Are you searching for the best page builder for WordPress? You’ve come to the right place!
WordPress page builders plugins have revolutionized WordPress designing. These days people prefer page builders plugins rather than dealing with web designers. When you start a blog, you cannot skip the page builder plugins from your WordPress plugins checklist.
Since the rapid rise in the trend, a lot of companies have presented with WordPress page builder plugins. And because of so many good options available, it is tough to PICK one.
But don’t worry anymore. We will help you to filter the best page builders for WordPress.
In this post, you will see:
- List of top WordPress page builders
- Their review (for making a quick decision)
- Their downsides
- Performance Test
- Pricing and More
What are Page Builders in WordPress? (A Quick Explanation)
WordPress page builders are the type of plugins that allows users to customize and redesign the entire website to single content pages without touching a line of code. Such page builder plugins offer extra elements (building blocks) and premade template layouts which help users to streamline the WordPress designing process.
Some of the common reasons (or BENEFITS) users get by installing page builder plugins are:
- No coding knowledge, No problem
- Save Time: Pre-made templates or saved layouts can be reused again & again.
- Save Money: Cost of website design would surely go down when you choose page builders instead of hiring expensive web designers
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Drag and Drop WordPress Page Builders
What to look for in a WordPress page builder? How to know if the page builder is worth it or not?
Well, before jumping to the list of page builders, one should aware of the primary factors which need to be checked in a page builder plugin:
- Pre Made Templates: It should cover landing page templates, blocks, and complete website kit
- Elements (Modules): Double check to ensure the required elements you need for designing a page is available or not
- Theme Builder: A must have page builder tool which enables theme level editing that cannot be skipped
- WooCommerce Editing: It should offer WooCommerce integration or WooCommerce elements
- Other Factors: Revision history, Draft mode, Real time preview, Shortcodes friendly, etc.
After analyzing hundreds of page builders for the above essential features, here is the list of best WordPress page builders:
- Elementor
- Divi
- Beaver Builder
- WPBakery
- SeedProd
- Oxygen Builder
- Thrive Architect
- Gutenberg Block Editor
The HandPicked List of Best WordPress Page Builders 2023
Our Top 3 Recommendations: Elementor, Divi, and Beaver Builder. (You can quickly review them and skip the rest)
Which WordPress Page Builder is Fast? On demands, We have also conducted the performance test on the below WordPress website builders. The results are mentioned in the “Conclusion” section.
Features | Elementor | Divi | Beaver | WPBakery | SeedProd | Oxygen | Thrive Architect | Guetnberg |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Elements | 40 (+50) | 36 | 40+ | 50+ | 90 | 56+ | 36+ | 20+ |
Theme Builder | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
Free Version | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
Popup Builder | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ |
Global Modules | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
Drag & Drop | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Templates | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Basic |
Real Time Editing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
Inbuilt Theme | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
Custom CSS | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
A/B Testing | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
Embed Anywhere | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
Developers Friendly | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
WooCommerce Friendly | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
Pricing | $59/year | $89/year | $99/year | $59 | $239 | $129 | $99 | $0 |
1. Elementor (Free + Paid)
Elementor is the #1 WordPress page builder plugin on our list. The reasons behind this are it’s drag and drop working, smooth user interface, features, and high performance.
Elementor page builder is a plugin, hence it can’t work without a theme. And the great thing about Elementor is compatibility. No matter which WordPress theme you are on, you will not disappoint. It works with almost all popular WordPress themes (Such as GeneratePress, Astra, and so on.)
Elementor comes with both free and Pro versions. In fact, its free version is enough most of the time. You’ll mostly interact with Elementor widgets (40+ in the free version) to design your web pages with a real time preview.
However, the Elementor Pro version is 100% worth it when you want to make changes in a theme level. In other words, Elementor theme builder (a feature of Pro version) allows users to customize the theme header, footer, etc without coding at all. And hence, Elementor overcomes the serious limitation of WordPress default Gutenberg editor.
Elementor Highlights & Key Features: 10 Million+ Installations, Oldest WordPress Page Builder, Free Version, Drag & Drop Working, 4.7 Rating, WooCommerce Support, Full Theme Customization, Inbuilt Popup Form Maker, 50+ Elements, Global Widgets, Widget Embed via ShortCode, Custom CSS Support, 150+ Premade Templates [Blocks, Individual, Complete Website Kit].
Elementor Short Review: Why Elementor is the Best WordPress Page Builder?
After review, We should say every feature that makes a page builder “BEST” is included in the Elementor WordPress builder plugin.
The design process is simple and visually based. Only 1-2 tutorials are enough to get started with Elementor. 8 out of 10 times, the free version is enough. Elementor Pro is going to be a game changer for WooCommerce users and for those who require advanced theme level editing.
In a nutshell, Elementor is a must-try website page builder even if you are a small blogger, digital marketing agency, or a BIG eCommerce site.
Downsides of Elementor WordPress Page Builder
We found a lack of lifetime plans in Elementor. Apart from that, there is no such BIG concern.
How Much Does Elementor Cost?
Besides its free version, The Elementor Pro pricing is affordable too ($59/year), meaning you can save more as compared to hiring a web designer.
So what are you waiting for? Stop writing HTML and switch to Elementor Page Builder.
2. Divi (Paid)
Divi – The first alternative of Elementor or we can say it is the 2nd best WordPress page builder available in the market.
The Divi page builder plugin also supports drag & drop working, but the process of adding elements (modules) slightly differs. Here elements can be added via a movable customizer in a “section & rows” aspect.
Divi is a premium page builder plugin which comes along with a Divi theme. However, it’s not mandatory to use a Divi page builder with a Divi theme. You can use it with any popular theme and design a single page to modify the entire site theme. FYI Divi is one of the most powerful themes of all time.
Divi Highlights & Key Features: 36 Modules, Drag & Drop Builder, A/B Testing Module, Global Modules, Dynamic Interface, 350+ Website Templates, Inbuilt Theme, Theme Editing, Inbuilt Contact Form Builder, and WooCommerce Friendly.
Divi Short Review: Why Divi is the Best WordPress Page Builder?
Divi is known for its dynamic user interface, real time editing, and the largest library of premade templates. Personally, We would only recommend the Divi page builder if you have an interest in the Divi theme. Because both Page builder & theme are developed by Elegant themes and hence work smoothly.
Plus, Divi is one of the few premium WordPress page builder plugins which offers a “lifetime” plan. So in a nutshell, this would be a great deal of acquiring Divi theme & Divi Page Builder in a one time investment.
Downsides of Divi WordPress Page Builder
In Divi, you will be mostly using shortcodes (which means, things get messy if you disable Divi or migrate to another page builder plugin.)
Apart from this, the free version is missing. But you can always take a Divi Demo before investing in it.
How Much Does Divi WordPress Page Builder Cost?
Divi costs you $89/year or $249 as a one time charge.
Confused about how to get started with Divi page builder? Well, here is an amazing tutorial for you!
3.) Beaver Builder (Free + Paid)
Beaver Builder is another freemium drag and drop page builder plugin which allows you to create responsive designs in real time without writing a single line of HTML code.
Whether you’re looking to make a basic layout edit or customize the entire theme elements (Header, footer, etc), everything is possible here. The user interface also is flexible just like you have seen in other WordPress page builders. And it works in a section & column approach.
Compared to other WordPress page builders, Beaver Builder doesn’t generate shortcodes. In other words, it will directly embed HTML and CSS code. Because of this approach, your page layout won’t crash even if something happens to the Beaver Builder plugin or in a case when you delete this WordPress website builder.
One thing that should also be notable in Beaver Builder is related to its Theme Builder. The Beaver Builder’s theme builder has one functionality called “Users” which controls the appearance of the design based on the individual user. For example you can alter the design version to the users who are logged in or who aren’t. This feature could be really helpful for memberships or LMS websites.
Beaver Builder Highlights & Key Features: Drag & Drop Live Editing, Responsive Layouts, 6-50 Modules, Landing & Content Pages Templates, Inbuilt Theme Builder, Inbuilt Theme, White Labeling Benefit, Custom CSS support, WooCommerce Support, and Custom Modules.
Beaver Builder Short Review: Why is Beaver Builder the Best WordPress Page Builder?
Upon analysis, We only recommend Beaver Builder if you need a WordPress page builder installed on your client’s websites. It is one of the rare page builder plugins which offers complete white label benefits. And it is expensive, don’t forget this. But its paid plans allow you to install one license on unlimited sites.
Downsides of Beaver WordPress Page Builder
Despite lot of essential features, the Beaver Builder free version is not really worth it. Because it gives you only 6 elements and not a single pre-made template.
Talking about paid plans, the module count is still low (50). So again, if you are looking to give a shot to this page builder plugin make sure to double check the Module library.
How Much Does a Beaver Builder Cost?
The Beaver Builder plugin offers paid plans starting from $99/year. And if you need theme builder functionality, then you have to separately buy its “Theme Builder” extension which costs you an extra $147 every year.
Ready to get started with Beaver Builder? Watch a quick tutorial to get started…
4. WPBakery (Paid)
Compared to the modern page builders interface, you will find WPBakery drag & drop builder a little bit old and outdated. Also, there is a huge learning curve involved with the WPBakery page builder plugin and hence not recommended for beginners.
WPBakery Highlights & Key Features: Drag & Drop Builder, 50+ Elements, Built in Skin Builder, Advanced Grid Builder, 100+ Page Templates, 200+ Addons, 100% Responsiveness, WooCommerce Friendly, Custom CSS Supported, Shortcodes Enabled, RTL Support, etc.
WPBakery Short Review: Why WPBakery is the Best WordPress Page Builder?
Despite being rich in features, WPBakery is still not recommended for beginners. It may have enough elements & pre-made templates but because of uncleaned code, it is not the best option for SEO. Yes, you can achieve any imagined possible layout through WPBakery but performance is still lacking compared to modern technology built WordPress page builders.
So only go for WPBakery if you want to build your website while working with both the backend and frontend editors simultaneously. Do not prefer it if you have already liked the taste of modern page builders such as Elementor.
Downsides of WPBakery WordPress Page Builder
- Outdated drag and drop builder user interface
- Slow in performance
How Much Does WPBakery Cost?
WPBakery lifetime plans started from just $59.
5.) SeedProd (Free + Paid)
SeedProd is another GROWING WordPress website builder that is rich in features and mainly known for its high performance. The size of SeedProd is just 84 KB.
Earlier, it was just a maintenance mode plugin, but AwesomeMotive company (Known for its popular WP plugins) converted it into a tremendously powerful WordPress page builder.
It has everything you can expect in a Website page builder plugin, but somewhat their pricing and plans are weird and as a result, cost you much more than other popular WordPress website builders.
Compared with other WordPress site builders, SeedProd offers better email marketing integrations, it is slightly faster and offers a unique feature of “domain mapping” which allows you to build landing pages and point them out to other domains rather than your main domain.
SeedProd Highlights & Key Features: Lightweight, Drag & Drop Builder, 90+ Pro Blocks, Live Previews, Revision History, Draft Mode, Reuse Templates & Sections, 150+ Landing Pages Templates, Block Templates, Custom CSS, Color Schemes, WordPress Theme Builder, Built-in Coming Soon & Maintenance Modes, Custom 404 & Login Pages, Domain Mapping, WooCommerce Integration, 45+Animations, Spam Protection, and Email Marketing Services Integrations (10+).
SeedProd Short Review: Why SeedProd is the Best WordPress Page Builder?
We must say SeedProd is surely a perfect bundle of Page Builder tools. We don’t find any limitations on Modules, pre-made templates, and available features. In fact, its performance is great and it could be the first alternative to popular page builders such as Elementor or Divi.
If your budget is good, then you can go for SeedProd. Otherwise, it is better to skip it.
And Unlike other WordPress website builders, SeedProd free version is limited in features but you can always try it to get a feel of SpeedProd page builder interface and working.
Downsides of SeedProd WordPress Page Builder
SeedProd Pricing is a huge concern. If you check SeedProd pricing & plans you feel like SeedProd is trying to charge more. In other words, the organization of features into plans is really bad and will impact more on a user’s pocket. For example: To get a theme builder feature, the user has to opt for the Pro plan or higher (meaning the Basic & Plus plan is useless).
This is just one example of bad pricing… The list goes on.
How Much Does SeedProd Cost?
SeedProd plans have been started from $39.50/year (Basic) and go upto $239.60 (Elite)
6.) Oxygen Page Builder (Paid)
Oxygen Page Builder is the unique HYBRID WordPress theme (plus website builder) and currently receiving a lot of buzz among WordPress web designers. This plugin comes as a plugin and overrides your entire WordPress theme and gives you a website builder with advanced designing options.
Upon installation, it replaces the WordPress dashboard and opens as a separate sandbox module hence it is not for beginners. Oxygen editor is a little bit complex but it definitely has a lot of predesigned templates which fasten the page designing process.
Unlike other WordPress page builders, Oxygen Builder opens up the door to developers and enables them to play around with PHP, JS, CSS & HTML.
Oxygen Builder Highlights & Key Features: Drag & Drop Visual Editing, WooCommerce Integration, Intuitive User Interface, 30 Basic & Advanced Widgets, Custom Header Builder, API Support for Developers, Global Colors, and Pre-made Templates.
Oxygen Builder Short Review: Why Oxygen is the Best WordPress Page Builder?
By offering advanced designing options, and JS & PHP editing support, Oxygen Builder opens up a lot of opportunities for developers and allows them to build complex layouts for their clients easily.
And this is why it is first recommended to high level web designers or developers. Beginners who are ready to invest some learning time can also try Oxygen Builder.
Downsides of Oxygen WordPress Page Builder
The problem of ease of use is always there with the Oxygen website builder. And, Because of the shortcodes based page blocks, the garbage code might be generated in case of plugin deactivation.
How Much Does Oxygen Builder Cost?
For Oxygen Builder, you only have to pay once. Overall 3 lifetime plans are available which start from just $129.
7.) Thrive Architect (Paid)
Thrive Architect is another gem in the world of WordPress builders. It is a recommended page builder for eCommerce or sales focused websites.
The layout templates you will find in this visual drag & drop builder are more sales & marketing oriented, which means growth in leads and conversions. Not just templates, essential building blocks for conversions such as CTA buttons, countdown timers, testimonials, and lead generation forms are also provided by Thrive Architect.
Thrive Architect Highlights & Key Features: Drag & Drop Builder, 352 Landing Pages Templates, Flexible Columns Layouts, Popular Email Marketing Tools Integrations, Opt-in Forms, Social Share Icons, Content Reveal Block, CTA Buttons, Mobile Responsive Editing, Dynamic Animations, etc.
Thrive Architect Short Review: Why Thrive Architect is the Best WordPress Page Builder?
Out of all WordPress page builders plugins listed, We found Thrive Architect interesting especially when a requirement of attractive sales pages & landing pages is there.
By looking at templates, tools and available building blocks it is clearly proven that this website builder is specially designed when the goal is to build an email list, encourage sales, etc.
In a nutshell… Pick Thrive Architect if you are looking for a quick way to build sales pages, webinar pages, opt-in pages and more.
Downsides of Thrive Architect Page Builder
Thrive Architect lacks entire website kit templates as we see in Divi or Elementor. And there is no inbuilt theme builder included in Thrive Architect as well. These two reasons are probably enough to impact your decision for this website builder.
How Much Does a Thrive Architect Cost?
Thrive Architect costs $99/year if purchased as an individual plugin. Or if you’re interested in Thrive themes complete suite (a pack of thrive tools and plugins) then it will cost you $299/year.
Here is a quick video tutorial in case you wanna try Thrive Architect Page Builder.
8.) Gutenberg Block Editor (Free)
Surprised to see Gutenberg Block Editor in the WordPress page builders list?
Well, don’t be surprised. It is the same Gutenberg editor you see by navigating to WordPress Dashboard > Posts > Add New. Gutenberg isn’t a front-end website builder, hence it is best when you just want to tweak the layout of the content (post) in a simple manner and not the whole page layout. And of course, you can’t use Gutenberg to modify the theme level elements such as the header, footer, etc.
Similar to other WordPress website builders, you will see a few essential content blocks included in the default Gutenberg wordpress editor.
Gutenberg Block Editor Highlights & Key Features: Free, No Plugin Installation is Required.
Gutenberg Block Editor Review: Why Gutenberg is the Best WordPress Page Builder?
Gutenberg is always the first block editor (page builder) WordPress users first interact with. Because of the simple interface, WordPress users are more likely to get used to Gutenberg quickly than any other page builder plugin. It is free and 100% fit for achieving simple content design.
But we cannot ignore its limitations such as lack of real time editing, lesser modules, lesser templates, theme building capabilities, code customization, etc.
For these additional features, you have to leave the default Gutenberg editor and go for other page builders plugins.
FAQs About Best WordPress Page Builder 2023
Which is the cheapest WordPress page builder?
Elementor and Divi are the 2 cost effective page builder solutions currently available for WordPress users.
Which WordPress page builders load fast?
Based on the test results, Elementor, Divi, Beaver Builder, and SeedProd load the fastest.
Which are the best free WordPress page builders?
Elementor, Beaver Builder, and SeedProd are page builders whose free versions can be found in the WordPress plugin repository.
Which page builder plugin has the highest number of elements?
Is WordPress Gutenberg Editor better?
Gutenberg editor is the most basic page builder that comes by default with WordPress CMS. This page builder is used to create basic layouts with limited content blocks. Important features such as theme building, real time preview, and page templates are missing from it. Overall it is rated 5/10 compared to other page builders plugins.
Can I edit WooCommerce pages with WordPress page builder plugins?
Which was the most downloaded WordPress page builder in 2022?
What is the difference between WordPress page builder vs theme?
WordPress themes define the website layout whereas page builder is used to customizing the look of different areas of your website theme via drag and drop approach. WordPress themes can work without a page builder, but a page builder plugin needs a WordPress theme preinstalled in order to work correctly.
Do WordPress page builders impact SEO?
Not at all. Using popular page builder plugins along with SEO plugins ensures safe SEO practice.
Conclusion: Which is the Fastest WordPress Page Builder?
So here we reach the end of this amazing post. But there’s still something left to cover.
As promised, we are excited to reveal the answer to the most asked question – “Which is the Fastest WordPress Builder?”
On our test sites, We have installed the above page builders one by one and with the help of speed testing tools we’ve finally come up with the results.
WordPress Page Builder Speed Comparison:
WordPress Page Builders | Google PageSpeed | Pingdom | GTMetrix |
---|---|---|---|
Elementor | 92 | 94 | 100% |
Divi | 97 | 96 | 100% |
Beaver Builder | 93 | 94 | 100% |
WPBakery | 89 | 84 | 91% |
SeedProd | 96 | 96 | 100% |
Oxygen Builder | 84 | 80 | 94% |
Thrive Architect | 90 | 92 | 100% |
Gutenberg | 91 | 91 | 100% |
The results are on your screen.
The final decision should be made not just by checking the speed testing scores. The number of modules, templates, usability, etc also be considered. Page builders performance can be improved by opt-in for a good web host but you cannot compromise on the features.
If you are still confused, go through the entire post again. And if you want to go with our choice, then you can pick any page builder from the top 3.
Have any questions? Let’s discuss this in the comments.