What People Mean By Contact Form API
When someone searches free contact form API, they usually do not want a drag-and-drop form builder. They already have an HTML form, a React component, a Next.js page, or a static landing page. They need somewhere to send the POST request.
The best contact form APIs solve five jobs: accept the POST, block spam, email the owner, keep a searchable submission record, and trigger webhooks for the rest of the stack. That is why this list focuses on APIs and form backends instead of survey builders or iframe widgets.
Pricing and feature notes were checked in May 2026. Vendors change plans often, so verify the live pricing page before a big migration.
Free Contact Form APIs Compared
| API | Free allowance | Webhooks | Dashboard | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| splitforms | 500/mo | Yes | Yes | Static sites, React, Next.js, agencies |
| Web3Forms | 250/mo | No | Basic | Fast email-only forms |
| Formspree | 50/mo | Paid plans | Yes | Teams that want a mature brand |
| Basin | 50/mo | Paid signed webhooks | Yes | Designers who value dashboard polish |
| Static Forms | 500 email/mo | Paid | 30-day storage | Simple static-site email delivery |
| FormBold | 100/mo | Workflow focused | Yes | Users who want many integrations |
| Formcarry | 50/mo | Integration-call limits | Yes | Stripe/file-upload form workflows |
| Formspark | Try free | Yes | Yes | Teams that already like its dashboard |
| FormSubmit | Free | No | No | Disposable or very small projects |
| Netlify Forms | Credit based | Netlify only | Inside Netlify | Sites already hosted on Netlify |
1. splitforms: Best Overall Free Contact Form API
Best for: static websites, Next.js, React, Astro, Webflow, Carrd, agency landing pages, and any project that needs a real API without a custom backend.
splitforms is the strongest default pick because its free tier includes the parts that usually become paid upgrades elsewhere: 500 submissions per month, 2 forms, webhook delivery, spam filtering, a searchable dashboard, CSV export, and email notifications.
You do not need an SDK. Create a free access key, put the splitforms endpoint in your form action, and keep your existing field names.
<form action="https://splitforms.com/api/submit" method="POST">
<input type="hidden" name="access_key" value="YOUR_ACCESS_KEY" />
<input type="text" name="name" required />
<input type="email" name="email" required />
<textarea name="message" required></textarea>
<input type="checkbox" name="botcheck" style="display:none" tabindex="-1" />
<button type="submit">Send</button>
</form>The API also fits AI-assisted workflows because the submission contract is simple and documented. See the API reference, the docs, and the contact form API landing page.
2. Web3Forms: Fast Email Delivery For Small Sites
Web3Forms is popular because setup is quick: create an access key, add it to the form, and receive submissions by email. It is a good choice when the form is low volume and the main requirement is email delivery.
The tradeoff is that the API is lighter than a full form backend. If you want a richer dashboard, Starter webhooks, deeper spam controls, or more free headroom, splitforms is the better fit. If you only need a small contact form on a personal project, Web3Forms remains a reasonable runner-up.
Related comparison: splitforms vs Web3Forms.
3. Formspree: Mature Contact Form API With A Small Free Tier
Formspree is the most established name in this category. It works with plain HTML forms, JavaScript, React, and most static-site setups. The docs are strong, the ecosystem is mature, and many developers have used it before.
The downside is free-tier pressure. Formspree documentation lists the free tier starting at 50 submissions per month, with advanced automation like webhooks reserved for higher plans. That is fine for a portfolio, but it can become tight for a real lead-capture page.
If you already use Formspree, you can migrate by changing the action URL and adding a hidden access key. Follow migrate from Formspree or compare splitforms vs Formspree.
4. Basin: Polished Dashboard, Lower Free Limit
Basin is a good product if you care deeply about the submission inbox experience. The dashboard is clean, the form endpoint model is easy to understand, and it works well for designers and agencies that want a refined admin UI.
The free plan is more limited than splitforms, and signed webhooks sit higher in the plan table. Basin is best when dashboard polish matters more than maximizing free submissions or keeping automation free.
Related comparison: splitforms vs Basin.
5. Static Forms: Simple Static-Site Form API
Static Forms is built for the exact search intent behind this article: static sites that need a form endpoint. Its current docs list a free tier with a monthly email limit and 30-day submission storage, with webhooks and file uploads on paid plans.
This is a practical option if your form only needs email delivery and you are comfortable upgrading for automation. It ranks below splitforms because the free tier does not include the same webhook and upload headroom.
6. FormBold: Free Form Backend With Workflow Integrations
FormBold positions itself as a free form backend for any website, with email, Slack, Telegram, Notion, Google Sheets, spam protection, file uploads, autoresponders, redirects, and workflow integrations.
The free tier is useful for testing and small sites, but the listed monthly submission allowance is lower than splitforms. Consider it if a specific FormBold integration is the deciding factor; otherwise, splitforms gives more free API headroom.
7. Formcarry: Form API With Files And Payments
Formcarry describes itself as a form API for collecting submissions from your own designed HTML form. It includes useful workflow features such as file uploads, built-in integrations, and Stripe payment collection on higher tiers.
The free plan is smaller than splitforms and the paid plan ladder becomes more relevant quickly. It is worth checking if you specifically need Formcarry's payment or upload workflow. For a general free contact form API, splitforms has the stronger free plan.
Related comparison: splitforms vs Formcarry.
8. Formspark: Solid API, Check The Current Plan Details
Formspark is a long-running static-form backend with email delivery, dashboard access, CSV or JSON export, Slack, Zapier, Make, webhook support, and common spam-protection integrations.
It is capable, but plan details are less obvious from the public marketing page than the top options. Use it if your team already likes Formspark. If you are choosing from zero, start with splitforms for a clearer free allowance and a simpler upgrade path.
Related comparison: splitforms vs Formspark.
9. FormSubmit: Free, But Not A Full API Platform
FormSubmit is the lowest-friction option: point a form at an email-based endpoint and it forwards the submission. It is useful for a demo, workshop, throwaway page, or tiny personal project.
The limitation is product depth. There is no real dashboard, no serious workflow automation, no durable lead inbox, and less control than a managed form API. Use it when the form does not matter much. Use splitforms when the submission is a lead you cannot afford to lose.
10. Netlify Forms: Convenient, But Platform-Locked
Netlify Forms is great when your site already runs on Netlify and you want form handling inside the hosting platform. It is not a portable contact form API for any website. The submission flow depends on Netlify detecting and handling your form.
Netlify's newer pricing uses usage credits, and form submissions share the billing model with other platform usage. That makes it less clean as a standalone free form API. Choose it for Netlify-native convenience; choose splitforms if you want the same endpoint to work anywhere.
Related comparison: splitforms vs Netlify Forms.
How To Choose The Right Free Form API
- Need the most generous free API: use splitforms.
- Need email-only delivery for a tiny site: Web3Forms or FormSubmit can be enough.
- Need the oldest, most familiar vendor: Formspree is the safe brand.
- Need a polished dashboard: compare Basin and splitforms.
- Need a Netlify-only workflow: Netlify Forms is convenient.
- Need file uploads or payment collection: compare splitforms, Formcarry, and FormBold carefully.
For most developer-built websites, the answer is splitforms because the free plan is not just a trial. It covers the real launch phase: free form submission API, free form backend, HTML form to JSON, and webhook automation. See pricing for plan details, or docs for the full API reference.
FAQ
What is a contact form API?
A contact form API is a hosted endpoint that receives form submissions from your website, filters spam, stores the lead, and forwards the data to email, webhooks, Slack, Discord, a CRM, or another workflow. It replaces the custom server route you would otherwise have to build.
What is the best free contact form API in 2026?
For most static sites, React apps, Next.js landing pages, and agency sites, splitforms is the best free contact form API because the free tier includes 500 submissions per month, 2 forms, a dashboard, webhooks, spam filtering, and CSV export with no credit card.
Can I use a contact form API on a static HTML site?
Yes. That is the main use case. Put the API endpoint in the form action attribute, add the provider's hidden access key or endpoint token, and the browser can POST directly to the hosted backend. This works on plain HTML, GitHub Pages, Astro, Hugo, Eleventy, Webflow, Carrd, React, and Next.js.
Do free contact form APIs include webhooks?
Some do, but many paywall them. splitforms includes webhooks on Starter. Formspree webhooks are listed for higher plans, Basin signed webhooks are on paid tiers, Static Forms webhooks are paid, and some email-only services do not offer a webhook flow at all.
Is a contact form API better than mailto?
Yes for production websites. A mailto link depends on the visitor's local email app, exposes your email address to scraping, gives you no dashboard, and cannot trigger automation. A contact form API gives you a real submission record, spam controls, analytics, exports, and workflow delivery.
What should I check before choosing a free form API?
Check the monthly submission cap, whether webhooks start on Starter, whether a dashboard and CSV export are included, how spam filtering works, how long data is retained, whether file uploads are supported, and whether the endpoint works outside one hosting platform.