PostTo vs Netlify Forms
A Netlify Forms alternative that isn't tied to your host
Netlify Forms is convenient right up until it isn't: it only works on sites deployed to Netlify, form detection happens at build time, and the submission tooling is minimal. Move your site to another host and your forms stop working.
PostTo is a standalone form backend. Your form posts to a PostTo endpoint URL, so it works identically on Netlify, Vercel, Cloudflare Pages, GitHub Pages, or your own server — and keeps working when you switch.
Free plan, no credit card required.
PostTo vs Netlify Forms at a glance
| PostTo | Netlify Forms | |
|---|---|---|
| Works on any host | Yes — plain HTTP POST from anywhere | Netlify-deployed sites only |
| How forms are wired up | Point action="" at your endpoint URL | Build-time HTML parsing plus a data-netlify attribute |
| Submission dashboard | Searchable, exportable to CSV, with a held-for-review queue for flagged submissions | Search and CSV export, but no held/review queue for spam |
| Spam-flagged submissions | Held for review — release with one click | Akismet-based filtering |
| Autoresponders | Included on Pro and Scale | No |
| Webhooks | HMAC-signed webhook fan-out to your app, CRM, or Slack | Outgoing notifications available |
| Hosting & data residency | Europe — GDPR-native | United States |
| Free tier | 50 submissions/month, no credit card | Unlimited form submissions, bundled into Netlify's hosting plans |
Comparison reflects publicly available information at the time of writing. Check Netlify Forms's site for their current features and pricing.
Why developers switch
No platform lock-in
Your form backend shouldn't dictate your hosting. PostTo endpoints are plain URLs — move your site between hosts, split it across platforms, or go multi-site without touching your forms.
Real submission tooling
Every submission is stored, searchable, and exportable. Spam-flagged messages are held for review instead of vanishing, and autoresponders confirm receipt to the person who wrote to you.
European data residency
PostTo is hosted in Europe with submission fields encrypted at rest on every plan. If your clients ask GDPR questions, you have straightforward answers.
Migrating from Netlify Forms
The whole migration is a change to your form's action=""
attribute.
-
1
Create a free PostTo account and add an endpoint — you'll get an endpoint URL immediately.
-
2
Remove the data-netlify attribute (and any form-name hidden input) from your form, and set action="" to your PostTo endpoint URL with method="POST".
-
3
Deploy — on Netlify or anywhere else. Your forms now work independently of where the site is hosted.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I have to stop hosting on Netlify?
- Not at all. Keep deploying to Netlify — just point your form's action attribute at a PostTo endpoint instead of relying on build-time form detection. Your hosting and your form handling become independent decisions.
- Why did my Netlify form silently stop working?
- A common failure mode: Netlify detects forms by parsing HTML at build time, so forms rendered client-side (React, Vue) need workarounds, and a changed build setup can break detection without an error. PostTo is a plain HTTP endpoint — if the form posts, it works.
- Does PostTo work with client-side rendered forms?
- Yes. Because there is no build-time detection, a form rendered by React, Vue, or any other framework works the same as static HTML — submit natively or via fetch with an Accept: application/json header for a JSON response.
- Does PostTo have a free plan?
- Yes — 50 submissions per month, no credit card required, including the full dashboard, spam filtering, and CSV export.
Ready to try the Netlify Forms alternative?
Create an endpoint, point your form at it, and see your first submission in the dashboard — all on the free plan.
Try PostTo free