In today’s digital age, encountering online forms while browsing the internet is very common. Websites have evolved beyond merely being informational hubs for businesses, as forms play a vital role in user engagement and data collection. Therefore, choosing an ideal form builder is crucial. Two popular options, Forminator and Fluent Forms, are often pitted against each other. This post will compare their features across several categories to help you make an informed decision.
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What is Fluent Forms?
Fluent Forms is a lightweight, user-friendly form builder for WordPress. It’s renowned for its sleek user interface and extensive features. With over 200,000 users, Fluent Forms continuously evolves, incorporating user feedback and launching innovative features like Conversational Forms.
What is Forminator?
Forminator, developed by WPMUDEV, is another popular form builder. It offers interactive quizzes and polls, e-signatures, easy-form calculations, and more. Like Fluent Forms, it also offers drag-and-drop functionality and numerous integrations.
Features to Consider in a WordPress Form Builder
1. Ease of Use
Ease of use is essential for any form builder because it determines how easily users can create and customize forms.
Fluent Forms: The user interface is straightforward and well-designed, making creating beautiful forms accessible without coding knowledge. The drag-and-drop functionality simplifies adding, removing, or customizing input fields. You can preview forms before publishing and access extensive documentation and 24/7 support. Fluent Forms also offers video tutorials and step-by-step guides, making it accessible even for beginners.
Forminator also offers drag-and-drop functionality. The Quick Access panel and Overview panel provide form creation and modification options. However, finding specific features can sometimes be tricky, though guides are available. The interface, while functional, may be slightly less intuitive, particularly for beginners.
Winner: Fluent Forms: The clear winner for ease of use, Fluent Forms excels with its intuitive design, easy navigation, and extensive support resources, making form building straightforward and enjoyable.
2. Input Fields
Input fields allow users to customize the type of information they collect through forms, making them crucial for versatility and functionality.
Fluent Forms: Offers 50+ input fields across various categories, including standard and advanced fields. Many of these fields, including advanced ones like Color Picker, Hidden Field, and Mask Input, are available in the free version, making it versatile and generous. The frequent updates ensure new fields are regularly added, enhancing flexibility.
Forminator: Provides only 24+ input fields, which can limit functionality. Fields can be edited, duplicated, and arranged, but more input fields would enhance flexibility. While adequate for basic forms, the limited options may restrict complex or specialized forms.
Winner: Fluent Forms: The clear winner, Fluent Forms, offers more input fields and greater flexibility, enabling users to create diverse and detailed forms for various purposes.
3. Pre-Built Form Templates
Pre-built form templates save time by providing ready-made solutions for common form needs.
Fluent Forms: Comes with 70+ pre-built templates, 25+ of which are free. These templates are beginner-friendly and cover various use cases, from contact forms to order forms to conversational forms. The templates are designed to be easily customizable, allowing users to tweak them to suit their needs without starting from scratch.
Forminator: Lacks many pre-built templates, often requiring forms to be created from scratch. While this allows for creativity, it can be time-consuming, particularly for simple or frequently used forms.
Winner: Fluent Forms: The clear winner, Fluent Forms, offers a wide variety of pre-built templates, making it easy to create common forms or gain inspiration for custom forms quickly.
4. Conditional Logic
Conditional logic allows forms to adapt based on user input, enhancing user experience and improving data collection quality.
Fluent Forms: Allows dynamic, intelligent forms using conditional logic for email routing, field containers, and more. This feature enables forms to adjust based on responses, creating a tailored experience for users. It also supports conditional email forwarding, enhancing communication efficiency.
Forminator: Also offers conditional logic features, including hide/show fields, conditional email notifications, and confirmation messages. While functional, the conditional logic in Forminator is less robust compared to Fluent Forms.
Winner: Tie: Both plugins offer effective conditional logic features, allowing users to create interactive and responsive forms. The choice here depends on specific needs and preferences.
5. Layout Features
Layout features determine how forms look and feel, affecting user experience and form engagement.
Fluent Forms features user-friendly layout options, allowing customization of label alignment, help message positions, and more without coding. The layout is clean and customizable, enabling users to create forms that fit their brand and enhance user experience.
Forminator: Offers options for naming labels and adding custom CSS but lacks the flexibility of Fluent Forms. The layout options, while functional, are more limited and may require more customization to achieve desired results.
Winner: Fluent Forms: The clear winner, Fluent Forms, offers flexible and user-friendly layout features, enabling users to create attractive and functional forms without coding.
6. Spam Filtering and Form Security
Spam filtering and form security protect forms from unwanted submissions and malicious attacks, ensuring data integrity and usability.
Fluent Forms: Provides various spam protection options, including reCAPTCHA (both V2 and V3), hCaptcha, Honeypot, Akismet, and form restrictions. These features, combined with options like Turnstile integration and blank form submission prevention, make Fluent Forms highly secure.
Forminator: It also offers reCAPTCHA, Honeypot, Akismet, and other spam filtering features. While secure, it lacks some advanced options and flexibility compared to Fluent Forms.
Winner: Fluent Forms: The clear winner, Fluent Forms, provides robust and flexible spam filtering and security options, protecting forms from various threats.
7. Multi-Column Layouts
Multi-column layouts enhance form aesthetics and usability, allowing users to organize form fields efficiently.
Fluent Forms: Allows up to six columns using the container option, with conditional logic for versatile layout configurations. This feature enables users to create compact and organized forms, improving user experience and engagement.
Forminator: This does not provide a dedicated container feature for multi-column layouts, limiting flexibility. While it allows placing fields side-by-side, it lacks the customization and versatility of Fluent Forms.
Winner: Fluent Forms: The clear winner, Fluent Forms, offers flexible and user-friendly multi-column layouts, enabling users to create organized and attractive forms.
8. Entry Management
Entry management allows users to view, sort, and export form submissions, crucial for data analysis and follow-up.
Fluent Forms: Offers excellent entry management with metadata, browser information, and various export formats (CSV, Excel, ODS, JSON). It also provides visual representations of form entries through charts, enabling users to analyze and interpret data effectively.
Forminator: Offers similar entry management features, including sorting, filtering, visual representation, and CSV export, but lacks the variety and flexibility of Fluent Forms. The submission tab allows for basic entry management but lacks advanced options.
Winner: Fluent Forms: The clear winner, Fluent Forms, offers robust and flexible entry management features, enabling users to analyze and manage form submissions effectively.
9. File Uploads
File uploads allow users to attach files to form submissions, useful for various applications like job applications or customer feedback.
Fluent Forms: Allows file attachments, restricts file types, and offers an image upload field. This feature is customizable, enabling users to control the type and number of files attached, enhancing functionality and security.
Forminator: Also allows file uploads, restricting types and numbers in its free version. While functional, it lacks Fluent Forms’s flexibility and dedicated image upload field.
Winner: Tie: Both plugins offer compelling file upload features, allowing users to attach files to form submissions. The choice here depends on specific needs and preferences.
10. Conversational Forms
Conversational forms provide an interactive and engaging experience, enhancing user engagement and reducing form abandonment.
Fluent Forms: Provides conversational forms for interactive, engaging experiences, available for free with additional features in the pro version. This feature creates a human-like interaction, improving user experience and enhancing data collection.
Forminator: Does not offer conversational forms but provides quizzes with a conversation-like feel. While functional, it lacks the dedicated conversational form feature of Fluent Forms.
Winner: Fluent Forms: The clear winner, Fluent Forms, offers engaging and interactive conversational forms, enhancing user experience and reducing form abandonment.
11. Third-Party Integration
Third-party integration allows form builders to connect with other services like email marketing, CRM, and project management tools, enhancing functionality and versatility.
Fluent Forms: Integrates with numerous third-party services, including email marketing, CRM, and project management tools, many of which are free or part of a low-cost pro plan. It also offers Zapier integration, extending its reach to thousands of apps.
Forminator: It also integrates with many third-party services but lacks native free integrations. It offers Zapier integration, connecting with thousands of apps, but may require more customization for specific integrations.
Winner: Tie: Both plugins offer compelling third-party integration features, allowing users to connect with various services and enhance functionality. The choice here depends on specific needs and preferences.
12. Partial Entries
Partial entries allow users to save and resume forms, enhancing user experience and reducing data loss from incomplete forms.
Fluent Forms: Allows users to save and resume forms, enabling data retrieval even if forms are incomplete. This feature can be a game-changer, preventing data loss
and enhancing user experience.
Forminator: Lacks a partial entry feature, which can result in losing potential customers. This limitation may affect user experience and data collection quality.
Winner: Fluent Forms: The clear winner, Fluent Forms, offers partial entry features, enhancing user experience and preventing data loss from incomplete forms.
13. Documentation & Support
Documentation and support provide guidance and assistance for users, enhancing usability and customer satisfaction.
Fluent Forms: Offers detailed documentation, video tutorials, and an excellent support team, ensuring high customer satisfaction. The support team is responsive and helpful, addressing user queries and issues effectively.
Forminator: Provides good documentation but lacks the robust support of Fluent Forms. The support, while functional, may be less responsive or helpful, affecting customer satisfaction.
Winner: Fluent Forms: The clear winner, Fluent Forms, offers robust documentation and support, enhancing usability and customer satisfaction.
14. Pricing & Licensing
Pricing and licensing determine the cost-effectiveness and value of form builders, which is crucial for budget-conscious users.
Fluent Forms: Offers competitive pricing with a freemium model and affordable pro plans. The free version provides numerous features, while the pro version offers additional functionality at a reasonable cost.
Forminator: Charges higher prices for fewer features compared to Fluent Forms. The pricing, while reasonable, may be less cost-effective, particularly for users needing advanced features.
Winner: Fluent Forms: The clear winner, Fluent Forms, offers cost-effective pricing and licensing, providing value for money and enhancing affordability.
Final Verdict
Fluent Forms and Forminator are capable form builders, but Fluent Forms stands out due to its extensive features, user-friendly interface, and affordable pricing. Here’s a quick recap:
- Free Version: Fluent Forms offers a feature-rich free version, while Forminator has many limitations.
- Input Fields: Fluent Forms offers 50+ input fields versus 24+ from Forminator.
- Templates: Fluent Forms provides 70+ pre-built templates, while Forminator offers fewer.
- Conversational Forms & Partial Entries: Only Fluent Forms offers these features.
- Pricing: Fluent Forms is more affordable.
Given these insights, Fluent Forms is the clear winner, offering flexibility, robust features, and exceptional value for money.