Your WordPress contact form is leaving money on the table. Every time a potential client fills out an inquiry form, only to receive a separate invoice days later, you’re introducing friction that kills conversions. The solution isn’t building a full WooCommerce store for service-based payments—it’s enabling payments directly within your existing Gravity Forms.
Gravity Forms payment integration transforms your forms from simple data collectors into complete transaction processors. Whether you’re accepting donations, event registrations, service deposits, or product orders, the right payment gateway turns form submissions into immediate revenue.
This guide covers everything you need to know about accepting payments through Gravity Forms in 2025, including step-by-step setup for Stripe, PayPal, and Square, plus strategic guidance on choosing the right gateway for your specific needs.
Understanding Gravity Forms Payment Processing
Gravity Forms doesn’t process payments directly. Instead, it acts as the front-end form collector that securely transmits payment information to third-party processors like Stripe, PayPal, and Square. This architecture simplifies PCI compliance because the payment processors—not your WordPress site—handle sensitive credit card data.
The payment flow works like this: A visitor fills out your form, enters payment details in a secure payment field, and submits. Gravity Forms sends the transaction to your connected payment processor, receives confirmation, and triggers any configured actions like email notifications, post creation, or user registration.
Official Payment Add-Ons Available
Gravity Forms offers five official payment integrations, each with distinct strengths:
| Add-On | Best For | Key Features | Transaction Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Most use cases, especially digital wallets | 135+ currencies, Apple Pay, Google Pay, ACH, Link checkout | 2.9% + 30 cents (domestic) |
| PayPal Checkout | Consumer-facing payments, Pay Later options | PayPal, credit cards, Venmo, Buy Now Pay Later | 2.99% + fixed fee |
| Square | Businesses with physical POS systems | POS sync, inventory integration, in-person + online | 2.9% + 30 cents online |
| Mollie | European businesses | iDEAL, SEPA, European payment methods, 28+ currencies | Varies by method |
| 2Checkout | Global businesses needing fraud protection | 100 currencies, comprehensive fraud prevention | Higher percentage fees |
All payment add-ons require a Gravity Forms Elite license ($259/year for unlimited sites), which includes access to every official add-on plus priority support.
When to Use Gravity Forms Payments vs. WooCommerce
Gravity Forms payment integration excels for specific use cases where a full e-commerce platform would be overkill:
- Donations and fundraising: Simple one-time or recurring donation forms with conditional pricing tiers
- Event registration: Collect attendee data and ticket payments in a single form
- Service deposits: Accept booking fees or consultation deposits before appointments
- Memberships and subscriptions: Charge recurring fees for access to content or services
- Simple product orders: Sell a handful of products without building a full store
Choose WooCommerce instead when you need inventory management, complex product catalogs, multiple shipping options, or plan to scale beyond a few dozen products. Many businesses use both—WooCommerce for product sales (see our WooCommerce Payment Gateways guide) and Gravity Forms for donations, registrations, or service payments.
Setting Up Stripe Payments in Gravity Forms
Stripe is the most popular payment gateway for Gravity Forms, offering the broadest range of payment methods and the smoothest checkout experience. Here’s how to set it up from scratch.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure you have:
- A Stripe account (free to create)
- Gravity Forms with an active Elite license
- SSL certificate installed on your WordPress site (required for all direct payment processing)
Step 1: Install the Stripe Add-On
Navigate to Forms → Add-Ons in your WordPress dashboard. Find the Stripe Add-On in the list and click Install, then Activate.
Step 2: Connect Your Stripe Account
Go to Forms → Settings → Stripe. You’ll see options for both Test and Live modes. Start with Test mode to verify everything works before processing real payments.
Click Connect with Stripe. A popup will appear asking you to log into your Stripe account and authorize Gravity Forms. Complete the authorization process.
After connecting, note the Webhook URL displayed on the settings page. You’ll need to add this to your Stripe dashboard under Developers → Webhooks → Add endpoint. Webhooks ensure Gravity Forms receives real-time payment updates.
Step 3: Configure Payment Collection Method
Under Payment Collection, select Stripe Payment Form. This method handles payment information entirely through Stripe’s secure infrastructure, simplifying PCI compliance and meeting Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) requirements for European customers.
Step 4: Enable Additional Payment Methods
In your Stripe dashboard, navigate to your payment method settings and enable:
- Apple Pay: Requires domain verification in Stripe
- Google Pay: Automatically enabled with card payments
- ACH Debit: For US bank transfers with lower fees
- Link: Stripe’s one-click checkout for returning customers
Return to the Gravity Forms Stripe settings and enable these methods under the payment field configuration.
Step 5: Build Your Payment Form
Create a new form or edit an existing one. Add the following fields:
- Product fields: Configure under Pricing Fields with names and prices
- Quantity fields: Optional, for allowing multiple purchases
- Total field: Displays the calculated payment amount
- Stripe field: Place at the bottom of your form—this is where customers enter payment details
For simple payments like donations, you can use a User Defined Price product field that lets customers enter their own amount.
Step 6: Create a Payment Feed
With your form open, go to Settings → Stripe and click Add New. Configure:
- Feed Name: Something descriptive like “Main Payment Feed”
- Transaction Type: Choose “Products and Services” for one-time payments or “Subscription” for recurring
- Payment Amount: Map to your form’s Total field
- Billing Information: Map name, email, and address fields
- Metadata: Optional custom data to include with each transaction
- Stripe Receipts: Enable to send automatic email receipts
Click Update Settings to save.
Step 7: Test Your Form
With Test mode active, embed your form on a page and complete a test transaction. Use Stripe’s test card numbers:
- Successful payment: 4242 4242 4242 4242
- Declined payment: 4000 0000 0000 0002
- Requires authentication: 4000 0025 0000 3155
Use any future expiration date and any 3-digit CVC. Verify the test transaction appears in both your Gravity Forms entries and your Stripe dashboard.
Step 8: Go Live
Once testing is complete, return to Forms → Settings → Stripe, switch to Live mode, and click Connect with Stripe again to authenticate with your live account. Your form is now processing real payments.
Configuring PayPal Checkout Integration
PayPal Checkout offers a familiar payment experience for customers who prefer paying with their PayPal balance or want Buy Now, Pay Later options. Setup is straightforward.
Installation and Connection
Navigate to Forms → Add-Ons, find PayPal Checkout, and install it. Then go to Forms → Settings → PayPal Checkout and click Connect with PayPal.
Log into your PayPal account in the popup and authorize the connection. Once connected, you’ll see your PayPal merchant ID displayed.
Building a PayPal Payment Form
Create a form with these essential elements:
- Product fields: At least one product with a defined price
- PayPal field: The payment collection point where customers choose their payment method
- Name and email fields: For transaction records and receipts
The PayPal field supports multiple payment options including PayPal accounts, credit/debit cards, and Venmo. PayPal automatically displays relevant payment methods based on the customer’s location and preferences.
Creating PayPal Feeds
Open your form and navigate to Settings → PayPal Checkout. Create a new feed with:
- Transaction Type: Products and Services or Subscription
- Payment Amount: Mapped to your pricing field or total
- Billing Information: Required customer details
PayPal Sandbox Testing
In Forms → Settings → PayPal Checkout, switch the Environment to Sandbox. Connect using your PayPal sandbox credentials to test transactions without real money changing hands.
Limitations to Consider
The core PayPal Checkout add-on doesn’t support tax calculation, discount, or subtotal fields. For advanced pricing functionality, you’ll need the GF eCommerce Fields perk from Gravity Perks, which adds these capabilities along with improved order summary displays.
Square Integration for Omnichannel Payments
Square integration shines for businesses that also accept payments in person. Your online form payments and POS transactions sync to the same Square account, simplifying accounting and customer management.
Connecting Square to Gravity Forms
Install the Square Add-On from Forms → Add-Ons. Navigate to Forms → Settings → Square and click Connect with Square.
Important: Your Gravity Forms currency settings must match your Square account’s currency. Mismatched currencies will cause connection errors.
After authentication, select your Business Location from the dropdown if you have multiple Square locations, then save settings.
Building Square Payment Forms
Add a Square field from the Pricing Fields section—this replaces any other payment field type. Create product fields for your items and configure a Square feed under Settings → Square.
The Square integration supports:
- One-time payments
- Recurring subscriptions with customizable billing cycles (daily, weekly, monthly, annually)
- Deposits with authorize-now, capture-later functionality
- In-WordPress refund processing
Square Sandbox Testing
Before testing in Sandbox mode, you need a Square Developer account. Create sandbox credentials in the Square Developer Dashboard, launch your Seller Test Account, and open the Sandbox Seller Dashboard before initiating the OAuth connection in Gravity Forms.
Setting Up Recurring Payments and Subscriptions
Recurring payments transform one-time transactions into predictable revenue streams. All three major payment add-ons—Stripe, PayPal, and Square—support subscriptions.
Creating a Subscription Feed
In your payment feed configuration, select Subscription as the Transaction Type. Configure these settings:
- Recurring Amount: The field containing the subscription price
- Billing Cycle: How often to charge (daily, weekly, monthly, annually)
- Recurring Times: Unlimited until canceled, a fixed number of payments, or determined by form field selection
- Setup Fee: Optional one-time charge at signup
- Trial Period: Free trial days before billing begins
Offering Flexible Payment Options
Use conditional logic to let customers choose between one-time and recurring payments:
- Add a Radio Button field with options like “One-Time Payment” and “Monthly Subscription”
- Create two separate payment feeds—one for each transaction type
- Enable conditional logic on each feed to execute only when the corresponding option is selected
This approach works well for donation forms where supporters might prefer either a single gift or ongoing monthly contributions.
Managing Subscriptions
Subscription management happens primarily in your payment processor’s dashboard. Customers can typically cancel through the processor, or you can cancel on their behalf. For automatic cancellation after a set period (like a 12-month payment plan), configure a maximum number of billing cycles in your feed settings.
Security and PCI Compliance
Payment security is non-negotiable. The good news: Gravity Forms’ architecture makes compliance straightforward.
How Gravity Forms Handles Payment Security
Gravity Forms never stores credit card data on your server. When a customer enters payment information, it’s transmitted directly to your payment processor (Stripe, PayPal, or Square) for authorization. Only transaction confirmations and customer identifiers return to WordPress.
This approach means:
- Your WordPress database contains no sensitive payment data
- PCI compliance responsibility shifts to your payment processor
- Your site requires only a basic SAQ A questionnaire rather than complex security audits
SSL Requirements
All payment add-ons that process credit cards directly require SSL (HTTPS) on your site. Most WordPress hosts include free SSL certificates, and plugins like Really Simple SSL can help configure HTTPS properly.
Exception: PayPal Standard (which redirects to PayPal rather than collecting cards on-site) doesn’t require SSL, but it’s still strongly recommended.
Best Practices for Payment Form Security
- Use modern payment collection methods: Stripe’s Payment Form method and similar approaches reduce your security obligations
- Keep everything updated: WordPress core, Gravity Forms, and payment add-ons should always run current versions
- Limit form field data: Only collect information you actually need
- Enable Stripe Radar or similar fraud tools: Payment processors offer fraud detection that protects both you and customers
- Configure webhooks properly: Ensures real-time payment status updates and reduces failed transaction issues
Advanced Payment Form Features
Beyond basic payment collection, Gravity Forms offers powerful features that elevate your payment forms.
Conditional Logic for Payments
Use conditional logic to:
- Show different product options based on earlier form selections
- Apply discounts when certain conditions are met
- Route payments to different processors based on transaction type or amount
- Display or hide the payment field entirely (useful for forms that are sometimes free)
Post-Payment Actions
Configure actions that trigger only after successful payment:
- Email notifications: Send confirmations, receipts, or internal alerts
- Post creation: Automatically create WordPress posts or custom post types
- User registration: Register new user accounts with paid membership access
- Third-party integrations: Pass data to CRMs, email marketing platforms, or project management tools
Combining Payment Add-Ons
While rare, you can configure multiple payment feeds with different processors on the same form. Use conditional logic to route transactions—for example, offering Stripe for credit cards and PayPal for customers who prefer that option.
eCommerce Fields Enhancement
The GF eCommerce Fields perk from Gravity Perks adds advanced pricing capabilities:
- Automatic tax calculation
- Discount codes and coupons
- Subtotal displays with dynamic updates
- Improved order summary presentation
This perk fills gaps in the native payment add-ons and creates a more polished checkout experience.
Troubleshooting Common Payment Issues
Even properly configured payment forms occasionally encounter problems. Here are solutions to the most common issues. For email delivery problems specifically, see our guide on fixing WordPress contact form email issues.
Payments Not Processing
- Check mode settings: Ensure you’re not in Test mode on a production form (or vice versa)
- Verify feed conditions: Conditional logic on feeds might prevent them from executing
- Confirm account status: Payment processor accounts need verification and may have holds on new accounts
- Review webhooks: Missing or misconfigured webhooks cause payment confirmation failures
Currency Mismatches
Your Gravity Forms currency settings (under Forms → Settings) must match your payment processor’s configured currency. Mismatches cause connection errors or failed transactions.
SSL Certificate Errors
Payment forms require valid SSL. Mixed content warnings (HTTP elements on HTTPS pages) can also cause issues. Use a plugin like Really Simple SSL to ensure all site content loads securely.
Webhook Delivery Failures
If webhooks aren’t reaching your site:
- Check that your webhook URL is correctly configured in your payment processor’s dashboard
- Verify your hosting allows incoming webhook requests
- Review your payment processor’s webhook logs for delivery attempts and error messages
- Ensure your site isn’t blocking requests from your payment processor’s IP ranges
Choosing the Right Payment Gateway
The best gateway depends on your specific business needs:
Choose Stripe When:
- You want the most payment method options (cards, wallets, ACH, etc.)
- You need to accept payments from customers in many countries
- Digital wallet support (Apple Pay, Google Pay) is important
- You want the smoothest on-form checkout experience
Choose PayPal Checkout When:
- Your customers prefer paying with PayPal accounts
- Buy Now, Pay Later options would increase conversions
- Venmo payments are relevant to your audience (US-based)
- Brand recognition and trust matter to your customers
Choose Square When:
- You also accept in-person payments and want unified reporting
- Inventory sync between online and physical sales matters
- You’re already invested in the Square ecosystem
- You need both online and POS hardware solutions
Choose Mollie When:
- You’re primarily serving European customers
- You need iDEAL, SEPA, or other EU-specific payment methods
- Multi-currency Euro transactions are common
Choose 2Checkout When:
- You’re selling globally and need comprehensive fraud protection
- You want a single provider handling international tax compliance
- Maximum currency support is essential
Next Steps
Start with the payment gateway that best fits your primary use case—for most WordPress sites, that’s Stripe. Set up a test form, run through several test transactions, and verify that confirmation emails and post-payment actions work correctly.
Once your basic payment form is operational, explore advanced features like conditional pricing, subscription options, and integration with your existing tools. Payment collection through forms can evolve from simple one-off transactions to sophisticated revenue automation.
For forms processing significant transaction volume, consider adding the GF eCommerce Fields perk for tax handling and discount codes. And always keep your payment add-ons updated—gateway integrations occasionally need updates to maintain compatibility with processor API changes.
Looking to extend your Gravity Forms capabilities further? Check out our roundup of 10 time-saving Gravity Forms add-ons or learn about creating multi-step forms that boost conversion rates.