> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://kb.craftformswp.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://kb.craftformswp.com/documentation/why-craftforms.md).

# Why CraftForms?

[**CraftForms**](https://craftformswp.com/) is a WordPress form builder plugin built entirely on the native **Gutenberg editor**. Instead of learning a proprietary interface, you build and manage forms using the same block editor you already use for your WordPress content.

The plugin covers the full lifecycle of a form: building fields, collecting submissions, sending email notifications, and managing delivery — all from within your WordPress dashboard, with no external services required.

***

### What CraftForms Does

* **Build forms** with standard and advanced fields using the Gutenberg block editor
* **Collect and store submissions** as structured database records inside WordPress
* **Send** email notifications as **plain text** **or fully designed HTML email templates**
* **Log email delivery** so you always know what was sent and when
* **Configure SMTP servers** per-form to control how emails are dispatched
* Define submit actions to decide what happens on each form submission — **save a record, send an email, register a user, create a post, or combine several actions at once**
* **Calculate prices dynamically** using formulas and lookup tables; evaluate server-side on submission
* **Accept bookings with per-date and per-slot inventory tracking**
* Process **payments via Stripe** (hosted checkout or inline embedded form)
* **Expose REST API endpoints** for form submissions, suitable for headless setups and external integrations

***

### Free <a href="#free" id="free"></a>

#### Fields <a href="#fields" id="fields"></a>

* **Text input** — supports text, email, URL, password, number, date, time, phone, and search; configurable min/max, pattern validation, autocomplete, placeholder
* **Textarea** — multi-line text with configurable height and validation
* **Select** — dropdown with optional image and color swatches; square or circle option shapes
* **Radio buttons** — single-choice selection with the same swatch styling as Select
* **Checkboxes** — multi-choice with configurable minimum and maximum selections; per-option image and color swatches
* [**Infoblock**](/documentation/form-building/create-form/blocks/infoblock.md) — displays form field values in real time as the user fills in the form; no JavaScript or shortcodes required

#### Form Settings <a href="#form-settings" id="form-settings"></a>

* Default and Modern form styles — switchable from the form settings panel; no CSS required; both are theme-aware
* 2 form starters: contact form and inquiry form — fully editable blocks
* Invisible spam protection — scores mouse movement, focus events, keystroke patterns, timing, and paste behavior; bots blocked server-side before submission is processed; no CAPTCHA, no checkbox

#### Submit Actions <a href="#submit-actions" id="submit-actions"></a>

* **Save submission** — stores every field value as a structured database record; browsable, searchable, and exportable from the admin panel
* **Send plain-text email** — recipient address, subject, and body support `{{field_name}}` variables
* **Send HTML email** — uses a template built in the Email Template designer; supports the same `{{field_name}}` variables
* **Webhook** — sends a POST request to a configured URL on every submission; payload includes all field values as JSON

#### Starters (Free) <a href="#starters-free" id="starters-free"></a>

Form starters — fully editable blocks, not locked templates:

* Contact Form
* Customer Survey
* Event RSVP
* Feedback Form
* Inquiry Form
* Lead Capture
* Support Request

Email template starters — ready-to-use HTML email designs built in the Email Template designer:

* Contact Form Auto-Reply
* Customer Survey Confirmation
* Event RSVP Confirmation
* Feedback Form Confirmation
* Inquiry Form Auto-Reply
* Lead Capture Confirmation
* Support Request Confirmation

#### Email <a href="#email" id="email"></a>

* **Email Template designer** — build responsive HTML emails in Gutenberg; insert `{{field_name}}` variables anywhere; auto-compiled to optimised HTML on save; reusable across multiple forms and actions
* **Email log** — records every outgoing email: recipient, subject, timestamp, delivery status (success or failure), and full message body
* **SMTP configuration** — add multiple SMTP servers, assign per form, test the connection from the admin panel

#### Integration <a href="#integration" id="integration"></a>

* **CF7 importer** — converts Contact Form 7 forms to CraftForms blocks (fields, labels, basic validation)
* **Shortcode** — `[craftforms id="123"]` works in any post, page, custom post type, Classic Editor field, text widget, or third-party block
* **Elementor widget** — native CraftForms widget in the Elementor panel; full form functionality (calculations, conditional logic, validation, spam protection) renders inside any Elementor section
* **Bricks element** — native CraftForms element in the Bricks builder panel; insert and configure without custom markup

***

### Free Version Complete Overview

{% embed url="<https://youtu.be/YfuFJeu4Msc>" %}

***

### Pro <a href="#pro" id="pro"></a>

#### Fields <a href="#fields-1" id="fields-1"></a>

* **File upload** — MIME type verified server-side (browser-reported extension not trusted); hard blocklist rejects executable and script file types; stored in session-bound temporary directories until submission succeeds, then imported automatically into the WordPress Media Library; configurable accepted file types and size limit
* **Booking datepicker** — three modes:
  * Hotel-style (checkin/checkout range) — minimum and maximum nights, blocked days of the week, no-checkin and no-checkout day restrictions
  * Fixed time slots (date + time) — configurable slot interval in minutes; unavailable slots removed automatically based on confirmed bookings
  * Single-date — calendar-based date selection
  * Advance notice requirement and bookable date window restrictions configurable on all modes

#### Calculations & Smart Variables <a href="#calculations--smart-variables" id="calculations--smart-variables"></a>

* **Smart Variables** — virtual values defined on the form, not visible to the user; available in price formulas, conditional logic, and submission records; three types:
  * Expression — formula using field values and 50+ built-in functions (math, rounding, array operations, date arithmetic, string manipulation)
  * Price matrix — 2D lookup table driven by two field values; importable and exportable as CSV; lookup strategies: exact-match, closest-up, or closest
  * Linked field — maps a radio, checkbox, or select option value to its human-readable label; when option values are machine-readable codes, the Linked field resolves them to the display label so it can be shown in the Info block and stored in submission records
* Smart Variables resolve in dependency order automatically; one variable can reference another
* **Price calculation** — designate any Smart Variable as the form price; evaluated server-side on submission (client-side values not trusted); configurable currency (18 supported) and number format (US, European, Swiss, Scandinavian); live estimate displayed to user before submit; calculated price flows into the payment step, order record, and email templates

#### Logic <a href="#logic" id="logic"></a>

* **Conditional logic** — show/hide fields, enable/disable fields, show/hide any HTML element by CSS selector; conditions test any field value or Smart Variable against: equals, not-equals, is-empty, is-not-empty, one-of, any-of, all-of, none-of; multiple conditions combinable with AND or OR; runs entirely in the browser with no round-trips

#### Submit Actions <a href="#submit-actions-1" id="submit-actions-1"></a>

* **Register user** — maps form fields to WordPress user properties: username, email, password, first name, last name, display name, role, and custom user meta; automatic password generation if no password field; duplicate username and email detection; optional welcome email
* **Create post** — maps form fields to post properties: title, content, excerpt, author, publish date, slug, status (published, draft, pending, private), categories, tags, custom taxonomies, and custom fields; supports all public post types

#### Integration <a href="#integration-1" id="integration-1"></a>

* **Embed form** — each form generates a self-sizing snippet; paste it on any external website or standalone landing page outside WordPress; the form runs fully — calculations, conditional logic, validation, spam protection — inside the embed

#### REST API <a href="#rest-api" id="rest-api"></a>

* Custom endpoint slug per form (replaces default UUID with a readable name)
* Cross-origin (external) submissions — accept POST requests from other domains
* Required request headers — define key:value pairs every external request must include; acts as lightweight API key
* Custom form action URL — point the form at a completely external handler
* Full REST endpoints: submission management, email and SMTP management, CSV/JSON export

#### Commerce/Booking <a href="#commercebooking" id="commercebooking"></a>

* **Catalog** — define bookable services, rentals, or products as resources; attach a resource to a form; the same resource can be bookable through multiple forms on different pages
* **Inventory** — per-date and per-slot availability tracking for booking resources; stock quantity tracking for products; pre-submission availability check prevents overselling before an order is saved
* **Orders** — created on paid or confirmed submission; status lifecycle: pending → confirmed → paid → cancelled → refunded; stores customer data, line items, booking dates, total, currency, and payment details; identified by a secure token (not a sequential ID)
* **Stripe payments** — two integration modes:
  * Hosted Checkout — redirect to Stripe-hosted payment page after form submit; webhook confirms payment and updates order status
  * Embedded Elements — Stripe card form renders inline inside the CraftForms form; single-flow checkout without leaving the page
  * Both modes: HMAC-SHA256 webhook signature verification, test/live key separation, server-side price validation (amount charged always matches server-calculated total)
* **Order Summary block** — drop on any page to display order reference, status, total, and date from the URL token; no configuration required
* **iCal sync** — inbound: paste external platform feed URL (Airbnb, Booking.com, Google Calendar); WordPress fetches it hourly and marks those dates unavailable in inventory; outbound: generates a private .ics feed URL per resource for external platforms to pull confirmed bookings; availability stays consistent in both directions automatically

#### Starters (Pro) <a href="#starters-pro" id="starters-pro"></a>

Five additional form starters, unlocked with Pro:

* Booking Form — booking datepicker, per-slot inventory, and price calculation pre-configured
* Bug Report
* Event Ticket — ticket quantity, price formula, and order flow pre-configured
* Job Application
* Quote Request Form — live price display and Smart Variables pre-configured

Five additional email template starters, unlocked with Pro:

* Booking Form Confirmation
* Bug Report Confirmation
* Event Ticket Confirmation
* Job Application Confirmation
* Quote Request Confirmation

***

<a href="https://craftformswp.com/#buyCf" class="button primary">Buy PRO version</a>

***

### Looking for our roadmap? [It is here](/documentation/roadmap.md)!

***

### Getting Started

* [Installation](/documentation/installation.md) — how to install and activate CraftForms
* [Creating your first form](/documentation/form-building/create-form.md#how-to-create-your-first-form-with-craftforms) — build and publish a form step by step


---

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