Options for Handling Form Submissions Without a Back End

If you’re building a modern web app or landing page, there’s a good chance you’ve needed a simple way to handle form submissions. But what if you don’t want to spin up a backend just to receive some data?

In this post, we’ll explore your options—and show you one of the easiest ways to get real-time push notifications for form submissions, without relying on email or managing your own server.

✅ Common Options for Handling Form Submissions

1. Email-Based Form Services

There are tools that send form data to your inbox. These are simple to set up but come with drawbacks:

• You’re stuck with email for notifications
• Not ideal for fast-moving teams or mobile-first workflows
• Could end up cluttering your inbox

These tools send form data to your Slack channels. They are great if you already have a team that uses Slack. However, it may be hard to read through submissions on a slack channel and manage them efficiently.

You could build your own backend with Node, Python, or PHP, hook it to a database, and deploy it somewhere. This gives you full control, but it also means:

• Writing and maintaining code
• Handling spam, storage, and performance
• Handling your own notifications service

Platforms like Google Forms, Airtable, or Typeform let you set up forms fast. But they limit your UI and often feel clunky when you want deep customization or a native feel.

🚀 A Simpler, Developer-Friendly Alternative: DevMatter

If you want form notifications without email and hate the overhead of backend code, DevMatter might be exactly what you’re looking for.

What it is:

DevMatter is a lightweight form backend built for developers. You design the form however you want—React, Vue, Svelte, plain HTML, anything—and simply POST data to our API.

Key features:

• No backend required: Just send a fetch() request or use a regular HTML form
• Customizable response: Choose between JSON or a redirect after submission
• Push notifications: Get real-time alerts on your phone when someone submits your form
• Mobile app: View submissions and reply on the go
• Developer-first: You own the UI, we just handle the backend plumbing

Example:

Or use javascript:

Once a user submits a form, you can view the responses from your dashboard

You can also download our mobile app to receive push notifications and view responses over there.

📱 Get Started in Minutes

You can start using DevMatter for free. Just create a form endpoint, integrate it into your frontend, and start collecting data — no backend, no email, no stress.

🔗 Try DevMatter →

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re building a feedback form, contact form, or early-access waitlist, you don’t need a full backend to handle form data. And if you’re tired of managing email notifications, try our API and our mobile app for a seamless experience.

Stop overengineering your forms. Start focusing on what matters.