Thanks to WordPress, it’s now possible to create your own fully func­tion­al website without in-depth pro­gram­ming skills. However, if you want to build a website that’s fully tailored to your needs, using a WP page builder is prac­tic­ally essential. The range of tools is huge, but not every WordPress builder is a good option. In this article, we explain what WordPress page builders are, their pros and cons, and which WP page builders currently rank among the best.

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The five best WordPress page builders

Free version Pro version
Elementor Yes From $39 (around £30)/year
WPBakery Page Builder No From $69 (around £50) one-time fee
Beaver Builder Yes From $89 (around £65)/year
Divi No From $89 (around £65)/year
Gen­er­ate­Press Yes From $59 (around £45)/year

In­form­a­tion correct as of February 2025.

How do WordPress builders work?

Popular WordPress page builders follow a modular concept. Layout, features, and scope can be freely defined and cus­tom­ised according to your needs—no special expertise required. In the past, websites could only be built by experts at high cost. Today, anyone can use a WordPress builder to create a visually appealing, fully func­tion­al site. Most WP page builders come with numerous ready-made elements that can be added using drag and drop.

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Pros and cons of a WordPress page builder

The benefits of a good WordPress page builder clearly outweigh the drawbacks, which explains the pop­ular­ity of these tools. Benefits include:

  • Time savings: A basic website can now be created in no time. That’s great for in­di­vidu­als setting up an online presence and for de­velopers who can take on more projects without com­prom­ising quality.
  • Lower costs: A good WordPress page builder not only saves time but also reduces WordPress-related costs. That’s important for new shops or blogs trying to keep initial expenses low.
  • More pro­fes­sion­al websites: In the past, ad­di­tion­al features or custom layouts were either expensive or error-prone. With a WP page builder and drag & drop func­tion­al­ity, errors are minimised, and websites still look polished and pro­fes­sion­al.
  • Greater flex­ib­il­ity: Websites often need updates and changes. A WordPress builder makes such updates quick and easy, without causing issues. You can easily implement new features, expanded offerings or website ideas.

However, there are a few possible drawbacks to consider if you choose a WordPress page builder over WordPress Gutenberg or another editor:

  • Many WP page builders are less flexible when switching. Once applied, the theme is tied to the builder—es­pe­cially if short­codes are used.
  • A WordPress page builder may increase loading times due to the ad­di­tion­al WordPress plugin. Gutenberg generally performs better in this regard.
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How Gutenberg compares to WordPress page builders

With the release of the Gutenberg editor (also called the WordPress block editor), WordPress in­tro­duced its own al­tern­at­ive to tra­di­tion­al page builders. Gutenberg lets you build pages using blocks—no extra plugins required. It’s built into WordPress, which means faster loading times and seamless com­pat­ib­il­ity with themes and plugins.

While Gutenberg doesn’t yet offer as many design options as dedicated WordPress page builders, it’s con­tinu­ously being improved and can be a solid option for simpler websites.

Are external page builders a threat to your workflow?

Many users rely on external page builders for maximum creative freedom. But that freedom has a downside, which is that users can get lost in the many design options, which may distract from the website’s main purpose. Some page builders also produce in­ef­fi­cient code that can slow your site down. Others may not be fully com­pat­ible with core WordPress updates.

To create a pro­fes­sion­al site, choose a page builder that in­teg­rates well with WordPress. Avoid bloated external tools. Gutenberg or one of the builders listed here are your best bets in most cases.

Top 5 WP page builders

There are many page builders to help you create a WordPress site. The five WordPress page builders below stand out with great features, proven re­li­ab­il­ity, and wide­spread pop­ular­ity.

Elementor

Image: Screenshot of Elementor website
Screen­shot of Elementor website. Source: https://elementor.com/

Elementor is a strong choice for both beginners and pro­fes­sion­als. There’s a free version, plus several premium packages offering more features. For beginners, the 10 starter templates are more than enough. Even the free version supports building sleek, func­tion­al sites with handy features. The drag-and-drop interface is highly intuitive, and the template library is im­press­ive. The Advanced package is great for creating multiple sites. It includes advanced an­im­a­tions and reusable widgets. Elementor is regularly updated and com­pat­ible with the latest WordPress versions.

Pros Cons
Intuitive drag-and-drop interface Multi-site use only in the highest-tier package
Numerous layout options
Real-time frontend editing

WPBakery Page Builder

Image: Screenshot of WPBakery website
Screen­shot of WPBakery website. Source: https://wpbakery.com

WPBakery Page Builder (formerly Visual Composer) is one of the oldest WordPress builders. The drag-and-drop editor is used on thousands of WordPress sites and often bundled with premium themes. It offers many layout and element options and supports numerous add-ons.

It works with the latest WordPress versions, though some older themes may rely on outdated WPBakery versions, which can cause com­pat­ib­il­ity issues. A one-time payment grants lifetime access.

Pros Cons
Backend and frontend editing supported Less intuitive than Elementor or Divi
Re­spons­ive design support No free version
Custom colour themes

Beaver Builder

Image: Screenshot of Beaver Builder website
Screen­shot of Beaver Builder website. Source: https://www.wp­bea­ver­build­er.com

Beaver Builder is per­form­ance-focused and delivers great results. Its re­spons­ive design works flaw­lessly across all devices. The builder offers numerous features, making it ideal for advanced users. Frontend changes are shown live, speeding up the workflow. It also in­teg­rates well with Woo­Com­merce. There’s a feature-rich free version, and premium packages with more tools for multi-site use.

Pros Cons
Excellent per­form­ance Not ideal for beginners
Great re­spons­ive design Fewer design options than some builders
Live frontend editing
Woo­Com­merce support

Divi

Image: Screenshot of Divi website
Screen­shot of Divi website. Source: https://www.el­eg­ant­themes.com/gallery/divi/

The Divi Builder from Elegant Themes is geared towards pro­fes­sion­als. It offers over 40 design modules and a wide selection of layouts, making it easy to create a fully cus­tom­ised website tailored to your needs. With AI support, you can build complete websites in just a few minutes. Divi is a great choice if you like ex­per­i­ment­ing with different versions—it lets you revert to previous revisions at any time. However, with large-scale changes, this WordPress page builder can oc­ca­sion­ally be a bit slow. You can choose between an annual license or a lifetime sub­scrip­tion. A free version of this WordPress builder is not available.

Pros Cons
Numerous layout options Slower with large-scale changes
Easy rollback to previous versions
Real-time editing preview
AI support

Gen­er­ate­Press

Image: Screenshot of GeneratePress website
Screen­shot of Gen­er­ate­Press website. Source: https://gen­er­ate­press.com

If you’re starting a small store or WordPress blog, Gen­er­ate­Press is a light­weight, user-friendly choice. It’s extremely easy to use, and even beginners can create a high-quality site with its Gutenberg-focused theme. The layout is clean and modern, making this WordPress builder ideal for simple websites. If you need more func­tion­al­ity, the premium version allows im­ple­ment­a­tion on unlimited sites, includes numerous modules, and stands out for its im­press­ive speed.

Pros Cons
Extremely easy to use Drag-and-drop only in Pro version
Fast and light­weight
Stylish, modern design

Con­clu­sion for the five best WordPress page builders

With the right WordPress page builder, you can create a fast, func­tion­al, and pro­fes­sion­ally designed site in no time. The WP page builders above are perfect for frequent use and multi-site projects. Paid versions allow you to save layouts and reuse elements to speed up the process. That way, you can build multiple cus­tom­ised websites with minimal effort.

Tip

Want to know everything about WordPress? Check out the IONOS Digital Guide! Whether you’re looking for helpful SEO tips, want to speed up WordPress, or need advice on how to set a WordPress homepage—we’ve got you covered.

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