This is my honest Contact Form 7 vs. Elementor Form builders comparison guide.
Websites and blogs need a contact form to facilitate communication with visitors, allowing them to make inquiries, provide feedback, or request information.
According to a survey by HubSpot, 51% of people believe that contact information is the most important element missing from many company websites.
Without a good form builder, websites risk losing potential leads and customer inquiries, leading to missed opportunities for engagement and conversion.
Both Contact Form 7 and Elementor Form streamline the form-building process, simplifying form creation and integration into websites.
The main difference is that Contact Form 7 is a standalone WordPress plugin, while Elementor Form is integrated within the Elementor page builder plugin. The former focuses on simplicity and flexibility, while Elementor Form offers advanced design controls and seamless integration with Elementor’s visual editor.
Contact Form 7 vs. Elementor Form: Overview Feature Comparison
Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison of key features.
| Features | Contact Form 7 | Elementor Form |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | ✓ Simple shortcode usage | ✓ Drag-and-drop form builder |
| Customization | ✓ Limited design options | ✓ Extensive design controls |
| Integration Options | ✓ Limited integration | ✓ Seamless integration |
| Conditional Logic | ✗ Not supported | ✓ Supports conditional logic |
| Pre-built Templates | ✗ Not available | ✓ Offers pre-built templates |
| Spam Protection | ✓ Basic spam filtering | ✓ Advanced spam protection |
| User Interface | ✗ Outdated UI | ✓ Modern and intuitive UI |
What is Contact Form 7?
Contact Form 7 is a popular WordPress plugin designed for creating and managing contact forms on websites. It is ideal for WordPress users seeking a simple and lightweight solution for adding forms to their sites.
Contact Form 7 Pros:
- Free to use with no premium version, making it accessible to all WordPress users.
- Simple shortcode implementation for easy integration into posts and pages.
- Lightweight plugin that does not significantly impact site performance.
- Wide adoption and community support, with numerous extensions available for added functionality.
- Compatible with various WordPress themes and plugins, ensuring compatibility with existing setups.
Contact Form 7 Cons:
- Limited design options, requiring manual CSS styling for customization.
- Lack of visual editing interface, making it challenging for beginners to customize forms.
- Basic spam protection features, which may not be sufficient for high-traffic websites.
- Outdated user interface compared to more modern form builder plugins.
What is Elementor Form? How Does it Work?
Elementor Form is a feature within the Elementor page builder plugin, catering to users who seek advanced form-building capabilities integrated with their website design process.
Elementor Form Pros:
- Extensive design controls and visual editing interface for customizing form appearance.
- Seamless integration with the Elementor page builder, allowing for easy placement and styling of forms.
- Built-in conditional logic for creating dynamic and interactive forms.
- Offers pre-built templates for quick form setup and customization.
- Advanced spam protection measures, including Google reCAPTCHA integration.
- Modern and intuitive user interface, enhancing the form-building experience.
Elementor Form Cons:
- Requires Elementor Pro subscription for full access to form builder features.
- Can be overwhelming for beginners due to the abundance of customization options.
- Limited pre-built templates compared to dedicated form builder plugins.
- Reliance on the Elementor ecosystem may limit compatibility with other page builders or themes.
Contact Form 7 vs. Elementor Form: Comprehensive Feature Comparison of Key Features
Are you ready for an in-depth comparison of the seven key features of these form builders? Let’s go.
1. Ease of Use:
Contact Form 7 offers simplicity with its shortcode-based approach, allowing users to add forms to their WordPress site by inserting shortcodes into posts or pages. While this method is straightforward for those familiar with WordPress, it may require additional setup for customization.
In contrast, Elementor Form provides a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface within the Elementor page builder, making it easy for users to create and customize forms visually.
With Elementor Form, users can simply drag form elements onto the canvas, adjust settings, and preview changes in real-time.
Verdict: Elementor Form wins for ease of use, offering a more intuitive and user-friendly experience compared to Contact Form 7’s shortcode-based approach.
2. Customization:
Contact Form 7 offers limited design options out of the box, requiring users to manually style forms using CSS or rely on third-party plugins for additional customization.
While this provides flexibility for experienced users, it may be challenging for beginners to achieve the desired look and feel.
Elementor Form excels in customization with its extensive design controls and visual editor. Users can easily customize form fields, styling, and layout using Elementor’s intuitive interface, without the need for coding skills.
With Elementor Form, users have full control over the design and appearance of their forms, making it the preferred choice for those seeking customization options.
Verdict: Elementor Form wins for customization, offering extensive design controls and visual editing capabilities compared to Contact Form 7’s limited options.
3. Integration Options:
Contact Form 7 provides limited integration options compared to Elementor Form. While Contact Form 7 can integrate with popular plugins and services through extensions, such as PayPal and Mailchimp, it may require additional setup and customization.
Elementor Form offers seamless integration with Elementor’s ecosystem of third-party addons and integrations.
Users can easily connect their forms to email marketing services, CRM platforms, and more directly within the Elementor interface, streamlining workflow and data management.
Overall, Elementor Form wins for integration options due to its native compatibility with Elementor’s extensive plugin library.
Verdict: Elementor Form wins for integration options, providing seamless connectivity with third-party services within the Elementor ecosystem, compared to Contact Form 7’s reliance on extensions.
4. Conditional Logic:
Contact Form 7 does not support conditional logic, limiting its ability to create dynamic forms with logic-based interactions. While users can implement basic conditional logic using additional plugins or custom code, it may require technical expertise and additional setup.
Elementor Form excels in conditional logic, allowing users to show or hide form fields, sections, or entire forms based on user input or predefined conditions.
With Elementor Form’s built-in conditional logic settings, users can create interactive and personalized forms that adapt to user responses seamlessly.
Overall, Elementor Form wins for conditional logic, offering native support for dynamic form interactions without the need for additional plugins or coding.
Verdict: Elementor Form wins for conditional logic, providing built-in support for dynamic form interactions compared to Contact Form 7’s lack of native support.
5. Pre-built Templates:
Contact Form 7 does not offer pre-built templates out of the box, requiring users to create forms from scratch or rely on third-party templates. While this provides flexibility for customization, it may be time-consuming for users without design expertise.
In contrast, Elementor Form offers a variety of pre-built templates that users can choose from and customize to fit their needs.
With Elementor’s template library, users can quickly create professional-looking forms without starting from scratch, saving time and effort. Overall, Elementor Form wins for pre-built templates, providing a convenient starting point for form creation.
Verdict: Elementor Form wins for pre-built templates, offering a selection of ready-to-use designs compared to Contact Form 7’s lack of pre-built options.
6. Spam Protection:
Contact Form 7 provides basic spam filtering features, such as CAPTCHA and Akismet integration, to help mitigate spam submissions. While these features offer some level of protection, they may not be sufficient to prevent all spam, requiring additional measures to be implemented.
Elementor Form offers advanced spam protection measures, including Google reCAPTCHA integration and custom validation rules.
With Elementor Form’s robust spam protection features, users can effectively block spam submissions and maintain the integrity of their form data. Overall, Elementor Form wins for spam protection due to its comprehensive spam prevention capabilities.
Verdict: Elementor Form wins for spam protection, providing advanced measures like Google reCAPTCHA integration compared to Contact Form 7’s basic spam filtering features.
7. User Interface:
Contact Form 7 features a simple, albeit outdated, user interface with limited visual editing capabilities. While the interface is functional for basic form creation, it may lack the modern design and intuitive controls found in more recent plugins.
Elementor Form offers a modern and intuitive user interface within the Elementor page builder.
With Elementor’s visual editor and drag-and-drop interface, users can easily create, customize, and preview forms in real-time, enhancing the user experience.
Overall, Elementor Form wins for user interface, providing a more visually appealing and user-friendly interface compared to Contact Form 7’s outdated design.
Verdict: Elementor Form wins for user interface, offering a modern and intuitive experience within the Elementor page builder compared to Contact Form 7’s outdated interface.
Use Cases for Contact Form 7:
- Simple websites with basic form needs.
- Users familiar with WordPress shortcode usage.
Use Cases for Elementor Form:
- Websites built with Elementor seeking advanced form customization.
- Users looking for seamless integration with Elementor’s design features.
Pricing Overview: Contact Form 7 and Elementor Form
This table provides an overview of the pricing and plans for both WordPress form builders.
| Pricing Plans | Contact Form 7 | Elementor Form |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Cost | Free | Included in Elementor Pro subscription |
| Premium Features | N/A | Available with Elementor Pro subscription |
| Support | Community support | Premium support with Elementor Pro subscription |
| Updates | Regular updates | Included in Elementor Pro subscription |
| Additional Costs | None | Elementor Pro subscription starting at $49/year |
What to Consider When Choosing a Good Form Builder
Here are important factors to keep in mind when selecting a form builder for your WordPress site:
- Ease of Use: Consider your familiarity with WordPress and your preference for form-building interfaces. Contact Form 7 offers a simple shortcode-based approach, suitable for users comfortable with WordPress and basic coding. However, for those seeking a more intuitive experience, Elementor Form’s drag-and-drop interface within the Elementor page builder may be preferable. It allows for visual editing and real-time previewing, making form creation more accessible, especially for beginners.
- Customization Options: Evaluate your design needs and the level of customization required for your forms. Contact Form 7 provides limited design options out of the box, requiring manual CSS styling for customization. In contrast, Elementor Form offers extensive design controls and pre-built templates, allowing for easy customization without the need for coding skills. If you prioritize design flexibility and visual editing capabilities, Elementor Form may be the better choice.
- Integration Capabilities: Assess your integration needs with other plugins and services. Contact Form 7 offers basic integration options through extensions, but it may require additional setup and customization. On the other hand, Elementor Form seamlessly integrates with the Elementor ecosystem, allowing for direct connections with popular email marketing services, CRM platforms, and more. If you rely heavily on third-party integrations, Elementor Form’s native compatibility with Elementor’s plugin library may be advantageous.
- Conditional Logic: Consider whether you need dynamic form behavior based on user input or conditions. Contact Form 7 lacks native support for conditional logic, which may limit its ability to create interactive forms. In contrast, Elementor Form offers built-in conditional logic settings, allowing users to show or hide form fields, sections, or entire forms based on predefined conditions. If you require complex form interactions or personalized user experiences, Elementor Form’s conditional logic capabilities make it the preferred choice.
- Budget Considerations: Factor in the cost of each plugin and any associated expenses. Contact Form 7 is free to use with no premium version, making it accessible to all WordPress users regardless of budget. However, Elementor Form is included in the Elementor Pro subscription, which starts at $49/year for a single site license. If you’re on a tight budget and don’t require advanced form features, Contact Form 7 may be the more cost-effective option. However, if you need advanced customization options and seamless integration with Elementor, investing in Elementor Pro may be worthwhile.
FAQs
Let’s get accurate answers to five common questions people ask about WordPress form builders.
- Can I use Contact Form 7 with Elementor? Yes, Contact Form 7 can be used alongside Elementor by adding the Contact Form 7 shortcode to an Elementor widget or page content area. However, Elementor Form offers a more integrated experience within the Elementor page builder.
- Does Contact Form 7 provide spam protection? Contact Form 7 offers basic spam protection features, such as CAPTCHA and Akismet integration, to mitigate spam submissions.
- Can Elementor Form be used without Elementor Pro? No, Elementor Form is a feature within the Elementor Pro plugin, so it requires an Elementor Pro subscription for access.
- How do I customize form fields in Elementor Form? In Elementor Form, you can customize form fields by selecting the form widget, accessing the form field settings, and adjusting options such as field type, label, placeholder, and validation rules.
- Can Contact Form 7 integrate with third-party services? Yes, Contact Form 7 can integrate with third-party services through various extensions and plugins available in the WordPress repository. Common integrations include email marketing services, CRM platforms, and payment gateways.
Which is Better: Contact Form 7 or Elementor Form?
Contact Form 7 stands out for its simplicity and widespread usage among WordPress users.
Its shortcode-based approach allows for easy integration into websites.
However, Contact Form 7 lacks advanced features such as visual editing and conditional logic, making it less suitable for complex form needs.
Elementor Form fills this gap by offering a drag-and-drop interface, extensive customization options, and built-in conditional logic.
This allows users to create dynamic and visually appealing forms with ease, enhancing the overall user experience.