complex forms and offers a high degree of customizability.

• Features: Multi-page forms, conditional logic, file uploads, time and date selection, custom HTML, integrations (e.g., with email marketing services, CRM software, payment gateways, etc.)
• Advantages:
  • 1. Powerful: Supports a variety of form types, including complex forms.
  • 2. Extendable: There are many add-ons to extend the functionality.
  • 3. Conditional Logic: Supports conditional logic for fields and sections.
  • 4. Customizable: Offers many options for customizing forms.
  • 5. Support: Premium support is available for Gravity Forms users.
• Disadvantages:
  • 1. Cost: There is no free version of Gravity Forms.
  • 2. Learning Curve: It can be a bit more complicated to learn than some other plugins.
  • 3. Price: Add-ons require higher price tiers.
  • 4. Design: The default form design is quite basic and could use some improvements.
  • 5. Updates: Some users report issues after updating the plugin.

4. Ninja Forms

Ninja Forms – The Contact Form Builder That Grows With You

Ninja Forms is another popular WordPress form plugin that offers both a free and a premium version. It is characterized by its simplicity and adaptability.

• Features: Drag-and-drop form builder, multi-part forms, conditional logic, front-end posts, file uploads, integrations (e.g., email marketing, CRM, SMS notifications, etc.)
• Advantages:
  • 1. Easy to use: The drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to create forms.
  • 2. Customizable: Offers many options for customizing forms.
  • 3. Features: Supports multi-part forms and conditional logic.
  • 4. Add-ons: There are many add-ons to extend functionality.
  • 5. Support: Offers email support, even in the free version.
• Disadvantages:
  • 1. Cost: While there is a free version, many of the best features are only available in the premium version.
  • 2. Learning Curve: It can take some time to get used to the user interface.
  • 3. Speed: Some users report that Ninja Forms slows down their website.
  • 4. Import/Export: The import and export functions could be improved.
  • 5. Add-on prices: Add-ons can be expensive, especially if you need many.

5. Formidable Forms

Formidable Forms – Contact Form Plugin, Survey, Quiz, Payment, Calculator Form & Custom Form Builder

Formidable Forms is a versatile WordPress form plugin suitable for both beginners and developers. It offers a variety of features and is highly customizable.

• Features: Drag-and-drop form builder, conditional logic, multi-page forms, date and time picker, reCAPTCHA integration, email notifications, integrations (e.g., email marketing, payment gateways, WooCommerce, etc.)
• Advantages:
  • 1. Versatile: Suitable for beginners and developers.
  • 2. Features: Supports complex forms and reports.
  • 3. Customizable: Offers many customization options.
  • 4. Integrations: Seamless integration with a variety of services.
  • 5. Support: Provides fast and helpful customer support.
• Disadvantages:
  • 1. Price: The premium versions can be expensive.
  • 2. Learning curve: Can be somewhat overwhelming for beginners.
  • 3. Design: The design of the forms could be improved.
  • 4. No free version: There is no free version of Formidable Forms.
  • 5. Limited features in the basic version: Some of the best features are only available in the paid plans.

6. Caldera Forms

Caldera Forms is a free and powerful plugin for WordPress forms, characterized by its simple drag-and-drop interface and support for complex forms.

• Features: Drag-and-drop form builder, conditional logic, multi-step forms, calculator fields, file uploads, integrations (e.g., email marketing, payment gateways, WooCommerce, etc.)
• Advantages:
  • 1. User-friendly: Easy to use thanks to the drag-and-drop functionality.
  • 2. Functions: Supports complex forms and calculator fields.
  • 3. Price: Many features are available in the free version.
  • 4. Adaptable: Offers a large number of field types and flexible layout control.
  • 5. Add-ons: There are many add-ons to extend functionality.
• Disadvantages:
  • 1. Customer Support: Customer support could be improved.
  • 2. Learning Curve: It can be somewhat more complicated to learn than some other plugins.
  • 3. Speed: Some users report that Caldera Forms slows down their website.
  • 4. Design: The design of the forms could be improved.
  • 5. Updates: Some users report issues after updating the plugin.

7. HappyForms

HappyForms is an intuitive and user-friendly WordPress form plugin. It is free in the basic version and offers a range of premium features.

• Features: Drag-and-drop form builder, live form builder, multi-page forms, conditional logic, ReCAPTCHA integration, email notifications.
• Advantages:
  • 1. User-friendly: Very easy to use thanks to the drag-and-drop interface.
  • 2. Live Builder: You can see changes in real-time.
  • 3. Customizable: Offers many options for customizing forms.
  • 4. Cost: The basic version is free and offers a good selection of features.
  • 5. Customer Support: Customer support is helpful and responsive.
• Disadvantages:
  • 1. Features: Not as feature-rich as some other plugins.
  • 2. Price: The premium versions can be expensive.
  • 3. Limitations: Some basic features are only available in the paid plans.
  • 4. Integrations: Offers fewer integrations than some competitors.
  • 5. Design: Design options are somewhat limited.

8. Forminator

Forminator – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder

Forminator is a comprehensive form plugin that offers a wide range of functions, from simple contact forms to complex quizzes and surveys.

• Features: Drag-and-drop form builder, conditional logic, calculation fields, quizzes, surveys, pop-up forms, integrations (e.g., email marketing, payment gateways, Google Sheets, etc.)
• Advantages:
  • 1. Versatile: Supports a variety of form types, including quizzes and surveys.
  • 2. User-friendly: Features a drag-and-drop interface and an intuitively understandable user interface.
  • 3. Integrations: Offers a wide range of third-party integrations.
  • 4. Free: All features are available in the free version.
  • 5. Support: Provides helpful and responsive customer support.
• Disadvantages:
  • 1. Speed: Some users report that Forminator slows down their website.
  • 2. Learning curve: It can be a bit more complicated to learn than some other plugins.
  • 3. Design: The design options could be expanded.
  • 4. Features: Some features like form duplication are missing.
  • 5. Limited payment gateways: Only supports PayPal and Stripe.

9. weForms

weForms – Easy Drag & Drop Contact Form Builder For WordPress

weForms is another intuitive and powerful form plugin that offers both a free and a premium version.

• Features: Drag-and-drop form builder, form templates, multi-step forms, conditional logic, integrations (e.g., email marketing, SMS notifications, payment gateways, etc.)
• Advantages:
  • 1. User-friendly: Easy to use thanks to the drag-and-drop functionality.
  • 2. Customizable: Offers many form templates.
  • 3. Integrations: Easy integration with email marketing services and payment gateways.
  • 4. Support: Offers fast and helpful customer support.
  • 5. Price: The free version offers a good selection of features.
• Disadvantages:
  • 1. Price: Many advanced features are only available in the paid versions.
  • 2. Limited design options: It offers fewer customization options compared to some other plugins.
  • 3. Fewer advanced features: Some advanced features like multi-page forms are not available.
  • 4. Limited Add-ons: Compared to other plugins, weForms offers fewer add-ons.
  • 5. Updates: Some users report issues after updating the plugin.

Recommendation: Create multi-step forms with WordPress and FunnelForms

FunnelForms is an excellent choice for creating multi-step forms in WordPress. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface and powerful conditional logic, you can create complex forms that respond to user input. And the best part: FunnelForms has no limit on the number of forms you can create.

Test Funnelforms for free*

Detailed blog article:

Multi-step forms in WordPress - explanation, guide & plugin comparison

Creating forms in WordPress can be as simple or as complex as you need, and with the variety of plugins available, there is certainly a solution that fits your specific needs. If you are looking for a solution that combines flexibility, performance, and user-friendliness, you should watch the video tutorial about the plugin FunnelForms*. It guides you through the features, operation, and benefits of using this excellent form plugin.

The diverse possibilities with the right form plugin in WordPress

With the right form plugin, you can not only create simple contact forms but also complex forms with conditional logic, multi-step forms, front-end post forms, payment forms, surveys, quizzes, and much more. In addition, many of these plugins can be seamlessly integrated with other services such as email marketing tools, payment gateways, CRM systems, and more.

Florian Ibe
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