Form Forge comes with a wide range of field types to cover virtually any form you can imagine. Choosing the right field type for each piece of information you collect is one of the most important decisions you make when building a form. The right field type makes the form easier to fill out, reduces errors, and gives you cleaner data. This section explains every field type, when to use it, and gives you a real-world example for each one.
Understanding field types also helps you avoid common mistakes. For example, using a plain Text field for email addresses means you get no format validation. Using an Email field means Form Forge automatically checks that the visitor typed a valid email before they can submit.
Free Fields
These fields are available in both the free and PRO versions.
| Field | What it does | When to use it | Real-world example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text | Single line of text input | Names, titles, short answers | “Company Name” on a business inquiry form |
| Email input with automatic format validation | Any form that collects email addresses | “Your Email” on a contact form — rejects “abc” but accepts “[email protected]” | |
| Phone | Phone number input | Contact information collection | “Mobile Number” on a callback request form |
| URL | Website address with validation | Collecting links or websites | “Portfolio URL” on a freelancer application |
| Password | Masked text input where characters appear as dots | Registration forms, account creation | “Create Password” on a membership signup |
| Number | Numeric-only input with optional min/max limits | Quantities, ages, counts | “Number of Guests” on an event RSVP (min: 1, max: 10) |
| Textarea | Multi-line text box for longer responses | Messages, descriptions, detailed answers | “Tell Us About Your Project” on a quote request form |
| Select | Dropdown list where users pick one option | Long lists of choices, categories | “Country” dropdown with 195 countries |
| Radio | Visible list where users pick exactly one option | Short lists of 2-5 mutually exclusive choices | “Plan” with options: Basic, Standard, Premium |
| Checkbox | List where users can pick one or more options | Multiple selections allowed | “Services Needed” with options: Design, Development, SEO, Content |
| Date | Calendar date picker | Birth dates, event dates, deadlines | “Preferred Event Date” on a venue booking form |
| Time | Time picker | Appointment times, schedules | “Preferred Pickup Time” on a restaurant order form |
| Name | Combined first name and last name fields | Any form that collects full names | Used on virtually every form — splits into first and last for cleaner data |
| Address | Structured street, city, state, ZIP layout | Shipping forms, registrations, service requests | “Delivery Address” on an order form |
| Rating | Star rating from 1 to 5 | Feedback, reviews, satisfaction surveys | “Rate Your Experience” on a post-purchase feedback form |
| Range | Slider that users drag to pick a value. Field Settings include Min value, Max value, Step, and Default value, and the same values render on the frontend. | Budgets, scales, approximate values | “Monthly Budget” slider from $500 to $10,000 |
| Color | Compact visual color picker with a visible swatch and optional Default value | Design preferences, branding choices | “Preferred Brand Color” on a design brief form |
| Hidden | Invisible field that visitors cannot see | Tracking data like UTM parameters or page URLs | Captures which landing page the visitor came from |
| Heading | Section title displayed in the form | Organizing long forms into visual sections | “Section 2: Work Experience” in a job application |
| HTML Block | Custom HTML content displayed in the form | Informational text, disclaimers, embedded media | A paragraph explaining privacy policy before the submit button |
| Divider | Visual horizontal line | Separating form sections | A line between “Personal Details” and “Payment Information” |
| Page Break | Splits the form into multiple steps (PRO feature to activate) | Long forms that benefit from a step-by-step flow | Splitting a 15-field application into three 5-field pages |
Layout fields are display-only helpers, not submission inputs. Their Field Settings panel only shows relevant controls: Heading has Heading text and Heading level, HTML Block has HTML content, and Divider/Page Break show a short note explaining what they do. They do not expose Placeholder, Required, Description, Validation, or Default Value controls because those settings do not affect layout blocks.
PRO Fields
These fields unlock additional functionality and require a PRO license.
| Field | What it does | When to use it | Real-world example |
|---|---|---|---|
| File Upload | Upload files up to 10MB each (images, PDFs, docs) | Collecting documents, images, or files | “Upload Your Resume” on a job application (PDF, DOC only) |
| Repeater | Add multiple rows of the same field group dynamically | Variable-length lists | “Work Experience” where applicants add as many jobs as they have had |
| Calculation | Auto-calculate a value based on other fields | Totals, pricing, computed results | “Order Total” that multiplies quantity by unit price |
| Payment (Stripe) | Secure credit card payment field | Collecting payments at submission time | “Pay $49 Registration Fee” on a conference signup |
| Map Address | Interactive map with address search and pin | Precise location collection | “Delivery Location” where customers drop a pin on the map |
| Calendar Picker | Date/time picker showing real availability from your calendar | Appointment booking, scheduling | “Book a Consultation” showing only your free time slots |
Choosing Between Similar Fields
| If you need… | Use this | Not this | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| One choice from a short list (2-5 items) | Radio | Select | Radio shows all options at once — faster for short lists |
| One choice from a long list (6+ items) | Select | Radio | A dropdown saves space and is easier to scan |
| Multiple choices | Checkbox | Radio or Select | Checkbox allows selecting more than one option |
| A paragraph of text | Textarea | Text | Text is single-line only; Textarea allows multiple lines |
| An exact date | Date | Text | Date provides a calendar picker and validates the format |
> Tip: When in doubt, use the most specific field type available. An Email field is always better than a Text field for email addresses because it validates the format automatically. A Date field is always better than a Text field for dates because it gives visitors a calendar picker.
> Good to know: If you are on the free version and try to drag a PRO field into your form, you will see a note explaining that the field requires a PRO license. Your form still works — the PRO field simply will not appear on the published form until you upgrade.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using Text fields for everything. Take advantage of specialized fields like Email, Phone, Date, and URL. They validate input automatically and provide a better experience on mobile devices.
- Making too many fields required. Only mark fields as required when you truly need that data. Every required field adds friction.
- Forgetting the Hidden field for tracking. If you run marketing campaigns, add a Hidden field that captures UTM parameters so you know which ad or page each submission came from.
[Screenshot: The left panel of the form builder showing all field types organized into groups — Basic, Choice, Advanced, Layout, and PRO]
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