20 Types of Forms To Make Your Site More Successful

Do you know how different types of forms can help your website? Dive into this guide to learn which form types you should use to really engage users!

The best types of forms to transform your website

Approximate read time: 12 minutes

Whether it's a quick 'hello' through a contact form or a full-fledged order form and checkout process, web forms serve as a direct line to your visitors.

They aren't just about collecting email addresses; they're a way to create an experience, spark conversations, and build relationships.

In this post, we'll dive into 20 different types of forms that can do wonders for your website — from AI forms that almost read your users' minds to fun quizzes that get them sharing your site far and wide (and keep them coming back for more).

And the best part is, you won't have to make them from scratch. We have templates for them all!

So, if you're ready to give your website that extra oomph, let's roll up our sleeves and discover the best form types for your site.

The most common types of form (+ examples!)

Get The Form Templates!

1. Contact forms

There are many basic types of forms, but let's start with one of the simplest: the contact form.

It's like a friendly online "hello," inviting your visitors to reach out and connect.

Whether they have a burning pre-sales question, brilliant article idea, collaboration opportunity, or just want to say hi, the conversation starts with a contact form.

Who can use this type of form?
Any kind of website can use a contact form, be it a corporate site, blog, eCommerce store, or professional portfolio.
Why add a contact form to your site?
A good contact form is a gateway to building trust and relationships with website members or customers by offering a quick and easy way for visitors to reach out.

They're also a great way to collect contact information so sales and marketing teams can follow up.

Formidable Forms conversational contact form

View our templates of different contact form types

Another one of the most basic and most common types of forms is the nearly ubiquitous newsletter signup or subscription form. They're the go-to tools for growing an email list and building an engaged community around your brand.

Who can use this type of form?
Anyone with a newsletter can use this kind of form. That means bloggers, online stores, news sites, or any business seeking to establish a direct line of communication with their audience.
Why add a newsletter signup form to your site?
By adding a signup form to your site, you can easily collect email addresses to keep in touch with people who are genuinely interested in what you have to say or offer.

See signup form templates

3. Lead generation forms

This type of form is also quite common, but it isn't always easy to know how to make a lead generation form for your site.

Lead generation or lead capture forms are basically a digital net for catching emails to your mailing list and for catching potential customers. They aren't just about collecting information; these forms can offer something valuable like gated content, downloadable resources, or exclusive discounts in exchange for information.

Who can use this type of form?
Lead generation forms are a must-have for businesses looking to expand their customer base, including eCommerce sites, consulting companies, service providers, and B2B companies.
Why add a lead generation form to your site?
These types of forms are especially valuable because they connect you with people who are genuinely interested in what you have to say or offer.

View lead generation form templates

4. Calculator forms

Online calculators are all about making life easier for site visitors. They provide instant, personalized answers to complex questions, like calculating loan payments, estimating project costs, or even counting down to a certain date and time.

Calculator forms not only offer convenience but also help people make informed decisions.

Who can use this type of form?
Almost any site can benefit from adding a calculator or estimate tools, from real estate agencies and financial advisors to online stores or health and fitness blogs.
Why add an interactive calculator to your site?
Adding an interactive calculator to your website boosts engagement and brand awareness by providing helpful, tailored information, simplifying complex calculations, and aiding decision-making. They're also an effective way to earn a bunch of backlinks and shares!

Try the mortgage calculator form demo!

View WordPress calculator templates

5. Surveys, questionnaires, & polls

Want to tap into the minds of your audience? Surveys and polls let you gather valuable feedback and opinions. They're not just questionnaires but a pathway to better understanding your audience.

Who can use these types of forms?
Any website can benefit from adding a survey, poll, or questionnaire. They're great for businesses, bloggers, educators, and any site that wants to do market research.
Why add a survey form to your site?
Add a survey or feedback form to your site to engage visitors and gather valuable insights to improve your offer or grow your business.

Example of a customer feedback survey form

View WordPress survey form templates

6. Donation & payment forms

If you want to accept payments or donations, your site needs this type of form. Not only do they make it possible to make money online, but they also streamline the process, which increases your chances of earning even more!

Who can use these types of forms?
Nonprofits, eCommerce sites, service providers, membership and subscription businesses, or other organizations looking to collect online payments or donations.
Why add a payment or donation form to your site?
This one's pretty obvious! Adding a payment or donation form lets you accept payments on your website or collect donations online.

View WordPress payment and donation form templates

Event forms are the backbone of organizing any event, whether it's for a webinar, workshop, conference, or even a wedding. Instantly gather attendee information, quickly get a headcount, and manage event logistics more easily.

Who can use these types of forms?
Event forms can help anyone who's planning an event – whether for a school, business, nonprofit, club, or a personal party.
Why add an event form to your site?
Keep track of who's attending, who's volunteering, and their preferences.

Online RSVP form example with conditional logic

View event form templates

Planning an event or running a club? Registration forms make signup easy for those interested and help organizers keep a headcount. They're not just for events; they're perfect for clubs, sports teams, and all sorts of organizations that need a quick and organized way to gather participant details.

Who can use these types of forms?
Anyone from schools, conferences, and businesses to community sports teams and clubs.
Why add a registration form to your site?
Take signups and enrollments right on your website. Streamlining the process makes it easier to organize participant information so your event or activity runs as smoothly as possible.

View registration form templates

9. Signature forms

Need a secure way to get documents signed online? Signature forms are your answer. These sorts of forms are perfect for contracts, rental agreements, and any other document requiring a signature.

Who can use these types of forms?
Businesses, legal entities, service providers, and anyone who needs to collect authenticated signatures electronically.
Why add a signature form to your site?
A signature form lets you get documents signed securely without sending them back-and-forth via email or snail mail. It makes everything faster and more convenient for both companies and clients.

PDF rental agreement WordPress template — Formidable Forms rental agreement form template

View signature form templates

10. Quizzes

Looking to make your site a bit more fun or help visitors find the perfect product? Quiz forms are the way to go. They're awesome for creating entertaining quizzes or helpful product recommendation tools.

Who can use these types of forms?
Interactive quizzes are great for everything from eCommerce sites aiming to guide customers to products to bloggers and brands that want to generate a buzz thanks to social sharing.
Why add a quiz form to your site?
Quiz forms drive traffic and increase engagement. Fun ones get shared, bringing new visitors, while product quizzes help customers find what they're looking for, boosting sales and satisfaction.

Try the personality quiz form demo!

View WordPress quiz templates

11. Business forms

Business forms are the tools that keep your company running smoothly, from taking orders and tracking inventory to appointment requests and signing contracts. They help with internal processes and business operations while also offering a better experience for customers and clients.

Who can use these types of forms?
These are forms any business can use, whether selling products or services.
Why add business forms to your site?
If you want to go paperless and make sure the right people or departments are instantly notified of new orders, appointments, and leads.

View all business form templates

12. Customer service forms

Customer service forms are crucial for providing prompt and effective customer support. They're designed to streamline the process of receiving and responding to customer questions, complaints, and feedback, ensuring that every interaction is handled efficiently.

Who can use these types of forms?
Any business or site that deals with customer queries, complaints, service, or support requests.
Why add customer service forms to your site?
They save time handling customer queries and issues and help support stay organized.

Customer service form example using ChatGPT

View customer service form templates for WordPress

13. Order forms

Order forms aren't only for making sales; they create a seamless shopping experience. With a variety of templates, you can cater to different needs, whether it's for customized products or requesting the right service.

Who can use these types of forms?
Order forms are essential for eCommerce sites and service providers, as well as businesses and artists offering personalized products or services.
Why add an order form to your site?
To streamline the ordering process so it's simple for customers to specify their needs and for businesses to meet customer expectations better.

View order form templates

14. Request a quote forms

These sorts of forms range from simple information requests to more complex ones with calculated fields that offer instant quotes. They're incredibly useful for tailoring services or products to individual needs.

Who can use these types of forms?
Service-based businesses, artists or artisans, and companies selling made-to-measure solutions.
Why add a 'Request a Quote' form to your site?
These forms streamline customer inquiries, allowing for immediate engagement. With the added feature of calculated fields, customers can get instant quotes, enhancing the user experience and speeding up the sales process.

Learn how to create an instant online quote form

15. Application forms

Application forms let you quickly collect important information from candidates. Whether it's a job application form asking for work history and skills, a loan application detailing financial status, or a volunteer form seeking availability and interests, an application form gives you the details needed to decide.

Who can use these types of forms?
A wide range of websites can benefit from business forms, such as companies hiring staff, banks handling loan applications, or college admissions.
Why add an application form to your site?
They make it easy for folks to apply and for administration offices to organize applications.

View application form templates

16. Education forms

Education forms are all about supporting the learning journey. 🧑‍🏫 They include every type of form educators might need: student interest surveys to tailor teaching, enrollment forms for class signups, online quizzes and exams, parental consent forms for field trips, and even calculating grades.

Who can use these types of forms?
Educators, school administrators, and adult or online learning programs
Why add education forms to your site?
From understanding student preferences to managing enrollment and tracking academic progress, these forms make the administrative side of education easy so educators can focus on teaching.

View education form templates

17. File upload & user-generated content forms

File upload and user-generated content forms are perfect for sites that thrive on community interaction. They allow users to create posts, share photos, or upload documents directly through a form, adding a personal touch to your site.

Who can use these types of forms?
Ideal for blogs, community forums, educational sites, or any platform that encourages user participation and content sharing.
Why add these forms to your site?
These forms empower users to contribute their own content, fostering a sense of community and engagement. They also make it easy to collect and manage user submissions, whether it's for a photo contest, guest blogging, or sharing resources.

Create a post from form submission template

18. Modal/popup forms

Modal or popup forms are like a friendly tap on the shoulder of your website, appearing at just the right moment to engage visitors. They're great for grabbing attention, whether it's for newsletter signups, special offers, or short surveys.

Who can use these types of forms?
Any website can benefit from popup and modal forms. They increase engagement by quickly capturing information right on the same webpage.
Why add modal or popup forms to your site?
If you're looking to collect more feedback or get more leads, these eye-catching forms have much higher conversation rates compared to traditional forms.

Formidable Forms Bootstrap modal form for WordPress

Learn how to make a modal form

19. Conversational Forms

Conversational forms take user interaction to the next level by mimicking a natural, dialogue-style exchange. These forms make filling out information feel more like a conversation than a standard form, enhancing user experience.

Who can use these types of forms?
They're fantastic for businesses focusing on customer service, online surveys, or any site looking to create a more engaging, user-friendly form experience.

Why add conversational forms to your site?
Conversational forms increase engagement and completion rates as they're more interactive and less intimidating than traditional forms. They're great for gathering detailed information in a way that feels more personal and less tedious for the user.

Example of a multiple-choice question in a conversational form type

View conversational form templates

20. AI Forms

AI forms are like having a smart assistant on your website. They can help plan a user's travel itinerary, suggest a workout plan, or even recommend a book. By using artificial intelligence, these forms adapt to user responses, providing a tailored and interactive experience.

Who can use these types of forms?
They're a fantastic choice if you want to offer personalized services or recommendations, like travel agencies, fitness websites, or bookstores. AI forms are also a huge help with customer support.

Why add AI forms to your site?
AI forms can save time on customer support and also offer the personalized experience users want without requiring extra time or personnel.

View AI form templates

Find all these types of form templates (and more!)

Formidable offers more than 225 different form templates, and we're constantly adding more!

From customer satisfaction surveys to job application forms, there's something for everyone. Whether you're making forms for nonprofits, businesses, education, or just for fun, we have a template for you!

And there are plenty of free templates too, so you don't have to be stuck with an ugly Google Form!

Browse our library of WordPress form templates or search for a template from the backend of your website on our newly redesigned template page!

Different types of form templates available in Formidable Forms

Can't find a template for the form type you want?

If didn't see an example of the form type you want, don't worry! With Formidable Forms, you can make your own custom WordPress form template in only a few clicks. No HTML necessary!

Just head to Formidable → Form Templates → Custom. Click the big blue Create Template button, select the form for your template, and you're off to the races!

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Which types of forms are you adding to your site?

Phew! Congrats if you made it through all 20 form types! We know it's a lot, but there are so many ways web forms can transform your site. Believe it or not, the list is pretty short compared to what you can do with them!

From streamlining operations with business forms to offering personalized suggestions with quizzes and AI forms, there's basically nothing the right online form can't do.

And with Formidable Forms' WordPress form builder, you can make any kind of form you can imagine!

If you're ready to make your site interactive and increase user engagement, grab Formidable Forms today.