Head-to-head · October 2026
Vanilla Contact Form vs Vanilla Forums
Vanilla Forums comes out ahead, winning 5 of 6 head-to-head checks against Vanilla Contact Form.
Vanilla Contact Form
This is a very simple contact form plugin that uses the wp_mail() function to send messages. The form is…
| Metric | Vanilla Contact Form | Vanilla Forums |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | <10 | 100+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 44 | 112 |
| Download trend | +120% | +10.9% |
| Rating | — | 2.8/5 |
| Reviews | 0 | 17 |
| Health score | 21/100 | 28/100 |
| Last updated | 7 years ago | 6 years ago |
| Tested up to | WP 5.3.26 | WP 5.3.26 |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | 5.6+ | Any |
| First released | Jan 2020 | Feb 2011 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Vanilla Contact FormVanilla Forums
Choose Vanilla Contact Form if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (<10 active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 6 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 5.3 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Vanilla Forums if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Small user base (100+ active installs)
- Mixed reviews — 2.8/5 from 17 ratings
- No update in 6 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 5.3 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: vanilla
FAQ
Vanilla Contact Form vs Vanilla Forums: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 14, 2026
Which is better, Vanilla Contact Form or Vanilla Forums?
Vanilla Forums comes out ahead, winning 5 of 6 head-to-head checks against Vanilla Contact Form. Choose Vanilla Contact Form if you care most about download trend. Choose Vanilla Forums if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
Is Vanilla Contact Form more popular than Vanilla Forums?
Vanilla Forums is the more popular of the two with 100+ active installs, compared with <10 for Vanilla Contact Form.
Can I use Vanilla Contact Form and Vanilla Forums together?
Both plugins cover vanilla, so most sites only need one. Running two plugins that do the same job can cause conflicts and slow your site down — pick the one that fits best and remove the other.
Are Vanilla Contact Form and Vanilla Forums free?
Yes. Both are free to download from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Either may also offer paid upgrades from its developer.
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