Why this comparison matters for beginners
If you’re building or redesigning a wordpress site, the page builder you pick shapes everything from how fast you work to how fast your site loads. elementor is one of the most talked-about builders, but it is not the only option. Each builder takes a different approach to design, performance, pricing, and flexibility. This article breaks down what makes elementor popular, how it stacks up against other well-known tools, and how to choose the right one for your needs without getting lost in jargon.
What Elementor is and how it works
Elementor is a visual, drag-and-drop WordPress page builder with an easy interface and a wide set of design elements. You edit pages in a live canvas, dragging widgets (like headings, images, buttons, and forms) into columns and sections. Beyond basic page design, Elementor Pro adds a theme builder that controls headers, footers, single post templates, and more, plus a popup builder and integrations with forms and marketing tools. For many users, the appeal is quick visual control without touching code while still offering advanced controls like custom css and dynamic content when needed.
Elementor strengths
Elementor tends to be praised for its extensive template library, a rich set of widgets, a stable user interface, and strong community and third-party add-ons. For beginners who want immediate visual results, it accelerates the design process because most elements behave predictably and come with preset styles. The Pro version unlocks theme-level control so you can style site-wide components from the same interface you use to build pages.
Elementor trade-offs
No builder is perfect for every project. Elementor can add extra CSS and JavaScript that impact page speed if not optimized, and heavy use of third-party addons increases that risk. Since Elementor stores layout data in post meta, migrating complex designs to another builder is not trivial. Some designers also find the code output less clean than builder options focused on minimal markup. Finally, certain advanced features require a Pro license, which means recurring cost for updates and support.
Popular alternatives and how they compare
Below are the main alternatives beginners encounter. Each one tries a slightly different balance of usability, performance, and flexibility.
gutenberg (Block Editor)
Gutenberg is the built-in WordPress block editor and has matured into a full site editing platform with blocks and block-based themes. It’s the most native choice and tends to be lighter than third-party builders because it integrates with WordPress core. For beginners, Gutenberg is a low-risk option: no additional plugins are required and site performance is generally good. The downside is that advanced layout capabilities and global theme-building features are still catching up to dedicated builders; the learning curve shifts from widget-focused design to thinking in reusable blocks and block patterns.
Divi
Divi is a commercial builder with a visual editor similar to Elementor and a large collection of templates and design options. Divi’s standout is its design system and built-in theme; many designers like its global styles and split testing features. However, Divi uses shortcodes and a proprietary data format that can complicate migrations, and performance can be an issue if you use numerous modules without optimization. Pricing is different too , Divi typically offers lifetime licenses, which may appeal if you prefer one-time payments instead of yearly renewals.
Beaver Builder
Beaver Builder is known for stability and clean code. It doesn’t chase every visual gimmick, but it delivers reliable layouts and good compatibility with themes and plugins. Beaver Builder’s interface is straightforward and developers often appreciate its extensibility. It tends to be lighter and more optimized out of the box compared to some other builders, which can be important if you care about page speed. The trade-off is fewer built-in design features and a smaller template library than Elementor or Divi.
Brizy
Brizy offers a modern interface and aims to be beginner-friendly with inline editing and pre-made blocks. It’s fast to pick up and includes many templates, but it’s still younger than Elementor and Divi, so ecosystem and third-party addon support are smaller. Brizy can be a good choice for users who want a clean, modern UI and who don’t rely on a large addon ecosystem.
WPBakery Page Builder
WPBakery (formerly Visual composer) was one of the earliest builders and remains common because of legacy bundled themes. It works with front-end and back-end editors, but its interface feels dated to some users and it often produces heavier markup. If you inherited a site that used WPBakery, it’s efficient to stick with it; for new projects, other builders may offer a smoother experience.
Oxygen Builder
Oxygen takes a different approach: it gives powerful control over markup and CSS and is aimed at developers and advanced designers who want minimal overhead and fast performance. Oxygen removes the WordPress theme, letting you build everything from templates to single pages inside its editor. For beginners, Oxygen has a steeper learning curve and fewer one-click templates, but for those who want ultimate control and highly optimized output, it’s a strong choice.
How to compare them,practical criteria
Choosing the right builder depends on the project and your priorities. Below are practical criteria that help compare Elementor with alternatives in real terms.
- Ease of use: Elementor and Divi offer the most immediate visual editing for non-technical users. Gutenberg and Brizy are also approachable, while Oxygen favors developers.
- Performance: Gutenberg and Oxygen generally produce the lightest output. Beaver Builder often performs better than Elementor out of the box, but real-world performance depends on usage and third-party addons.
- Design freedom: Elementor, Divi, and Brizy provide many widgets and templates. Oxygen offers deep control but requires more knowledge.
- Theme and site editing: Elementor Pro and Divi support theme building. Gutenberg is moving toward full site editing as a core feature, while Oxygen replaces the theme entirely.
- Cost and licensing: Prices vary. Elementor has free and Pro tiers; Divi offers one-time lifetime options; most others use annual licenses. Factor long-term costs if you manage multiple sites.
- Developer features: Oxygen and Beaver Builder are developer-friendly; Elementor provides hooks and custom code options too. Choose based on whether you’ll extend or customize the builder.
Choosing the right builder as a beginner
Start with the goal of the site and how much control you actually want. If you want quick layouts and a large template library to iterate visually, Elementor is a solid pick because it balances ease of use with advanced features like theme building. If you prefer to stick with WordPress-native tools and keep things light, try Gutenberg and add blocks or block patterns for extra capabilities. If you care deeply about performance and are ready to learn more, Oxygen is worth exploring. Beaver Builder suits users who want stability and clean code without endless bells and whistles, while Divi is attractive if you like a huge built-in ecosystem and lifetime pricing. Brizy is a nice middle ground for simple sites and modern UI fans.
Quick recommendations by scenario
If you’re building a simple portfolio or local business site and want fast results with low friction, Elementor or Brizy will get you there quickly. If you’re building a larger site with many templates and need editorial workflows, consider Gutenberg plus block-based theme tools or Elementor Pro for its theme builder. For freelancers and agencies who need clean output and performance for many client sites, Oxygen or Beaver Builder may be a better long-term fit. And if you inherit a site built with WPBakery or Divi, weigh the migration cost before switching.
Tips to avoid common problems
Whatever builder you pick, follow basic best practices: avoid installing a dozen addons unless necessary, optimize images and assets, and use caching and a performance plugin. Test responsiveness on different devices as you build, and consider a child theme or version control if you plan major customizations. If you think you might switch builders later, try to keep content as standard WordPress blocks where possible to ease migration.
Concise summary
Elementor is a feature-rich, user-friendly page builder that works well for many beginners and small to medium sites, especially when you want visual control without coding. Alternatives like Gutenberg, Divi, Beaver Builder, Brizy, WPBakery, and Oxygen each offer different trade-offs in performance, control, and ecosystem. Choose based on whether you prioritize speed, design flexibility, developer control, or ongoing cost. Testing a free version or a trial, where available, is the easiest way to find which interface clicks for you.
FAQs
Is Elementor better than Gutenberg?
“Better” depends on your needs. Gutenberg is native, lightweight, and improving fast; it’s a good default for content-focused sites. Elementor provides more design widgets, templates, and a simpler visual layout system for beginners who want pixel control without code. If you need broad theme-building features and many prebuilt designs, Elementor has the edge; if you want minimal overhead and core compatibility, choose Gutenberg.
Can I switch from Elementor to another builder later?
Switching is possible but not always simple. Page layouts built with Elementor store data in a proprietary format, so migrating complex pages to another builder often requires rebuilding. To keep options open, store critical content in native blocks or short content blocks that are easier to move.
Which builder gives the best performance?
Oxygen and Gutenberg typically yield the leanest output, closely followed by well-configured Beaver Builder. Elementor and Divi can be optimized to perform well, but they often require attention to asset loading and third-party addons to reach top speed.
Do I need Elementor Pro?
Not always. Elementor’s free version is strong for basic pages and small sites. If you want theme building, popups, global widgets, or advanced integrations like forms and dynamic content, Elementor Pro adds those capabilities. Evaluate which Pro features you’ll actually use before buying.
Which builder is best for developers?
Developers often prefer Oxygen for control over markup and performance, or Beaver Builder for clean code and extendability. Elementor also offers developer hooks and custom widgets, so it can work in developer workflows when advanced features are needed.
