Looking for a Gravity Forms repeater alternative? After all, you can’t get repeater fields with Gravity forms easily. But, you can with Formidable Forms.
Approximate read time: 4.5 minutes
Here's the thing about the Gravity Forms Repeater feature... you need to be a developer to use it!
That's no exaggeration. A Gravity Forms repeater field is a feature that leaves many Gravity Forms users disappointed.
Their website shows the Repeater feature as "only intended for developers who can build their forms programmatically"... yikes! When we first wrote this post in 2020, it was in beta. And now, two years later, it’s still in beta.
You begin to wonder if it will ever be added.
Here's some good news: there is a Gravity Forms repeater alternative! It's our very own WordPress form builder, Formidable Forms.
And this article will show you why Formidable Forms repeater field is the solution you need (mainly because it works!).
? Trying to use Gravity Forms to export to PDF? We've got a better option: The Best Alternative to the Gravity PDF WordPress Plugin
What are Repeaters?
Repeater fields allow users to dynamically create "repeating" form fields within a form. Here's what they look like in Formidable Forms:
The main purpose of a repeater is to keep forms trimmed while allowing users to enter more info as needed. Essentially, form users can duplicate multiple fields as often as needed.
One simple example? A tour company could allow users to add multiple members to a tour group via one form.
That sure beats filling out the same form multiple times!
Gravity Forms Repeater vs. Formidable Forms
How does the Gravity Forms repeater field plugin stack up against the Formidable repeater field type?
Let's compare the main features to see which forms' repeater field wins. Unfortunately, it's not really a fair fight.
Formidable's repeaters are a fully developed plugin feature. Gravity Forms only has a modified nested form field setup, but you'll still need to program the nested fields and design a form with multiple repeaters from top to bottom.
The other option is using one of Gravity Forms repeater add-ons (like Gravity Wiz). But why install an add-on for a Gravity Forms repeater plugin for such a simple feature?
Also, is Gravity Forms no longer free? (It isn’t)
Still, let's take a closer look — lest we repeat ourselves further!
How do you add a repeater in Gravity Forms vs. Formidable Forms?
Gravity Forms and Formidable Forms are very different in handling repeater fields.
So, let’s break down some of the more popular uses.
Importing & exporting data
With Formidable, users can export all data collected via repeater fields — merge tags and all.
This is done directly within the Formidable import/export tool. This feature allows for CSV and XML export. And the same is true for importing your data!
How about GForms repeater?
With Gravity repeater fields, there is no easy option to export data from repeater fields. Currently, their support doc suggests using conditional logic to filter out entries of a repeater's sub-fields.
Sounds way more complicated!
Repeater layout
Every time a repeater adds itself to a form, the format and layout should be pre-defined.
Formidable Forms handles this for you. Just choose your preferred layout from the dropdown menu.
As for Gravity Forms, since there is no UI for their repeater fields... well, you're on your own. It’s not the easiest to use Gravity Forms to repeat a section.
Repeater buttons
With Formidable’s repeater fields, there are two main buttons: the add button & the remove button.
And actually, you can crack into the form settings and change the text labels to whatever you want! It's all done within the form editor.
And you can even mix and match text links & icons. Keep both, or choose one.
With Gravity Forms, you must program all of this from scratch. Having a predefined custom CSS would make things somewhat easier at least.
Repeater limit
With Formidable’s Repeat limit, you can set the maximum number of rows a user can add in a Repeater field. Users can submit as many rows as possible if no value is set.
Again, Gravity Forms has no such setting.
Setting up repeater fields
With Formidable's form builder, adding a repeater field is easy.
Just click on the Repeater field in the fields panel of our drag-and-drop form builder. You can choose text, email, number fields, and more. You can even customize the forms CSS.
From there, drop in the fields that you need into the repeater. Voila!
With Gravity Forms, this is another thing you would need to program yourself.
If you are familiar with field inputs, form IDs, and coding, this will be much easier! Although they do provide some sample code in their support docs, which is nice.
Repeater styling
Formidable Forms comes with some styling options built-in for our repeater fields.
In fact, Formidable offers styling options for your entire form, not just your repeater fields! And it’s as easy as editing your styling template.
Again, Gravity Forms has no such options.
Would you choose the Gravity Forms repeater?
Gravity Forms has a very devoted user base.
For a premium-only plugin, that's a very strong accomplishment. Unfortunately, Gravity Forms repeaters have been in beta for months with no sign of a release in sight.
In fact, there's even more stuff that Formidable's repeater fields can handle. For example, users can:
- Get the total of the values of a Repeater field
- Calculate the number of rows in a repeater
- Use repeater form data to create custom Views
- Add repeaters for list fields
- Advanced developer hooks expand possibilities even further
So, would you choose to make a repeater field with Gravity Forms?
It might be time to let Formidable Forms create your forms for a little while. By the way, you can do it risk-free for 14 days with our money-back guarantee.
If you don't like Formidable, we'll refund you 100% of what you paid, no questions asked.
Also, users switching from Gravity Forms to Formidable can import all their data the easy way by using our migrator plugin. This is a plugin that will import data from Gravity Forms to Formidable.
So, there’s never been a better time for a Gravity Forms alternative!
Don't hesitate to give our premium plans a look! Or, dip your toe in the water with our free WordPress plugin. Thanks for stopping by!
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When it comes to form Gravity form is the best choice and you explain very well
I don't agree .. Formidable Forms is much better !.. It's not only the functions, it much more : Knowledgebase, stable system, good and quick support.. I'd never choose another tool... FF rocks !
I've tested Gravity for a while, But Formidable Forms is better.. I'm using FF for two years from now.
I wouldn't change !
Thanks so much for the kind words...Glad you are loving Formidable Forms. We have some really big improvements planned for the next few quarters, so it is only going to get better--way better.
I have to say that when it comes to nested repeaters Formidable forms needs improvement, now I am having to write my own code and customize the plugin. This is terrible, and bad for business. Gravity forms wins the repeater fields category.
Hi C - Unfortunately, we don't support nested repeaters, and it's not currently in our plans. Thanks for letting us know this is a feature you are interested in! We'll make a note of it.
Gravity Forms says in their own documentation that you would need to write your own code to use repeater fields and until now, they have no UI/drag and drop capability.
Very helpful comparison between these two plugins. Tried out Gravitiy forms before, but never got happy with it. Then I tried Formidable and I was amazed how great it works and how many possibilities you have with it.
The shape repeater is a very functional tool:
- Allows the user not to perceive a large and difficult form
- Allows handling many options at the same time
- Combined with conditional logic, the functionalities are incalculable