Explore the top 9 front-end posting plugins for WordPress in 2023

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Are you looking to enable users to upload content and files on your WordPress site's front-end? With a front-end posting plugin, you can provide users the ability to submit various file types without granting them access to your WordPress dashboard. This includes guest posts, documents, images, videos, PDFs, and more. Our article will outline the top front-end posting plugins for WordPress.



Why Use a Front-End Posting Plugin for WordPress?


By default, WordPress does not permit users to submit or upload content on the front-end. This means that if you wish to receive guest posts or allow file uploads, users must be granted access to the admin area of your website. This process can be time-consuming and pose a security threat, as unauthorized users may view your WordPress dashboard.

Fortunately, a front-end posting plugin can resolve this issue. It enables you to gather user-generated content and receive all file types without modifying any code or providing anyone access to the admin area.

For instance, you can allow users to submit guest posts, real estate listings, or create a multi-vendor marketplace, obtain feedback from users, and much more.

Having said that, let us explore the finest front-end posting plugins available for WordPress.


1. WPForms



With over 5 million websites using it, WPForms is considered the top WordPress form builder plugin on the market. It provides a user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface to generate any type of form.

The plugin features a post-submission addon that allows you to collect user-generated content without the need for an account. Your website visitors can effortlessly submit content on the front-end. Furthermore, you can accept payments for post submissions, like property listings or business directories.

WPForms provides complete control over which content to accept and the manner in which you would like to receive it. You can map specific fields in your form to a new WordPress post, such as Post Title, Content, and Featured Image.




In addition to the post-submission addon, WPForms provides a file upload form field that allows users to submit guest posts, share documents, upload images, presentations, and more.

WPForms also offers a range of other powerful features, such as spam protection, conditional logic, form abandonment, online signatures, specific form locking, user journey tracking, and more.

Furthermore, WPForms seamlessly integrates with payment services like PayPal, email marketing tools like Constant Contact, and various third-party tools such as Zapier, Google Sheets, and Uncanny Automator.



2. Formidable Forms



Formidable Forms is another powerful form builder plugin for WordPress that enables front-end posting.

It provides a user-submitted posts and pages feature that allows for front-end publishing. Users can generate new posts using the plugin without needing admin access. This feature allows you to collect community content, guest posts, resources, databases, listings, and other user-generated content.

Formidable Forms also features a file upload function that enables users to submit different files without needing to log in to the admin area. When a user submits a file using the form, it is automatically saved in your WordPress media library. You can then easily browse, view, and filter different submissions.

Formidable Forms also enables you to build advanced forms, such as mortgage calculators, payment forms, quote calculators, surveys, and more. The plugin features a drag-and-drop form builder, pre-built templates, and powerful integrations.


3. Easy Digital Downloads



Easy Digital Downloads (EDD) is a top-notch WordPress eCommerce plugin for selling digital products, such as eBooks, music, software, PDFs, and other related products. The plugin provides a frontend submissions extension that allows you to build websites like Amazon, Airbnb, and eBay.

With EDD extension, you can create a multi-vendor marketplace that enables users to register as vendors and upload their digital products for sale from the front end. Vendors can manage their products, communicate with customers, and track their earnings, all from the front end.

EDD also comes with a drag-and-drop form builder that lets you create custom forms for vendor registration, product submission, and vendor profiles. Additionally, the plugin integrates seamlessly with payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe, and email marketing tools, among others.


4. MemberPress



MemberPress is a highly user-friendly membership plugin for WordPress, widely considered the best of its kind. It allows you to create an unlimited number of premium memberships and restricts access to specific pages, content, and files, ensuring exclusive access for subscribers only.

One of the key features of MemberPress is its ability to create a membership site that enables user-generated content. For instance, you can establish members-only associations, like the Young Entrepreneur Council, where premium members can submit guest posts and participate in forum discussions. Additionally, they can access other exclusive content and features.

With MemberPress, you can also offer a file upload option that subscribers can access from their account area, allowing them to share various content on your membership site.

Furthermore, MemberPress provides robust content restrictions and access controls, enabling you to lock premium forums and upload content exclusively for members. It also seamlessly integrates with different payment providers, email services, WordPress plugins, and third-party tools.


5. Thrive Ovation



Thrive Ovation is a widely-used testimonial plugin designed for WordPress. It enables you to gather user-generated content in the form of testimonials, which can be extremely influential in driving sales and acquiring new customers.

With its user-friendly features, the plugin makes it easy to collect reviews and feedback from existing customers. It even offers an autopilot function that streamlines the process of requesting feedback.

Moreover, Thrive Ovation allows you to effortlessly convert WordPress comments and social media comments into testimonials with just one click. This feature can be particularly beneficial in showcasing customer feedback on your website.

The plugin provides a testimonial library that enables you to easily manage user-generated content, WordPress comments, and imported feedback from your WordPress dashboard. Overall, Thrive Ovation is an excellent choice for those seeking to boost sales through the power of testimonials.


6. WordPress File Upload



Next on our list is WordPress File Upload, a free front-end posting plugin that enables users to submit content from any page, post, or sidebar on your WordPress site.

Adding a file upload form to your website is easy with a shortcode or sidebar widget. The plugin also allows you to manage uploaded content from your WordPress dashboard, with the option to add files to the media library or store them in an FTP location.

Furthermore, WordPress File Upload enables you to set up file upload filters for multiple WordPress user roles, control which file extensions users can upload, and even set file size limits.

The plugin provides various customization options, including the ability to show an upload progress bar. However, if you require more advanced options to edit your forms, you may want to consider using other plugins from our list, such as WPForms or Formidable Forms.


7. WP User Front-end



WP User Front-end is an incredibly versatile and user-friendly WordPress plugin designed for accepting front-end submissions.

With its drag-and-drop form builder and various customization options, the plugin enables you to place forms anywhere on your site, allowing users to create new posts and submit guest posts, images, and other content.

Another excellent feature of WP User Front-end is its ability to allow users to edit their profiles directly from the front end. This feature saves you the hassle of giving users access to the main dashboard to set up a profile.

Moreover, WP User Front-end can be used to create subscriptions and membership packs. You can add pay-per-post, manage transactions, and effortlessly receive payments using this plugin. Overall, WP User Front-end is an excellent choice for those seeking to simplify the process of accepting front-end submissions on their WordPress site.


8. User Submitted Posts



User Submitted Posts is a free and straightforward WordPress plugin that allows file upload on the front end of your website.

This plugin is an excellent solution for accepting various user-generated content, such as guest posts, customer reviews, testimonials, images, and more. User Submitted Posts offers basic form fields like name, email, URL, post title, content, post category, post images, and agree to terms.

You can easily display the front-end posting form anywhere on your site using a shortcode. Additionally, the User Submitted Posts plugin includes a login and registration form that enables users to create a profile without requiring access to your site’s dashboard.

However, it's important to note that the plugin doesn't offer many customization options, form templates, and features to control file upload compared to other plugins like WPForms.


9. AccessPress Anonymous Post






AccessPress Anonymous Post is another free WordPress plugin you can use to accept guest posts and allow front-end posting. It offers a responsive form that is easy to customize and place anywhere on your website.

Users can simply use the form to upload content, add a title, and enter tags, categories, URLs, images, and more. All the submitted content is stored in the WordPress database, and you can access it from your dashboard.

Besides that, you can also add a captcha for verification, receive emails when someone uploads a file, and make different form fields required."


AccessPress Anonymous Post is a WordPress plugin that allows you to receive guest posts and enable front-end posting, without any cost. With its flexible form, you can easily customize and position it anywhere on your website, and make it responsive to different devices.

The form allows users to upload various types of content, such as text, images, URLs, tags, categories, and more, while securely storing all submissions in your WordPress database. From your dashboard, you can view, edit, and manage all the content submitted by users.

In addition, you can enhance the security of your form by adding a captcha for verification, receive email notifications whenever someone uploads a file, and require certain fields to be filled out.


Bonus: File Upload Types by WPForms



WPForms' File Upload Types is a free WordPress plugin that enables you to accept various file extensions on your WordPress website. WordPress only supports a limited number of file types that users can upload to the media library by default.

If a user submits a post from the front end and uploads a file with an extension not supported by WordPress, they will receive an error message saying, "Sorry, this file type is not permitted for security reasons."

This is where the File Upload Types plugin comes in handy, as it allows users to upload any type of file, such as .zip, .xml, .ai, .csv, .svg, and more.

However, it's important to note that the plugin only allows you to accept additional file types and doesn't offer a front-end posting feature. To enable front-end posting, you will need to use another plugin, such as WPForms or one from our recommended list.


Which is the Best Front-End Posting Plugin for WordPress?


After conducting thorough research, we have determined that WPForms is the ideal front-end posting plugin. It enables you to permit file uploads and accept various user-generated content, including guest posts, images, and quotes.

With over 600 pre-built form templates, a drag-and-drop form builder, and multiple customization options, WPForms provides extensive form creation and display flexibility. You can add a file upload form field and showcase your form anywhere on your website.

WPForms' field-mapping feature streamlines drafting and editing on the front-end, making it a great fit for sites with user-submitted content, such as real-estate listings or guest posts.

For complex and advanced forms like mortgage calculators, Formidable Forms is an excellent option, and it also features a file upload function and easy front-end posting.

Alternatively, if you are selling digital products, Easy Digital Downloads offers an upload file extension that enables users to submit documents, images, and other content on the front end. Additionally, their front-end submissions extension allows you to establish a multi-vendor marketplace.

We hope that this article has assisted you in finding the best front-end posting plugin for WordPress. Additionally, be sure to check out our guide to the best WooCommerce plugins for your store and how to increase blog traffic.

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