Back in the old days, the process of building website pages hosted on WordPress was such a hard task to behold. 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 to find the perfect page builder for you.
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 Enfold
Before we dive into the meat of this story, let’s first take a look at Elementor.
Elementor is a popular WordPress page builder plugin. It is well-known for its intuitive user interface and rich features. Users have unlimited access to many customization and design options. It’s designed to make the process of page building easier and more enjoyable for web design professionals and newbies alike.
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. Elementor’s rich library of templates, widgets and blocks is another highlight.
The Key Features
The basic Elementor version includes all the tools you need to create eye-catching pages. It has an advanced settings section that allows you to fine-tune all your content elements to be as pixel-perfect as possible and incorporate custom coding onto your page.
Elementor knows that convenience is king – that’s why there are plenty of helpful features that reflect that statement. You can retrieve older versions of your page by clicking ‘undo’ once and then again. Revision History is your friend. Are you having trouble finding something 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
Elementor has many benefits for people of all skill levels. However, it is not without its drawbacks. First, the majority of Elementor Pro features cannot be accessed by those who have the plugin free. Second, the dashboard may need to be more responsive sometimes. And lastly, some editing refinements may not go exactly as you expect them to.
Pricing
The core version of Elementor gives you enough page design tools to use for free. 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 prices range from $49 per year for the Essential plan to $999 for the Agency plan. The best thing about these subscriptions is that you can access any upgraded tool without limitations – the only limitation is the number of activations and website licenses.
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. It’s been placed at the same level as Elementor regarding how much it offers to various users.
Both interfaces are easy to use, yet powerful and feature a variety of design tools. The only differences that set Divi apart from Elementor are that 1) it’s both a WordPress theme and a plugin, 2) it doesn’t offer a free plan, and 3) it has more useful features, such as 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.
Customization and Page-Building
Divi, on the other hand, allows you to use complete-website packages. Elementor only offers single-page templates. It is also known as Layouts and has a much larger collection than Elementor.
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.
The Key Features
Divi is more than just a WordPress plugin – it also comes bundled with the Divi theme, which has been dubbed over the years as the “most popular WordPress theme in the world.”
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. 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
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.
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. It is ideal for both novice and expert web designers.
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. 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.
Both WPBakery (and Elementor) have the same level and variety of customization tools. However, one may prove too overwhelming for others.
Key Features
WPBakery is known for its multilingual support, which makes it more accessible to non-English users. The Role Manager function lets you manage who has access to 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. Unlike the former, though, both tiers use a one-time payment system, giving you uninterrupted updates regardless of your choice.
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 Enfold
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 dashboard of the plugin has been highly praised because it is fast, easy to use, and customizable. Don’t like pop-up windows while you edit? Simply drag it to create a sidebar. Simple!
Page-Building and Customization
Beaver Builder provides users with a range of core design tools. However, its advanced settings don’t have as much energy as Elementor. For one, it doesn’t offer motion effects options or custom CSS for individual pages elements, which Elementor is equipped with.
Beaver Builder manages to make each page responsive on all devices, despite this. The Beaver Builder offers two types of templates: full templates (pages) and rows (rows).
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 Enfold
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. The plugin can also be downloaded for free, although it is 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
The previous editor for WordPress required that you write all the information you needed on a page within a large rectangular text box. Many people find this difficult as they might need to know shortcodes to create different shapes, fonts and layouts. Elementor vs Enfold
With Gutenberg, editing has been significantly simplified to accommodate even those with zero coding knowledge. 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.
Customization and Page-Building
Gutenberg comes with all the essential design tools you need, including blocks and columns as well as text headings and paragraphs. The range is still less than Elementor’s page builders, which offer more options.
Gutenberg does not have the ability to build themes, but its block-based characteristics make it compatible with many WordPress themes. However, it doesn’t completely override your theme settings and styles. You can also add custom CSS elements to give your site a personal touch.
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.
Gutenberg allows you to embed files and posts from multiple sources onto your page. This includes social media sites like Twitter, Tumblr, and media-sharing sites like 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 Enfold
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 was created to be a one-stop shop and save you time. Its team handles all website administration tasks, including web hosting. While WordPress itself may rely on plugins to create eye-catching sites, Webflow has everything rolled into 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. Webflow’s editing interface should be richer with essential tools for website building.
It may be a turn-off for most individuals with entry-level skills, but any average professional will most likely enjoy what it can offer. 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.
As for customization, you get many reliable web design options and flexible integrations with many 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 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 vs Enfold
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.
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. 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
Thrive’s editing dashboard is similar to Elementor. It has a front-end interface that allows you to see what your 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. 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
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. 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.
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 Enfold
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. 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.
Elementor lets you import third-party addons. However, Brizy only allows you to use its default content elements. Despite the limitation, the latter does have a cloud service that not only gives you access to premium designs and integrations but also lets you sync your works across any domain, WordPress or otherwise.
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 Enfold
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
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.
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.
Key Features
One standout feature Brizy has that Elementor doesn’t is its integrated mega menu builder. 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
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 Enfold
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.
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. 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. For beginners, the sheer volume of features and tools available may seem overwhelming. 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 vs Enfold
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
The loading speed of most pages that are built using Oxygen is significantly faster than the ones made through Elementor and similar WordPress page builders by a slightly improved margin.
Oxygen, in addition to the API, can seamlessly integrate with a wide range of industries, platforms, and apps, including social media, SEO plugins and payment gateways.
Pricing
Oxygen doesn’t offer a free plan due to its professional and advanced nature. Instead, it offers one-time fees on two of its current pricing plan offerings. The Basic plan will cost you $129, while the Ultimate plan lets you use everything it has in store for $349.
Our Last Thoughts Elementor vs Enfold
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.
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 is a great platform with a user-friendly interface. However, if you need third-party support, it may be advisable to look elsewhere.
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. Gutenberg is also the only plugin that’s completely free, which may make it a good choice if you have a limited budget.
While there are some page builders that offer templates for landing pages, none compares to the number of templates Thrive Architect offers. 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.
If you’re planning on getting a plugin and a WordPress theme simultaneously, look no further than Oxygen and Divi. The latter could be ideal if you’re a web designer looking for more template and theme options.
Lastly, if you want to stay sure with some of the most trusted, easy-to-use, and leading WordPress page builders, look no further than Divi and Elementor. Elementor can provide you with a plugin that is completely feature-free if you are interested.