SmartCloud Flow – Block‑based Forms & Workflow Automation vs Zoho Flow – No-Code Workflow Automation

SmartCloud Flow is a block-based forms and workflow plugin for WordPress. It combines a modern Gutenberg editor experience with a React/Mantine runtime for forms, a native -based light-DOM modal block, and an optional AWS backend, so site owners can design forms and supporting UI in WordPress while choosing where submissions should be posted and, in Pro, running submissions, templates, workflows, and integrations in their own AWS account. Flow is part of the WP Suite product family by Smart Cloud Solutions, Inc. WP Suite keeps WordPress as the CMS and editing layer, while optional connected features can extend selected workflows into modular AWS-backed services for identity, AI, APIs, workflows, protected routes, and static delivery. The free Flow features described here do not require a WP Suite account, subscription, or AWS backend unless you explicitly configure an external service or upgrade-only backend feature. Free mode Flow does not require a hosted SaaS backend or a WP Suite connection to render forms. In Free mode, each form can post directly from the browser to a URL you define per form. That endpoint may be: your own custom endpoint, a WordPress-side endpoint you implement yourself, or the Flow backend submission endpoint, if you later deploy it. Pro mode Pro becomes available after connecting your WordPress site to a WP Suite workspace. It is designed to work especially well with the separately deployed WP Suite Flow Backend in your own AWS account. A typical Pro setup is: deploy the Flow backend to AWS, add the published backend API base URL to Gatey as a separate API, choose the desired protection mode for that API (IAM or COGNITO, matching the backend deployment), then select that API in SmartCloud → Flow Settings → API Settings. This lets Flow use Gatey-aware authenticated API access, while keeping the backend in your own AWS account. Key features Gutenberg form builder — Build forms with a dedicated Form block, layout/container blocks, and rich field blocks. Single React runtime per form — Front-end forms run as one mounted React tree. Light-DOM modal block — Wrap any Gutenberg content in a native dialog with class and data-attribute triggers, hash opening, default header/body/actions slots, action-role aware buttons, and a stable browser API on WpSuite.plugins.flow.modals. Light-DOM gallery block — Build a Mantine-free gallery/lightbox from core Image blocks with previous/next controls, optional thumbnails, optional captions/counter, and modal-aware start positions driven by outer trigger classes. Rich display & content blocks — Use styled content primitives such as blockquotes, marks, badges, code blocks, spoilers, lists, tables, timelines, and overflow lists alongside inputs. API-backed options & request controls — Load select, radio, checkbox-group, and tags options from API/autocomplete endpoints with configurable methods, headers, parameters, selected-value mapping, and runtime interpolation. Conditional logic & validation — Show/hide, enable/disable, require/optional, and other rule-based field behavior. Theme overrides & design tokens — Theme both interactive controls and display/content blocks inside the Shadow DOM with Mantine variables and stable --flow-* CSS tokens. Shortcodes & Elementor support — Reuse forms or content roots via shortcode and Elementor integrations. Flexible submission target model — Submit directly from the browser to a per-form endpoint URL with configurable HTTP methods, optional request headers, and runtime interpolation. Runtime events & host-page integration — Listen for submit, draft, wizard, modal, and API-loading error events from outer-page JavaScript. Pro: backend-aware operation — Connect Flow to the AWS-hosted Flow backend for durable submissions, admin tooling, templates, workflows, and webhook-driven automation. Pro: backend form sync — Optionally sync Gutenberg-defined forms into canonical backend form definitions stored in AWS. Pro: admin application — Manage submissions, templates, workflows, and backend/API settings from WordPress admin. Pro: workflow automation — Event-driven automation for emails, webhooks, status changes, and related operational flows. Pro: security & ownership — Deploy into your own AWS account and choose auth modes such as IAM or COGNITO. You can find continuously expanding documentation at: https://wpsuite.io/docs/ This plugin is not affiliated with or endorsed by Amazon Web Services or the WordPress Foundation. All trademarks are property of their respective owners. Free and Pro Usage Notice Flow works in Free mode without registration or subscription. In Free mode: forms are rendered in the browser, submissions are posted directly to the endpoint URL configured for the form, no WP Suite connection is required. Flow does not inherently store submissions in WordPress. If you want submissions handled inside WordPress, you need to implement and expose your own receiving endpoint there. Pro features are optional and become available after connecting your WordPress site to a WP Suite workspace. The main Pro scenario is to use the separately deployed WP Suite Flow Backend in your own AWS account. In that setup: you publish the backend API, register that API in Gatey, choose its protection mode (IAM or COGNITO), and select that API in SmartCloud → Flow Settings → API Settings. This simplifies secure communication between the WordPress-side Flow plugin and the AWS-hosted backend. Machine-readable resources Plugin manifest: https://wpsuite.io/.well-known/ai-plugin.json OpenAPI spec (backend): https://wpsuite.io/.well-known/openapi.yaml External Services This plugin may integrate with the following external services, depending on configuration: Google reCAPTCHA v3 (optional) What it is & what it’s used for: Client-side bot detection. If enabled, Flow can request reCAPTCHA tokens in the browser to protect submissions. What data is sent & when: The browser may contact Google to retrieve a token. That token may then be included in submission requests. How to configure: Enter your reCAPTCHA site key/secret in the relevant Flow or shared WP Suite settings. Links: About reCAPTCHA: https://www.google.com/recaptcha/about/ Google Terms: https://policies.google.com/terms Google Privacy: https://policies.google.com/privacy Customer-configured submission endpoint / Flow backend endpoint What it is & what it’s used for: The endpoint URL configured for a form submission. In Free mode this may be any URL you control. In Pro, it is commonly the AWS-hosted Flow backend. What data is sent & when: Form field values and, depending on your implementation, related submission metadata. For Pro backend flows, uploaded file references, template variables, and workflow/event metadata may also be sent. Where it goes: Requests are sent directly from the browser to the configured endpoint URL, either through direct fetch calls or, in Pro, through a Gatey-integrated authenticated API flow. How it’s called: Standard HTTPS requests. Authentication depends on your configuration and may be none, IAM, or Cognito-based. WP Suite platform connection (optional; workspace linking and shared features) When it applies: When you connect the site to a WP Suite workspace to enable Pro features and shared admin capabilities. What it’s used for: Workspace linking, shared admin capabilities, license/subscription handling, and related WP Suite platform features. What data may be sent: Minimal site/workspace identifiers and authentication/session data required for linking and management. Where it goes: Secure HTTPS requests to WPSuite.io services such as wpsuite.io and api.wpsuite.io. Links: WPSuite.io Privacy Policy: https://wpsuite.io/privacy-policy WPSuite.io Terms of Use: https://wpsuite.io/terms-of-use Amazon Cognito (optional; authentication for protected APIs) When it applies: When your Flow backend API or related WP Suite services are protected with Cognito and the site uses Cognito-based authentication. What it’s used for: User authentication and token-based authorization for protected API calls. Links: AWS Service Terms: https://aws.amazon.com/service-terms/ AWS Privacy: https://aws.amazon.com/privacy/ Stripe (optional; subscription/purchase flow) When it applies: Only when the user opens the optional WP Suite subscription / purchase flow in the shared admin component. What it’s used for: Displaying hosted pricing/subscription UI for optional paid features. What data may be sent: Browser/session data required by Stripe to render the hosted purchase UI and process the purchase flow. Links: Terms: https://stripe.com/legal/consumer Privacy: https://stripe.com/privacy Trademark Notice Amazon Web Services, AWS, Amazon EventBridge, Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon SES, and Amazon Cognito are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Google reCAPTCHA is a trademark of Google LLC. WordPress is a trademark of the WordPress Foundation. SmartCloud Flow is an independent project and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Amazon Web Services, Google, or the WordPress Foundation. Source & Build Public (free) source code: All code that ships in the public (free) version of Flow is available here: https://github.com/smartcloudsol/flow Build & distribution: Flow is shipped to WordPress.org as a pre-built distribution. Build steps and developer notes are maintained in the GitHub repository documentation. Shared WP Suite components: Some admin UI modules may originate from shared WP Suite components to support workspace linking, license validation, and subscription management across WP Suite plugins. Pro-only features (source availability): Flow Pro includes additional functionality such as backend-powered submissions management, templates, workflows, and webhook dispatching. The code that enables these paid features is distributed to Pro users but is not published in the public repository.

Integrate your plugins with hundreds of business applications and automate workflows between them using Zoho Flow. With an intuitive drag-and-drop workflow builder, you can connect all your apps and customize data flow between them exactly the way you want. Build automations that save time and eliminate human error—no coding required. Powerful tools to help you tailor detailed workflows Intuitive drag-and-drop flow builder Trigger from multiple sources, like app events, webhooks, schedules, emails, RSS/Atom feeds, and URLs Conditional logic using decisions, delays, and custom functions Deeper insights with dashboards and flow histories On-prem integrations to connect your apps with your on-premises system Team collaboration with Zoho Flow organizations Reduced margins of error with error branching and auto and manual reruns Try Zoho Flow for free Integrations for your favorite plugins: Online Forms Lead capture: Transfer lead information from form builders like Ninja Forms, WPForms, and Contact Form 7 to popular apps like Zoho CRM, Salesforce, and Mailchimp instantly. Feedback management: Move feedback form responses collected using Gravity Forms, Fluent Forms, and other online forms to customer support software (Zoho Desk, Zendesk) in seconds, for better customer satisfaction. Explore integrations: Contact Form 7, WPForms, Ninja Forms, Gravity Forms, Forminator, Formidable Forms, Fluent Forms, Everest Forms, Gravity Forms, Bit Form, PlanSo Forms, Quiz Maker, WS Form, Happyforms, weForms, UserFeedback, JetFormBuilder, MetForm, Kali Forms, RomethemeForm, WPZOOM Forms, Snow Monkey Forms, Gutena Forms, WP-Polls, Quiz And Survey Master, SureForms, Form Maker, Quill Forms, ARForms, BuddyForms, HTML Forms, AIO Forms Email and Notifications Reliable email delivery: Use SMTP plugin integrations to ensure reliable email delivery from WordPress, especially transactional emails. Automated notifications: Integrate email plugins with form builder plugins to add subscribers to your mailing lists automatically. Explore integrations: WP Mail SMTP, FluentSMTP, Post SMTP CRM & Marketing Automation Task management: Integrate CRM plugins with task management apps, such as Zoho Projects or Asana, to assign and manage deals, add tasks for new leads, and more. Email/newsletter campaigns: Connect marketing plugins like Groundhogg and Mailster to Mailgun or Mailchimp to create and send newsletters to subscribers. Explore integrations: FluentCRM, Groundhogg, Mailster, MailPoet, The Newsletter Plugin, Hustle, Jetpack CRM Membership and Subscriptions Subscription services: Use membership plugins, such as Ultimate Member and Simple Membership, alongside WordPress to create subscription-based services and restrict access to premium content. Seamless payments: Integrate membership plugins with payment gateways for seamless payment processing. User access control: Integrate user management plugins like User Registration with membership plugins, for comprehensive user access control. Explore integrations: Ultimate Member, Paid Memberships Pro, User Registration, WP-Members, Simple Membership, Profile Builder, BuddyBoss, Login/Signup Popup, Super Socializer, UsersWP, Restrict User Access, New User Approve, Paid Member Subscriptions, RegistrationMagic, WP User Manager, Restrict Content, DigiMember, ARMember, SureMembers Ecommerce Order fulfillment: Integrate WooCommerce with finance-based apps, such as Zoho Books or QuickBooks, to instantly create invoices for new orders. Explore integrations: WooCommerce, Download Manager, Easy Digital Downloads LMS & eLearning Online course management: Integrate plugins, such as LearnDash, with membership plugins like DigiMember to create and manage online courses with granular access controls. Explore integrations: LearnDash, Tutor LMS, LifterLMS Tables Data records and backups: Integrate table plugins with your ecommerce or inventory applications to record and manage stock history, prices, and more. Explore integrations: Ninja Tables, TablePress Anti-spam & Security Spam protection: Use anti-spam plugins to protect contact forms and comment sections in your WordPress pages from spam submissions. Explore integrations: Akismet Website & CMS Auto-generated WordPress posts: Integrate WordPress with ChatGPT to regularly post articles based on preset inputs and queries. Scheduled WordPress posts: Automatically publish content to WordPress from word processing and note-taking tools like Zoho Writer or OneNote. Explore integrations: WordPress.com (fully-hosted), WordPress.org (self-hosted), Elementor Pro, Divi, Spectra, SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle, Kadence Blocks, CoBlocks, Bricks, Otter Blocks, Essential Blocks, PublishPress Blocks Others Custom data fields: Use custom field plugins to add custom data fields to forms, posts, and more. Customer support management: Integrate form plugins with help desk tools for managing customer support tickets and inquiries. Booking management: Connect your booking plugins with calendars, payment gateways, and CRM tools to manage travel bookings efficiently. Explore integrations: Advanced Custom Fields, Code Snippets, JetEngine, Fluent Support, GiveWP, AffiliateWP, The Events Calendar, Event Tickets, Events Manager, Amelia, Bookly, WP Booking Calendar,Simply Schedule Appointments, Appointment Hour Booking, WP Simple Booking Calendar, WP Booking System, WP Travel Engine, BookingPress, Booking Package, Bookit, VikBooking, Fluent Booking, Popup Maker, FeedbackWP, Wappointment External services This plugin connects to external services provided by Zoho Corporation Pvt. Ltd. to enable integration and automation features using Zoho Flow. Zoho Flow Widget Service (flow.zoho.com) This plugin loads a widget from Zoho Flow (flow.zoho.com) to display integration templates and allow users to create automation workflows from the WordPress admin dashboard. What the service does: Displays Zoho Flow templates and provides a way to create flows. When data is sent: A request is made when an admin user opens the Zoho Flow plugin page in the WordPress dashboard. What data is sent: Selected service identifier (e.g., “contact_form_7” or other integration identifiers) Why data is sent: To load and display relevant Zoho Flow templates and enable flow creation. Service provider: Zoho Corporation Pvt. Ltd. Terms of Service: https://www.zoho.com/legal/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://www.zoho.com/privacy.html Zoho TLS Test Service (tlstest.zoho.com) This plugin performs a TLS capability check using Zoho’s test endpoint (tlstest.zoho.com). What the service does: Verifies that your server supports secure TLS/SSL connections required for Zoho services. When data is sent: A request is made during plugin initialization or setup. What data is sent: A standard HTTPS request No personal user data or WordPress site content is transmitted Why data is sent: To confirm that secure communication with Zoho services is possible. Service provider: Zoho Corporation Pvt. Ltd. Terms of Service: https://www.zoho.com/legal/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://www.zoho.com/privacy.html