Description
At a glance
Looking for HoundBell v2.5.3? It is available here as a free GPL download for WordPress — updated September 27, 2026 · requires WordPress 5.6+ & PHP 7.4+.
HoundBell links your WordPress site to the HoundBell CRM, a lead management platform built for agencies and local service businesses.
Build and style your lead forms in the HoundBell app, and this plugin renders them on your site with a simple shortcode. Edits you make in the app appear on your site automatically. Every submission is validated, spam-checked, and delivered straight into your CRM pipeline, with an instant email notification, automatic service routing, and a daily action list telling your team who to contact next.
Features
- Render CRM-managed forms anywhere with the
[houndbell_form]shortcode - Form edits published in the app update your live site automatically
- Leads flow into customizable pipelines (quote requests, bookings, consultations)
- Built-in spam protection: honeypot field and per-IP rate limiting
- Custom form design (title, fonts, colors, corner styles) controlled from the app
- Secure by design: a one-click pairing that never shows or stores a password, then every request is HMAC-SHA256 signed with a rotating site key
How pairing works
- Install and activate this plugin. WordPress opens the HoundBell page.
- Press Connect to HoundBell. The app opens, you sign in or create a free account, and pick your business.
- That is it. Behind the scenes the app exchanges a one-time, ten-minute token for a site key, server to server. No application password needed. (Connecting by hand with an application password is still available in the app under Sites, Connect by hand.)
External Services
This plugin connects your site to the HoundBell service (https://houndbell.com), which is required for it to function. It is a connector for that service and does nothing without an account there.
What is sent, and when:
- When a site administrator presses Connect to HoundBell, the browser is sent to the HoundBell app with the site address, the site title and a one-time pairing token. The app then calls this site once to collect a secret site key it generated, and shares nothing else.
- When forms are published in the app, form definitions are received and stored on your site.
- When a visitor submits a HoundBell form, the submitted form fields (such as name, email, phone, and message) are sent to the HoundBell application that the site administrator paired with, where they are stored as leads in the administrator’s CRM account.
No data is sent for visitors who do not submit a HoundBell form, and nothing is sent before a site administrator explicitly pairs the site. Site administrators are responsible for disclosing this data collection in their site’s privacy policy.
Service terms: https://houndbell.com/terms
Privacy policy: https://houndbell.com/privacy
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I download HoundBell?
HoundBell 2.5.3 is the latest version. It is a WordPress plugin you can download here free of charge under the GPL license, with the complete feature set included and no trial limitations.
Does HoundBell cost anything?
No. HoundBell 2.5.3 is 100% free — the full GPL version, not a trial or demo. There are no download limits, no accounts to create, and no upsells during the download.
How do I install HoundBell 2.5.3?
Download the ZIP file from this page, then in your WordPress dashboard go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin, choose the file, click Install Now, then Activate. The plugin works immediately after activation — no license key or extra setup is required for the core features.
What are the requirements for HoundBell?
HoundBell 2.5.3 requires WordPress 5.6 or higher and PHP 7.4 or higher. Most modern WordPress hosts already meet these versions. Running older versions may cause features to break, so update WordPress and PHP first if your site is behind.
When was HoundBell last updated?
Version 2.5.3 was last updated on September 27, 2026. This page is refreshed automatically, so the download here always matches the newest version we have verified.
Is the HoundBell download safe?
The file is sourced directly from the official WordPress.org repository — the same file the developer published. It is served unmodified, so what you install here is byte-identical to the official release.
Version: 2.5.3
Updated: October 1, 2026
Technical details
| Version | 2.5.3 |
|---|---|
| Last updated | September 27, 2026 |
| Requires WordPress | 5.6 or higher |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 or higher |
| Author | HoundBell |
| Tags | contact-form, crm, forms, lead-generation, leads |
Demo HoundBell
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