When I reviewed the documentation for the best wordpress form plugin, one question separated them more than any other: do you need to keep the entries? According to their own documentation, Forminator and Fluent Forms both save entries in your dashboard and include conditional logic for free. WPForms Lite and Contact Form 7 do not store entries by default, so a submission exists only as an email.
This WPSpot guide compares seven free plugins on what matters once a form is live: where entries go, which features need a paid plan, and what each plugin is best at.
Key Takeaways
- Forminator is the strongest all rounder in this group. Its WordPress.org listing shows Stripe and PayPal payments and a multi file upload field, and a WPForms comparison confirms free conditional logic and entry storage.
- Fluent Forms is my pick for managing submissions, but the vendor’s own free vs pro comparison puts multi step forms and file uploads in Pro.
- WPForms Lite is beginner friendly, but WPForms states it does not store entries without a paid license.
- Contact Form 7 suits simple forms, and its own documentation recommends adding Flamingo because it does not store messages.
- Send a real test entry before you publish. A form can look fine and still fail to deliver email.
Quick Picks
| If you need… | Use |
|---|---|
| Most key features free in one plugin | Forminator |
| A visual builder with searchable, exportable entries | Fluent Forms |
| A beginner friendly visual builder, with email only delivery | WPForms Lite |
| A simple, markup based contact form | Contact Form 7 |
| Entries now and paid add ons later | Ninja Forms |
| Entries free now, with a clear upgrade path to advanced forms | Formidable Forms Lite |
| A form builder that lives in the block editor | JetFormBuilder |
Free Feature Comparison
This table shows what each plugin gives you in its free version, based on the vendor documentation linked in each section below. Pro and Add on mean the feature costs extra.
| Plugin | Saves entries | Conditional logic | Multi step | File uploads | Payments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forminator | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Stripe, PayPal |
| Fluent Forms | Yes | Yes (field level) | Pro | Pro | Stripe (1.9% extra fee) |
| WPForms Lite | No | Pro | Pro | Pro | Stripe, PayPal Commerce (3% extra fee) |
| Contact Form 7 | No (needs an extension such as Flamingo) | Extension | Extension | Yes | Extension |
| Ninja Forms | Yes | Add on | Add on | Add on | Add on |
| Formidable Lite | Yes | Pro | Pro | Pro | Stripe (3% extra fee) |
| JetFormBuilder | Yes | Yes | Yes | Basic; drag and drop upload is a paid add on | Varies; some gateways need add ons |
What saves entries means here: you can view submissions inside the WordPress dashboard with the free plugin. Email notifications and remote backups, such as WPForms Lite Connect, do not count.
Limits behind the Yes answers
- Forminator: Stripe and PayPal fields are free, but you need your own payment accounts and the processors charge their fees. Recurring Stripe subscriptions are Pro only.
- Fluent Forms: Showing and hiding fields is free. Settings level logic, such as conditional email routing, is Pro. The free version adds a 1.9% platform fee per transaction on top of Stripe’s fees.
- WPForms Lite: Lite Connect is a remote backup, not an entry manager, and a WPForms support reply confirms Lite allows one notification email. Stripe payments carry an additional 3% WPForms fee, PayPal Commerce carries a 3% platform fee, and conditional logic does not work with Stripe payments in Lite.
- Ninja Forms: The free core includes submission management, but conditional logic, file uploads, multi step forms and payments are paid add ons or membership features.
- Formidable Lite: Payments on Lite carry an additional 3% Formidable fee on top of Stripe’s fees. Conditional logic, multi page forms and file uploads are listed as Pro features.
- JetFormBuilder: Multi step forms, conditional logic and basic file uploads are in the free WordPress.org version. Drag and drop file upload is listed as a paid feature on its pricing page.
How to Choose a Best WordPress Form Plugin
These are the four checks I would run before installing anything.
- Entry storage. If the plugin only sends email, a missed or filtered message is a lost lead.
- What’s actually free. Conditional logic, file uploads, multi step forms and payments are the features most often held back for paid plans.
- Spam protection. Look for a honeypot or CAPTCHA option, then test it on your own site. Vendor documentation lists spam protection in the free versions of Fluent Forms, Forminator and Ninja Forms, but I have not tested how well any of them block spam.
- Email delivery. WordPress mail often lands in spam. If test emails don’t arrive, set up an SMTP plugin before blaming the form plugin.
1. Forminator: Strong All Rounder
If I had to start with one plugin on a typical site, it would be Forminator. Its WordPress.org listing shows forms, polls, quizzes, and Stripe and PayPal payments in the free version, and a WPForms comparison notes that conditional logic, file uploads and free entry storage are included. Pro adds extras such as Stripe subscriptions, so most basic needs don’t require an upgrade.
- Pros: Wide range of form types, entries saved in the dashboard, payment support.
- Cons: A big settings panel takes time to learn. Stripe and PayPal also charge their own transaction fees.
- Best for: Site owners who want one free plugin to cover most needs.
If you plan to sell products, you’ll likely need more than a form plugin. Our guide to the best WordPress ecommerce plugins covers the options.
2. Fluent Forms: Best for Managing Submissions
Fluent Forms pairs a drag and drop builder with field level conditional logic, entry management inside WordPress, and Stripe payments. The free version adds a 1.9% platform fee per transaction, on top of Stripe’s processing fees. Per the developer’s own comparison page, multi step forms and file uploads are Pro features, and the plugin’s directory listing places conditional email routing in Pro too. Because those are the vendor’s own statements, I would still confirm them on its pricing page.
- Pros: Drag and drop builder, searchable and exportable entries, conditional logic included.
- Cons: Multi step forms and file uploads require Pro.
- Best for: Small businesses that follow up on every enquiry.
3. WPForms Lite: Beginner Friendly, With One Big Catch
WPForms Lite suits beginners who prefer a guided visual builder, but it does not store entries in your WordPress dashboard. If a notification email goes missing, so does the lead. WPForms says its entries are sent by email and offers the optional Lite Connect feature, which backs entries up remotely so you can restore them if you upgrade to a paid license. That is a backup, not an entry manager. Stripe payments carry a 3% WPForms fee on top of Stripe’s own, and PayPal Commerce carries a 3% platform fee for Lite users too.
- Pros: Guided visual builder, straightforward contact forms.
- Cons: No dashboard entries, and most advanced features are Pro.
- Best for: A simple contact page where email is enough.
4. Contact Form 7: Best for Simple, Markup Based Forms
Contact Form 7 is a long running, open source plugin. You build forms with markup rather than a visual editor, and its own documentation says it doesn’t store submitted messages, recommending Flamingo for that. Logic and multi step forms come from separate plugins, such as Conditional Fields and Multi Step for Contact Form 7. It does what it says and not much more.
- Pros: Free and open source, large community, file upload field included.
- Cons: No visual builder. Entry storage and most advanced features need extensions.
- Best for: Developers and technical users who want a plain contact form.
5. Ninja Forms: Best for Building Up Over Time
The Ninja Forms free core includes a visual builder, notifications and submission management. Its free vs paid page explains that other capabilities come from paid add ons or a membership, and independent reviews list conditional logic, file uploads and multi step forms among them. The cost climbs if you need several.
- Pros: Entries included, modular addons.
- Cons: Key features are paywalled.
- Best for: Simple forms now, with paid extras later.
6. Formidable Forms Lite: Best if You Plan to Upgrade
Formidable Forms Lite handles standard forms and saves every entry to your database. Its payments page says the free plugin can process payments for a 3% transaction fee, and its Stripe guide confirms that fee sits on top of Stripe’s own rates. Conditional logic, multi page forms, file uploads and calculations sit in the paid version, as its Lite upgrade page lists them, which is worth knowing if any of them are on your list. I did not verify which gateways other than Stripe apply to Lite, so check that before you plan around it.
- Pros: Solid builder, entries and payments included, clear upgrade path.
- Cons: Many advanced features are Pro only.
- Best for: Users who already expect to upgrade for calculations, multi page forms and other data heavy features.
7. JetFormBuilder: Best for Gutenberg Users
JetFormBuilder builds forms from native WordPress blocks. Its WordPress.org listing shows multi step forms, conditional logic and basic file uploads in the free version, and the vendor describes a Store Form Records action for saving submissions. Drag and drop file upload is sold as a paid feature, and some payment gateways need addons, so check the gateway you want.
- Pros: Native block workflow, strong post submit actions.
- Cons: Steeper learning curve if you don’t already work in the block editor.
- Best for: Block editor first sites.
My Verdict
- Strongest all rounder: Forminator.
- Best for managing entries: Fluent Forms.
- Best for beginners: WPForms Lite, if email only delivery is fine.
- Best for a simple form: Contact Form 7.
- Best for block editor users: JetFormBuilder.
If you’re unsure, start with Forminator. If you mainly want clean entry management and can live without multi step forms and file uploads, Fluent Forms is the better fit. For more plugin comparisons, browse our WordPress guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free WordPress form plugin?
It depends on what you need. Forminator and Fluent Forms both save entries in the WordPress dashboard and include conditional logic in the free version, which makes them a good starting point for most sites.
Which free WordPress form plugins save entries?
Forminator, Fluent Forms, Ninja Forms, Formidable Forms Lite and JetFormBuilder store entries in the WordPress dashboard. WPForms Lite and Contact Form 7 do not store entries by default.
Does WPForms Lite save form entries?
No. WPForms says Lite sends entries by email. The optional Lite Connect feature backs entries up remotely so they can be restored if you upgrade to a paid license.
Do free form plugins stop spam?
Some free form plugins offer built in spam protection, such as honeypots or CAPTCHA integrations. Available options vary by plugin, so check its documentation and test the protection before relying on it.
Can a form plugin slow down my site?
Yes, if it loads scripts and styles on every page. Compare page speed before and after adding the form, and load form assets only where the form appears. A WordPress caching plugin can reduce the load, but it can’t fix a form plugin that loads heavy scripts on every page.
Can I connect a free form plugin to Google Sheets?
Usually through an addon or a third party connector. For example, GSheetConnector offers Google Sheets integrations for several popular WordPress form plugins, which lets you send new entries to a spreadsheet automatically. Support and licensing vary by plugin, so check the integration list for your form plugin before you build the form.
