In the past, building websites hosted on WordPress was a difficult task. You would not only have to create whatever you wish in the editor’s very limited interface, but you’d also need to know HTML and code to create sophisticated layouts and styles.
Drag-and-drop page builders plugins have made page editing much more simple. This makes it even easier for newbies, even those with no coding experience.
Elementor may be one thing that pops up in your mind regarding those new types of page builders. But with so many of them around, it can be hard to choose which one suits you best. 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 vs Divi vs Brizly
Before we dive into the meat of this story, let’s first take a look at Elementor.
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.
One of Elementor’s highlights has to be its convenient drag-and-drop editor, which allows users to drag whatever object they like onto a canvas or workspace that’s big enough to fit most of the 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 knows that convenience is king – that’s why there are plenty of helpful features that reflect that statement. Want to retrieve previous versions of your page without having to click ‘undo’ multiple times? Revision History is your friend. Are you having trouble finding something difficult to find? The Finder feature can help you with that. Want to make some adjustments to the mobile version of your page? You can do so right away with Switch View.
Elementor Pro has even more features. This gives you more handy features, such as the Theme Builder that lets you create full-page templates for WordPress, the pop-up builder, and e-commerce widgets in collaboration with 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. The dashboard might need to be responsive at times. And lastly, some editing refinements may not go exactly as you expect them to.
Pricing
Elementor’s core version gives you an adequate number of page design tools you can use free of charge. However, if you want to gain access to additional features that are otherwise limited to Elementor Pro users, you may need to subscribe first to any of its five annual plans.
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.
Now that we have an idea of what Elementor is and how much it can offer, let’s compare it to the other page builder platforms on this list, eight of which with an equally massive following and critical acclaim.
These include WPBakery and Divi, Beaver Builder, WordPress’s newest editor Gutenberg as well Webflow, Brizy, the Thrive Architect plugin and Oxygen. Let’s start 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 have drag-and-drop interfaces that are powerful yet easy to use and are packed with flexible 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. Divi’s editing dashboard has all the options in the sidebar. However, Divi has a collapsible floating screen menu at the bottom that gives off a minimalistic look.
Page-Building and Customization
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 plugins have similar features for theme-building. Divi may have it added in 2019, but Elementor had it available long before that.
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.
Divi’s split-testing feature is one thing that makes it stand out from Elementor. Marketing professionals, in particular, may find this one very useful as they can determine which of the pages’ elements work best in generating better conversion rates.
Pricing
Unlike Elementor, which gives you plenty of powerful features at just the free version, Divi has no free plan unless it’s a limited 30-day demo trial. Despite this, its two pricing plans are seen as cost-effective and more valuable than the other.
A $89 yearly access plan or a $249 lifetime access tier are available to individuals. You will be able use Divi on unlimited sites and you will have access to all Elegant Themes products including the Divi theme.
Elementor vs WPBakery
WPBakery is another popular page-building plugin, and it was also one of the first to be released. WPBakery, which was previously known as Visual Composer before the introduction of the website-builder under the same name is now called WPBakery. It offers page creators nearly the same user-friendly and convenient features as Elementor.
Among its stand-outs is the ability to choose between a front-end interface for live site editing and more advanced back-end design editing. While Elementor may be packed with a wide range of widgets, WPBakery has twice the size of its offerings.
General Interface
Some page builders let you view your page as your customers see it while editing. Some offer a more detailed experience. If one WordPress plugin can accommodate both simultaneously, then WPBakery lives up to the challenge. This makes it ideal for not just average web designers but experts as well.
However, there have been concerns over how slow the front-end editor can be compared to the rest. You’ll still have the tools you need to make a beautiful page.
Page-Building and Customization
WPBakery has a pre-made template library of over 100 choices, although the number pales compared to Elementor’s 300+ selections. While the former may lack in abundance, it catches up with an otherwise larger scale of design element offerings in the form of widgets and add-ons, giving it a huge boost ahead of the latter.
Both WPBakery (and Elementor) have the same level and variety of customization tools. However, one may prove too overwhelming for others.
Key Features
Among WPBakery’s distinctive assets is its support for multiple languages which makes this plugin more accessible to non-English users. The Role Manager function lets you manage who has access to certain sections of the interface.
Although the plugin’s integrations list is not that important for many, we find it to be unique enough to make it stand out from the rest.
Pricing
Much like the previously-mentioned Divi, WPBakery does not have a free version, but it does offer two pricing plans. Both tiers, however, use a one-time payment system that gives you continuous updates, regardless of which plan you choose.
The regular version intended for single-site use costs $56, while the extended plan at $299 is intended 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. Beaver Builder, unlike the other plugins, is designed for developers who are skilled in website stability.
With the inclusion of clean coding capabilities, well-documented PHP, CSS, and JS options, and more handy features to help make your page run as smoothly as possible, it’s no wonder why Beaver Builder has amassed a large following among WordPress developers.
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 vs Divi vs Brizly
To add any column, row or module/widget, simply click the + button in the bar. The dashboard of the plugin has been highly praised because it is fast, easy to use, and customizable. Pop-up windows are not your style? Simply drag it to create a sidebar. Simple!
Page-Building and Customization
Beaver Builder provides users with a range 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.
Beaver Builder manages to make each page responsive on all devices, despite this. 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).
Key Features
Beaver Builder allows developers to add custom code, as we have mentioned. 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. Although it may seem cumbersome, this extension is still able to integrate with Elementor’s built in theme builder. Elementor vs Divi vs Brizly
Pricing
The pricing structure for Beaver Builder is similar to Elementor’s as it includes yearly subscription plans ranging from $99 with the Standard tier to $546 with Ultimate, plus 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. Gutenberg’s new standard block editor is much easier than the old version. It requires you to complete tedious and complex processes. Gutenberg was designed with beginners in mind, using drag-and-drop interfaces.
WordPress is relaunching its flagship editor to reflect the popularity of Elementor and other user-friendly page builders. Gutenberg still offers block-building capabilities that make it easy to blog and write.
General Interface
WordPress’s previous editor required you to write everything you need on a page inside a big, rectangular text field. Many people find this difficult as they might need to know shortcodes to create different shapes, fonts and layouts. Elementor vs Divi vs Brizly
Gutenberg makes editing easy for anyone with no coding skills. From the interface alone, you will notice that it borrows the common features usually found in most page builder plugins, such as the huge preview screen and the collapsible widgets sidebar.
Page-Building and Customization
Gutenberg comes with all the essential design tools you need, including blocks and columns as well as 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.
The Key Features
Unlike Elementor, which happens to be a page builder with a front-end interface, Gutenberg is primarily a back-end block editor. While you won’t have the ability to create a site that is completely unique with a theme of your choice, you can arrange design elements on any page within any theme. It’s compatible with 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
Since Gutenberg is WordPress’s default editor, you can explore and use all of its features completely free of charge! Unlike all other editors in this list, not a single paid plan is included. Elementor vs Divi vs Brizly
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 offers the same capabilities as Squarespace and other popular website builders.
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
With Webflow, you can either opt to start from the ground up or choose from its collection of 500+ website templates, with about 100 of them offered for 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.
The Key Features
Webflow has the potential to be a competitor to WordPress in the CMS market. Despite being on a lower level than WordPress, Webflow’s SEO and blogging capabilities are impressive enough to be worth considering.
Webflow’s vast knowledge base through Webflow University, the blog, and its exceptional customer service team are testaments to how deeply it cares about its users. Elementor vs Divi vs Brizly
Pricing
For those who want to learn how to create a website, Webflow offers a free starter package. There are many subscription options available. You can choose from the basic Site plan starting at $12/month, team-based Workspace plans starting at $19/month and e-commerce plans starting at $29/month. There is also 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.
The plugin offers them top-notch features, which will ensure impressive sales results. It also includes the necessary page-building tools that they already know. Both platforms have the same design and customization capabilities. However, Thrive Architect is better suited for creating high-converting landing page and similar market-optimized sites.
General Interface
Like Elementor, Thrive’s editing dashboard involves a front-end interface, letting you see what your potential customers will get. The former does this by having a large workspace and one feature-rich sidebar. The latter has two.
Two taskbars also surround the space. One is for page structure, the other for previews of multi-devices. While Thrive tried its best to fit all the basic tools in one dashboard, it has been criticized for being slightly clunky.
Page-Building and Customization
Elementor and Thrive both offer excellent templates and widgets. The latter’s focus on marketing niche may mean that the selections are not as wide as the former. Its library of landing page templates is certainly more valuable for both marketers and businesses.
Thrive’s customization is also at a comparable level. The apparent silver lining is Thrive’s top-performing inline text editor, as well as a wider range of global elements.
Key Features
As far as marketing-focused features are concerned, Elementor is surely miles behind what Thrive is committed to offering. To begin, it comes with a list of Smart Landing Pages designed for a more optimized conversion turnout. Elementor vs Divi vs Brizly
Thrive Architect believes better conversion rates lead to the flourishing of sales. It can integrate seamlessly with specialty applications such as split testing, testimonial collections, automation, and more.
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. The plugin is available at $97 per year.
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.
While Elementor allows you to import third-party add-ons, in Brizy, you can only make use of 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 vs Divi vs Brizly
Its super light design is one of the main reasons it is so popular with web designers of all levels. It’s lighter than other dashboards, such as those from Thrive Architect and Divi, but it feels more welcoming than others.
Page-Building and Customization
Brizy, like most WordPress page builders offers a wide range of customization and design 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.
Brizy is packed with templates, including tons of blocks and full-page layouts. These are more varied than Elementor and can be used for free.
The Key Features
Elementor’s integrated mega menu creator is one of the most notable features Brizy offers that Elementor does not. Though we know now that Brizy doesn’t support third-party add-ons, the idea of a feature to create large-scale website menus is a plus.
Brizy also offers the BrizyCloud service which includes hosting and other helpful website tools. It is a totally different platform so you won’t have the ability to use WordPress. Instead, you will be given a custom domain.
Pricing
You can also download the WordPress plugin version Brizy free of charge, similar to Elementor. Pricing subscriptions are also available for those who specialize in websites and page-building for a living: these include Personal, Freelancer, and Agency 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 vs Divi vs Brizly
Elementor vs Oxygen
Similar to the aforementioned Divi builder, Oxygen is a WordPress theme and a drag-and-drop plugin rolled into one. 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.
Oxygen has a wealth of marketing tools and stunning professional-looking templates to choose from. It is designed for freelancers and developers who are experts, as well as web agencies that are small and large. Although it might seem ideal for newbies in web design, it could be a weak suit.
General Interface
Right away, Oxygen’s user interface is jam-packed with a huge load of features and tools surrounding the workspace. 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.
As Elementor’s dashboard looks suitable for designers and average users, Oxygen’s version is mainly driven by the purpose of making page building more convenient, powerful, and worthwhile for those with 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 vs Divi vs Brizly
Each set is made up of all Oxygen’s templates. Its widget library may not be as large and spectacular as Elementor’s, but luckily, its public API tool makes integrations with third-party apps simpler.
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
Oxygen doesn’t offer a free plan due to its professional and advanced nature. It charges one-time fees for two of its current pricing plans. You will pay $129 for the Basic plan, and $349 for the Ultimate plan.
Our Last Thoughts Elementor vs Divi vs Brizly
We recommend choosing between Oxygen and Beaver Builder if you are a web developer expert. Each of these comes with more flexible coding capabilities.
If you specialize in website design, either as a freelancer or as part of a team, both Brizy, and Webflow have all the right tools you would need. 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 integrates with many marketing tools including split testing and sales funnels. If another builder can compete similarly in any capacity, it has to be Divi.
Oxygen or Divi are the best options if you want to get both a WordPress plugin and a WordPress template simultaneously. If you are a web designer who is looking for more templates and themes, the latter might be the best option.
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.