WordPress Development
Gravity Forms vs WPForms: Which WordPress Form Plugin Should You Choose?
Both are excellent WordPress form plugins but they serve different needs. Here is the honest comparison across pricing, features, and use cases.
Contact forms are on nearly every WordPress site, but the choice between Gravity Forms and WPForms has significant implications for your workflow, your budget, and what your forms can actually do. This guide compares both plugins honestly across every dimension that matters.
The case for each plugin in one line
WPForms: the faster, more beginner-friendly form builder with a polished interface and sufficient features for most websites. Gravity Forms: the more powerful, developer-extensible platform for complex forms, multi-step workflows, and enterprise integration requirements.
User interface and ease of use
| Factor | WPForms | Gravity Forms |
|---|---|---|
| Form builder | Drag-and-drop visual builder with live preview | Drag-and-drop with separate preview step |
| Learning curve | Gentle — new users build their first form in minutes | Moderate — more options require more decisions |
| Template library | 150+ pre-built form templates | Fewer templates but highly configurable |
| Mobile editing | Fully responsive admin interface | Good mobile experience |
| Documentation | Extensive beginner-friendly guides | Comprehensive developer and user documentation |
Pricing comparison
| Plan | WPForms | Gravity Forms |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes — WPForms Lite with core fields | No free tier — paid plans only |
| Entry plan | $49.50/year (Basic — 1 site) | $59/year (Basic — 1 site) |
| Mid plan | $99.50/year (Plus — 3 sites) | $159/year (Pro — unlimited sites) |
| Top plan | $299.50/year (Elite — unlimited sites) | $259/year (Elite — unlimited sites) |
| Lifetime option | No | $599 Basic lifetime, $999 Pro lifetime |
| Key difference | Features gated by plan tier | All features in Pro — unlimited sites for $159/year |
At $159/year for unlimited sites, Gravity Forms Pro includes every feature (conditional logic, multi-page forms, file uploads, payment integration, user registration) for every client site. WPForms Elite at $299.50/year matches this. For agencies managing many client sites, Gravity Forms Pro is consistently the better value.
Feature comparison
Conditional logic
Both plugins support conditional logic — showing or hiding fields based on previous answers. WPForms conditional logic is simpler to configure and covers most use cases. Gravity Forms conditional logic is more powerful, supporting nested conditions, mathematical formula evaluation, and conditional routing of form data.
Multi-page forms
Both support multi-page forms with a progress bar. Gravity Forms multi-page forms support page-level conditional logic — skipping entire pages based on previous answers. WPForms multi-page support is solid for standard progressions but less flexible for complex branching logic.
Calculations and formulas
Gravity Forms includes a Calculations field type that performs mathematical operations on other field values. This enables price calculators, cost estimators, and quote generators entirely within the form. WPForms does not have native calculation fields — this requires a third-party add-on or custom code.
Payment processing
Both support Stripe and PayPal. WPForms payment integration is straightforward and well-documented for basic payment forms. Gravity Forms payment integration is more extensible — supporting Stripe subscriptions, partial payments, and complex discount logic through add-ons.
Integrations and hooks
WPForms integrates with Mailchimp, Constant Contact, AWeber, Campaign Monitor, Drip, ConvertKit, and major CRMs via official add-ons. Gravity Forms has a significantly larger add-on ecosystem and is more commonly used for developer-built custom integrations due to its extensive hook and filter library.
User registration and post submission
Gravity Forms includes a User Registration add-on (Pro tier) that creates WordPress user accounts from form submissions, and a Post Fields add-on for front-end content submission. WPForms has equivalent features in the Elite tier. These are common requirements for directory sites, job boards, and community platforms.
Developer extensibility
Gravity Forms is the clear winner for developer-built custom functionality. It exposes a comprehensive API, hundreds of hooks and filters, and is the form plugin of choice for most WordPress agencies building custom solutions. WPForms is developer-friendly but less commonly used as the foundation for complex custom workflows.
HIPAA compliance
WPForms includes a HIPAA addon (Elite tier) that encrypts submissions and is designed for healthcare form compliance. Gravity Forms does not have a native HIPAA module but can be configured for HIPAA compliance with appropriate hosting and a HIPAA-compliant email provider.
Which should you choose?
Use WPForms for most sites; use Gravity Forms for complex workflows or agencies.
WPForms is the right choice for 80% of WordPress sites — its interface is more polished, its templates save time, and its support is excellent. Choose Gravity Forms when you need calculation fields, complex conditional branching across multiple pages, deep developer customisation, or you are an agency managing many sites where Gravity Forms Pro unlimited licensing is the most cost-effective option.
Need forms configured on your WordPress site?
Simple Automation Solutions configures contact forms, multi-step lead forms, and payment forms on WordPress sites for businesses worldwide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I switch from WPForms to Gravity Forms (or vice versa) without losing submissions?+
You can export existing form submissions from WPForms as a CSV and import them to a spreadsheet or CRM. However, there is no direct plugin-to-plugin migration tool. Switching form plugins means rebuilding your forms in the new plugin and resetting any integrations (email sequences, CRM connections, webhook triggers). For most sites, staying with your chosen plugin is simpler than migrating. Choose carefully at the start of a project.
Does Gravity Forms or WPForms work better with Elementor?+
Both work well with Elementor. Elementor Free includes a basic Form widget but lacks conditional logic and integration depth. WPForms and Gravity Forms both have Elementor widgets for embedding forms within Elementor pages. WPForms has a slightly smoother Elementor integration experience. Gravity Forms is the better choice when the form itself needs to be technically complex regardless of which page builder you use.
Which form plugin is better for WooCommerce?+
Both integrate with WooCommerce. WPForms integrates with WooCommerce for product order forms and checkout customisation. Gravity Forms has deeper WooCommerce integration through the Gravity Forms Product Add-Ons extension, making it the preferred choice for complex product configuration forms (custom orders, bespoke product requests, quote forms that integrate with WooCommerce orders). For simple contact or enquiry forms on WooCommerce sites, either plugin is sufficient.
