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Author: Will Morris

  • 7 Best WordPress Real Estate Plugins in 2023

    If you’re a realtor, you need a website that can show off your listings in all their glory. On the other hand, if you’re a web developer who works with realtors or agencies, you’ll have to understand how to implement real estate features in websites for your clients. Either scenario is one you can solve using the best WordPress real estate plugins on the market.

    Why Do you Need a Real Estate Plugin?

    Those in the real estate business have more options than they realize for building a successful real estate site. WordPress actually has some really good options if you’re trying to avoid expensive MLS listing services to showcase your listings. Using a combination of plugins, you can create a fully functional real estate site that features listings complete with floor plans, virtual tours, as well as agents working for you.

    The Best WordPress Real Estate Plugins

    In this article, we’ll introduce you to the 7 best WordPress real estate plugins available. We’ll focus on a range of solutions that offer different feature sets, but all have excellent reviews and are well-supported.

    Let’s get to it!

    1. Realtyna WPL

    The WPL Real Estate plugin

    Realtyna WPL is a powerful real estate WordPress plugin by Realtyna that enables you to set up a property listing system for your website. You can add new properties yourself, or let individual real estate agents do so if you belong to an agency.

    Listings can be incredibly detailed, including information about property types, prices, square footage, and other key features:

    Adding a new listing using the WPL Real Estate plugin

    You can upload photos for each property and set up image galleries, videos, and attachments. Moreover, you can fully customize the fields that will appear within each listing.

    WPL Real Estate comes with a robust user management system that enables you to decide what permissions each agent will have on your website. That makes it perfect for agencies with multiple realtors:

    Editing realtor permissions

    It’s worth noting that WPL Real Estate also includes an option to add meta descriptions and keywords for each new listing, which is fantastic for local Search Engine Optimization (SEO). WPL Real Estate also works well alongside Divi, with an assortment of layout packs to help you with designing your site.

    This plugin also offers a broad range of paid extensions. Those add-ons make WPL Real Estate incredibly flexible, but they’re fairly expensive with prices starting at $199 per year.

    Key Features for Realtyna WPL:

    • Add a listing management system to WordPress
    • Create new listings with dozens of custom fields
    • Give other realtors permission to create and edit listings
    • Modify the default fields for each listing

    WPL Real Estate is for you if…

    …you want to add real estate listing functionality to WordPress via a fully customizable system. This plugin is a fantastic choice for agencies with multiple realtors due to its built-in user permissions system.

    Price: Free, with a premium version available for a $199 lifetime payment.

    Get WPL Real Estate

    2. Easy Property Listings

    The Easy Property Listings plugin

    Easy Property Listings adds a full-featured listings system to WordPress. You can include dozens of property-specific details in each listing, including options such as available inspection times, which realtor is the listing agent, and more:

    Adding listing details using Easy Property Listings

    One advantage Easy Property Listings has is that it gives you plenty of display options. You can use shortcodes or widgets to showcase your properties. The plugin even includes some unique widgets, such as a search feature that’s designed specifically for real estate properties. Plus, it uses the Gutenberg blocks, so adding other blocks to your listings is a breeze.

    Last but not least, it also offers a broad range of add-ons that can provide useful functionality for your site, some of which are much cheaper than what other real estate tools offer.

    Key Features for Easy Property Listings:

    • Add a real estate listing system to WordPress
    • Modify the default fields for each listing you publish
    • Display listings using their own pages, widgets, or shortcodes
    • Add a search bar that’s dedicated to listings

    Easy Property Listings is for you if…

    …you want to use a listings plugin that offers multiple choices for displaying the properties on your website. Putting aside those options, Real Estate Listings is evenly matched in terms of features with WPL Real Estate, so you can choose whichever plugin you feel more comfortable using.

    Price: Free, with premium add-ons starting at $27 per year.

    Get Easy Property Listings

    3. WP VR

    The WP VR plugin

    Virtual real estate tours keep growing in popularity, partly due to being very convenient. Scheduling and planning real estate tours can be a lot of work, particularly for popular listings. One alternative is to create virtual tours using a plugin such as WP VR.

    Using this tool, you can upload panoramic images to WordPress that users can move around and zoom in on. It also supports videos and includes a gyroscope mode for mobile phones, which makes tours all that more engaging:

    Setting up a virtual tour using WP VR

    WP VR also enables you to connect multiple panoramic images using a “hotspot” feature. That means you can provide seamless virtual tours of larger areas by having users click on specific spots within an image to load the next one.

    Although WP VR has a lot of applications beyond just real estate, it’s a fantastic solution to offer potential customers a closer look at your best listings. You can add virtual tours to your listings using the Block Editor or via shortcodes, depending on which approach you prefer.

    Key Features:

    • Create virtual tours for your listings
    • Enable users to “navigate” panoramic images
    • Link multiple images and let users move between them in a single element
    • Add virtual tours to your listings using blocks or shortcodes

    WP VR is for you if…

    …you want to provide virtual tours for your properties. This is a key feature that most real estate websites don’t offer, and it’s a fantastic way to draw more attention to your hottest listings. For virtual tours to work, however, you’ll need to get comfortable taking panoramic pictures.

    Price: Free, with a premium version available starting at $79.99 per year.

    Get WP VR

    4. Draw Attention

    the Draw Attention plugin

    So far, we’ve focused solely on real estate listing plugins. Draw Attention is a unique tool that has incredibly useful applications for real estate websites, but it doesn’t have anything to do with listings.

    Instead, Draw Attention enables you to take images and make them interactive. For example, you can display information when a user hovers over a specific section of an image, create interactive maps, and design infographics. You’ll also find that Draw Attention is the perfect tool to publish interactive floor plans:

    Creating an interactive floor map

    Ideally, we recommend that you use Draw Attention alongside one of the listing plugins we discuss in this list. Each annotated image you create comes with a unique shortcode, so you can show floor plans within listing descriptions or anywhere else on your site.

    Key Features for Draw Attention:

    • Create annotated images and floor plans for your listings
    • Display interactive media using shortcodes

    Draw Attention is for you if…

    …you want to give your real estate listings an edge and make them more interactive. In our experience, interactivity leads to more user engagement, and annotated real estate images can help you convey details about your properties more effectively than mere text.

    Price: Free, with a premium version starting at $99 per year.

    Get Draw Attention

    5. Estatik

    Estatike real estate plugin

    Estatik is a WordPress real estate plugin that’s all about listings. It shares several features with the other tools we’ve talked about so far, including the option for you to add new listings and customize what fields they include.

    However, it also brings some new features to the table, such as enabling customers to save searches, create property wishlists, and share publications on social media:

    Wishlists on Estate

    With Estatik, you get access to over 50 shortcodes you can use to display listings in any way you see fit. The plugin also includes a property slideshow and listing search widgets. Plus, it comes with a free theme designed for real estate websites. The theme itself is rather simple, but it makes listings look appealing (although there are plenty of other real estate themes you can use instead).

    One downside of using Estatik is that the plugin’s free version only enables the WordPress administrator to add listings. If you want support for multiple agents, you’ll need to purchase the premium version.

    Key Features for Estatik:

    • Add a real estate listing system to WordPress
    • Customize each listing’s fields
    • Use shortcodes to display your listings
    • Use widgets to display listings and include a search feature
    • Enable users to save listings and share them on social media

    Estatik is for you if…

    …you want to enable prospective customers to create property wishlists or share their dream homes on social media. Estatik works best for solo realtors, as it doesn’t include support for multiple agents in its free version.

    Price: Free, with a premium version available starting at $89 per year.

    Get Estatik

    6. Essential Real Estate

    The Essential Real Estate plugin

    Essential Real Estate is less about publishing your own listings, and more about creating a marketplace where other realtors and agencies can share their properties. The plugin enables you to add listings manually, but it’s clearly optimized for front-end submissions:

    Submitting a new property via the front end

    With this tool, you can monetize your real estate marketplace by offering subscriptions. Realtors will have to subscribe before they can submit listings, which you then approve before they go live. Essential Real Estate also includes payment processing functionality, and it supports PayPal, Stripe, and wire transfers out of the box, making it function much like a membership plugin.

    Along with enabling realtors to register individually, you can also offer subscriptions to entire agencies. On the front end, listings are easy to navigate, and can easily be integrated with themes like Divi because of the use of shortcodes, and clients will be able to save their favorite properties to wishlists.

    Key Features for Essential Real Estate:

    • Create a real estate listing marketplace
    • Enable realtors and agencies to submit new properties using a front-end form
    • Approve submissions before they go live
    • Set up multiple subscription levels within your marketplace
    • Process payments via PayPal, Stripe, and wire transfers

    Essential Real Estate is for you if…

    …you want to create a marketplace where other realtors and real estate agencies can publish listings. It’s one of the best WordPress real estate plugins for businesses that want to band together to show a broader listing portfolio, especially in areas where there aren’t any similar portals available.

    Price: Free

    Get Essential Real Estate

    7. dsIDXpress

    iDXpress real estate plugin

    Last on our list, dsIDXpress is a powerful plugin designed to optimize your MLS listings for SEO. With its user-friendly features, you can effortlessly attract more visitors to your website and convert them into leads. This plugin offers a range of tools, such as customizable widgets, shortcodes, and search tools, to help your users easily search for properties in their desired area. Additionally, the plugin comes equipped with robust lead-capturing tools, making it an effective solution for driving sales and growing your business.

    dsIDXpress demo screenshot

    By tapping into an extensive MLS database, this plugin provides your users with the latest and most accurate listings of homes for sale, pending, or sold. Additionally, users will benefit from access to valuable information, such as school district data, indexable city and neighborhood pages, and themes that match the styling of your website.

    Key Features for Essential Real Estate:

    • Easy setup and customization
    • SEO-friendly and responsive layouts
    • live MLS listing updates
    • City and neighborhood pages
    • Advanced search features and filters

    dsIDXpress is for you if…

    …you want a full-service IDX solution for your real estate site that will feed not only your listings but other listings in your area. Plus, you’ll get a hands-off experience thanks to the dsIDXpress support staff who will make sure your site’s listings are up to date.

    Price: Starting at $59 per month.

    Get dsIDXpress

    Which Real Estate Plugin is the Best?

    There are a lot of contenders for the best WordPress real estate plugins. Many of these tools focus on listings and enable you to publish properties on your website in style. Other plugins help make your properties look more attractive, such as through detailed floor plans and even virtual tours. Yet others handle all of the work for you, making sure your listings are always up to date.

    Plugin Price Free Option
    🥇 Realtyna WPL $199 lifetime payment ✔️ Visit
    🥈 Easy Property Listings Free, $27 per year ✔️ Visit
    🥉 WP VR Free, $79.99 per year ✔️ Visit
    4 Draw Attention Free, $99 per year ✔️ Visit
    5 Estatik Free, $89 per year ✔️ Visit
    6 Essential Real Estate Free ✔️ Visit
    7 dsIDXpress $59 per month ❌ Visit

    If you’re looking for a good all-around real estate listings plugin, we recommend Realtyna WPL because of its ability to function as a full-service MLS service right inside WordPress. With this plugin, you’ll be able to add listings, and agents, and even add users to help you manage the workload.

    Do you have any questions about how to publish real estate listings on your WordPress site? Let’s talk about them in the comments section below!

    Featured Image via elenabsl illustration / shutterstock.com

    The post 7 Best WordPress Real Estate Plugins in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • 10 Best WordPress Quiz Plugins in 2023

    Driving engagement is key to keeping users on your site and encouraging conversions. Interactive elements can capture your audience’s attention and increase their interest in your brand. Fortunately, there are many WordPress quiz plugins out there that make it easy to add intriguing personality tests or even surveys and polls to your site.

    In this post, we’ll share some of the benefits and use cases of quizzes for your WordPress site. Then we’ll round up the best WordPress quiz plugins that you can use to start building quizes today.

    Let’s dive in!

    Why Use a WordPress Quiz Plugin?

    The main goal of adding quizzes to your WordPress website is to boost user growth through engagement. Online personality tests and trivia games are proven to be addictive in nature; in fact, entire industries have been predicated on these quizzes. Websites like Buzzfeed made their mark on the internet with relatable quizzes that sucked their users in and kept them coming back. It can also increase social sharing activity as your users want to share the results of quizzes with their friends.

    But that’s not all; you can also use online quizzes to learn more about what your clientele wants more rapidly. Consider websites like Stitch Fix, which offer quizzes to personalize what products are displayed to their users.

    Stich Fix quiz example

    After the user takes the quiz, the website will generate more specific suggestions for items to purchase that are more likely to appeal to that customer.

    Quizzes can also give you insightful data that you can use to improve your services and marketing approach. For example, you can add a quiz to see what aspects of the customer experience your users enjoyed or need improvement and adjust accordingly. You can even gatekeep quizzes to expand your customer email list by having users input their contact information. This can give you opportunities to engage with customers in future marketing efforts and potentially generate sales.

    The Best WordPress Quiz Plugins

    WordPress developers know the value of online quizzes. As such, there’s a WordPress quiz plugin for every niche, need, and budget. Below, we’ve rounded up ten of the top contenders. All receive regular updates and have high user ratings.

    1. Quiz And Survey Master

    Quiz and Survey Master Banner

    Quiz And Survey Master is the most popular free solution dedicated entirely to helping you create engaging quizzes for your WordPress site. It’s earned this status by providing a wide range of customization options, so you can create the ideal test for your users.

    Speaking of quiz creation, this plugin’s editing interface is fairly easy to pick up. First, you can select from one of its pre-built templates, or choose to build your test from scratch:

    Then you’ll be taken to a screen where you can simply type in your questions and answers:

    The Quiz And Survey Master editor.

    You can choose from many different question types, including multiple-choice, short-answer, fill-in-the-blank, or even file uploads. Quiz And Survey Master also supports quiz categories, so you can easily organize your content for users to find. Furthermore, all the text provided by the plugin is customizable, so you can add personalized messages, labels, and more to make your quiz match your branding.

    On top of all of that, Quiz and Survey Master provides advanced functionality such as:

    Remarkably, all of these features are free. You can also install the free Leaderboard add-on to incorporate an element of friendly competition between your users. In addition, there are a handful of paid add-ons that can grant you access to more detailed analytics, integrate your quizzes with Google Analytics, and more.

    Price: Free with premium add-ons

    Get Quiz and Survey Master

    2. Formidable Forms

    The Formidable Forms plugin.

    Another premium form builder you can use to create quizzes is Formidable Forms. Like Forminator, it features a visual drag-and-drop builder that enables you to combine pre-built elements to put together custom forms (including quizzes):

    The Formidable Forms editor.

    Unfortunately, the free version is relatively limited. Although you could still use the blank form to create multiple-choice or short-answer questions, you can’t access the full power of this WordPress quiz plugin without an expensive add-on.

    The Quiz Maker extension includes:

    • Scoring and custom grading scales
    • Email integration
    • Analytics and Reporting
    • PayPal integration
    • Advanced styling options

    If you’re hoping for high-quality quiz templates to work from, this plugin probably isn’t your best choice. The primary reason to choose Formidable Forms over other solutions on this list is if you’re already using it to create contact forms or other content.

    Price: Free with a premium upgrade. The Business Plan, which includes the Quiz Maker, is $199.50 per year.

    Get Formidable Forms

    3. Thrive Quiz Builder

    Thrive Quiz Builder

    If gathering user data is a strong motivation behind your WordPress quiz plugin search, Thrive Quiz Builder might be the solution for you. It provides an advanced visual editor with branching conditional logic, so you can set up complex quizzes with ease. The built-in troubleshooter will catch errors and notify you of them so you can fix them before making your test live.

    In addition to boosting engagement and lowering your bounce rate, Thrive Quiz Builder can help you increase traffic with social media sharing. This is also the best WordPress quiz plugin for data collection. All results are compiled into detailed reports so you can see how many people submitted each answer.

    Key features include:

    • Custom content suggestions based on users’ results
    • Email list segmentation
    • A/B testing
    • Four quiz-type templates
    • Social sharing badges
    • A quiz dashboard to track your analytics

    Thrive quiz builder settings

    Additionally, this is the top WordPress quiz plugin for data gathering. You can check how many people submitted each response by looking at the comprehensive reports that contain all the insights conveniently from your dashboard.

    Note that you’ll need an active Thrive Suite license to install the Quiz Builder.

    Price: Thrive Suite starts at $19 per month

    Get Thrive Suites

    4. Quiz Maker

    Next up we have Quiz Maker, another budget-friendly WordPress quiz plugin. The free version is perfect for those who want to make simple quizzes fast.

    To build your quiz, you first have to add each question to your site separately. This makes it possible to efficiently reuse them between quizzes:

    Quiz maker example

    Quizzes can be made in a variety of formats. You can select from fields with radio buttons, checkboxes, dropdown menus, numbers, or plain text. Plus, you can add contact forms or other media with the pro version.

    Additionally, Quiz Maker provides several quiz themes for you to choose between, as well as color customization and other styling options. Other settings enable you to randomize the order of the questions, score answers by correctness or points, write your own results messages, and more.

    Beyond that, this plugin’s features include:

    • Question images
    • Timed quizzes
    • User login status restrictions
    • A quick quiz generator
    • Results and data tracking

    These options are all available for free. The premium version includes email integration, leaderboard functionality, password-protected quizzes, and more.

    Price: Free with premium upgrade starting at $29

    Get Quiz Maker

    5. Poll, Survey & Quiz by OpinionStage

    The Poll, Survey & Quiz plugin by OpinionStage.

    By now, you probably know what to expect from a quality WordPress quiz plugin. Poll, Survey & Quiz by OpinionStage provides all of these standard features, plus a few hidden gems.

    You’ll need an OpinionStage account to get started. You can then connect it to your website via the plugin, and start building quizzes and other interactive content from your OpinionStage dashboard:

    The OpinionStage quiz, poll, and survey templates.

    You have the choice of several quiz templates to help get you started. Once you’re done building, you can add your quiz as a popup in your site’s sidebar or at the end of all your blog posts. Statistics on your quiz’s views, responses, and lead generation activity are all visible in your OpinionStage account.

    This plugin is best for those who want to include the same quizzes across multiple sites. You can simply build your test once in OpinionStage, and then add it to all your WordPress installations via the plugin. It’s also suitable for professionals, as it includes white-label widgets for the back end.

    Other features include:

    • CSV results exporting
    • Social sharing
    • Quiz submission email notifications
    • Branching logic
    • Integration with marketing platforms such as Mailchimp
    • Lead generation forms
    • Styling customizations

    It is possible to use OpinionStage completely free, but only for up to 250 views per month. You’ll then need to upgrade to a paid account.

    Price: The Poll, Survey & Quiz plugin is free. OpinionStage pricing starts at $19 per month for 10,000 views

    Get Poll, Survey & Quiz

    6. Quiz Cat

    Quiz Cat logo

    Quiz Cat claims to offer a lightweight alternative to other WordPress quiz plugins. Its stripped-down editor is certainly less flashy than some of the other options we’ve looked at in this post, but that helps it minimize its impact on your site’s speed:

    Quiz cat settings

    If you just want to generate simple multiple-choice quizzes quickly, then Quiz Cat can get the job done. However, you won’t see any of the more intriguing functionality or integrations offered by other solutions – at least, not in the free version.

    Upgrading to Quiz Cat premium will get you social sharing buttons and Facebook Pixel integration for data tracking. It also enables you to build personality quizzes and weighted quizzes in addition to the default multiple-choice format.

    Other premium features include:

    • Email marketing integration
    • Lead generation and segmentation
    • The ability to redirect users to new page after they finish the quiz
    • Question order shuffling
    • Analytics reporting and CSV exporting

    Price: Free, with premium upgrades starting at $49 per year

    Get Quiz Cat

    7. Forminator

    Forminator logo

    Many form builder plugins, including Forminator, also offer quiz creation features. These tools can help you cut down on the number of plugins your site is running by doing double duty.

    Although it might seem like a dedicated plugin would provide better and more advanced options than a multi-purpose solution, that’s not necessarily true in the case of a WordPress quiz plugin. Most of the best WordPress contact form plugins already provide deep integration with email platforms, which can be beneficial if you want to use quizzes to grow your subscriber list.

    This is especially true in the case of Forminator. When creating a new quiz, you’ll first be asked to choose if you want it to be personality or knowledge-based:

    Creating a new Forminator quiz.

    Then Forminator will ask you want to use your quiz for lead generation. If so, it will automatically set up a corresponding form for you. After that, you’ll gain access to the plugin’s sleek drag-and-drop quiz builder:

    The Forminator quiz editor.

    Here you can add questions, customize your lead generation form, tweak design elements such as color scheme and font choice, and configure email reports.

    Additionally, Forminator includes:

    • Integration with top CRM platforms
    • A custom WordPress block for adding forms and quizzes to your pages
    • Stripe and PayPal integration
    • Developer API
    • General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance

    What’s more, Forminator is surprisingly affordable. All of the features above come free. In fact, the only premium feature is an e-signature field (which you likely won’t need if you’re primarily using it for quizzes).

    Price: Free with a premium version available starting at $5 per month

    Get Forminator

    8. HD Quiz

    HDQuix

    HD Quiz is a free, user-friendly WordPress quiz plugin that will get you off to a running start. Its simple, straightforward interface makes it clear how to add new quizzes and questions. In the question editor, you can easily choose the type and add up to ten answer choices:

    Editing a quiz.

    You can also add featured images for each question and customize the tooltip that will appear when users hover over it.

    Besides that, HD Quiz packs a lot of punch for a free plugin, with features including:

    • The ability to reuse questions across multiple forms
    • Social sharing
    • Timed quizzes
    • Image-based multiple-choice answers
    • CSV question importer
    • Quiz translator built right into the plugin settings
    • Randomized question order
    • Mobile optimization, including touch-friendly answer choices

    With that being said, you might have a little more trouble with this solution if you want to use your quizzes for lead generation or to collect user data. However, it’s perfect for driving engagement and spreading brand awareness on social media. Add-ons for advanced styling and saving participant results are available.

    Price: Free with premium add-ons available. Patreon members receive add-ons for free.

    Get HD Quiz

    9. eForm

    The eForm plugin.

    The eForm plugin is another multipurpose solution you can use to create quizzes for your WordPress site. It comes with several templates and a drag-and-drop editor that enables you to customize your test’s layout.

    In addition to quizzes, you can use eForm to make price calculators, login and registration forms, a guest post submission page, and more. It even includes an e-signature feature if you want to build digital contracts.

    Some top features of this plugin include:

    • Conditional logic
    • Social sharing
    • Integration with Google Analytics
    • Scoring and ranking system
    • Secure file uploader
    • Data reports in your WordPress dashboard
    • WooCommerce integration
    • Payment processing via Stripe and PayPal
    • Compatibility with third-party platforms such as Mailchimp and AWeber

    All in all, this plugin is a decent alternative to more popular form builders like Forminator or Formidable Forms. However, its quiz functionality doesn’t exceed that of some of the free solutions on this list.

    Price: $39 for lifetime support and updates

    Get eForm

    10. Watu Quiz

    The Watu Quiz plugin.

    Finally, we have Watu Quiz. This WordPress quiz plugin is also more basic in design, as you can see by looking at the editor:

    The Watu Quiz question editor.

    There’s no fancy visual drag-and-drop interface here. However, the results look nice enough on the front end, especially if you prefer a more understated aesthetic:

    A quiz made with the Watu quiz plugin.

    You can score quizzes by grade or personality type, randomize questions, and enable social sharing on Facebook and Twitter. This plugin also enables you to view a list of all the users who have taken your quiz, along with their results.

    Note that connecting this plugin to your email marketing platform may prove tricky. There is a Watu Mailchimp integration plugin, but it has not been updated recently, so we don’t recommend using it.

    Price: Free, with premium upgrades starting at $47

    Get Watu Quiz

    Which WordPress Quiz Plugin Is The Best?

    Plugin Price Free Option
    🥇 Quiz and Survey Master Free ✔️ Visit
    🥈 Formidable Forms $199.50/yr ✔️ Visit
    🥉 Thrive Suites $19/mo ❌ Visit
    4 Quiz Maker $29/yr ✔️ Visit
    5 Poll, Survey, & Quiz $19/mo ✔️ Visit
    6 Quiz Cat $49/yr ✔️ Visit
    7 Forminator $5/mo ✔️ Visit
    8 HD Quiz Free ✔️ Visit
    9 eForm $39/site ❌ Visit
    10 Watu Quiz Free ✔️ Visit

    Considering how inundated internet users are with ads and other branded content, it can be easy for your site to get lost in the shuffle. Driving engagement through the use of quizzes can help make your business more memorable to potential customers.

    In this post, we covered several top WordPress quiz plugins. Quiz And Survey Master is a highly rated free option that should give most users the biggest bang for their buck. For those already using a form builder such as Formidable Forms, there’s no need to go looking for an additional solution. Finally, it’s worth checking out Quiz Maker for a user- (and budget-) friendly option.

    Do you have any questions about using quizzes on your WordPress site? Leave them for us in the comments section below!

    Featured Image via Name / shuttestock.com

    The post 10 Best WordPress Quiz Plugins in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • WordPress vs Django CMS (2023) — Which One’s The Best?

    There are many Content Management Systems (CMSs) that you can use to create your website. However, when it comes to choosing the right platform, it can be difficult to determine which one will work best for you. In this post, we’ll discuss the two popular options – WordPress vs Django CMS – and walk through who should consider using each option. Additionally, we’ll compare the two platforms in terms of their ease of use, security, publishing tools, and more. So, let’s get started!

    Who Are They For?

    When choosing a CMS, it’s important to think about the type of content you plan to create. WordPress and Django are two very different platforms, designed for specific types of users and purposes.

    WordPress

    As a free and open-source software, WordPress was originally developed as a blogging platform:

    Today, WordPress is the most popular CMS in the world, powering over 40 percent of websites due to its easy-to-use interface and a large number of themes and plugins. Additionally, you can use WordPress for any type of project, including portfolios, online shops, business sites, membership sites, and more.

    Furthermore, WordPress is built on PHP. However, you can build a fully-functional website without touching a line of code. This makes this CMS a more suitable choice for those without coding knowledge.

    Django CMS

    Django CMS is a free and open-source framework that gives users the flexibility to build professional and customized websites from the ground up:

    wordpress vs Django

    It’s important to note that Django CMS and Django are two different things. Specifically, Django is a Python web framework that helps developers create apps with minimal coding. In contrast, Django CMS is the content management system built on the Python framework. This makes it an ideal choice for users who are familiar with Python. Moreover, it allows you to make quick customizations to your content from the front end of your site.

    Which Platform Is Easier to Use?

    If you’re building your first site or project, you want a user-friendly and intuitive platform. Otherwise, you might find the process a little overwhelming. Let’s look at how WordPress vs Django CMS compare when it comes to ease of use.

    WordPress

    WordPress is a very beginner-friendly platform. Once you install the software, you can log into your admin dashboard and start building your website:

    WordPress vs Django

    The WordPress dashboard contains all of the platform’s built-in tools. With that being said, you can click on a tab to navigate to a particular area on your site, such as your posts and pages. For instance, if you go to Media, you can upload photos and videos:

    wordpress vs django

    Additionally, it might take a few hours to familiarize yourself with the dashboard and its tools. However, fortunately, you’ll find plenty of WordPress tutorials and how-to guides online.

    Django CMS

    In contrast to WordPress, Django CMS is powered by Django, the most popular Python framework. Although you don’t need to be an expert developer to get a demo Django CMS up and running, keep in mind that you’ll need to design your site from scratch.

    After being installed, Django CMS has a simple interface that enables you to edit your content on the front end. Consequently, you can see your changes in real time.

    wordpress vs django

    If you want to edit a particular page, such as your blog, all you have to do is select it from the menu.

    Django Blog

    In addition, you can configure its options by selecting Page from the top menu and navigating to Page settings or Advanced settings. This will launch a popup window, where you can edit the page’s title and URL, set up a redirect, and more.

    wordpress vs django page settings

    Furthermore, you can design and edit your content without navigating away from the page. This means you can access every area of your site, including pages, from the same interface. For instance, the media library appears as a sliding window over the page you’re working on.

    wordpress vs django media library

    As a result, Django CMS provides a very efficient way to build your site. Specifically, you don’t have to click through multiple tabs to access your settings or navigate away from the page to make customizations.

    WordPress Django
    Ease of Use By accessing tutorials and documentation, the WordPress learning curve can be surmounted. 🥇 Winner

    Right from the beginning, Django simplifies the process of adding and editing content in its CMS.
    Choose WordPress Choose Django CMS

    Customization Options

    When it comes to building a website, it’s important to consider the customization options available with each CMS. This is particularly important if you want to create a site that stands out from the crowd. Therefore, let’s compare WordPress vs Django CMS to see which has the best customization options.

    WordPress

    To begin with, WordPress is a highly flexible platform with various customization options. Firstly, it offers a vast library of customizable themes that can be used to design your site. In addition to that, it provides a plethora of options for customizing your site’s functionality. For instance, if you want to add a specific feature, such as a social media plugin, you can easily search for it in the WordPress Plugin Directory, or on sites like 10Web or Smash Balloon.

    Social media buttons plugins in WordPress

    Plus, there are thousands of free WordPress plugins you can use. You can access them right from your dashboard by navigating to Plugins > Add New:

    Adding new plugins in WordPress vs Django

    Additionally, WordPress provides a wide range of customization options for its themes and templates. This can help you achieve a unique design for your site that matches your brand. You can customize everything from the color scheme and fonts to the layout and design of your pages. With the help of a page builder plugin like Divi, you can create custom page layouts without needing to know how to code. These tools often come with a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface that allows you to easily rearrange and customize the elements on your pages.

    Django CMS

    In contrast to WordPress, Django CMS offers a different approach to customizing your site with plugins. Django CMS plugins can be added to your site to create various elements such as lines, buttons, text, headings, and more.

    wordpress vs django plugins

    To customize each plugin in Django CMS, you can make various changes based on the element added. For example, if you’re adding an image gallery, you can change the height and width of the thumbnail, enable fullscreen, zoom, and more.

    Customizing image gallery in Django

    Furthermore, Django CMS has some limitations when it comes to customization options unless you have experience with Python. Nonetheless, if you’re a web developer, you can effortlessly construct your applications in Django.

    WordPress Django
    Customization 🥇 Winner

    When it comes to customization, WP wins due to the number of design options, as well as plugins and themes available.

    		Unless you have knowledge of Python, customization options in Django CMS can be somewhat restrictive.
    Choose WordPress Choose Django CMS

    Theme and Template Options

    Designing a website can be time-consuming. Fortunately, you can use themes and templates to simplify the process. This is where both WordPress and Django CMS shine.

    WordPress

    WordPress offers a user-friendly way to find and use templates to quickly get started with building your website. As we mentioned earlier, it offers a broad range of free themes for different types of websites. To search for specific designs, you can use the “Feature Filter” in the WordPress Themes Repository.

    wordpress vs django Themes

    In addition to the various free themes, each WordPress theme comes with its own set of templates and customization options. These options allow you to modify the color scheme, typography, and layout to match your preferences.

    As a result, you can now have greater flexibility and more options when using the new Full Site Editing feature. By utilizing blocks, you can fully customize your theme:

    Full Site Editing

    After creating or using a block-based theme, you can start editing your theme using the new Full Site Editing feature. To access this feature, navigate to the Editor section under Appearance. Here, you can edit your theme and its templates to customize your site.

    WordPress Full Site Editing Template

    Furthermore, if you don’t find a theme that meets your requirements, you can create your own. As mentioned previously, WordPress provides a user-friendly block editor that enables you to build your site with blocks. You can create custom templates by using different types of blocks, such as the row block, images, buttons, and more, and arranging them in the desired order. This way, you can have a unique design that stands out from the crowd.

    Django CMS

    While there is no themes library for Django CMS, you do have the option to select a template for your page. For instance, you might opt for a full-width layout.

    wordpress vs django templates

    Accordingly, if you want to have more design options and save time, WordPress would be a better choice than Django CMS. It provides a range of customizable themes and templates that can be easily applied to your site.

    WordPress Django
    Themes and Templates 🥇 Winner

    In addition to third-party themes and plugins, WordPress also features a user-friendly block editor that can be used to create templates.

    		 However, if you don’t intend to design your own, the options for themes and templates are limited.
    Choose WordPress Choose Django CMS

    WordPress vs Django for Publishing

    If you’re intending to create a website with frequent blog posts or a complex site structure, it’s crucial to have a wide range of publishing tools available in your content management system.

    WordPress

    Since it was originally developed as a blogging CMS, WordPress offers a lot of useful features for publishing posts. The main publishing tool is the Block Editor, which is a user-friendly builder that enables you to put together posts and pages with pre-built blocks. With a wide variety of elements, including headings, paragraphs, images, buttons, lists, block patterns, and more, this tool is ideal for building complex pages and posts quickly and easily.

    The WordPress Block Editor

    Plus, you can click on a block to customize it. For example, if you select an image, you can change its dimensions or add a border:

    Editing an image in WordPress

    WordPress lets you save your posts and pages as drafts so you can continue working on them later. In addition, you have the option to schedule your posts or publish them straight away. Furthermore, you can restrict a post’s visibility to site admins and editors, and protect it with passwords.

    All of these publishing tools make WordPress an ideal platform for blogs and news sites. They facilitate team collaboration on articles and help you manage your content schedule more effectively.

    Django CMS

    On the other hand, Django CMS has a basic blog feature. When you choose to create a new post, you get a window where you can write your content.

    Creating a new article in Django

    While Django CMS has a basic blog feature with fields for meta descriptions, keywords, and categories, it lacks functionality when it comes to publishing options such as scheduling a post or restricting its visibility. As a result, it may be limiting if you want to create a professional blog. In contrast, WordPress is a better option as it offers a wealth of blogging features and tools, such as saving drafts, scheduling posts, publishing options, and content collaboration.

    WordPress Django
    Publishing To enhance the ease of use, it’s worth noting that the WordPress interface is designed to make content publishing simple and efficient, thanks to the intuitive block editor.

    		 🥇 Winner

    Similarly, with the Django page editor, you can conveniently create and edit content.
    Choose WordPress Choose Django CMS

    Which Platform is More Secure?

    When it comes to content management systems, your site’s security is of the utmost importance. Both WordPress and Django CMS offer different security measures to help keep your content safe. However, let’s dive more into the differences between these platforms to see which one comes out on top in terms of security.

    WordPress

    WordPress is popular and has many plugins and themes, which makes it more vulnerable to attack. Hackers can exploit vulnerabilities in plugins, themes, and WordPress core. To keep your site safe, you should update all software on your site, including WordPress core and themes, as soon as new versions are released. Plus, you can enable auto-updates.

    wordpress vs django

    Furthermore, to enhance your site’s security, you can install one of the best WordPress security plugins such as Sucuri.

    Sucuri

    In addition, many web hosts such as SiteGround and Cloudways provide security tools and features such as SSL certificates, and you can use top WordPress backup plugins to back up your site files and databases.

    Django CMS

    Compared to WordPress, Django CMS provides more built-in protection due to its built-in authentication and security solutions for common threats like SQL injection and cross-site forgery. This means you won’t need to worry about carrying out updates or installing additional security tools. In contrast, with WordPress, you are responsible for ensuring that plugins and themes are secure and up to date.

    WordPress Django
    Security Although WP is not inherently the most secure platform, there are great options like Sucuri to get the job done.

    		 🥇 Winner

    Django is equipped with built-in authentication and security solutions, making it one of the most secure frameworks.
    Choose WordPress Choose Django CMS

    Who Has the Better E-Commerce Platform?

    To evaluate eCommerce functionality, let’s compare WordPress vs Django CMS.

    WordPress

    Though WordPress doesn’t provide built-in eCommerce features, it’s possible to set up an online shop using third-party tools. The most commonly used tool for eCommerce on WordPress is WooCommerce.

    wordpress vs django

    WooCommerce enables you to manage your online store right from your WordPress dashboard and provides various Yith extensions for additional functionality. Plus, these extensions can help you to filter products, add payment gateway support, and display customer reviews.

    Furthermore, if you’re looking to sell digital products, you can utilize a plugin such as Easy Digital Downloads. Moreover, you can customize your e-commerce website with a page builder like Divi.

    Django CMS

    Django CMS is versatile and suitable for eCommerce sites as well as for developing custom apps for businesses. You can utilize the Django-SHOP documentation to begin your development.

    wordpress vs django SHOP

    In conclusion, it’s worth noting that Django can offer more flexibility for e-commerce sites. With this platform, you have the freedom to extend your online store’s functionality and create custom features that are tailored to your specific business needs.

    WordPress Django
    E-Commerce 🥇 Winner

    To be e-commerce friendly, WP needs a solution such as WooCommerce.

    		 While there are good e-commerce choices, the learning curve is steeper.
    Choose WordPress Choose Django CMS

    WordPress And Django CMS Alternatives

    Before you make your final decision on your website platform, it may be helpful to compare WordPress against its other biggest competitors. We’ve done the hard work for you and compared WordPress vs everything else. Most recently, we reviewed WordPress vs Squarespace, and I think you’ll be interested to see the results.

    WordPress vs Django CMS: What’s the Final Verdict?

    As we have seen, there are some key differences between WordPress and Django CMS. Specifically, WordPress is generally considered more beginner-friendly, while Django CMS is more focused on the needs of developers.

    WordPress Django
    Ease of Use By accessing tutorials and documentation, the WordPress learning curve can be surmounted.

    		 🥇 Winner

    Right from the beginning, Django simplifies the process of adding and editing content in its CMS.
    Customization 🥇 Winner

    When it comes to customization, WP wins due to the number of design options, as well as plugins and themes available.

    		 Unless you have knowledge of Python, customization options in Django CMS can be somewhat restrictive.
    Themes and Templates 🥇 Winner

    In addition to third-party themes and plugins, WordPress also features a user-friendly block editor that can be used to create templates.

    		 However, if you don’t intend to design your own, the options for themes and templates are limited.
    Publishing To enhance the ease of use, it’s worth noting that the WordPress interface is designed to make content publishing simple and efficient, thanks to the intuitive block editor.

    		 🥇 Winner

    Similarly, with the Django page editor, you can conveniently create and edit content.
    Security Although WP is not inherently the most secure platform, there are great options like Sucuri to get the job done.

    		 🥇 Winner

    Django is equipped with built-in authentication and security solutions, making it one of the most secure frameworks.
    E-Commerce 🥇 Winner

    To be e-commerce friendly, WP needs a solution such as WooCommerce.

    		 While there are good e-commerce choices, the learning curve is steeper.
    Choose WordPress Choose Django CMS

    Final Comparison

    When it comes to WordPress, you get access to a vast array of tools, including plugins by 10Web and Smash Balloon and premium themes such as Divi, which allow you to create a complete website without any coding. This makes WordPress an ideal platform for showcasing content and building highly-customized sites.

    Django CMS, on the other hand, is more suitable for individuals who have experience with Python and prefer to develop custom apps for their websites. Additionally, Django CMS offers built-in security features, making it an excellent choice for those who value enhanced security measures.

    The post WordPress vs Django CMS (2023) — Which One’s The Best? appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • WordPress vs Laravel (2023) — What You Need To Know

    Comparing WordPress vs. Laravel is complicated because both “platforms” have little in common besides using PHP. However, understanding the differences between both options is essential to determine how to build your next project.

    In this post, we will talk about who should use WordPress and Laravel. We’ll discuss customization options, ease of use, security, and more. Let’s get to it!

    WordPress vs. Laravel PHP Framework: Who Are They For?

    It’s important to understand that WordPress and Laravel are two very different types of software. However, they’re both “solutions” that you can use to build websites and online applications.

    WordPress

    WordPress is a Content Management System (CMS) that enables you to build sites using visual tools. You get access to a Block Editor that works similarly to page builder software and a dashboard with options to create and manage content, user accounts, and more:

    WordPress homepage

    On paper, WordPress is a blogging platform. However, the CMS is incredibly versatile, so much so that 43% of all existing websites use it. Therefore, it’s suitable for everything from eCommerce stores to personal blogs.

    If you use the open-source version of WordPress, you’re not even limited to a specific web host. You can set up the CMS on any server that you want.

    Laravel

    Laravel is not a CMS but a “framework” for the PHP programming language. That’s the same language that’s at the core of WordPress. However, Laravel doesn’t provide visual tools or dashboards to help you create a website:

    Laravel homepage

    With Laravel, you get a library of pre-programmed features to “put together” a website. That process takes place from a Command Line Interface (CLI) called Artisan.

    To use Laravel, you’ll need to know your way around PHP even though you interact with the framework using a scripting language. Although that process may sound complicated, using Laravel can be remarkably straightforward if you have a development background.

    Laravel is not a “platform” that you can pick up without programming knowledge. If you have zero background in web development, WordPress is definitely preferable.

    However, that’s not to say WordPress is a platform for beginners only. The CMS is incredibly customizable, and you can use it to develop websites with highly complex functionality.

    WordPress vs. Laravel PHP Framework: Ease of Use

    Although WordPress and Laravel offer such different experiences, we can compare how easy they are to use. Let’s start with WordPress.

    WordPress

    WordPress is straightforward to learn, even if you have no web development experience. It might take a while to go from zero to having a ready-to-go website. However, you have an amazing wealth of resources and tutorials for the CMS. Combine those resources with an intuitive dashboard, and WordPress is a beginner-friendly option:

    WordPress dashboard

    Once you have some experience under your belt using WordPress, you should be able to create new pages and entire websites relatively quickly. You’ll practice using the Block Editor, know which plugins to use in particular situations, and get an idea of which themes to use for different sites.

    Laravel

    If you don’t have a background in web development or experience using the command line, Laravel might be overwhelming. However, you don’t need to be a master programmer to use Laravel.

    Basic knowledge of PHP and CLI functionality should be more than enough to unlock the potential of Laravel:

    Installing Laravel using the command line

    Laravel offers extensive documentation to help you get started. For the best possible experience, we recommend checking out the Laracasts library. The library contains in-depth video tutorials for getting started with Laravel. You’ll also learn how to use some of the many “packages” or pre-built features the framework offers.

    If you want an “easy” setup, Laravel offers some “starter kits” that package several features, including scaffolding (the basic structure for any Laravel app that you create). You can use starter kits such as Laravel Jetstream for faster application deployment:

    Laravel Jetstream

    Arguably, the learning curve for Laravel is bigger than with WordPress. However, once again, we’re talking about two options for web projects with entirely different approaches. If you’re comfortable with the command line, you can set up a Laravel project on your server and start publishing pages in minutes.

    WordPress
    Ease-of-Use 🥇 Winner
    While WordPress does take a second to learn, it is straightforward to get used to and most users will be acclimated within just a few minutes. However, the advanced features will take much longer to master.    		 If you don’t have a background in web development, Laravel can be a lot to take in. However, they do offer video tutorials to help you get you started.
    Choose WordPress Choose Laravel

    WordPress vs. Laravel PHP Framework: Customization

    Both Laravel and WordPress offer a wealth of customization options for whatever project you’re working on. Here’s how both of them compare.

    WordPress

    Most people customize WordPress using plugins and themes. Plugins are add-ons that can add new functionality to the CMS. Fortunately, there are thousands of plugins available to use, and a lot of them are free:

    Installing plugins in WordPress

    Plugins not only add new features to WordPress but also enable you to change core aspects of how the CMS works. For instance, if you don’t like the default Block Editor, you can replace it with a page builders plugin, such as Divi or Beaver Builder.

    With WordPress, you can develop almost any kind of online project that you can imagine. If you have web development experience, you can also edit the WordPress code and create new plugins and themes. In short, every aspect of WordPress is up for customization.

    Laravel

    With Laravel, you start every project from scratch, choosing which dependencies and packages you want to use. That means any website built using Laravel only includes features that are manually added:

    Some of Laravel's packages

    The Laravel model means that every project has a unique set of features. With Laravel, you can add or remove any package since the framework uses a modular system.

    Although some packages can add a visual interface for your Laravel website, you should expect to make most edits via the command line. That means you’ll need to understand the Laravel syntax and be comfortable managing a web project via commands.

    WordPress
    Customization 🥇 Winner
    With all the thousands of plugins and opportunities for custom coding,
    WordPress is set up to be the master of customization.     		Laravel is designed to be a modular system, with frameworks being hand selected by the user. There is a lot of room for customization, it just takes a lot of know-how.
    Choose WordPress Choose Laravel

    WordPress vs. Laravel PHP Framework: Themes and Templates

    Many platforms provide themes and templates to customize your website’s style. Themes enable you to quickly try new designs and overhaul your website’s appearance without coding. Here are the differences in how WordPress and Laravel handle theming.

    WordPress

    As you may know, WordPress offers a massive collection of themes, both free and premium. You can look for and install themes without leaving the dashboard and change options almost instantly:

    The WordPress.org theme repository

    Plus, if you look beyond free options, many premium themes add new functionality to WordPress, such as page builder themes (like Divi). The biggest challenge with themes tends to be settling on an option because there are so many of them.

    You can fully customize any aspect of the themes that you use. Moreover, WordPress enables you to edit page templates using the Block Editor.

    Laravel

    Laravel uses the Blade templating engine by default. It enables you to produce layouts manually, which is more efficient than creating pages from scratch. However, you’ll still need to code every section and element of your Blade templates.

    Alternatively, you could use CCS pre-processors and frontend toolkits. One of the most popular options among Laravel users is Bootstrap:

    The Bootstrap homepage

    Toolkits such as Bootstrap do support and offer themes. However, these are not specific to Laravel itself but to the pre-processor you’re using.

    Although the lack of theming systems might be a con for some, the open-ended approach that Laravel offers is quite appealing. Since you’re working with a framework, you’re free to use any front-end toolkit. Therefore, you can choose from hundreds or thousands of templates if you take the time to set things up.

    If you look for Laravel templates, you will find some options for admin dashboards. Keep in mind that Laravel doesn’t come with an admin panel or dashboard. However, you can build one and use Laravel templates to customize its style:

    Examples of Laravel templates

    These templates will usually require dependencies and frontend toolkits to work. Additionally, you’ll still need to configure Laravel to work with the template and display data through it (some packages can do this).

    WordPress
    Themes and Templates 🥇 Winner

    WordPress offers a huge variety of premium and free themes.

    		 Laravel utilizes the Blade templating engine to produce manual layout, but you can also take advantage of Bootstrap to use hundreds of themes, as long as you take the time to set them up properly.
    Choose WordPress Choose Laravel

    WordPress vs. Laravel PHP Framework: Publishing Tools

    Although Laravel isn’t a “publishing” platform per se, it can fulfill that role with the right approach. Let’s talk about how WordPress and Laravel compare with publishing tools.

    WordPress

    Publishing posts and pages are at the core of the WordPress experience. The CMS focuses on providing tools to create pages and blog posts with ease. The Block Editor reflects that with its visual approach to page creation:

    The Block Editor

    WordPress also offers functionality for managing posts. You can edit, update, and delete posts at any time. Even if you have a massive library of content, WordPress makes it easy to manage it.

    Laravel

    Laravel doesn’t offer built-in publishing tools. However, you can easily change that using the right packages. Some Laravel packages focus on adding blogging and publishing functionality to the framework.

    One such example is Laravel Blog. This package adds a dashboard that looks like WordPress and a classic text editor to publish new posts and pages:

    The Laravel Blog dashboard

    The alternative is to code and publish pages manually. That’s a valid approach, but if you plan on running a blog that publishes content often, you’ll want to use packages to handle the workload more efficiently.

    WordPress
    Publishing Tools 🥇 Winner

    WordPress is a very user-friendly platform, making it easy for non-technical users to create and publish content without much technical expertise. It offers a built-in editor with a variety of formatting options and multimedia support.

    		 Laravel is more developer-oriented and requires technical expertise to use effectively. While it doesn’t offer a built-in content editor, it can be used to build custom publishing tools that are tailored to specific needs.
    Choose WordPress Choose Laravel

    WordPress vs. Laravel PHP Framework: Security

    Protecting your website from attacks and securing user data is key to any modern website. Here’s how Laravel and WordPress compare in terms of security.

    WordPress

    One of the main advantages of using WordPress is that the platform gets regular updates and security patches. If you keep WordPress itself, plus the themes and plugins you use, up to date, your website should be mostly secure. There are security plugins that can help you keep your website safe as well, We’ve listed the best ones here.

    Having said that, there are plenty of extra steps that you can take to protect your site even further. Some plugins can help you implement features such as Two Factor Authentication (2FA). Additionally, you can whitelist IP addresses, use web hosts that offer advanced security functionality, and more.

    Laravel

    Laravel offers many pre-programmed security features that you can implement for your projects. These features are not “enabled” by default, meaning you need to add them manually on a project-by-project basis. They include:

    • A user authentication system
    • Protection against XSS attacks and SQL injections
    • Email verification
    • Password hashing and reset functionality

    On top of its pre-programmed functionality, Laravel includes packages to enhance security. Arguably, Laravel is much more secure than most other PHP frameworks. However, there’s always more that you can do to protect your site, so it’s essential to be proactive about it.

    WordPress
    Security WordPress has several security plugins that can be installed to further enhance its security features. However, since it is a widely used platform, it is often targeted by hackers, making it more vulnerable to attacks. 🥇 Winner
    Laravel, on the other hand, is a PHP web application framework that is designed to be secure by default. It comes with built-in security features such as CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) protection and secure session management.
    Choose WordPress Choose Laravel

    WordPress vs. Laravel PHP Framework: E-commerce

    Running an online store is one of the best ways to make money online. This section will help you decide which platform is more suitable.

    WordPress

    WordPress is a very user-friendly CMS for running an eCommerce store. Using the free WooCommerce plugin, you can create a storefront, upload products, process payments and shipping, and more:

    WooCommerce plugin

    Furthermore, you can use WooCommerce extensions to add extra functionality to your store, such as product filters and customer reviews. Since you control your shop visually, it’s very easy to organize and sell your products.

    Plus, you can choose from other free and paid eCommerce plugins, such as Easy Digital Downloads. Overall, WordPress eCommerce is very accessible.

    Laravel

    As we previously explained, Laravel works with packages. Some Laravel packages can add complex functionality to your projects, such as publishing tools and eCommerce systems.

    E-commerce packages like Aimeos and Lunar can help you set up complex online stores:

    Lunar

    These eCommerce packages give you arguably more freedom than WooCommerce since you can design more complex products, shopping carts, and customer parameters. You’ll also typically get access to an admin hub to manage all your sales. However, as with most Laravel features, you’ll need developer experience to get the most out of eCommerce packages.

    WordPress
    E-commerce The WooCommerce plugin let’s you create an online store with ease, plus it has extensions to add functionality and customize your store to your liking. 🥇 Winner
    Laravel provides a solid foundation for building e-commerce websites with a range of features such as authentication, routing, database management, and templating.
    Choose WordPress Choose Laravel

    WordPress vs Laravel: Picking The Best Option

    Laravel and WordPress offer very distinct approaches to creating a website. With WordPress, you get a CMS that packages visual tools to help you build and manage every aspect of your site. By contrast, Laravel is a PHP framework that requires you to put together projects from scratch using pre-built features and packages.

    WordPress
    Ease-of-Use 🥇 Winner
    While WordPress does take a second to learn, most users will be acclimated within just a few minutes.     		If you don’t have a background in web development, Laravel can be a lot to take in. However, they do offer video tutorials to help you get you started.
    Customization 🥇 Winner

    WordPress is set up to be the master of customization.

    		There is a lot of room for customization, it just takes a lot of know-how.
    Themes and Templates 🥇 Winner

    WordPress offers a huge variety of premium and free themes.

    		 With Laravel you can use hundreds of themes, as long as you take the time to set them up properly.
    Publishing Tools 🥇 Winner

    WordPress is a designed for bloggers.

    		 Laravel is more developer-oriented.
    Security WordPress is a widely used platform, so it’s often targeted by hackers, making it more vulnerable to attacks. 🥇 Winner
    Laravel comes with built-in security features that are unmatched.
    E-commerce The WooCommerce plugin let’s you create an online store with ease. 🥇 Winner
    Laravel provides a solid foundation for building e-commerce websites with the right extension packages.
    Choose WordPress Choose Laravel

    There isn’t a definitively better option for building a website. If you’re an experienced programmer, you’ll probably appreciate Laravel for what it offers – an incredibly scalable and customizable framework that can adapt to your needs. On the other hand, WordPress simply works right out of the box, which can simplify and speed up some projects.

    WordPress vs Anything Else

    One more thing. Before you make your final decision on your website platform…are you curious to see how WordPress stacks up against its other biggest competitors? We did the hard work and compared WordPress vs. everything else so that you don’t have to! We also reviewed WordPress vs. GitHub Pages, and I think you will be interested to see the results.

    If you’re looking for specific plugins to help WordPress become even more powerful, we recommend the following:

    Do you have any questions about using WordPress vs. Laravel? Let’s talk about them in the comments section below!

    The post WordPress vs Laravel (2023) — What You Need To Know appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • WooCommerce vs Shopify (2023) — Which One Is Best?

    WooCommerce vs. Shopify is a tough match-up. Shopify claims that over 1,700,00 businesses use its platform. WooCommerce, on the other hand, has more than five million active installations. That means we’re talking about two eCommerce giants, each taking an entirely different approach to helping you build an online store.

    In this article, we will compare WooCommerce vs. Shopify regarding setup, payment processing, customizability, and price. Along the way, we’ll tell you which eCommerce platform excels in each area to help you decide which option best fits you.

    Let’s get to it!

    WooCommerce vs. Shopify: Hosted vs. Self-Hosted eCommerce

    Although both Shopify and WooCommerce can help you create an online store, they offer very different user experiences. The primary difference between the two options is that one is self-hosted, and the other is hosted.

    Here’s what that means:

    1. WooCommerce. WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin. You can install the Content Management System (CMS) on any server of your choice, are entirely free to edit the WooCommerce and WordPress code, and can use both tools for just about any type of project you want.
    2. Shopify. Shopify is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform. It provides you with hosting, eCommerce software, maintenance, and support. That means less control over your store, but an easier setup process.

    WooCommerce itself is free. However, you still have to pay a monthly or yearly fee for hosting the WordPress website that’s using WooCommerce (unless you run your own server). In return, the combination of WooCommerce and WordPress gives you complete freedom when it comes to your eCommerce projects:

    WooCommerce

    Shopify as a platform is all about providing businesses with easy-to-use tools for launching an online store. As a hosted platform, it combines all of the features you’ll need in one package:

    Shopify

    Due to its nature, Shopify is a less flexible platform than WooCommerce. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as we’ll explore throughout the rest of this article.

    Setting Up a Store in WooCommerce vs. Shopify

    If this is your first time setting up an online store, you’ll want to know how difficult (or simple) each platform makes that process. Let’s start with WooCommerce.

    WooCommerce

    As we mentioned earlier, WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin. This means that before you get to work on your store, you have to go through a series of steps, including:

    1. Finding a web host
    2. Signing up for a hosting plan
    3. Installing WordPress
    4. Finding and installing the perfect WooCommerce theme
    5. Setting up WooCommerce

    This process doesn’t take much time if you’re already familiar with WordPress and you have a web host in mind. However, if this is your first time looking for a web host, you’ll need to budget plenty of time for research.

    Installing WordPress is a painless experience, and in many cases, your web host will do it for you. In addition, some WordPress hosting services offer “eCommerce” or WooCommerce plans, which is a fancy way of saying that they’ll pre-install WooCommerce and some other useful tools for you.

    Once you get to work with WooCommerce, the plugin will launch a wizard that will help you configure your store and set up some basic pages for it:

    Setting up a store using WooCommerce

    After your store is ready to go, you can start adding products. The plugin adds a Products tab to your site’s dashboard and lets you use the WordPress editor to set up new products for your store:

    Adding products to WooCommerce

    Adding new products to WooCommerce is simple, but it’s not as “visual” a process as with other eCommerce platforms.

    Shopify

    With WooCommerce, you have to go through several steps to get your store up and running. When you’re using Shopify, the process boils down to two parts:

    1. Signing up for a Shopify account
    2. Configuring your store

    When you log in for the first time, Shopify will ask you a few basic questions about what kind of project you’re working on:

    Launching a new Shopify store

    Shopify will also ask you for some personal information, which it needs to process your store’s payouts. As soon as you get to the dashboard, you’ll be able to start adding products. Overall, the Shopify product editor offers a more streamlined experience than WooCommerce does:

    Adding a product in Shopify

    Both Shopify and WooCommerce enable you to add a lot of details for each product in your store. You can specify prices, set up Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) numbers, track stock, configure shipping, and more.

    One standout feature that Shopify offers is built-in basic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) options for products:

    Working on a product's SEO in Shopify

    To get that same functionality in WooCommerce, you have to use an SEO plugin. With the right tool, you’ll get access to a lot more features than what Shopify offers out of the box.

    WordPress
    Setting up a Store 🥇
    Winner
    Shopify excels in this category because its simple regardless of your technical experience.     		WooCommerce is easy to setup as well, but it’s especially easy if you have experience with WordPress.
    Choose Shopify Choose WooCommerce

    Verdict: If you’re familiar with WordPress, setting up WooCommerce and adding products will be a walk in the park. On the other hand, if you’re new to eCommerce, Shopify offers a much more streamlined setup experience.

    Configuring Payment Options in WooCommerce vs. Shopify

    An online store can only be successful if you offer payment options that your customers want to use. You’ll want to have access to as many options as possible, so you can pick the best ones for your store.

    WooCommerce

    With WooCommerce, you get access to several payment processors out of the box. The plugin lets you choose from several options during the setup wizard, including Stripe and PayPal. However, you can always enable additional methods through the WordPress dashboard:

    Setting up WooCommerce payment methods

    If you want to set up additional payment methods, you can always browse the WooCommerce “extensions” store. Extensions are simply plugins that add new functionality to WooCommerce, such as support for additional payment processors:

    WooCommerce payment extensions

    These add-ons enable you to integrate almost any payment processor you want into your store. The downside is that a lot of WooCommerce extensions are pay-to-play, and they can get fairly expensive.

    Shopify

    Shopify also supports a broad range of payment processors. The platform promotes PayPal as its main option, but it also gives you access to several third-party providers and what it calls “alternative payment methods”.

    Configuring Shopify to work with third-party providers is simple. The platform will offer you a list of options, and it explicitly tells you which are not available in your country:

    Configuring Shopify payments

    When you add a new payment option, Shopify will inform you if you need to create an account and how to connect it with your store. It also tells you how much that specific payment processor charges in fees, which is very useful.

    As we mentioned briefly, Shopify also supports some alternative payment options. Among those, you’ll find payment processors that enable customers to pay using cryptocurrency and local payment options in their regions:

    Configuring alternative payment methods in Shopify

    It’s also worth noting that all of these options are built into Shopify. Unlike with WooCommerce, you don’t need to pay for extensions that add specific payment processing options to your store. Shopify does offer extensions (free and paid), which it calls “apps”, but not for this functionality.

    WordPress
    Configuring Payment Options 🥇 Winner
    Shopify offers you most of the options you’ll need directly out the gate, but doesn’t offer the more specific extensions.     		WooCommerce comes with a few standard payment options but, has the bonus have having an extensive plugin library.
    Choose Shopify Choose WooCommerce

    Verdict: If you’re looking for very specific payment processing options, WooCommerce extensions can be your best bet. However, Shopify gets a thumbs-up for incorporating so many options without requiring additional tools. Out of the box, however, both eCommerce solutions give you access to the basic payment processors that most stores use (such as Stripe and PayPal).

    Customizing Your Store with WooCommerce vs. Shopify

    If you want to make your store your own, you’ll need the ability to add new features and change its style. In that area, both WooCommerce and Shopify offer some impressive options.

    WooCommerce

    Customizability is where WooCommerce shines. Since you’re using WordPress, you can customize your website and store it in almost any way you can imagine. WordPress offers thousands of themes and plugins (both premium and free) that enable you to add new and exciting functionality to your projects.

    For example, you can look for WordPress themes that integrate with WooCommerce out of the box. Some themes, such as Divi, enable you to use advanced visual builders to customize your store and product pages:

    Customizing your store using Divi

    With WooCommerce, you have a level of freedom to customize your store that hosted platforms such as Shopify simply can’t match. You can even alter your site’s foundational code (or hire a developer to do so for you).

    The trade-off for that freedom is that you’re always learning something new about how to use WordPress and WooCommerce. If that sounds like a good deal to you, then WooCommerce’s customizability is its primary selling point.

    Shopify

    Shopify offers a broad range of customization options for its users. You get access to an app library that gives you plenty of options for adding new functionality to your store:

    Adding apps to Shopify

    Just as with WordPress, some of Shopify’s apps are free, and some are premium. However, the selection of apps is magnitudes smaller than what you’ll get with WordPress and WooCommerce. Also, where premium WordPress plugins usually charge you for a yearly license, most paid Shopify apps work on a monthly subscription model.

    As far as themes go, Shopify offers a modest selection of free options:

    Free Shopify themes

    When it comes to premium themes, the selection is much broader. However, Shopify themes tend to be much more expensive than their WordPress and WooCommerce counterparts, with most starting at around $180.

    WordPress
    Customizing Your Store Compared to WooCommerce, Shopify provides a limited set of customization choices that come at a higher price point. 🥇 Winner
    WooCommerce’s unparalleled customization capabilities make it a particularly compelling in this category.
    Choose Shopify Choose WooCommerce

    Verdict: The level of freedom that WordPress and WooCommerce offer is unmatched. Shopify is a customizable platform, but due to its hosted nature, it can’t compete with WooCommerce. Moreover, WooCommerce and WordPress are so popular that there are almost no features you can’t add to your store using plugins.

    How Much Does WooCommerce vs. Shopify Cost?

    Ultimately, the biggest deciding factor between WooCommerce vs. Shopify will likely be your budget. With that in mind, here is the basic pricing you’ll be looking at:

    WordPress
    eCommerce Software Included with each plan 🥇 Winner
    Free
    Plans $29, $79, and $299 per month plans Free
    Setup fees Included with each plan None and some web hosts set up WooCommerce for you
    Hosting Included with each plan Hosting plans start at around $5 per month
    Domain name Not included – .com domains start at around $15 per year Included with some web hosting plans
    Store and website maintenance Included Depends on your hosting provider and plan
    Plugins and apps On average, monthly app subscriptions start at around $5-20 On average, premium plugins start at around $10-20 for yearly licenses
    Themes Official premium themes start at $180 On average, premium themes start at around $29
    Choose Shopify Choose WooCommerce

    On paper, WooCommerce is the cheapest option out of the two. You can set up WordPress and WooCommerce for less than $20, including hosting and a domain. With Shopify, you need to spend at least $29 for its basic plan and then pay extra to register a domain.

    If you want to use Shopify apps, those costs can add up quickly too. Monthly subscriptions will end up costing far more than yearly fees for premium WooCommerce extensions. However, it’s worth noting that you don’t need to use premium themes, extensions, or apps for either platform – it’s all up to you.

    WooCommerce Deep Dive

    If you’re interested in learning more about what WooCommerce has to offer, you can check out some of our articles like WooCommerce vs. Magento or our article on the real cost of using WooCommerce.

    Whether you’re a seasoned WooCommerce user or just starting, these articles will provide you with valuable insights and best practices to take your store to the next level.

    WooCommerce Vs. Shopify: The Final Comparison

    Choosing between WooCommerce and Shopify can be a challenge. WooCommerce is by far the more flexible option, but it also takes longer to fully master than Shopify does. If you’re entirely new to eCommerce and you want an experience that’s as easy as possible, Shopify is a safe bet.

    WordPress
    Setting up a Store 🥇 Winner
    Shopify excels in this category because its simple regardless of your technical experience.     		WooCommerce is easy to setup as well, but it’s especially easy if you have experience with WordPress.
    Configuring Payment Options 🥇 Winner
    Shopify offers you most of the options you’ll need directly out the gate, but doesn’t offer the more specific extensions.     		WooCommerce comes with a few standard payment options but, has the bonus have having an extensive plugin library.
    Customizing Your Store Compared to WooCommerce, Shopify provides a limited set of customization choices that come at a higher price point. 🥇 Winner
    WooCommerce’s unparalleled customization capabilities make it a particularly compelling in this category.
    Price Shopify necessitates a minimum of $29 for its basic plan, and you must pay an additional fee to obtain a domain. Moreover, expenses for Shopify apps can accumulate rapidly. 🥇 Winner
    For under $20, you can establish a WordPress and WooCommerce site, which includes hosting and a domain.
    Choose Shopify Choose WooCommerce

    On the other hand, if you’re comfortable tinkering with your store, WordPress and WooCommerce offer a wealth of customization options that are unmatched. More importantly, it can be much cheaper to set up a WooCommerce store, which makes it a great entry-level option.

    Do you have any other questions about WooCommerce vs. Shopify? Let’s talk about them in the comments section below!

    Featured Image via olesia_g / shutterstock.com

    The post WooCommerce vs Shopify (2023) — Which One Is Best? appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • 5 Best High-Ticket Dropshipping Products in 2023

    If you’re a digital entrepreneur, you’ve likely heard of dropshipping. It eliminates the middleman ‘distributor’ by outsourcing order fulfillment and delivery to let you make a semi-passive income. However, it can be difficult to turn a sizable profit using this business model.

    Fortunately, you can drastically increase your returns when you opt for high-ticket dropshipping products. From electronics to outdoor equipment, selling the right items for the right prices can make a huge difference.

    In this post, we’ll introduce you to high-ticket dropshipping. Then, we’ll share some of the best and most profitable niches and products that you may want to consider. Let’s get started!

    An Introduction to High-Ticket Dropshipping

    Before we discuss some of the best high-ticket dropshipping products of the year, let’s briefly go over dropshipping more broadly.

    In this model, an online store owner manages a website with a catalog of products. When they receive orders, they send them directly to the manufacturer, a wholesaler, or another third-party service to complete them:

    Ecommerce store example

    That means the eCommerce store owner doesn’t have to deal with storage, shipping, or the other hassles of managing a brick-and-mortar business. Due to this simplified structure, dropshipping can be highly appealing to aspiring digital entrepreneurs hoping to generate more passive income.

    In fact, dropshipping is growing in popularity, and the value of this market is expected to reach over $476 billion by the end of 2026. Furthermore, it’s highly accessible due to Content Management Systems (CMS) such as WordPress and Shopify.

    High-ticket dropshipping involves focusing on products with higher price tags, like appliances or furniture. On the contrary, low-ticket items might include toys, sunglasses, or budget jewelry. If you choose high-ticket dropshipping, your profit margins should be higher, even if you sell a lower volume of items.

    5 Best High-Ticket Dropshipping Products in 2023

    Now that you know more about this online business model, let’s discuss some of the best high-ticket dropshipping products in 2023! We’ll be covering a few products within five of the best niches.

    1. Home Appliances

    There is no set price range for low and high-ticket items because this definition is ultimately subjective. However, each item certainly falls on a spectrum.

    One category of products ideal for high-ticket dropshipping (albeit on the lower end of the scale) is appliances. This niche might include everything from a high-end air fryer to a luxury espresso machine:

    Espresso makers are one of the best high ticket dropshipping products

    As you can see in the above example, this product falls between $250 and $500. That’s significantly more than what you’d get for children’s toys or fast fashion items. And that’s just in the kitchen alone!

    Here are a few more high-ticket dropshipping appliances you may want to consider selling:

    • Washing machines and dryers
    • Refrigerators
    • Vacuum cleaners

    While these are some of the most common examples, you could even provide your customers with more niche items, like fireplaces or pizza ovens.

    2. Furniture and Interior Design

    Other excellent options for high-ticket products are furniture and interior design. The great thing about these niches is that the possibilities are almost endless.

    From sofas and beds to lamps and chandeliers, this vast category will likely make it easy to find wholesalers or manufacturers to partner with. What’s more, customers tend to be more willing to invest in furniture and design products, so you don’t have to be afraid of a high price tag:

    Overstock.com is a dropshipping business that sells furniture and other home foods

    In addition to indoor and even outdoor furniture, you can keep the ‘home’ theme going by selling other high-ticket decor. For instance, why not focus on paintings, vases, and rugs?

    3. Sports Equipment

    Next up on our list of the best high-ticket dropshipping products is sports equipment. While this niche may not be the obvious choice, many recreational activities involve more expensive items.

    For instance, snowboards, skis, and even surfboards come with hefty price tags:

    Buy surfboards online

    Additionally, you could appeal to popular extreme sports such as kite surfing, windsurfing, and stand-up paddle boarding.

    Since this category is admittedly a bit more limited, you could always fill out your online catalog with some low-ticket accessories. For example, you might sell snowboard helmets, gloves, and boots.

    4. Landscape and Gardening Supplies

    Many high-ticket dropshipping products are related to houses and home improvement. So, it should be no surprise that landscape and gardening supplies are next on our list:

    Buy landscape and gardening products online

    A dropshipping business in this niche could sell the following products:

    • Lawn mowers
    • Leaf blowers
    • Sheds

    Again, you could then pair these products with lower-ticket items like soil, grass, and flowers. However, keep in mind that you’ll need to partner with high-quality and dependable suppliers when dealing with a ‘live’ product like plants.

    5. Electronics and Tech Gadgets

    Finally, electronics and tech gadgets are some of the best high-ticket dropshipping products. This niche has plenty of potential since many shoppers are increasingly fascinated with the latest and greatest tech goodies:

    An online store selling headphones

    If you choose to dropship this type of item, here are a few products that you might consider:

    • Smartphones and smartwatches
    • Earbuds and headphones
    • Virtual Reality (VR) headsets
    • Cameras

    In addition, consider selling less common (but equally popular) products such as electronic bikes and scooters. These niche items will help you appeal to a broader range of customers.

    Conclusion

    Dropshipping can be a highly lucrative online business. However, the business model might not be worth your time if you’re working with low-ticket items. Fortunately, carefully selecting high-ticket products can transform a flailing dropshipping company into a success.

    To recap, here are five of the best high-ticket dropshipping niches in 2023:

    1. Home appliances
    2. Furniture and interior design
    3. Outdoor and sports equipment
    4. Landscape and gardening supplies
    5. Electronics and tech gadgets

    Do you have any questions about the best high-ticket dropshipping products this year? Let us know in the comments section below!

    The post 5 Best High-Ticket Dropshipping Products in 2023 appeared first on Torque.

  • 8 Best WordPress Instagram Plugins in 2023

    Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, garnering over 140 million Instagram users in the United States and over a billion users worldwide. With this in mind, it’s likely that savvy website builders will want to leverage some of that popularity for their own purposes. This article will give you the eight best options available for WordPress Instagram plugins in 2023. Whether you’re trying to gain more followers or show off your photography skills, this list will have something for you.

    Let’s get into it!

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    What is a WordPress Instagram Plugin?

    A WordPress Instagram plugin is a plugin that helps integrate your Instagram feed into your website. If you’re looking to gain followers or leverage your Instagram’s success on your website, these plugins can help.

    They can also serve the aesthetic of your website as they can organize your Instagram images into brilliant displays while reducing load times since the images are hosted off-site. Essentially, these plugins help you take your social media presence to your website.

    7 Great Instagram Plugins for Sharing Your Feed

    There are plenty of fantastic options when it comes to Instagram plugins, and they all have their own take on how to integrate Instagram with your site. Hopefully, you find a solution that has what you’re looking for on the list below!

    1.  10Web Instagram Feed

    10Web logo

    10Web Instagram Feed is a fantastic Instagram plugin if you have a huge backlog of posts. You can use it to set up a feed where users can browse through your photos using a category system based on hashtags.

    This approach works perfectly if you want to use your Instagram feed to show off your portfolio or as a replacement for a full-blown image gallery. 10web also enables you to choose from two different styles for your display and includes lightbox functionality.

    On the other hand, if you prefer a more selective approach to which images you display, this plugin includes a conditional filtering system. Using it, you can choose precisely which photos will show up on your website.

    Additional features include transition effects for your feed images, social sharing buttons, and the option to show Instagram comments within your lightbox displays.

    10WebSocial example

    Key Features:

    • Add multiple categories to enable users to sort images.
    • Choose between two unique themes for your Instagram feed.
    • Restrict which images appear on your website.
    • Add transition and lightbox effects for your images.
    • Show up-to-date comments with your Instagram posts.

    Price: Free with a premium version available starting at $85 (one-time fee)

    Get 10web Instagram Feed

    2. Spotlight – Social Photo Feeds

    Spotlight Logo

    Out of all the Instagram plugins we’ve talked about so far, Spotlight is the only one that lets you forget you’re looking at a feed. You can use it to display posts in a way that makes them look like any other image gallery on your site.

    This approach is perfect if you want to use Instagram to display images instead of uploading them to your site. As we mentioned earlier, this can help you cut down on your loading times and free up resources.

    If that’s not your cup of tea, you can also add an account header to your feed and a separate Follow button. On top of those options, Spotlight lets you customize every aspect of your feed, including post order, the number of columns, width, height, padding, and even text size.

    Using this plugin, you can connect multiple accounts to your site and display feeds either using shortcodes or through widgets.

    An example of spotlight Instagram gallery.

    Key Features:

    • Publish minimalist feeds without Instagram branding elements.
    • Customize your feed’s appearance.
    • Connect multiple accounts to your website.
    • Display feeds using shortcodes or widgets.

    Price: Free and premium versions available starting at $39/year

    Get Spotlight

    3. WPZOOM Social Feed Widget

    WPzoom banner logo

    If you’re looking for a no-fuss WordPress Instagram plugin, WPZOOM Social Feed Widget is an excellent option. As its name implies, it relies entirely on widgets to enable you to share your Instagram posts.

    You gain access to multiple feed styles and you can place the widget in any location your theme provides. This plugin also comes with some basic customization options, including how many columns you want to include, how many images to show, and more.

    WPZoom example

    Key Features:

    • Use widgets to share your Instagram feed.
    • Customize your feed’s appearance.

    Price: Free with premium versions starting at $49/year

    Get WPZOOM

    4. Social Feed Gallery

    Social feed Gallery logo

    Social Feed Gallery is an Instagram plugin that offers a lot of options when it comes to customization. You can use it to link multiple profiles and set up unique feeds for each of them.

    Each feed receives its own shortcode, and you can choose from four different styles to showcase your photos. Regardless of which type of gallery you use, you get to choose how many posts to display and the number of columns.

    Moreover, Social Feed Gallery enables you to limit your feed in WordPress to posts that use specific hashtags. This is a handy feature if you only want to share some of your content on WordPress and not your entire Instagram backlog.

    Finally, Social Feed Gallery doesn’t force you to go through a complex authentication process. Linking an account only requires you to confirm that you give the plugin access to it.

    example of gallery

    Key Features:

    • Connect multiple Instagram accounts.
    • Receive unique shortcodes for each account’s feed.
    • Choose from four gallery styles for your feeds and customize the number of pictures they display.
    • Use hashtags to specify which posts to include in your feed.

    Price: Free with a premium version available starting at $49/year

    Get Social Feed Gallery

    5. Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed

    Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed logo

    Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed is one of the only plugins that enables you to combine posts from multiple Instagram accounts in a single feed. This feature is perfect for news or niche sites where you want to show your visitors the latest happenings.

    On top of that, Smash Balloon also gives you full control over your feed’s appearance. You can choose from multiple preset image sizes and manually configure the width, height, and number of photos in your feed. This plugin even lets you add a background image, which is another rather unique feature.

    Using Smash Balloon lets you add a Load More button to the bottom of your feed so visitors can keep browsing as far back as they like. Plus, it also enables you to add custom CSS and JavaScript to each feed.

    example of Smash Balloon

    Key Features:

    • Combine multiple accounts within a single feed.
    • Customize every aspect of your feed’s style, from width and height to its background.
    • Add custom CSS and JavaScript to your feeds.
    • Add a Load More button to the bottom of your feed.

    Price: Free with a premium version available starting at $49/year

    Get Smash Balloon

    6. Feed Them Social

    The Feed Them Social plugin.

    Feed Them Social isn’t just an Instagram feed plugin. With this tool, you can share content from multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and of course, Instagram.

    If you’re looking for a one-size-fits-all plugin to integrate your social media profiles with your WordPress site, this is it. The only downside is that Feed Them Social doesn’t offer many customization options for your feeds. In fact, you can only change font colors.

    That said, its Instagram feeds use a simple gallery design that should mesh well with most themes. You can also include a Load More button, which lets visitors keep browsing through your images without leaving your site.

    Feed them social example

    Key Features:

    • Share feeds from multiple social media platforms.
    • Customize your feed’s font colors.
    • Use shortcodes to embed feeds anywhere you want.
    • Include a Load More button for your Instagram feed.

    Price: Free with a premium version available starting at $50/year

    Get Feed Them Social

    7. Social Slider Widget

    The Social Slider Widget plugin.

    Social Slider Widget is another Instagram plugin that knocks it out of the park when it comes to customization. Using this plugin, you can connect as many accounts as you want and display feeds using both widgets and shortcodes.

    With Social Slider Widget, you can choose from seven different layouts to display your feeds, including sliding galleries. Plus, every style enables you to customize options such as how many posts to display and in which order. You can sort images by date, popularity, or randomly.

    Social Slider widget settings

    Key Features:

    • Connect multiple Instagram accounts.
    • Display feeds using widgets and shortcodes.
    • Choose from seven fully-customizable feed styles.
    • Sort feed images by date, popularity, or randomly.

    Price: Free with a premium version available

    Get Social Slider Widget

    8. Instagram Theatre

    Instagram theatre

    Instagram Theatre is another great choice for a WordPress plugin, and it comes relatively cheap. Among its numerous capabilities, the plugin gives customers a variety of layout options and three fully responsive designs. Using the hashtag Instagram Feed function of Instagram Theatre, you can also define a tag to search for on the Instagram API.

    Along with this comes CSS customization and mobile responsive design, all for the low price of $16.

    Intagram theatre example

    This plugin was created to make it simple for you to render images from your Instagram account on your website. You can use a variety of layouts, such as grids, lists, and full-screen displays.

    Key Features of Instagram Theatre:

    • Hashtag feed mode
    • List, Gallery, and Thumbnail layout options.
    • Responsive site templates.

    Instagram Theatre Pricing: $16

    Get Instagram Theatre

    Which WordPress Instagram Plugin Is The Best?

    First, let’s recap all of the plugins we covered in this post. We ranked them in order of our favorites, with the top three Instagram plugins at the top of the list. Of course, you might also want to consider the price associated with each. The price has been added to the following table for easy comparison. 👇

    Plugin Price Free Option
    🥇 10Web Instagram Feed $85 one-time ✔️ Visit
    🥈 Spotlight – Social Photo Feeds $39/year ✔️ Visit
    🥉 WPZOOM Social Feed Widget $49/year ✔️ Visit
    4 Social Feed Gallery $49 one-time ✔️ Visit
    5 Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed $49/year ✔️ Visit
    6 Feed Them Social $50/year ✔️ Visit
    7 Social Slider Widget $55 one-time ✔️ Visit
    8 Instagram Theatre $16 one-time ❌ Visit

    If you’re looking to increase engagement with your Instagram or website, combining the two audiences with a plugin is an excellent route to take. Plus, hosting your images outside your website will speed up load times and help optimize your website for your audience. Hopefully, you found a solution on this list that can help you promote and integrate your Instagram in your ideal way.

    Our top recommendation for customization is 10Web Instagram Feed, while we give the nod to Spotlight for large accounts with a lot of pictures.

    Did we miss any Instagram plugins? Leave a comment telling us below!

    Do you have any questions about how to share your Instagram feed in WordPress? Let’s talk about them in the comments section below!

    Article thumbnail illustration by Bibbit Unggul / shutterstock.com

    The post 8 Best WordPress Instagram Plugins in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • 8 Best WordPress Landing Page Plugins in 2023

    Landing pages play a critical role in driving conversions and increasing sales. But perhaps yours aren’t providing the results you want. Or maybe you’re creating a new site from scratch. Either way, it’s important to select the right tools and techniques that will enable you to create both aesthetically pleasing and fully functional landing pages. In this post, we’ll talk about why you might want a dedicated landing page tool. Then we’ll provide you with a list of the eight best WordPress landing page plugins for the job.

    Let’s get started!

    An Introduction to WordPress Landing Page Plugins

    If you invest a lot of time, effort, and money into online marketing strategies, it can be disappointing when your initiatives don’t translate into increased sales. However, for your campaigns to be successful, your landing pages must be strategically designed to boost conversions.

    WordPress landing page plugins can help with that. These tools enable you to quickly create high-converting, beautifully-designed pages without any coding knowledge or experience. Most come with collections of ready-made templates that you can use as a starting point. You can then customize those designs according to your specific needs.

    Depending on the plugin you choose, you’ll get access to a variety of built-in modules that include key elements for any successful landing page. This includes:

    • Sign-up and contact forms
    • Call To Action (CTA) buttons
    • Text, video, and photo modules
    • Lead capture forms
    • Drag-and-drop builders
    • Visual editors
    • And much more

    There are a lot of WordPress landing page plugins to choose from. As you’ll see in the following sections, many of the most popular tools are highly competitive and multipurpose, while others are built for more niche audiences. Thanks to the wide selection of options, finding the best solution for your specific needs should be quick and easy.

    8 Best WordPress Landing Page Plugins

    Now that you understand more about WordPress landing page plugins, it’s time to decide which one is right for you. The best tool will depend on a handful of factors, such as the type of site you have, the specific features and functionalities that are important to you, and your budget.

    To compile the following list, we considered various factors, including ratings and reviews, updates and support, and pricing. Additionally, we also looked for plugins that cover a range of features and options, to make it easier for you to find the solution that meets your specific needs.

    With that in mind, let’s take a look at seven of the best WordPress landing page plugins.

    1. Divi Builder

    First up, Divi Builder is our popular website builder, which serves as a powerful WordPress landing page plugin whether you’re using our theme or plugin. When you sign up for an Elegant Themes membership, you get access to this robust premium tool that includes a bundle of other modules and page layouts.

    Divi is an all-in-one solution that provides you with everything you need to create stunning, dynamic, and high-converting landing pages for your WordPress sites:

    The selection of Divi Builder premade layouts for landing pages

    Divi Builder works with just about any WordPress theme. Plus, you can use it on an unlimited number of sites. A license also includes an expansive collection of content modules, including Calls To Action (CTAs), social sharing buttons, contact forms, and plenty of other elements that are critical for successful landing pages:

    The Divi modules menu on the page editor

    One feature that sets Divi Builder apart is Divi Leads. This is our split testing and conversion optimization system. It enables you to test your landing pages and provides you with meaningful insights and data so you can make decisions that help drive engagement.

    Key Features for Divi Builder:

    • Drag-and-drop builder
    • Intuitive page editor
    • Unlimited sites
    • Responsive and bulk editing
    • Divi Leads for split testing and conversion optimization
    • Content duplicating and transferring
    • Over 46 content modules
    • Ready-to-use templates
    • Custom CSS control
    • Builder Library for saving custom elements
    • Beginner and developer-friendly
    • Total revision control
    • Highly extendable

    Divi Builder is for you if…

    … you’re looking for a WordPress landing page plugin to use across multiple (or unlimited) sites. It’s ideal for beginners and developers alike. Although it doesn’t come with a free version, the yearly license fee is less expensive than many other premium options and includes dozens of additional themes and extensions.

    Price: Memberships start at $89 per year.

    Get Divi Builder

    2. Elementor

    The Elementor page builder plugin

    Elementor is another well-known WordPress page builder that has a lot to offer. With over 5 million active installations, this freemium tool offers an impressive set of features that make it a great choice for building landing pages. It includes ready-made landing page templates and a live editor interface:

    Elementor page builder elements

    Additionally, Elementor gives you the option to choose from over 100 pre-made templates, modules, and other WordPress widgets, or build your pages completely from scratch using the blank canvas option. It’s also incredibly user-friendly, which is great if you’re new to WordPress or website design and don’t know where to start.

    Key Features for Elementor:

    • Drag-and-drop editor
    • 100+ ready-made templates
    • 40+ free widgets
    • Pop-up builder
    • Integration with email marketing services
    • WooCommerce Builder (Pro)
    • Motion effects (Pro)

    Elementor is for you if…

    … you’re looking for an intuitive freemium tool. While it’s not as robust in its offerings, the pro version does offer plenty of useful features for building beautiful, functional landing pages. Elementor is also worth considering if you only need to use a landing page plugin on one website, or want to test-run a free version of a page builder plugin.

    Price: Free, with a premium version starting at $59 per year.

    Get Elementor

    3. SeedProd

    The SeedProd WordPress plugin

    With over one million active installations, SeedProd is another very popular WordPress landing page plugin. It’s a handy tool to use if you need a quick and easy way to create landing, coming soon, and/or maintenance pages for your website:

    The template selection of the SeedProd landing page builder plugin

    In addition to the pre-designed templates, this plugin also features an intuitive interface that makes customizing your pages simple:

    The SeedProd landing page editor.

    As with most page builder plugins, you can use the drag-and-drop editor to build your layout from scratch and insert various modules. While the default options aren’t as extensive as many other tools mentioned on this list, SeedProd does include the basic elements you’ll need for a classic landing page.

    Key Features for SeedProd:

    • Drag-and-drop builder
    • Conversion-focused elements
    • Pre-designed page sections
    • 100+ templates
    • Email provider integration (Pro)
    • Coming Soon, Maintenance Mode, Sales, Webinar, and Opt-In pages
    • Revision history and access controls
    • Spam protection
    • Free and premium versions

    SeedProd is for you if…

    … you’re looking for a straightforward way to create landing pages for your site, and want the tool to offer some flexibility in the types of pages you can create.

    Price: Free, with a premium version starting at $31.60 per year.

    Get SeedProd

    4. Beaver Builder

    The Beaver Builder plugin

    If you’ve been a WordPress user for some time, you might already be familiar with Beaver Builder. This popular plugin is a highly-flexible tool for creating a wide variety of pages.

    While the interface is not quite as intuitive or user-friendly as some of the other options we’ve discussed, it does include a drag-and-drop editor that lets you create and customize pages with ease:

    The Beaver Builder editor

    One of the advantages of this plugin is that it works with just about any WordPress theme. This makes it easy to switch themes without losing the styling of your current landing pages.

    Key Features for Beaver Builder:

    • Drag-and-drop page builder
    • HTML, photo, video, and text editor modules
    • Full-width column-based layouts
    • Works with any theme
    • Premade layout templates (Premium)

    Beaver Builder is for you if…

    … you’re looking for a lightweight yet powerful solution. The free version in particular is an excellent choice if you want to create a simple landing page for one site, and don’t need too many bells and whistles.

    Price: Free, with a premium version starting at $99 per year.

    Get Beaver Builder

    5. Thrive Architect

    The Thrive Suite website.

    Thrive Architect is a premium WordPress landing page plugin that belongs to the Thrive Suite. It features a robust collection of templates, and a visual page builder that helps you create aesthetically-pleasing pages in no time.

    This plugin lets you choose from more than 250 templates to use as a foundation for your landing pages. If you’re looking for more customization and control, you can also create layouts from scratch using custom CSS and HTML.

    Thrive Architect templates

    Key Features for Thrive Architect:</h4

    • Drag-and-drop builder
    • A wide variety of conversion elements, including CTA buttons, testimonials, and a star-rating system
    • 300+ templates
    • Over 30 email marketing integrations
    • Access to other Thrive Suite tools, including A/B testing
    • Full-width layouts and hover effects

    Thrive Architect is for you if…

    … you’re looking for a full collection of premium features and themes, rather than just a tool for building landing pages. A Thrive Suite subscription also includes access to a theme builder and optimization features.

    Price: Premium-only plugin starting at $99 per year.

    Get Thrive Architect

    6. Leadpages

    The Leadpages website

    Next, Leadpages is another popular, powerful, and premium WordPress landing page plugin. However, the way it works is a bit different from the other solutions we’ve included on this list. Rather than functioning as a standalone solution, Leadpages provides a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) experience that integrates with multiple platforms, including WordPress.

    If you’re looking to create many different landing pages for various websites, this might be an option worth considering. You’ll be able to manage all of your pages from one place. Leadpages also comes with a wide variety of optimization features and integration services, including options for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and payment processing.

    Key Features for Leadpages:

    • Drag-and-drop builder
    • 130+ templates
    • Standalone page builder
    • Third-party tool integrations
    • A/B testing support
    • Payment integrations

    Leadpages is for you if…

    … you’re looking for a premium tool that provides a SaaS experience. For example, if you manage many sites and not all of them are built on WordPress, this tool is worth considering.

    Price: Premium-only service starting at $37 per month (billed annually).

    Get Leadpages

    7. OptimizePress

    OptimizePress landing page builder plugin

    OptimizePress provides a suite of tools to create and manage landing pages, sales pages, membership sites, and other marketing funnels in WordPress. Complete with a drag-and-drop interface, it hosts a library of pre-designed templates, and integrates with popular email providers such as MailChimp and ActiveCampaign.

    OptimizePress templates

    Additionally, OptimizePress comes with over 2000 icons, over 37 design elements with hover effects, and the ability to create full-width designs for your WordPress pages.

    Key Features for OptimizePress:

    • Visual page editor
    • Layout builder
    • Library of over 250 templates
    • Easy opt-in forms
    • GDPR ready features
    • Mobile-responsive
    • Works with any WordPress theme
    • 500+ fonts available
    • Access to Unsplash image library

    OptimizePress is for you if…

    … you want a WordPress landing page plugin that serves as an all-in-one marketing solution. You can create high-converting marketing pages with ease, with over 2000 icons, 250 templates, and a simple drag-and-drop visual editor at your disposal.

    Price: Starting at $129 per year.

    Get OptimizePress

    8. Landing Page Builder

    Landing Page Builder plugin

    Some WordPress landing page plugins are highly focused, while others offer a full-package solution. Landing Page Builder is the latter type, giving you access to a range of functionality for building, optimizing, and testing your landing pages.

    With this plugin, you can choose from many pre-designed templates, and then use the visual editor to make changes as needed:

    The template selection of the Landing Page Builder plugin.

    You can also create your layouts from scratch:

    The Landing Page Builder editor.

    While the interface isn’t as modern or user-friendly as some of the other options we’ve looked at, the feature set is impressive. You’ll get access to tools for opt-in forms and popups, custom widgets, responsive editing, and more.

    Key Features for Landing Page Builder:

    • Visual page editor
    • Layout builder
    • Library of free landing page templates
    • Stand-alone pages
    • Opt-in forms and popups
    • Custom and Google Fonts
    • Email marketing service integrations
    • Integrated analytics

    Landing Page Builder is for you if…

    … you want a WordPress landing page plugin with a strong feature set. If you opt for the premium version, you’ll get tools to help you test and improve your landing pages, as well as lots of configurable elements.

    Price: Free, with a premium version starting at $49 per year.

    Get Landing Page Builder

    Which WordPress Landing Page Plugin Is The Best?

    If you’re looking to drive traffic to your site, increase conversions, and improve sales, one of the best ways to do that is by creating high-quality landing pages. However, if you lack development skills or don’t have the time to custom-code these pages yourself, you’ll probably want to use a third-party tool to design them.

    To recap, here is a list of all the plugins we covered in this post. We ranked them with our favorites at the top, and we included the pricing of each plugin for easy comparison.

    Plugin Price Free Option
    🥇 Divi Builder $89 per year ❌ Visit
    🥈 Elementor $59 per. year ✔️ Visit
    🥉 SeedProd $31.60 ✔️ Visit
    4 Beaver Builder $99 per year ✔️ Visit
    5 Thrive Architect $99 per year ❌ Visit
    6 Leadpages $37 per month billed annually ❌ Visit
    7 OptimizePress $129 per year ❌ Visit
    8 Landing Page Builder $49 per year ✔️ Visit

    As we discussed in this post, the best WordPress landing page plugins provide a quick and easy way to build beautiful pages that convert. The best one to use will depend on a handful of factors, such as your experience level and budget. For example, if you’re looking for a powerful and complete solution, you can’t go wrong with our own Divi Builder.

    The post 8 Best WordPress Landing Page Plugins in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • 12 Best WordPress Survey Plugins in 2023

    Are you looking to add a survey or poll feature to your WordPress website? Conducting surveys can be a useful way to gather feedback and insights from your audience, and there are plenty of WordPress plugins available that make it easy to add them to your site.

    Let’s get to it!

    What Are WordPress Survey Plugins?

    WordPress survey plugins are tools that allow you to create and publish surveys on your WordPress website. These surveys can be used to gather feedback from your audience, conduct market research, and can be a good marketing strategy. Survey plugins typically provide features like the ability to create custom surveys, collect responses, and view results.

    Overall, they are a handy tool for anyone who wants to take their marketing to the next level.

    The Best WordPress Survey Plugins

    We considered price, features, and design to give you the best options available. Here are our top picks for the best WordPress survey plugins.

    1. WPForms

    WPForms banner

    WPForms is one of the most popular form-building plugins for WordPress on the market and for good reason. With WPForms, you can easily create custom surveys and analyze them with automatically generated reports and graphs. You can export these graphs as images and share them on social media.

    Best of all, it’s relatively cheap, considering how feature-heavy the plugin is.

    Key Features for WPForms:

    • Customizable forms and surveys
    • Recover lost leads
    • Conditional logic
    • Users can upload files to forms
    • Integration with Divi

    Conditional Logic Forms

    This plugin includes advanced features such as conditional logic, multi-page forms, custom notifications, and email provider integration, which are incredibly useful for creating engaging and customizable forms for your users.

    WPForms is for you if:

    • You want a customizable and user-friendly survey plugin for your WordPress website
    • You need advanced features such as conditional logic, multi-page forms, and email integration for your surveys
    • Divi integration is a must.
    • You want to generate beautiful reports with graphs and charts based on survey responses

    WPForms Pricing: starting at $49.50/yr

    Get WP Forms

    2. Gravity Forms

    Gravity Forms survey plugin

    Gravity Forms is a powerful plugin that allows you to make surveys with a wide range of question types, including multiple-choice, dropdown, and open-ended responses.

    The plugin also includes a variety of features for collecting and analyzing survey responses, including the ability to export results to a spreadsheet and integration with popular email marketing tools.

    Key Features for Gravity Forms:

    • Customizable forms and surveys
    • Multiple question types
    • Export results to a spreadsheet
    • Integration with email marketing tools such as MailChimp

    Gravity Froms settings

    The plugin’s wide range of question types and advanced features for collecting and analyzing responses make it a versatile tool for gathering feedback and insights from your audience.

    Gravity Forms is for you if:

    • You need a comprehensive survey solution
    • You want to collect a wide range of data types
    • You want to integrate with email marketing tools

    Divi users can easily integrate forms into their posts and pages with the Divi Gravity Forms plugin. This plugin adds a convenient module to the Visual Builder, allowing you to place your forms with ease.

    Gravity Forms Pricing: Starting at $59

    Get Gravity Forms

    3. Formidable Forms

    Formidable Forms banner

    Formidable Forms is a powerful plugin used to create high-end interactive content like quizzes and surveys. It comes with a wide variety of pre-built elements that you can use within your forms using a drag-and-drop builder.

    While the free version of the plugin allows you to create surveys from scratch, the premium version includes access to survey templates and adds advanced features like user file uploads.

    Key Features for Formidable Forms:

    • The ability to create a variety of forms, including quizzes, surveys, email signups, and registration forms
    • A user-friendly drag-and-drop builder and pre-designed form elements to easily create your forms
    • The option to expand the plugin’s functionality with additional add-ons

    Formidable Forms creation page

    Formidable Forms is a comprehensive solution for creating custom forms on your WordPress website, including surveys. Its drag-and-drop builder and wide range of form elements make it easy to design and customize your forms, and the ability to extend the plugin’s functionality with add-ons gives you even more flexibility.

    Formidable Forms is for you if:

    • You need a plugin that can help you create a variety of interactive content
    • You want access to a drag-and-drop form builder and a wide range of form elements
    • You want the ability to extend the plugin’s functionality with add-ons

    Formidable Forms Pricing: Free | Premium licenses starting at $39.50 per year

    Get Formidable Forms

    4. Quiz and Survey Master

    Quiz and Survey Master banner

    Quiz and Survey Master is a plugin designed specifically for creating and adding quizzes and surveys to your WordPress website. It comes with many useful features, including the ability to create multi-page surveys and send emails after survey completion.

    The base plugin allows you to create surveys with all common form fields, and you can use it to create quizzes with interactive answers, leaderboards, and scoring. However, premium add-ons are required for reporting and analysis. The plugin has a well-documented but not particularly user-friendly interface.

    Key Features for Quiz and Survey Master:

    • Timer functionality
    • Results pages that use scores
    • Variety of scoring systems
    • Results sent to emails
    • Adaptation to well-known Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems like Mailchimp

    Quiz and Survey Master’s minimalistic design and visual block builder make it easy to customize the text, questions, and messages during and after user submissions.

    The plugin includes both surveys and quizzes, allowing you to collect information from users through both correct answers and open-ended subjective answers.

    Quiz and Survey Master is for you if:

    • You want a plugin specifically for creating and adding quizzes and surveys to your WordPress website
    • You need the ability to create multi-page surveys and send emails after survey completion
    • You are willing to purchase premium add-ons for reporting and analysis

    Quiz and Survey Master Pricing: Free with premium licenses starting at $129/yr

    Get Quiz and Survey Master

    5. Poll, Survey & Quiz by OpinionStage

    Opinion Stage for WordPress

    OpinionStage is a survey, poll, and quiz building platform. Using its free plugin, you can connect an OpinionStage account to your WordPress site and display any surveys that you create using the platform.

    With OpinionStage, you get access to dozens of templates for polls, quizzes, and surveys. However, it’s important to note that all editing occurs off WordPress. Here’s a quick look at the OpinionStage survey builder in action:

    opinion stage survey

    The OpinionStage survey builder is easy to use and it provides you with multiple question types that you can use. However, style customization is a bit lacking and some advanced features, such as adding CSS to your surveys, are limited to premium plans.

    Key Features for Poll, Survey & Quiz by OpinionStage:

    • Build surveys, polls, and quizzes on the OpinionStage platform
    • Take advantage of dozens of pre-built survey templates
    • Customize each survey’s style
    • Use blocks and/or pop-ups to display surveys wherever you want

    Once you create a survey, you can save it as a draft and it will appear within the plugin’s tab on your dashboard. From there, you can choose whether to display your surveys using pop-ups or as part of your pages using blocks. If you don’t mind using a third-party platform to design your surveys, OpinionStage can be a good option.

    Quiz and Survey Master is for you if:

    • You need a full-featured survey solution
    • Multiple templates for surveys are needed

    Price: The Poll, Survey & Quiz plugin is free and you can create a free account on the OpinionStage platform | Premium licenses starting at $25/month

    Get Poll, Survey & Quiz by OpinionStage

    6. Form Maker

    Form Maker plugin

    Form Maker by 10Web is a drag-and-drop form builder you can use to create simple surveys, quizzes, feedback forms, and more. We say “simple” not because the plugin lacks functionality, but rather because its default styles are very minimalistic (which is not a bad thing).

    With this plugin, you gain access to over 43 types of fields that you can use within your surveys. Moreover, you can display surveys by embedding them in your website’s pages or as popups. For simpler forms, you can also use fixed top or bottom bars.

    Unlike other survey plugins, Form Maker doesn’t include a broad library of templates. That means you have to create surveys from scratch, which isn’t all that difficult thanks to the plugin’s intuitive editor. Plus, you’ll have 43 field types to choose from, making complex form building a breeze:

    Form Maker field types

    The surveys you can create with this plugin are mobile-friendly and they can span multiple pages. Users can save unfinished surveys and come back to them later, too, and you can configure automated emails based on their responses.

    Key Features for Form Maker:

    • Create surveys, quizzes, and any other type of form you need
    • Use drag-and-drop functionality to design responsive forms with over 43 types of fields
    • Design multi-page surveys
    • Let users save their progress on a survey and return to it later
    • Send automated emails to survey takers
    • Integrate with MailChimp and multiple cloud storage solutions

    Form Maker integrates with multiple third-party services, including MailChimp, and several cloud storage solutions such as Dropbox and Google Drive. Most of the plugin’s features are available in its free version. However, e-commerce functionality and front end file-uploads are limited to premium users.

    Form Maker is for you if…

    • You need cloud storage integrations for Dropbox
    • You want a simple solution for building forms

    Price: Free with premium licenses starting at $30 for six months

    Get Form Maker

    7. Typeform

    Typeform

    As you may know, Typeform is an online service for creating stylish, interactive content. However, its real strength doesn’t lie in simple forms – it’s better geared towards multi-question elements such as surveys. With Typeform, you can use a drag-and-drop builder and ready-to-go elements to design your surveys. However, it goes above and beyond what many of its competitors provide:

    Typeform editor

    The Typeform plugin doesn’t enable you to build forms from within WordPress. For that, you’ll still need to sign up for a Typeform account and create your surveys from your user dashboard. What the plugin does is connect your account to your website so you can embed your interactive content on your pages.

    Arguably, you don’t need the plugin to accomplish this as Typeform provides you with several ways of embedding surveys into your site. If you don’t mind that caveat, this tool can help you create forms that are miles ahead of what most dedicated WordPress survey plugins offer in terms of usability.

    Key Features for Typeform:

    • Design interactive surveys, quizzes, and other types of forms
    • Use a third-party service to create and host surveys
    • Embed surveys into WordPress manually or via the plugin
    • Use templates to quickly create new surveys
    • Export your data by connecting Typeform with third-party services

    When you’re creating a new survey, you can choose from multiple templates and decide what you want to do with the data you collect. You can export it manually or connect Typeform with other services such as MailChimp or Dropbox. Alternatively, you can submit survey responses directly to Slack.

    Typeform is for you if…

    • You want an easy-to-use interface
    • You need multiple options for templates

    Price: Free with premium plans available starting at $25 per month

    Get Typeform

    8. Forminator Pro

    Forminator Pro banner

    The Forminator Pro plugin is a premium tool that allows you to create responsive surveys, polls, and quizzes on your WordPress website. With a drag-and-drop form builder and more than 25 types of elements to choose from, you have the flexibility to design any form-based element you need. Forminator Pro also integrates with several third-party services, such as PayPal and Stripe.

    While it doesn’t have dedicated survey templates, it does enable you to build quizzes that don’t require specific answers, which can be useful for creating surveys.

    Key Features of Forminator Pro:

    • Capability to build various types of form-based elements, including surveys, polls, and quizzes
    • Easy-to-use drag-and-drop form builder
    • Responsive forms out of the box
    • Over 25 types of elements to choose from for your forms
    • Integration with multiple third-party services, including PayPal and Stripe

    Formidable Pro Demo

    Forminator Pro is a versatile plugin that offers advanced functionality such as support for eSignatures, conditional form logic, and spam protection. It’s certainly a viable option, especially if you’re familiar with the Forminator plugin.

    Forminator Pro is for you if:

    • You want a plugin that allows you to create custom surveys, polls, and quizzes on your WordPress website
    • You need a drag-and-drop form builder and a wide range of form elements to customize your forms
    • You’re familiar with the Forminator plugin

    Forminator Pro Pricing: Starts at $7.50 per month

    Get Forminator Pro

    9. YOP Poll

    YOP poll banner logo

    YOP Poll is a free WordPress plugin that comes with basic templates and a user-friendly interface, making it easy to design and publish your surveys. With YOP Poll, you can create single and multiple-answer questions and schedule multiple surveys to run at the same time.

    Key Features for YOP Poll:

    • Easy-to-use interface
    • Basic templates
    • Single and multiple-answer questions
    • Option to schedule multiple surveys

    YOP Poll results

    YOP Poll allows you to view and analyze results in the WordPress dashboard. You can customize your dashboard settings to view results as percentages or raw numbers and sort results automatically.

    YOP Poll is for you if:

    • You need a simple and free solution for creating surveys on your website
    • You don’t need advanced features or design options
    • You want to view and analyze results in the WordPress dashboard

    YOP Poll Pricing: Free | Premium packages starting at $17/month

    Get YOP Poll

    10. Modal Survey

    Model Survey banner ad

    Modal Survey is a premium WordPress plugin that is focused on creating surveys, polls, and quizzes. It is available for sale on CodeCanyon and is marketed as the best-rated survey plugin on the platform.

    Key Features for Modal Survey:

    • Create an unlimited number of surveys and display results with pie charts and bar graphs
    • Built-in themes for simplicity in design
    • Social sharing buttons for easy sharing of surveys
    • Conditional rules to show special messages or redirect users based on answers

    Modal Survey settings page

    Modal Survey offers a wide range of visual elements and additional quizzes and polls, allowing for increased interaction with customers. Its builder is a bit more complicated than some other options on the list.

    Modal Survey is for you if:

    • You want a premium survey plugin that is specifically focused on creating surveys, polls, and quizzes
    • You want a plugin with a wide range of visual elements and additional quizzes and polls for increased interaction with customers
    • You want a plugin with a more in-depth builder

    Modal Survey Pricing: $44

    Get Modal Survey

    11. eForm

    eForm plugin

    As the name implies, eForm is all about forms. We’ve seen a lot of WordPress form plugins so far, but eForm stands out because it offers one of the most feature-filled form and survey builders that we’ve had the pleasure to use. For each survey question that you add, you get to select from dozens of user input options and the plugin shows you a live preview of how the result will look like:

    eForm builder

    Using eForm, you can switch previews for different types of screens without leaving the builder. Considering how important mobile-first design is these days, that’s a feature that should come in very handy.

    The premium eForm plugin includes a decent selection of templates for complex forms, polls, and surveys. However, you’ll most likely want to build your surveys from scratch so you can learn how to use the plugin’s powerful editor.

    Key Features for eForm:

    • Design forms, polls, surveys, checkout forms, and more
    • Choose from dozens of elements to add to your surveys
    • Customize each survey question
    • Preview how your surveys will look in real-time

    Price: An eForm license will cost you $39

    Get eForm

    12. Watu Quiz

    Watu Quiz survey plugin

    Watu Quiz enables you to build an unlimited number of quizzes and surveys for your WordPress website. Unlike other WordPress survey plugins, it doesn’t feature a visual drag-and-drop builder, though. Instead, you get to add questions to your surveys using a classic WordPress editor interface:

    Watu quiz builder

    Surveys can include as many questions as you need and you can embed them into any page on your website using a unique shortcode for each element. Moreover, the plugin includes a broad range of advanced features, such as requiring users to log in to answer surveys, automatic post-survey emails, and more.

    Although Watu Quiz’s user interface is a bit rough around the edges, it’s a great WordPress survey plugin option if you want to create comprehensive surveys without paying too much attention to their style. Plus, all of the features that you need to create surveys are included in the plugin’s free version.

    Key Features for Watu Quiz:

    • Create unlimited surveys and polls
    • Add and edit survey questions using the classic WordPress editor
    • Customize your survey’s behavior

    Price: The Watu Quiz plugin is free and there’s a premium option available starting at $47

    Get Watu Quiz

    Which WordPress Survey Plugin Matches Your Needs?

    First, let’s recap all of the plugins we covered in this post. We ranked them in order of our favorites, with the top three survey plugins at the top of the list. Of course, you might also want to consider the price associated with each. The price has been added to the following table for easy comparison. 👇

    Plugin Price Free Option
    🥇 WPForms $49.50 ❌ Visit
    🥈 Gravity Forms $59 ❌ Visit
    🥉 Formidable Forms $39.50 ✔️ Visit
    4 Quiz and Survey Master $129 ✔️ Visit
    5 Poll, Survey & Quiz by OpinionStage $25 ✔️ Visit
    6 Form Maker $30 ✔️ Visit
    7 Typeform $25 ✔️ Visit
    8 Forminator Pro $7.50 ❌ Visit
    9 YOP Poll $17 ✔️ Visit
    10 Modal Survey $44 ❌ Visit
    11 eForm $39 ❌ Visit
    12 Watu Quiz $47 ✔️ Visit

    It’s important to consider your specific needs and budget when choosing the right survey plugin for your website. Some options, like WPForms and Formidable Forms, offer a wide range of features and integrations, making both an excellent choice for any WordPress user looking to boost customer engagement on their website.

    No matter which plugin you choose, it’s important to ensure that it is user-friendly, easy to use, and able to provide you with the data and insights you need to better understand your audience. The plugins listed above will certainly provide you with that.

    Article featured image by KatyGr5 / shutterstock.com

    The post 12 Best WordPress Survey Plugins in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.