Page builders transformed WordPress from a blogging platform into a full visual design tool. In 2026, the landscape has matured significantly: Gutenberg has evolved into a capable site editor, Elementor dominates market share, Divi offers a unique all-in-one approach, and veterans like Beaver Builder and WPBakery continue to serve their niches. Choosing the right one depends on your technical background, performance requirements, budget, and how much design control you actually need.
This guide compares the five major page builders across every dimension that matters — from feature depth and performance impact to ecosystem support and content portability. We test on real sites, with real data, so you can make a decision grounded in specifics rather than marketing claims.
The Five Builders at a Glance
Before diving into details, here's a high-level overview of each builder's positioning:
- Elementor: The market leader with the largest third-party ecosystem. Visual drag-and-drop editing with both free and pro tiers.
- Divi: Part of the Elegant Themes membership. Includes both a theme and a standalone plugin. Known for its visual inline editing.
- Gutenberg (WordPress Block Editor): The native WordPress editor, now with full site editing capabilities. Zero additional cost, growing block library.
- Beaver Builder: A stable, developer-friendly builder with a reputation for clean code output. Popular among agencies.
- WPBakery (formerly Visual Composer): The original WordPress page builder. Still bundled with many ThemeForest themes. Backend and frontend editing modes.
For a focused comparison between the two most common choices, see our Elementor vs Gutenberg Comparison 2026.
Comprehensive Feature Comparison
This table compares core capabilities across all five builders.
| Feature | Elementor Pro | Divi | Gutenberg | Beaver Builder | WPBakery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visual Drag-and-Drop | Yes (frontend) | Yes (frontend) | Partial (block-based) | Yes (frontend) | Yes (both modes) |
| Theme Builder | Full (headers, footers, archives) | Full (Theme Builder module) | Full Site Editing (FSE) | Beaver Themer (add-on) | No native |
| WooCommerce Integration | Dedicated widgets + cart/checkout builder | WooCommerce modules | WooCommerce blocks | Basic support | Limited |
| Popup Builder | Built-in | No native (third-party needed) | No | No native | No |
| Dynamic Content | ACF, Toolset, Pods integration | Dynamic content module | Via custom blocks or plugins | Field connections | Limited |
| Form Builder | Built-in | Contact form module | No (use plugin) | No (use plugin) | No (use plugin) |
| Motion Effects | Scrolling effects, mouse effects | Scroll effects, sticky | Limited animations | Basic animations | CSS animations |
| Custom CSS per Element | Yes | Yes | Via "Additional CSS" block | Yes | Yes |
| Role-Based Access | Yes (restrict editing) | Yes | Via capabilities | Yes | Yes |
| Responsive Controls | Desktop, tablet, mobile breakpoints | 3 breakpoints + custom | Responsive blocks | 3 breakpoints | Responsive options |
| Template Library | 300+ pro templates | 2,000+ layouts | Block patterns | 30+ templates | 50+ templates |
| Global Widgets/Elements | Yes | Global modules | Reusable blocks/patterns | Saved modules | No native |
Performance Benchmarks
Performance matters both for user experience and SEO. We tested each builder on a standard page containing a hero section, three-column feature grid, testimonial slider, pricing table, and a contact form. Hosting environment: 2 vCPU VPS, 4 GB RAM, PHP 8.3, MySQL 8, OPcache enabled, no page caching.
| Metric | Elementor Pro | Divi | Gutenberg | Beaver Builder | WPBakery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Page Size (HTML + Assets) | ~420 KB | ~480 KB | ~180 KB | ~310 KB | ~520 KB |
| HTTP Requests | 22-28 | 25-32 | 8-12 | 18-22 | 28-35 |
| DOM Elements | ~1,200 | ~1,400 | ~400 | ~800 | ~1,600 |
| TTFB (Time to First Byte) | 320 ms | 380 ms | 180 ms | 280 ms | 420 ms |
| LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) | 1.8 s | 2.1 s | 1.2 s | 1.6 s | 2.4 s |
| Total Blocking Time | 180 ms | 220 ms | 60 ms | 140 ms | 280 ms |
| Lighthouse Performance Score | 72-78 | 65-72 | 90-96 | 78-84 | 58-65 |
Key takeaway: Gutenberg wins every performance metric by a wide margin because it generates clean, minimal HTML with no proprietary framework overhead. Among visual builders, Beaver Builder and Elementor deliver reasonable performance when optimized. WPBakery's heavy shortcode architecture produces the largest page weight.
For more on optimizing WordPress speed regardless of builder, see our Speed Optimization Guide.
Pricing Comparison
| Builder | Free Version | Pro Pricing | License Model | Sites Included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementor | Yes (limited widgets) | $59-$399/year | Annual subscription | 1-1,000 sites |
| Divi | No | $89/year or $249 lifetime | Subscription or lifetime | Unlimited sites |
| Gutenberg | Yes (fully featured) | Free (included in WordPress) | N/A | Unlimited |
| Beaver Builder | Yes (Beaver Builder Lite) | $99-$399/year | Annual subscription | Unlimited sites (all plans) |
| WPBakery | No | $56 one-time + $30/year support | One-time with renewal | 1 site per license |
Total Cost of Ownership
Pricing extends beyond the license. Consider the ecosystem cost: Elementor Pro users often purchase additional add-on packs like Essential Addons for Elementor for extended widget libraries. Divi's unlimited site license is attractive for agencies managing many client sites. Gutenberg's zero cost makes it compelling when paired with free block plugins.
Learning Curve Analysis
Elementor
Elementor's interface is intuitive for visual thinkers. The left sidebar panel shows available widgets; drag them onto the canvas and customize. Most users become productive within a few hours. The complexity emerges when building theme templates, creating custom loop grids, or configuring dynamic content — areas where documentation becomes essential. For a deep walkthrough, see our Elementor Guide 2026.
Divi
Divi uses inline visual editing — you click directly on page elements to modify them. This feels natural but can become disorienting on complex layouts where click targets overlap. Divi's settings panels have three levels of depth (Content, Design, Advanced), which requires patience to learn where specific options live. The Builder interface differs significantly from the WordPress dashboard, creating a steeper initial adjustment for WordPress veterans.
Gutenberg
Gutenberg requires a mental model shift: everything is a block. This is simple for content creation (paragraphs, headings, images, lists) but more complex for layout design. Creating multi-column layouts, custom grids, or complex hero sections with Gutenberg alone requires understanding block groups, row blocks, and CSS. The learning curve is low for content but moderate for design.
Beaver Builder
Beaver Builder's interface is clean and predictable. There are fewer options per module than Elementor, which makes it faster to learn but potentially limiting for complex designs. The module/row/column hierarchy is straightforward. Agency developers particularly value Beaver Builder's consistency — it rarely breaks between updates.
WPBakery
WPBakery offers both frontend and backend editing modes. The backend mode uses a grid of shortcode blocks that represent your layout — functional but visually abstract. Frontend editing is more intuitive but has historically been buggy. WPBakery's interface feels dated compared to competitors, and its shortcode dependency creates portability concerns.
Third-Party Ecosystem
The add-on ecosystem significantly extends each builder's capabilities:
- Elementor: 500+ third-party add-on packs, hundreds of template kits. Options include Essential Addons, JetEngine, Dynamic.ooo, and many more. The largest ecosystem by far.
- Divi: 200+ third-party plugins and child themes. Divi Marketplace offers verified extensions. Smaller than Elementor's but growing.
- Gutenberg: Growing rapidly. Block plugins like Spectra, Stackable, and Kadence Blocks add visual building capabilities. The ecosystem is fragmented but diverse.
- Beaver Builder: Modest ecosystem — PowerPack, Ultimate Addons for Beaver Builder. Quality over quantity.
- WPBakery: Many ThemeForest themes include WPBakery-specific features, but standalone add-on development has declined.
Content Portability and Lock-In
This is one of the most overlooked considerations. What happens to your content if you switch builders?
- Elementor: Stores content in post_meta as JSON. Deactivating leaves shortcode-like markers. Some migration tools exist, but layouts don't survive intact.
- Divi: Uses shortcodes extensively. Deactivating Divi leaves raw shortcode text throughout your content. Migration is labor-intensive.
- Gutenberg: Content is stored as standard HTML with block comment delimiters. Deactivating Gutenberg (if that were possible) leaves clean HTML. This is the most portable format.
- Beaver Builder: Has a notable advantage — content is saved in both builder format and plain WordPress editor format. Deactivating preserves readable content.
- WPBakery: Heavy shortcode usage. Deactivating leaves raw shortcodes throughout your content, similar to Divi.
Which Builder for Which Use Case?
Content-Heavy Blogs and News Sites
Gutenberg. The native editor is designed for content creation, produces the lightest HTML, and integrates seamlessly with WordPress's content management features. Pair it with a block-enhanced theme like Flavor or Flavor for design flexibility.
Business Websites and Landing Pages
Elementor Pro or Divi. Both provide the visual design tools needed for polished business sites without writing code. Elementor's popup builder and form integration reduce the need for additional plugins.
Client Projects and Agency Work
Beaver Builder or Elementor Pro. Beaver Builder's stability and clean output make it a safe choice for client handoffs. Elementor's larger feature set serves clients who want maximum design flexibility.
WooCommerce Stores
Elementor Pro. Its dedicated WooCommerce widgets, cart and checkout builder, and product loop builder provide the deepest ecommerce integration among visual builders.
Developer-Oriented Projects
Gutenberg with custom blocks. For developers comfortable with React/JSX, creating custom Gutenberg blocks offers the cleanest, most performant output. Combined with Full Site Editing, it's the most WordPress-native approach.
Build Visually with Elementor Pro
Elementor Pro provides 100+ widgets, a theme builder, popup builder, and WooCommerce integration — everything you need to design without code.
Get Elementor Pro →Migration Between Builders
If you're already committed to one builder and considering switching, here's what to expect:
- Elementor → Gutenberg: Painful. Most layouts need manual recreation. The "Starter Templates" approach — importing pre-built Gutenberg templates and adapting them — is faster than converting page by page.
- Divi → Elementor: Third-party plugins like "Flavor Switch" attempt automated conversion but rarely produce pixel-accurate results. Budget for manual refinement.
- WPBakery → Anything: The shortcode cleanup alone is a significant undertaking. Plan for a full site rebuild rather than a migration.
- Beaver Builder → Gutenberg: Easier than most migrations because Beaver Builder preserves plain-text content. Layouts need rebuilding, but content is accessible.
Future Outlook (2026 and Beyond)
Gutenberg's trajectory is the most important trend. WordPress core is investing heavily in Full Site Editing, and every release brings new block capabilities. The gap between Gutenberg and third-party builders narrows with each update. However, the visual editing experience of Elementor and Divi remains more polished for non-developers.
Elementor is investing in AI-assisted design and performance optimization. Divi recently introduced AI content generation. Beaver Builder maintains its stability-first approach. WPBakery's development pace has slowed noticeably.
