FormFlow vs Formspree

Name: FormFlow
Rating: 4.9 (50 reviews)
Author: FormFlow

Developer-friendly React hooks vs HTML-only forms. Both provide backend, but FormFlow integrates better with React apps.

Key Differences

1. React Integration: FormFlow is built for React with hooks API. Formspree is HTML-first.

2. Developer Experience: FormFlow uses modern patterns (react-hook-form). Formspree uses HTML forms.

3. Validation: FormFlow has built-in client-side validation. Formspree is server-only.

4. UI Library Support: FormFlow works seamlessly with shadcn/ui, Material-UI, etc. Formspree requires custom integration.

Code Comparison

Formspree (HTML Forms)

function ContactForm() {
  return (
    <form
      action="https://formspree.io/f/yourFormId"
      method="POST"
    >
      <input
        type="email"
        name="email"
        required
      />
      <input
        type="text"
        name="name"
        required
      />
      <button type="submit">
        Submit
      </button>
    </form>
  );
}

// Limitations:
// ❌ No React state management
// ❌ No client-side validation
// ❌ Page refresh on submit
// ❌ Hard to use with UI libraries

FormFlow (React Hooks)

import { useFormFlow } from '@formflow.sh/react';
import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input';

function ContactForm() {
  const { register, handleSubmit, formState } =
    useFormFlow({
      apiKey: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_FORMFLOW_API_KEY,
      onSuccess: () => alert('Sent!'),
    });

  return (
    <form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
      <Input {...register('email')} type="email" />
      <Input {...register('name')} />
      <button type="submit">
        Submit
      </button>
    </form>
  );
}

// Benefits:
// ✅ React state management
// ✅ Client-side validation
// ✅ No page refresh (AJAX)
// ✅ Works with any UI library

Feature Comparison

Feature	FormFlow	Formspree
React hooks API	✓	✗
Client-side validation	✓	✗ (server only)
AJAX submission (no page refresh)	✓	✗ (page refresh)
Works with shadcn/ui, MUI	✓	Limited
TypeScript support	✓	✗
Form state management	✓	✗
Loading states	✓	Manual
Backend submission	✓	✓
Email notifications	✓	✓
Spam protection	✓	✓
Free tier	50/month	50/month

User Experience

Formspree

❌ Page refreshes on submit
❌ Lose form state on error
❌ No instant validation feedback
❌ Generic HTML form experience

FormFlow

✓ No page refresh (AJAX)
✓ Form state preserved
✓ Instant validation feedback
✓ Modern React SPA experience

Developer Experience

Working with UI Libraries

Formspree with shadcn/ui

// Doesn't work out of the box
// Need custom integration
<form action="..." method="POST">
  <Input name="email" />
  {/* Need to manage state manually */}
</form>

FormFlow with shadcn/ui

// Works seamlessly
const { register } = useFormFlow({...});

<form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
  <Input {...register('email')} />
</form>

Validation

Formspree

Server-side only. Users submit, wait, then see errors.

// Only HTML validation
<input type="email" required />
// Errors shown after submit

FormFlow

Client-side + server-side. Instant feedback.

<Input {...register('email', {
  required: 'Email required',
  pattern: /^[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@.../
})} />
// Errors shown instantly

Use Formspree when:

✓ You're building static HTML sites
✓ You don't use React
✓ You need the simplest possible solution
✓ Page refresh is acceptable

Use FormFlow when:

✓ You're building a React app
✓ You want modern SPA experience
✓ You use UI libraries (shadcn, MUI)
✓ You need client-side validation

Pricing

FormFlow

Free

50 submissions/month

✓ All features included
✓ No credit card required
✓ Upgrade for more submissions

Formspree

Free

50 submissions/month

✓ Basic features
✓ No credit card required
✓ Upgrade for more submissions

Similar pricing, but FormFlow provides better React integration

Migrating from Formspree

Switch from Formspree to FormFlow for better React integration:

Before (Formspree)

<form
  action="https://formspree.io/f/xxx"
  method="POST"
>
  <input
    type="email"
    name="email"
    required
  />
  <button type="submit">
    Submit
  </button>
</form>

After (FormFlow)

const { register, handleSubmit } =
  useFormFlow({
    apiKey: 'your-api-key'
  });

<form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
  <Input
    {...register('email')}
    type="email"
  />
  <button type="submit">
    Submit
  </button>
</form>

Ready for a React-native form solution?

Built for React. Modern hooks. Better DX. Same backend power.