Contact Form 7 vs Fluent Forms: Which Plugin Should You Choose in 2024?
Comparing plugins is important for web developers and website owners who need user feedback functionality. Two of the most popular plugins for creating contact forms in WordPress are Contact Form 7 And Fluent Forms. Although both plugins offer similar features, they also have their own unique features and differences. In this review, we will review and compare their features to help you make the right choice in 2024.
1. How to set up Contact Form 7 and Fluent Forms?
Let's start by going through the setup process for each plugin.
How to set up Contact Form 7?
Contact Form 7 is a free plugin that is available for download from the WordPress repository. Here's how to set it up on your website:
- Install and activate the Contact Form 7 plugin.
- Go to the Contact Forms section in your WordPress dashboard and create a new form.
- Customize the form fields, add the necessary elements (such as a field for name, email address, and message), and configure the sending options.
- Copy the generated shortcode and add it to the desired page or post on your website.
- Save your changes and test the form to make sure everything works correctly.
How to set up Fluent Forms?
Fluent Forms is a paid plugin that is also available for download from the WordPress repository. Here's how to set it up:
- Install and activate the Fluent Forms plugin.
- Go to the “Fluent Forms” section in your WordPress dashboard and create a new form.
- Use the intuitive form builder to add the fields and elements you need.
- Customize form settings such as customized actions after form submission.
- Copy the generated shortcode and add it to the appropriate page or post on your website.
- Save your changes and test the form to make sure everything works correctly.
2. What features do Contact Form 7 and Fluent Forms offer?
Now let's take a look at the main features of both plugins to determine their power and applicability to your needs.
Contact Form 7 Features:
- Ease of use: Contact Form 7 is easy to use and offers an intuitive interface.
- Basic functionality: The plugin offers basic functions for creating and managing feedback forms.
- Flexibility: You can customize different fields, select different field types, and customize form submission options.
- Extensions: There are a wide variety of extensions that can be added to extend the functionality of Contact Form 7.
Fluent Forms Features:
- Drag and drop form builder and editor: Fluent Forms offers an easy-to-use form builder that allows you to create forms using drag-and-drop editing.
- Large selection of fields: The plugin offers a variety of fields that you can add to your form, including specific field types such as a file upload field, a date picker field, and a time picker field.
- Elegant templates: Fluent Forms offers a variety of elegant templates that you can use in your contact form.
- Data Management: The plugin offers a convenient data management panel where you can view and export data received from the form.
Overall, Fluent Forms offers a wider range of features and a more advanced form builder than Contact Form 7. If you need additional features and more options for customizing your forms, Fluent Forms may be the better choice for you.
3. Which plugins offer the best optimization and performance?
Optimization and performance are important aspects to consider when choosing a contact form plugin. Let's see how Contact Form 7 and Fluent Forms handle these aspects.
Contact Form 7:
Contact Form 7 is a lightweight plugin that works fast and has minimal impact on your website performance. However, if you use many extensions for Contact Form 7, it may affect performance.
Fluent Forms:
Fluent Forms is also fast and optimized for high performance. It is designed with efficiency and code optimization in mind.
So, both plugins offer good optimization and performance, but Fluent Forms has an advantage due to its efficient and optimized code structure.
4. Which plugin is best for customizing the form appearance and styling?
The appearance and style of a form is an integral part of its appeal and suitability for your website. Let's look at how Contact Form 7 and Fluent Forms allow you to customize the appearance and style of your form.
Contact Form 7:
Contact Form 7 provides basic styles for the form, but they can look quite simple and require additional customization if you want to achieve a specific look.
Fluent Forms:
Fluent Forms offers powerful styling features that allow you to fully customize the appearance of your form. You can choose from pre-built themes or create your own styles using CSS.
Therefore, if you require more flexibility in customizing the appearance and styling of your form, Fluent Forms may be the better choice.
5. How to manage and process data from the feedback form?
Managing and processing data is an important aspect when working with contact forms. Let's take a look at how Contact Form 7 and Fluent Forms simplify this process.
Contact Form 7:
Contact Form 7 sends the form data to the email address you provided. You must check your email to view and process the data received.
Fluent Forms:
Fluent Forms offers a built-in data dashboard where you can view, filter, and export the data received from your form. This makes it much easier to manage and process data.
So, if you prefer centralized and convenient data management, then Fluent Forms may be preferable.
6. Plugin support and updates
Support and regular updates are important aspects for the security and reliability of the plugin. Let's look at support and updates for Contact Form 7 and Fluent Forms.
Contact Form 7:
Contact Form 7 has a great popularity and a wide community of users. It is actively supported by the developer, and is regularly updated to fix bugs and improve performance.
Fluent Forms:
Fluent Forms is also actively supported by the developer and is regularly updated with new features and bug fixes.
Both plugins have good support and regular updates, so in this aspect they are on equal footing.
Conclusion:
Contact Form 7 and Fluent Forms are both great tools for creating contact forms in WordPress. While they have similar features, Fluent Forms offers a wider range of features, a more advanced form builder with drag-and-drop editing, rich styling features, and easy data management.
If you need a simple and basic contact form solution, Contact Form 7 is a good choice. It is easy to use and offers basic features that may be enough for your website.
However, if you are looking for a more advanced solution, with more features and customization options, then Fluent Forms is the best choice.
Plugin comparison plugin comparison allows you to determine which contact form plugin is best suited for your needs. It is recommended to evaluate your requirements and expectations from the plugin before making a decision. Ultimately, the choice will depend on your preferences and the specific needs of your website.