When building a WordPress website, a reliable form builder plugin is essential. Forms are a critical part of your website, whether for collecting customer inquiries, conducting surveys, or managing user registrations. Among the many plugins available, Formidable Forms and Fluent Forms are two standout options. Both are powerful tools with robust features, but each has unique strengths and limitations.
In this blog, we’ll compare these two plugins feature by feature. We’ll examine everything from pre-built templates and input fields to advanced functionalities like conditional logic, third-party integrations, and pricing. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of which tool is best suited for your WordPress needs. Let’s dive in!
Quick Comparison: Fluent Forms vs Formidable Forms
| Feature | Fluent Forms | Formidable Forms |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Built Templates | 65+ templates (all available in free version) | 80+ templates (22 in free version) |
| Input Fields | 40+ fields (most in free version) | 35+ fields (13 in free version) |
| Ease of Use | Intuitive drag-and-drop interface, beginner-friendly | Drag-and-drop with some advanced features requiring coding |
| Third-Party Integrations | 35+ integrations, many in free version | 22 integrations, advanced ones locked in premium plans |
| Conditional Logic | Included in free version | Available only in premium plans |
| Mobile Responsiveness | Fully mobile-responsive | Fully mobile-responsive |
| Spam Protection | reCAPTCHA, honeypot, GDPR compliance in free version | reCAPTCHA, honeypot, Akismet integration (premium features more robust) |
| File Upload | Supported in free version | Supported in premium plans |
| Pricing | Starts at $79/year, offers lifetime licenses | Starts at $49/year, no lifetime licenses |
| Advanced Reporting | Basic analytics available | Advanced reporting with graphs/charts in premium plans |
Formidable Forms vs Fluent Forms: Detailed Comparison
Fluent Forms, for offering more features in the free version, better affordability, and a user-friendly interface. Formidable Forms shines for niche use cases like advanced reporting and WooCommerce integrations.
Pre-Built Form Templates
Pre-built templates are essential for speeding up the form creation process, especially if you’re not a technical expert. These templates allow users to deploy professional-looking forms quickly without having to start from scratch.
- Fluent Forms: Fluent Forms offers 65+ pre-built templates, ranging from simple contact forms to more complex ones like loan applications and event registration. The best part? All these templates are accessible in the free version, and you can customize them effortlessly.
- Formidable Forms: Formidable Forms also provides a library of over 80 templates. However, the free version only grants access to 22 templates, limiting flexibility unless you upgrade to a premium plan. While the pro templates are well-designed, they come with a cost.
Winner: Fluent Forms, for providing a wide variety of templates in its free version, making it more accessible for budget-conscious users.
Input Fields
Input fields determine how versatile your forms can be, allowing you to collect a variety of data such as text, emails, dates, and more.
- Fluent Forms: This plugin includes 40+ input fields, covering everything from basic text fields to advanced fields like file uploads and ratings. Importantly, most of these are available in the free version, making it a powerful tool right out of the box.
- Formidable Forms: While Formidable Forms offers 35+ input fields, only 13 are available in the free version. Advanced fields like payment options and conditional fields are restricted to premium plans, limiting functionality for free users.
Winner: Fluent Forms, for its robust selection of input fields in the free version, giving users more flexibility without additional costs.
Ease of Use
A user-friendly interface is critical for beginners and professionals alike. Both plugins offer drag-and-drop functionality, but their ease of use differs slightly.
- Fluent Forms: The interface is highly intuitive, with a smooth drag-and-drop system that allows users to build forms without any coding knowledge. It also includes a live preview feature, enabling users to see their forms as they create them.
- Formidable Forms: While Formidable Forms also offers drag-and-drop functionality, it can feel more complex due to its less streamlined interface. Some advanced features may require basic coding knowledge, making it less beginner-friendly.
Winner: Fluent Forms, for its clean interface and beginner-friendly approach.
Third-Party Integrations
Third-party integrations extend the functionality of form builders by connecting them with tools like email marketing platforms, CRMs, and payment gateways.
- Fluent Forms: Fluent Forms supports 35+ integrations, including Zapier, Slack, Mailchimp, and Trello. Many of these are available in the free version, while the pro version unlocks even more options.
- Formidable Forms: Formidable Forms provides 22 integrations, but many essential tools like Zapier, Stripe, and PayPal are locked behind higher-tier pricing plans, making it more expensive to access comparable functionality.
Winner: Fluent Forms, for offering more integrations in the free version and competitive pricing for advanced tools.
Conditional Logic
Conditional logic enhances user experience by dynamically adapting forms based on user input. This is particularly useful for creating interactive, user-friendly forms.
- Fluent Forms: Conditional logic is available in Fluent Forms’ free version, allowing users to create dynamic forms without paying for a premium plan. This makes it an excellent choice for budget-conscious users who want advanced functionality.
- Formidable Forms: Conditional logic is only available in the premium plans of Formidable Forms, requiring users to invest in at least the Basic plan to access this feature.
Winner: Fluent Forms, for providing conditional logic in the free version, making it accessible to all users.
Mobile Responsiveness
With most users accessing websites via mobile devices, responsive forms are a non-negotiable feature.
- Fluent Forms: Forms created with Fluent Forms are fully mobile-responsive. Additionally, it integrates seamlessly with tools like Ninja Tables, ensuring compatibility across devices.
- Formidable Forms: Similarly, Formidable Forms ensures that all its forms are mobile-friendly, maintaining a consistent user experience across devices.
Winner: Tie, as both plugins offer excellent mobile responsiveness.
Spam Protection
Protecting forms from spam submissions is essential for maintaining data integrity.
- Fluent Forms: The plugin includes built-in spam protection features like reCAPTCHA, honeypot fields, and GDPR compliance options, even in the free version.
- Formidable Forms: Formidable Forms also offers robust spam protection through tools like Akismet and reCAPTCHA. However, some features are tied to premium plans.
Winner: Tie, as both plugins provide effective spam protection.
Pricing and Licensing
Pricing often determines whether a plugin is suitable for a wide audience.
- Fluent Forms: Fluent Forms offers affordable pricing, starting at $79 annually or $299 for a lifetime license for a single site. Its free version is feature-rich, and the pro plans are competitively priced.
- Formidable Forms: While Formidable Forms starts at $49 annually, its higher-tier plans are significantly more expensive. Unlike Fluent Forms, it does not offer a lifetime license, requiring yearly renewals for continued access.
Winner: Fluent Forms, for its affordable pricing and lifetime licensing option.
Custom Styling and Design Options
Customizing the appearance of forms to match your website’s branding is an important feature for many users.
- Fluent Forms: Fluent Forms provides a wide range of styling options, including custom CSS. You can tweak colors, fonts, and layouts to match your website design. The built-in style customizer is easy to use, even for non-technical users. Advanced users can utilize CSS for more intricate design modifications.
- Formidable Forms: Formidable Forms also offers customization options, including CSS. However, some advanced styling features are only available in the premium version. Beginners may find the design customization less intuitive compared to Fluent Forms.
Winner: Fluent Forms, for offering more user-friendly customization options in its free version.
Reporting and Analytics
Understanding how forms perform is key to optimizing their effectiveness.
- Fluent Forms: Fluent Forms includes a basic analytics dashboard even in the free version. Users can track form submissions, view response rates, and identify potential issues. For more detailed analytics, integration with tools like Google Analytics is available.
- Formidable Forms: Formidable Forms offers detailed reporting features, including data visualization tools like graphs and charts. However, these are locked behind the premium plans, making them inaccessible to free users.
Winner: Formidable Forms, for its advanced reporting capabilities, though these come at a cost.
Multi-Step Forms
Multi-step forms improve user experience by breaking long forms into smaller, manageable sections.
- Fluent Forms: Multi-step forms are supported in both the free and premium versions. The tool allows you to add progress bars and customize the appearance, enhancing user experience.
- Formidable Forms: Formidable Forms also supports multi-step forms, but this feature is only available in the premium version. This limits accessibility for users relying on the free plan.
Winner: Fluent Forms, for providing multi-step forms in its free version.
Payment Integration
For eCommerce websites or businesses that collect payments, integration with payment gateways is essential.
- Fluent Forms: Fluent Forms integrates seamlessly with Stripe and PayPal in the premium version. These integrations are easy to set up and allow for secure payment processing.
- Formidable Forms: Payment integration is also available with Formidable Forms, supporting gateways like Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net. However, these features are limited to higher-tier premium plans, which can be costly.
Winner: Fluent Forms, for its cost-effective payment integrations.
GDPR Compliance
Ensuring compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR is crucial for websites handling user data.
- Fluent Forms: Fluent Forms includes a GDPR-compliant field in its free version, allowing users to obtain consent for data collection and processing. This is particularly useful for websites operating in regions where GDPR compliance is mandatory.
- Formidable Forms: Formidable Forms also offers GDPR compliance features but requires users to enable these manually, which can be confusing for beginners. Additionally, these features are more robust in the premium version.
Winner: Fluent Forms, for offering simple, ready-to-use GDPR compliance in the free version.
Reusable Form Fields and Templates
Reusing form fields and templates can save time, especially for large websites.
- Fluent Forms: Fluent Forms allows users to save fields or entire forms as reusable templates. This is a huge time-saver for those who frequently create similar forms.
- Formidable Forms: Formidable Forms also offers reusable fields and templates, but this feature is more accessible in the premium plans. Free users may find it less flexible.
Winner: Fluent Forms, for providing reusable templates and fields in a user-friendly manner.
Email Notifications and Automation
Automated email notifications are essential for keeping both website admins and users informed about form submissions.
- Fluent Forms: Fluent Forms supports unlimited email notifications, with customizable templates for admin and user emails. This feature is available in both the free and premium versions.
- Formidable Forms: Email notifications are supported by Formidable Forms, but advanced customization options are restricted to premium plans. Additionally, the number of notifications may be limited in lower-tier plans.
Winner: Fluent Forms, for offering robust email notifications without restrictions in the free version.
Accessibility Features
Ensuring forms are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, is a key consideration.
- Fluent Forms: Fluent Forms prioritizes accessibility with features like screen reader compatibility and keyboard navigation. These ensure that forms are usable by everyone.
- Formidable Forms: Formidable Forms also offers accessibility features but does not emphasize them as strongly. Some advanced accessibility options may require customization or premium access.
Winner: Fluent Forms, for its built-in accessibility focus.
Conclusion: Which Form Builder Should You Choose?
Both Fluent Forms and Formidable Forms are powerful WordPress form builder plugins with unique strengths. Fluent Forms is the clear winner for users seeking a cost-effective, feature-rich, and beginner-friendly tool. However, Formidable Forms caters to specific advanced needs, making it a valuable choice for certain users.
Here’s a quick summary of who should use which plugin:
Choose Fluent Forms if:
- You are a beginner or non-technical user seeking an intuitive and easy-to-use form builder.
- You need advanced features like conditional logic and file uploads in a free version.
- Your priority is affordable pricing, including lifetime licenses.
- You want extensive third-party integrations like Zapier, Trello, and Mailchimp in the free plan.
- You require GDPR compliance and spam protection without extra costs.
Choose Formidable Forms if:
- You require advanced reporting and data visualization tools (e.g., graphs and charts).
- Your focus is on complex use cases like WooCommerce or creating directories.
- You are willing to pay for premium plans to unlock specific features like payment gateways and advanced integrations.
- You need tools for building visually rich, front-end data tables or applications.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a versatile form builder at an affordable price, Fluent Forms is the best choice. However, for more niche and advanced functionalities, Formidable Forms is worth the investment.
