Want to collect signatures, show progress, and run lightweight campaigns from within WordPress? Below I compare strong native plugins, hosted options, and a simple DIY approach using forms. You’ll find the pros/cons of each and a recommended choice depending on your needs.
Why run petitions on WordPress?
Embedded petitions let your site visitors take action without leaving your site, keep data under your control, and integrate with your content and branding. But not all petition tools are equal — some are full-featured advocacy platforms, others are simple sign forms with counters.
What to look for in a petition plugin
- Native vs hosted: Native plugins keep data on your WordPress site. Hosted services provide extras (deliverability, verification) but usually store data off-site.
- Signature verification & GDPR: Double opt-in, consent checkboxes, and exportability are important for compliance.
- Display options: Progress bars, signature lists, embeddable widgets, and social sharing.
- Integration: Email services, CSV export, and CRM connectors for follow-up.
Top petition plugins and approaches
CBX Petition (Native)
Type: Native WordPress plugin (free + Pro addon)
Highlights: Unlimited petitions, customizable forms, AJAX signing, shortcode & Gutenberg block support, GDPR-friendly options. Pro adds email notifications, CSV export, signature moderation, and more.
Pros: Full control, no external dependency, extendable and developer-friendly.
Cons: Advanced features require Pro; server handles all data/verification.
SpeakOut! Email Petitions
Type: Native WordPress plugin
Highlights: Lets users sign petitions and send email messages directly to a target (e.g., a politician or organization). Includes confirmation emails and CSV export.
Pros: Built-in email-to-target functionality; good for advocacy drives.
Cons: Email deliverability depends on your server; may need SMTP/email plugin to improve reliability.
Civist (Hosted/Integrated)
Type: Hosted campaign/back-end with WordPress integration
Highlights: Professional advocacy platform integrations, verification workflows, analytics, and list management. Best for organizations running many campaigns.
Pros: Robust campaign tooling and deliverability.
Cons: Requires registration with the Civist service; not fully self-hosted.
WPForms / Gravity Forms (DIY petition)
Type: Form builder approach
Highlights: Create a custom form with fields (name, email, comment) and display counts or progress via a small snippet or custom shortcode. Integrates with email CRMs and CSV export.
Pros: Extremely flexible; integrates with marketing tools.
Cons: You’ll need to implement signature counting, progress bars, and verification flows yourself (or with add-ons).
Which should you pick?
Small campaign / single petitions: A native plugin like CBX Petition or SpeakOut! is fast to set up and keeps data local.
Large-scale advocacy: If you need verification, advanced analytics, or multiple coordinated campaigns, consider a hosted solution like Civist.
Custom workflows: Choose a form-builder (WPForms/Gravity) if you need complex conditional logic, CRM integrations, or custom email sequences.
Implementation tips
- GDPR & consent: Add a consent checkbox and clear privacy notes. Let signers opt-in to updates.
- Email deliverability: Use an SMTP plugin (e.g., Comfort Email SMTP) to increase deliverability for confirmation emails and admin notifications.
- Export capability: Ensure you can export signatures as CSV for offline record-keeping or for delivery to targets.
- Moderation: Decide whether to auto-publish all signatures or moderate to prevent spam. Consider reCAPTCHA or honeypot fields.
- Sharing: Add social share links and a short URL so supporters can amplify the petition.
Quick example: embed a petition via shortcode
Most native petition plugins provide a shortcode or block. Example (hypothetical):
[cbxpetition petition_id="42"]Check the plugin documentation for the exact shortcode attributes.
Final recommendation
If you want everything on your site and developer-friendly hooks: start with CBX Petition (free) and upgrade to Pro only if you need email automation, CSV exports, or moderation workflows. If your campaign needs mail-to-target functionality by default, SpeakOut! is a strong native contender. For enterprise advocacy and heavy analytics, evaluate hosted services like Civist.
✅ Recommendation Summary
| Plugin | Type | Hosted on WP | Email Integration | CSV Export | Visual Progress |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBX Petition | Native WP | ✅ | ✅ (Pro) | ✅ | ✅ |
| SpeakOut! | Native WP | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Civist | External Service | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| WPForms (DIY) | Custom | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚙️ Custom |
Self Promotion
Since 2011, Codeboxr has been transforming client visions into powerful, user-friendly web experiences. We specialize in building bespoke web applications that drive growth and engagement. Our deep expertise in modern technologies like Laravel and Flutter allows us to create robust, scalable solutions from the ground up. As WordPress veterans, we also excel at crafting high-performance websites and developing advanced custom plugins that extend functionality perfectly to your needs. Let’s build the advanced web solution your business demands.