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Copy the HTML Textarea example below.
HTML · FORM CONTROL
HTML Textarea — multi-line input with a live working form
The <textarea> element is a multi-line text input, used for messages, comments, and anything longer than a single line. Unlike <input>, it has opening and closing tags and a size set by rows and cols. Below is a working contact form with a message textarea that actually submits.
- 500 free / mo
- No backend
- Copy-paste ready
Copy-paste ready
The HTML Textarea example below is a complete, working form — paste it into any HTML page and it submits, no edits to the markup required.
No backend to build
Your html textarea form posts to one endpoint. No server, PHP, or API route — submissions land in your inbox and a searchable dashboard.
A form that really submits
Unlike a static reference snippet, this <textarea> form actually sends data to a free splitforms backend, with spam filtering built in.
Copy-paste code
HTML Textarea code you can paste today.
Replace YOUR_ACCESS_KEY with a key from your free splitforms dashboard. The form posts to one endpoint — submissions land in your inbox and dashboard with spam filtering built in.
<form action="https://splitforms.com/api/submit" method="POST">
<input type="hidden" name="access_key" value="YOUR_ACCESS_KEY">
<label for="name">Name</label>
<input type="text" id="name" name="name" required>
<label for="email">Email</label>
<input type="email" id="email" name="email" required>
<label for="message">Message</label>
<textarea id="message" name="message" rows="5" cols="40"
maxlength="1000" placeholder="Tell us what you need…"
required></textarea>
<input type="checkbox" name="botcheck" style="display:none">
<button type="submit">Send message</button>
</form>How it works
How to add HTML Textarea to any page.
Copy the html textarea example, drop in your free access key, and paste it into any page — submissions start landing in your dashboard.
Add your access key
Replace YOUR_ACCESS_KEY with a free splitforms key from the dashboard.
Paste into your site
Drop the form into any HTML page. Submissions arrive in your dashboard.
The <textarea> element
Which HTML Textarea attributes matter?
The <textarea> element takes a handful of attributes — these decide how your form behaves and what actually gets emailed to your inbox when someone submits.
- rows — The visible height in text lines. Sets the default size; CSS height overrides it.
- cols — The visible width in average characters. Prefer CSS width for real layouts.
- maxlength — Maximum number of characters the user can type. Enforce length limits server-side too.
- placeholder — A hint shown when the textarea is empty. Not a replacement for a <label>.
- required — Boolean. Blocks submit if the textarea is empty.
- wrap — soft (default) wraps visually but submits as one line; hard wraps and inserts line breaks.
- resize — CSS property — none, vertical, horizontal, or both. Default lets the user drag the corner.
Common mistakes
HTML Textarea not working? Here's why.
Most broken forms come down to a few small mistakes with the <textarea> element. Check these before you ship — then forward every submission to Slack or a webhook.
- Default content goes between the tags — Unlike <input value="...">, a textarea's default text is written between <textarea> and </textarea>. Watch for leading whitespace — it shows up in the submitted value.
- rows/cols are a fallback — They set a rough default size. For real layouts, control height and width with CSS so the field matches your design.
- maxlength is client-only — A determined user can remove it in DevTools. Re-validate the length on the server before storing or forwarding the message.
How SplitForms works
From form to workflow in 3 simple steps.
Connect your form, collect every submission, and send data where it needs to go — without building backend infrastructure.
Add your endpoint
Point your form to your unique SplitForms endpoint. That's it.
Receive submissions
We instantly capture and organize every submission in your inbox.
Route anywhere
Send data to email, spreadsheets, CRMs, webhooks, and 7,000+ apps.
No credit card required. Set up in under 60 seconds.
Connect & automate
Connect your favorite tools and automate everything
SplitForms works with the destinations you route to and the platforms you build on — from Slack and Sheets to WordPress, Shopify, and Next.js.
Trusted by indie teams and agencies shipping forms worldwide
PETAL/COKRAFT.DELINEAR-XBUILD.DEVSTUDIO 71MERIDIANFRAME&CO
Testimonials
Loved by developers shipping at every scale.
40 quotes on record — from indie hacks to agency migrations.
“I replaced a Lambda + DynamoDB + SES contact form with six lines of HTML. It took eleven minutes, and the dashboard is better than what I was going to build.”
“We migrated 14 client sites off Formspree in a single weekend. The price is a third of what we paid, the API is more honest, and the spam filter actually works.”
“The webhook payload is signed, idempotent, and well-shaped. It reads like code from a competent team, not a CRUD app held together with duct tape.”
“I stopped reaching for Typeform on small marketing sites. splitforms covers 90% of the use case at none of the bloat.”
“I onboarded our whole agency in an afternoon. The MCP integration meant Cursor literally dropped the form straight into our client repos for us.”
“The free plan gave me 500 submissions before I paid a cent, and Pro is five dollars a month. I've spent more on coffee deciding which backend to use.”
“Spam went from forty junk entries a day to zero, with no reCAPTCHA puzzle ruining the form. The honeypot and time-trap just quietly do their job.”
“Point the form action at one endpoint and you're done. No SDK, no client library, no build step. This is how a form backend should feel.”
“Leads land in Slack the second someone submits, and a copy goes to Google Sheets for the sales team. I wired both up in under ten minutes.”
“I run a static Hugo site on a five-dollar VPS. splitforms gave it a real contact form without me standing up a single server.”
Questions
HTML Textarea questions, answered.
View all FAQsWhat is a textarea in HTML?
A <textarea> is a multi-line text input control. It lets users enter longer content like a message, comment, or description, and submits whatever was typed under its name= attribute when the form is posted.
What is the correct HTML for making a text area?
Use <textarea name="message" rows="5" cols="40"></textarea>. The rows and cols attributes set the default size, and the name= attribute is required for the value to be submitted.
How are textarea cols and rows measured?
rows is the visible height measured in lines of text. cols is the visible width measured in average character widths. Both are approximate — use CSS width and height for precise layouts.
How do I limit textarea length?
Add maxlength="1000" to cap the number of characters the user can type, then check the length again server-side since the attribute can be removed in the browser.
Should I use input or textarea?
Use <input type="text"> for a single line (name, email, subject) and <textarea> for anything that may span multiple lines (message, bio, feedback). Textarea resizes and wraps; a text input does not.
Simple pricing
Start free. Scale when you need more.
Choose a plan that fits your workflow — from a free form endpoint to full automations, exports, and higher submission limits.
Free
$0
Free forever
For side projects and indie devs.
- 500 submissions / mo
- Unlimited forms
- Email notifications included
- Honeypot spam filtering
- Submissions dashboard
- MCP setup stays free
- No credit card required
Most Popular
Pro
$5/ month
was $15 · save 67% · new-user price
For agencies and growing products.
- 5,000 submissions / mo
- Unlimited forms
- Every paid feature included
- Priority support (under 4hr)
- 10× free submission volume
- Cancel anytime
Pre-launch · founders pricing locked in
3-Year
$59/ 36 months
was $99 · save 40% · new-user price
Pay $59. 3 years sorted.
- 15,000 submissions / mo
- Unlimited forms
- Everything in Pro
- Renews every 3 years
- Long-term discount
- Priority support included
- Vote on the roadmap
No credit card required on Free • Cancel anytime