The Contact Form 7 Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Contact Form 7 in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Contact Form 7
The Insider’s Guide
Free open-source contact form plugin for WordPress
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among form and survey tools, read from Contact Form 7’s own pages.
Made by Rock Lobster Inc. · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Contact Form 7’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Contact Form 7’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 13 of the 60 other form and survey tools we grade
Contact Form 7 is a WordPress plugin for adding forms to a site, managed from a Contact menu in the admin area and inserted by shortcode or a block. Its WordPress.org page describes it as free and open-source software with a modular architecture. It is free to install, and the maintainers ask for contributions and donations.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Contact Form 7, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You need your own WordPress site that you host and update, and each form is built by hand in the admin.
- 1
Best for free contact forms on a WordPress site
It only runs inside WordPress, you set each form up by hand, and support is a forum, not a paid plan.
- 2
It is free
Contact Form 7 has no paid plan at all. Free and open source; install it from the WordPress plugin directory.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Forms in the WordPress admin
Forms are created under a Contact menu in the WordPress admin screen.
- 5
Block for the editor
The plugin provides one block for inserting a form into a page.
- 6
Schema-Woven Validation
The plugin's description names this validation technology and a modular architecture.
- 7
A 2.2 GPA, above 13 of 60
That is against the other form and survey tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Contact Form 7 is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Contact Form 7 at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Rock Lobster Inc.
- Category
- Forms & Surveys
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for free contact forms on a WordPress site
Contact Form 7 is a free, open-source plugin that adds contact forms to WordPress, with no cap on how many you make. It only runs inside WordPress, you set each form up by hand, and support is a forum, not a paid plan.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Free and open source, but it needs a WordPress site you host yourself, so it isn't a program anyone can just download and run. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright with no paid edition or caps on the listing. Install it from the plugin directory. |
| Features | C | Forms in the WordPress admin, an editor block, validation and translations. It's a basic form tool, and the listing shows no paid add-ons for more. |
| Ease of use | D | You need your own WordPress site that you host and update, and each form is built by hand in the admin. No rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only, inside WordPress, with no integrations listed on the plugin page. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Contact Form 7 is for
- Fits if you run WordPress and want a plain contact form without paying
- Works for sites that need many simple forms with nothing to subscribe to
Who it is not for
- Skip it if your site isn't on WordPress, as the plugin only runs there
- Not for you if you want paid support, because the listing points to documentation and a forum
- Watch out: reviews on the WordPress.org page mention incompatibility with some PHP versions
- Too light for forms with payments, polls or visual builders, none of which are listed
- Tight if you want listed integrations, as none are named
Good to know
Good for
- WordPress site owners who want a free contact form
- Developers comfortable extending a plugin with add-ons
Worth knowing
- It runs only inside WordPress.
- The plugin's listing links to documentation and a support forum, not a paid support plan.
- Reviews on the WordPress.org page include complaints about incompatibility with some PHP versions.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Contact Form 7 is free to use.
Free and open source, but it needs a WordPress site you host yourself, so it isn't a program anyone can just download and run.
Plugin
$0
Free open-source plugin, hosted on your own WordPress site.
The free plan
Free and open source; install it from the WordPress plugin directory.
Read from wordpress.org on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Free open-source contact form plugin for WordPress. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, forms.
Forms in the WordPress admin, an editor block, validation and translations.
- Forms in the WordPress admin
- Forms are created under a Contact menu in the WordPress admin screen.
- Block for the editor
- The plugin provides one block for inserting a form into a page.
- Schema-Woven Validation
- The plugin's description names this validation technology and a modular architecture.
- Translations
- The plugin is translated into 69 locales.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Contact Form 7 is made by Rock Lobster Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
13/60
Other form and survey tools it is graded above
Contact Form 7's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 13 of the 60 other form and survey tools we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 56 of 60) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Contact Form 7 has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 61 form and survey tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Contact Form 7’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 12 of 60
- AFree plan and trialAbove 56 of 60
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 60
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 60
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 60
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 53 form and survey tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Contact Form 7 is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Contact Form 7 is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 37 of the 60 other form and survey tools grade higher.
What you could make
- Forms: an app builder makes this well.
What this rests on. Contact Form 7’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
WPForms, Gravity Forms, Ninja Forms, Fluent Forms and Formidable Forms
The 5 tools Contact Form 7 is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
WPForms
Free plan · from $49.50/yr
Drag-and-drop form builder plugin for WordPress sites.
- Contact Form 7 is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- WPForms also covers templates, workflow automation and surveys.
- 2.0GPA
Gravity Forms
From $59/yr
WordPress form builder plugin sold as a yearly license.
- Contact Form 7 has a free plan. Gravity Forms does not.
- Contact Form 7 is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Gravity Forms also covers templates and surveys.
- 2.6GPA
Ninja Forms
Free plan · from $99/yr
WordPress form builder with a free core and paid add-ons.
- Contact Form 7 is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Ninja Forms also covers templates and workflow automation.
- 2.8GPA
Fluent Forms
Free plan · from $79/yr
WordPress form plugin with annual and lifetime licenses.
- Contact Form 7 is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Fluent Forms also covers templates, workflow automation and surveys.
- 2.8GPA
Formidable Forms
Free plan · from $79/yr
WordPress form builder that also displays entries as Views.
- Contact Form 7 is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Formidable Forms also covers databases, templates and surveys.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Contact Form 7 free?
Yes. Contact Form 7 is free to use.
How much does Contact Form 7 cost?
Contact Form 7 lists one plan. Plugin: $0.
What platforms does Contact Form 7 work on?
Contact Form 7 is available on Web.
Does Contact Form 7 have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Contact Form 7 is listed for Web.
Does Contact Form 7 have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Contact Form 7 is listed for Web.
Is Contact Form 7 open source?
Yes. Contact Form 7 is open source, according to its own site.
Who makes Contact Form 7?
Contact Form 7 is made by Rock Lobster Inc.
What are the alternatives to Contact Form 7?
The closest alternatives to Contact Form 7 in our directory are WPForms, Gravity Forms, Ninja Forms, Fluent Forms and Formidable Forms.
How does Contact Form 7 compare with other form and survey tools?
Contact Form 7's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 13 of the 60 other form and survey tools we grade, and level with 10.
Is Contact Form 7 good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Contact Form 7 C for value for money. Contact Form 7 has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Contact Form 7?
Contact Form 7 is free, so making your own would save you nothing. That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 37 of the 60 other form and survey tools grade higher.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Contact Form 7’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from the Contact Form 7 plugin page on WordPress.org on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Rock Lobster Inc. Prices change, so check contactform7.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Contact Form 7, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/contact-form-7
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Contact Form 7: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/contact-form-7
Know someone choosing between form and survey tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/contact-form-7/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded form and survey tools after Contact Form 7, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Forms & Surveys Insider's GuideEvery one of the 61 form and survey tools we grade, compared
- Google Forms Insider's GuideForm, survey and quiz builder that comes with a Google Account3.2 GPA
- Jotform Insider's GuideNo-code form builder with payments, e-signatures and workflows3.0 GPA
- Fillout Insider's GuideForm builder with unlimited seats, payments and scheduling2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Contact Form 7’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Contact Form 7 is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Rock Lobster Inc. Prices and plans change: check contactform7.com before you buy.