A contact form belongs on every website – and in Elementor it’s quickly built. In this guide I show you both ways: the convenient form widget in Elementor Pro and a fully free alternative if you only use the free version.
Option A: Contact form with Elementor Pro
Elementor Pro comes with its own form widget – that is the fastest way:
- Open the page in the Elementor editor and drag the “Form” widget to the desired spot.
- Edit the fields (name, email, message) in the left panel – add fields, remove them or mark them as required.
- Under “Actions After Submit” you define what happens after sending: send an email, show a success message, store the entry.
- Under “Email”, enter your receiving address.
The big advantage: you can connect integrations directly – for example to a newsletter tool or, via automation, to your CRM. What such an automation looks like, I show in Zoho Flow & Elementor Automation.
Option B: Contact form without Elementor Pro (free)
With the free Elementor version there is no form widget – but there is a proven solution: a free form plugin such as WPForms Lite, Fluent Forms or Contact Form 7.
- Install the form plugin and create your form there.
- The plugin generates a shortcode.
- Drag the “Shortcode” widget in Elementor to the desired spot and insert the code.
This way you get a fully fledged, free contact form that blends visually into your Elementor layout.
GDPR: this must not be missing
Whichever option you choose – in Austria and the EU you need:
- a consent checkbox for data processing, together with a link to the privacy policy,
- data minimisation (only ask for what you really need),
- ideally spam protection without Google reCAPTCHA (e.g. a honeypot), to avoid data transfer to third parties.
Common mistakes with forms
- Emails don’t arrive: Almost always a sending problem with WordPress. An SMTP plugin that reliably sends emails via a real mail server fixes this.
- Too many fields: Every required field lowers the submission rate. Name, email, message are usually enough.
- No feedback: Without a success message, visitors don’t know whether the form worked.
Getting more out of your forms
A contact form is often the first step – a newsletter form the second. Which tools are suitable for that, I compare in Elementor Newsletter Comparison. And if you are only just getting to know Elementor as a whole, start with the Elementor Beginner Tutorial.
FAQ – Elementor contact form
Can I build a form with the free Elementor version?
Not with a dedicated widget – but via a free form plugin and the shortcode widget. The result is equivalent.
Why don’t my form emails arrive?
Usually WordPress sends emails unreliably. An SMTP plugin fixes this in the vast majority of cases.
Is a contact form GDPR-compliant?
Only with a consent checkbox, a link to the privacy policy and data minimisation. I deliberately choose spam protection without external US services.
Setting it up together
If you want to set up your form cleanly, GDPR-compliant and with working delivery, I am happy to support you in an Elementor training directly on your website.