Formidable Forms Pro is a WordPress form builder that goes beyond simple form creation by letting you display form entries on the front end as searchable, filterable views. This means you can create a form for users to submit data, then display that data as a directory, directory listing, or table on your site — without needing a separate database plugin. The plugin includes a drag-and-drop form builder with 20+ field types, conditional logic, multi-page forms, and a calculation engine that supports real-time arithmetic. For developers building front-end submissions or data display applications, Formidable Forms fills a gap that standard form builders like Gravity Forms don’t address — the ability to display submitted data publicly.
The plugin stores form data in custom database tables with efficient querying for front-end views. It includes hooks for extending form validation, entry processing, and email notifications programmatically.
Competitive Features
- Front-end views — display form entries as tables, lists, calendars, or directories
- Calculation engine — real-time calculations with arithmetic, date math, and conditional formulas
- Visual form builder — drag-and-drop builder with 20+ field types and live preview
- Conditional logic — show/hide fields and sections based on field values and user roles
- Multi-page forms — split forms into pages with progress bar and page validation
- Post submissions — create WordPress posts, pages, or custom post types from form entries
- File uploads — single and multi-file uploads with drag-and-drop and file type restrictions
Key Features
- View types — table, list, grid, calendar, and map views for displaying submitted data
- Search and filter — add search boxes and dropdown filters to front-end views
- Lookup fields — populate dropdown options from database entries, taxonomies, or custom values
- Data import/export — import entries from CSV and export submitted data to CSV or Excel
- Email routing — conditional email notifications based on form field values
- API access — REST API for form CRUD and entry management
- GDPR tools — data anonymization, entry expiration, and consent checkboxes
Comparison with Competitors
Formidable Forms Pro vs Gravity Forms
| Aspect | Formidable Forms Pro | Gravity Forms |
|---|---|---|
| Form builder | Drag-and-drop | Drag-and-drop |
| Front-end views | Yes (built-in) | No (entries in admin only) |
| Calculation engine | Yes (advanced) | Basic (merge tags) |
| Post submissions | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-page forms | Yes | Yes |
| REST API | Yes | Yes |
Bottom line: Gravity Forms is more affordable and has a larger add-on ecosystem. Formidable Forms Pro is the only form builder that can display submitted data on the front end, making it the better choice for directories, listings, and data collection applications.
Recommended Stack: Formidable Forms Pro handles complex data collection and display. For email automation based on form submissions, integrate with FluentCRM to trigger sequences when new entries are submitted.
Official Changelog
Version 6.35
Release Date: September 9, 2026
- Security: More strict sanitizing is now applied to entry key values before it gets used in the HTML of a form.
- Security: The value that records who last saved an entry is now always set from the current user, not allowing for any custom values unless importing.
- New: The shortcodes list now offers show options for more types, and long names are truncated so the list stays readable.
- New: The Processor column on the Payments list page can now be sorted.
- New: A message is now shown on the Payments list page after bulk deleting.
- New: The required email input used for Stripe Link payments will now display a required asterisk like other required inputs.
- New: A new frm_builder_after_field_label hook has been added for adding content after a label in the builder.
- New: A new frm_payment_user_id filter has been added for setting which user a payment belongs to.
Version 6.34
Release Date: August 27, 2026
- Security: Additional validation has been added to guarantee that submitted HTML in form data by untrusted users cannot be used for XSS.
- New: Address fields are now included in Lite.
- New: Address field data is included in PayPal Commerce credit card payments when defined in payment action settings to help prevent entries from incorrectly getting flagged as fraud.
- New: Buttons on admin pages will now shrink slightly when clicked, to give a more tactile response.
- Fix: Additional checks have been added to make sure that pages will not result in 404 errors when Gated Content actions are not actually defined for the page.
- Fix: Captcha field labels no longer use labels to prevent orphaned label issues since the label cannot reference the input in an iframe.
- Fix: A JS error would occur when removing the last layout class from a field.
- Fix: The JS spam token would get added to a form multiple times when multiple forms were on a page.
Version 6.33.1
Release Date: July 16, 2026
- Fix: Public taxonomy pages could result in 404 errors, caused by a missing check in the new Gated Content actions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are front-end views?
Front-end views let you display form entries on your website as tables, lists, calendars, or maps. For example, a real estate agent can create a property listing form, then display all submitted properties as a searchable directory on the front end.
Does Formidable Forms support calculations?
Yes. The calculation engine supports addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, date difference, and conditional calculations. Results update in real-time as the user fills out the form.
Can I create WordPress posts from form submissions?
Yes. Formidable Forms can create WordPress posts, pages, or custom post types from submitted data. You map form fields to post fields and custom meta, and the post is created automatically on submission.
How do front-end views work with search?
Views include configurable search boxes and dropdown filters. Visitors can search by keyword, filter by category, sort by date or field values, and paginate through results.
Does Formidable Forms support file uploads?
Yes. The File Upload field allows single and multiple file uploads with drag-and-drop support. File types and sizes can be restricted, and uploaded files are stored in the WordPress media library.
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