Page builder is a plugin that can ease your job in making a website in WordPress. You can use it to create a better page like homepage, about page, contact page, and so on. Some page builder plugins — including Elementor — even have additional features such as theme builder and popup builder.
Typically, a page builder plugin comes with a drag and drop visual editor to make it easy for you to design your page. You can easily add the elements you want — image, button, text, CTA, etc. — to the canvas area within the editor. The vast majority of page builder plugin developers adopt a freemium business model, although there are some that release their product as a fully paid product.
I have compiled a list of the best page builder plugins for WordPress. From free to paid ones.
On the list:
- Elementor
- Breakdance
- Beaver Builder
- Divi Builder
- WPBakery
- Visual Composer
- Page Builder Sandwich
- MotoPress Content Editor
- Brizy
- Themify Builder
1. Elementor
If you are new to page builder plugin and is looking for a page builder plugin that offer free version, Elementor is one of the page builder plugins that you can try. It is a freemium plugin so you can use it for free. You can simply upgrade to premium in case you need to add elements that are only available on premium version.
Elementor is a popular page builder. According to the stat on the official plugin directory of WordPress, Elementor has over 13+ million active installations.
The free version of Elementor offers basic elements like image, text, button, video, spacer, icon, map and so. Elements are put together into three sections. One of the handy features offered by Elementor is navigator which makes it easy for you to navigate between sections and elements.
Some elements you can get on the Elementor Pro are form, slider, price table, price list, countdown, and so on. In addition, there are many other features offered by Elementor Pro. Including pop-up builder and theme builder. Furthermore, Elementor also supports add-on to allow third party developers to create additional elements.
Elementor Pros:
- Easy to use
- Plenty of design elements (widgets)
- Extensible
- Generative AI
- Extensive dynamic content support
Elementor Cons:
- Requires pro version to unlock some features
- Tiered pricing plans
- Unnecessary design elements
2. Breakdance
Breakdance is a feature-rich page builder plugin like Elementor, which is also released as a freemium product. However, the free version of Breakdance is not available on WordPress. Instead, you can only download it on the Breakdance official website.
The free version of Breakdance offers plenty of features. First, you can access more than 50 design elements, including the Form element which you can use to create a form. Second, you can also use its popup builder although the trigger types are limited to element click. Third, you can create a custom template for your site parts like header, footer, and single post.
Yes right, you can use its theme builder feature for free although the elements you can add are limited.
Breakdance offers four container types which you can arrange your design element: Section, Column, Grid, and Div.
It also has a feature to disable the theme on your website so that you can use Breakdance to design the entire parts of your website.
Breakdance Pros:
- Easy to use
- Plenty of design elements (widgets)
- Extensive dynamic content support
- Complementary features (theme builder and popup builder)
Breakdance Cons:
- Doesn’t support add-on
- Unnecessary design elements
3. Beaver Builder
Same as Elementor, Beaver Builder is also released as a freemium plugin. Compared to Elementor, the elements available on the free version of Beaver Builder are fewer. Element itself is called module on Beaver Builder. In Elementor, there are several page templates which you can use for free. Beaver Builder doesn’t offer page template on free version. Some elements (modules) offered by the pro version of Beaver Builder are form, pricing table, slider, blog post, social icons, map and so on.
Although the modules available on the free version are very limited, Beaver Builder is a great option if you are working for an agency as you can use one license for as many sites as you want. As comparison, one Elementor license can only be used for a single site.
Beaver Builder has an add-on called Beaver Themer which you can use to create layouts for archive pages, template an entire post type, search pages and 404 pages. This add-on is only available on pro version.
Beaver Builder Pros:
- Minimalist
- Easy to use
- Extensible
Beaver Builder Cons:
- Tiered pricing plans
- The free version is too basic
4. Divi Builder
Unlike the two first page builder plugins above, Divi Builder can’t be used for free. To use this plugin, you need to be a member of Elegant Themes, the developer of Divi Builder. Once you become a member, you will be able to download all themes and plugins developed by this developer, including the Divi Builder.
This page builder offers page templates which you can use for free. Some elements (called modules), offered by Divi Builder are pricing table, blog, counter, countdown timer, tabs, slider, form, call to action, toggles, and so on.
A good thing offered by Divi Builder that is not offered by Elementor and Beaver Builder is a one-time purchase option. Yes, Elegant Themes offers a one-time purchase option in case you are a sort of person who hates the subscription-based business model.
Although you have to spend more capital upfront, one-time purchase can be a great option for the long-term since you don’t have to spend a monthly or yearly budget.
Divi Builder Pros:
- Simple pricing plan
- Advanced responsive editing feature
- Well-established ecosystem
- Extensible
- Generative AI
- Extensive dynamic content support
- Excellent support
Divi Builder Cons:
- Lack of design elements
- The editor is a bit heavy
- No free version
5. WPBakery
WPBakery claims itself as number one page builder plugin for WordPress so it is worth to try if you are looking for a page builder plugin for WordPress. However, WPBakery is not available for free. It is a paid plugin. You can buy this plugin on its official site or CodeCanyon. WPBakery has one thing in common with Divi.
It offers one-time purchase so you don’t need to spend monthly or yearly budget to keep using this plugin in the future. The price of WPBakery is way cheaper than Divi as it costs only about $45. However, one license can only be used for one site.
Just like other page builder plugins above, WPBakery also comes with a drag and drop visual interface that allows you effortlessly create a beautiful page in WordPress. Some content elements offered by WPBakery are pie chart, accordion form, image gallery, tabs, slider, button and so on. WPBakery also offers pre-made page templates to save you time in creating a page.
WP Bakery Pros:
- Plenty of design elements
- Relatively easy to use
WP Bakery Cons:
- No free version
- A bit painful to access pre-made templates
6. Visual Composer
Visual Composer is another great option if you don’t like subscription business model. It offers one-time purchase with the price of about $59 for a single site. There are two other license types offered by Visual Composer. You can choose the one according to your need. In addition, Visual Composer also provides free version in case you only need the basic features.
There are many great features offered by the pro version of Visual Composer. One of which, you will be able to access the images from Unsplash since Visual Composer is integrated with Unsplash. You will also be able to access the pre-made templates to save you time in creating a page. Of course, you will also be able to use premium elements that are not available on the free version.
Visual Composer Pros:
- Relatively Easy to use
- Complete Enough Feature
Visual Composer Cons:
- A bit painful to access pre-made templates
- Uncessary integrations
7. Page Builder Sandwich
Just like the name suggests, this plugin is aimed at helping you create beautiful pages on WordPress with ease. As easy as slicing sandwiches. Page Builder Sandwich is a project from a WordPress plugin developer named Benjamin Intal and his team. Compared to other page builder plugins above, the features offered by Page Builder Sandwich might are fewer, but it can be a nice solution if you are looking for an affordable page builder plugin.
While free version is available, premium version of this plugin costs only $39 for a single site. With premium version, you will be able to add premium elements such as social icons, button, table and so on. Templates are also available on the premium version.
Page Builder Sandwich Pros:
- Minimalist
- Light editor
Page Builder Sandwich Cons:
- The free version is too basic
- Minimum features
8. MotoPress Content Editor
MotoPress Content Editor is page builder plugin developed by MotoPress, a WordPress theme and plugin developer company. Even so, you can use the MotoPress Content Editor on WordPress themes other than the ones developed by MotoPress.
The MotoPress Content Editor is released as a freemium plugin. You can use it for free with an option to upgrade to premium to unlock more features.
MotoPress Pros:
- Minimalist
- Relatively Easy to use
MotoPress Cons:
- Lack of features
9. Brizy
Brizy is another page builder plugin that is worth to try. This plugin has some things in common with Elementor. It adopts subscription-based business model. The cheapest plan offered by Brizy costs $49 per year, same as the price offered by Elementor for its cheapest plan.
However, Brizy allows you to use a single license for three different sites while Elementor only allows you to use a single license for a single website. Brizy also offers pre-made templates which you can use for free.
Same as Elementor, Brizy also offers free version. Another thing in common both plugins have is pop-up builder. Furthermore, Brizy is also integrated with marketing services like MailChimp, MailerLite, Campaign Monitor and so on.
Brizy Pros:
- Light editor
- Easy to use
- Complete enough features
- Extensive dynamic content support
Brizy Cons:
- The free version is too basic
- The editor is painful on smaller screen
10. Themify Builder
Themify Builder is a page builder plugin developed by Themify, a WordPress theme and plugin developer. This plugin is available as a bundled plugin and standalone plugin. The standalone version is available for free. If you are interested to use the plugins developed by Themify, you can buy the bundled version of Themify Builder.
The features offered Themify Builder are not much different to other page builder plugins above. The way this page builder works is a bit different to all page builders above. While all page builders above will take you to their respective editor, you will remain in the WordPress editor when working with Themify Builder.
Themify Builder Pros:
- Light editor
- Easy to use
- Extensible
Themify Builder Cons:
- No free version
Summary: Which Page Builder You Should Use?
Choosing a page builder for WordPress can challenging due to so many options available. Just because a page builder is popular, it doesn’t mean you have to use it if it doesn’t match your needs.
If you are an agency, for instance, Divi Builder could be the best option despite its lack of features. It has a super simple licensing in which you can install Divi Builder on as many websites as you want with only a single subscription account. The best part, it offers a lifetime membership to save yearly expense.
Elementor, on the other hand, is still the best page builder when it comes to feature and flexibility. You can simply install an add-on to add certain features. For instance, installing JetEngine allows you to create a more complex dynamic website.
Other page builders on the list are also worth trying. To minimize the risk, you can always start from the free version during the testing period. Or if the page builder you want to use is a paid product, you can take advantage of its trial version if available.
