Formidable Forms vs FormLayer (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Contact Form Plugins top 10: Formidable Forms at #8 and FormLayer at #50. Formidable Forms leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Formidable Forms
Formidable Forms – WordPress Form Builder for Contact Forms, Calculators, Quizzes & More
The most powerful drag and drop WordPress form builder for contact forms, payment forms, calculators, quizzes, surveys, and data-driven applications.
FormLayer
Build fast and powerful contact forms in WordPress with an intuitive drag-and-drop builder packed with smart features.
Who leads on what
Formidable Forms leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Formidable Forms ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #50 in Contact Form Plugins.
Formidable Forms has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Formidable Forms has 1,381, FormLayer has 0. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Formidable Forms has more reviews behind its score: 1,381 against 0.
Formidable Forms was updated more recently, on August 27, 2026; FormLayer on August 25, 2026.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Formidable Forms
Pick Formidable Forms if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
FormLayer
FormLayer does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Formidable Forms vs FormLayer side by side
| Formidable Forms | FormLayer | |
|---|---|---|
| Contact Form Plugins ranking | #8 | #50 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 0.0 |
| Reviews | 1,381 | 0 |
| Active installs | 300,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 27,699,606 | 116,215 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 27, 2026 | Aug 25, 2026 |
| First published | Dec 12, 2009 | May 26, 2026 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.0 | – |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Formidable Forms ratings
FormLayer ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither Formidable Forms nor FormLayer can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Contact Form Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Formidable Forms vs FormLayer: common questions
Is Formidable Forms better than FormLayer?
Formidable Forms leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Formidable Forms ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #50 in Contact Form Plugins.
Which has more users, Formidable Forms or FormLayer?
Formidable Forms ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #50 in Contact Form Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Formidable Forms or FormLayer?
Formidable Forms has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
Are Formidable Forms and FormLayer free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Formidable Forms is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. FormLayer may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Formidable Forms and FormLayer
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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