If you build forms but don't want to run your own server to handle them, a form backend does the heavy lifting after someone hits submit: receiving data, validating it, storing it, sending notifications, handling file uploads, and firing off integrations. You write the markup, the backend gives you an API to call.
I went through the major options for 2026 to see what each one actually does well, and where each one bites you. Here's the rundown.
Forminit for typed validation, file uploads, an optional SDK, and attribution tracking.
Formspree for a dead-simple POST endpoint, nothing fancy.
FormSubmit / EmailJS if all you want is email forwarding and no storage.
