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With over 455 million WordPress sites online, designing one with a WordPress page builder that stands out can be challenging. Manually creating pages with unique features requires a lot of time, and it’s hard to know which tools to use that can optimize the process.
Fortunately, a WordPress page builder lets you create, customize, and edit your website on the front end, allowing you to see in real-time what the final product will look like. Due to their user-friendliness and vast customization options, page builders are great for both beginners and expert website developers.
This article will explain a page builder plugin and discuss its benefits. Then, we’ll introduce five popular options. Let’s get to it!
An Introduction to WordPress Page Builders
When building a WordPress website, there are many ways to add elements, copy, and media features. In some instances, using the default Block Editor can be practical—it enables you to drag and drop modules and rearrange them to your liking.
However, that work is done on your website’s back end. This method doesn’t give you an accurate preview of the result, which can mean spending more time on editing. Plus, the default editor’s customization options are limited, and creating anything complex can require a lot of formatting or coding knowledge.
With a WordPress page builder, all of that changes. This tool can make the creation process more accessible for experienced developers and eliminate the coding factor for beginners. A page builder provides:
- Visual editing components.
- Drag-and-drop functionality.
- Ready-to-go modules (typically many more options than the Block Editor provides).
Instead of building a website from the back end, many page builders let you look at the final result as you go – your content is shown on the screen just as it will appear to your visitors. This reduces time spent going back and forth between the editor and the Preview page.
With a WordPress page builder, you also have more customization options. This plugin typically allows for column and content repositioning and enables you to change design features such as size and color.
Every page builder is different, but many include additional features such as ready-made themes and templates and responsive editing options. A page builder allows you to create a tailor-made site with details you can hand-select according to your needs.
5 Top Page Builders for WordPress Users
There are many page builders on the market. Your priorities will determine which option will help you create your ideal website. Here are five of the top solutions to get you started.
1. Elementor
First, Elementor is a page builder that lets you create a WordPress site quickly and easily. It features a fast interface and a broad template library that you can browse to choose the perfect design for your site.
With this tool, you can make live edits using features such as headline effects, animations, and shape dividers. The free version of Elementor is mobile-friendly, meaning that your finished product will adapt to tablets and smartphones. Plus, it comes with over 90 widgets and more than 300 templates that you can use to create just about any website, from a blog to a business site.
For example, if you have an e-commerce store, you can fully customize and design your shop using the live editor. You can also choose a pre-made kit or template that will minimize the time spent planning. However, Elementor’s interface isn’t the most user-friendly, and the learning curve can be steep.
Key Features:
- Responsive design
- Optimized page speed and performance
- Live editing capabilities
Pricing: Elementor has a free version, while premium plans start at $49 per year (which includes one website activation, premium support, and website kits).
2. Beaver Builder
Next on our list, Beaver Builder’s WordPress page builder is a powerful tool that provides complete control over your design elements. The live front-end editing feature saves you time when adjusting your site. This plugin is mobile-friendly, meaning your site will adapt to each visitor’s device.
Along with reusable templates, an open API, and an import/export feature, Beaver Builder is a versatile WooCommerce page builder. This makes it an ideal option if you own an e-commerce store. Its drag-and-drop modules include photos, text editors, galleries, separators, CTAs, pricing tables, and subscriber forms.
With Beaver Builder, you can save customized elements and page sections for reuse later. The HTML module also makes adding shortcodes and custom code to your pages easy. However, it lacks more advanced customization options and is pricier than most alternatives.
Key Features:
- SEO optimization
- Ready-made rows and landing pages
- Global settings
Pricing: There is a free version of Beaver Builder, while the premium version starts at $99 per year and includes extra modules and templates, support, and usage on unlimited sites.
3. Divi
If you’re looking for something with lots of bells and whistles, Divi is a page builder that provides a wide array of features, including a back- and front-end editor. This website-building platform lets you create your pages using pre-built modules.
Like all page builders, Divi has a drag-and-drop feature that lets you easily place elements on your pages. It features over 40 modules, including sliders, calls to Action (CTAs), and galleries. Divi Builder also offers 800 premade website layouts, separated into categories such as technology, business, beauty, and service websites.
Divi lets you add multiple columns per page and create long-form content for blogs and landing pages. The latter option makes it easy to tell your brand story using a vertical display of imagery and interactive elements.
While you don’t need coding knowledge to use this tool, you can add custom CSS. However, it does lack a few key features, such as a popup builder. Its interface is also not intuitive – just as with Elementor, this may not be the best option for newcomers.
Key Features:
- Inline text editing
- A collapse feature for consolidating your design
- Custom CSS options
Pricing: Divi is developed by Elegant Themes and offered as an all-in-one package. The yearly access plan starts at $89 and includes premium support, unlimited website usage, and product updates.
4. SeedProd
SeedProd is a page builder plugin that lets you create themes without writing code. It offers hundreds of ready-made layouts for landing, webinar registration, sales, and maintenance mode pages. SeedProd also prioritizes Search Engine Optimization (SEO) so your website can rank higher in search results.
This plugin saves time by reusing elements using its intelligent design system. It also allows you to choose color schemes, save font combinations, and create custom blocks. Elements include opt-in forms, social profiles, countdown timers, and contact forms.
One of SeedProd’s more unique options is its custom domain mapping feature. It lets you create microsites within WordPress to manage multiple landing pages from a single installation. However, compared to other page builders, you’ll be somewhat limited in terms of blocks and elements.
Key Features:
- A mobile device preview
- More than 80 blocks to display static and dynamic content
- Undo and redo revision history
Pricing: There is a free version of SeedProd, while premium plans start at $39.50 per year and include 50 pro templates, subscriber management, and access controls for one site.
5. Visual Composer
Last but not least, Visual Composer lets you create a unique page layout with over 300 content design elements. This user-friendly editor helps you create custom website layouts and features an easy-to-learn drag-and-drop builder.
One thing that makes Visual Composer unique is its ability to edit all aspects of your WordPress pages, including headers, footers, logos, and sidebars. You can change the appearance of any element on your page and add flexible rows and columns to create grid layouts.
Visual Composer is compatible with most WordPress themes, Google Fonts, and many popular plugins, such as Yoast SEO. It allows you to integrate new features and options into your site easily. However, its interface can be a bit slow, which could mean longer editing times.
Key Features:
- Expansive content library of elements, templates, add-ons, and blocks
- Popup and theme builders
- A row layout builder
Pricing: Visual Composer has a free version, while premium plans start at $49 per year and include stock images, premium support, and more than 200 templates.
Conclusion
WordPress page builders enable you to create beautiful websites without coding knowledge or expensive web developers. Whether you run a blog, an online business, or anything, a page builder allows you to include customizable content while designing unique pages depending on your needs.
Let’s recap our top five recommendations:
- Elementor: A fast tool with lots of pre-built content.
- Divi: A full-featured solution with many different elements.
- Beaver Builder: A powerful builder with many customization options and time-saving features.
- SeedProd: A straightforward, user-friendly option.
- Visual Composer: An excellent choice for making design changes to your entire website.
Do you have any questions about how to build a WordPress site using a page builder? Let us know in the comments section below!
Image credit: Antoni Shkraba.
