Contact Form 7 Gated Content
Gate files behind your Contact Form 7 forms.
Consider an alternative
Contact Form 7 Gated Content shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 700+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 2 years ago, and scores 37/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (700+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in over a year
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.7 (latest is 7.1)
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where Contact Form 7 Gated Content stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| cf7 | >100 |
| contact form | >100 |
| contact form 7 | >100 |
| form | >100 |
| gated content | #4 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews
About Contact Form 7 Gated Content
From the official readme · v1.5.0Description
Contact Form 7 Gated Content is a lead-capture extension for Contact Form 7. This plugin adds options to your CF7 forms to gate access to a file so users don’t see a download button until after the form has been successfully submitted. Repeat visitors will be presented with the download button only, so repeat form submissions are not required.
Image Credit: Uehara, Konen, Artist. Secchū Mimeguri. Japan, None. [Between 1900 and 1920] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2008660511/.
Supported Versions
We support and test against CF7 versions 5.2, and 6.0. Earlier or later versions may not behave as expected. If you need support for a version before 5.2, download and install version 1.4.4 or earlier of CF7 Gated Content.
Issues?
If you’re experiencing an issue with the plugin, please file an issue on our GitHub.
Installation
This section describes how to install the plugin and get it working.
- Upload the contents of
/contact-form-7-gated-content/to the/wp-content/plugins/directory - Activate the Contact Form 7 Gated Content Plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of files can I gate?
Anything that can be uploaded to the WordPress media library.
Can the download button be customized?
Yes! You can customize the output of the download box with CSS, or you can add this snippet to your theme\’s functions.php file: function my_content_button($url, $button_text, $button_classes, $content) { return "$button_text"; } add_filter('wpcf7_gated_content_button', 'my_content_button', 10, 3);
Can I disable the default CSS?
Yes! The default CSS can be disabled on a per-form basis.
Does this secure my files?
No! Gating content does not secure it from outside access. While it does restrict visibility of a download link to those who have completed your form, it does nothing to make the file private. Anyone with the attachment link or a properly formatted cookie will be able to access your file.
Changelog
- 1.0.8 Add art assets
- 1.0.1 Fix deployment issues
- 1.0.0 Initial release
- 1.2.0 Fix issue with multiple download buttons
- 1.3.0 Fix issue with breaking other shortcodes
- 1.4.0 Added option for setting download target; fix bug where we always show download button; add option to disable download button
- 1.4.1 Fix bug with default option for enabling forms set to false
Screenshots
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
Best Contact Form 7 Gated Content alternatives
All cf7 plugins →
FAQ
Contact Form 7 Gated Content: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 8, 2026
Is Contact Form 7 Gated Content free?
Yes. Contact Form 7 Gated Content is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Contact Form 7 Gated Content safe to use in 2026?
Contact Form 7 Gated Content shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 700+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 2 years ago, and scores 37/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Contact Form 7 Gated Content?
Contact Form 7 Gated Content is active on 700+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 18,424 times since it launched in September 2018. It was downloaded 240 times in the last 30 days.
Does Contact Form 7 Gated Content work with WordPress 7.1?
Contact Form 7 Gated Content is officially tested up to WordPress 6.7.10, while the latest release is 7.1.3. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
What PHP version does Contact Form 7 Gated Content need?
Contact Form 7 Gated Content requires PHP 5.6 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was Contact Form 7 Gated Content last updated?
The latest version, 1.5.0, was released on February 19, 2025 (2 years ago).
Who makes Contact Form 7 Gated Content?
Contact Form 7 Gated Content is developed and maintained by Wyatt Kirby.
What are the best alternatives to Contact Form 7 Gated Content?
The most popular alternatives to Contact Form 7 Gated Content are Database Addon for Contact… (600K+ installs), GSheetConnector (40K+ installs) and CF7 to Webhook (30K+ installs).
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