Cognito Forms
by Cognito Forms · Forms
Create responsive contact forms, order forms, registration forms and more. With PCI, CCPA, and HIPAA compliance.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
A 86/100
no flags
Active installs
2K+
≈2.5K estimated
Momentum
+5%
low volume, under 1,000 downloads a month
Biggest opportunity: Swap “create form” for “order forms”. “create form” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “order forms” sits at #13 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
86 health vs 65 average across 2,517 Forms plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →1.7%
of downloads still active
At least 2K of 118.3K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Forms plugin keeps 1.2%, across 1,671 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Forms plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 3 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Excellent listing optimization
Well tuned across the board
Updated 76 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.0★ over 19 reviews, weighted for review count to 4.1★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
39
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.1
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
21%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.1
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| cognito your tag | #1 | #2 | 0 |
| cognito forms your tag | #1 | #2 | 0 |
| hipaa | #5 | #7 | 0 |
| hipaa forms | #4 | #7 | 0 |
| order forms | #13 | #21 | up 2 |
| pci | #15 | #14 | down 4 |
| hipaa form | #6 | #8 | 0 |
| forms your tag | #22 | #22 | up 1 |
| online forms | #11 | #20 | up 1 |
| pci compliance | #14 | #10 | down 2 |
| free forms | #24 | #21 | 0 |
| create form your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| form your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
25 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 11 listed. 14 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 2 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “create form” for “order forms”. “create form” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “order forms” sits at #13 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,491 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 3.7K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Occasionally updatedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
3
releases in the last 12 months
3mo ago
latest release · v2.0.12 · 19 Aug 2026
23
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 90% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “2K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 3.5 years ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 26 Oct 2020
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ reimajined2.5y ago
I love Cognito Forms. But I don’t even see anywhere within my WordPress admin area to create/view/manage forms. Is it tied to Gutenberg blocks? Cuz Gutenberg is the plague and I avoid that. Would be nice if it showed up in other builders (i.e. Beaver Builder.)
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Das Capitolin3.5y ago
I have a Cognito Forms account. I have a WordPress website I would like to embed my forms onto. So I install this plugin, activate it, and from the Classic Editor I click on the Cognito Forms gear icon, and… nothing. Only a small, empty window opens. EDIT: Manually adding the seamless Publish Code snippet worked fine, whereas this plugin did not. You keep your 1-star. This topic was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by Das Capitolin.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ petebm5.8y ago
The range of options and facilities offered by Cognito Forms is outstanding; powerful forms based on conditional logic, good design options and payment taking all make for a presuasive package. Support is speedy and helpful. Thank you!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ mwage5.8y ago
I am really wondering why this plugin is not downloaded that much. It is really a very powerfull and full featured plug. Even in the free version you can create wonderful forms. It is very simple to create them and there are a lot of parameters you can play with. And no, I am not working for this company and no I don’t get paid for this review 🙂 I hope you guys keep up the good work with this amazing plugin!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ victoriamar6.4y ago
Being considering switching to Cognito forms for all our [Moderated: Link redacted] Orlando SEO lead pages. Currently we use calendly, but it has decreased our conversion rate. I am a little hesitant now after reading the reviews, but will give it a shot. This topic was modified 6 years ago by victoriamar. This topic was modified 6 years ago by t-p.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ MrKoshka6.5y ago
Do not expect award-winning customer service from Cognito. Expect it to be slow and repetitive with no desire to help you or find a solution. Possibly the worst service ever from a SaaS product.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ thebigbadbill7.0y ago
First, the reading challenged chook clearly never used the plugin. SMH I used Cognito Forms before looking at it as a plugin. As a non-programer, I was able to do things with them that I have not seen any other form creator do with the ease that they have at a great price. I can take CC payments from my site without using some complicated shopping cart. I never played with CSS to do more formating but have seen some examples that others have done and I will be having my developer make some changes to add some extra spice.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ mindfulnessbijkanker9.5y ago
While I had to stop with other plugins because of the allowed maximum entries, with Cognito I could make my form exactly as desired. And so much more user friendly than the other complicated form plugins. And this with the FREE plugin. Also the support forum is good. It is strange the WordPress did not show Cognito while searching for form plugins; I found this through Google when – frustrated with other plugins – I looked for ‘WordPress Form Plugin Limitless Entries’. So, I spread the word: thanks for this great tool!
Read on wp.org ↗
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceThe 1 disclosed vulnerability is patched in the current version (2.0.12). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched Medium · 6.4 Cognito Forms <= 2.0.7 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via id Parameter ↗2024-12-11 CVE-2024-10182 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.0.7 Patched in 2.0.8
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Share of voice
How often each assistant names Cognito Forms when asked about this topic, where it comes in the answer, and how that compares with its wp.org search position. Latest run 1 Nov 2026.
- Assistants
- ChatGPT, Claude
- Topics tracked
- Forms
Readme readiness
6 of 8 pass · checked 3 Nov 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Create responsive contact forms, order forms, registration forms and more. With PCI, CCPA, and HIPAA compli..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 3 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 3 of 3 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Stripe, PayPal, Zapier.
- ! Headings and lists 1 heading and 0 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,043 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text All 5 tags appear in the text.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2023-04-20 3K+ → 2K+ down after 75 days in tier
- 2023-02-04 2K+ → 3K+ up after 41 days in tier
- 2022-12-25 3K+ → 2K+ down after 119 days in tier
- 2022-08-28 5K+ → 3K+ down after 875 days in tier
- 2020-04-05 4K+ → 5K+ up after 348 days in tier
- 2019-04-23 2K+ → 4K+ up after 783 days in tier
- 2017-03-01 1K+ → 2K+ up after 642 days in tier
- 2015-05-29 900+ → 1K+ up
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
Conditional Fields for Contact Form 7 100K+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A -
E2Pdf – Export Pdf Tool for WordPress 10K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A - G Gravity Forms CSS Ready Class Selector 4K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags D
-
GravityWP – CSS Selector 4K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags A -
Add-on Contact Form 7 – MailPoet 3 3K+ installs · 3.9★ · 2 shared tags C -
Subscribe Forms – Beautiful Email Forms, Embedded Newsletter Forms & MailChimp Form 2K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Cognito Forms into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/cognito-forms" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Cognito Forms — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Cognito Forms: 2K+ active installs, 4.0★ (19 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-03. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/cognito-forms
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