Gravity Forms and Ninja Forms are fierce WordPress form creation rivals. Ninja Forms lures you with a generous free core and modular add-ons. Gravity Forms offers robust reliability but requires a paid commitment. We help you choose the best foundational tool for your workflow.
The Reliable, Robust WordPress Form Workflow.
We found Gravity Forms to be highly effective for users needing complex, reliable data capture and workflow automation within WordPress. The system is known for its versatility and is backed by exceptional, responsive customer support. Overall, this is the premier choice for professional developers and agencies who require powerful form functionality.
Robust Builder, Inconsistent Service
We appreciate Ninja Forms for its robust core plugin and highly modular payment structure, offering genuine value for growing businesses. However, external feedback shows severe inconsistency in technical support responsiveness, particularly regarding critical bug fixes. Overall, the product is feature-rich and reliable for core functions, but we urge caution for users dependent on immediate priority support for premium add-ons.
Gravity Forms is the complete WordPress form management plugin you'll ever need. It's designed to help you move beyond simple contact forms and start using your captured data for good.
The platform provides an intuitive visual editor, making form creation easy and fast. You can quickly build powerful custom forms from scratch or kickstart your flow using helpful pre-built contact, payment, or survey templates. This solution is trusted by thousands of web professionals and big brands alike. 💡
Ninja Forms is a robust, reliable WordPress forms plugin. Over 50,000,000 downloads show it is a foundation of the WordPress platform. This tool is built to handle anything from simple contact forms to advanced industrial applications. The drag-and-drop builder makes form creation straightforward and highly customizable. It’s perfect for growing businesses, organizations, and professional developers doing client work. 💡
We highlight the main differences and pick a winner for each feature.
Ninja Forms has an unbeatable, powerful free Core version. Gravity Forms requires paying an annual fee upfront for access.
Gravity Forms does not offer a free version or traditional trial period. Users must commit to an annual license starting at $59. You can, however, explore a fully functional online demo before purchasing. The company backs this commitment with a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Ninja Forms offers a highly robust Core plan that is completely free to download. This Core plan includes unlimited sites, submissions, and 28+ field options. It provides full functionality for many essential form building needs. Ninja Forms is the clear entry-point winner for budget-conscious starters. You must immediately invest to use Gravity Forms on your site. The free Core plan of Ninja Forms is perfect for budget-conscious site managers. It provides serious anti-spam and submission management without the upgrade pressure.
Gravity Forms uses mandatory bundles for feature access. Ninja Forms lets you buy individual add-ons, ensuring budget control.
Gravity Forms uses a mandatory bundle system across three tiers. You must upgrade from Basic to Pro to access core features like payment gateways. Reaching the most advanced features requires the Elite License bundle. Ninja Forms pricing is highly flexible and modular for users. You can purchase specific add-ons individually as your needs evolve. This prevents unexpected bundle costs when you only need one specialized function. Ninja Forms supports granular growth, only paying for specific features. Gravity Forms provides better guaranteed value within its top-tier Elite bundle. This modular approach means Ninja Forms is excellent for specialized, low-volume projects with restricted budgets.
Gravity Forms support is consistently praised as exceptional and rapid. Ninja Forms support is currently reported as inconsistent for serious issues.
Gravity Forms users consistently report exceptional, rapid, and knowledgeable customer support. Receiving quick email replies from support staff is a common positive review theme. Priority support is included for users on the Elite License tier. Ninja Forms provides priority support for paid plans, aiming for a 24-hour response time. Recent user reviews indicate severe inconsistency and lack of transparency when addressing critical bugs. Some users waited weeks for fixes or updates on paid add-ons. If mission-critical support is essential for your business, Gravity Forms has a better reputation for unwavering reliability. Ninja Forms support seems volatile based on current public reports. A developer managing complex client sites needs the dependable and rapid support Gravity Forms provides to minimize downtime.
Ninja Forms includes powerful data calculations for free. Gravity Forms locks this feature behind its highest-cost Elite license.
Gravity Forms requires the top-tier Elite license bundle to access its calculation features. This makes it a significant investment for users who need complex math functions. It is not available in the Basic or Pro license bundles. Ninja Forms includes powerful advanced calculation functionality directly in the free Core plugin. This feature expertly handles pricing calculations and self-scoring quizzes. Ninja Forms provides this complex feature completely free of charge. Gravity Forms requires the most expensive $259 annual investment for the same core capability. Free data calculations in Ninja Forms are perfect for educators building self-grading quizzes or businesses needing quick price estimators.
Both tools offer unlimited site licenses at the Elite level. Gravity Forms adds Multisite support for ultimate scalability.
Gravity Forms' Elite License is designed for agencies and developers managing many clients. It supports unlimited site installations and includes WordPress Multisite functionality. This provides maximum power and flexibility for system deployment. Ninja Forms' Elite plan also provides unlimited site usage and access to all add-ons. Their free Core plan also paradoxically allows unlimited site installations for basic functionality. Both providers scale well using their respective top-tier Elite plans. Gravity Forms is the established choice for professional, mission-critical agency deployments. Consolidating client management under one license is easier with the comprehensive features of Gravity Forms Elite.
Ninja Forms actively markets tools for HIPAA and PCI compliance. Gravity Forms focuses heavily on general security and WCAG 2.1AA standards.
Gravity Forms prioritizes security with its 'virtual airlock' approach to user data. The platform provides tools to create forms that are WCAG 2.1AA accessible. General GDPR compliance is part of the overall platform architecture. Ninja Forms offers specific, comprehensive tools to help manage requirements for HIPAA, PCI, GDPR, and CCPA. This allows organizations in highly regulated sectors better granular control over PII. Ninja Forms actively supports organizations needing to meet stringent specific compliance standards like HIPAA. Gravity Forms focuses more on reliability and universal accessibility standards. If you manage forms for healthcare or finance, Ninja Forms offers the specialized compliance tools you likely require.
Gravity Forms' Pro bundle includes PayPal, Stripe, and Square. Ninja Forms requires the Pro plan for Stripe and the Plus plan for PayPal.
Gravity Forms requires the Pro License ($159/year) to unlock key payment processing. This bundle includes integrations for Stripe, PayPal, and Square. This gives users several options for secure online transactions. Ninja Forms offers standalone PayPal integration starting on the cheaper Plus plan ($59.40/year). Stripe, Authorize.net, and Elavon are reserved for the higher-cost Pro plan. Gravity Forms includes Square in its mid-tier bundle, offering diverse processing options instantly. Ninja Forms separates its payment gateways across different paid tiers. If you specifically rely on Square for payment processing, Gravity Forms is the required choice.
Both offer excellent integrations with major marketing tools and CRMs. Gravity Forms starts with marketing tools earlier.
Gravity Forms starts connecting to core marketing tools like HubSpot and Mailchimp on the Basic License. Advanced CRMs like Salesforce are accessible on the top-tier Elite license. This provides a strong path for lead capture. Ninja Forms dedicates its full CRM suite (HubSpot, Salesforce, ZohoCRM) to the Pro plan tier. This integration is necessary for connecting complex sales pipelines. Gravity Forms provides access to essential marketing services at the entry-level Basic price. Ninja Forms saves the deepest CRM connections for its higher-value bundles. An entry-level user can immediately start automating email marketing with Gravity Forms' Basic license.
The choice between Gravity Forms and Ninja Forms boils down to reliability versus flexibility. Both tools build excellent forms, but they serve different priorities. Gravity Forms is the reliable pro choice for established, high-volume teams. Ninja Forms is best for modular growth starting immediately at zero cost. Gravity Forms’ superpower is its unwavering professional reliability and support structure. Users consistently praise its fast, knowledgeable customer service staff responsiveness. Its robust Elite bundle provides unlimited sites and top-tier features like Conversational Forms. Choose Gravity Forms if consistent, fast support underpins your complex, mission-critical projects. Ninja Forms excels at remarkable flexibility and highly low entry costs. Its Core plan is genuinely free, offering unlimited forms and advanced calculations. You can buy individual add-ons, avoiding costly bundle upgrades for minor feature needs. Ninja Forms also provides detailed tools for compliance standards like HIPAA and PCI. The primary deciding factor is how your team values support versus budget control and compliance. If you run a high-stakes agency workflow, Gravity Forms' proven reliability warrants the investment. If you are starting or budget-constrained, Ninja Forms’ free Core option offers unbeatable initial value. Pick Gravity Forms for the highest-rated customer support and required mission-critical reliability. Choose Ninja Forms if the free Core plugin meets your basic needs or if you require specialized HIPAA and PCI compliance features.
Ninja Forms is better for the budget-conscious small team. Its free Core plan offers powerful features like unlimited submissions. Gravity Forms requires an annual investment from day one for access.
No, Gravity Forms does not offer a free version or traditional free trial. You must purchase an annual license to start using the plugin. They do offer a fully functional online demo environment to test features.
Both offer excellent CRM support, but Gravity Forms starts integration with marketing tools like HubSpot sooner. Ninja Forms reserves its full CRM suite (Salesforce, Zoho) for the Pro plan tiers.
Ninja Forms' first-year pricing is discounted by 40% across all paid plans. Subsequent years will auto-renew at the full, undiscounted price. Gravity Forms pricing does not rely on an introductory discount.
Ninja Forms offers specialized, dedicated tools to achieve HIPAA and PCI compliance. Gravity Forms focuses on general security and superior WCAG accessibility compliance.
Gravity Forms support is consistently rated as exceptional, rapid, and trustworthy. Ninja Forms support is currently inconsistent and slow to address critical bugs in paid add-ons.
Both tools have their strengths. Choose based on your specific needs.