Side by side
ARForms vs Form.io
Both stand on online form builders. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Pick ARForms when a WordPress site needs flexible form layouts, conditional calculations, payment collection, uploads, and broad integrations. Look elsewhere if unrestricted submissions without a paid plan are essential.
Visit ARFormsChoose Form.io if your team needs configurable forms and APIs that can be rendered in applications or deployed in a customer controlled environment. The main reason to look elsewhere is the SaaS trial’s sensitive data restriction or the need for a formal compliance certification; Form.io states its security features do not provide one.
Visit Form.ioThe facts
| ARForms | Form.io | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Self-hosted, Web | API, Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | ARForms Pro: $39, paid once | Developer Licenses (5 licenses): $2,640 a year |
| Plans published | 2 | 14 |
| Maker | Not published | Form.io |
| Website | arformsplugin.com | form.io |
| On online form builders | #2 of 38 | #6 of 38 |
ARForms: what it does well
- Drag-and-drop editing with 33+ customizable field types
- Layouts support up to six columns and multistep forms
- Payment collection and file uploads are supported
- 24 native integrations are listed
- Entries can be filtered, exported, edited, or deleted
What to know first
- The free ARForms Lite plan restricts form submissions
- ARForms Pro costs $39 a month
- Payment gateways are provided through add-ons
Form.io: what it does well
- Build forms and APIs with a drag and drop interface.
- Render JSON schema forms with React, Angular, or Vue.
- Support conditional logic, multi step wizards, and form actions.
- Collect data offline and sync it when connected.
- Connect form actions to Google Sheets and webhooks.
What to know first
- The SaaS trial becomes read only unless continued at $300 per month.
- The trial excludes some compliance features and bars sensitive data collection.
- API Plus security capabilities do not certify applications for compliance frameworks.
Alternatives to ARForms Alternatives to Form.io The whole list

