Are you ready to start creating your website? Have you already picked a theme? Ok, I will make it very easy for you since you will not have to use the basic options that WordPress provides you to design you web. Instead, I am going to show you the best page builder for WordPress.
Creating a web page takes its process, it needs a part of installation, configuration and creation of different elements of the web, but at the time of design you will discover how easy it is to design a web page with the use of page builders.
Table of Contents
What is a page builder?
Page builder, web builder, layout designer, visual builder, visual editor… All of these are the names given to these plugins that are in charge of making your page design very easy. Basically, a page builder is a user-friendly design program based on a ‘Drag and Drop’ system that even a child could handle.
This type of visual editors that I am going to talk about are closely related to the themes you need to work on the design of your website since both tools are complementary. Some themes are more customizable than others, meaning that if you choose the wrong one there is no way to go ahead and create a custom page to your liking unless you touch code. It is at that moment when you can regret not having opted for a good premium theme.
One of the best WordPress themes in the market and compatible with most page builders is Astra Theme, a freemium theme that we use for all of most of our projects and it works really well.
What I can assure you is that the combination of a good page builder and a premium theme like Astra, it will make you never want to use WordPress design options anymore.
[irp posts=”28498″ name=”How Web Page Builders for WordPress are Changing the Web Design Industry”]
How to use a page builder in WordPress
A good page builder must be easy to use and it will save you a lot of time in designing your website. The multiple options you will need for your marketing strategy, you will have them at your fingertips just by dragging and dropping.
Imagine that you want to insert a slider or even another color layer in your homepage, you cannot do it with WordPress if you do not have advanced knowledge.
However, through this type of technology, the custom creation options are multiple: columns, call-to-action buttons, template creation, bulletins… and all this without hardly touching any css code.
You can always use the page builder layout tools on all the pages or posts you want, but you will always have the option to deactivate it at any time and use the WordPress editor; Of course, you should know that the ways of handling them are independent of each other, so the method you decide to use for a specific page can only be edited in one way or another.
How much does a web builder cost?
Page builders are not usually free, however Elementor Page Builder has a free version that will leave you speechless. Although it has a Pro version, the free system is incredibly good.
Nevertheless, paying for a premium web builder is my always our recommendation. You will save countless hours of work and the final result you will achieve will reach your expectations. The results will be far better than a website made exclusively with the WordPress editor (unless you are a programmer).
Regarding the compatibility of these type of plugins, this technology adapts very well to almost any theme.
There are several drag & drop WordPress web design systems on the market. Below I am going to explain the characteristics of what I currently consider to be the best available options.
What are the best Page builders for WordPress?
All page builders have something in common: To facilitate the design of the web page, to give ease of use and to offer the greatest number of customizable options.
How are they different from each other? Well, as I said all of them have a very similar operation but there are small features that will make you lean towards one or the other.
You have to make a good choice for your blog or web from the beginning since the drawbacks of this web builders are that if one day you decide to change the technology… all work will be lost. The front-end copy/information won’t be lost, but you will have to reconstruct the puzzle again and adapt it to the new visual editor.
I am going to explain what are the best page builder for WordPress for me based on their pros and cons.
Elementor Page Builder (Free & Pro)
As I have already mentioned above, right now is one of the best web builders. Elementor Page Builder is close to perfection and their drag and drop system is being copied by other competitors for its easy use and variety of features. The free version is very good but the pro version is impressive, you can do almost anything.
Elementor Characteristics
It is a really easy to use WordPress page builder that in its free version is almost at the level of some paid ones and that with its Premium version you will get really spectacular designs.
It is a highly compatible builder and optimized for SEO thanks to its clean code.
The number of customization options and functionalities make you avoid having to install many common plugins, thus improving your loading speed.
Its constant updates is another of its strengths.
Fast and simple front end layout, reverse insertion sliders, pop ups, layout, animations, widgets, forms, templates, translation into all languages, fonts, icons, videos… My recommendation is that you use the premium version straight away, but you can always try the free version first.
Elementor Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| √ Great variety of content widgets and templates | X Interface is not as fast as alternative solutions |
| √ Colourful user-interface | X Content widget panel requires you to scroll up and down to find the content you want |
| √ Free version has many great features | X Interface could be more intuitive |
Elementor Price and License
- Personal: US$49 / year (for one site).
- Business: US$99 / year (for 3 sites).
- Unlimited: US$199 / year (unlimited sites).
Elementor Conclusions
Free page builder plugins are rarely seen that are worth it. Being able to have this completely free web builder and the functions it brings is a gift since it surpasses many paid publishers just with its free version.
Wp Bakery Page Builder
Previously known as Visual Composer, currently Wp Bakery, they are the pioneers of this type of technology. However, I must admit I wouldn’t recommend working with this page builder at all.
Wp Bakery Characteristics
Visual Composer is one of the most used and well known plugins on the market, or at least it was until very recently started its decline.
It allows a front (live) or back-end layout and the main strength about Wp Bakery is that if you buy a Themeforest theme, you can get this design tool for free.
Wp Bakery also offers the possibility of inserting shortcodes on your website making it easier to work with it.
It works in more than 40 predefined themes and it has an online test service, so you can see how it works.
It is somewhat slow and generates some messy code, although its design options are attractive.
WP bakery Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| √ Powerful option when working with purchased templates from Themeforest | X Very slow |
| √ Multiple add-ons (+ functions) | X Heavy weight code plugin |
| √ Ability to use shortcodes | X Outdated design modules |
Wp Bakery Price and License
- Regular version: US$45 (for one site).
- Extended version: US$245 (unlimited sites).
Wp Bakery Conclusions
Wp Bakery is an outdated page builder and a very slow plugin. There are far better web builders today.
However, if you have a tight budget, I recommend it because in this case it meets expectations.
Thrive Architect Page Builder
Thrive Architect is very focused on sales funnels and the customer acquisition process.
Thrive Architect Characteristics
Its main advantage is its simplicity. It comes with predefines templates so you only have to make some tweaks to your liking depending on which template you choose.
It a much more cleaner code than Wp Bakery.
With a live editing system, Thrive Content Builder is highly customizable.
Thrive Architect Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| √ Very user friendly and strongly focused on sales | X Sometimes can lead to some incompatibilities, especially with tools like Thrive Leads |
| √ Cleaner code than Wp Bakery | X Support could be better |
| √ More than 150 templates and works with almost any theme | X No 3rd Party Plugins |
Thrive Architect Price and License
- Single License: US$67 / year (for one site).
- 5 License Pack: US$97 / year (for 5 sites).
- Thrive Membership: US$19 / month (for 25 sites).
Thrive Architect Conclusions
Thrive Architect is page builder plugin very focused on sales, easy to use and with many different features.
Divi Page Builder
If you want a great template with the WordPress builder included, buy Divi.
Divi is a good option for those who want to opt for an excellent platform like Elegant Themes, which includes countless themes paying only once.
Divi Builder Characteristics
Very customizable, this WordPress page builder has a template developer plan, which includes all the templates and plugins you need to make a great website.
The bad thing about this plugin is that it is its a bit expensive.
This builder is a good choice if you are a professional web designer and want to use this tool in your clients’ project since any plan you choose is for unlimited license use.
The option to copy any design to another page is great feature as well.
Divi Page Builder Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| √ Very easy to use | X It is somewhat expensive and it has an annual plan payment model. |
| √ Unlimited license | X Very glitchy with longer pages |
| √ Includes a free version | X So many options, almost too many |
Divi Builder Price and License
- Yearly access: US$89 / year (unlimited sites).
- Lifetime access: US$249 / one time (unlimited sites).
Divi Builder Conclusions
Despite being a fairly expensive WordPress builder, it has a pack of tools of the highest quality.
It is a very profitable visual plugin if you have an agency or have many clients.
Beaver Builder
Beaver Builder is a feature-rich drag-and-drop page builder plugin that makes creating great-looking content in WordPress as hassle-free as possible. This website and most of our client’s sites are built with Beaver Builder.
It’s perhaps somewhat expensive for if you are not running an agency, but it offers very good results.
Beaver Builder should come in handy for the vast majority of users, site owners and WordPress developers. The main selling point is that it makes working with website content (and even creating websites from scratch) much faster and more efficient.
Beaver Builder Characteristics
The best thing about Beaver Builder is that it also has a free version, therefore it is a good option for you to test how it works.
The problem with this powerful page builder is that you have to like it a lot or intend to use frequently since it is the most expensive of all, and as Divid Page Builder, it is also an annual payment.
To its credit, it has a good number of free templates included when you buy any plan and they are fully responsive.
Shortcodes, Woocommerce compatibility and design protection system are some of its main features.
Beaver Builder Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| √ Unlimited license | X It isn’t cheap |
| √ Includes a free version (with limitations) | X No undo on Ctrl+Z/CMD+Z |
| √ Free responsive templates included | X Limited set of modules |
Beaver Builder Price and License
- Standard: US$99 / year (unlimited sites).
- Pro: US$199 / year (unlimited sites) – Includes multisite capacity.
- Agency: US$399 / year (unlimited sites) – Includes more customizable options.
Beaver Builder Conclusions
A very powerful front-end editing page builder, but if you’re looking for something free, you should probably get Elementor or Brizy. They deliver more features than the free version of Beaver Builder in a similarly easy-to-use package.
However, if you have some budget to work with, then you’ll get quite the bang for your buck if you get Beaver Builder.
General Conclusions
If you ask me for advice, I would recommend starting with Elementor Page Builder for its constant updates, for the functionalities, ease of use, speed and customization.
Failing that, if you need to do the job easily and create sales-oriented pages, I recommend Thrive Architect.
If you want a theme and layout designer, you have a very complete pack with unlimited licenses with Divi builder.
However, if you are an agency, Beaver Builder it’s clearly my favourite. It the most expensive WordPress builder, but I think it stands out a lot above the rest.
Whichever you choose, it will surely make your work in WorPress much easier and the design much more attractive.
And you, what do you think is the best layout for WordPress based on your experience? Let me know your opinion in the comments section!
