WPForms Lite is installed on over millions of WordPress sites. Most of those site owners do not realise that WPForms Lite never saves a single submission to the database. Every form entry goes out as an email notification and that is where the trail ends. If that email bounces, lands in spam, or gets deleted before anyone reads it, the lead is gone permanently.
Form Vibes fixes this problem without requiring a WPForms upgrade. Install it alongside WPForms Lite, and every future submission is automatically saved to your WordPress database the moment someone hits submit. No configuration, no webhooks, no API keys. You get a full submission history, filters, exports, and analytics, all free.
This guide walks through the complete setup and everything you can do with WPForms submissions once Form Vibes is running.
Table of Contents
Does WPForms Save Submissions to the Database?
WPForms Lite does not save form submissions to your WordPress database. When someone submits a WPForms Lite form, the plugin sends the data as an email notification and stops there. No entry is stored anywhere in WordPress. If the email fails to deliver for any reason, that submission is permanently lost.
WPForms Pro adds a built-in entry manager that does store submissions in the database. But WPForms Pro only manages WPForms entries. If you run Contact Form 7, Elementor Forms, or any other form plugin alongside WPForms, you still end up managing submissions in separate places.
Form Vibes gives WPForms Lite users full database capture for free. It works across 9 supported form plugins, so if your site runs multiple form builders, every plugin’s submissions end up in the same dashboard.
How to Save WPForms Submissions with Form Vibes
Form Vibes captures WPForms submissions automatically. There is no connector to configure, no settings to toggle inside WPForms, and no webhook to register. The integration works the moment both plugins are active.
Step 1: Install Both Plugins
Install and activate both plugins from your WordPress dashboard:
- WPForms Lite (or WPForms Pro if you already use it)
- Form Vibes — available free from wordpress.org
Go to Plugins > Add New, search for each one, install, and activate.
Step 2: Create or Open a WPForms Form
From your admin menu, go to WPForms > Add New. Choose a template – the Simple Contact Form works well for a test or open an existing form you already have live on your site.
No changes are needed to the form itself. Form Vibes captures submissions from any WPForms form without touching your form settings.
Step 3: Submit a Test Entry
Add the form to any page using the WPForms block in the Gutenberg editor or the [wpforms id="..."] shortcode. Then open the page on the frontend and submit a test entry with sample data.
This confirms the form is working and gives you something to see in the next step.
Step 4: View the Submission in Form Vibes
Go to Form Vibes > Submissions in your WordPress admin menu. Select your WPForms form from the dropdown at the top of the page.
Your test entry will appear in the table. Every future submission to that form is now captured automatically.
Note: Form Vibes only captures submissions made while it is active on your site. It does not retrieve entries that were submitted before the plugin was installed.
Which Options Help You Filter Entries by Form?
Once submissions are being saved, you can view and filter them directly from Form Vibes > Submissions.
The submissions table shows all captured entries in a structured format. You can control which columns are visible, reorder them by drag-and-drop, and rename column labels to match your workflow. The number of rows displayed per page is also adjustable.
To find entries from a specific period, use the date range filter. Form Vibes includes preset options — Today, Last Week, Last Month, Last Quarter, and a custom date picker if you need a specific window. Your filter selections are saved automatically so the table reopens to the same view next time.
Every change made to a submission, status updates, notes added, field edits is recorded in the Form Vibes Event Log. You can view the full activity history for any entry, which makes it easy to see what was changed, when, and by whom. The Event Log is available in the free version.
Pro Tip: If you manage multiple forms, the form dropdown at the top of the page lets you switch between them instantly. All your WPForms forms appear in that list automatically.
How Do You Export WPForms Submissions to CSV?
Form Vibes makes exporting a one-click process. From the Form Vibes > Submissions page, click the Quick Export button in the toolbar.
Form Vibes exports every entry for the currently selected form, with all field values as columns, into a CSV file that opens in Excel or Google Sheets.
There are two export approaches depending on what you need:
- Quick Export — exports all entries for the selected form. Use this for full backups or sending everything to a client.
- Filtered Export — apply a date range or field filter first, then export. The CSV contains only the filtered subset. Useful for things like “all submissions from last month’s landing page.”
To enable an export audit trail, recording who exported what and when, turn on the CSV Export Reason setting under Form Vibes > Settings. This prompts for a reason on each export and logs it.
Note: The free version of Form Vibes exports up to 1,000 submissions via Quick Export. If you need to export more or want to save reusable export configurations, Form Vibes Pro’s Export Profiles feature handles this.
How Do You Track WPForms Activity?
Form Vibes adds a widget to the main WordPress admin dashboard, the screen you see when you first log in. It gives you a quick read on form activity without navigating anywhere.
The dashboard widget shows the total number of submissions in a selected date range, a breakdown by form, and a line chart of daily submission volume. Click the date selector in the top right of the widget to switch between Today, Last 7 Days, Last 30 Days, or a custom range. Form Vibes saves your selection so the widget opens to the same view on your next login.
What Does Form Vibes Capture from WPForms?
Form Vibes captures the complete submission data from every WPForms entry, including all field values the user filled out. Depending on your Form Vibes settings, it can also optionally save:
- The page URL where the form was submitted
- The visitor’s IP address
- The browser and device information (user agent)
You control which of these are saved from Form Vibes > Settings. IP address and user agent saving are disabled by default and can be enabled when needed, useful for GDPR audits or tracking where leads are coming from.
Does Form Vibes Work with WPForms Lite?
Yes. Form Vibes works with WPForms Lite and requires no WPForms upgrade. The integration is automatic, Form Vibes hooks into WPForms submissions at the plugin level, so it captures entries from any WPForms form regardless of which WPForms plan you’re on.
This is one of the most practical reasons to add Form Vibes to a site running WPForms Lite. You get a full submission database, export tools, and analytics without paying for WPForms Pro.
What Pro Features Does Form Vibes Add to WPForms?
The free version of Form Vibes handles the core workflow: capture, view, filter, export, and analyze. Form Vibes Pro adds more advanced tools for teams and higher-volume sites.
| Features | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic WPForms submission capture | Yes | Yes |
| Date range filtering | Yes | Yes |
| Event Log (full activity audit trail) | Yes | Yes |
| Unlimited submission storage | No | Yes |
| Edit Submission Inline | No | Yes |
| Export Profiles (saved, filtered, reusable exports) | No | Yes |
| Submission Notes (internal team annotations) | No | Yes |
| Submission Status (Read / Unread / Spam) | No | Yes |
| Frontend submission display (table or counter) | No | Yes |
Form Vibes Pro plans start at $49/year for a single site licence, with a lifetime option available. All plans include a 14-day no-questions-asked refund policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does WPForms save form submissions automatically?
WPForms Lite does not save submissions to the WordPress database. It only sends entries by email. WPForms Pro adds a built-in entry manager, but requires a paid plan. Form Vibes gives WPForms Lite users full database capture and management for free.
Will Form Vibes capture existing WPForms submissions from before I installed it?
No. Form Vibes only captures submissions made while it is active on your site. It does not have access to entries that were submitted before activation.
Does Form Vibes work with WPForms Lite or only WPForms Pro?
Form Vibes works with both WPForms Lite and WPForms Pro. No upgrade to WPForms is required. The integration is automatic once Form Vibes is installed and activated.
Can I export WPForms submissions to a spreadsheet?
Yes. From Form Vibes > Submissions, click the Quick Export button to download all entries for the selected form as a CSV file, which opens directly in Excel or Google Sheets. The free version exports up to 1,000 entries. Form Vibes Pro removes this limit and adds Export Profiles for saved, filtered export configurations.
Can I send WPForms submissions to Google Sheets automatically?
Yes, with Form Vibes Pro. The Google Sheets integration connects your WordPress site to a Google Spreadsheet via OAuth. Each new WPForms submission is pushed to a selected spreadsheet and worksheet automatically, with form fields mapped to sheet columns.
What happens if my WPForms email notification fails?
If a WPForms email notification fails and you are not using Form Vibes, the submission is permanently lost. With Form Vibes active, the submission is already saved to your WordPress database before the email is sent, so the entry is always retrievable regardless of email delivery.
How do I see who changed or deleted a WPForms submission?
Open the submission in Form Vibes and check the Event Log for that entry. The Event Log records every change made to a submission status updates, field edits, notes added, and deletions along with a timestamp. The Event Log is available in the free version of Form Vibes.
Conclusion
WPForms Lite is a capable form builder, but relying on email notifications alone means your leads are only as safe as your inbox. Form Vibes gives every WPForms submission a permanent home in your WordPress database, with tools to view, filter, export, and analyze entries without touching your WPForms settings or upgrading your plan.
Install Form Vibes free, submit a test entry, and your WPForms submissions will start appearing in the Form Vibes dashboard within seconds.
Download Form Vibes Free from wordpress.org | See Form Vibes Pro features and pricing
