Contact Form 7 vs Forminator: A Comprehensive Comparison

Posted by Josh Blackburn, in Contact Form Plugins

Overview of Contact Form 7 and Forminator

As we explore the realms of Contact Form 7 and Forminator, it’s pivotal to understand their origins and the current landscape of form plugins in WordPress, showcasing how they have become integral tools for website interaction.

Origins of Contact Form 7 and Forminator

Contact Form 7 is a staple in the WordPress community, having been initially released in 2007 by Takayuki Miyoshi from Japan. It quickly gained momentum as a free and open-source solution, making it a go-to choice for creating contact forms in WordPress. The official repository for the plugin can be found at wordpress.org/plugins/contact-form-7/.

On the other hand, Forminator is a newer entrant, crafted by the team at WPMU DEV, a developer from the United States known for creating a suite of premium WordPress tools. Forminator emphasizes user-friendliness and extends beyond contact forms to include quizzes and polls. Details about the plugin are available at wordpress.org/plugins/forminator/.

Current State of Form Plugins in WordPress

The WordPress plugin ecosystem is now rich with solutions catered to virtually every need for form creation and management. Among these, Contact Form 7 and Forminator are significant players. Contact Form 7 remains a preferred choice for its simplicity and extensibility, maintaining a loyal user base through continuous updates and a vast library of third-party add-ons.

Forminator, although a newer solution, has established itself with a comprehensive and user-friendly interface that supports advanced functionality like payment integration, without requiring add-ons. Both plugins compete within a market that values both streamlined user experience and feature-rich capabilities. Contact Form 7 and Forminator exemplify these values in distinct ways, shaping how users and developers approach form creation on their WordPress sites.

Core Features and Capabilities

In our exploration of Contact Form 7 and Forminator, we focus on their form building flexibility, integration options, and the quality of support and documentation. Both plugins offer a range of features that make them suitable for various form-related tasks on WordPress websites.

Form Building Flexibility

Contact Form 7 offers us a minimalist interface, where we create forms using HTML-based templates and shortcodes. We have control over form fields, allowing us to customize forms through HTML and CSS.

• Form fields customization: Offers basic fields with the ability to add custom CSS/HTML.
• Templates: Minimalist templates that rely on HTML and shortcodes for customization.

Forminator, on the other hand, uses a visual drag-and-drop form builder, which provides us with a more user-friendly experience.

• Form fields customization: Richer field options with drag-and-drop functionality.
• Templates: Pre-designed templates that allow for more complex forms without the need for coding.

Integration Options

We find that both plugins support standard WordPress integrations, enhancing their functionality.

Contact Form 7:

• Limited native integrations.
• Often requires additional plugins or custom code for more complex integrations.

Forminator:

• Extensive list of integrations with popular services like email marketing tools and payment gateways.
• Built-in integrations make complex form actions more accessible to us.

Support and Documentation Quality

High-quality support and comprehensive documentation can significantly influence our experience with a plugin.

Contact Form 7 provides:

• A large community for support due to its longstanding presence.
• Basic official documentation focusing on core features and functionalities.

Forminator stands out with:

• Dedicated support from the developers.
• Detailed documentation, beneficial for both beginners and advanced users in guiding them through various functionalities.

Advanced Functionalities

As we explore the advanced functionalities of Contact Form 7 and Forminator, it’s important to consider how these features can enhance the user experience and streamline backend processes for website administrators.

Conditional Logic and Automation

Contact Form 7 implements basic conditional logic through third-party plugins but lacks built-in support. Forminator, on the other hand, includes robust conditional logic natively, enabling us to create forms that respond to user input dynamically. With this, we can set up automations that show or hide fields based on the selections made, helping tailor the form-filling experience to individual users.

• Conditional Logic:
  • Contact Form 7: Achievable with additional plugins.
  • Forminator: Built-in and readily configurable.

Payments and Ecommerce Integration

Forminator stands out with its native ability to integrate payment gateways such as PayPal and Stripe, facilitating seamless e-commerce transactions directly through forms. Whether we’re setting up donations or selling products, Forminator handles it with ease. Contact Form 7, however, requires extra plugins to process payments, which can result in a more piecemeal setup.

• Payments Integration:
  • Contact Form 7: Requires extra plugins for PayPal and Stripe.
  • Forminator: Direct integration with PayPal and Stripe.

Various Form Types and Customization

Both Contact Form 7 and Forminator offer a range of form types including contact forms, polls, surveys, and quizzes. Forminator further provides a more versatile form builder plugin with extensive customization options, allowing for more complex calculations and aesthetically diverse forms. Contact Form 7 is widely recognized for its simplicity and effectiveness but may require additional CSS for deeper customization.

• Customization and Form Types:
  • Contact Form 7: Highly customizable with CSS, limited types without add-ons.
  • Forminator: Broad variety of ready-made form types; extensive customization options built-in.

In these advanced functionalities, Forminator generally offers a more feature-rich experience out of the box, particularly useful for sites that require detailed forms with conditional logic, payment processing, and diversified form types. Contact Form 7, while leaner, can still meet these needs with the right extensions.

Third-Party Integrations and Extensions

In choosing between Contact Form 7 and Forminator for your WordPress site, it’s crucial to consider how each plugin interacts with third-party services. Both plugins offer a range of integrations and extensions with email marketing services, CRM platforms, and productivity tools, enabling you to streamline workflows and enhance user engagement.

Email Marketing Services

We evaluate the compatibility of Contact Form 7 and Forminator with popular email marketing services. Contact Form 7 supports basic integrations, mainly through additional plugins, with services like:

• Mailchimp: Using a third-party add-on to create subscription forms.
• AWeber: Requires an additional plugin for integration.
• Campaign Monitor: Connects with a separate add-on for easy email list building.

On the other hand, Forminator boasts more built-in integrations such as:

• Mailchimp: Directly integrates without needing extra plugins.
• AWeber: Offers straightforward integration within its dashboard.
• Campaign Monitor: Integrated natively, allowing for simple list management.

CRM and Customer Management Platforms

When it comes to CRM and customer management platforms, Forminator typically provides a more seamless experience with direct integrations. Here’s how both plugins stack up:

• HubSpot: Forminator integrates directly, while Contact Form 7 usually requires additional plugins.
• Salesforce: Both plugins can connect to Salesforce; however, Contact Form 7 does this via third-party add-ons, whereas Forminator has more streamlined support.
• Platform-Independent: For CRMs that aren’t supported by default, developers might have to use webhooks or custom code to connect Contact Form 7 or Forminator.

Productivity and Project Management Tools

We consider how these plugins extend their functionality to productivity and project management tools, an essential aspect for team collaboration.

• Trello: Forminator allows for easy integration to help manage tasks and projects, while Contact Form 7 lacks direct connectivity.
• Slack: Both plugins can connect to Slack, but Forminator’s built-in integration simplifies the process compared to the plugin and webhook combination needed for Contact Form 7.
• Monday.com: Integration isn’t directly available for either plugin, but Forminator’s more flexible API access may offer more straightforward forward compatibility through custom solutions.

User Experience and Accessibility

In our comprehensive comparison of Contact Form 7 and Forminator, we prioritize user experience and accessibility, crucial aspects that impact the performance and user-friendliness of websites across various devices and compliance standards.

Mobile Responsiveness

Our analysis considers how Contact Form 7 and Forminator adapt to mobile environments, crucial for ensuring usability on smartphones and tablets. Contact Form 7 provides a basic but solid interface that’s inherently responsive, yet customization can be necessary to optimize forms for mobile users. By contrast, Forminator displays a more inherently adaptable approach, with mobile-friendly designs that adjust smoothly to smaller screens. Considering that mobile usage is prevalent, with Android as the leading mobile operating system, this responsiveness directly influences the effectiveness of mobile forms on vast numbers of devices.

Accessibility and Compliance Standards

We examine the accessibility of both plugins, keeping in mind the globally recognized Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Contact Form 7 adheres to standard practices but might require additional adjustments or extensions to meet higher accessibility standards. Forminator, meanwhile, is designed with a focus on compliance and user inclusivity, aiming to ensure that forms are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Here is a brief comparison:

• Contact Form 7
  • Basic compliance with key accessibility standards.
  • May need manual enhancements for full WCAG compliance.
• Forminator
  • Advanced features focused on higher compliance standards.
  • Out-of-the-box support for a wide range of user needs.

In our assessment, while both plugins are capable of providing an accessible user experience, Forminator emphasizes accessibility and compliance standards, which is significant for businesses that prioritize inclusivity and legal compliance.

Security and Spam Protection

In the realm of WordPress contact forms, our attention to security and spam protection is paramount. This is especially true when considering Contact Form 7 and Forminator, both of which offer distinct approaches to these challenges.

Spam Filtering Techniques

Contact Form 7 equips us with options like Akismet integration for spam filtering. This, combined with the use of CAPTCHAs, such as reCAPTCHA, provides a layered defense against unwelcome spam submissions. We’ve observed that incorporating a honeypot feature—a method that deceives spam bots into revealing themselves—further strengthens this protection, albeit it’s not available out of the box and requires additional plugins.

Forminator, on the other hand, offers built-in spam protection features. In addition to having reCAPTCHA support, including the invisible reCAPTCHA that doesn’t require any action from the user, Forminator also provides its native honeypot feature. Our use of Forminator’s anti-spam systems helps in minimizing spam without needing external plugins.

Data Protection and Privacy Measures

With Contact Form 7, the responsibility for data protection largely falls on us. This means we must actively ensure that our usage complies with relevant privacy laws such as GDPR. Contact Form 7 doesn’t store form submissions by default, which aligns with privacy-by-design principles but requires additional measures for data management if storage is necessary.

Forminator presents a more straightforward approach by providing built-in features that ease our compliance with privacy regulations. It gives us the option to easily enable or disable the storage of submissions and also includes privacy settings that inform users about the usage of their data. We find these options particularly useful for maintaining transparency and trust with our users while also managing data responsibly.

Deployment and Maintenance

In our exploration of Contact Form 7 and Forminator, we recognize that the ease of deployment and the maintenance process are critical. We’re focusing specifically on how these plugins are installed and updated, and the kind of maintenance they require.

Ease of Deployment

Deploying both Contact Form 7 and Forminator is quite straightforward. With Contact Form 7, users can simply:

• Navigate to the WordPress dashboard
• Go to ‘Plugins’ > ‘Add New’
• Search for “Contact Form 7”
• Click ‘Install Now’ and then ‘Activate’

For Forminator, the steps are similar:

• Access the WordPress dashboard
• Select ‘Plugins’ > ‘Add New’
• Look up “Forminator”
• Press ‘Install Now’ followed by ‘Activate’

Both plugins can be deployed by any user with admin access to the WordPress backend and do not require coding knowledge.

Maintenance and Updating Process

For maintenance, Contact Form 7 and Forminator differ slightly:

• Contact Form 7: Requires minimal maintenance. Users should monitor for updates and apply them through the ‘Plugins’ section. It’s important to ensure that updates don’t conflict with custom code, if any has been used.
• Forminator: Promises ease of maintenance. Besides applying updates via the ‘Plugins’ section, users can also take advantage of the support and documentation provided by the developers.

The updating process is user-friendly for both plugins:

• Regular updates are released to enhance security and functionality.
• Users can update with a single click from their WordPress ‘Plugins’ page.
• Both developers recommend backing up WordPress before applying major updates.

In terms of updates and maintenance, we find that both plugins strive to make the process as seamless as possible for the user.

Customer and Community Feedback

In our research, we focus on understanding the user experiences and community involvement with Contact Form 7 and Forminator, two popular WordPress plugins. Their feedback and interaction often highlight strengths and potential areas for improvement.

User Reviews and Ratings

User reviews and ratings are a valuable indicator of satisfaction. We observe that both Contact Form 7 and Forminator have gathered a large number of ratings and reviews across various WordPress plugin forums and directories. Contact Form 7 generally receives high praise for its simplicity and robustness with a long-standing reputation, while Forminator is often commended for its user-friendly interface and advanced features. It’s essential to evaluate the consistency of positive feedback across different versions to assess the reliability of each plugin.

Community Engagement and Training Resources

The strength of a plugin’s community is reflected in the engagement and resources available. For Contact Form 7, there is a substantial amount of community-generated documentation, forums, and third-party tutorials available. The plugin’s longevity contributes to an extensive range of community training resources. On the other hand, Forminator is recognized for its developer’s active involvement on their website and various WordPress community platforms, providing official tutorials and support. Both plugins benefit from an active community of users who create and share resources, which can be instrumental for new users seeking training.

Pricing and Premium Options

In our comparison of Contact Form 7 and Forminator, we discern the distinctions in their pricing models and the value each provides through their premium options.

Free vs Premium Features

Contact Form 7:

• Free: Offers a basic yet robust form building solution with no inherent costs. It is a fully functional plugin that provides unlimited forms with customization using simple markup.

Forminator:

• Free: Comes with a wide range of free features, including various form types like quizzes, polls, and surveys alongside the standard contact forms.
• Premium: Available through a subscription to WPMU DEV, which unlocks additional functionalities such as advanced e-commerce integrations, spam protection, and extensive form styling options.

Cost Analysis and Value Proposition

When analyzing the cost:

• Contact Form 7 remains free regardless of website scale, making it ideal if cost is a primary concern.
• Forminator operates on a freemium model, where the basic features are free and more complex needs require a monthly subscription, starting at $19 for a single site to $49 for unlimited sites.

In terms of value:

• Contact Form 7 guarantees utility and accessibility but may incur indirect costs with the need for custom coding or additional plugins for advanced features.
• Forminator, while potentially incurring a direct cost for premium features, offers a comprehensive package that might eliminate the need for additional investments in other plugins or custom development work.

Alternatives and Competitors

In our evaluation of Contact Form 7 versus Forminator, we recognize a competitive market with various alternatives. Distinct features and ease of use differentiate these options, providing users with a range of choices tailored to their specific needs.

Well-Known Competitors

• WPForms: Known for its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, WPForms serves as a powerful alternative to Contact Form 7, with both free and paid versions available. It’s trusted on over 3 million websites and caters to basic form needs as well as complex setups.
• Gravity Forms: As an established player in the WordPress form builder space, Gravity Forms offers robust features and integrations for users looking for an advanced solution beyond what Contact Form 7 may offer.
• Ninja Forms: Highlighted for its beginner-friendly approach, Ninja Forms eliminates the need for coding expertise when creating forms. It stands out as a top pick for users transitioning away from Contact Form 7.
• JotForm: JotForm delivers a wealth of customizable templates and a versatile web editor. This platform caters to those who need more than just WordPress integration.

Emerging Alternatives

• FastField: Although not as widely known as Gravity Forms or Ninja Forms, FastField is gaining traction as a viable alternative for mobile form solutions. It caters to teams needing to capture data quickly and efficiently in the field.