Contact Form 7 vs Fluent Form – Which plugin to choose in 2024

Contact Form 7 vs Fluent Forms Comparison: Which Plugin to Choose in 2024?

Comparing plugins is important for web developers and website owners who require user feedback functionality. Two of the most popular plugins for creating contact forms in WordPress are Contact Form 7 And Fluent Forms. While both plugins offer similar features, they also have their own unique features and differences. In this review, we'll look at 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 analyzing the setup process for each of the plugins.

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:

1. Install the Contact Form 7 plugin and activate it.
2. Go to the “Contact Forms” section in your WordPress dashboard and create a new form.
3. Customize form fields, add required elements (such as a name field, email addresses, and message), and configure submission options.
4. Copy the generated shortcode and add it to the desired page or post on your website.
5. 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:

1. Install and activate the Fluent Forms plugin.
2. Go to the “Fluent Forms” section in your WordPress dashboard and create a new form.
3. Use the intuitive form builder to add the fields and elements you need.
4. Configure form settings, such as custom actions after form submission.
5. Copy the generated shortcode and add it to the relevant page or post on your website.
6. 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 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 configure form submission options.
• Extensions: There is a wide selection of extensions that can be added to enhance the functionality of Contact Form 7.

Fluent Forms features:

• Drag and drop form builder: Fluent Forms offers an easy-to-use form builder that allows you to create forms using the drag-and-drop method.
• 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 the 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 want more features and more options for customizing your forms, then Fluent Forms may be a 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 quickly and has minimal impact on your website's performance. However, if you use many extensions for Contact Form 7, performance may be affected.

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 the edge due to its efficient and optimized code structure.

4. Which plugin is best for customizing the form's appearance and styling?

The appearance and style of a form is an integral part of its appeal and relevance to your website. Let's look at how Contact Form 7 and Fluent Forms allow you to customize the appearance and styling of your form.

Contact Form 7:

Contact Form 7 provides basic form styles, but they can look quite basic and require additional customization if you want to achieve a specific look.

Fluent Forms:

Fluent Forms offers powerful styling features that allow you to completely customize the appearance of your form. You can choose pre-configured themes or create your own styles using CSS.

Therefore, if you need more flexibility in customizing the appearance and styling of your form, Fluent Forms may be a better choice.

5. How to manage and process data from the feedback form?

Data management and processing is an important aspect when working with feedback forms. Let's note 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 provide. 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 data collected from your form. This greatly simplifies data management and processing.

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 is very popular and has a wide community of users. It is actively maintained by the developer, and is regularly updated to fix bugs and improve performance.

Fluent Forms:

Fluent Forms is also actively maintained 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 stand on an equal footing.

Conclusion:

Contact Form 7 and Fluent Forms plugins 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 and editing functionality, rich styling features, and convenient data management.

If you need a simple and basic solution for contact forms, 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 your best choice.

Plugin comparison allows you to determine which contact form plugin is best 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.