Back in the old days, the process of building website pages hosted on WordPress was such a hard task to behold. Not only would you have to write whatever you want to add into its very limiting in-house editor, but you’d be required extra knowledge of HTML and coding to incorporate sophisticated and impressive layouts and styles.
Nowadays, all the arduous page editing tasks have been dramatically simplified as the rise of drag-and-drop page builder plugins has come to take over, making it much easier for everyone – even newbies with zero coding experience.
Elementor may be one thing that pops up in your mind regarding those new types of page builders. There are so many options, and it can be difficult to decide which one is right for you. This article will help you find your ultimate page builder that works better for your needs.
Daniel has posted a video review on Design Break that will give you a visual experience. You can still read our article to get an overview of Elementor.
Elementor in a Nutshell Elementor Pro For Free
Before we get into the meat of the story, let’s take a short look first at what Elementor is.
Elementor is one of the most popular free page builder plugins for WordPress. It is well-known for its intuitive user interface and rich features. Users have unlimited access to many customization and design options. It was created to simplify page building for both experienced web designers and beginners.
Elementor’s drag-and-drop editor is one of its highlights. Users can drag any object onto a workspace or canvas that’s large enough to fit the majority of their screen. The workspace lets you view your page as potential customers see it. Another of its highlights is the vast range of design element options, with a total of over 200 templates, widgets, and blocks built into Elementor’s storied library.
The Key Features
The basic Elementor version includes all the tools you need to create eye-catching pages. You can adjust the settings to make your pages as pixel perfect as possible, and even add custom code to them.
Elementor understands that convenience is key. That’s why it offers many helpful features. You can retrieve older versions of your page by clicking ‘undo’ once and then again. Revision History is your friend. Struggling with searching for something that may be difficult to find? You can use the Finder feature to help you. Want to make some adjustments to the mobile version of your page? Switch View allows you to make changes right away.
It doesn’t stop there, as Elementor has more tricks up its sleeve with Elementor Pro. You get more useful features like the Theme Builder, which allows you to create full-page WordPress templates, the pop-up builders, and ecommerce widgets in collaboration for WooCommerce.
The Downsides
While Elementor may have lots to offer to individuals of all skill levels, we must not fully ignore a few of its disadvantages. Firstly, most of the Elementor Pro features are obviously, not accessible to those who use the plugin for free. Second, the dashboard may need to be more responsive sometimes. Lastly, editing refinements might not work exactly as you expected.
Pricing
Elementor’s core version gives you an adequate number of page design tools you can use free of charge. You may have to sign up for one of the five annual plans if you wish to access additional features not available to Elementor Pro users.
These range from $49 a year with the Essential plan to $999 with the Agency plan. A good thing about those subscriptions is you can explore any of the upgraded tools without limits – the only difference is the allotted number of website licenses and activations.
We now have a better understanding of Elementor and the potential benefits it offers. Let’s then compare it with other page-builder platforms in this list. There are eight of them, all of which enjoy a huge following and high critical esteem.
These are Divi, WPBakery, Beaver Builder, WordPress’s newest editor Gutenberg, Webflow, the Thrive Architect plugin, Brizy, and Oxygen. Let’s begin with Divi!
Elementor vs Divi
Elegant Themes’ Divi builder is a popular page-builder plugin. In terms of the amount it offers, it’s on par with Elementor.
Both interfaces are easy to use, yet powerful and feature a variety of design tools. Divi is a WordPress theme, but not a plugin. It also doesn’t offer a free plan and has more useful features like split testing.
General Interface
Divi’s editing dashboard has a drag-and drop interface. However, if you look at it alongside Elementor, you will notice some differences. While the latter has all the options along the sidebar, Divi has a collapsible floating menu on the bottom of the screen, giving off a more minimalistic appeal.
Customization and Page-Building
While Elementor offers only single-page templates, Divi allows users to use full-website packages. Named by the latter as Layouts, its collection size is much bigger than the former.
Both plugins have the same styling options that don’t always require you to code unless necessary. Both also have similar theme-building features – Divi may have added it as recently as 2019, but Elementor has always had it in store even before then.
Key Features
Divi is not just a WordPress plugin. It also comes with the Divi theme. This theme has been called the “most popular WordPress theme” over the years.
One noticeable thing Divi has that sets it apart from Elementor and a few others is the split-testing feature. This feature is especially useful for marketing professionals as they can identify which pages’ elements are most effective in driving higher conversion rates.
Pricing
Divi is not like Elementor which offers powerful features for a free version. Divi does not offer a free plan, except for a 30-day trial. However, the two pricing plans offered by Divi are more cost-effective and valuable than each other.
Individuals may either opt for a yearly access plan at $89 or a lifetime access tier at a one-time fee of $249. Regardless, not only will you be able to use Divi on unlimited websites, but you will also get access to all of the Elegant Themes products, including the Divi theme.
Elementor vs WPBakery
Another one of the widely-used page-building plugins, WPBakery, is also among the first to be released. Formerly known under the name Visual Composer until the inauguration of the website builder under the same name, WPBakery provides page creators with nearly the same convenient and user-friendly features as Elementor.
Its standout feature is the option to choose between a front end interface for site editing or more advanced back-end design editing. WPBakery offers twice the number of widgets than Elementor, which may seem like a large collection.
General Interface
Some page builders let you view your page as your customers see it while editing. Others offer a more schematic experience. WPBakery is able to accommodate both. This makes it ideal for not just average web designers but experts as well.
There have been some concerns about how slow the front-end editor is compared to other editors. You’ll still have the tools you need to make a beautiful page.
Page-Building and Customization
WPBakery offers over 100 pre-made templates, but this is a far cry from Elementor’s 300+ choices. Although the former is less extensive, it has a much larger selection of design elements in the form widgets and add-ons that gives it an advantage over the latter.
When it comes to customization, both WPBakery and Elementor are packed with the same level of optimized and diverse tools, though one of them may be too overwhelming for some people than the other.
The Key Features
WPBakery is known for its multilingual support, which makes it more accessible to non-English users. Next is the Role Manager function, which lets you control whoever gets to access certain sections of the interface.
The plugin’s integrations list and supply of add-ons may not be a big deal for plenty, but we consider it unique enough to stand out among the rest.
Pricing
WPBakery is similar to Divi but does not offer a free version. However, it does offer two pricing options. Both tiers, however, use a one-time payment system that gives you continuous updates, regardless of which plan you choose.
The $56 regular version is for single-site use, while the $299 extended plan is for one SaaS application.
Elementor vs Beaver Builder
The Beaver Builder plugin has visually fluid drag-and-drop page-building properties as with similar platforms such as Elementor and Divi. As the other two plugins are made to be suitable for web designers, Beaver Builder is more geared toward developers with a sharp eye for website stability.
Beaver Builder is a popular choice for WordPress developers because it offers clean coding, well-documented PHP and CSS options, as well as other handy features that will make your page run smoothly.
General Interface
Beaver Builder’s editing interface shares the same traits as Divi’s version: your workspace takes up nearly the entirety of your screen, with only a generously-sized horizontal toolbar placed on top of it. Elementor Pro For Free
If you wish to add any column, row, or module/widget to your page, you just need to click the + button along the bar. The plugin’s dashboard has been highly praised for its fast, glitch-free, and very customizable capabilities. Pop-up windows are not your style? Simply drag it to create a sidebar. Simple!
Page-Building and Customization
Beaver Builder offers a variety of core design tools. Its advanced settings, however, don’t have the same energy as Elementor – for one, the former lacks motion effects options and custom CSS for individual page elements as the latter is readily equipped with.
Despite this, Beaver Builder still manages to make every page highly responsive across all devices. As for templates, the plugin offers two types that are closely similar to Elementor: pages (full templates) and rows (Beaver Builder’s take on blocks).
The Key Features
As we mentioned earlier, one of Beaver Builder’s strongest suits is its ability to conveniently let developers add custom coding. White-labeling is another key feature. This is great for people who create pages or websites for multiple clients.
As for theme-building, Beaver Builder requires you to purchase and integrate with a separate Beaver Themer extension. This may look cumbersome to others, but it somehow manages to be on par with Elementor’s built-in theme builder. Elementor Pro For Free
Pricing
Beaver Builder’s pricing structure is very similar to Elementor’s. It includes yearly subscription plans starting at $99 for the Standard tier and ending at $546 for Ultimate. There’s also a 30-day money back guarantee. A free version of the plugin is also available, but it’s less flexible than Elementor.
Elementor vs Gutenberg
Gutenberg is WordPress’s newest standard block editor. It has replaced its predecessor, The Classic Editor. Compared to the previous version, which required you to go through tedious and complicated processes, Gutenberg is intentionally designed to make it a breeze for many of its users as beginner-friendly editors with drag-and-drop interfaces take center stage.
WordPress is relaunching its flagship editor to reflect the popularity of Elementor and other user-friendly page builders. Nonetheless, Gutenberg offers users swift block-building capabilities and additional features to make blogging and post-writing much easier.
General Interface
The previous editor for WordPress required that you write all the information you needed on a page within a large rectangular text box. This process has proven difficult for many as they may need to learn shortcodes to create various shapes, fonts, and layouts. Elementor Pro For Free
Gutenberg makes editing easy for anyone with no coding skills. You will see that the interface borrows many of the same features found in most page builders plugins such as the large preview screen and collapsible sidebar widgets.
Page-Building and Customization
Gutenberg is packed with essential design tools, from columns and block patterns to text headings and paragraphs. Still, the range fares less than popular page builders like Elementor, where there are additional choices to explore.
Gutenberg may not have theme-building capabilities, but its block-based traits make it compatible with multiple WordPress themes – it does not fully override your theme styles and settings. Additionally, you can incorporate custom CSS elements for a more personalized feel.
Key Features
Unlike Elementor, which happens to be a page builder with a front-end interface, Gutenberg is primarily a back-end block editor. You won’t be able to create a fully unique site with an equally unique theme, but you can still rearrange design elements within any themed page, given that it’s compatible across multiple WordPress themes.
With Gutenberg, you get to embed uploaded files and posts from many sources to your page, from social media sites like Twitter and Tumblr to media-sharing sites such as YouTube and Soundcloud.
Pricing
Gutenberg is WordPress’ default editor. This means that you can use all its features absolutely free! Unlike all other editors in this list, not a single paid plan is included. Elementor Pro For Free
Elementor vs Webflow
Unlike Elementor and the rest of our page builder plugins in this list, Webflow is a standalone website-building service that lets you create full-scale designs that work across multiple devices. It has the same level of capabilities as other popular website builders like Squarespace.
Webflow is designed to be a one-stop solution, and a time-saver as its team does most website administration duties on your behalf, like web hosting. Although WordPress may depend on plugins to make eye-catching websites, Webflow offers everything in one platform.
General Interface
Webflow is fun and flexible, but it’s not for everyone. This is especially true for those new to web design. With that being said, its editing interface needs to be more saturated with many essential website-building tools.
Although it may seem a bit daunting for those with basic skills, professionals will likely find the platform useful. It can be as simple as possible to use the platform’s interface.
Page-Building and Customization
You have two options with Webflow: you can start from scratch or choose from over 500 templates. About 100 of these templates are free. It spans multiple categories ranging from portfolios to full-on blog themes. Unlike Elementor, which lets you change a page’s entire template in one sitting, Webflow will require you to create a new website to accommodate those changes.
You have many options for web design and can integrate with third-party platforms.
Key Features
Webflow is poised to compete with WordPress in the CMS field. With that being said, while one is not yet on the same level as the other, its blogging and SEO capabilities are still impressive enough that they may be worth trying.
Webflow’s extensive database of knowledge through Webflow University and the blog, as well as its excellent customer assistance team, is a testament that proves how much it deeply cares for its users. Elementor Pro For Free
Pricing
For those who want to learn how to create a website, Webflow offers a free starter package. From there, you’ll find a versatile range of subscriptions. These include the basic Site plans from $12/month, team-based Workspace plans from $19/month, e-commerce plans from $29/month, and a custom Enterprise plan.
Elementor vs Thrive Architect
While some WordPress page builders primarily accommodate either designers (as with Elementor), web developers (like Beaver Builder), or both at the same time, there are a few that are geared towards mostly marketing professionals and businesses, and Thrive Architect happens to be one of them.
This plugin provides them with top-notch features that are guaranteed to make impressive sales turnouts on top of the essential page-building tools they should already be familiar with. While both platforms offer the same level of design and customization capabilities, Thrive Architect makes it a more suitable choice for creating high-converting landing pages and other similar market-optimized websites.
General Interface
Like Elementor, Thrive’s editing dashboard involves a front-end interface, letting you see what your potential customers will get. As the former accomplishes this with a huge workspace and a single feature-rich sidebar, the latter approaches it with two, each on either side of the screen.
Two taskbars also surround the space. One is for page structure, the other for previews of multi-devices. Thrive attempted to include all basic tools within one dashboard. However, some users have complained about the interface being a bit clunky.
Page-Building and Customization
Both Thrive and Elementor offer the same caliber of excellent widgets and template selections. The latter’s focus on marketing niche may mean that the selections are not as wide as the former. Regardless, its library of landing page templates surely looks more deserving for marketers and businesses alike.
With customization, Thrive is relatively at a similar level as well. The apparent silver lining is Thrive’s top-performing inline text editor, as well as a wider range of global elements.
The Key Features
Elementor’s marketing-focused features fall far short of what Thrive has to offer. It comes with a list Smart Landing Pages that are optimized for higher conversion rates. Elementor Pro For Free
Thrive Architect believes better conversion rates lead to the flourishing of sales. That’s why it can seamlessly integrate with other specialty applications that belong in what’s called the Thrive Suite, including ones for split testing, testimonial collections, and even automation.
Pricing
You can get the whole Thrive Suite and Thrive Architect for $299/year if you are a marketer looking for better ways to convert leads into customers. Otherwise, the plugin itself is priced at $97 annually.
Elementor vs Brizy
Brizy is two years older than Elementor (2016) and has steadily climbed to the top, gaining critical acclaim because of its intuitive and simple functions. The interface is comparable to Elementor. The only thing that separates them is the ecosystem.
Elementor lets you import third-party addons. However, Brizy only allows you to use its default content elements. The cloud service allows you to sync your work across all domains, WordPress and not, despite this limitation.
General Interface
Brizy offers the familiar drag-and-drop functionality, but its editing dashboard is highly regarded for its user-friendly interface. It even beats all other page builders in this list. Elementor Pro For Free
Its super light design is one of the main reasons it is so popular with web designers of all levels. Compared to other dashboards, particularly from Thrive Architect, Divi, and even Elementor, it doesn’t feel very bulky; instead, it’s welcoming.
Page-Building and Customization
As with most WordPress page builders, Brizy supplies its users with plenty of design and customization options. Given its limits, it doesn’t have as many widgets as Elementor has, but it still manages to offer a handful of e-commerce web elements powered by WooCommerce.
Template-wise, Brizy’s packed with tons of individual blocks and full-page layouts that are a bit more diverse than Elementor, most of which you can use for free.
The Key Features
Elementor’s integrated mega menu creator is one of the most notable features Brizy offers that Elementor does not. Although Brizy does not support third-party addons, it is still a great feature to be able to create large-scale web menus.
Besides the WordPress plugin, Brizy offers the Brizy Cloud service, which provides hosting and other useful website tools. However, remember that it is a completely different platform, which means you won’t be able to use WordPress – you are immediately given a custom domain.
Pricing
Similar to Elementor, you can download the WordPress plugin version of Brizy for free. For those who are specialized in website and page-building, pricing subscriptions are available. These include Agency, Personal, and Freelancer plans.
You may opt to either pay yearly ($49 to $199) or purchase a one-time fee ($149 to $399). Brizy Cloud offers many time-based subscriptions. Elementor Pro For Free
Elementor vs Oxygen
Oxygen, a WordPress theme that can be used with drag-and-drop plugins like the Divi builder, is similar to the Divi builder. It gives you full control of how you design your pages with whatever element you want to incorporate, as it’s one of the few page builders that can override any of your saved themes.
Filled with elite marketing tools and splendid professional-looking template options to take advantage of, Oxygen is geared toward pro freelancers, expert developers, and web agencies, small or large. While it seems ideal for those who are new to web design, you’ll soon find out that it may not be their strongest suit.
General Interface
Oxygen’s user interface has a lot of tools and features that you can use immediately. The number may be concerningly overwhelming, especially for beginners. For those who know the basics of web development, there are many functions that can be used.
Elementor’s dashboard is suitable for both designers and average users. Oxygen’s version focuses primarily on making page building easier, more powerful, and more worthwhile for those who have firsthand experience.
Page-Building and Customization
In terms of customization, we appreciate how inviting Oxygen can be to a wide range of experts. The plugin’s simple-to-use CSS editing capabilities are a big plus for coders. They wouldn’t need to spend too much time looking at the style sheets of any theme. Elementor Pro For Free
Each set is made up of all Oxygen’s templates. Although its widget library is not as impressive as Elementor, integrations with third party apps are made easier by the public API tool.
The Key Features
Most pages built with Oxygen load much faster than those made using Elementor or similar WordPress page builders.
Apart from the API, Oxygen can also seamlessly integrate with a diverse range of industries and platforms, including specialty apps like Airbnb, social media, SEO plugins, payment gateways, and more.
Pricing
Considering the advanced and more professional nature, Oxygen does not offer any free plan for the time being. It charges one-time fees for two of its current pricing plans. The Basic plan will cost you $129, while the Ultimate plan lets you use everything it has in store for $349.
Our Final Thoughts Elementor Pro For Free
If you’re a web development expert, whether you work in the field for a living or you’re a power user for leisure, we recommend that you choose between Oxygen, Beaver Builder, and WPBakery, as each of those comes prepared with more accommodating coding capabilities.
Brizy and Webflow both offer all the tools you need to specialize in website design as a freelancer, or as part of an established team. Brizy, in particular, has one of the most user-friendly interfaces out there, but if third-party add-on support is what you’re looking for in one, then it might be best if you find something else.
Gutenberg is a good choice if you don’t have a lot of experience with web design and are comfortable using your existing theme. However, most page builders in this list provide the same feature. It’s also the only completely free plugin here, so that may be a solid choice as well if you’re on a tight budget.
Some page builders here offer special template sets for landing pages, but none can compare to how many Thrive Architect has. It also integrates with many marketing tools, including sales funnels and split testing. Divi is the only builder that can compete in a similar capacity to Divi.
Oxygen or Divi are the best options if you want to get both a WordPress plugin and a WordPress template simultaneously. The latter could be ideal if you’re a web designer looking for more template and theme options.
Elementor and Divi are trusted and easy-to use page builders for WordPress. If a feature-laden free version of the plugin is what you’re more interested in, then Elementor is ready to supply you with that.