Interactive content is an effective way to enhance user engagement and increase the time visitors spend on your site. A custom calculator can provide instant answers to your users’ queries while also helping you generate more leads.
We have evaluated numerous form builder plugins to identify the most user-friendly option for adding calculators. Based on our experience, the ideal tool allows you to create everything from BMI calculators to shipping cost estimators without any coding knowledge.
In this article, we will guide you through the simple process of creating a custom calculator in WordPress, step by step.
Why Should You Add a Custom Calculator to Your WordPress Site?
A custom calculator enables users to perform calculations quickly without leaving your website.
For example, if you run a health and fitness blog, you could include a BMI calculator to help users determine their BMI and choose the right subscription plan or product from your site.
If you operate globally, an online calculator that converts metric units to imperial units can increase sales by assisting customers in verifying whether a product meets their size or weight requirements.
You can also build customer trust and minimize cart abandonment by providing a shipping calculator. This approach ensures that customers are not caught off guard by unexpected costs during checkout.
Alternatively, you can incorporate a mortgage calculator into your real estate website or a car payment calculator into your automotive dealership site.
These custom calculators are an excellent tool for lead generation. For example, you can prompt users to provide their email addresses to receive their results, helping you to grow your email list in WordPress.
With that in mind, let’s explore how to easily create a custom calculator in WordPress.
Creating a Custom Calculator in WordPress
You can effortlessly build a custom calculator in WordPress using WPForms, the leading custom calculator plugin and form builder available. It features a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, over 2000 pre-designed templates, and robust spam protection.
In fact, we are such fans of WPForms that we utilize it for all the contact forms on our website, as well as for our annual survey.
The plugin also includes a Calculations addon, making it simple to design any calculator you need, such as a mortgage calculator, shipping discount calculator, age calculator, and more. To find out more, check out our WPForms review.
First, you’ll need to install and activate the WPForms plugin. For comprehensive instructions, refer to our beginner’s guide on installing a WordPress plugin.
NoteWPForms offers a free plan, but you’ll need the pro version to access the Calculations addon.
After activating the plugin, navigate to the WPForms » Settings section in the WordPress admin sidebar to enter your license key.
You can obtain this key from your account on the WPForms website.
Next, go to the WPForms » Addons section in the WordPress dashboard and locate the ‘Calculations Addon’.
Click the ‘Install Addon’ button to activate it on your website.
Then, proceed to the WPForms » Add New section in your admin dashboard.
This will direct you to the ‘Select a Template’ page, where you can begin by naming the form you want to create.
Afterward, select the ‘Calculator’ option from the left column to explore over 87 premade calculator templates available from WPForms, including:
- Mortgage Calculator Template
- Tip Calculator Template
- Lease Calculator Template
- BMI Calculator Template
- Savings & Investments Calculator Template
To get started, click the ‘Use Template’ button beneath any form template that you prefer. In this guide, we will create a straightforward ‘Shipping Discount Calculator’ form.
This action will launch the form builder interface. On the right side, you will see a preview of the form, while the left column contains the form fields.
You can easily add additional fields from the left panel and drag them to rearrange their order as needed.
Next, scroll down to the ‘Available Items’ section and click on this field to access its settings in the sidebar.
Here, you can input the title, image, and pricing for all the products available in your online store.
Please note that to include images for the items you are selling, you must enable the ‘Use Image Choices’ option.
You can also click the ‘+’ button to add more items or the ‘-’ button to remove an item from this section.
Next, click on the field labeled ‘Shipping’ to access its settings in the left column. This field calculates the shipping discount based on the total of your products and contains the necessary formula for the calculation, so be careful not to delete it.
This template comes with a built-in formula that calculates a shipping discount based on the total order amount.
To modify the shipping discount, navigate to the ‘Advanced’ tab in the left column and scroll down to the ‘Formula’ section.
In this section, you can change the default value of 10 to the desired discount percentage and adjust the product totals as needed.
For more customization options regarding the shipping discount, click the ‘Cheatsheet’ link at the top. This will direct you to the ‘Calculations Formula Cheatsheet’ page, where you can learn about the applicable rules and strings.
You can also adjust the settings for all other field options in a similar manner.
New Feature:Looking for a simpler way to create your calculation formulas? WPForms now includes a powerful AI Calculations feature that simplifies the process for you.
Just click the ‘Generate Formula’ button next to the formula box to start interacting with the AI Assistant.
You can easily describe your calculation needs in straightforward English.
For instance, you might say: “Apply a 15% shipping discount on orders over $100 and increase the discount by 0.25% for every additional $50 spent.”
After pressing the ‘Enter’ key, the AI will instantly create the correct formula, which you can easily add to your form with a single click.
💡Expert Tip:The more detailed you are when explaining your calculation requirements to the AI, the more precise and tailored your formula will be.
Once you finish, remember to click the ‘Save’ button at the top to preserve your settings.
Next, navigate to the WordPress page or post where you’d like to include the shipping calculator form using the block editor.
From there, click the ‘+’ button in the top left corner to open the block menu and insert the WPForms block.
Then, select the shipping discount calculator form from the dropdown menu within the block.
Finally, click the ‘Update’ or ‘Publish’ button at the top to save your settings. You can now visit your WordPress website to see the custom calculator form in action.
In this setup, the shipping field will automatically calculate the shipping cost based on the prices of the various items your customer is ordering from your site.
Personalizing Your Calculator Form in WordPress
You may want to modify the calculator to increase conversions. For instance, consider making the ‘Email’ field a required field.
To implement these changes, simply navigate to the WPForms » All Forms section in your WordPress dashboard.
Once there, click the ‘Edit’ link beneath the form name to reopen it in the form builder.
You can now adjust the form fields or add new ones by following the instructions provided earlier.
When you’re done, just click the ‘Save’ button, and your updates will automatically reflect on your business website or blog.
Accessing Your Calculator Form Entries
Whenever a visitor submits a form on your site, WPForms automatically saves their entry in your WordPress database. This enables you to track how users are interacting with the form and access their contact details.
To view this data, head to the WPForms » Entries section in the WordPress dashboard and scroll down to the ‘Form Name’ area.
Next, click on the calculator form to see the entries.
This will display a list of all the form submissions on your page. From here, you can click the circle icon to mark an entry as read.
You can click the ‘View’ link next to each entry to see all the details of the form, including the email address, phone number, items ordered, shipping discounts, and more.
At times, you may wish to share a form’s data with individuals who do not have access to your WordPress dashboard. For instance, if you operate a WordPress development agency managing multiple client websites.
With WPForms, you can easily export your data as a CSV or XLSX file. Just click the ‘Export All’ link at the top to access the Export tool.
This will take you to a new screen where you can select all the form fields you wish to export. After making your selections, click the ‘Download Export File’ button to save your form data as an XLSX file.
Bonus: Create Advanced Custom Calculators Using Formidable Forms
If you want to build more sophisticated calculators on your WordPress site, we recommend using Formidable Forms. This advanced form plugin features a user-friendly drag-and-drop builder, pre-designed templates, and dynamic fields.
Moreover, the plugin can handle complex calculations using formulas, conditional logic, and even date-based math, making it an excellent option for intricate projects.
With this plugin, you can create various types of calculators, including percentage calculators, price calculators, loan calculators, age calculators, life insurance calculators, and compound interest calculators.
For instance, if you offer online courses, you might want to include an ROI calculator to demonstrate how purchasing your course can enhance users’ earning potential.
Additional features of Formidable Forms include conditional logic, progress indicators, multi-page forms, and a ChatGPT field that assists users in completing the form more efficiently.
Formidable Forms can also connect with various email marketing services to help expand your email list. For further details, check out our comprehensive review of Formidable Forms.
Common Questions About WordPress Calculators
Below are some frequently asked questions from our readers regarding the addition of custom calculators to their websites.
1. Is it possible to create a custom calculator in WordPress without using a plugin?
Yes, but it requires advanced technical knowledge. You would need to write custom JavaScript and PHP code to manage the calculations and logic. For most users, utilizing a plugin like WPForms is a safer, quicker, and easier option.
2. Will I need to understand complex mathematical formulas?
No, you can create your own formulas, but WPForms now features AI integration. You can describe your calculator’s functionality in simple terms, and the plugin will generate the formula for you.
3. Is it possible to accept payments based on the calculator’s results?
Absolutely! If you’re creating a quote or shipping calculator, you can integrate payment gateways such as Stripe or PayPal. This enables you to collect the exact amount displayed in the calculation field immediately.
4. Can I store the data entered into the calculator?
Yes, plugins like WPForms automatically save every form submission to your WordPress database. You can access these entries, export them to a spreadsheet, or connect them to your email marketing service for lead follow-up.
Additional Resources
We hope this guide has helped you add a custom calculator to your WordPress site. You might also find these additional resources useful:
- How to Generate More Leads with Free Online Calculators (Expert Tips)
- Top Calculator Plugins for Your WordPress Website
- How to Add a BMI Calculator to Your WordPress Site
- How to Integrate a Shipping Calculator into Your WordPress Site
- How to Implement a Mortgage Calculator in WordPress
- How to Create an Auto Loan / Car Payment Calculator
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