You need everything to create a WordPress page or website that looks great. The platform’s page builder is available 24/7, but you won’t be able to edit the site as often as you would like due to its size and location.
Thankfully, third-party web design plugins are there to address those woes you may often experience with WordPress’s own, and one of the most notable is Elementor. Elementor is designed to make it easy to create websites. Plus, no coding is required!
Are you a believer that Elementor is the right page builder? Are you still undecided? We’re digging deep into all it has to offer, in order to answer your questions.
Here’s a Pinky1472 video review for those who like a visual experience. To get a comprehensive overview of Elementor, you may still want to check out our article below.
Elementor in a Nutshell: What Is It About? Why Can’T Is See A Stretched Section If It’S Stretched In Elementor
Elementor is a website builder plugin designed for WordPress. It’s best known for its visual and intuitive drag-and-drop editor that allows you to use a wide range of design assets and blocks and see what your page will look like to visitors in real-time.
With an interface that’s more akin to that of popular website builders like Squarespace and Wix, Elementor lets you either opt for a ready-made professional template or create a good-looking WordPress website from the ground up. This unique platform has one advantage: all the tools that you need to create a website are at your fingertips.
What does it have to offer?
Elementor is a WordPress plugin that lives up to its reputation. It offers a clean and simple interface that allows you to quickly navigate through all it has.
- Elementor offers a wider range of attractive and dynamic themes than the standard, plain themes that are often included with WordPress’ in-house themes.
- To edit your pages and posts, you have a completely separate interface that allows for interaction. WordPress’s similar editor is lightweight and easy to use.
- Elementor will work with any theme that is compatible with WordPress version 5.0 or higher. You can use the plugin to refine your dull-looking theme into a more eye-catching one.
- All the editing for your pages and sites is done from the front end. This means you’ll be able to see your work immediately as your visitors or customers see it. This outstanding feature gives you a better understanding of which design element keeps them returning for more or otherwise.
Elementor as a whole makes it simple to create a stunning page. Its interface is designed to be so streamlined and filled to the brim with essential tools that even those who may need more expansive knowledge in web design can navigate through it with no problems. This has made the website builder an excellent choice for those with limited resources or who work in a small team.
Many similar web designer plugins may offer working individuals a pleasing drag-and-drop experience and a handful of useful tools. Still, not all of them can live up to Elementor’s standard. With that being said, Elementor has gained a positive reputation among many WordPress users – more than three million of them have had the plugin installed on their accounts.
What makes this interesting web design platform stand out from all the rest? What else does it have that others usually don’t? We will soon find out as we look deeper into Elementor’s features, beginning with its impressive list.
Meet Elementor’s Features
Fully-packed Template Library
Elementor’s library of more than 150 templates is perfect for those who are new to web design, or have some knowledge but don’t have the time. All of them make the site-building experience easy on your end, as they help turn your ideas into a product that can catch anyone’s attention immediately.
The platform’s templates are classified into two categories:
- Pages – full-length templates that only require you to do low-effort customization
- Blocks are templates that can be used to create pages for specific and individual parts. Examples of blocks include portfolios, pricing tables, FAQs, portfolios, and more.
You can find templates from other sources than Elementor’s own and then import them into the platform via the My Templates tab.
Massive Widget Selection
It’s not just the vast range of templates that Elementor is lucky to be packed with. There are many widget options available in the plugin. Widgets are smaller, more contained elements that house a wide range of content.
With a whopping total of 60+ widgets, you gain lots of insight into how you want to structure your website as well as the flexibility of doing so. Some of those include text-related elements such as headings and the inner section, media files like images and videos, buttons, icons, and website sidebars. Map widgets powered by Google Maps, testimonials, star ratings, and gallery widgets are also part of what Elementor has in store.
You may add as many as you want to your page. As with the templates, you may also opt to import those from third-party sources to further expand your selection.
Convenient Drag-and-drop Editing
If there’s one thing that Elementor is most prominent for, it has to be its highly convenient user experience. It has been best-known for its drag-and-drop capabilities, allowing users to build and edit pages as freely as possible. Simply drag whatever widget you like best from the left sidebar, and drop it into your workspace. Similarly, you may tweak some adjustments between the page’s elements by dragging it to a different location.
Apart from that, Elementor offers right-click support to assist users without having to go over the sidebar for slight edits all the time – something a couple of WordPress web design plugins aren’t equipped with.
You will find a section called Navigation View that provides a complete list of content, arranged according to Elementor’s page layout. We’ll talk more about that later.
The editing interface also includes a Finder tool that will help you navigate quickly between pages and content elements.
Fine-tuned Control Over Your Elements
Elementor, a simple WordPress page-building plugin is packed with design options that can be used by anyone. Elementor understands that every detail is important when creating a website that stands out. It allows you to modify and fix any design elements in the site you are building.
You can amend some necessary adjustments to your site’s content blocks, widgets, images, and text. You can also modify the font, size, and color of text content and headings.
These are just a few of the basic editing options you have in Elementor. The plugin also has more advanced options to let you tweak specific adjustments to your content elements. The plugin offers advanced customization options that include widget positioning within columns, custom CSS settings, animation effects and exact margins and padding for numbers.
Optional Features for Your Mobile-Friendly Page
All of Elementor’s templates are mobile-friendly by default, but you may be wondering if you could make some changes to match how you want it to look. The platform allows you to customize your website to look better on tablets and smartphones, just like everything else.
You can click on the Switch view icon in the sidebar to be presented with three viewing options: one for your desktop, tablet and one for your mobile phone. You can choose from any one of the three viewing options to edit or omit widgets.
An opportunity to look back at the changes you’ve made
Sometimes a few ‘undo’ actions may not be enough to fix a huge design mistake. You might have encountered similar occurrences if you tried editing on any design platform.
That’s where Elementor’s Revision History feature comes in handy. With it, you can revert to any of the previous versions of the page you’re editing without sacrificing the rest of your design elements.
Pricing
You can use the entire Elementor plugin for absolutely free. Elementor Pro has many more upgrades and additions than the previous version. You might be interested in one.
Among the things you may get to enjoy if you choose Elementor Pro include exploring an expanded library of themes, templates, and design blocks; custom CSS and advanced coding capabilities; creating forms and pop-ups within the platform’s editing interface; integrations with WooCommerce; and, of course, the theme builder.
Elementor Pro has four main subscription plans, each designed for various individuals and/or groups. The plan also offers a website builder and hosting plans for advanced site management. All tiers can be paid annually and all share the same premium features. The only thing that sets them apart is the number of website activations, and the time it takes to respond to customer questions.
Elementor Pro Plans
- Essential Plan – $49/year, 1 pro website activation, 24/7 customer support
- Expert Plan – $199/year, 25 pro website activations, 24/7 customer support
- Studio Plan – $299 for the first year, and then $499/year thereafter; 100 pro websites activated, VIP customer support in less than 30 minutes
- Agency Plan – $999/year. 1000 Pro Website Activations. VIP Customer Support in Less Than 30 Minutes.
The Elementor Cloud Website Builder + Hosting plan is $99 annually. You get all the features of an Elementor Pro plan, but with amazing hosting and CMS capabilities. It offers a wide range of templates and design assets. Your website is protected by Google Cloud Platform integration, SSL and robust website management.
Elementor Free vs. Elementor Pro
Now comes the complicated part: Is the free WordPress plugin version still suitable for your needs, or do you think the Pro version has such a big advantage that it makes you want to try it instead?
The free plugin version is a good option if you don’t want to add any extra features to your website or landing page. Elementor Free is already feature-rich in retrospect – its series of core tools are as dynamic as other web design platforms where their premium plans bring the same level of delivery. It is so dynamic that business teams can use the free version. Why Can’T Is See A Stretched Section If It’S Stretched In Elementor
With Elementor Free, you can:
- Create optimized mobile-friendly versions of your site and page
- Go through your website’s version history
- Make use of fully customizable themes as well as built-in pre-made templates
- You can add or modify website blocks as you wish.
If the ability to build and license more than one website is what you’re looking for, Elementor Pro may be a more logical option. It offers a lot more value than the free version. What we mean by it is you have more options to explore and more features to give you the extra edge. These include:
- An expanding list of over 300 themes and 100+ premium block templates;
- Global widgets allow you to use the same widget on multiple pages and not have to modify it individually.
- If you are looking for more ways to draw potential customers, there is a front-end form creator and a pop up editor.
- Integrations with WooCommerce are available, with templates blocks and widgets to help you create an online storefront.
- You can create your own theme using the Theme Builder feature. Why Can’T Is See A Stretched Section If It’S Stretched In Elementor
Elementor Pro should not be considered the only way to grow the WordPress plugin if you don’t want to license multiple websites. As previously mentioned, Elementor Free is already sustainable enough for most users – there are plenty of flexible themes and templates out there that can be integrated with Elementor, a notable example of which is Astra.
Using Elementor: How Does It Work?
First, install the Elementor plugin and activate it in WordPress. Once you’ve installed it, there’s a settings panel that you can visit if you wish – you may opt to modify whatever you want to see while you do the editing. You can also go to WordPress’s pages section.
From there, you will notice the Edit with Elementor button placed conveniently along the bar above the canvas. You will be immediately redirected to the builder interface as you click the button. This image shows you how it looks. Why Can’T Is See A Stretched Section If It’S Stretched In Elementor
Based on the image, here are some things you should know as you explore this interface.
- The workroom or canvas. It’s a huge part of the interface that takes up most of the screen.
- The widgets area. Situated on the left side next to the canvas, it contains lots of content and design elements that are ready to use.
- Settings. It is represented by three horizontal lines. This symbolise the ability to access a variety of fonts and colors.
- The Open Elementor Widgets button. It is essentially a menu button that allows you to return the widgets list. Nine little squares are used to represent this.
- The Global Settings button. This button is represented by the cogwheel icon. It takes you to more advanced settings.
- The Revision History button. Displayed as a clock icon, it allows you to take a look at the history of previous versions of your page or website.
- Switch View. You can convert your desktop page to tablet-friendly or mobile-friendly versions by clicking the small monitor icon. This icon can be used to edit the content you wish your customers to see on their smartphones.
- Preview Changes. Once you click the tiny eye icon, you’re given a full look at the changes you’ve made to your page before you’re ready to publish it.
- The Publish/Update button. Once this shaped button goes green, that’s when you’re ready to publish. It’s gray if your page is being updated. This time, unlike green, you cannot click it. Why Can’T Is See A Stretched Section If It’S Stretched In Elementor
Structure Hierarchy
Before we can even begin building, you must first understand the structure hierarchy that Elementor follows. If you’re especially new to website design, this similar framework has been abided by many experienced creators and other basic web design platforms.
In Elementor, your primary goal is to create a page. A page is a collection of sections and columns.
On the one hand, a section is a row that you can customize with plenty of design elements, such as background, colors, sizing, and more.
On the other hand, the columns are located within a specific section. These, in turn, are where the widgets or content elements are placed. Each widget can be customized and sized separately.
This is Elementor’s hierarchy structure.
Page > Section > Column > Widget/Content element
Designing a page
Let’s create a page now that we have an understanding of the skeletal structure. Click the Edit with Elementor link in WordPress’ page design interface. Soon you’ll see a plus (+), highlighted in red violet. Click on it to add a section. Why Can’T Is See A Stretched Section If It’S Stretched In Elementor
The next thing you must do is select the structure of your section. You may choose a single column or multiple, depending on what type of content you wish to add. From there, you may populate those columns with content elements. Drag any widget from the interface’s widget section and drop it onto those columns, whether it is a heading or an images. You can even adjust or rearrange them and sections and columns within the page.
Now is the time for fine tuning the details and making the page more attractive. There are three main editing tabs to explore: Content, Style, and Advanced.
It is easier to design a pre-existing theme page than it is to create one from scratch. You would usually only need to make minor adjustments between sections, columns, and widgets, unless you are adding a new design element. With Elementor’s drag-and-drop functions, refining some necessary changes has been made much easier than the more advanced processes done through coding.
The disadvantages: What else is missing?
We don’t mean to mislead you, Elementor is certain to be one of the best WordPress web design tools. However, nothing in this world is always perfect. While there are many things that we love about it, there are a few that some of you may find inconvenient:
- The editing interface can be a bit buggy on some occasions. Although it’s fast, efficient, and ultimately very convenient, it can freeze too quickly. With that in mind, you might need to refresh and reopen it to get it back on track.
- Though most of Elementor’s features are offered for free, there are a few that may appear essential but are only limited to Elementor Pro, which may be a bit discouraging for some. For instance, you can’t set site-wide styles in the free version, as you’re essentially stuck to a few pages simultaneously. Why Can’T Is See A Stretched Section If It’S Stretched In Elementor
- Some editing refinements may not go exactly as you wish them to. You may find that the default font and typography of certain links is what you have chosen, even if you add your own styling. On the other, you may have difficulty locating the exact margin value whenever the alignment of your design elements is off.
Who should use elementor?
Elementor is filled to the brim with expert-level core features and tools included in the free version, plus more useful upgrades in any of the Elementor Pro plans. Furthermore, most users will likely find it easier to grasp than other WordPress web design plugins.
It’s easy to see why so many people love Elementor. Elementor is both a popular DIY tool for those who don’t have the necessary web design skills and an intuitive platform that can be used by a broad range of businesses.
However, there are some specific users we have in mind that will find Elementor to be a more suited choice. These include:
- Casual internet users. Elementor offers many customizable benefits that are especially useful for bloggers and website owners.
- Digital marketing professionals. Elementor features can be used for design purposes, but they are also marketing-ready. This includes seamless integrations with thousands of platforms via Zapier and pop-up and online commerce widgets.
- Site builders. If creating websites for a handful of clients is your day job, then Elementor is a great stepping stone to get you to where you want to be. Why Can’T Is See A Stretched Section If It’S Stretched In Elementor
Alternatives to Elementor
Just because Elementor has advantages that may far exceed other contemporary web design plugins doesn’t mean you should consider it as the only choice worth considering.
Many WordPress web design plugins offer similar functionality to Elementor. Some may only offer a few. We all know by now that WordPress’s in-house web design feature is not everyone’s cup of tea – that’s why the plugins were created in the first place, to make the experience much better by the mile.
Right now, there are two other leading WordPress web builder plugins out there that are on the same par as Elementor in terms of features: the Divi builder by Elegant Themes and Beaver Builder. Divi, one on hand, offers the same feature-rich range as Elementor and has the same ability to edit your website from a front-end interface as your clients see it. Although it has a similar look, there is no free option. On the other hand, Beaver Builder may not be as flashy as the other two plugins, but it still manages to pack as many essential design tools as possible into one platform. These tools are enough to make a website look great.
Other noteworthy web design plugin alternatives to Elementor include SeedProd and the SiteOrigin Page Builder.
Final Verdict: Is Elementor Worth Trying?
Answering the question is yes. If you’re searching for a top-notch drag-and-drop page-building instrument for WordPress that’s stuffed with professional-grade design tools and features, with most of those core features offered for free, look no further than Elementor. Why Can’T Is See A Stretched Section If It’S Stretched In Elementor
There’s no question as to why people keep coming back to this impressive plugin to create pages and websites. We believe that Elementor stands out from most web design plugins because it allows individuals of all skill levels to build whatever they wish with no major obstacles in the way. Unlike others, it doesn’t force you to upgrade to a higher plan or a paid license, ensuring there’s enough space for everyone.
Before we let you explore Elementor, here’s some advice: If your job involves creating websites for clients or running multiple websites, we recommend that you use Elementor Pro. Otherwise, the free plugin for WordPress will work just as fine!
FAQ Why Can’T Is See A Stretched Section If It’S Stretched In Elementor
Can I upload or export my templates to Elementor?
Yes, Elementor can import your templates. You can create a new template using the Theme Builder. Additionally, you can import your personal themes to the website builder via the Templates tab.
Similar to the previous function, you can export your template files to be used on another WordPress site – useful if you work as a web-builder for multiple clients.
What pages can I make with Elementor?
Elementor allows you to create landing pages, homepages, landing page, landing pages and about pages.
Elementor Pro subscribers can create websites, and even online shops.
Is Elementor slowing down my website?
Elementor will not slow down your website so that it takes as little time as possible to load. However, a website that was built using this plugin may be two seconds slower than the one made from WordPress’s built-in website builder. Nonetheless, both equally bit faster than the version made through, say, Beaver Builder.
WordPress websites made with plugins can take longer to build due to multiple factors, including poor hosting, large media files and slow themes.