- WordPress page builders at a glance
- Eleven WordPress page builders to consider
- What WordPress already does for you
- Drag and drop builder, block toolkit or landing page tool?
- Questions to ask before you build a whole site on it
- Features that matter more than they look
- When to stick with the block editor
- My plain advice on choosing a WordPress page builder
- Frequently asked questions
The best WordPress page builder depends on how you like to work: a free drag and drop plugin suits most small business sites, a block toolkit suits people happy in the WordPress editor, and a landing page builder suits marketers. Eleven options follow in no particular order.
I've rebuilt more WordPress sites than I'd like to admit, and the page builder decision always comes back to bite. Pick one you'll outgrow and you're stuck with shortcodes, slow pages and a painful move later.
The eleven builders below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, from free plugins on the official directory to builders sold as part of a theme package. Every description comes from the plugin's own listing or site, read this week. If your main job is landing pages, my roundup of landing page builders for marketers is worth a look too.
WordPress page builders at a glance
In the free plan column, Yes means the plugin has a free version on the official WordPress.org directory or its own site names a free version. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaver Builder | Drag and drop page builder plugin | A stable drag and drop builder | Yes |
| Breakdance | AI website builder for WordPress | AI-assisted site building | Not stated |
| Brizy | Page builder plugin | A clutter-free editing screen | Yes |
| Divi | WordPress theme and visual page builder | Theme and builder in one | Not stated |
| Elementor | Website builder plugin for WordPress | The best-known drag and drop builder | Yes |
| Kadence Blocks | Page builder toolkit for the block editor | Building with native blocks | Yes |
| SeedProd | Theme builder and landing page builder | Coming soon and landing pages | Yes |
| SiteOrigin Page Builder | Free page builder plugin | Keeping content when you change theme | Yes |
| Spectra | Gutenberg blocks plugin | Extra blocks for the block editor | Yes |
| Thrive Architect | WordPress landing page builder | Marketing and landing pages | Not stated |
| Visual Composer | Website and landing page builder plugin | Free elements and templates | Yes |
Eleven WordPress page builders to consider
Beaver Builder
Best for: Web designers who want a drag and drop page builder with a lite version on the official plugin directory.
Breakdance
Best for: Builders who want a visual WordPress website builder with AI tools to speed up the first draft of each page.
Brizy
Best for: Beginners who want a page builder that keeps options tucked away and shows only what each element needs.
Divi
Best for: Site owners who want a theme and visual builder in one package, with a large library of ready-made layouts.
Elementor
Best for: Most small business sites, thanks to a free plugin on the official directory with dozens of widgets and plenty of templates.
Kadence Blocks
Best for: People who would rather build pages with the WordPress block editor and add extra layout blocks than install a separate builder.
SeedProd
Best for: Site owners who need landing pages, coming soon pages or maintenance mode quickly, with a free version to start.
SiteOrigin Page Builder
Best for: Bloggers and small sites that want a page builder that is free for good and keeps content intact when they switch themes.
Spectra
Best for: Block editor fans who want an open source set of extra Gutenberg blocks for layouts without a separate builder interface.
Thrive Architect
Best for: Marketers who build landing pages and sales pages in WordPress and want a builder made for conversion-focused layouts.
Visual Composer
Best for: People starting from scratch who want a free website and landing page builder with ready elements and templates.
What WordPress already does for you
The WordPress Block Editor Handbook, from WordPress Developer Resources, describes the block editor as a modular system of blocks to compose and format content, designed to create rich and flexible layouts for websites.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
That matters because the block editor is already in every WordPress install. A page builder has to earn its place on top of it, by saving you time, giving you layouts you can't get otherwise or making a team faster.
Drag and drop builder, block toolkit or landing page tool?
Drag and drop builders give you a separate visual editor with its own widgets and templates. Block toolkits add extra blocks to the WordPress editor, so you stay in core WordPress. Landing page tools focus on marketing pages, opt-ins and sales layouts. Theme and builder bundles give you both in one package, which is simple but ties you to one company.
If you're starting fresh and want the lightest site, a block toolkit is worth testing first.
Questions to ask before you build a whole site on it
- What happens to your pages if you switch the builder off?
- How fast do pages load on a phone?
- Does it work with your theme and your SEO plugin?
- Can you save sections and reuse them across pages?
- Is there a free version to test on a staging site?
- How often is it updated?
Features that matter more than they look
- Global sections. Change a footer once and it updates everywhere.
- Responsive controls. Tweak layouts for phones without a separate page.
- Clean output. Lighter pages load faster and break less.
- Template library. A head start that still looks like your brand.
When to stick with the block editor
If your site is mostly blog posts and a handful of simple pages, the block editor with a good theme may be all you need. It's built into WordPress, it's maintained by the core team and there's nothing to switch off later.
Do you make a WordPress page builder? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing a WordPress page builder
Test the exit before the entrance. Build one page, switch the builder off and look at what's left. If it's a mess of shortcodes, think hard about how long you'll stay with that tool, because moving away later is painful.
Then check speed on a real phone, not your desktop. A builder that looks great but loads slowly will hurt every page you build with it. If publishing is the bottleneck rather than design, read how I automated my WordPress publishing.
Frequently asked questions
What is a WordPress page builder?
It's a plugin or theme feature that lets you design pages visually, usually by dragging and dropping elements, without writing code.
Is there a free WordPress page builder?
Yes. Several builders on this list have a free version on the official WordPress.org directory. Check the table for each one.
Do I need a page builder with the block editor?
Not always. The block editor builds flexible layouts on its own, and block toolkits add more options without a separate builder.
Do page builders slow down WordPress?
Some add extra code to every page. Test speed on a phone before building your whole site with one.
What happens if I stop using a page builder?
Depending on the tool, your content may be left with leftover code. Test this before you commit.
Which page builder is best for landing pages?
Some builders here focus on marketing and landing pages. Check the type and good for columns in the table.
