codaForms vs Elfsight
Understanding the difference between views-based and submissions-based pricing for your forms in 2025.
Quick Verdict
Choose codaForms if you need real form features like spam protection, webhooks, file uploads, and API access. Elfsight is cheap but extremely limited - it's more of a contact widget than a form builder.
Choose Elfsight only if you need the absolute cheapest option, don't care about spam, and just need a basic contact widget with minimal features.
Key Differences
The Views vs Submissions Trap
Elfsight charges based on "views" - every time someone sees your form counts against your limit, whether they submit or not. With a 2% conversion rate, their 200 views = only ~4 actual submissions. codaForms charges by submissions only - you only pay when people actually fill out your form. Our 500 submissions = 500 actual leads.
Zero Spam Protection
Elfsight offers no spam protection at any price tier. No honeypot, no CAPTCHA, nothing. Your form is completely open to bots and spam. codaForms includes honeypot protection on all plans and Turnstile CAPTCHA on Pro - essential for any public-facing form.
Missing Professional Features
Elfsight lacks features that serious form users need: no webhooks, no file uploads, no API access, no custom SMTP. It's a widget, not a form platform. codaForms is built for developers and businesses who need real integrations and extensibility.
True Cost Comparison
Elfsight's $6/mo looks cheap until you do the math. With 200 views and ~2% conversion, you get ~4 submissions for $6 = $1.50 per lead. codaForms at $19/mo gives you 500 submissions = $0.038 per lead - 40x better value.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | codaForms | Elfsight |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $19/mo | $6/mo ✓ |
| Pricing model | Submissions ✓ | Views |
| Submissions (starter) | 500/mo ✓ | 200 views |
| Honeypot spam protection | All plans ✓ | No |
| CAPTCHA protection | Pro ($49) ✓ | No |
| Remove branding | Pro ($49) | All paid plans ✓ |
| Custom SMTP | Agency ($99) ✓ | No |
| Webhooks | Pro ($49) ✓ | No |
| File uploads | Pro ($49) ✓ | No |
| API access | All plans ✓ | No |
| Global edge network | Yes ✓ | No |
| Email notifications | All plans | All plans |
| Form builder | Drag & drop ✓ | Basic |
When to Choose Each
Choose codaForms if you:
- Need any form of spam protection
- Want to pay per submission, not per view
- Need webhooks or integrations
- Want file upload support
- Need API access for custom workflows
Choose Elfsight if you:
- Have an extremely tight budget
- Don't care about spam submissions
- Just need a basic contact widget
- Have very low traffic (under 200 views/mo)
- Don't need any integrations
Get real form features at a fair price
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