Online forms serve many purposes, from collecting customer feedback, surveys, contact information, and registrations to advanced uses like collecting marketing data. Businesses have different needs when using online forms.
Forms are excellent marketing tools that most businesses require to complete different marketing tasks and goals.
However, creating forms has a problem: Just as their uses differ, the tools required to develop them differ in features and functions. That leaves us with the big question: Which online form builder is best for your marketing needs?
There are no clear-cut answers; it depends on several marketing factors and needs. So it is hard to say whether any one is the best online form creator for you.
However, here is a list of checklists to look for in a contact form builder to help you make the right decision.
Choosing The Best Form Builder Apps
Making the right choice isn’t as simple as picking and using a form builder app. Consider several features before buying form builder software.
At a minimum, you need an online form maker that lets you add the required form fields, makes it easy for users to fill them out, and lets you collect responses and store them securely.
Some form builder apps offer templates that eliminate the need to build from scratch, making it easy to create any form design and use case.
Based on these facts and others, here are the features and things to look for in each online form builder tool.
- Support – Support is one of the first criteria I look for in a product. If the company or brand behind the product or service doesn’t offer helpful support or essential communication channels in an emergency, it could signal poor overall service.
- Templates – One purpose of buying an online web form builder is to save time, build quickly, and create beautiful designs. If the application doesn’t offer built-in form templates, setting up your form can be time-consuming, especially if you don’t know how to code.
- Integrations – You can use many advanced email and CRM tools to collect, store, and manage contacts in your business. Your form builder should integrate seamlessly with other productivity, marketing, and contact management tools.
- Customization – Branding and design customization are essential in today’s business world. You need a form builder that lets you create consistent branding for every form you build.
- Analytics – Collecting form responses isn’t enough. You need a form builder that lets you collect and access form data for in-depth analysis and evaluation.
- Ease of Use – You don’t want to spend a whole day reading dozens of help documents just to learn how to use the app. The form builder should be easy to use, with a drag-and-drop editor.
- Available Features – The best online form builder should have the required features that make it worth the investment for your needs. Go through the website pages and look for the features before deciding.
Here are essential features and aspects to consider when choosing online form builder software.
Best Online Form Builder
I have used many online web form builders for different use cases for the past decade.
During that time, I’ve learned how form builders work, which features matter, and what sets them apart.
This list covers the best online form builders, regardless of price, from simple contact form builders to advanced online form generators for complex web forms.
So, if you’re looking for a free form builder, check out the WPForms Lite version or Google Forms. These free online form builders suit basic needs.
The WPForms Pro version is more advanced and offers feature-rich tools for creating different forms. With WPForms, you can make an online store form, a payment processor, a survey, a registration, a Q&A, etc.
Now, let’s dive deep into the list.
1. WPForms
If you use WordPress, WPForms is the best online form builder, and nothing comes close.
WPForms offers many customization possibilities, features, and tools to create any online web form in any industry. Plus, it is constantly updated, and new features are added to align the software with business demands.
Apart from creating different contact forms, WPForms offers an intuitive drag-and-drop form editor, making it easy for anyone to build complex web forms in minutes.
You can also integrate hundreds of third-party tools and services to extend its features. When you collect leads through WPForms, you can automatically export them to your CRM or email marketing tools.
The free version of WPForms allows free integration with Constant Contact, a free email marketing service provider. However, to integrate with other email marketing and CRM services like GetResponse, HubSpot, Brevo, Mailchimp, and AWeber, you must subscribe to the Pro, Plus, or Elite license.
Currently, there are over 600 built-in form templates for different use cases. So, you can build any form without stress.
WPForms also lets you integrate forms with payment processors like PayPal, Stripe, Authorize.net, and more. But once again, you must be on the Pro or Elite plan to access the WPForms payments add-on features.
You can create conversational forms, add form display conditions, reCAPTCHA, multi-step forms, create form abandonment to increase your eCommerce store sales, and more. You can also let users partially fill out web forms and complete them at their convenience.
In WPForms, you can collect many users’ data through form submissions like geolocation; this add-on lets you know more about the locations of people who submit your online forms.
WPForms is a powerful online form builder with many helpful, advanced features you won’t find in many competitors. Read my extensive review for a more comprehensive look at WPForms’ features and use cases.
You can also check out its full features on the company’s website.
WPForms Pricing.
WPForms offers a free plan that you can download and start using today. However, it offers limited features and limited access to advanced features.
You must subscribe to a paid plan to unlock form features like conditional logic, form entries, payment add-ons, more integrations, automation tools, marketing tools, and more.
Here is the complete WPForms pricing with up to a 50% discount on your first purchase.
2. Gravity Forms
Gravity Forms has no free version, but you can register for a 14-day free demo to try the software and decide whether it is worth the investment. If you decide to upgrade, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Gravity Forms is a powerful online form creator for advanced users who need to create complex web forms with automation and take complete control of design elements.
It offers a broader range of add-ons and turnkey template designs, allowing anyone to build complex online forms without coding.
Gravity Forms offers developer-friendly tools for form building, form data collection, and eCommerce features.
If you’re a developer, Gravity Forms lets you bring your imagination to life with an add-on feature that lets you do more. With the add-on framework, you can build a feature that automatically executes after form submission.
Gravity Forms is GDPR enabled, integrates with Akismet or Honeypot anti-spam, and uses Google reCAPTCHA v2 or v3. All forms created with Gravity Forms are WCAG 2.0 AA compliant, so everyone can interact with your web forms regardless of physical disability.
You can check the complete Gravity Forms features on this page.
And if you’re still deciding between Gravity Forms or WPForms, read our showdown of these two powerful WordPress form plugins.
Gravity Forms Pricing
Gravity Forms offers three standard plans that offer different values for the money. The Basic plan lets you install Gravity Forms on one website.
The Pro plan allows up to 3 websites, and the Elite plan will enable you to use your Gravity Forms License on unlimited websites.
The Basic license costs $59, the Pro license costs $159, and the Elite plan costs $259; all plans renew annually.
3. Formidable Form
Formidable Forms is another WordPress form builder plugin that allows you to create different web forms without coding. Its drag-and-drop form builder editor, 300+ premade form templates, and intuitive interface let anyone, even beginners, build online forms with minimal effort.
From calculator form, survey, health and wellness, signature, dynamic field form, and AI form to payment, you can create whatever web form you imagine with the Formidable Form plugin.
One of its standout features is Formidable Views, which lets you display form data in different view formats in real time.
This feature can display customer appointments, poll results, records, etc. You can view, search, and access the data on the front end of a WordPress blog. The good part is that you can show the data in different layout views, such as grid, calendar, table, classic, map, and premade template solutions.
In addition, Formidable Forms lets you receive form entries via SMS. To do this, you need to connect to Twilio. Users can also edit their form data on the front end without admin access, if needed.
For third-party integration, Formidable Forms supports direct connections with API webhooks, HubSpot CRM, the WPML Multilingual plugin (form translations), Zapier, Google Sheets, and email marketing service providers.
You can process and collect payments using Cash App, Affirm, iDeal, PayPal, Stripe, Authorize.NET, Klarna, ACH, etc.
Formidable Form Pricing.
Formidable Form offers a freemium version of its Pro plugin. The free version allows access to limited features and templates. If you need more advanced, complex forms, you’ll need to purchase the Pro plugin.
The basic plan costs $39.50 for the first-year subscription. This plan gives you access to 65+ ready-made form templates and 1 site license.
The next tier plan is the Plus license, which gives you access to 100+ templates and Formidable Views and can be used on up to 3 WordPress sites. The Formidable Form Plus license costs $99.50.
Suppose you need access to over 225 templates, like the Calculator form templates, User Registration form, Survey and Quiz, Payments gateway integrations, Digital Signature, and more. In that case, you must get the Business License, which costs $199.50.
Lastly, the Elite License gives you full access to the Formidable Forms features – everything in the business plan, including all form templates and integration with CRM like HubSpot, Salesforce, AI form credits, WordPress Multisites, and whitelabeling for agencies.
You also get Elite Support services, integration with WooCommerce, use on unlimited WordPress sites, and a 50% discounted first-year license price of $299.50.
NOTE:
The above prices are for the first-year introductory license price with a 50% discount. Renewal costs will be paid at full price.
4. Ninja Forms
Ninja Forms offers an unconditional 14-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to test the WordPress online form builder plugin without fear.
Like Gravity Forms and WPForms, Ninja Forms is a WordPress drag-and-drop form builder plugin that offers template design and add-on features to build custom forms quickly.
These plugins let small businesses build and manage form entries effortlessly.
You can integrate features and add-ons with email marketing solutions, accept online payments, boost productivity and team collaboration, and customize forms with webhooks and APIs.
This feature lets developers fine-tune and experiment with Ninja Forms for development.
One of the pros of Ninja Forms is that most plans let you create unlimited forms. Ninja Forms does not restrict the number of forms you can create. You can create and send unlimited forms with the Basic or Elite license.
Ninja Forms offers features and tools for creating GDPR forms, making it easy for users to request access to their data. Thus, you don’t have to worry about handling private data or complaints from people under European privacy law.
NinjaForms Pricing
You can pick from four standard licenses. The Basic license, which lets you use the Ninja Forms plugin on one website, costs $49 for a first-year purchase.
The Plus license costs $99 (allows 3 websites). The Pro license, ideal for developers and designers, costs $199 for annual billing.
The Ninja Forms Agency license, which includes everything in the other licenses, unlimited website usage, and premium support, costs $299 for the first year.
Note: All prices above are displayed at a 50% discount. You will pay the full price if you renew your license at the end of the term.
Check the image below for more information on Ninja Forms’ pricing, discounts, and renewable prices.
5. Google Forms
Google Forms is free and an easy way to create web forms quickly.
Unlike much web form software, Google Forms offers an intuitive, uncluttered interface that lets you prepare forms in minutes. It’s simple and offers beginner-friendly ways to build contact forms for small businesses.
Even if you have never built a form, you won’t find it challenging to create a web form in Google Forms.
It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of other online contact form builders on this list, but it offers the essential features you would expect.
You can customize many aspects of your forms, including the header, fonts, fields, and other basic features.
After creating Google Forms, you can share the link with anyone and embed the HTML on your site or via any web page. You can collect responses and view them in a data list or individually, and you can even export them to a Google Spreadsheet for further analysis.
The only requirement to use Google Forms is a Google account, which you can create by setting up a Gmail account. If you are already a Gmail user, you have access to Google Forms.
Google Forms is suitable for simple contact form design and beginner needs, and it is one of the best free online form builders.
Google Forms Pricing
Google Forms is free for all Google account users. However, with a Google Workspace premium account, you can access more features to customize and extend the form.
6. Typeform
Typeform is one of the top online form builders you can trust. Big industry brands like Apple, Nike, Airbnb, Hermes, and more use it.
It is one of the most powerful web form creators for building dynamic web forms that adapt to user needs.
However, Typeform may suit advanced users and marketers who rely heavily on form features. It is not suitable for beginners with limited form and feature needs.
First, it costs more than most competitors listed on this page. It offers advanced features, capabilities, and template designs that you won’t find in many online form builders.
Typeform is great for creating conversational forms, which display one question or form card at a time. The user experience is second to none.
Typeform has templates for creating many form types, including Quizzes, Giveaways, Research, Polls, Order Forms, Requests, Feedback, and more. You can even import templates from external sources.
Typeform offers an easy-to-use, uncluttered form editor, 100+ form templates, and 50+ design theme elements to make your forms look great, elegant, and stylish. You can customize your web form’s look and feel by changing fonts, icons, colors, layouts, and alignments.
You can distribute your forms via email and social media, embed them on your website, or use a QR code. These options are great for omnichannel marketers who collect feedback or leads.
Typeform’s powerful analytics feature lets you monitor, share, and analyze form submission data with team members or gain deep insight into how people interact with and fill out your forms.
You can tag form submissions, which allows you to organize entries based on interest or categories, assign tasks to form submissions that need attention, and even add brand kits.
Adding brand kits to Typeform helps keep your branding consistent with your website design and images. This will positively affect your followers and allow for consistent brand recognition.
Typeform integrates with many tools for:
Typeform Pricing.
Typeform basic plan costs $25 or $29 monthly, depending on monthly or annual billing. The Plus and Business plans cost $50 and $83 monthly, assuming you subscribe to a 12-month plan.
A free plan lets you use unlimited Typeforms and templates. You can add calculators, hidden fields, and logic jumps, and integrate it with Slack, HubSpot, Mailchimp, and others.
However, it is limited to ten form responses per month.
You can test paid features in your free plan, but you won’t be able to share the form or collect users’ responses unless you subscribe fully to the paid plan.
Conclusion
The best online form builder depends on your needs, budget, and business model.
Pick one or two from the list above, explore the features, add-ons, and price range, and see whether they fit your requirements.
I’m sure there’s a form builder app out there that meets your needs, regardless of your present technical skills, business size, budget, or form requirements.
