Looking for a WordPress forms plugin that offers a variety of customizable ways to export form submissions? In this brief review we will walk through the five most requested methods to export WordPress form submissions, from free CSV downloads to scheduling you can set and forget that will deliver exports directly to clients:
- Export form submissions to csv
- Export form submissions to to Google Sheets
- Export form submissions to Excel
- Export form submissions to customizable PDF
- Schedule recurring exports by email
Even better, each option supports sorting, filtering, and customization options to make each report exactly what you, or your client, needs them to be. Discover your options below!
Export WordPress form submissions: 5 customizable options with Ninja Forms
Quick comparison
| Method | Best for | Output | Requires |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSV (free) | Fast, universal exports | .csv | Core Ninja Forms plugin only |
| Google Sheets | Live, collaborative spreadsheets | New rows in a Sheet | Zapier add‑on |
| Excel | Executive reports and filtered datasets | .xlsx or .xls | Excel Export add‑on |
| Printable records and shareable snapshots | PDF Form Submission add‑on | ||
| Scheduled export | Automatic digests for clients and teams | Emailed .csv on a schedule | Scheduled Submissions Export add‑on |
1) Export submissions as a CSV file (free)
CSV is the fastest way to get your form data out of WordPress and into tools your team already uses. Export a complete dataset or only specific entries for a given form, then open the file in Excel or Google Sheets, load it into a BI dashboard, or hand it off to a client for their records. CSV export is included with Ninja Forms and is the default export format. You can export a single entry, a selected set, or all entries for the form. There is also a bulk export option that lets you pull submissions from multiple forms for a specific date range.
Great for: quick handoffs, basic analysis in spreadsheets, multi‑form reporting by date range.
Requires: Core (Free) Ninja Forms plugin only
Read more: Ninja Forms Submission Management
2) Send new submissions to Google Sheets
If you want a live spreadsheet that updates itself whenever someone submits your form, connect the form to Google Sheets through the Zapier add‑on. Each new submission can append as a row in your Sheet, which turns it into a shared, always‑current source of truth that non‑WordPress users can view and collaborate on. Because this runs through Zapier, you can also chain the data into thousands of other services in the same workflow.
Great for: shared team trackers, lightweight dashboards, cross‑app automations where a Sheet is the hub.
Requires: Zapier add-on
Read More: Connect WordPress Forms to Google Sheets
3) Export submissions as an Excel workbook
When stakeholders prefer a native Excel file, the Excel Export add‑on generates .xlsx or .xls workbooks on demand. Choose which fields to include and apply filters before export so the file arrives already scoped to the audience. This is ideal for recurring reports, pivot‑table analysis, and executive summaries that need an Excel deliverable. Requirements and options are documented, including file type choice and server prerequisites.
Great for: formal reporting, offline review, pivot tables, consistent deliverables that match internal spreadsheet templates.
Requires: Excel Export add-on
4) Export submissions to PDF
Turn any submission into a polished, portable PDF. You can generate PDFs on demand for record‑keeping, or have a PDF copy automatically attached to outgoing emails for receipts, confirmations, and applications. PDFs are brandable with headers, footers, and a customizable body, and you can use merge tags for dynamic document titles and file names. Uploaded images can be embedded directly in the PDF when needed.
Great for: signed‑style records, permits and applications, donation or order receipts, and any scenario that calls for a consistent, printable document.
Requires: PDF Form Submission add-on
5) Schedule automatic exports by email
Set a form to email a fresh CSV of recent submissions on an hourly, daily, or weekly cadence to any recipient list. You can create multiple schedules per form, pick global send times for daily and weekly runs, and monitor or edit all schedules from one dashboard. This is a hands‑off way to deliver timely data to clients, stakeholders, or downstream systems that expect CSV attachments. Scheduled exports use WordPress cron, and each email contains submissions for the selected period.
Great for: automated client digests, team inbox feeds, scheduled handoffs to departments that prefer email attachments over dashboard logins.
Requires: Scheduled Submissions Export add-on
Everything you need to get started in one place!
If your goal is to export WordPress form submissions, Ninja Forms gives you multiple options that fit different workflows, from free CSVs to Excel, PDF, Google Sheets, and scheduled reports. You get free entry storage and free CSV export out of the box, and can add the exact export features you or your clients need through targeted add‑ons.
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Download Ninja Forms to start recording and exporting submissions for free!
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Add‑ons mentioned in this guide:
Get started expanding your export options today!
manus ai api says:
Great guide! It’s super helpful to see so many export options for form data. The clear breakdown makes it easy to pick the right tool for the job, whether it’s simple CSVs or more advanced integrations like Google Sheets. Really useful for managing form submissions efficiently!