Astra https://wpastra.com Fast, Lightweight & Customizable WordPress Theme for Any Website Mon, 10 Mar 2025 07:52:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 Stay Connected: Add a Contact Form to Your WordPress Website https://wpastra.com/guides-and-tutorials/wordpress-contact-form/ https://wpastra.com/guides-and-tutorials/wordpress-contact-form/#comments Mon, 10 Mar 2025 07:52:25 +0000 https://wpastra.com/?p=44415

If your website doesn’t have a contact form, you’re missing a huge opportunity. 

It’s one of the easiest ways to connect with visitors, capture leads, and have two-way conversations. 

A form keeps the conversation flowing and makes sure you never miss an opportunity.

Whether you need a quick contact form, an appointment booking, or a survey, you can build and customize a form in just a few clicks using SureForms. 

In this guide, we’ll show you exactly why contact forms are a game-changer and how you can set one up in minutes.

📩 Make it easy for visitors to reach you. Learn how to add a contact form to your WordPress site in minutes with SureForms! 📨

Why Every Website Needs a Contact Form

A contact form is more than just a way for visitors to reach you. It’s a crucial tool for communication, organization, and building a viable business. 

Here’s why every website should have one:

  • Shows you care – Having a contact form shows you care what visitors have to say.
  • Prevents spam – Hides your email from spam bots, reducing unwanted messages.
  • Generates leads  – Combine a form with copywriting and calls to action to help generate more business.
  • Ensures structured communication – Collects key details upfront, minimizing back-and-forth.
  • Organizes inquiries – Helps categorize messages from clients, customers, or collaborators.

Without a contact form, you risk missed opportunities, and nobody can afford that!

Add a Contact Form With SureForms

There are dozens of very good form plugins out there, but nothing comes close to the ease of use and flexibility of SureForms!

Here’s why we think SureForms is the ultimate form builder for WordPress:

  • AI form builder – Create forms in seconds using AI.
  • Conversational forms – Create natural-feeling forms.
  • Intuitive to use– Smart design combines power with usability.
  • Fully customizable forms – Add fields or completely change the look.

What’s even better is most of these features are available in the free version.

As that’s where most of you would start, we’ll use the free version to show you just how easy it is to create with SureForms.

We’ll create one form using AI and one manually to give you a real flavor of how it works.

Add a Contact Form With AI

Let’s kick things off by using AI to create a form.

We’re going to use our Electrician Starter Template as it has a contact form front and center.

Electrician Starter Template

It’s also a type of website where forms play a pivotal role so it’s an excellent way to show how easy adding forms is.

If you’re an Astra user, SureForms was probably added automatically when you installed a Starter Template.

If you don’t use Astra, you can add SureForms in the usual way using Plugins > Add New.

Once set up, select SureForms from the left menu and select Dashboard.

SureForms Dashboard

From here you can create a new form, view all your forms and check responses.

Select Create New Form when you’re ready.

Create a new from with SureForms

You have two ways to build a form, build from scratch or use AI.

Select Build With AI. We’ll show you how to build from scratch in a short while.

You should now see the describe your form page. Here’s where things get really clever.

Add Prompt On SureFomrs Build with AI.

You can describe the type of form you want in the main text window, just like you would with any generative AI.

There are also AI prompts underneath if you want to create even faster.

Prompt On SureFomrs Build with AI.

We typed: “Create a contact form for an electrician. Include fields for name, phone number, contact time and a text box to describe the issue.”

Hit Generate Form to begin building.

It should only take a few seconds to build your form. 

Once complete, it will open up in an editor window that looks exactly like the WordPress page or post editor.

The form should deliver exactly what you requested in your prompt.

Contact Form for Electrician Services

As you can see, our form includes fields for name, phone number, preferred contact time and a text box to describe the issue.

There are even box headers and instructions above each field to help the user.

While the form looks ready to go, you can add fields using the ‘+’ icon if you need to. 

You can also change colors, typography and layout by selecting the field and using the menu on the right, just like you would a page or post.

The form behaviour option is well worth checking out while you’re there.

Select Form Confirmation on the right and a popup window will appear.

Form Confirmation on SureForms

This is where you can configure confirmation messages, notifications, compliance and integrate SureForms with SureTriggers or webhooks.

There’s also a custom CSS option if you need it.

Once you have configured your form, hit Publish at the top right.

Now open the page you want to add your form to in a new browser tab.

Add the SureForms block wherever you want your form to appear on the page.

Add SureForms Block on Homepage

We deleted the original form and replaced it with the SureForms block as in the image above.

You’ll see a dropdown menu in the block where you can select the form you just created.

You can also create a new form from here if you need to.

Once selected, your new form will appear in the block.

SureForms on the Hero Section

Save the page when you’re happy with how it all looks and your form is ready to begin collecting leads!

Check the dashboard frequently as it logs every form submission from every form you build.

How easy was that?

It took us less than 10 minutes to set up a new form, integrate it into a page and configure it.

That’s why we like SureForms so much!

If you like the idea of using AI to build forms, wait until you try building entire websites with it!

Manually Create a Form

So you have seen how fast it is to create a form using AI. Now let’s create one by hand.

Another reason we chose the Electrician Starter Template is because it has a second form on the homepage.

Scroll down to the bottom and you’ll see another contact form.

Manually Create a Form

Let’s replace it with a new one.

This time, we deleted the existing form and added the SureForms block.

Select Save so we don’t lose the block and can refresh the form list once we’re ready.

SureForms block

Instead of selecting a form like we did before, let’s select the Create New button.

It will open the same builder options screen as before. We chose Build Form From Scratch this time round.

You’ll be taken to the form builder screen. It looks the same as the editor screen but there won’t be any fields yet.

Build Form From Scratch

Give your form a title at the top and select the ‘+’ icon in the center.

Select a field from the popup menu. If you don’t see the field, use the search box at the top to find it.

Select a field from the popup menu on SureForms

Once in place, you can customize it using the menu on the right.

To add a name, select the Text field. 

Double click where you see Text Field and replace it with the proper title.

Add extra guidance in the Help Text box on the right.

Add titles on Text Field

Rinse and repeat for all fields you want to add.

You can set whether fields are required or not using the Required toggle in the right menu.

Don’t forget you can play around with layout, styling and behaviour using the right menu.

Once you’re happy with your form, select Publish at the top right.

Go back to the page where you added the SureForms block and refresh the page.

Select the form from the dropdown to add it and select Choose.

Selecting SureForms on Block Editor

Make any adjustments and hit the blue Save button when you’re ready.

Refresh the page where you added the form and it should be ready to go!

Adding a Contact Form to Your Website

If visitors don’t have a way to contact you, you could be missing out on untold opportunities.

Considering how easy it is to add a form, there’s no reason not to do it, especially when you can do it in minutes, for free!

Form plugins like WPForms are great at what they do, but nothing comes close to the convenience of using AI to build forms.

It’s quick, easy, painless and free, although there’s a premium version of SureForms if you want to do more with them.

Do you use SureForms? What type of forms have you created? Tell us your story below!

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Introducing the Lifestyle Blogger WordPress Template https://wpastra.com/updates/introducing-lifestyle-blogger-wordpress-template/ https://wpastra.com/updates/introducing-lifestyle-blogger-wordpress-template/#respond Tue, 04 Mar 2025 08:44:50 +0000 https://wpastra.com/?p=191286

The Lifestyle Blogger WordPress template is the ideal solution for busy people who want to share their story with the world. 

Designed for bloggers, influencers, and creatives of all kinds, this template combines elegance, speed, and usability in one tidy package.

It was lovingly crafted using Astra Pro, Elementor, Ultimate Addons for Elementor and WPForms.

It installs in seconds and can be customized in minutes so you can focus on creating stories rather than building your website.

Why Use Lifestyle Blogger?

We’re all busy people. We want to spend our time living life and creating memories, not learning code or building web pages. 

That’s why we built Lifestyle Blogger.

Introducing the Lifestyle Blogger WordPress Template

The template installs in seconds, automatically adds the required tools and delivers a fully working website in no time!

Great reasons to use this template:

  • Simple, stylish design: A distraction-free layout that puts content front and center.
  • Easy to customize: Personalize everything you see on the page with built-in tools.
  • Fast and mobile-friendly: Your site will look great and load quickly on any device.
  • SEO and social media ready: Get found in search and share your posts.
  • No coding required: Customize everything with a drag and drop editor.
Introducing the Lifestyle Blogger WordPress Template

If only everything in life was as straightforward as using the Lifestyle Blogger template!

What Makes Lifestyle Blogger Stand Out?

A few standout features set Lifestyle Blogger apart from the rest:

  • Eye-catching hero section: Create a strong first impression with an appealing header that instantly sets the scene.
  • Optimized for easy reading: Thoughtful font choices and spacing deliver a smooth reading experience.
  • Built-in newsletter signup: Make it easy to grow your email list.
Introducing the Lifestyle Blogger WordPress Template
  • Featured posts section: Highlight your best content to keep readers engaged.
Introducing the Lifestyle Blogger WordPress Template
  • Social feed integration: Showcase your latest posts across your channels.
  • Custom widgets: Add author bios, recent posts, or calls to action without extra plugins. The options are endless.
  • Built for speed: Lightweight design and optimized code for fast loading times.
  • Easy import: Get up and running in minutes with streamlined demo import.

Those are just some of the many reasons to try this template!

Template Highlights

The Lifestyle Blogger template is packed with essential features for bloggers and influencers.

Whatever type of blog you want to create, you’ll find everything you need built-in.

Multiple blog layouts: Astra Pro lets you use grid, list, masonry, or classic styles to match your brand.

Introducing the Lifestyle Blogger WordPress Template

Customizable typography and colors: Personalize every aspect of your blog’s look with easy-to-use options.

Introducing the Lifestyle Blogger WordPress Template

Integrated newsletter signup: Grow your email list with built-in subscription forms.

Introducing the Lifestyle Blogger WordPress Template

Instagram feed integration: Display your latest Instagram posts for maximum engagement.

Introducing the Lifestyle Blogger WordPress Template

WooCommerce compatibility: Sell products, services, or digital downloads with full compatibility with WooCommerce and SureCart.

These are just a few of the features available. Check out the template for yourself and see what you could make with it!

Quick Setup

Installing the Lifestyle Blogger template is about as easy as it gets:

The whole process takes less than 2 minutes and can deliver a fully working website ready for customization.

What’s more, the template will automatically install the free versions of Elementor and WPForms, so there’s one less thing to do!

Ready To Become a Lifestyle Blogger?

The Lifestyle Blogger WordPress template is a must-have for anyone serious about blogging. 

With clean design, powerful features, and effortless setup, you could have a great looking blog up and running in no time. With minimal effort! 

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, this template provides everything you need to build a beautiful, engaging, and successful online presence.

Check out the Lifestyle Blogger template here and get ready to take your blog to the next level!

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SureForms: The Form Builder You’ve Been Waiting For? https://wpastra.com/review/sureforms-review/ https://wpastra.com/review/sureforms-review/#respond Mon, 24 Feb 2025 11:19:12 +0000 https://wpastra.com/?p=191060

Tired of wrestling with clunky form builders?  Dream of building intelligent forms that don’t require a PhD in coding? 

If so, SureForms may be the answer.

It promises to simplify form creation, offering a user-friendly experience without sacrificing features.

Does it work? How does it compete with other form plugins? Does it deliver on those promises?

Find out in our in-depth SureForms review!

We dive deep into everything SureForms has to offer, from its intuitive interface and drag and drop simplicity to its powerful features and integrations. 

Whether you’re a seasoned pro building complex surveys or a small business owner just trying to collect customer feedback, SureForms might just be the form builder you’ve been waiting for. 

Is SureForms as good as it looks? Does it deliver the goods? Find out in our in-depth, no holds-barred SureForms review! 🔗

What Is SureForms and What Can It Do?

SureForms is a form builder plugin for WordPress. The intent behind it is to enable anyone to build intelligent forms quickly and easily while looking good at the same time.

The real magic happens when you use the AI to help build your forms. Simply tell it what you want and it will do the rest.

In a minute or less, you’ll have a fully working form with the fields you specified ready to add to your website.

We’ll soon see if reality matches those bold claims…

Key Features

SureForms launched with something of a bang in 2024 and has already exceeded 50,000 installations just 3 months later.

That tells us a lot about the form plugin already but we think there’s much more to discover.

Key features include:

AI form builderPage builder integration
Multi-step formsInstant forms
Conversational formsSimple controls
Impressive usabilityResponsive forms
Generous free versionCompetitive pricing
Great supportQuality documentation

Pros and Cons of SureForms

Here’s what we think are the pros and cons of SureForms :

ProsCons
👍AI form building👎Advanced forms premium-only
👍Beautiful readymade forms👎Not as many features as competitors
👍Well-designed and easy to use👎Some features still ‘planned’
👍Instant form pages
👍Smart form editor
👍Supports advanced forms
👍Cheaper than rivals

A couple of the cons are down to SureForms being relatively new. 

We know the developers have plans to add more features soon, but we’re reviewing it as you would currently be able to use it.

SureForms Pricing

SureForms has a free version and 3 paid plans, Starter, Pro and Business.

SureForms pricing

Free – $0

The free plan is ideal for trying before buying. You can create most form types and even test out the AI.

  • Limited AI forms
  • Basic form types
  • Some customization options

Starter – $59

The Starter plan is the first premium option and adds:

  • Use on 1 site
  • Unlimited AI forms
  • Advanced field support
  • Multistep forms
  • Webhooks

Pro – $149

The Pro plan adds the following to Starter:

  • Use on 10 sites
  • Conversational forms
  • Zapier integration

There are additional features planned, such as digital signatures and payment support. 

Those are not currently available so we’re not counting those.

Business – $199

The Business plan is the top tier plan and adds the following to Pro.

  • Use on 1000 sites
  • A custom app builder

There are additional features planned, including calculations, a PDF generator, quizzes and surveys and polls.

Like with the Pro plan, we won’t count them as part of the plan until release.

Pricing is competitive compared to Fluent Forms and Gravity Forms.

  • SureForms is cheaper than Fluent Forms but offers fewer features. 
  • It’s also cheaper than Gravity Forms (except Starter) but has fewer integrations.

We wouldn’t mark SureForms down for that just yet though. 

The two other form plugins have been around a lot longer so have had more time to add features and integrations.

How Does SureForms Compare to Rivals?

As you’ll probably know, there’s a lot of competition in the form plugin space.

There’s Fluent Forms, Gravity Forms, Contact Form 7, WPForms, Ninja Forms and many others.

Each has their own unique take on form building, so how does SureForms compare?

Rather than compare it to every form plugin, let’s compare it to the two market leaders.

SureFormsFluent FormsGravity Forms
Best forPopular formsMost form typesMost form types
AI features✅Via ChatGPT❌
Customization✅✅✅
Form designDetailedAdvancedMedium
Form builder✅✅
Page builder integration✅✅❌
Conditional logic✅✅✅
Multi-step forms✅✅✅
Conversational forms✅✅via addon
Complex forms✅✅✅
USPAI/ease of useTemplates/flexibilityAddons
Ease of use9/108/107/10
Free version?✅✅❌
PriceFree/$199Free/$63-$239$59-$259

SureForms

SureForms is designed to be both simple to use and powerful in action. 

While it doesn’t have the same breadth of features as competitors, it has only been out a short while and the developers have bold plans!

We particularly like:

  • Well-designed dashboard
  • Amazing ease of use
  • AI is a gamechanger
  • Page builder integration adds options
  • Ambitious development roadmap

What you need to know: SureForms only launched in October 2024, yet has an impressive number of updates and feature additions already under its belt.

Fluent Forms

Fluent Forms has been around far longer so has had more time to develop.

We particularly like:

  • Drag and drop form builder
  • Advanced styling options
  • Payment and donation support
  • Conditional logic
  • Conversational forms
  • Readymade form templates

What you need to know: Fluent Forms is almost as usable as SureForms but has been around much longer so has had more time to add essential features.

Gravity Forms

Gravity Forms has also been around for a while and has lots of features, many provided by addons.

We like:

  • Visual form builder
  • Multi-page and paginated forms
  • Data collection and secure storage tools
  • Anti-spam and security auditing
  • Over 500 webhooks
  • Addons for everything

What you need to know: Gravity Forms doesn’t quite compete on ease of use but there are lots of form options. It’s a shame many features require addons though.

What People Are Saying

While we have tried to be as objective as possible, it’s always useful to have a completely unbiased opinion.

With that in mind, here are 3 of the many reviews SureForms has received so far.

SureForms Review 3
SureForms Review 1
SureForms Review 2

Using SureForms

With the background out of the way, let’s get to the good stuff. 

Just how easy is it to use SureForms? How quickly can you create forms and how good are they?

To put SureForms through its paces, we’re going to create 3 different types of popular forms:

  • A basic website contact form
  • An event registration form
  • A newsletter signup form

Even though SureForms can handle multi-step forms, dynamic data and more, most users will create a variation of these 3 forms.

That’s why we’ll stick to these three rather than get too technical with payment gateways or conditional logic.

First, let’s take a quick look at the dashboard.

The Dashboard

The SureForms dashboard is where you’ll spend a lot of your time once your forms are up and running.

It’s where you can check how many times forms have been submitted, see responses and create new forms.

SureForms Dashboard
  • The Create New Form button takes you to the form builder
  • View All Forms shows you all the ones you have created so far
  • View All Entries lets you see all form submissions

It’s all very straightforward and seems designed to make managing a website as simple as possible.

You’ll also notice a SureTriggers integration button at the bottom right. 

SureTriggers is from the same developer and adds almost unlimited automation potential to your forms.

Manual vs AI

We have mentioned manual form building and AI a few times now, so let’s get into it here.

When you create a new form, the first screen you’ll see will ask if you want to create a form from scratch or use AI.

Both deliver great forms, just in different ways.

Building from scratch takes longer but is still a simple way to build a form. 

As it shows us more about how the plugin works, we’ll create the first form manually and the others using AI.

Build a Contact Form From Scratch

While most WordPress themes come with contact forms, creating one means you know exactly how it works and can fix it if things go wrong.

Here’s how to build a contact form from scratch. We’ll show you the AI version in a little while.

Select Create New Form from the dashboard and select Build from Scratch on the next screen.

Build a Contact Form From Scratch - SureForms

You’ll see a window that looks very much like the WordPress editor. That’s apparently on purpose.

If you’re familiar with how WordPress works, you’ll be familiar with how SureForms works.

Select the plus icon in the center to add a field to your form.

A menu will appear, the same as the editor.

Add field on SureForms

You can select a field from the menu, search for it or choose Browse all to open up the field menu on the left.

Browse all Blocks on SureForms

We added a text field from the menu to collect the person’s name.

Select the text field block and the menu on the right will change dynamically, just like it does when creating posts or pages.

Repeat for the second name and add another field for the email address.

Required option on SureForms editor

We also made the email address a required field, added address validation and email confirmation using the toggles on the right.

You can also add help text for all fields if you want.

Next, we added a text area at the end where the visitor could add their message.

Add Name The Text Field Name on SureForms

If you look above each field, you’ll see generic titles like Textarea or Text Field

They aren’t very helpful so let’s change those to provide direction to visitors.

Double click on each title and change it directly within the field.

Your form should end up looking like this:

Name The Text Field Name on SureForms

Once done, give your form a name at the top of the page and hit Publish at the top right.

If you select the blue View Form button, you’ll be taken to see the form from a visitor’s perspective.

SureForms Output

You’ll probably want to style the form to fit into your theme, but don’t do it just yet as SureForms has another trick up its sleeve which you’ll see in a minute.

Select SureForms > Forms and copy the shortcode for your form.

All forms list on SureForms

Open your contact page in WordPress and locate the existing form.

  • If the page uses a shortcode, replace it with the one you copied. 
  • If it uses a form block, replace it with the SureForms block and select the form name from within the block.

Either way, select the blue Save button at the top right to save the changes.

SureForms Shortcode adding on Page

Now view your contact page as a visitor would to check your form looks okay.

SureForms Output on Page

If you’re using a theme like Astra, the form will inherit the font family from the theme and fit right in!

Even though the form looked different in the preview, it automatically fits right into your theme design. As long as you use a quality theme.

We found that process simple. It’s very similar to other form plugins but with some nice usability improvements.

The fact the form inherited the fonts was an added bonus!

Build a Contact Form With AI

Now you know how SureForms works, let’s show you how quickly you can build the same contact form using AI.

Select SureForms > New Form from the WordPress dashboard.

This time, select Build with AI.

SureFomrs Build with AI.

The next page will ask you to describe what type of form you want to create.

You’ll also see some AI prompts underneath the text window. 

We could select Create simple contact form but this would be a very quick walkthrough if we let AI do all the work!

Add Prompt On SureFomrs Build with AI.

If you’re building for yourself, you could select an AI prompt and publish your form even faster than AI.

We’ll add some text instead, so we can test how good the AI is.

We asked SureForms to:

“Build a contact form with a name box, email address box and a free text box for the message.”

Here’s what it created:

SureForms on Block Editor

It took less than 30 seconds and gave us exactly what we asked for. Not bad at all.

We won’t repeat the customization or publication process here as it’s exactly the same as before.

While this is a simple form, the AI did well and delivered on brief, so it gets our vote.

Build an Event Registration Form

Now let’s see how SureForms handles a slightly more complicated form.

This time we’ll create an event registration form. It’s another common use case so it will be good to see how it handles it.

Typically, an event registration form will include:

  • Name
  • Address
  • Email or phone number
  • Number of attendees
  • Address (optional for payments or tickets)
  • A text field for comments or extra information

So let’s ask SureForm’s AI to build us one.

Select SureForms > New Form > Build with AI to begin.

You can use whatever prompt suits your needs.

We used: 

“Create an event registration form with fields for full name, email address, phone number, number of attendees and a text field for comments.”

Here’s what it created:

Build an Event Registration Form - SureForms

The AI took around 45 seconds to create this form and delivered it exactly as requested.

Again, not bad for a free form builder!

Even though AI created the form, you can still add or remove fields and customize it using the menus on the right.

Build a Newsletter Signup Form

Another popular form type is the lead generator. So let’s build a newsletter signup form that collects email addresses.

You’re probably as familiar with how this works as we are by now.

SureForms > New Form > Build with AI 

“Build me a newsletter signup form that includes fields for name and email address.”

Build a Newsletter Signup Form - SureForms

Interestingly, this time, the AI included a GDPR checkbox to help compliance within the EU. 

While not strictly necessary in other regions, it’s a smart addition.

You could add company, area of interest and other fields, but the simpler a signup form, the higher the conversions…

If you want to add an incentive like a free download in return for an email address, you can add a Google Drive link to the confirmation email.

We found it fast, simple and so easy to do.

Open the form and select Form Confirmation from the menu on the right.

Adapt the message in the center and add the URL of the download.

Form Confirmation - SureForms

That’s how easy it is to create a lead generation form with SureForms.

We have to say, having used many form plugins in our time, this has to be the fastest, easiest way to create forms.

Sure, most plugins are introducing AI, or will be soon, but this is here now and it works.

SureForms can also create instant form pages, a form and web page all in one.

We didn’t test that as we’re more interested in how the form plugin worked with existing websites.

Watch this video if you like the idea of instant form pages:

Advanced Configuration Options

SureForms makes short work of creating and adding forms to WordPress but it does have a few more tricks.

Open a form for editing and you’ll see some menu options on the right.

Advanced Configuration Options - SureForms

Select any option and a new configuration window will appear.

Form Confirmation 2 - SureForms

Select a tab on the left to:

  • Change the form confirmation
  • Set up email notifications from each form submission
  • Ensure GDPR compliance
  • Integrate with external applications
  • Add custom CSS.

You can tweak each form to behave differently to deliver a truly unique experience. 

That’s a smart feature as it’s optional and it adds another level of customization.

Other plugins offer something similar like the editor sidebar in Fluent Forms, but this has to be one of the most intuitive ways to edit forms we have seen so far.

Are You Using SureForms Yet?

So what do we think of SureForms?

We think it’s the easiest way to build forms for WordPress. 

While most of the main features exist in other form plugins, SureForms somehow does everything better. From quick form creation to simplicity of customization.

Then there’s the AI.

Sure, we didn’t ask it to create anything too complex, but we did ask it to create the most common forms we see on websites.

And it delivered!

That, along with the price, features and obvious enthusiasm of the team behind it make it an easy recommendation.

Have you tried SureForms yet? Do you have any feedback? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

SureForms FAQs

We aimed to have answered all your burning questions about SureForms, but here are a few extras just in case.

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Sunsetting Beaver Builder Support in Starter Templates https://wpastra.com/updates/sunsetting-beaver-builder/ https://wpastra.com/updates/sunsetting-beaver-builder/#comments Fri, 14 Feb 2025 09:52:02 +0000 https://wpastra.com/?p=191025

Since its launch in November 2017, Starter Templates has been all about making website building easier, faster, and more efficient. 

Over the years, we’ve adapted to new technologies, listened to user feedback, and evolved to meet the needs of modern website creators.

Back in the beginning, Starter Templates supported Gutenberg, Elementor, Beaver Builder, and Brizy. 

It was an exciting time as we offered beautiful templates for all popular builders, making website creation accessible to the widest audience.

Stater Templates Support Page Builder

Starter Templates currently offers a vast collection of professionally designed templates for Elementor, Spectra and Beaver Builder. 

We discontinued Brizy templates a while ago due to low demand. 

We’re planning to do the same for Beaver Builder soon.

As part of our ongoing effort to stay relevant and focused on the most widely used tools, we have made a strategic decision: We will be sunsetting support for Beaver Builder templates.

Why We’re Making This Change

To provide the best experience and stay ahead of industry trends, we need to focus our resources on the platforms with the highest demand.

At the moment, that’s Elementor and Spectra.

Over time, we’ve noticed a significant shift in how our community builds websites

While Beaver Builder is great, the Starter Templates for it are nowhere near as popular as those for Elementor and Spectra.

Our team dedicates a lot of time supporting Beaver Builder, but if nobody is using the templates, it’s not a good use of resources. 

We would rather use those resources on other exciting Starter Template projects, including something awesome we have planned for later this year. We aren’t ready to announce that yet though!

What This Means for You

If you use Beaver Builder templates, there are four things you need to know:

  1. Beaver Builder templates will no longer be available by default.
  2. Existing users won’t lose access immediately. If you still rely on Beaver Builder templates, we will add a filter so you can continue using the templates for now.
  3. Future updates will focus on Elementor and Spectra. Our goal is to improve and expand our template offerings where they matter most.
  4. Eventual phase-out. While the filter will allow continued access for now, we will eventually remove Beaver Builder templates entirely. 

We’ll let you know in plenty of time when we plan to sunset the templates completely so you’ll have plenty of time to adapt.

Looking Ahead

This decision is part of our ongoing mission to make Starter Templates the best tool you can use to build exceptional websites. 

We will continue to add new, advanced templates for Elementor and Spectra to help you create something to be proud of.

If you haven’t tried AI-powered template building yet, you really should. 

With the AI Website Builder in Starter Templates, you can generate a full site in seconds—tailored to your needs. 

This is a game-changer for both beginners and professionals looking to build high-quality websites faster.

Stater Templates AI Website Builder

We’re also planning to add even more design flexibility and do everything we can to make Starter Templates the ultimate website building tool.

We understand that changes like this can be an adjustment, and we appreciate the support of our community as we continue to evolve. 

If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to reach out—we’re always listening.

Thank you for being part of this journey with us!

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Postmark Alternatives After Massive Price Hike https://wpastra.com/news/postmark-alternatives/ https://wpastra.com/news/postmark-alternatives/#respond Wed, 12 Feb 2025 13:46:00 +0000 https://wpastra.com/?p=190992

If you’re reading this, chances are Postmark just hit you with a nasty price hike. One that stings.

For years, Postmark was the go-to SMTP provider for agencies, WordPress users, and developers who needed fast, reliable transactional emails. 

It wasn’t the cheapest, but it worked beautifully—until now.

They didn’t just raise their prices; they skyrocketed them. What used to be $10/month is now closer to $120/month, even for existing customers. 

No grandfathering, no warnings—just an instant jump in cost.

It’s not just a price increase. That’s a complete shift in business strategy, and it has left a lot of users scrambling for alternatives.

Check out this Reddit thread where people are discussing it. It makes for painful reading!

We use email extensively in marketing so we can appreciate what a hammer blow this is.

You do have options though.

When evaluating SMTP providers, three names consistently stand out:

  • Amazon SES – The most affordable option with high deliverability, ideal for scaling.
  • SendGrid – Developer-friendly, powerful API, and comes with built-in analytics.
  • SMTP2GO: Reliable, easy to use, and built for agencies handling multiple clients.

Let’s take a quick look at the pros and cons of each service.

Amazon SES – The Cheapest Option for High-Volume Email

Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) is often the cheapest SMTP provider available, but cheap doesn’t always mean easy.

Why Choose Amazon SES?

  • Insanely cheap – You only pay $0.10 per 1,000 emails, which is almost 10x cheaper than most.
  • High deliverability – AWS infrastructure means emails are less likely to land in spam.
  • Scales infinitely – If you send millions of emails per month, SES is hands down the best option.

The Downsides of Amazon SES

  • Zero support – AWS support is notoriously bad. If you get stuck, you’re mostly on your own.
  • Learning curve – Learning how IAM, CloudWatch, and SES work is a steep curve.

Who Is Amazon SES Best For?

  • Businesses sending high-volume transactional emails.
  • Developers comfortable with AWS.
  • Anyone looking for the absolute lowest cost.

SendGrid – The Best API-Driven SMTP With Advanced Analytics

SendGrid is the most developer-friendly SMTP provider, with built-in email analytics, automation, and detailed logs.

Why Choose SendGrid?

  • Easy integration – SendGrid has one of the best developer-friendly APIs.
  • Analytics – SendGrid provides open rates, click tracking, and spam complaint reports.
  • Free plan – Send 100 emails/day for free, with paid plans starting at $19.95/month.

The Downsides of SendGrid

  • Deliverability concerns – Some users report that SendGrid IPs are shared with spammers, meaning emails might land in spam unless you pay for a dedicated IP.

Who Is SendGrid Best For?

  • Developers looking for automation and tracking.
  • Companies that need detailed email analytics.
  • Businesses running email marketing and transactional email in one platform.

SMTP2GO – Hassle-Free, Reliable SMTP for Agencies & Businesses

If you’re looking for a smooth transition from Postmark, SMTP2GO is arguably the closest experience you’ll get. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it SMTP provider with great support and an easy onboarding process.

Why Choose SMTP2GO?

  • Pricing – You get 1,000 emails per month free, and paid plans start at $15/month for 10,000 emails. That’s significantly lower than Postmark’s $100/month for 10,000 emails.
  • Subaccounts – If you’re an agency managing multiple WordPress sites, you can create subaccounts and assign separate API keys to different clients.

The Downsides of SMTP2GO

  • Not the cheapest – While cheaper than Postmark, if you’re sending lots of emails, it still costs more than Amazon SES.

Who Is SMTP2GO Best For?

  • Agencies managing multiple websites.
  • SMBs looking for a reliable SMTP service.
  • Developers who don’t want to deal with the complexities of Amazon SES.

As SMTP2GO is the easiest to migrate to from Postmark, let’s dig into it a little deeper.

If you choose Amazon SES or SendGrid instead, the steps will be largely the same.

How To Migrate From Postmark to SMTP2GO

If you’re using Postmark with WordPress, switching to SMTP2GO is easier than you might think.

Step 1: Sign Up for SMTP2GO

  • Head over to SMTP2GO’s website
  • Create a free account
  • Choose a plan (Free plan offers 1,000 emails/month, paid starts at $15 for 10,000 emails/month)

Once signed up, you’ll get access to your SMTP settings and API keys.

Step 2: Verify Your Sending Domain

Before you can send emails, SMTP2GO requires domain verification. This ensures better deliverability and prevents spoofing.

  • Go to your SMTP2GO dashboard
  • Navigate to Sender Domains
  • Add your domain (e.g., yourwebsite.com)
  • You’ll get three CNAME records to add to your DNS settings (via your domain registrar or hosting provider)

Here’s what that setup looks like:

Postmark to SMTP2GO

Once you’ve added these records, SMTP2GO will verify your domain. It should only take a few minutes.

Step 3: Install and Configure SureMail in WordPress

SureMail is a free, lightweight, and powerful SMTP plugin that connects your WordPress site to email service providers like SMTP2GO, Amazon SES, Brevo, and SendGrid.

  • Install SureMail from the WordPress plugin repository
  • Go to SureMail > Connections
  • Select SMTP2GO from the available providers
Postmark to SMTP2GO 2

Step 4: Enter Your SMTP2GO API Key and Settings

Now, head over to the SMTP2GO dashboard to grab your API key:

  • Go to Settings > API Keys
  • Click Create API Key
  • Copy the key and paste it into SureMail under the SMTP2GO settings

Here’s how the settings should look:

Postmark to SMTP2GO 3

Step 5: Test & Send Emails

Once everything is set up:

  • Go to SureMail > Test Email
  • Send a test email to yourself

If the test email arrives in your inbox, congratulations! 🎉 You’ve successfully switched from Postmark to SMTP2GO.

What Is SureMail? Why Use It?

SureMail is a 100% free SMTP plugin that helps integrate your WordPress website with all major SMTP service providers.

But unlike other SMTP plugins, SureMail does way more than just integration.

Here’s why SureMail stands out:

  • Auto-retry for failed emails: Emails fail. It happens. Most SMTP plugins leave you hanging, forcing you to manually resend them. SureMail automatically retries failed emails in the background, ensuring your emails go through without you lifting a finger.
  • Reputation shield: Did you know that a few bad emails from your account can get your SMTP provider to suspend your account? SureMail filters out potentially spam emails before they’re sent, protecting your domain reputation and keeping your emails out of spam.
  • Multiple SMTP connections with the same “from” email: Most plugins require you to change your sender email if you want a backup SMTP connection. That’s annoying. SureMail lets you set up multiple SMTP providers without changing your sender email—so if your primary SMTP fails, your emails still work seamlessly.
  • Complete email logs and debugging: You don’t have to wonder if an email was sent. SureMail keeps a full log of every email, letting you track failures, view detailed logs, and even retry emails if needed. No guesswork.
  • Analytics and reporting: Don’t just send emails—track them. SureMail provides detailed reports on email success rates, failures, and overall delivery performance.

SureMail is built to make email sending effortless, reliable, and stress-free. And the best part? It’s 100% free.

Final Thoughts and Extra Tips

Switching SMTP providers can seem like a hassle, but Postmark’s pricing change leaves you with no choice.

Use SureMail and migration is effortless.

If you’ve been affected by Postmark’s pricing, try this setup and let us know your experience. And if you need help, our team is here to assist!

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Elementor + WooCommerce: How To Build an Amazing eCommerce Website https://wpastra.com/woocommerce-tutorial/elementor-woocommerce-theme/ https://wpastra.com/woocommerce-tutorial/elementor-woocommerce-theme/#comments Tue, 14 Jan 2025 13:44:28 +0000 https://wpastra.com/?p=26045

The global eCommerce market is expected to be worth around $7.9 trillion by 2027. (Source)

eCommerce is booming and is the new frontier in retail. With steady growth even in challenging times, it’s a very lucrative industry to get into.

And we’re going to show you how.

We’ll walk you through the entire process of building an eCommerce store using Elementor + WooCommerce + Astra.

By the end of this page, you’ll have a fully working store ready to sell!

You’ll also see how the Astra 3.9 update makes it the ultimate theme to use with WooCommerce!

As this is a guide for complete beginners, let’s start with the basics.

Why Astra + Elementor + WooCommerce?

Using Astra + Elementor + WooCommerce offers a powerful blend of speed, design flexibility, and eCommerce functionality that’s hard to match. 

Here’s how each component contributes to profitable eCommerce stores:

1. Astra for Speed and Performance

The Astra theme is a logical choice for an eCommerce store.

  • Lightweight and fast: Astra is designed for speed. This is essential for eCommerce, as faster sites tend to rank better in search engines and deliver a great user experience.
  • Highly customizable: Astra provides options for layout, colors, typography, and more—without any coding. Seamless integration with Elementor means customizations are intuitive and easy to manage.
  • eCommerce-ready: Astra offers WooCommerce-specific features, like optimized product grids, improved checkout pages, and conversion-focused product display options.

2. Elementor for Design Flexibility

Elementor is popular for good reason.

  • Drag and drop builder: Elementor makes it easy to build stunning pages without coding. Its flexibility allows you to create complex layouts that might otherwise require custom development.
  • WooCommerce integration: Elementor has WooCommerce widgets that allow you to design and style product pages, checkout pages, and carts.
  • Template library: Elementor’s library of pre-made templates and blocks accelerates the design process and ensures your site looks professional right away.

3. WooCommerce for eCommerce Functionality

WooCommerce delivers everything a store needs.

  • Full eCommerce suite: WooCommerce provides everything you need to set up and manage an online store. It’s flexible and scalable, with an extensive ecosystem of plugins to add functionality as you grow.
  • Seamless integration with Astra and Elementor: WooCommerce works seamlessly with both Astra and Elementor.
  • Community and support: WooCommerce has one of the largest communities of any plugin. It’s easy to find addons, resources, and support to handle any eCommerce needs.

Those are just a few of the many reasons why Astra + Elementor + WooCommerce is a winning combination!

Why Use Astra and Elementor To Build an Online Store?

Astra is the most popular WordPress theme around. It has over 1.6 million active installations and is one of the highest rated themes available.

It’s very beginner friendly and offers an extensive range of professionally designed website templates.

The Astra 3.9 update released in July 2024 added a ton of WooCommerce features, making it the logical choice for online stores.

It added:

Astra is also very compatible with Elementor, with the CMO of the company behind Elementor recommending it to users!

Astra Testimonial by Elementor

Here’s a sneak peek at some of the eCommerce templates you get with Astra:

Clothing Store

Clothing Store Template by Astra

Clothing Store is a contemporary eCommerce template designed for fashion but could be easily customized to suit any type of store.

It’s crisp, modern and delivers that professional first impression a store needs to convert.

Ceramic Shop

Ceramic Shop Template by Astra

CeramicShop is another modern store design that delivers a fantastic user experience.

It has a nice layout, uses calm colors and provides lots of space to promote products and showcase special offers.

Be Bold

Be Bold Template by Astra

Be Bold continues the design philosophy with a crisp aesthetic that invites you in to browse.

It’s calm, collected and could be transformed to suit any product line using built-in tools.

Those are just three of the many WooCommerce themes that come with Astra. Some are available for free while others require a premium subscription.

Access all Astra premium templates with the Essential Toolkit. Use the same tools the professionals use at an unbeatable price!

Elementor is a very popular WordPress page builder.

Elementor Page Builder

With an intuitive drag and drop editor, it can be used to build creative websites quickly and easily.

It plays a minor role in setting up an online store in this tutorial but it’s still vital as the template we’ll use is built using it.

What Do You Need To Build a Store?

Aside from Elementor + WooCommerce + Astra, what do you need to build a WooCommerce store?

Here’s a list of the bare essentials:

  1. Domain and hosting – The domain is the www. name of your store. Hosting is where you store your website so the public can access it.
  2. WordPress – A free content management system that provides the framework for your store.
  3. WordPress theme – Astra is a WordPress theme. The colors, fonts, typography, layout structure, and more, are all part of a theme.
  4. WooCommerce – The free eCommerce plugin that adds store elements to WordPress.

Elementor – The page builder we’re going to use to create the store.

Master Elementor: Free Course to Build Stunning Websites

Learn how to use Elementor to create stunning websites with our free course. Step-by-step tutorials make it easy for anyone to master web design.

Master Elementor: Free Course to Build Stunning Websites

Learn how to use Elementor to create stunning websites with our free course.

The form can be filled in the actual website url.

How To Build a WooCommerce Store With Elementor and Astra

Now you know what WooCommerce, Elementor and Astra are and what you need to build an online store, let’s get building!

We’re assuming you’ve purchased a domain and hosting already.

Step 1: Install WordPress

You can easily install WordPress using the host control panel.

For instance, SiteGround uses a Website Setup Wizard to install WordPress.

Other web hosts will offer a similar setup tool.

After successful registration, you’ll find yourself on the following dashboard.

Add new website

Select Start New Website and follow the setup wizard. It’s quick and easy and won’t take long!

WordPress installation complete

The eagle-eyed amongst you might notice the WordPress + Woo option. 

We’re not using that as not all web hosts offer it and we don’t want to leave anyone behind.

Step 2: Install the Astra Theme

Once you’ve installed WordPress, the next step is to install the Astra theme.

From your WordPress dashboard, head to Appearance > Themes and click Add New.

Astra on WordPress Dashboard Theme Search Page

Select Astra from the main window and click Install and then Activate.

Want to launch your store faster using a readymade website template?

Select Astra from the WordPress menu to access the dashboard.

Astra Dashboard page

Select the Starter Templates tab at the top of the screen and select the blue Install & Activate button in the popup.

Starter Templates

The Starter Templates plugin enables you to browse all of Astra’s readymade templates.

You’ll now have a choice, use the AI Website Builder or Classic Starter Templates.

We’re going to choose the latter.

Starter Templates Installation Wizards

Select Build with Templates and you’ll be taken to the template showcase. 

Select Elementor at the top right where you currently see Block Editor.

Many templates are free while others are labeled Premium. These require a subscription to access.

Select a template you like for a fullscreen view.

We’ve chosen the Clothing Store template we shared earlier.

Customizing Clothing Store template

This template setup wizard enables you to tweak colors, typography, add a logo, add features and set up your site.

The great thing about Starter Templates is that it will automatically install the free version of Elementor and WooCommerce.

Select Pages and All Pages to see what’s installed.

If you use a Starter Template, you’ll see all your main pages all ready to go.

As we’re using an Elementor template, hover over any page and select Edit with Elementor.

Home Page Edit With Elementor

Your page will then load with the Elementor page builder.

Editing Clothing Store template with Elementor

We won’t go into too much detail here but Elementor is very straightforward to use.

Select an element in the main window, drag it to move it or to change settings.

It’s all very easy to do!

Want to become an Elementor Pro? Check out our free Elementor video course!

Step 3: Install WooCommerce

If you don’t use a Starter Template, you’ll need to install WooCommerce separately.

Select Plugins > Add New and search for WooCommerce.

Install WooCommerce

Click Install and then Activate.

Step 4: Set Up Your WooCommerce Store

Now you have WooCommerce installed, there are a few settings we need to take care of.

Fortunately, WooCommerce comes with a setup wizard to help.

WooCommerce setup wizard

If you’re new to WooCommerce, we recommend using the wizard. If you know WooCommerce already, select the Skip guided setup link at the top right.

Follow the wizard and complete each section as required.

By the end, you’ll see your main store dashboard.

Setup WooCommerce

You’ll see there are still things to do to finalize your store. Work your way through them until you’re ready to add products.

We have a much more in-depth article on how to set up WooCommerce if you need more information.

Step 5: Add Products

Now your store is set up, it’s time to add products. This is something you’ll be doing a lot so get used to it!

Select Products > Add New from the WordPress menu.

You may find your Starter Template added sample products so you can see how it all works.

Setup WooCommerce

To add your own, select Add New at the top of the page.

Enter the product name and description, upload product images and all the details.

add products to your WooCommerce store

Work your way through the page until your product is complete.

Then select Publish at the top right, just like you would with a new page or post.

Once published, you’ll be able to add extra data to the product.

Scroll down to the Product data section.

This is where you add details related to individual products.

Starting with selecting the product type and adding inventory. Then move on to the shipping details and other settings.

Product data setting on add product page of woocommerce

There’s a whole bunch of more information that you can choose to provide.

Some details are required, some optional.

If you sell clothing or footwear, Variation Swatches for WooCommerce by CartFlows has been installed for you.

variation swatches for woocommerce by cartflows

With this feature, you can show the different variants of your product using impressive variation swatches.

For example, if you sell t-shirts in different colors, you can display them all. The same for sizes and other product variations.

Color Variation Swatches

Select the blue Publish button once you have finished with your product page.

Now you’ll need to rinse and repeat for all products you plan to sell!

Once you have added some products, you’ll need to organize them into categories.

Select Products > Categories and create relevant categories for all your products.

WooCommerce Product Categories

Once done, add each product into the relevant category so customers can search and filter them.

You’ll also be able to arrange categories within your menu and homepage.

Step 6: Accepting Payments

You want to get paid for your products right? Let’s handle payment processing next.

WooCommerce Payment Setup

Select Payments from the WordPress menu to access the main screen.

The setup process differs depending on the payment option you use. 

The wizard will walk you through adding WooPayments but that’s not your only option.

We won’t go through them all here as it would take too long. 

Once payments have been configured, return to the main WooCommerce dashboard to complete setup.

Make sure you have configured products, payment methods, tax arrangements and shipping.

Once you’re done, your store is ready to sell!

Want more options? Check out the best WordPress plugins for successful websites.

Looking for WooCommerce plugins? 

Here’s a list of the 38 best WooCommerce plugins every store needs.

Level up your eCommerce game with Elementor + WooCommerce + Astra! 💥 Create stunning, high-converting websites with this winning combination!

Elementor + WooCommerce + Astra: Better Together

When you combine Elementor, WooCommerce and Astra, you have a winning combination built to make sales.

Each offers capable free versions that provide enough flexibility to create a professional online store.

Each also offers an upgrade path to get even more out of them. 

Elementor Pro, WooCommerce addons and Astra Pro all deliver amazing value that’s hard to beat.

If you’re just starting out on the road to eCommerce success, all three deliver the features, flexibility and finesse you’re looking for and we couldn’t recommend them enough!

Over to you now. Have you built a WooCommerce store using Elementor and Astra? Show us what you created in the comments below!

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12 Secrets of Effective Cart Abandonment Emails +Examples https://wpastra.com/guides-and-tutorials/cart-abandonment-emails/ https://wpastra.com/guides-and-tutorials/cart-abandonment-emails/#respond Thu, 09 Jan 2025 12:48:10 +0000 https://wpastra.com/?p=190754

If you run an eCommerce store, you’ll already know that far too many shopping carts are abandoned before purchase.

In fact, 70% of all shopping carts are abandoned (Source)

That’s far too many in our opinion.

You can’t eliminate cart abandonment altogether but you can do something about it. 

You can send cart abandonment emails to help reclaim some of that lost revenue.

That’s what this post is all about.

We’re going to share 3 cart abandonment email templates you can copy, adapt and use yourself.

We’re also going to share 12 best practices we have developed over our decade or so of being in business. 

Everything is tried and tested and should work for you too!

Example of an Effective Cart Abandonment Email Sequence

If you just want to get to the good stuff, here’s a 3 email sequence similar to the ones we use.

Feel free to copy and adapt to your unique needs and brand voice. 

You don’t have to send 3, you could send any number you like. As long as you send at least one, you should recover some lost sales.

First Email Example

We recommend sending your first cart abandonment email within an hour or two of the visitor leaving your site.

Second Email Example

We typically send the second email 24 hours after the cart was abandoned.

Third Email Example

The third email should typically hit the customer’s inbox around 48 hours after the second mail.

You can send more or fewer emails if you prefer. Three is just a recommendation.

If you decide to send more, monitor unsubscribe rates to see how many is too many.

There’s a big difference between offering reminders and clogging up a customer’s inbox!

12 Tips for Writing High Conversion Cart Abandonment Emails

What follows are 12 copywriting tips to help you write high conversion cart abandonment emails.

Use them, along with your own personality and tone of voice in everything you write for your business. 

It’s a key way to differentiate yourself from competitors and can seriously improve the relationship you have with customers.

Oh, and it can boost store profits too, which is nice.

1. Be Timely

When you send your cart abandonment email is just as important as what the mail says.

We recommend:

There is no magic formula but this timing sequence seems to work well for us!

Why This Works

The first email strikes while the iron is hot. The second email reminds them just in case and the third is a final attempt timed so as not to annoy the recipient.

2. Personalize

Use the customer’s name and mention the items they left in their cart. This creates a more personalized experience which many respond well to.

Which of these two would you relate to best?

Or

Many eCommerce platforms can work with email to fill in essential information for personalization.

That can include the customer name if they are logged in and items left in the cart.

Why This Works

Most people don’t react well to corporate style emails that read like an email autoresponder. Personalization creates the impression of a relationship, which can help convert.

3. Offer a Clear Call to Action

Tell the customer exactly what you want them to do, whether it’s completing their purchase or exploring other products.

Why This Works

Calls to action can be that final push that encourages the reader to take action. It can also work as an instruction, ideal if someone needs a gentle push to convert.

4. Highlight Benefits

We don’t usually buy something because of its specifications. 

We buy it because of how it makes us feel, how it makes life easier or how it helps us achieve a goal.

Those are the benefits you need to highlight on your page copy and in emails.

Why This Works

Buying decisions are usually more self-centered than we think. Highlighting how the product can benefit us is a core tenet of sales.

5. Address Common Objections

Identify common objections from reviews or feedback, or address universal ones. 

Common objections include high shipping costs, limited payment methods or an unclear returns policy.

Why This Works

There is often a simple reason someone didn’t complete a purchase. The more reasons you cover in the email, the more likely they are to convert.

6. Include a Special Offer or Discount

People love a bargain and offering a deal or discount is a key way to recover lost sales.

There is no magic number, but percentages seem to work best as the number is usually bigger than the dollar amount.

It doesn’t have to be a discount either. It could be free shipping, expedited shipping upgrade or something else entirely.

There’s a lot of thought that needs to go into discounts around affordability, timing and so on. 

Why This Works

People love a bargain. If price was getting in the way of the purchase, the discount could make the difference. 

If you charge for shipping, offering free shipping could also be enough.

7. Create a Sense of Urgency

Using limited-time offers or scarcity to encourage the customer to complete their purchase is a tried and tested conversion method.

Urgency works better if you use a countdown timer or can highlight limited stock.

Why This Works

People hate the idea of missing out. That’s FOMO at work and why it’s such a powerful psychological trigger in eCommerce.

8. Provide Excellent Customer Service

One common barrier to purchase is the remoteness of eCommerce. 

If something goes wrong, it can be very difficult to get in touch or prompt remedial action.

Highlight options in your cart abandonment mail like this:

Make sure to mention this on your product and checkout pages to help initial conversion.

Why This Works

Reassurance sells. When a customer can’t come to the store or there’s no phone number, the more reassurance you can offer, the fewer objections there’ll be.

9. Use Social Proof

We recommend using social proof everywhere, on your website, on store pages and especially on checkout pages.

The power of social proof simply cannot be overestimated, which is why we recommend using it in your emails.

Space can often be limited, so a single sentence with links to your review page or star ratings can be useful.

Why This Works

There’s lots of psychology around social proof. We find reassurance knowing people like us liked a product and it makes buying easier.

10. Use Images of Cart Items

We all know how powerful imagery can be in eCommerce and it’s the same for cart abandonment emails.

When we can see what we’re buying, or potentially missing out on, we are often most stimulated to buy.

Why This Works

Humans are visually stimulated and seeing what we’re missing can be enough to trigger action. 

11. Test and Optimize

Test different subject lines, content, and calls to action to see what works best in your cart abandonment emails.

Some email marketing tools include A/B testing, some don’t. Either way, testing is well worth doing to make sure your emails are performing as they should.

Why This Works

Unless you test, you’re not using data to drive decisions. Guesswork is fine to a point, but it won’t generate maximum results.

12. Upsell or Cross-sell

Adding an upsell or cross-sell to a cart abandonment email can be effective but difficult to pull off.

To make it work, your eCommerce store needs to be able to provide reliable data to your email marketing platform so it can recommend relevant items.

Recommend a relevant product and the customer could buy that instead. Get the recommendation wrong and it will be ignored.

Why This Works

The customer may have abandoned the cart because they didn’t like the initial product. An upsell or cross-sell could show us something we like better.

Set Up Cart Recovery in Your Store

If you use WooCommerce, you’ll need a cart recovery plugin as there is no built-in mechanism for it.

A plugin allows you to link incomplete purchases with follow up emails in order to recover lost sales.

If you use SureCart, cart recovery is built in.

As long as you have Abandoned Checkout enabled you can set up your cart recovery emails, configure the sending schedule and add discounts from your dashboard.

Alternatively, manage your own emails with SureTriggers

Whatever method you choose, make sure to choose one. 

Cart abandonment emails may take a little work to get right, but the number of sales they could recover makes it very worthwhile!

Writing Cart Abandonment Emails

As you can see, writing effective cart abandonment emails is part art and part science.

It helps if you know your audience and have a good idea why they didn’t complete the purchase, but it isn’t mandatory.

Using the tips in this post and your own creativity and imagination, you can craft emails that can claw back some of those lost sales.

Feel free to use the three email templates in this post however you like!

Do you use cart abandonment emails? How effective are they? Have any tips for other store owners? Tell us in the comments below!

Cart Abandonment Email FAQs

Your abandoned cart email questions answered.

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How to Create a Website in 2025: Ultimate Beginner’s Guide https://wpastra.com/guides-and-tutorials/how-to-create-a-website/ https://wpastra.com/guides-and-tutorials/how-to-create-a-website/#comments Tue, 07 Jan 2025 13:03:08 +0000 https://wpastra.com/?p=122565

Creating a website doesn’t take months or weeks anymore. With the tools and techniques we’re going to share here, you can create a website in minutes!

Thanks to AI and modern page building tools, creating a website is easier than ever, no matter your skill level.

And we’re not just talking about a basic, static site. You can create a professional-grade website – complete with advanced features – without touching a single line of code.

We’ll walk you through each stage step by step, so you have everything you need right here.

Ready to create a website you’ll be proud to show off?

Step 1: Decide The Purpose

What do you want your website to achieve? 

This is the first and most important question to answer before diving in. 

Your website’s design, structure, and the tools you choose all hinge on its purpose.

Decide the purpose of your website infographics

The clearer your goals, the easier it will be to make the right decisions in the next steps. 

Let’s explore some common website purposes:

  1. Sharing information: If your goal is to share knowledge, news, or updates, focus on high-quality, engaging content. Examples: TechCrunch CNN Tim Ferriss
  2. Showcasing skills: For professionals or creatives, a website can serve as an online portfolio to highlight your expertise and attract clients or employers. Examples: Jeff Goins Steve McCurry Jamie Oliver
  3. Selling products or services: If you’re aiming to generate income, focus on eCommerce or service-based solutions. Examples: eBay ClickBank Woo
  4. Building a community: Want to connect like-minded people or create a support system? Focus on user interaction and engagement through forums, blogs, or social features. Examples: The Harvard Gazette SkillCrushTED Blog
  5. Enhancing personal branding: If your goal is to establish authority or build a personal brand, focus on showcasing your identity, achievements, and unique value. Examples: Seth Godin Brene Brown Oprah Winfrey

Sometimes, websites combine multiple goals to achieve a greater impact. 

For instance, WPAstra uses blogs and eCommerce together to promote and sell products effectively.

Astra Blog Section

Once you’ve decided what you want your website to accomplish, it’s time to move to the next step: choosing the right platform.

Step 2: Choose the Platform

Choose The Right Platform For Your Website

The platform is the technology you’ll use to build and manage your website. Think WordPress, Wix, Joomla and so on.

When we started WPAstra.com in 2017, we chose WordPress. It’s fast, stable and open source and has the community we were looking for.

It was, and still is, the perfect choice for selling themes and plugins, and it worked out brilliantly.

WordPress powers 43.6% of all websites on the web but it’s not the only option. 

Here’s a quick look at popular platforms and what they’re great for:

PlatformDescription
WordPressIdeal for blogs, business sites, portfolios, eCommerce, and more. Highly customizable with thousands of themes and plugins.
ShopifyPerfect for online stores. Comes with built-in tools for inventory, payments, and shipping.
WIXGreat for small business websites, portfolios, and personal blogs. Features an easy drag and drop builder.
SquarespaceBest for creatives like designers and photographers. Offers stunning templates for portfolios and small businesses.
JoomlaGood for advanced users. Build business sites, community portals, or complex web apps.
DrupalIdeal for complex websites like government portals or large businesses. Requires technical expertise but offers top-tier customization.

While there are many choices, we recommend WordPress. It’s flexible, scalable, and works for any website, big or small.

Note

Did you notice that most of the sites mentioned in Step 1 are built using WordPress?

We have tried nearly every platform out there and WordPress is easily the most user-friendly and versatile option.

That’s why this tutorial will focus on WordPress. 

Here’s what’s coming up:

  • Secure a domain name
  • Buy hosting
  • Set up WordPress and a theme
  • Customize your site

Let’s move to Step 3.

Step 3: Get Your Domain Name

A domain name is your website’s unique address on the internet – it’s what people type in their browser to visit your site.

For example, you can find us at https://wpastra.com, Google at google.com, and so on.

What Is Domain Name

A domain name typically involves:

  • https: The prefix (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure)
  • wpastra: The website name
  • .com: The domain extension

When choosing a domain, pay attention to the domain extension – it can reveal a lot about your website’s purpose. 

Each domain extension serves a specific need.

Here’s a few examples:

Domain ExtensionWhat It Means
.comOriginally for commercial businesses, now the most widely used for all types of websites.
.orgCommonly used by non-profits, charities, and community-focused organizations.
.netPopular with tech companies, networking businesses, or online services.
.eduReserved for educational institutions such as universities and schools.
.govExclusively for government agencies and organizations, typically in the United States.

If you already have a business, it’s best to match your domain name with your business name. 

For example, a company called ZenG Clothing would ideally want to use zengclothing.com.

If you’re starting fresh, we recommend checking domain availability at the same time you’re coming up with names for your business.

You’ll find lots of the good ones are all taken so you may have to be creative!

Keep these tips in mind when coming up with a name:

  • Make it short and memorable.
  • Ensure it’s relevant to your brand.
  • Include keywords that reflect your niche.

A well-thought-out domain name can be a big boost to your website’s success!

Where To Register a Domain Name

You can register your domain with a trusted domain registrar or your web host. 

You can buy a domain name at the same time as web hosting, or separately. It’s entirely up to you.

While there are thousands to choose from, we recommend these top providers:

You can typically register a domain for $15 – $20. 

Here’s how it works at NameCheap:

💡 Pro Tip

Many domain registrars also offer web hosting, and vice versa. While it might seem convenient to bundle both, focus on the quality of each service. Don’t hesitate to use separate providers if you prefer.

Want to dig deeper?

This detailed article has everything you need to know about domain names.

Now you have a domain, it’s time to attach it to web hosting!

Step 4: Choose a Web Host

What is hosting

A web host plays a crucial role in bringing your website to life. It’s where the files and assets that make up a website are stored and made available to the public.

Its two main functions are:

  • Storing your website files (text, images, code).
  • Mapping your domain name to your website so people can find it.

Picking a web host is not just about where your website lives – it’s about performance, reliability, and scalability.

For example, if your audience is in the US, choose a web host with servers in the US for faster load times. Similarly, for Australian users, opt for servers closer to that region.

But server location is just one piece of the puzzle. 

Here are some other key factors:

  • Reliability: Look for at least 99.9% uptime as downtime can frustrate visitors and hurt your business. A reliable host ensures your site is always accessible.
  • Scalability: As your website grows, you’ll need a host that offers easy upgrades. Scalability ensures your site performs well, even with more traffic.
  • Security: Choose a host with robust security features like SSL certificates, malware protection, and regular backups. This keeps your site and data safe.
  • Pricing: Compare plans carefully. Focus on what’s included, such as storage, bandwidth, and customer support. A great host balances affordability with value.

Here are some trustworthy web hosts we recommend:

Hostinger

  • Unique feature: Affordable plans with excellent performance for beginners.
  • Start from: $2.99/month
Hostinger homepage

Hostinger is a budget-friendly option perfect for new website owners. An intuitive dashboard and one-click WordPress setup make it very easy to use. 

With features like free SSL, 24/7 support, and a 99.9% uptime guarantee, it’s ideal for small businesses, personal blogs, and portfolios.

SiteGround

  • Unique feature: Exceptional customer support and speed optimization.
  • Start from: $3.99/month
SiteGround Hosting Home Page

SiteGround is worth checking out for its outstanding support and speed-boosting tools like SuperCacher and CDN integration. 

With managed WordPress hosting, automatic updates, and daily backups, it’s perfect for growing businesses and personal sites. 

SiteGround offers excellent performance, even as your traffic scales.

Cloudways

  • Unique feature: Flexible cloud hosting with pay-as-you-go pricing.
  • Start from: $14/month
Cloudways Hosting Home Page

Cloudways delivers powerful cloud hosting with managed infrastructure from top providers like AWS and Google Cloud. 

It’s a great choice for eCommerce sites, agencies, and high-traffic websites. 

Scalable plans and flexibility make it perfect for users who need advanced performance without server management headaches.

💡 Pro Tip

Some hosts, like Hostinger, also act as domain registrars and offer free domain registration for the first year. This not only saves money but also auto-integrates your domain with the hosting server.

We’ll use Hostinger for the rest of this walkthrough. 

Hosting Pricing with AI Assistance

Once you have hosting set up, the next step is to build your website. 

Thinking about using Cloudways, SiteGround, or another hosting provider instead? That’s totally fine! 

You can still create a professional-grade website effortlessly with the ZipWP AI website builder. The process is so simple that anyone can do it – no coding needed. (We’ll dive into that at the end of this article.)

Alright, let’s get back to Hostinger!

Step 5: Set Up Your Site

Hostinger makes setting up a WordPress website a breeze with its quick installation wizard.

You might have already done this during your Hostinger account setup.

If you skipped it, don’t worry, you can start it anytime.

To set up your website, start by opening the Websites page in your Hostinger dashboard. 

Click the + Add Website button and then click on WordPress when the option appears to launch the setup wizard. 

It’s that simple!

Create a website on Hostinger

The setup wizard will show you how to:

  • Create login credentials: For accessing your website.
  • Select your website type: Options include business, online store, blog, and more.
  • Use AI or a premade template: We recommend premade templates. We’ll explain why shortly.
  • Add recommended plugins: Keep it simple – deselect all for now. We’ll guide you to better options later.
  • Integrate your domain: Connect the domain name you registered earlier.

And that’s it!

What’s Already Installed

When you chose the premade template option, Hostinger’s wizard added several helpful tools to jumpstart your website:

  1. Astra theme
  2. Spectra page builder
  3. Starter Templates plugin
  4. Hostinger Assistive Tools

Here’s a closer look at these tools:

Astra Theme

Astra current homepage

Astra is one of the most popular WordPress themes out there, trusted by over 1.8 million websites. 

Whether you’re starting a blog or launching a full eCommerce store, Astra has your back. 

It works beautifully with plugins like WooCommerce, LearnDash, SureMembers and countless more – so you can customize it exactly how you want. 

The best part? Astra gives you access to over 300 premade templates, so designing your site is fast and hassle-free. 

Plus, it’s built for speed, flexibility, and total control. With Astra, you’re all set to create a site that looks amazing and works like a charm.

Spectra Page Builder

Spectra website

Spectra is the go-to page builder for over 1 million users – and for good reason. 

It’s super easy to use, with drag and drop blocks that make designing a breeze. 

Want more control? Spectra’s advanced settings let you tweak everything to match your vision. 

Spectra works right inside the WordPress block editor. If you’ve used WordPress before, there’s nothing new to learn!

Spectra is very easy to use. Check this video out for a full tutorial:

Hostinger Assistive Tools

Hostinger Assistive Tools

Hostinger makes managing your site easy with its handy suite of tools. 

Need to make updates but don’t want anyone to see your site mid-edit? 

Just turn on Maintenance Mode from Hostinger > Tools and switch it off when you’re done. 

Worried about security? The Force HTTPS option secures your site with one click. 

And if writing isn’t your thing, the AI Content Creator can whip up blog posts or page content tailored to your needs. 

These tools are here to save you time and keep your site running smoothly.

With Astra, Spectra, and Starter Templates, customizing your site is a breeze.

Next, let’s explore the template library for even more design options!

Want to create a stunning website in 2025? This 10-step guide has everything you need—tools, tips, and tricks for beginners and pros! 🌐 #WebsiteDesign

Step 6: Explore More Templates

Explore More Templates

Earlier, we picked the Car Service template for our website. But what if your business is about food? 

Don’t worry – the template library has you covered!

You can access the Starter Templates library by heading to Astra > Dashboard > Starter Templates

Add Starter Templates with Astra

Select Classic Starter Templates and click the Build with Templates link.

Pick a page builder. Since Spectra is already installed, you’re all set to use the block editor.

The Starter Templates library will now open, showing both free and premium templates. 

Use the search bar at the top or the filters to find one that fits your needs.

Let’s say you’re running a BBQ restaurant. Find the BBQ Restaurant template, click on it, and follow the setup wizard. 

Here’s what the wizard will guide you through:

  • Logo and colors: Upload your logo or pick a color palette that matches your brand.
  • Plugins: By default, Spectra (page builder) and SureForms (contact forms) are selected. For eCommerce, choose either SureCart or WooCommerce. We recommend SureCart, and we’ll explain why soon.
  • Information: Provide a few details about yourself so the team can keep you updated.

Finally, hit the Build My Website button to complete the process. In a minute or so, your site will have a brand-new layout!

Easy, Wasn’t it? With Astra and Spectra, creating a website is effortless – and super quick!

Step 7: Create Content

You’ll notice the template added default pages, content and images. Now is the time to make it personal.

Great content connects with your audience, showcases your offerings, and builds trust. It’s a critical ingredient in your recipe for online success.

We’re going to continue building our BBQ restaurant website. While your site may be completely different, the principles remain the same.

On the homepage, update sections with engaging descriptions of your restaurant, highlighting what makes your BBQ special.

Here’s how:

edit homepage with spectra

Replace placeholder images with high-quality photos of your dishes, dining area, and staff to add a personal touch.

Add any extra areas you want by selecting a block in the side menu and dragging it into place on the page.

Then customize it and add your unique content as you need.

If you want to do more with Spectra, here’s a free course to help:

For online sales, use a plugin like SureCart. It can turn any WordPress website into a fully working online store.

If you sell kitchen items, recipe books or other merchandise, it’s time to add them.

Add your products and link them to the areas where the theme already features food that uses the utensil or whatever it is you want to sell. 

This ensures customers can easily browse and make purchases.

Update your primary menu to include a link to the shop page. 

Name it something enticing, like Order Online or Our Products, to make navigation easy and inviting.

Consider creating a blog page to share recipes, BBQ tips, or updates about events and specials. Blogging enhances SEO, drives traffic, and keeps customers engaged.

Don’t forget to polish the about us and contact pages to make them relevant to you. 

These pages build trust by sharing your story, team, and values. 

Ensure your location, phone number, and operating hours are accurate and easy to find on the contact page.

With thoughtful updates, your content can transform your website into a powerful tool for attracting and serving customers.

If writing isn’t your strong suit, you can hire a professional from platforms like Upwork.

💡 Pro Tip

A more cost-effective way to create amazing website content is by using an AI writer like SureWriter.

Keep your text natural and engaging. Focus on highlighting what makes your site stand out to entice visitors.

Step 8: Test Everything

Before you open your website to the public, test everything to ensure it delivers a smooth user experience. 

Here’s how:

  1. Review all content
    Go through all text to make sure it’s accurate, typo-free, and consistent in tone. 
    Replace any placeholder text and confirm images are high-quality and relevant.
  2. Test site navigation
    Click through the menu, links, and buttons to ensure they direct users to the right pages.
  3. Optimize for mobile
    View your site on different devices and screen sizes to confirm it’s responsive and user-friendly. 
    Mobile visitors are a big part of your audience so you need to make sure they are satisfied!
  4. Test forms and contact information
    Submit a test form to ensure it works and check emails are sent and received correctly. 
    Verify your contact details are accurate and easy to find.
  5. Review payment and eCommerce features
    For online stores, test payment gateways, carts, and product links. Make sure the entire buying process is smooth and hassle-free.
  6. Check legal compliance
    Add necessary policies like your privacy policy, terms of service, and cookie policy. Ensure compliance with GDPR or any other relevant regulations as required.
  7. Check page load speed
    Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to test your site’s load time. If it’s slow, optimize images, use a caching plugin, and enable a CDN to speed things up.
    Testing is incredibly important. While it takes time, it’s better that you find errors or issues than visitors!

Step 9: Market Your Website

Once your website is live, it’s time to spread the word and bring in visitors. 

Here are some simple and effective ways to market your site:

  • Leverage social media: Promote on Instagram, Facebook, and wherever your target market hangs out. Share engaging posts about your offerings and encourage followers to check out your website.
  • Optimize for SEO: Use relevant keywords in your content to rank higher on search engines. Regularly update your blog with fresh posts to boost visibility.
  • Email marketing: Build an email list and send newsletters with updates, special deals, or new blog posts. Tools like Mailchimp or ConvertKit make email campaigns a breeze.
  • Google my business: For local businesses, set up a Google My Business listing to appear in local searches and maps. It’s free and highly effective.
  • Run paid ads: Try Google Ads or Facebook Ads to reach a targeted audience. Set a budget and focus on people who match your niche.
  • Collaborate with influencers: Partner with influencers in your industry to introduce your site to their followers. It’s a great way to build trust and expand your reach.
  • Encourage user reviews: Ask customers for reviews and testimonials. Positive feedback boosts credibility and attracts more visitors.

With consistent effort and a mix of these strategies, your website will start gaining traction and delivering the results you’re aiming for.

Checklist icon

Download Website Launch Checklist

Ensure a smooth website launch with this comprehensive checklist.

  • Domain and Hosting Setup
  • SEO Optimization
  • Performance Testing
  • Security Measures

Create Website with AI on Any Hosting Platform

Remember when we mentioned earlier that you can build a professional-grade website on any hosting platform?

Well, ZipWP AI makes it super easy. All you need is a blank WordPress site on your favorite host, and you’re good to go. Let’s walk you through the steps to get started:

  • Install Starter Templates plugin: Go to your WordPress dashboard and install the Starter Templates plugin from the WordPress repository.
  • Activate the plugin and choose AI builder: After activation, select the Build with AI option on the next screen.
  • Sign up to ZipWP AI (It’s free!): Click the Let’s Get Started. It’s Free. button to connect Starter Templates with ZipWP AI through a quick one-click signup.
  • Choose your plan: Select a plan to continue. If you’re just getting started, the free plan is a great option. Click Try Free Plan to move forward.
  • Connect the services: Press Connect to link your website with ZipWP AI.

Now provide a brief description of your business, and ZipWP AI will handle the rest. The four-step wizard will generate your website in minutes.

🎥 Want to see it in action? Check out the video below for a step-by-step walkthrough.

Building Your First Website

With the right tools, a clear plan, and this step-by-step guide, you can create a website that’s not just beautiful but also purposeful.

Whether it’s attracting customers, selling products, or sharing expertise, this guide has you covered.

From choosing a domain to crafting content, each step takes you closer to a professional online presence.

Tools like WordPress, Astra, and Spectra simplify the process, even for beginners.

With pre-designed templates and AI-powered content, you can achieve great results effortlessly.

The internet is your blank canvas—start creating your masterpiece today.

What kind of website are you planning to create? Share your ideas in the comments!

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Form and Function: 11 WPForms Alternatives to Try Right Now https://wpastra.com/resources/wpforms-alternatives/ https://wpastra.com/resources/wpforms-alternatives/#respond Fri, 03 Jan 2025 13:36:33 +0000 https://wpastra.com/?p=190606

When it comes to building contact forms with WordPress, WPForms has more than earned its place as a top choice over the period of years. 

It’s intuitive, versatile, and checks a lot of boxes. But let’s face it, no single tool is a one-size-fits-all solution. 

Whether it’s the price, a missing feature, or the need for a bit more customization, sometimes you want options. 

You might be looking for something that integrates better with your existing tools, gives you more room to personalize, or just fits your budget a little better.

So, what makes a solid WPForms alternative? 

Ideally, a top contender would:

  • Pack in similar (or more) features and customization options
  • Offer flexible pricing, including a free or affordable plan
  • Integrate smoothly with email platforms or CRMs
  • Support an intuitive drag and drop builder that makes form creation feel natural
  • Let you style forms to match your brand without any extra addons
  • Provide reliable support, especially if you’re investing in a premium version

If WPForms isn’t quite what you’re looking for, there’s no shortage of alternatives out there that meet (and sometimes exceed) these criteria. 

In this guide, we’ll dive into the best WPForms alternatives on the market. Each one brings a unique set of features, pros and cons, and pricing options. 

Let’s explore them now.

Upgrade your form game with these 10+ incredible WPForms alternatives. Start building better forms today!

WPForms Alternatives: A Quick Comparison 

Below is a quick comparison of some of the top WPForms alternatives. 

This table provides a snapshot of each option, including the starting price and a key feature or reason we think it’s a better choice than WPForms.

Form builderStarting priceWhy it’s better than WPForms
SureFormsFree; $59/yearBuilt-in AI with powerful customizations for any niche
Formidable FormsFree; $39.50/yearAdvanced calculations ideal for surveys
Contact Form 7FreeCompletely free and lightweight for basic forms
Gravity Forms$59/yearExtensive addons and integrations, ideal for developers
TypeformFree; $25/monthSleek, conversational forms that enhance user engagement
Ninja FormsFree; $99/yearGreat flexibility with a strong library of addons
HubSpot Form BuilderFreeIntegrated with HubSpot CRM, ideal for lead generation
Fluent FormsFree; $47/yearFast and efficient with built-in email marketing tools
Quill FormsFree; $69/yearUnique conversational format, excellent for quizzes
UserFeedbackFree; $49.50/yearBuilt-in feedback collection tools for user insights
HappyformsFree; $89/yearUser-friendly interface with custom styling options

10+ WPForms Alternatives To Build Better Forms

Below, we’ll take a deeper look into each WPForms alternative. 

Whether you’re looking for a form builder with a specific style, price, or level of customization, there’s something here for everyone.

1. SureForms

SureForms

SureForms is an intuitive, AI-powered WordPress form builder

Unlike many tools that require addons or complex integrations to access AI features, SureForms has built-in AI ready to go for all users, free or paid. 

This simplifies setup and enhances user engagement and conversions, making it accessible to everyone from beginners to pros.

Features

SureForms combines simplicity with powerful features, delivering everything you’d expect from a premium form builder and then some. 

Here’s a look at what makes it shine:

  • Versatile form types: Whether you need a simple contact form, multi-step survey, or complex registration form, SureForms adapts to fit your needs.
  • 20+ Customizable form fields: Offering a range of fields from text boxes to dropdowns, SureForms lets you create forms to your exact specifications.
  • Instant form landing pages: Boost conversions with dedicated landing pages for each form. Great for lead magnets, campaigns, and other high-visibility forms.
  • Conditional logic: Create a custom flow by showing or hiding fields based on user responses.
  • Multi-step forms: For complex forms, multi-step functionality helps break up content into manageable sections.
  • AI Features: Includes native AI integration. No need for an external OpenAI key or paid addons to access AI tools.

Pros

  • User-friendly interface: Clean, simple design that’s easy for anyone to use.
  • AI Without extra costs: Built-in AI features are available to all users, adding extra value.
  • Conversion-optimized tools: Features like instant landing pages and conditional logic help drive user engagement.

Cons

  • Customization limitations on free plan: Some customizations require a paid plan.
  • Frequent updates: As a newer form builder, SureForms undergoes frequent updates, which can occasionally lead to minor changes.

Pricing

SureForms offers a free plan with paid options starting at $59/year. 

Why It Made the List

SureForms has an easy setup process, which makes it a standout choice for businesses of all kinds. It truly makes the process of creating high-conversion forms simple. 

Add in the AI tools (which are available out of the box) and you get a WPForms alternative worth talking about.

Ideal For

SureForms is perfect for businesses that want an AI-powered, flexible form builder without a bunch of technical aspects slowing down progress. 

It works especially well for high-conversion forms like registration forms, feedback surveys, and applications.

2. Formidable Forms

Formidable Forms

Formidable Forms is a versatile form builder option — powerful, versatile, and built for more than just basic forms.

If you’ve ever thought, What if my forms could calculate prices, display data, or even create directories?—this is the tool for you. 

It’s designed for users who need forms to go beyond collecting information and start actively shaping their website’s functionality.

Features

Formidable Forms doesn’t stop at the basics:

  • Advanced calculations: Need a price estimator or loan calculator? Formidable Forms handles complex math effortlessly.
  • Data display: Transform submissions into visual data—think directories, job boards, or product listings.
  • Conditional logic: Smart forms that adapt in real-time based on user input, creating a streamlined experience.
  • Multi-page forms: Break up long forms into manageable steps with progress bars to keep users engaged.
  • Robust integrations: From CRMs to payment gateways, Formidable connects with all the tools your business relies on.

Pros

  • Extensive customization: Formidable Forms is one of the most customizable form builders available, perfect for creating unique, complex forms.
  • Data management and display: No other form builder on this list handles data quite like Formidable Forms.
  • Strong calculation abilities: Its calculation features make it ideal for financial, education, or service-based businesses requiring precise, data-intensive forms.

Cons

  • Learning curve: Due to its advanced capabilities, Formidable Forms may take some time to master, especially for beginners.
  • Pricing: More advanced features only available on higher-tier plans, which can be costly.

Pricing

Formidable Forms offers a free version with basic features. 

Paid plans start at $39.50/year for the basic plan, but you’ll need an advanced plan for full access to all features and integrations, which costs upward of $99.50/year.

Why It Made the List

Formidable Forms is a go-to solution for anyone who needs data management and display options. 

Its ability to transform collected data into custom views or tables makes it an attractive choice for those looking to create interactive forms, calculators, or directories.

Ideal for:

It’s a good choice for businesses and websites that rely on advanced data collection and display, like financial service providers, educational institutions, and eCommerce sites.

3. Contact Form 7

Contact Form 7

Contact Form 7 has earned its place as a classic WordPress plugin. 

If you need a no-fuss, reliable way to add contact forms to your site, this is often the first tool that comes to mind.

While it doesn’t have the shiny features or visual builders of newer plugins, its simplicity, stability, and widespread community support make it a firm favorite.

Features

Contact Form 7 keeps things simple, focusing on the basics while offering room to expand with addons:

  • Basic form creation: Create and manage multiple forms, especially simple ones.
  • Customizable markup: Allows basic HTML customization for form content and email templates.
  • Spam protection: Built-in integration with Akismet and reCAPTCHA to keep unwanted submissions at bay.
  • Third-party extensions: Addons for features like conditional logic and multi-step forms give it some extra flexibility.

Pros

  • Free to use: Completely free, making it accessible for everyone..
  • Lightweight: Minimal impact on site performance due to its simplicity.
  • Extensive documentation: Comprehensive guides and a large community for support.

Cons

  • No drag and drop interface: Lacks a visual builder, which can be challenging for beginners.
  • Limited built-in features: Advanced functions require additional plugins.
  • Outdated interface: The user interface feels dated compared to modern form builders.

Pricing

Contact Form 7 is entirely free. However, some third-party extensions may come with costs.

Why It Made the List

Despite its simplicity, Contact Form 7 remains a reliable WPForms alternative for those needing basic forms without the bells and whistles. 

The extensive community support and extensions lets you enhance its capabilities as needed.

Ideal for

Perfect if you need a no-frills, dependable contact form solution and are comfortable with basic HTML.

4. Gravity Forms

Gravity Forms

Gravity Forms is a real workhorse of a WordPress form builder. It’s a premium tool packed with advanced features and allows for tons of customization. 

It’s a choice solution for many developers and businesses that need forms to do more than collect data. 

From powering eCommerce workflows to integrating with CRMs and payment platforms, Gravity Forms more than meets complex requirements.

Features

Gravity Forms helps you create everything from simple contact forms to highly customized, multi-functional forms:

  • Drag and drop editor: Easily create forms with a professional look using a simple drag and drop interface.
  • Conditional logic: Build smart, personalized forms that adapt in real time based on user responses.
  • Advanced addons: Integrate with tools like PayPal, Stripe, and Mailchimp.
  • Multi-step forms with progress bars: Break long forms into manageable sections to keep users engaged.
  • File uploads and advanced fields: Supports everything from file uploads to calculated fields and date pickers.

Pros

  • Highly customizable: With a wide range of addons and integrations, Gravity Forms is one of the most versatile form builders on the market.
  • Developer-friendly: It provides hooks, filters, and addons that allow for advanced customizations.
  • Many security options: Includes built-in anti-spam measures, reCAPTCHA, and GDPR compliance tools.

Cons

  • No free version: Gravity Forms is entirely premium, with no free tier available.
  • Higher learning curve: Its many customization options make Gravity Forms overwhelming for beginners.

Pricing

Gravity Forms offers three pricing tiers: Basic ($59/year), Pro ($159/year), and Elite ($259/year). Each tier unlocks different levels of addons and support.

Why It Made the List

Gravity Forms is an often favored choice for businesses that need a scalable, developer-friendly form builder.

Ideal For

Gravity Forms works well for developers who need a form solution that’s as customizable as it is reliable. 

Things like advanced eCommerce workflows or automated data collection for a CRM are totally possible here.

5. Typeform

Typeform

Typeform is a form builder and a way to start a conversation. 

By breaking away from traditional layouts, it offers a fresh, interactive experience that feels less like filling out a form and more like having a dialogue. 

It uses a sleek, one-question-at-a-time format that makes it great for creating engaging surveys, quizzes, and lead-generation forms that people actually enjoy completing.

Features

Typeform’s strength lies in its design-first approach and smart features:

  • Conversational form design: Its signature one-question-at-a-time layout draws users in and reduces fatigue.
  • Customizable templates: Choose from beautifully designed templates and tweak fonts, colors, and layouts to reflect your brand.
  • Logic jumps: Dynamic conditional logic customizes the experience by showing people only the questions that matter to them.
  • Integrations with major tools: Connects with Google Sheets, Mailchimp, Slack, and HubSpot to speed up workflows.
  • Built-in analytics: Gain insights with performance data like drop-off rates and completion times.

Pros

  • Engaging design: The conversational format is proven to increase user engagement.
  • Responsive and mobile-friendly: Typeform’s forms look great on any device.
  • Advanced conditional logic: Logic Jumps let you create forms that “respond” to user input.

Cons

  • Limited free plan: The free plan is quite limited, both in the number of responses allowed and in access to advanced features, which may not be enough for larger projects.
  • Higher price for full features: Typeform’s most engaging features, like Logic Jumps and premium templates, are available only on higher-tier plans, which can be costly.

Pricing

Typeform offers a free plan with basic features, limited to 10 responses per month. Paid plans start at $25/month for the Essentials plan, which includes 100 responses. 

Higher tier plans start at $50/month and scale up the number of responses and users.

Why It Made the List

Typeform’s conversational approach transforms forms into a branded, engaging experience. It’s an excellent choice for businesses that care about aesthetics and want forms that feel personal, not transactional.

Ideal For

Typeform is perfect for marketers, educators, and researchers looking to boost engagement through sleek, user-friendly forms. 

It works especially well for collecting feedback, generating leads, or creating quizzes.

6. Ninja Forms

Ninja Forms
Screenshot

Ninja Forms lives up to its name by being adaptable, quick to master, and powerful when needed. 

Whether you’re building a simple contact form or a multi-step survey, it’s a versatile tool that grows with you. 

With its beginner-friendly drag and drop builder and an extensive library of addons, Ninja Forms appeals to everyone — from casual bloggers to businesses with complex form needs.

Features

Ninja Forms offers a mix of simplicity and flexibility, with key features that include:

  • Drag and drop builder: Effortlessly create forms without touching a single line of code.
  • Pre-built templates: Templates for contact forms, registrations, and surveys, all easily customizable.
  • Conditional logic: Dynamically show or hide fields based on user inputs for a personalized experience.
  • Multi-part forms: Break up long forms into sections with progress indicators to keep users engaged.
  • Integrations and addons: Extend functionality with addons for email marketing, CRMs, payment gateways, file uploads, and more.

Pros

  • User-friendly: The intuitive interface makes form creation straightforward, even for those without technical expertise.
  • Extensible: A wide range of addons and integrations allow users to expand functionality as needed.
  • Responsive design: Forms are mobile-responsive, ensuring they look and function well on all devices.

Cons

  • Cost of addons: While the core plugin is free, many advanced features require paid addons, which can quickly add to the cost.
  • Learning curve for advanced features: Some more complex features may require a learning period, especially for beginners.

Pricing

Ninja Forms offers a free core plugin with basic features. 

For advanced features, you’ll need a premium plan, which starts at $99/year and scales up the number of sites covered, support access, and the addons included.

Why It Made the List

Whether you’re starting with a free plan or upgrading, Ninja Forms adapts to your growing needs, offering a decent balance of accessibility and advanced functionality.

Ideal For

Ninja Forms is ideal for users who want a form builder that grows with them. 

So, both beginners who need a simple form and advanced users ready to set up integrations and complex workflows, can benefit.

7. HubSpot Free Online Form Builder

HubSpot Free Online Form Builder

HubSpot offers a free online form builder that makes it easy to create forms and also serves as a gateway to HubSpot’s powerful CRM ecosystem. 

These form-creation tools are great for lead generation and customer relationship management and simplify capturing, managing, and nurturing leads. 

Features

HubSpot’s form builder is packed with features that make it easy to create forms and put your data to work:

  • Drag and drop builder: Quickly design forms with a visual editor that requires no coding.
  • CRM integration: Automatically log form submissions into HubSpot’s CRM (if you have it) for effortless lead tracking.
  • Follow-up automation: Trigger follow-up emails and notifications based on form submissions to keep leads engaged.
  • Analytics and reporting: Track form performance with built-in analytics, including views, submissions, and conversion rates.
  • Customizable templates: Choose from pre-designed templates for lead generation, event registrations, surveys, and more.

Pros

  • Completely free: Offers a full set of features at no cost. 
  • Seamless CRM integration: Direct integration with HubSpot’s CRM ensures all form data is centralized. 
  • User-friendly interface: The drag and drop builder makes form creation simple. 

Cons

  • Limited advanced features: Some functions like A/B testing and advanced reporting, are available only in paid tiers. 
  • Requires HubSpot ecosystem: Optimal use of the form builder is achieved when integrated with HubSpot’s suite of tools. That does require a broader commitment to their platform, which you might not be interested in. 

Pricing

The Form Builder is free. But if you want more features and CRM integration, you can sign up for the Marketing Hub Starter plan, starting at $20/seat/month. 

Why It Made the List

The HubSpot Free Online Form Builder made our list because it’s a solid free WPForms alternative that integrates with a powerful CRM – if that’s something you’re looking for.

Ideal For

This form builder is ideal for anyone who needs a cost-effective, integrated solution for lead generation and customer relationship management.

It’s particularly useful for those already using or considering HubSpot’s suite of tools.

8. Fluent Forms

Fluent Forms

Fluent Forms fully earns its reputation as a fast, reliable WordPress form builder that’s both user-friendly and feature-packed. 

Whether you’re creating a basic contact form or detailed survey, it offers the right tools to get the job done efficiently. 

Fluent Forms is a great pick for users who want a lightweight plugin with the flexibility to grow alongside their needs.

Features

  • Drag and drop builder: Build custom forms with an intuitive, no-code interface.
  • Pre-built templates: Quickly get started with customizable templates for everything from contact forms to event registrations.
  • Conditional logic: Smartly adapt forms in real-time by showing or hiding fields based on user responses.
  • Multi-step forms: Break longer forms into steps with progress indicators to maintain engagement and reduce drop-offs.
  • Integrations and addons: Connect seamlessly with tools like Mailchimp, CRM platforms, and other third-party services.

Pros

  • User-friendly: Form creation is straightforward, even for those without tech skills.
  • Extensible: A wide range of addons and integrations let you extend its features at will.
  • Responsive design: Forms created with Fluent Forms are mobile-responsive, so they look and function well on all devices.

Cons

  • Cost of addons: While the core plugin is free, many advanced features require a paid site license.

Pricing

Fluent Forms offers a free core plugin with basic features. 

For advanced features though you’ll need to upgrade to a single site license for $47/year, agency license (which covers five sites) for $97/year, or an unlimited license for $179/year.

Why It Made the List

Fluent Forms is a versatile, scalable solution that works for everyone from solo bloggers to enterprise-level businesses. It’s lightweight and offers extensive customization and integration options.

Ideal For

Anyone who needs a fast, flexible form builder that can grow with their needs will enjoy Fluent Forms. It does a decent job at building simple forms and integrating advanced workflows.

9. Quill Forms

Quill Forms
Screenshot

Quill Forms is a WordPress plugin that brings a fresh approach to form creation as it focuses on conversational, interactive experiences. 

Designed as a free alternative to Typeform and WPForms, it lets you build engaging forms, surveys, quizzes, and cost estimation forms directly within WordPress. 

Features

  • Conversational design: Keeps people engaged by presenting questions one at a time, mimicking a dialogue.
  • Drag and drop builder: Effortlessly arrange question types like multiple choice, dropdowns, and sliders with no coding required.
  • Customizable themes: Easily align forms with your brand by adjusting fonts, colors, and backgrounds.
  • Conditional logic: Use jump logic to create forms based on user responses.
  • Integrations: Connects with tools like Google Sheets, Mailchimp, and Slack.

Pros

  • Free version: Offers a free version with essential features. 
  • Engaging user experience: Conversational design leads to higher engagement and completion rates compared to traditional forms. 
  • Easy to use: The drag and drop builder and customization options make form creation straightforward. 

Cons

  • Advanced features require pro version: Features like file uploads, advanced logic, and certain integrations are available only in the premium version. 
  • Limited templates: Compared to some competitors, Quill Forms offers fewer pre-built templates, which may require more time for initial setup. 

Pricing

Quill Forms offers a free version for basic use. 

The Pro version starts at $69/year and unlocks advanced features like premium integrations and enhanced customization.

Why It Made the List

Quill Forms stands out for its conversational style and user-friendly setup. Any business looking to increase form engagement could benefit. 

It’s a great option for marketers and educators seeking an interactive, approachable form experience, too.

Ideal For

This form plugin is perfect for businesses, educators, and researchers who want to create engaging surveys, quizzes, and interactive forms that keep people involved. 

Basically, anyone who doesn’t want a standard form experience could find use for Quill Forms.

10. UserFeedback

UserFeedback

UserFeedback is a WordPress plugin that helps you set up real-time user engagement as it lets you collect feedback directly from website visitors. 

It also gives businesses the opportunity to understand user behavior and preferences, thereby enhancing website performance and user satisfaction. 

Features

UserFeedback combines ease of use useful features that help you collect and act on feedback effectively:

  • Interactive feedback forms: Create engaging surveys, polls, and forms that integrate into your site to encourage responses.
  • Pre-designed templates: Quickly deploy feedback forms with over 20 templates, including customer satisfaction and NPS surveys.
  • Conditional logic: Customize forms to user inputs by dynamically showing or hiding questions for a personalized experience.
  • Device and page-level targeting: Target specific devices and pages to ensure feedback is collected from the right audience.
  • Analytics integration: Sync with Google Analytics and MonsterInsights to analyze feedback alongside other site metrics.

Pros

  • User-friendly interface: The design makes it really easy to set up and launch feedback forms without coding or much tech knowledge at all. 
  • Real-time reporting: Access feedback data in real-time within the WordPress dashboard. 
  • Unlimited surveys and questions: Create an unlimited number of surveys and questions so you can collect and analyze the data.

Cons

  • Limited free version: The free version offers the asics, but unique features like device targeting and conditional logic are available only in the premium version. 

Pricing

UserFeedback offers a free version with essential features. 

The premium version is available at $49.50 per year, providing access to all features, including advanced targeting, conditional logic, and priority support. 

Why It Made the List

UserFeedback’s focus on real-time engagement and its integration with analytics tools make it a standout option. 

It’s a great choice for collecting actionable feedback directly from website visitors.

Ideal For

Marketers, website owners, and businesses seeking to enhance performance and user satisfaction can get a lot of mileage out of UserFeedback. 

It’s also really useful for those who want to make data-driven improvements and want an easy way to gather feedback from specific audience segments.

11. Happyforms

Happyforms

Happyforms lives up to its name by making form creation a simple and satisfying experience. 

Built for those who value ease of use, this WordPress plugin eliminates the complexity of form-building with a simple interface and live preview feature. 

Beginner and experienced users can get something out of this WPForms alternative.

Features

Happyforms focuses on simplicity while still delivering what’s needed for effective form creation:

  • Drag and drop builder: Design forms easily without touching a single line of code.
  • Live preview: See your changes in real time, ensuring forms look exactly how you want before they go live.
  • Responsive design: Every form is mobile-friendly.
  • Spam prevention: Built-in tools like Honeypot and Google reCAPTCHA keep unwanted submissions at bay.
  • GDPR compliance: Includes consent checkboxes to help you stay on top of data protection regulations.

Pros

  • User-friendly interface: The intuitive design makes form creation straightforward. No tech experience needed. 
  • Live preview: The live preview feature lets you see changes in real-time. 
  • Responsive design: Forms are mobile-responsive, ensuring they look and function well on all devices. 

Cons

  • Limited advanced features: While suitable for basic forms, Happyforms lacks some advanced features found in other form builders, like complex conditional logic and extensive integrations. 
  • Premium costs: Access to certain advanced features and integrations requires upgrading from the Starter plan. 

Pricing

Happyforms offers a free version with essential features. 

Premium plans start at $89/year for advanced fields and integrations, with higher-tier plans offering expanded features, priority support, and a full range of integrations.

Why It Made the List

Happyforms keeps things simple without sacrificing quality. If you need a WPForms alternative that’s straightforward, this could work out well. 

Ideal For

Happyforms is best suited for small businesses, bloggers, and anyone who wants to create clean, functional forms quickly. 

It’s an excellent choice for anyone prioritizing ease of use and responsive design over advanced features.

If you’re ready to dive deeper into optimizing your contact forms and getting the most from these WPForms alternatives, check out this helpful video. 

It covers essential tips and tricks to boost engagement and streamline your form setup: 

Which WPForms Alternative Will You Choose?

When building WordPress forms, WPForms is a great option, but it’s not the only one. 

Each of the WPForms alternatives presented here offers unique features and advantages. 

Whether you’re looking for more advanced data collection, a simplified interface, or integration with your CRM, there’s something here for everyone.

For those seeking an ideal combination of flexibility, ease of use, and incredible features, SureForms is a top choice

With its native AI capabilities and user-friendly design, there’s really nothing else on the market like it right now. 

Try out these WPForms alternatives to discover the right fit for your site. Soon enough, you’ll boost your engagement and find that your forms better fulfill your needs.

WPForms Alternatives FAQs

We’ve covered a lot of ground here today, but if you still have a few pressing questions, the following FAQs should tie up any loose ends: 

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Sell Better: 15 Top Performing WordPress Real Estate Plugins https://wpastra.com/plugins/wordpress-real-estate-plugin/ https://wpastra.com/plugins/wordpress-real-estate-plugin/#comments Thu, 02 Jan 2025 08:45:35 +0000 https://wpastra.com/?p=65100
Real estate plugin image

9 out of 10 homebuyers begin their property search online, and 7 decide to buy based on the digital experience. Source

If you’re in real estate, you’ll already understand that your website isn’t just a showcase—it’s your first impression creator and 24/7 lead generator.

While WordPress provides a strong foundation, specialized real estate plugins unlock IDX integration, virtual tours, and advanced search options that today’s buyers expect.

With years of experience working with real estate professionals, we’ve handpicked the most effective plugins to enhance your website. 

In this article, we’ll explore:

  • Key features to look for in a real estate plugin.
  • Pricing, support, and integration comparisons.
  • Expert recommendations for different business needs and budgets.

Whether you’re an independent agent or part of a large brokerage, we hope you’ll find a plugin that fits your needs.

Enhance your real estate site with the 15 best WordPress real estate plugins. Discover top features, pros, and cons to elevate property listings and generate sales!

What We Look for in a WordPress Real Estate Plugin

We believe a feature-rich plugin can empower a real estate website and take it from a standard listing site to an interactive real estate portal.

Here are the top 5 features we think every plugin should have:

  • Advanced search and filtering: We prefer plugins that allow you to search based on price, location, and property type.
  • High-quality images and virtual tours: We like plugins that support high-resolution photos, video tours, and 3D walkthroughs.
  • Map integration: We favor plugins with maps to help visitors understand the property and its surrounding amenities.
  • Mortgage calculator: A built-in calculator can help calculate mortgage payments and total costs, which can help clients make better decisions.
  • Lead capture: We also look for lead capture forms because they open doors to client conversations and improve conversion rates.

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but hopefully it’s enough to give you an idea of what to look for.

The Best WordPress Real Estate Plugins

After extensive research, we’ve identified the 5 best plugins that stand out from the rest.

ThemeIDX BrokerRealtyna Real EstateEssential Real EstateEstatik Real Estate PluginEasy Property Listings
Search properties⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Images and vIrtual tours⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Map integration⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mortgage calculator⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lead capture forms⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Our
rating
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In the next section, we’ll discuss the fine properties of each plugin and 10 others not on the list.

Hopefully, you’ll find the perfect plugin for your real estate business!

15 Best WordPress Real Estate Plugins

Here’s the full list of our recommended real estate plugins.

1. LatePoint

LatePoint
PriceFrom $79 per year.
Best forBusy real estate agents that need better appointment scheduling.
Standout featureUsability and control over appointments

LatePoint is a standout WordPress booking plugin as it makes appointment scheduling easy for real estate professionals.

We appreciate its intuitive dashboard and simple controls that help you manage everything about appointments. 

Other features you’ll love include automation and the ability to manage multiple agents and locations. 

It also integrates with Zapier and Google Calendar to help agents stay organized across platforms.

Pros

  • Tailored booking forms that capture client preferences such as property type or location.
  • A centralized dashboard to easily manage appointments and client details.
  • Simplified scheduling with a calendar view displaying bookings by day, week, or month.
  • Offer secure, flexible payment options via Stripe, Square, or PayPal.
  • Automates reminders, follow-ups, and notifications to streamline operations.

Cons

  • It’s not a dedicated real estate plugin.
LatePoint Plugin Review

What We Think

LatePoint offers a clean, modern interface with flexible customization, a mobile-friendly design, and an easy onboarding setup that makes scheduling straightforward.

Even though it isn’t a dedicated real estate plugin, the rich features and ease of use make it well worth the investment.

2. WordPress IDX Real Estate Listings

WordPress IDX Real Estate Listings
PriceFrom $89.95 per month.
Best forWebsites that need MLS integration for property listings.
Standout featureWebsites that need MLS integration for property listings.

The WordPress IDX plugin provides access to 700+ multiple listing services (MLS) to keep listings fresh.

We loved its interactive maps, smart search options, and appealing slideshows, which give visitors great browsing options.

Its simple forms allow you to receive questions or schedule viewings, helping you build stronger connections with your clients.

Pros

  • Provides 730+ MLS listing feeds with up-to-date property information.
  • Easy installation and onboarding for a smooth setup experience.
  • SEO-optimized design to boost site visibility and search engine rankings.
  • Interactive IDX widgets for better search and user engagement.
  • Advanced lead capture tools to convert visitors into clients.

Cons

  • You’ll need to upgrade to Pro to enjoy the more powerful features.

What We Think

The WordPress IDX plugin includes tools like map search, property slideshows, and customizable shortcodes to help visitors easily find your property.

We think its extensive MLS coverage and interactive options can help keep listings up-to-date and enhance your real estate appeal.

3. Realtyna Organic IDX plugin + WPL Real Estate

Realtyna Organic IDX plugin + WPL Real Estate
PriceFrom $99 per month.
Best forReal estate companies looking for a franchised model.
Standout featureMultisite franchise solution.

Realtyna WPL offers scalable features, supporting up to 5,000 agents while maintaining complete control and access to unlimited revenue potential.

We were impressed by how easily it customizes listings based on geographic data like median income, tax rates and population for a tailored client experience.

You also get a brandable iOS and Android to enhance your mobile offering. The plugin is also compatible with platforms like RealtyFeed.com and WPL-API.

Pros

  • Syncs live MLS/IDX data via API for up-to-date listings.
  • Offers advanced search tools with maps, neighborhood filters, and tags.
  • Expands your reach with native mobile app support for Android/iOS.
  • Offers lead capture, user analytics, and home valuation tools.
  • White-labeled franchise solution makes it easy to onboard agents and brokers.

Cons

  • A few users have issues integrating with some aspects of Innovia MLS.

What We Think

Realtyna WPL offers robust customization options, including agency site white labeling.

There’s also the seamless mobile app integration, and compatibility with major REST Web API-based MLS providers in North America.

4. Essential Real Estate

Essential Real Estate Plugin
PriceStarts at $60 per license.
Best forWebsites that want to add paid submissions.
Standout featurePage template variety.

The Essential Real Estate plugin offers a variety of customizable page templates for creating search pages, listings, profiles, and more for a tailored real estate look.

You can use the plugin to display listings through video, photo galleries, or 360-degree virtual tours, and also integrate with popular plugins like Visual Composer and WPML for more customization.

We particularly like its integration with Google Maps and geolocation to simplify property searches.

Pros

  • Integrates with Google Maps, Mapbox, and OpenStreetMap for detailed navigation.
  • Geolocation and Near Place provide a tailored search experience.
  • Monetization options are available through paid listing packages.
  • The mortgage calculator helps clients with financial decisions.
  • Social login and sharing features help with greater audience reach.

Cons

  • Map setup can be a bit complicated.

What We Think

The Essential Real Estate plugin offers strong search features, free listings, and monetization options, great for real estate websites.

While it lacks deep IDX integration, the available functionality is sufficient for most websites.

5. IDX Broker

IDX Broker Real Estate Plugin
PriceFrom $55 per month.
Best forReal estate professionals looking for IDX essentials.
Standout featureAdvanced MLS/IDX search functionality.

IDX Broker simplifies MLS/IDX search with the IMPress for IDX Broker WordPress plugin, which integrates seamlessly with any theme

We were attracted to its advanced map tools, which include radius searches, pin clustering for up to 500 listings, and a location-based zoom.

Other standout features, such as drag and drop maps, quick searches, listing slideshows, and lead capture forms, help effectively engage clients and showcase properties.

Pros

  • Advanced search functionality to simplify house hunting.
  • Integrates MLS features and branding with the IDX Broker WordPress plugin.
  • Robust analytics to monitor lead activity and client behavior.
  • Enhances credibility with localized insights and sold property data.
  • Agent management tools that track perks and connect agents directly to leads.

Cons

  • Some agency owners have complained about its overwhelming number of features.
IDX Broker Real Estate Plugin Review

What We Think

We think IDX Broker is great if you’re seeking to enhance your website with powerful MLS search tools. It should give your prospects and agents the tools they need for a simple and effective real estate experience.

6. Business Directory Plugin

Business Directory Plugin
PriceFrom $99 per year.
Best forBusinesses who want deep directory integration.
Standout featureMap search variety.

The Business Directory Plugin lets you easily build customized directory listings for your real estate website.

We particularly like the advanced search filters for location-based results, a key feature for real estate directories.

Its integration allows visitors to view property listings in search results or by specific location, such as city or neighborhood. You can also create community-driven platforms with user reviews.

Pros

  • Map integration in search results, categories, or individual listings.
  • Free and paid submissions give flexibility for real estate monetization.
  • Customizable templates help you match the plugin to your brand.
  • Advanced search filters help find listings based on location or country.
  • The rating feature boosts listing credibility.

Cons

  • Real estate features may not be as comprehensive as those offered by competitors.
Business Directory Plugin Review

What We Think

We consider the Business Directory Plugin an excellent choice for real estate website owners who need customizable listings with advanced search options.

While its features may not match all competitors, its location-based search, map integration, and user reviews offer excellent value.

7. Estatik Real Estate Plugin

Estatik Real Estate Plugin
PriceFree/From $89.
Best forRealtors seeking MLS integration.
Standout featureRETS and RESO Web API listings import.

Estatik Real Estate provides MLS support, including automated and manual imports, synchronization, and agent mapping through its RETS/RESO Web API. 

We appreciate how it creates visually appealing property websites using demo templates. There’s also a custom field builder, advanced map search, and sorting and filtering options. 

Agents can manage listings, create customizable labels, and offer multilingual support, which is why it’s in our list. 

Pros

  • Adds extensive map search to almost any page.
  • Simple front-end management tools for admins, users, and agents.
  • Flexible search options, including maps, search fields, and sliders.
  • Users can save searches and create wishlists to stay organized.
  • Organic MLS import via RETS and RESO Web API for data variety.

Cons

  • You’ll need to upgrade to Pro to enjoy the more advanced features.

What We Think

We recommend the Estatik Real Estate plugin for professionals looking to create property websites with MLS support and listing management tools.
Its integration with WordPress page builders like Elementor, customizable labels, and multilingual support all help too!

8. WPVR – 360 Panorama and Virtual Tour Builder For WordPress

WPVR – 360 Panorama and Virtual Tour Builder For WordPress
PriceFrom $47.99 per year.
Best forAgencies who want to share pictorial views of listings.
Standout featureProtection and sharing of virtual tours.

The WPVR – 360 Panorama and Free Virtual Tour Builder allows you to create immersive virtual tours without requiring technical skills.

The ability to create password-protected tours for premium clients and, if you like, share tours on social media before they’re published is very useful.

It also offers a great way for agents to showcase floor plans and neighborhoods, offering visitors an interactive 360-degree view of listings.

Pros

  • Highlights key details of property listings with interactive hotspots.
  • Captures lead information directly through integrated forms.
  • Provides floor plans for a comprehensive, bird’s-eye view of the property.
  • Share virtual tours via social media for better engagement.
  • Integration of virtual tours on any website, even non-WordPress ones.

Cons

  • A few users have reported issues with pro licensing.

What We Think

We think the WPVR – 360 Panorama and Free Virtual Tour Builder is particularly valuable for real estate agents who want to create immersive virtual tours without technical skills.

Its strength lies in its ability to integrate and share tours across websites and offer password protection for premium clients.

9. PropertyHive

PropertyHive
PriceFree/From $48 per year.
Best forProperty listings and management.
Standout featureBuilt-in property search functionality.

PropertyHive is an all-in-one WordPress plugin that provides benefits like property detail pages, map integrations, and compatibility with any theme.

We were impressed by its estate agency CRM, which handles client database management, property-applicant matching, appointment scheduling, and portal exports.

If you’re into customization, you’ll get 250+ hooks and filters to help you manage everything from custom fields to email subjects.

Pros

  • Provides customizable templates to add property search to any theme.
  • Simplify real estate workflows with an integrated CRM.
  • Handles client inquiries through a built-in management portal.
  • Shares listings in real time with top directories like Zoopla and Rightmove.
  • Provides access to over 250 WordPress hooks, filters, and actions.

Cons

  • Plugin documentation could be more detailed.
PropertyHive Plugin Review

What We Think

PropertyHive is an excellent choice if you’re after a reliable way to manage your online presence and client interactions.

The extensive hooks, filters, and open-source collaboration options make it popular for agencies looking for more customization options than the norm.

10. Draw Attention

Draw Attention
PriceFree/From $99 per license.
Best forRealtors who want to use maps to highlight listing features.
Standout featureInteractive images and maps.

Draw Attention is an innovative WordPress plugin for creating interactive images and maps for real estate websites.

We were attracted to its ability to transform property images into clickable, hoverable hotspots that visitors can use to learn more about your listings. We also found its lightbox and tooltip layouts quite engaging.

Its customization options, which include 20 predefined custom schemes, help tailor image maps to match your brand.

Pros

  • Create visually clear interactive image maps to capture attention.
  • Adds hotspots with audio, video, or galleries to enrich your listings.
  • Showcase properties creatively with a variety of customizable layouts.
  • Link to posts, pages, or products to provide a better site cross-reference.
  • Pre-built templates and color schemes for better branding alignment.

Cons

  • You’ll need premium for multiple interactive image maps. 

What We Think

We think Draw Attention is ideal for website owners looking to boost engagement with interactive property images.

The customization options, including pre-built templates and color schemes, make it easy to align your image maps with your brand.

11. Advanced Classifieds & Directory Pro

Advanced Classifieds & Directory Pro Plugin
PriceFree/From $95.88 per year.
Best forReal estate agencies that want to include classified ads on their websites.
Standout featureFlexible and highly customizable.

Advanced Classifieds & Directory Pro (ACADP) is a powerful WordPress plugin designed to help create versatile directory sites, including real estate platforms.

We were particularly impressed by its multiple ways to monetize your site. You can set pricing for different categories, promoted listings, or different advert durations. 

There’s also advanced search and filter, ideal for creating tailored, user-friendly property searches based on categories, price, location, and other criteria.

Pros

  • Monetization options through promoted listings and ads.
  • Advanced search and filtering tools for easier property searches.
  • Multifunctional widgets for easy management of addresses, locations, and contacts.
  • Advertiser functionality that allows users to buy submissions or promotions.
  • Packages anti-spam protections, which include Google ReCaptcha and Honeypot.

Cons

  • Some users have reported issues with spam mitigation.

What We Think

Advanced Classifieds & Directory Pro (ACADP) is a great tool for real estate professionals who want to build monetizable sites. 

Its advanced search tools make property searches easier, while unlimited custom fields let you tailor your site to meet all your business needs.

12. Real Estate Manager – Property Listing and Agent Management

Real Estate Manager – Property Listing and Agent Management
PriceFree/From $49 per year.
Best forReal estate websites that need deep customization.
Standout featureAdvanced AJAX Search functionality.

Real Estate Manager (REM) is an all-around, beginner-friendly  WordPress plugin with readymade designs for quick setup.

We like its integrations with popular page builders like WordPress Block Editor, Divi, and Elementor. We also like the agent management, listing templates, and front-end dashboards.

There’s even 360-degree virtual tours, password-protected listings, and restricted fields for creating secure and interactive property platforms.

Pros

  • Customizable listing templates that align with your site’s branding.
  • Front-end agent portal for listing management and submissions.
  • The “Near Me” feature displays nearby properties.
  • Dynamic search with advanced queries for fast, tailored results.
  • Advanced map integration offers versatility with Google and Open Street Map modes.

Cons

  • Some users have cited issues with the simple search functionality.
Real Estate Manager – Property Listing and Agent Management Plugin Review

What We Think

We consider Real Estate Manager (REM) an excellent choice for realtors looking to build dynamic, user-friendly websites. Its quick setup and pre-made designs make it ideal for beginners.

It allows you to integrate with major WordPress page builders for better customization and includes features like 360-degree tours to enhance engagement. 

13. WordPress Toolset

WordPress Toolset Plugin
PriceFrom €69 per year.
Best forBeginners who want to develop real estate websites without coding.
Standout featureWide suite of real estate and directory addons.

Toolset is a powerful WordPress plugin suite with a set of useful addons that makes it easy to create custom real estate directories.

We like its extensive blocks, types, forms, and map components. They offer flexibility for every part of a real estate site. The guided course simplifies setup so even beginners can build functional sites.

Once built, the user-friendly interface lets estate agents easily add key property details, such as room counts and other essential information.

Pros

  • Custom fields, taxonomies, and post types for organized property listings.
  • Advanced custom search functionality for quick property search.
  • Map integration with Google and Azure maps for enhanced viewing.
  • Custom grids, tables, and lists offer flexible property display options.
  • Front-end management simplifies the submission and editing of listings for agents.

Cons

  • No free option.
WP Toolset Plugin Review

What We Think

We think Toolset could be very useful for real estate professionals who want an easy-to-use solution for building custom property directories.

While it doesn’t offer a free plan, its detailed course provides everything you need to quickly get up to speed and build a fully functional site.

14. WPCasa

WPcasa plugin image
PriceFree/From €19 per month.
Best forThose looking for simplified and scalable control.
Standout featureListing editor for effective listings management.

WPCasa simplifies real estate management with custom themes, powerful addons, and third-party integration. 

We were impressed by Its intuitive listing editor, which simplifies the showcasing of property details, locations, and image galleries. The plugin also simplifies backend management with advanced filters and bulk actions.

Addons like WPCasa Admin Map UI, Dashboard, and Listing Maps, offer added extensibility as your site grows.

Pros

  • Listing Editor to easily create and update housing stock.
  • Personalized templates to help match your brand.
  • Advanced search to find properties effortlessly by keyword, category, or other criteria.
  • Tailored themes to quickly get started without coding.
  • Addons to extend plugin features and integrate with other third-party tools.

Cons

  • Support is tied to a Pro subscription.

What We Think

We think WPCasa is a great fit for real estate professionals looking for an efficient way to manage property listings.

Its advanced filters and bulk actions streamline backend tasks, while addons like Admin Map UI and Listing Maps offer additional convenience.

15. Easy Property Listings

Easy Property Listings
PriceFrom $97 per year.
Best forSimple WordPress property listings and management.
Standout featureExtensive functionality.

Easy Property Listing makes it simple to sort, search, and manage property listings. It’s a great option for almost any type of agent.

We liked its built-in CRM, which streamlines lead management, helping you capture, tag, and communicate with clients efficiently.

Advanced reporting provides insights into tracking business performance and market trends. Additional features like agent profiles and customizable addons just add to the value.

Pros

  • Shortcodes let you display and style listings anywhere on your site.
  • Advanced listing management simplifies sorting, searching, and managing listings.
  • Lead tracking tools help you follow up with potential buyers.
  • KPI reports to monitor performance by period.
  • Advanced mapping to showcase up to 300+ listings on an interactive map.

Cons

  • The import feature could be improved.
Easy Property Listings Plugin Review

What We Think

We recommend Easy Property Listing for real estate agents and agencies looking to simplify property management and connect better with clients.

Its customizable features, including agent listings and advanced reporting, help you track progress and improve site functionality.

Which WordPress Real Estate Plugin Should You Choose?

We covered a lot of ground in this roundup. Hopefully, we provided a wide range of options to suit any agency type.

While we all look for different things, our top three suggestions include:

  • LatePoint excels as a booking plugin. Its sleek, modern design, mobile-friendly interface, and easy setup simplify appointment scheduling.
  • Realtyna WPL for large-scale operations. It offers white-label solutions for up to 5,000 agents, customizable listings, and branded mobile apps.
  • Toolset helps you build custom real estate directories without coding. Its guided course is a nice touch that makes it very beginner-friendly.

Ready to take your real estate website to the next level? Share your thoughts, experiences, and favorite plugins in the comments below!

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