Petal Forms
A free drag-and-drop form builder: unlimited forms, fields and entries, with phone, date, time and file upload fields included.
Solid choice
Petal Forms is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. Was last updated 3 weeks ago, and scores 64/100 on our health check.
- Actively developed — last update 3 weeks ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Small user base (<10 active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
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 Petal Forms stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| contact form | >100 |
| drag-and-drop | >100 |
| file upload | >100 |
| form builder | >100 |
| forms | >100 |
About Petal Forms
From the official readme · v1.0.2Description
Petal Forms is a lightweight WordPress form builder. Unlike the free tier of most
form plugins, it does not lock common fields (Phone, Date, Time, Number) behind
a paid upgrade, and it does not cap forms, fields, or entries.
Features
- Drag-and-drop-style form builder in wp-admin
- 13 field types out of the box, including Phone, Date, and Time — free
- Entries stored in the database, viewable and exportable to CSV
- Email notifications to the site admin, with optional confirmation email to the submitter
- Honeypot spam trap + submission rate limiting, no configuration required
- Optional Google reCAPTCHA v2 integration
- Shortcode (
[petal_form id="1"]) and a native Gutenberg block - File uploads with an extension allow-list
- Clean uninstall option — leaves no orphaned database tables unless you opt in
What this is not
The free plugin does not include payment processing (Stripe) or Mailchimp sync;
those, and AI-assisted form building, come with an optional paid upgrade available from within the plugin. It also
has no Salesforce or HubSpot integrations. Petal Forms is built for people who just
want a solid, unrestricted form builder.
External services
This plugin optionally integrates with Google reCAPTCHA to help block spam submissions. It only connects to Google’s servers if you enter a Site Key and Secret Key under Petal Forms → Settings; with no keys entered, no data is ever sent to Google.
When enabled, on every form submission the visitor’s reCAPTCHA response token and IP address are sent to Google’s siteverify API to confirm the submission is human. The reCAPTCHA widget script is also loaded from Google on any page showing a form.
This service is provided by Google: Terms of Service, Privacy Policy.
This plugin includes the Freemius SDK, which handles optional licensing and upgrades. On activation you may be asked to opt in to sharing basic usage data; nothing is sent to Freemius unless you choose to opt in, and the plugin works fully if you skip it. If you opt in, Freemius receives your name, email address, site URL and WordPress/plugin/PHP version details.
This service is provided by Freemius: Terms of Service, Privacy Policy.
Installation
- Upload the
petal-formsfolder to/wp-content/plugins/. - Activate the plugin through the “Plugins” screen in WordPress.
- Go to Petal Forms → Add New to build your first form.
- Paste the generated shortcode into any page or post, or use the Petal Forms block.
Frequently asked questions
Does this cost anything?
The plugin is free, with no caps on forms, fields or entries. An optional paid upgrade adds Stripe payments, Mailchimp sync and AI-assisted form building (using the AI provider connected in WordPress 7.0 or later); nothing described above requires it.
Where are entries stored?
In two dedicated database tables (wp_petalforms_forms and wp_petalforms_entries), created on activation. Deactivating the plugin keeps your data; deleting it does too, unless you check “Delete all forms and entries” under Petal Forms → Settings first.
Can I export entries?
Yes — Petal Forms → Entries → Export CSV.
Changelog
1.0.2
- Adds an optional upgrade path to the paid version (Stripe payments, Mailchimp sync) through the Freemius SDK. Nothing changes for the free features, and no data is sent to Freemius unless you opt in.
1.0.1
- Clearer readme, tags and screenshots.
- A single, dismissible review request on Petal Forms screens after a week of use and five entries. “Maybe later” snoozes it for 30 days; “No thanks” ends it.
1.0.0
- Initial release.
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 Petal Forms alternatives
All contact form plugins →
FAQ
Petal Forms: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 9, 2026
Is Petal Forms free?
Yes. Petal Forms is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Petal Forms safe to use in 2026?
Petal Forms is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. Was last updated 3 weeks ago, and scores 64/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Petal Forms?
Petal Forms is active on <10 WordPress websites and has been downloaded 202 times since it launched in September 2026. It was downloaded 208 times in the last 30 days.
Does Petal Forms work with WordPress 7.1?
Yes. The developer has tested Petal Forms up to WordPress 7.1.3, the latest release. It requires WordPress 5.8 or newer.
What PHP version does Petal Forms need?
Petal Forms requires PHP 7.4 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was Petal Forms last updated?
The latest version, 1.0.2, was released on September 21, 2026 (3 weeks ago).
Who makes Petal Forms?
Petal Forms is developed and maintained by satbirgandhi.
What are the best alternatives to Petal Forms?
The most popular alternatives to Petal Forms are Contact Form 7 (10M+ installs), Akismet Anti-spam: Spam Pro… (5M+ installs) and WPForms (5M+ installs).
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