Contact Form & SMTP Plugin for WordPress by PirateForms
by Syed Balkhi · Forms
Also makes 98 other plugins · 21.7M+ installs across the portfolio →
A simple and effective WordPress contact form & SMTP plugin. Compatible with best themes out there, is both a secure and responsive contact form p …
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Health
A 90/100
no flags
Active installs
30K+
≈35K estimated
Momentum
+18%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “contact form” and “feedback form” for “smtp plugin” and “secure forms”. “contact form” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “smtp plugin” sits at #16 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “feedback form” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “secure forms” sits at #22 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
90 health vs 65 average across 2,509 Forms plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →0.8%
of downloads still active
At least 30K of 3.8M lifetime downloads are still running, below its category: the median Forms plugin keeps 1.2%, across 1,668 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.
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 40 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 6.7.11; the current branch is 6.8
4.7★ over 223 reviews, smoothed to 4.59★
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.
42
Momentum
Mixed: one swing, the rest drifting
+0.1
Velocity
places per keyword, 27d
27%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 27d
-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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| smtp plugin | #16 | #13 | down 3 |
| subscribe form your tag | #24 | #17 | down 1 |
| wpforms database | #18 | #19 | down 1 |
| secure forms | #22 | #17 | up 2 |
| subscribe forms | #16 | #15 | down 2 |
| wordpress smtp | #24 | #14 | down 1 |
| contact form your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| feedback form your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| forms your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| smtp your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
36 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 6 listed. 30 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 4 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “contact form” and “feedback form” for “smtp plugin” and “secure forms”. “contact form” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “smtp plugin” sits at #16 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “feedback form” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “secure forms” sits at #22 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 · 1,489 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 32K · 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
No release in a yearHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
0
releases in the last 12 months
1.8y ago
latest release · v2.6.1 · 20 Jan 2025
43
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 41% 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 “30K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 11 months 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 13 May 2020
Reviewer account pattern
from wp.org reviewer profiles12 of the last 28 four- and five-star reviews came from accounts created within a month of posting the review, and 6 of those landed between 2018-08-17 and 2018-09-11.
Registering a wp.org account just to leave a review is common and often entirely legitimate. The share here is unusually high for the sample, so it's worth keeping in mind while reading the reviews.
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ lukeatbytestoriescom6.8y ago
About a month ago, contact form entries stopped coming in via email and I just checked the system and it displayed “Mail sending failed! (Could not instantiate mail function.)” in the Mail Status page on ‘edit.php?post_type=pf_contact’ I haven’t changed any settings and wasn’t sure of where I could get any support from so I can keep using it. Thanks, Luke
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ estradalberto7.1y ago
It works fine as it does what it is supposed to.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ dcolanduno7.4y ago
This is a great little add-on to get feedback, or other sorts of forms to your WordPress based sites.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ JorgeAlarconR7.6y ago
Ha funcionado perfectamente, gracias
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ bradleylawson7.6y ago
Very easy to use and install. A great plugin!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Art X7.8y ago
Плагин был действительно крутым, простым, готовым решением как для новичков так и для профессионалов. Очень жаль что закрылся и так жидкое пустил в души подписчикам PRO версии, неприлично врать. Обещанной PRO версии от WPForms мы так и не получили. Поддержка тупо не отвечает.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ MadAsApples8.0y ago
Pirate Forms is very easy to use, almost out of the box. It works very well and is beiing used by a lot of website visitors
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ mabuda198.0y ago
works perfectly
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- 2025-01-20 Version 2.6.1 Fixed throwing deprecation errors in PHP 8.2+. 2.6.1
- 2024-12-19 Version 2.6.0 The minimum required WordPress version is now 5.5. The minimum required PHP version is now 5.6. Security fixes 2.6.0
- 2019-07-26 Version 2.5.2 Improved security of notification emails. 2.5.2
- 2019-01-17 Version 2.5.1 Remove third party library not needed, from composer (mailin-api). 2.5.1
- 2018-09-18 Version 2.5.0 Pirate Forms was acquired by WPForms . We’re retiring Pirate Forms in favor of the modern form builder by WPForms, so users can have access to best user experience and more powerful WordPress form features. Added migrati 2.5.0
- 2018-07-13 Version 2.4.4 Fixed compatibility with All in One SEO Pack plugin Fixed problem with form not working with the ajax option Option to save the attachments files Improved recaptcha button layout on mobile devices 2.4.4
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 4 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (2.6.1). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched Medium · 4.4 Contact Form & SMTP Plugin for WordPress by PirateForms <= 2.5.2 - Authenticated (Admin+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2025-03-03 CVE-2024-11272 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.5.2 Patched in 2.6.0
- Patched Medium · 4.4 Contact Form & SMTP Plugin for WordPress by PirateForms <= 2.5.2 - Authenticated (Admin+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2025-03-03 CVE-2024-11273 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.5.2 Patched in 2.6.0
- Patched High · 7.2 Contact Form & SMTP Plugin by PirateForms <= 2.5.1 - Unauthenticated HTML injection ↗2019-07-27 CVE-2019-25145 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects < 2.5.2 Patched in 2.5.2
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.
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 6.7.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 67 languages, 14 at 90% or more
Plus 43 more locales with partial translations.
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.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
7 of 8 pass · checked 25 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "A simple and effective WordPress contact form & SMTP plugin. Compatible with best themes out there, is both..."
- ✓ 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 One audience phrase ("use this"); say who the plugin is for and what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Contact Form 7, WPForms, Mailchimp, Stripe and 2 more.
- ✓ Headings and lists 2 headings and 9 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 4,690 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 3 of 5 tags appear in the text; "feedback form", "subscribe form" do not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2025-12-08 40K+ → 30K+ down after 354 days in tier
- 2024-12-19 50K+ → 40K+ down after 261 days in tier
- 2024-04-02 60K+ → 50K+ down after 203 days in tier
- 2023-09-12 70K+ → 60K+ down after 163 days in tier
- 2023-04-02 80K+ → 70K+ down after 143 days in tier
- 2022-11-10 90K+ → 80K+ down after 134 days in tier
- 2022-06-29 100K+ → 90K+ down after 777 days in tier
- 2020-05-13 200K+ → 100K+ down after 416 days in tier
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).
-
WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More 5M+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
Fluent Forms – Customizable Contact Forms, Survey, Quiz, & Conversational Form Builder 800K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
Ninja Forms – Contact Form Builder with Calculators, Quizzes, Signatures & AI Form Builder 500K+ installs · 4.4★ · 2 shared tags B -
SureForms – Contact Form Builder, AI Forms, Payment Form, Survey & Quiz 500K+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A -
Formidable Forms – Contact Form, Survey, Quiz, Payment, Calculator Form & Custom Form Builder 300K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Contact Form & SMTP Plugin for WordPress by PirateForms into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/pirate-forms" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Contact Form & SMTP Plugin for WordPress by PirateForms — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Contact Form & SMTP Plugin for WordPress by PirateForms: 30K+ active installs, 4.7★ (223 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-01. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/pirate-forms
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