Gravity Forms is the developer standard. Are you one?
Gravity Forms is built for developers and agencies managing complex WordPress workflows. If you run a business website and need to collect leads, accept payments, or manage registrations, Everest Forms covers all of it without the infrastructure overhead.
Honest Comparison
When Gravity Forms is the right choice
Gravity Forms has spent over a decade becoming the go-to form plugin for WordPress developers and agencies.
For the right use case, it remains one of the best options available.
Custom development
You build custom WordPress solutions using hooks, filters, and bespoke business logic tied directly to your forms.
Complex data routing
Your forms drive business logic — routing data across systems, triggering workflows, or integrating with bespoke third-party APIs.
Agency client work
You manage highly customized client projects where forms are part of a larger application rather than a standalone tool.
Existing GF ecosystem
Your workflow already depends on Gravity Forms-specific add-ons or integrations that have no equivalent elsewhere.
If that’s your situation, Gravity Forms is probably the right choice. If it isn’t, keep reading.
There’s a simpler form builder for WordPress websites
If your goal is collecting leads, accepting payments, and managing submissions, you don’t need a developer tool. Everest Forms gives you the tools most websites actually use — without the need to touch a line of code.
Generous Free Version
Gravity Forms has no free plan — you pay before you build a single form. Everest Forms is free to install with no time limit. The free plan covers contact forms, lead capture, and simple registrations without spending anything.
AI Form Builder
Gravity Forms has no built-in AI builder. A third-party add-on exists but require a separate purchase and your own OpenAI API key. Everest Forms includes AI form generation out of the box. Describe what you need, it builds the form. No API key, no add-on, no extra cost.
No-code Styling
Both plugins have drag-and-drop builders for form structure. But styling Gravity Forms to match your brand typically means writing CSS. Everest Forms includes a visual styler — colors, fonts, spacing — controlled with point-and-click. No stylesheet, no developer needed.
Free (No API Key)
$159/year
$49/year
$259/year
$49/year
Pricing philosophy
Pay for sites. Not features.
With Gravity Forms, features and integrations are spread across pricing tiers. You choose a plan based on what you need access to.
With Everest Forms, every paid plan includes the same features. The only difference is the number of sites you can use them on. You’re choosing a license — not deciding which functionality you can afford.
Real cost over time
What Gravity Forms actually costs over three years
To get Stripe payments and all features on Gravity Forms, you need the Elite license. Here’s how that stacks up against Everest Forms Personal — which includes every feature from day one.
Gravity Forms Elite at $259/yr. Everest Forms Personal at $49 first year, $69/yr renewal. Prices current as of 2026.
You save over 3 years
$590That’s the difference between Gravity Forms Elite and Everest Forms Personal — both with every feature included.
See Everest Forms pricingThe reason for the gap
Gravity Forms has no free version. Everest Forms is free to install and try before you commit
Gravity Forms gates Stripe, surveys, and other key features behind the $259/yr Elite tier
Everest Forms Personal includes every feature — payments, multi-step, AI builder, analytics — on the entry plan
What’s included
Everything a business website needs
Focused on the use cases most sites actually have — not developer infrastructure most sites never touch.
Drag and drop builder
Add, reorder, and configure fields visually. No code required to build any form type.
Stripe payments
Collect payments directly through your forms. Included on all paid plans without an add-on upgrade.
Multi-step forms
Split long forms into steps with progress indicators to reduce abandonment on registrations and surveys.
AI form builder
Describe the form you need in plain language and Everest Forms generates it. Available on all plans, no Gravity Forms equivalent.
Email marketing
Connect form submissions directly to Mailchimp, ConvertKit, and other email platforms without extra plugins.
Form analytics
Track views, submissions, and conversion rates per form. See which fields cause drop-off without leaving WordPress.
Who it’s for
Built for website owners, not just developers
Small businesses
Collect leads, take appointment bookings, and process service payments without needing a developer to set anything up.
Common forms:
Contact, quote request, booking, payment
Freelancers and creators
Run your own site without a technical team. Build the forms you need, manage entries, and connect your email list — all from WordPress.
Common forms:
Contact, newsletter signup, project inquiry, survey
Marketers and agencies
Launch lead gen campaigns, run event registrations, and connect form data to your marketing stack — without developer support for every campaign.
Common forms:
Lead capture, event registration, feedback, gated content
Common questions
Questions about switching
Can I migrate my existing Gravity Forms forms to Everest Forms?
There is no automated migration tool, but most business forms — contact, payment, registration, survey — take only minutes to rebuild with Everest Forms’ drag-and-drop builder or AI form generator. For complex setups, the documentation covers field types and settings in full.
Does Everest Forms work with my theme and page builder?
Yes. Everest Forms works with any WordPress theme and embeds via shortcode or block into Elementor, Divi, Beaver Builder, Gutenberg, and all major page builders. No special integration required.
Is Stripe payment processing included on the basic paid plan?
Yes. Stripe payments are available on all Everest Forms paid plans. You are not required to upgrade to a higher tier to accept payments, unlike Gravity Forms where Stripe is gated to a higher license level.
What happens to my form entries if I switch?
Gravity Forms entries stay in your database under its own tables and are not transferred automatically. Everest Forms stores all new entries in its own entries system. For historical Gravity Forms data, you can export to CSV before deactivating the plugin.
Is there a free version I can try before buying?
Yes. Everest Forms has a permanently free version available on WordPress.org. It includes the drag-and-drop builder, unlimited forms, entry storage, and basic email notifications — no trial period, no credit card required. Gravity Forms has no free version.
Everest Forms
Start free. Add what you need when you need it.
Install Everest Forms free and build your first form today. No credit card, no developer, no tier decisions on day one.
Free forever · No entry limits · Works with any WordPress theme