Are you looking for an easy way to build and customize your WordPress website? If so, a drag and drop page builder could be the perfect solution. The only challenge is finding the right one!
All of these powerful WordPress page builders like Elementor, Beaver Builder, and others will make creating pages on your WordPress site easier than ever before. And with a few clicks, you can create new elements, change layouts, and create stunning pages for your website.
Alternatively, Spectra is one of the few advanced page builders that help you design beautiful pages with the default WordPress block editor and Astra theme.
But the question is – Should you use a page builder and, if you want to use one, how do you choose the best?
So before we jump into the list of the best drag and drop page builders, let’s answer these questions.
Should You Use a WordPress Page Builder?
Rather than suggest you go with a page builder or avoid it, we’ll share a few reasons why it makes sense to use page builders. We’ll also mention when you can skip using page builders and just stick to the default block editor of WordPress.
Here are 3 reasons why people use page builders:
- To create a custom landing page for your website without hiring a developer
- To build fully customized opt-in pages
- Save a lot of time while you design your website
Here are 3 reasons why you don’t need a page builder:
- You want a super-fast website that isn’t slowed down by a page builder
- You only want custom background colors or images, text styles, or need images, and videos on your pages
- You are a minimalist and prefer to remain design light
While these reasons will give you an understanding of the purpose of a page builder, there could be many more reasons to use a page builder or avoid it.
But when it comes to designing websites, less is better.
With the default WordPress block editor becoming more advanced with every release, you should be able to design most of your pages without additional plugins.
This will also ensure that your website remains fast and is free of the heavy HTML code added by some page builders.
If you want more advanced design elements, try using a simple block editor addon like Spectra
The plugin simply adds new advanced blocks to the WordPress editor while keeping the website lightweight and fast.
If you’re still not sure, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I want to create complex layouts without having to code anything?
- Do I want to be able to change the look of my site without editing theme files?
- Do I want to save time with web designing?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then a WordPress page builder is definitely for you!
11 Best WordPress Page Builders
If you have a do-it-yourself mindset, you can build amazing websites for your business with a good WordPress page builder.
- Elementor – A versatile free WordPress page builder
- Spectra – Free page builder for WordPress block editor
- Beaver Builder – An intuitive page builder for seamless website design
- Oxygen Page Builder – Powerful visual editing for your entire website
- Themify – Best page builder for agencies and web developers
- Brizy – No-code website builder for agencies
- Thrive Architect – A WordPress visual editor focused on conversions
- SeedProd – No code drag and drop WordPress website builder
- Breakdance – Effortless website design with a deep WooCommerce integration
- Divi – A popular WordPress page builder with extensive visual design capabilities
- Visual Composer – A premium website builder for WordPress to create professional-looking sites
Page Builder | Overall Rating | Price | Features | Templates | Theme Builder |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Elementor | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ | Free $59/year | 5/5 | 100+ | ✔ |
Spectra | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ | Free $49/year | 4/5 | 100+ | ✘ |
Beaver Builder | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ | Free $99/year | 3/5 | 170+ | ✔ |
Oxygen Page Builder | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ | $129 lifetime | 3/5 | Not specified | ✔ |
Themify | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ | $89/year | 4/5 | 42 | ✔ |
Brizy | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ | Free $60/year | 3/5 | 100+ | ✔ |
Thrive Architect | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ | $99/yr | 5/5 | 220+ | ✔ |
SeedProd | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ | $79/year | 4/5 | 100 | ✔ |
Breakdance | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ | Free $99/year | 4/5 | Not specified | ✘ |
Divi | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ | $89/year | 5/5 | 2,000+ | ✔ |
Visual Composer | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ | Free $49/year | 4/5 | 200+ | ✔ |
Let’s now take a look at the best WordPress page builders that you can use to create beautiful websites without learning to code.
1. Elementor
When it comes to building a website, sometimes the cheapest option can also be the best option. Elementor’s free version is one of the best out there.
Even though it has fewer features than its premium version (Elementor Pro), it allows you to build amazing websites.
So if you’re on a budget, don’t worry – Elementor has you covered.
What is Elementor?
Elementor is a powerful WordPress page builder (Check our Elementor review) that enables you to create beautiful websites with ease.
With over 4 million active installs, it is one of the most popular WordPress page builders available. Thanks to its user-friendly interface and advanced features, Elementor is a preferred choice for WordPress designers.
Whether you’re a web design novice or a seasoned pro, Elementor makes it easy to create stunning websites that look great and perform even better.
Elementor ease of use
Elementor can help you quickly create beautiful pages without learning to code. If you’re a developer, you’ll appreciate the plugin’s extensible architecture that allows you to create custom widgets and addons.
Elementor’s developers are highly proactive and consistently release new widgets to offer the most up to date experience. It features a live front end editor, allowing you to make and review your updates in real-time.
It is also one of the fastest page builders, which means it won’t slow down your website too much.
Every element that you add to your page is crafted with absolute attention to detail, ensuring that your pages look great without being bloated.
With the free version, you will have access to the Elementor documentation such as the knowledge base, FAQ, and video tutorials. You can access premium support by purchasing Elementor Pro.
Elementor templates
Elementor’s templates and blocks library is one of the largest you’ll find with over 100 free templates and 300 pro templates.
While this can be overwhelming for some, it’s perfect for those who want a lot of options to choose from. If you’re looking for a simplified experience, Beaver Builder might be a better choice.
However, if you’re willing to spend some time sifting through the templates, Elementor is the way to go.
Elementor SEO
Elementor produces clean, efficient code as you build out your website, resulting in an incredibly SEO friendly website.
Elementor community
With over 4 million active installs come great resources in the form of an extensive knowledge base and a very active Facebook community.
The Elementor community group on Facebook has a whopping 54,000 members. Elementor does a terrific job of facilitating their community engagement, including hosting consistent community meetups that happen all over the world.
They also have translating communities and a dedicated community for developers.
Elementor third-party ecosystem
Third parties have built some impressive addons to make Elementor even more powerful than it already is.
Examples include Starter Templates, Ultimate Addons for Elementor, Essential Addons for Elementor, and Premium Addons for Elementor. Combined, these options have over 600,000 installations with an average 5-star rating.
Now before you get too overwhelmed, some functionality and widgets of these various addons do overlap, so it won’t be necessary for you to install these plugins.
Elementor pricing
Elementor has a very simple pricing structure.
All plans offer the same features and assets. From the different builders to all the templates and design elements.
The price only varies depending on the number of sites where you want to use it. From $59/year for a single site, to $399/year for up to 1,000 sites.
Final verdict on Elementor
So Elementor sounds amazing (and it is), so what is the catch?
Overall Elementor is the most powerful page builder, and while it is user-friendly, it is not the most user-friendly.
There are two considerations that should lead you to choose Elementor:
- If zero cost is the biggest factor for you and you are okay with troubleshooting and researching fixes on your own via Google or searching for answers in a Facebook group.
- If you are willing to sacrifice a little hand-holding and support for sheer power.
For many of you, choosing a page builder will come down to either Beaver Builder or Elementor.
2. Spectra
One of the big disadvantages of the current page builders is that they always seem to have their own external editor.
This can introduce performance penalties as extra files need to be loaded and it’s another system to learn. This is something you can easily avoid with Spectra.
What is Spectra?
Spectra is an innovative page builder that seamlessly integrates into the default WordPress block editor.
With it you can craft elegant website designs effortlessly, thanks to its diverse variety of blocks, patterns, wireframes and extensive library of icons.
No matter the level of experience you have, its user-friendly interface offers a minimal learning curve. You can master it in minutes!
Ease of use
Spectra is 100% beginner-friendly as it enhances the default WordPress block editor by allowing you to add more elements and options.
So you don’t have to learn anything new but use an interface you already know and are familiar with.
Thanks to its one-click block presets or its copy and paste style functionality, using this page builder is not only easy but also fast and efficient.
Spectra templates
Spectra has a wide variety of templates that will help you work much faster.
It provides 300 pre-built block patterns, 60 wireframes and dozens of full website designs, for free.
Spectra SEO
As Spectra works with the native WordPress editor it has no dependency on external code.
This along with the JIT markup compiler, local loading of fonts and modern react framework makes this web page builder really fast. Something Google and your visitors will love!
Spectra community
Spectra has more than 500,000 active installations and an extensive knowledge base where it explains all its blocks and other features in detail.
Its Facebook community is still growing. Being a product developed by Brainstorm Force, the actual ecosystem and community is very well supported.
Third-party ecosystem
Spectra works very well with all compliant WordPress plugins and other Brainstorm Force products such as the Astra theme, and other friendly developments such as SureCart or SureMembers.
Being integrated into the WordPress block editor, any other tool that is compatible with the latter will automatically be compatible with Spectra as well.
Spectra pricing
You can use Spectra for free.
If you want more features you also have Spectra Pro.
For just $49 you’ll get access to the popup builder, loop builder, more custom blocks and extensions.
You can increase the number of sites where you can use the plugin by increasing the price very little. For example 1,000 sites instead of 1 only increases the price by just $20.
If you want to save even more, choose a lifetime purchase, and plans that unlock other products like Astra Pro or ProjectHuddle.
Final verdict on Spectra
Spectra is an ideal page builder for beginners as it has a free version and it’s integrated into an interface you already know.
It’s also a great expert choice, as you’ll find hundreds of templates, options and tools to create the design you need.
3. Beaver Builder
What is Beaver Builder?
If you’re just getting started with WordPress and building websites, Beaver Builder is a great option.
With an estimated 500,000+ users and installations on over one million websites, it’s popular among both developers and do-it-yourselfers.
Beaver Builder ease of use
Beaver Builder is a powerful and easy-to-use page builder for WordPress. It was created by a former WordPress web building agency with the aim of making it fast and efficient to build pages for their clients.
This client-first attitude has led Beaver Builder to be incredibly intuitive and they receive high marks for customer support, which really makes them stand out amongst other WordPress page builders.
Beaver Builder features a live, front-end editor that works in real-time. This makes it easy to see what your changes will look like as you make them, without having to refresh the page or preview mode.
You can even test out their modules and user interface for yourself with their hosted demo.
So if you’re looking for a powerful yet easy-to-use page builder for WordPress, Beaver Builder is definitely worth checking out!
Beaver Builder templates
Beaver Builder’s impressive library of responsive and customizable templates makes it easy to have a website up and running in no time. Just swap out the content with your own to get started.
This library, along with Beaver Builder’s collection of modules (aka widgets), positions the builder as an industry-agnostic page builder. Whether you are a lawyer, artist, restaurant, or small eCommerce shop, you can build your site with Beaver Builder.
Beaver Builder SEO
Beaver Builder is built with beautiful code and produces very neat code as you build out your website with it. You can definitely build out an SEO-friendly site using Building Beaver.
Beaver Builder community
If you’re looking for a comprehensive community of like-minded individuals to help you with Beaver Builder, look no further than their hosted forum or Facebook group.
With over 500,000 users and 1,000,000 installations worldwide, you’re sure to find the answers and support you need from other experienced users.
Plus, with 15,000+ members in the Facebook group, you can tap into a wealth of knowledge and experience.
Beaver Builder third-party ecosystem
When considering a WordPress page builder, a huge vote of confidence is looking at the success of third-party addons to the builder.
If third-party addons are having success, it means two things:
- The user base of the builder is large and active
- The builder is built on solid, clean code and integrates well
Beaver Builder is a shining example of a tool that has great third-party addons that extend its power through extra modules and templates.
Examples include Starter Templates, Ultimate Addons for Beaver Builder, and PowerPack for Beaver Builder. Combined, these addons have over 330,000 installations with an average rating of over 4.5 stars.
Not only that, there are many popular addons available for the beaver builder.
In addition, this page builder works with almost any theme, and they even mention on their site: “If for any reason it doesn’t work, we will work with you to ensure it does!”
Just another example of their world-class support.
Beaver Builder pricing
Beaver Builder has 5 different plans starting at $99/year.
Each plan unlocks different features which makes it a bit tricky to guess which one you need.
The good thing is that all of them, even the cheapest one, allows you to use the page builder on unlimited sites.
Final verdict on Beaver Builder
If you’re looking to build your own WordPress website and know that you could use some super helpful human support along the way, Beaver Builder is the way to go.
4. Oxygen Page Builder
What is Oxygen Page Builder?
Oxygen Page Builder is a powerful WordPress plugin that allows you to create custom pages and posts with drag-and-drop simplicity.
With Oxygen, you can design your own layouts using a wide variety of elements, and then use the built-in WordPress editor to add your own content.
Its drag and drop lets you easily add new elements to your pages and posts. You can also customize the appearance of your elements using the built-in WordPress Customizer.
Oxygen also includes support for popular WordPress plugins like Advanced Custom Fields Pro, Gravity Forms, and Jetpack.
Pricing
You can buy Oxygen page builder via a lifetime license. This is a great advantage as this license allows you to use the tool on unlimited sites.
The basic plan costs $129, but since this is a one-time payment, it’s interesting to invest a little more and get the ultimate plan for $179, which unlocks all features.
Verdict
Oxygen is a great alternative to other WordPress plugins like Visual Composer, Divi Builder, and Beaver Builder. If you’re looking for a plugin that will allow you to easily create custom pages and posts, then Oxygen is the perfect choice.
5. Themify
What is Themify?
Themify is an all-in-one solution for building WordPress sites with ease. It offers 42 pre-made themes, which includes the Photoshop files, but its real power lies in its plugins and builder addons.
Plugins extend the capabilities of your website, allowing you to add conditional menus, announcement bars or create flippable tiles.
The builder addons let you design any type of website you want using pricing tables, contact forms, WooCommerce products and using more than 24 different blocks, including post-type builders.
It isn’t quite as intuitive as Elementor to use and has a similar feel to the WordPress block editor. Select a block in the center and use the dropdown menu or left block menu to make your changes.
The principle is simple but you can achieve a great deal with the Themify Builder.
Themify pricing
Themify Builder is included with any single theme for $59 per year. You can also use all tools by joining the Master club tier for $89 per year.
The license is valid for unlimited sites. If you are going to create a lot of sites the value/price ratio is unbeatable.
A $249 lifetime version is also available if you want to receive lifetime updates and support.
Verdict
Joining Themify offers an exceptional value proposition for both website owners and freelance web developers.
By paying an affordable fee you gain access to a comprehensive toolkit for creating stunning WordPress websites, including some very cool themes.
6. Brizy
Brizy is a page builder with a lot of professional designs and features.
Besides a visual builder with drag and drop functionality, templates, and 4000+ vector icons that will speed up your design process, you can make use of.
- A contact form and a pop up builder
- Integration with custom fields plugins like ACF
- Marketing integrations
- A theme builder
- WooCommerce support
- Membership functionality
Brizy is a very powerful plugin ideal for a wide variety of situations, from store owners to other professionals who want their own membership website.
It’s an ideal solution for agencies and designers. The most advanced plan has the option to activate white labeling so you can brand the plugin and builder with your own logo and name.
Pricing
If you’re just looking for the basics you can use Brizy for free forever.
If you need more power, the Pro version will allow you to use advanced features on a site for $60/year.
For more seats you’ll have to upgrade to upper levels. These plans unlock other features such as the memberships or WordPress multisite functionality.
Verdict
If you’re looking for the next big thing in WordPress page builders, Brizy is definitely worth keeping an eye on.
While it still needs some time to mature, it offers a lot of great features and has the potential to be one of the top builders in a few years. So if you’re looking for something new and exciting, Brizy is definitely worth checking out!
We explored Brizy builder deeply in our Brizy vs. Gutenberg comparison; check that out!
7. Thrive Architect
What is Thrive Architect?
While you can certainly build conversion-focused websites using Elementor and Beaver Builder, Thrive Architect really shines in this niche. With its focus on conversion-oriented design, Thrive Architect provides the tools you need to create high-converting websites.
However, while Thrive Architect is a great tool for building conversion-focused sites, it falls short of Elementor and Beaver Builder when it comes to ease of use and flexibility.
As such, if you’re looking for a tool that’s easy to use and provides plenty of flexibility, you’ll want to look elsewhere.
But, if you’re specifically interested in building conversion-focused websites, Thrive Architect is definitely worth checking out.
Thrive Architect pricing
You can get Thrive Architect for $99 per year for a single website.
If you need to use it on more sites you’ll have to buy more licenses at the same price, or sign up for the Thrive suite which unlocks 5 seats and other plugins.
Final verdict on Thrive Architect
If you’re the type of person who has to Google a lot of the vocabulary used above, then Thrive Architect may not be the best page builder for you.
However, if you’re an online marketer by profession and are interested in features like pre-built landing pages, lead generation forms, funnels, and email-marketing integration, then give Thrive Architect a try!
8. SeedProd
What is SeedProd?
SeedProd is a powerful page builder that helps you create beautiful websites with ease.
It offers a drag and drop interface, pre-built themes, and support for many popular marketing tools. SeedProd is a great choice for those who want an easy-to-use page builder with plenty of features.
However, it is important to note that there is no free version of SeedProd and that the templates may not be as high quality as some other page builders.
Pricing
Seedprod has 4 different tiers.
Each allows you to use the plugin on a certain number of sites, from 1 to unlimited.
But each level also unlocks basic plugin features like integrations or number of page templates.
This means that you may have to sign up for the most expensive plan just because you want one specific feature, even if you only need to use the tool on a single site.
Verdict
If you’re looking for a powerful yet easy-to-use page builder, SeedProd is a great option. It comes with a wide range of features and blocks, and it’s fast and easy to use.
However, it doesn’t have the same range of options as Beaver Builder or Elementor, so it may not be the best choice if you’re looking for a more comprehensive solution.
Additionally, there is no free version, so you’ll have to purchase it outright before you can try it out.
9. Breakdance
What is Breakdance?
Breakdance is a capable WordPress page builder that competes well with the others in this list. It may not be as well known as Divi or Spectra but it’s a very powerful tool for building attractive pages.
There’s a free version of Breakdance that offers 80 elements you can use on unlimited pages. There’s also a pro version that offers 120+ blocks, custom fonts and support for a lot more creativity.
There are also some more advanced tools such as element and template conditions that enable you to set triggers for actions and level up the interactivity.
Pricing
Breakdance has a very simple pricing structure.
In addition to the free version you can unlock all pro features for one site for $99.99/year, or for unlimited sites for $199.99/year.
Verdict
Breakdance is an excellent drag and drop page builder that takes all the usual ingredients and adds more. It’s flexible and adds a smart form builder and popup trigger integration to make it just a little more useful.
The pricing means it’s mainly for web design agencies or larger customers, but that doesn’t lessen its appeal.
10. Divi
What is Divi?
One of the original page builders for WordPress built by Elegant Themes, the amount of time Divi has been on the market has given it time to accumulate a large user base.
Their lifetime license, which totals $249 for unlimited websites and lifetime support, is quite a value, and has been around so long, Divi has the most features and templates of any page builder.
In addition, the agility of their development team allows them to crank out new features fast.
Pricing
Divi is constantly running temporary promotions so it is difficult to specify the exact price.
In any case you can get it in two different ways:
- For an annual subscription of about $90/year
- For a one-time payment of about $250
Both options will allow you to use it on unlimited sites.
Verdict
While Divi is an awesome page builder that offers an intuitive design, beautiful user interface, and lets you create just about anything with it, the functionality and settings are all over the place.
Until the library of functionality is organized, you may find Divi very overwhelming and might not be able to use it to the fullest.
11. Visual Composer
What is Visual Composer?
Visual Composer is a drag and drop website builder that lets you create custom pages and posts without having to write any code.
With more than 300 content elements and 200+ templates you’ll be able to build the website you need quickly using its intuitive drag and drop builder.
It has support for WooCommerce and other advanced features such as a popup builder, analysis of the page to check that it’s optimized for SEO, or role management.
This makes this page builder ideal for business owners, marketers, and other technical profiles that are looking for more than just a nice and functional design.
Pricing
In addition to the free version limited in elements, templates and features, Visual Composer has a Pro version you can unlock through an annual or lifetime payment.
The different annual licenses share the same features. The only difference is the number of sites where you can use it. Starting at 1 for $49/year and 1,000 for $349/year.
The $149 lifetime version only allows you to use the tool on one website, which will be expensive if you run several projects.
Verdict
Visual Composer is a great drag and drop page builder that can help you create beautiful pages and posts with ease. It is simple to use and comes with a lot of features that can help you customize your pages to perfection.
How Can I Decide Which WordPress Page Builder Is Right for Me?
There are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind when deciding which WordPress page builder is right for you.
First, identify what kind of features you need and whether or not the page builder offers them.
Second, consider how easy the page builder is to use and whether or not it’s intuitive for you.
Finally, take into account the price of the page builder and whether or not it’s worth the investment.
Here are 9 factors that come into play when choosing a page builder for your web design projects:
- Ease of use: The page builder should be easy to use and allow you to create pages without having to code.
- Functionality: The page builder should offer all the features you need to create beautiful pages.
- Flexibility: The page builder should be flexible and allow you to create pages that look exactly how you want them to.
- Price: The page builder should be affordable and offer a good value for the money.
- Support: The page builder should come with good support in case you run into any problems.
- Compatibility: The page builder should be compatible with the theme and plugins you are using.
- Updates: The page builder should be regularly updated to keep up with the latest WordPress version.
- Documentation: The page builder should come with good documentation so you can easily learn how to use it.
- Bonus: The page builder should offer a money-back guarantee so you can try it risk-free.
Once you’ve considered all of these factors, you should have a good idea of which page builder is right for you.
What Type of Websites Can I Build With a WordPress Page Builder?
WordPress page builders are a great way to quickly and easily create beautiful, responsive websites. But what kind of sites can you build with them?
Here are some examples:
- Forum or community sites
- Magazine or news sites
- Business websites
- Portfolio websites
- Online stores
The possibilities are endless! If you can dream it, chances are you can build it with a WordPress page builder.
FAQS
Final Thoughts
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question as the best drag and drop page builder for you will depend on your specific needs and preferences.
However, we can narrow it down to a few good contenders.
If you’re looking for a powerful and flexible page builder, we recommend Elementor or Beaver Builder.
If you want to design beautiful pages, without unnecessary bloat, you can use Spectra (UAG). It is an addon to WordPress’ default block editor and enhances its functionality even further. With UAG, you get a variety of new blocks that you can use to create advanced page layouts without slowing your site.
Whichever one you decide to go with, it is important to ensure that it meets all your requirements at the beginning.
Switching page builders and redesigning pages can be a hassle if done later. So we hope this article will speed up your decision-making process and help you find the right page builder for your needs.
What are you looking for in the perfect page builder? Do you find any features missing in all of them that you’d love to have? Which page designer did you go with? Let us know in the comments below!
Abhijeet Kaldate is the co-founder and CRO of Brainstorm Force. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for getting things done, Abhijeet oversees the company's operations, managing key areas such as HR, marketing, design and finance.
Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may receive a small commission. Read disclosure. Rest assured that we only recommend products that we have personally used and believe will add value to our readers. Thanks for your support!
Which of these would be the best at handling a landing page using video backgrounds?
I thought this post was your highly anticipated announcement of UAG’s upgrade Spectra. I wonder if you are still willing to turn UAG into Spectra adding flexbox containers. If yes, are you still aiming to release it April 2022?
Many thanks ❤️
I think we’ll have to wait and watch! There’s a lot that seems to be going on at Brainstorm force!
Hello Marina,
Yes, we do have this lined up for the early next month. Our beta is already out. https://wpspectra.com/spectra-2-0-beta/
We have already provided flexbox in the above document, do register and give them a try.
Which one of these Page builders is cheaper for beginners?
I was very much delighted to read your article. There are several popular and highly regarded WordPress page builder plugins available. Here are some of the best ones:
1.Elementor
2.Divi Builder
3.Beaver Builder
4.Visual Composer
5.SiteOrigin Page Builder
6.Thrive Architect
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