There's been a huge debate between Gravity Forms vs Ninja Forms and which one is actually better.
Capturing user data for the visitors to your WordPress site is of the utmost importance if you want to increase your lead generation, gather market research, feature user-submitted blog posts, accept applications for interviews, register users for a newsletter, and more.
In fact, using a WordPress forms plugin can completely change the way that users engage and interact with your website.
For this reason, you’ll find no shortage of form plugins for WordPress to choose from; it’s a well-known fact that communication and contact is a vital feature on a website.
While some options are more popular than others, there are two plugins that have gained significant traction in the world of WordPress forms— Gravity forms and Ninja Forms.
Both of these plugins offer users the opportunity to create more advanced and attractive forms for their WordPress site. The question is, which one is better?
In terms of longevity, Gravity Forms has been around for a longer period of time, earning its spot as the fan favorite when it comes to creating forms for WordPress websites.
Even still, Ninja Forms has created a strong reputation for itself since its creation in 2011, making it a noteworthy opponent to the ever-popular Gravity Forms.
They both offer users the opportunity to create expansive and capable forms for WordPress, but their features are notably different in some areas.
If you’re looking to expand your potential through WordPress forms and use them in a number of interesting and informative ways, this guide is for you. We’re going to discuss the principal features of both and compare them in an ultimate showdown between Gravity Forms and Ninja Forms.
Let’s go!
Gravity Forms vs Ninja Forms: Features
As you can imagine, both Ninja Forms and Gravity Forms offer an array of features that are quite noteworthy and unique.
Since there are extensive options and add-ons available for each, we’re going to consider them as closely as possible to help you identify which plugin best meets your needs.
The first thing you should do is consider your needs list: what type of usage do you expect to get out of your forms, what kind of interface do you prefer, what form types do you need, and what integration options are you seeking.
Let’s take a look at what Gravity Forms and Ninja Forms can offer you in terms of a form plugin for WordPress that makes your information capture more effective.
For a complete review of Gravity Forms, check out our Gravity Forms review.
Form Entry Handling Options
If you’re worried about how many forms you’ll be able to create with your WordPress form plugin, you’ll be happy to know that both Gravity Forms and Ninja forms allow for an unlimited amount of forms throughout your site.
You also have unlimited submissions available for all forms, so you’ll only be restricted in terms of entries if you so desire.
In addition, you can store the form entries in your own WordPress database, allowing them to be accessed via the WordPress Admin dashboard; you can also send responses out to different relevant email addresses.
In terms of exporting, you can export to different file formats including PDF, CS, Excel on both plugins. If you’re interested in viewing your data in a variety of ways, GravityView is worth consideration as well.
GravityView is a separate service that runs independently from both plugins.
Form Builder User Interface
When it comes to interface, there are plenty of benefits to both plugins. Since both mirror the interface of the base WordPress admin site. This is useful in that you don’t have to adapt to a whole new interface to use the plugins.
Back-end pages of both Gravity Forms and Ninja Forms flow seamlessly into the primary WordPress admin dashboard, making it so simple and adaptable in lieu of feeling like a separate entity altogether.
It also streamlines use for those that aren’t as tech-savvy, allowing users to easily navigate the menus as if it were part of the WordPress admin page altogether.
In terms of form creation for your WordPress site, there are similarities in the approach to both plugins. You’ll be able to choose the fields that are available to you from one page, and then advance the form from there.
It’s a bit more straightforward when you use Gravity Forms, as the forms are easily accessible in four different categories with explicit buttons for your selection.
Ninja Forms also makes it easy to choose the form time that you want, although they categorize the fields a bit differently than Gravity Forms does in terms of purpose.
In any case, all you have to do is click on the appropriate form field that you want to input and then tailor it to your particular form needs. A drag-and-drop interface is supported by both Gravity Forms and Ninja Forms, making it easier than ever to create your forms in a quick and easy way.
If you want to configure the fields to your needs, all you have to do is expand the field box and select the options that apply to you. You can then choose the configurations that apply to your form.
This includes customized labels, default values, required fields, and more.
After you have set your form and created it to your liking, you’ll begin to see that
Form Field Types
When considering how many different form field types you have access to, both plugins impress in a big way. Virtually any type of form field you’d want to input into your form is available from at least one, if not both, of these plugins.
The basic form fields you may expect to find include name, email, dates, free text, address, and more.
If you’re looking for more advanced fields, you’ll certainly find them, including options like calculation, star rating, payment, pretty much any other options that you need to fulfill your form requirements.
You can create a variety of forms with many different field types, including ones that are required, perform calculations, in addition to using field validation.
All of these different options allow you to create dynamic forms that provide valuable data as well as inform users of different information right on the spot.
In addition, you can create forms that use conditional logic, which allows users to view different form fields based on their previous responses. This makes the form more relevant and diverse for a range of your website visitors.
When it comes to security, you’ll also have spam protection on both plugins so that your form maintains integrity and appropriate entries.
Both Gravity Forms and Ninja Forms deliver in terms of form field types.
Form Types
It’s no secret that the purpose of form plugins for WordPress is to expand the possibilities in creating diverse ways to capture a range of information from site visitors. Both Gravity Forms and Ninja Forms offer many options.
You can access many different form types on both plugins, including:
- Forms based on conditions
- Questionnaires
- Multi-page forms
- Polls
- Conditional logic forms
- Guest posts or submissions
- And more
These are some of the principal form types that users seek, and both plugins are happy to deliver.
You can even set up user-focused forms that allow for posts and other content types for users to submit and post on your website. Both Gravity Forms and Ninja Forms support this option for expanding user-generated content.
This is exceptional when you want to avoid the hassle of having to enter all content from the WordPress admin site; your user can simply submit their content through the form.
After you feel confident that you’ve configured your form to your liking, you can preview the form on both plugins to ensure that it looks as you want it to once it goes live.
You must save the form from preview in both plugins; this isn’t ideal if you’re not 100% set on what you’ve created, but you can always go back in, edit, and then preview and save changes from there again.
Gravity Forms will send you to a simple preview of your form; that doesn’t mean it will appear that way on your page. Your form will adapt to any different theme styles you have on your website.
Ninja Forms, on the other hand, will take you to the styling preview that will implement the representation of your current website theme elements.
Regardless, both previews are completely functional, allowing you to see how any rules, formulas, or additional features work in real time.
After you view the form and save, you can visit the appropriate form builder tap to configure what happens after a user submits the form.
After that, you’ll be able to embed your form into your site using shortcodes; you can also add the form to your theme profile with the template code.
WordPress editor now supports this, making it easier than ever to implement your forms directly onto your website, especially with Gravity Forms.
Final thoughts on interface: all in all, both offer effective customizations and configurations for your WordPress form. Both offer you the option to use a drag-and-drop editor and all fields and configurations are easily accessible. Gravity Forms makes it a bit easier to post to your WordPress site; on the other hand, Ninja Forms gives you a clear picture of what your form will look like, applying your site themes to the preview. Both forms require you to save your form in preview mode, requiring you to go back and make any changes after the fact.
Form Integration Options
With so many different services available and necessary for our websites these days, both plugins for WordPress forms allow a plethora of integration options.
This means that you can add your favorite payment gateways, CRM, eCommerce platforms, project management apps, email marketing, as well as notification services to your WordPress forms.
Both plugins are virtually tied when it comes to features, but there are some distinctions when it comes to the pricing with or without add-ons. This is the main distinguishing factor.
In addition, Ninja Forms only permits scheduled forms for a set period while Gravity Forms doesn’t provide a simple way to open forms in a modal lightbox window. That said, Gravity Forms does provide better support for forms with pre-populated forms and fields.
The best thing you can do here is to assess the needs that you have in terms of form integrations to ensure that the integration is possible and that it works with your budget. Generally speaking, the integrations provided by both plugins are virtually the same.
We’ll discuss the different pricing options in the next section.
Pricing: Best Value Premium WordPress Forms Plugins
Both plugins could be considered commercial WordPress forms plugins. Ninja Forms does offer a free option, however, while Gravity Forms does not.
Ninja Forms Pricing
The free version of Ninja Forms does allow you to access the basics of the plugin, providing you the access to simple forms— multiple form creation, various form fields, entry storage and routing to custom emails, and more.
Regardless, if you want the full breadth of Ninja Forms, you’ll have to enhance the free version with paid extensions.
Some extensions are of no cost, while most are premium extensions that are obtained at a cost. You can also bundle a variety of the extensions to make them more economical. Bundles range from roughly $49.50 to $249+ depending on your needs.
Gravity Forms Pricing
Unlike Ninja Forms, Gravity Forms doesn’t offer a free version. You’ll have three paid options to choose from, which look as follows:
- Basic: $59
- Pro: $159
- Elite: $259
All of the details of these different plans are outlined here if you want to see what is covered. The main difference between each plan is the number of sites that the plugin can be used on as well as the number of add-ons you’ll have access to.
For both Ninja Forms and Gravity Forms, you’ll have access to the official integrations as well as other third party add-on options, which may be applied at an additional cost depending on the extension’s terms.
At the end of the day, both pricing schemes could work for an individual depending on their specific project needs as well as the capabilities you want to take advantage of. The best way to make a decision is to weigh the offerings against your particular requirements.
Final Thoughts on Ninja Forms vs Gravity Forms
When deciding on a forms plugin for WordPress, the most important thing is that you’re clear about your needs and find a plugin that meets them, is easy to work with, and fits within your budget.
There’s no doubt that both Ninja Forms and Gravity Forms can do the job— they create incredible forms with very few limitations, adding capable and functional forms to your WordPress website.
They are very similar in terms of features, options, and user interface. That said, the main difference comes down to pricing and additional extensions that you may need.
Gravity Forms will allow you to choose this from the get go, paying for your preferred plan as you begin using the plugin. Ninja Forms, on the other hand, starts for free and requires an upgrade as you want integrations and additional features.
All in all, you will be happy with whichever option you choose as long as you’re clear about your needs list before making a final decision.
Additionally, both plugins are available for demo online, so you can test them out before you make a final choice. Gravity Forms allows a full demo online; Ninja Forms requires you to download the demo.
What kind of features are on your needs list when looking for a WordPress forms plugin? Do you prefer Gravity Forms or Ninja Forms? Let us know in the comments!
