What is OpnForm?
OpnForm is an open-source form builder: a no-code editor with conditional logic, file uploads, captcha, embeds, analytics, PDF templates and integrations such as Slack, Discord, webhooks and Google Sheets. It is a Laravel (PHP) API with a Nuxt (Vue) front end, PostgreSQL and Redis, sold as a hosted cloud at opnform.com and self-hostable with Docker.
The AI parts are narrow. The hosted Pro plan generates a form from a text description, a helper writes formulas, and spam screening runs on a model; in the source all three call OpenAI, by default gpt-5.4-mini for generation and gpt-5.4-nano for spam checks. A remote MCP server lets agents such as Claude or ChatGPT draft and preview a form without logging in, and, with OAuth, manage forms and search, count and export submissions read-only.
The repo has about 3,942 GitHub stars and 565 forks, dates from September 2022 and shipped five releases in October 2026, the latest v2.8.1 on 29 October. GitHub shows the licence as NOASSERTION because the LICENSE file is split: the core is AGPLv3 or later, while code under api/app/Enterprise is under a proprietary Enterprise licence.
Is OpnForm worth it?
OpnForm is a form builder first and an AI product a distant second. What it does well is the unglamorous part: unlimited forms and submissions even on the free cloud plan, conditional logic, file uploads, captcha, embeds, PDF output and webhooks, in a codebase that is clearly maintained, with five releases in October 2026 alone and v2.8.1 out on 29 October.
The AI is real but small. On the cloud, AI form generation is a Pro feature ($25 a month billed annually): you describe the form and a model drafts the fields. In the source, that call and the formula helper default to OpenAI's gpt-5.4-mini, and spam screening uses gpt-5.4-nano, through a single OPEN_AI_API_KEY setting, so a self-hoster who wants these features supplies and pays for their own OpenAI key; there is no option for another provider or a local model. The more interesting addition is the MCP server, which lets an agent draft a form for preview without an account and, after OAuth, read submission statistics and exports. Self-hosted instances ship with MCP switched off, and the submission tools are read-only by design.
The catch: the licence and the user cap. The core is AGPLv3, which permits commercial use and modification but requires you to publish your changes if you offer a modified version over a network. Separately, the free self-hosted edition is limited to 2 users across the whole instance; more users, roles, multiple workspaces, SAML or LDAP sign-on, audit logs and branding removal need the $1,999-a-year Enterprise licence, whose code sits in the same repository but may not be used in production without a subscription. The privacy policy is also thin for a tool that collects other people's data: dated 5 June 2024, it states GDPR as a baseline and retention of up to 6 years, but names no hosting region, publishes no subprocessor list and does not mention OpenAI.
Our take: OpnForm is the self-hostable answer to Tally rather than to Typeform's polish. A solo operator or a two-person team can run it free on their own server and keep every response in their own database; a larger organisation should price the Enterprise licence against Formbricks or a hosted plan before assuming open source means free.
Where it earns its place
A two-person clinic admin team under strict data rules
Collect patient intake forms without sending responses to a US form SaaS
Run the Docker setup script on their own server, point storage at local disk or S3-compatible storage, and leave OPEN_AI_API_KEY unset so nothing goes to OpenAI. Free within the 2-user limit; the docs themselves cite air-gapped regulatory deployments as a reason to self-host.
A marketing freelancer building lead forms for several clients
Make branded forms on client domains quickly
Use the cloud Pro plan at $25 a month billed annually for custom domains, branding removal and AI form generation from a written brief, then send leads to Slack or a webhook.
An operations lead who already works through Claude or ChatGPT
Ask an agent for a feedback form and later for a summary of the answers
Connect the OpnForm MCP server: the agent drafts a form for preview, and after OAuth it can search submissions, read statistics and export results, but not edit them.
A 40-person company replacing Typeform
Give several departments their own workspaces and SSO
On the cloud this is the Business ($67 a month) or Enterprise ($220 a month) plan; self-hosted it needs the $1,999-a-year Enterprise licence, because the free edition stops at 2 users.
Before you commit
- Setup
- Clone the repo and run scripts/docker-setup.sh --public-url with your domain; it writes the env files, pulls the images and starts Nginx, the Nuxt front end, the Laravel API, a queue worker, a scheduler, PostgreSQL and Redis. An admin account is created on first visit; public registration then closes.
- Integrations
- Email, webhooks, Zapier and Google Sheets on every plan; Slack, Discord and Telegram on Pro; HubSpot, Salesforce and Airtable on Business. An API, a JavaScript embed SDK and a remote MCP server for agents.
- Data and privacy
- Self-hosted responses stay in your PostgreSQL database and your file storage. AI calls send prompts to OpenAI using your key. Anonymous telemetry is on by default in self-hosted production and excludes form content and submissions; set OPNFORM_ANONYMOUS_TELEMETRY_DISABLED=true to stop it. The cloud's privacy policy (company incorporated in France) claims GDPR controls but lists no hosting region or subprocessors.
- Cost at scale
- Cloud: Pro $25, Business $67, Enterprise $220 a month billed annually (yearly billing saves 15%). Self-hosted, the project's own estimate for a production setup is roughly $50+ a month for servers, $15+ for a load balancer, $45-70+ for a managed database and $15+ for SMTP, plus $1,999 a year for Enterprise beyond 2 users.
- Limits
- 2-user cap on free self-hosted instances; MCP off by default and limited to 120 requests a minute and 3,000 an hour per user; AI is OpenAI only; branding stays on free plans; Enterprise code in the repo cannot be used in production without a licence.
What’s good
- Unlimited forms and submissions, even on the free cloud plan
- Docker setup script and documented self-hosting with your own database and storage
- Very active: five releases in October 2026
- MCP server lets agents draft forms and read submission stats
What’s not
- Free self-hosted edition capped at 2 users per instance
- AI features need your own OpenAI key when self-hosting; no other provider
- Roles, SSO beyond OIDC, white-labelling and audit logs are paid
- Privacy policy names no region or subprocessors
Best for
Small teams that want a Tally-style form builder they can host themselves, with responses kept in their own PostgreSQL database.
OpnForm: common questions
- Is OpnForm worth it?
- A capable, actively shipped open-source form builder whose free self-hosted edition stops at two users and whose AI is a convenience, not the reason to choose it. We rate it 4.0 out of 5.
- How much does OpnForm cost?
- Self-hosted core free (AGPLv3, up to 2 users per instance); self-hosted Enterprise $1,999/year per instance. Cloud: Free $0; Pro $25/month, Business $67/month, Enterprise $220/month, billed annually.
- What are the downsides of OpnForm?
- Free self-hosted edition capped at 2 users per instance; aI features need your own OpenAI key when self-hosting; no other provider; roles, SSO beyond OIDC, white-labelling and audit logs are paid; privacy policy names no region or subprocessors.
- Who is OpnForm best for?
- Small teams that want a Tally-style form builder they can host themselves, with responses kept in their own PostgreSQL database.
- How much does OpnForm cost for a team or in production?
- Cloud: Pro $25, Business $67, Enterprise $220 a month billed annually (yearly billing saves 15%). Self-hosted, the project's own estimate for a production setup is roughly $50+ a month for servers, $15+ for a load balancer, $45-70+ for a managed database and $15+ for SMTP, plus $1,999 a year for Enterprise beyond 2 users.
- Is OpnForm safe for company data?
- Self-hosted responses stay in your PostgreSQL database and your file storage. AI calls send prompts to OpenAI using your key. Anonymous telemetry is on by default in self-hosted production and excludes form content and submissions; set OPNFORM_ANONYMOUS_TELEMETRY_DISABLED=true to stop it. The cloud's privacy policy (company incorporated in France) claims GDPR controls but lists no hosting region or subprocessors.
Answers checked Oct 31, 2026.
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