Gravity Forms is the form-building plugin we install on almost every WordPress build. It's not the only option, and it's not free — but for the kind of lead-capture, quote-request and customer-onboarding work small Devon businesses actually need, the alternatives all hit a ceiling Gravity Forms doesn't. This piece covers what you can build with it, with the configurations we deploy most often.
Why Gravity Forms for lead generation
The simple version: it does conditional logic, file uploads, payment integration, multi-page forms, webhook delivery, email-marketing-platform integration, and properly handles GDPR consent — all in one plugin. Free form plugins like Contact Form 7 cover the basics; once you need anything beyond a simple contact form, you'll outgrow them.
For Devon small businesses we use Gravity Forms most often for:
We are ready to talk things through!
Contact Here- Quote-request forms that change fields based on what the customer ticks
- Booking forms with payment or deposit collection
- Multi-step onboarding for clients (accountants, consultants, coaches)
- Membership and subscription sign-up
- Job applications with CV upload
- Detailed enquiry forms for trades (postcode-restricted, photo upload, urgency rating)
Configurations that earn their keep
Conditional logic to keep forms short
The longer a form looks, the fewer people fill it in. Conditional logic shows additional fields only when relevant. A practical example for a Devon plumbing firm:
- Initial form: Name, postcode, "what do you need help with?" with options (boiler, leak, installation, other)
- If "boiler" is selected: appear "what's the boiler make?" and "how old is it?"
- If "leak" is selected: appear "where is it?" and "have you turned the water off?"
- If postcode falls outside their service area: appear a polite "we don't cover that postcode" message
The customer sees a short form. Behind it, you collect the information you need to quote properly.
Payment integration via Stripe and PayPal
Gravity Forms integrates with Stripe and PayPal for one-off payments, deposits and subscriptions. Useful for:
- Booking deposits for B&Bs, holiday lets, restaurants
- Workshop or course payments
- Membership fees
- Donation forms for Devon charities
Payments collect the moment the form submits — no separate checkout step.
Email marketing integration
Gravity Forms connects directly to Mailchimp, MailerLite, Brevo, ActiveCampaign, ConvertKit and HubSpot. When a form submits, the lead lands in your email tool tagged with the form they came from, ready to drop into the right nurture sequence.
This matters because the follow-up sequence is often where conversions happen, not on the form itself.
Webhook delivery to other systems
Where the email-marketing integration isn't enough — for example, sending leads straight into a CRM, a Google Sheet, or a Slack channel — Gravity Forms supports outbound webhooks via Zapier, Make.com or direct API. Useful for accountancies sending leads to Xero, or trades pushing enquiries into a job-management system like Tradify or simPRO.
File uploads done properly
For Devon trades that need photos before quoting, or accountants taking client documents, or graphic designers receiving brand files — Gravity Forms handles file uploads with size limits, file-type restrictions and secure storage. Files attach to the form notification email and to the entry record.
Multi-page forms with progress saved
Long forms (insurance applications, detailed quotes, onboarding questionnaires) can run across multiple pages with a progress bar. With the Save and Continue add-on, customers can pick up where they left off via a unique link emailed to them.
What Gravity Forms doesn't do
Honest limits:
- It's not a full customer relationship manager — for that you'd add HubSpot, Pipedrive or a similar tool downstream
- It's not free — pricing starts around £49/year for the basic licence (we hold an agency licence so client builds include it)
- For very high-volume e-commerce, WooCommerce is the right tool, not Gravity Forms
What this looks like for clients
For a typical Devon small business build (£250 starter, £300/month support), Gravity Forms is included as part of the licensed plugin library. The forms — quote request, contact, newsletter sign-up, booking — are built and tested as part of the build, with conditional logic, payment integration and email-marketing connections set up properly from day one.
If you'd like a working lead-capture system rather than just a form, call or WhatsApp 07887 988780.