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Visual Form Builder

by Matthew Muro · Forms

Also makes 3 other plugins · 22.2K+ installs across the portfolio →

Build beautiful, fully functional contact forms in only a few minutes without writing PHP, CSS, or HTML.

⚠ Stale⚠ Likely abandoned
How scoring works →
46 Health · D
Maintenance 3/100
Rating quality 77/100
Support 70/100

46 health vs 63 average across 1,679 Forms plugins

Removal-risk signals

53/100

Maintenance and integrity signals that tend to precede a WordPress.org removal. Not an official status, a heads-up to act.

  • Long abandoned. No update in 4+ years — the top precursor to removal once a vulnerability is found.
  • Falling behind WordPress. Tested up to WordPress 6.0.14.

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.

53 / 100

Room to improve

Biggest win: Update recency

Update recency 7/100
WP compatibility 41/100
Rating quality 82/100
Listing tuning 92/100

To rank higher: Last updated 1556 days ago — ship an update; wp.org decays a listing's search weight after ~180 days.

Get the full rank-higher report →

Daily downloads

Since 2022-10-05 · 1,426 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive

+12% vs prior 30d
33Downloads · Aug 26

30-day downloads

Rolling 30-day volume · peaks are release surges

1.1K

now · peak 3.4K

1.1K30d downloads · Aug 26

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

Visual Form Builder · #1373 you Smart Forms · #3015 Subscribe Forms · #4806 Contact Form Generat · #7703

Rating trend

Star average over time · dips mark rough releases

4.1Stars · Aug 26

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.

55per 1k installs · Aug 26

Release cadence

No release in a year
from wp.org release tags

How 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

4.3y ago

latest release · v3.1

76

tagged releases on record

Recent releases

3.1 · 4.3y ago3.0.9 · 4.3y ago3.0.8 · 4.4y ago3.0.7 · 4.4y ago3.0.6 · 4.8y ago3.0.5 · 4.9y ago3.0.4 · 4.9y ago3.0.3 · 5.2y ago3.0.2 · 5.4y ago3.0.1 · 6.4y ago3.0 · 7.4y ago2.9.9 · 7.4y ago2.9.8 · 8.1y ago2.9.7 · 8.5y ago

What its installed base runs

via wordpress.org

Share of active installs on each version of this plugin · 65% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.

v3.1 65%
v3.0 18%
v2.9 9.4%
v2.8 6%
Older / other versions 1.1%

Estimated active installs

The public count shows “20K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.

tracked estimate
20K–30K ≈29K

Refined from the date this plugin crossed into its current band.

Install history · since 2015-03-17 · 1,486 observations

20KInstalls · Aug 26

Estimated value

What this plugin might earn a year, and what it might sell for. Modeled from public signals; we don't see anyone's books.

Est. annual revenue

N/A

Est. acquisition value

N/A

No paid tier is visible, so we don't put a figure on revenue or sale value: that would be guessing. The install base is a real asset to an acquirer, just not one public data lets us price.

Details

Version
3.1
Last updated
4.3y ago
Added
2011-06-23 · 15 yrs old
Requires WP
4.7
Tested up to
6.0.14
Requires PHP

Recent reviews

All reviews on wp.org ↗
  1. emelieohara
    1.4y ago

    No support, no fixes, crashes repeatedly and multiple bugs throughout. It’s dead. Don’t touch it.

    Read on wp.org ↗
  2. advanirajesh
    2.1y ago

    UPDATE: Sept, 01, 2024 – I have received the refund for VFB Pro, after I wrote to the University of Alabama about the issue. Of course, the refund does not cover the damages due to the obsolete plugin. Also, I noticed Matthew has added a notice on the website which says ‘Please note, Buyer Beware: VFB Pro is no longer supported or maintained and will not be receiving regular updates. The plugin still works (depending on your server) but any errors, questions, bugs, etc must be handled by you or an experienced developer. Thank you for your support.’I used to love his plugin for its features and simplicity. I decided to upgrade to Pro (Developer Bundle), as I provide services to a number of clients. However, I realised that the plugin was no more being updated by the developer, no support is being provided and emails sent to Matthew Muro also did not receive any response. I feel cheated, like many others who have complained about the same issues. WordPress should remove this plugin from its directory, and there should be a way to also inform ICANN (Domain Registrar) about this scam, so that website can be disabled.Matthew Muro is a faculty at the University of Alabama, I tried contacting him on his University email, but to no avail. today, I have written to the University Dean about this. This topic was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by advanirajesh. This topic was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by advanirajesh. Reason: Received refund from the developer

    Read on wp.org ↗
  3. evvmedia
    2.9y ago

    vfbpro does not tell buyers and clients the plugin is discontinued. There is no Support.

    Read on wp.org ↗
  4. bart88
    3.2y ago

    Throws critical error screen, when I try to create a new form on WP 6.2.2. This plugin is totaal useless. Last update one year ago. Looks like abandonware.

    Read on wp.org ↗
  5. mcbryant
    3.6y ago

    The free version of this plugin is great but because a client wanted to hide some fields I needed to add some logic, or rules as VFB Pro calls it. Might be better to start with another plugin if you plan on upgrading later. First of all the Pro version uses a different table system so all your old entries will be lost, have to back them up because you won’t be able to see them online anymore. The support is zero, I opened a ticket, never heard back from them. When you migrate the forms over from the free version, the required/not required on all the fields has to be redone. And to kick it off, the free version allowed you to choose which columns were displayed when you viewed Entries, the Pro version you have to buy another add-on for that. Really disappointed with the Pro version but loved the free version, it’s too bad they mucked that up.

    Read on wp.org ↗
  6. AtDevep
    3.7y ago

    Plugins seems like deprecated. No support, Facebook and twitter accounts deleted etc. Shame. Still Pro version can be bought, which seems fishy.

    Read on wp.org ↗
  7. candicerijavec
    4.0y ago

    I purchased this plugin a few weeks ago. I had followed the specified instructions using the “support ticket” channel for this plugin creator’s website, sent numerous support ticket requests over the past few weeks, only to not receive any response. I merely receive an email confirming receipt of my support ticket submission but no one has bothered to answer my urgent query – money down the drain!

    Read on wp.org ↗
  8. emgb_520
    4.2y ago

    Issues with recent update stating required fields need to be filled out for submission (when they were already filled out correctly). Many people having the same issue with no response from anyone involved with the plugin here in this forum. I have a client who has a VFB PRO License, so I also submitted a request there about the update issue – NO RESPONSE FROM PAID SUPPORT EITHER. This is getting very frustrating – especially when the pro version is supposed to have the pro support. We, the consumers, just need to know when there will be a resolution for this problem. I would steer clear of this plugin until there is fix for the most recent version’s bugs.

    Read on wp.org ↗

Latest updates

via wp.org changelog

Recent releases and news for this plugin

  1. Version 3.1 Fix wrong function name in widget class 3.1
  2. Version 3.0.9 Fix various security issues 3.0.9
  3. Version 3.0.8 Update Entries table with CSRF protection 3.0.8
  4. Version 3.0.7 Fix security on Email To under Add New page 3.0.7
  5. Version 3.0.6 Update export code with various improvements More security updates 3.0.6
  6. Version 3.0.5 Update some URLs to no longer rely on query params Update class list wrapper Escape additional data 3.0.5

Known vulnerabilities

via Wordfence Intelligence

8 disclosed vulnerabilities on record for this plugin, all fixed in the current version. Sites on older versions stay exposed until they update.

  1. 2022-04-11 CVE-2022-0141 Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) Affects < 3.0.8 Patched in 3.0.8
  2. 2022-04-07 CVE-2022-1046 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') Affects < 3.0.7 Patched in 3.0.7
  3. 2021-11-03 CVE-2022-0140 Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor Affects < 3.0.6 Patched in 3.0.6
  4. 2021-11-03 CVE-2022-0142 Improper Privilege Management Affects < 3.0.6 Patched in 3.0.6
  5. 2021-09-27 CVE-2021-24514 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') Affects <= 3.0.3 Patched in 3.0.4
  6. 2015-05-15 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') Affects < 2.8.3 Patched in 2.8.3
  7. 2015-05-15 Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) Affects < 2.8.3 Patched in 2.8.3
  8. 2015-05-15 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') Affects < 2.8.3 Patched in 2.8.3

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 Hive

Automated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.4.8 · WP 6.0

Low memory footprint
Low page-speed impact
Runs on latest PHP + WP
No PHP errors
No JS errors
Activates cleanly
No resource errors
No external HTTP errors
Optimized database use
Frequently updated

Languages

via translate.wordpress.org

Translated into 84 languages, 7 at 90% or more

Spanish (Chile) 100%
Spanish (Spain) 100%
Dutch 95%
Spanish (Colombia) 95%
Spanish (Ecuador) 95%
Spanish (Mexico) 95%
Spanish (Venezuela) 95%
German 60%
Swedish 58%
French (France) 57%
Hungarian 51%
Romanian 48%
Russian 47%
Croatian 46%
Persian 45%
Japanese 43%
German (Formal) 33%
English (Canada) 27%
Bulgarian 23%
Azerbaijani 20%
English (Australia) 20%
Czech 19%
English (UK) 19%
Finnish 19%

Plus 60 more locales with partial translations.

Growth timeline

Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow

  1. 2025-03-24 30K+ → 20K+ down after 431 days in tier
  2. 2024-01-18 40K+ → 30K+ down after 314 days in tier
  3. 2023-03-10 50K+ → 40K+ down

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).

Compare head to head →

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Visual Form Builder: 20K+ active installs, 4.1★ (318 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-08-30. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/visual-form-builder