10 Best WordPress Page Builders to Build Stunning Sites Without Code

Building a beautiful WordPress site without coding is easier than ever, thanks to powerful drag-and-drop page builder plugins. Whether you’re a beginner launching a personal blog or an agency designing client sites, a good page builder can save time and effort. Page builders let you create custom layouts, insert rich content modules, and style your pages visually – no HTML or CSS required. In this article, we’ll explore 10 of the best WordPress page builders (both free and premium) known for ease of use, flexibility, and code-free customization. We’ll highlight each builder’s core features, pros, cons, and how they handle WooCommerce (online store) integration. By the end, you’ll know which builders are best suited for beginners, professionals, and WooCommerce users.

Let’s dive into the top page builder plugins that can transform your WordPress experience!

1. Elementor

Overview: Elementor is one of the most popular WordPress page builders, famous for its intuitive front-end interface and extensive features. It offers a live visual editor where you drag and drop widgets onto your page and see changes in real time. Elementor comes in a robust free version (great for basic sites) and a more powerful Pro version. With Elementor, you get dozens of content elements (text, images, sliders, videos, forms, etc.) and a huge library of professionally designed templates and blocks to jump-start your design. It’s a responsive builder too – you can customize layouts for desktop, tablet, and mobile views. Notably, Elementor Pro extends into a full website builder, including theme building (headers/footers), a popup builder, and even a WooCommerce builder for online stores​. This versatility has made Elementor a top choice for millions of WordPress users.

Core Features:

• Drag-and-Drop Live Editor: Visual page design with instant preview of changes. No coding required – simply drag widgets and adjust settings.
• Extensive Widget Library: Over 90 content elements (text, images, videos, buttons, forms, sliders, testimonials, etc.) available. You can even use widgets from other plugins inside Elementor.​
• Template & Block Library: Hundreds of pre-designed page templates and section blocks you can import and customize​. This makes starting a design much faster.
• Theme Builder (Pro): Ability to design your site’s header, footer, archive pages, blog post template, and more using the same drag-and-drop interface​. This gives you full control over your theme’s design.
• Advanced Design Options: Fine-tune spacing, margins, colors, typography, and add animations or custom CSS. Elementor offers responsive controls to adjust styling for different devices.
• Popup Builder (Pro): Create custom popups (for newsletters, promos, etc.) with targeting rules and triggers.
• WooCommerce Builder (Pro): Full support for WooCommerce – design custom product pages, shop layouts, cart and checkout pages visually​. Elementor Pro provides many WooCommerce widgets (product grids, add-to-cart buttons, etc.) to build an online store without code.
  

Pros:

• User-Friendly & Feature-Rich: Very easy for beginners to pick up, yet powerful enough for advanced users. A massive ecosystem of add-ons and templates provides virtually any feature you might need​.
• Free Version Available: Elementor’s free version is the most powerful among free page builders, offering a solid set of widgets and templates to create a complete site​. You can build a great site without paying, then upgrade to Pro for more capabilities.
• Active Community & Updates: Backed by a large community and developer team. Regular updates introduce new features and improvements (Elementor has features like theme/popup builders that keep it ahead of many competitors​).
• WooCommerce-Friendly: Excellent integration with WooCommerce. Pro users can visually design product and shop pages with dedicated widgets.​
  ​, giving full control over store design (a big plus for eCommerce sites).
• Lots of Extensions: There are many third-party Elementor add-ons, themes, and templates, so it’s easy to extend functionality (from marketing integrations to design widgets) as your needs grow.

Cons:

• Potential Performance Impact: Elementor can output less efficient code, which sometimes leads to slower page load speeds if you’re not careful​. Heavy use of numerous widgets or large pages might require optimization to maintain fast performance.
• Some Advanced Features Require Pro: The free version is great for basic pages, but capabilities like the theme builder, form widget, and WooCommerce widgets are Pro-only. This means professionals or demanding users will likely need a paid license.
• Learning Curve for Depth: Basic use is straightforward, but because Elementor has so many options, new users might feel a bit overwhelmed by all the settings and style controls. Mastering all its features (like motion effects, dynamic content) takes some time.
• Layout Lock-In: Like most page builders, if you ever deactivate Elementor, the content may not retain the designed layout. (Elementor leaves behind clean HTML for content, but styling and structure are tied to the plugin.)

WooCommerce: Excellent compatibility. Elementor fully supports WooCommerce, especially with Elementor Pro’s WooCommerce Builder​. You can design product pages, shop archives, cart/checkout, etc., using Elementor’s visual interface and WooCommerce widgets. This makes it a top choice for code-free eCommerce design. (The free version can still display products using shortcodes or basic widgets, but Pro is needed for advanced store customization.)

Official Site: Elementor Website Builder on WordPress.org​ (Free) – Elementor.com (Pro features & pricing).

2. Beaver Builder

Overview: Beaver Builder is a well-established premium page builder known for its stability and developer-friendly approach. Launched in 2014, it has built a reputation for clean code output and reliable performance​. Beaver Builder provides a front-end drag-and-drop editing experience similar to Elementor, though its interface is a bit more minimalistic. You can live-edit pages by adding modules (text, images, galleries, forms, etc.) and adjusting settings in a sidebar. One of Beaver Builder’s strengths is focusing on the core page-building features and doing them exceptionally well​. It may not have as many flashy widgets out of the box as some competitors, but it covers all the essentials and does so with a rock-solid, fast engine. Additionally, an optional addon called Beaver Themer extends it into a full theme builder (allowing you to design headers, footers, blog templates, and WooCommerce layouts). Beaver Builder offers a lite free version (with limited modules) on WordPress.org, while the full version (with all modules and templates) is paid.

Core Features:

• Front-End Drag & Drop Editor: Beaver Builder’s visual editor lets you build page layouts by dragging in content modules and rows/columns. You see the actual page as you design, which is intuitive for non-coders.
  
• Flexible Content Modules: Includes all standard page elements – text blocks, headings, images, videos, sliders, tabs, accordions, HTML/shortcode, testimonials, galleries, and more. It also supports third-party WordPress widgets and shortcodes in your layouts.
  
• Pre-Designed Templates & Sections: Comes with a set of pre-built page templates (landing pages, content pages) and section layouts you can import. This helps jump-start the design process if you don’t want to start from a blank page.
  
• Responsive & Mobile-Friendly: Provides tools to adjust responsive settings. You can show/hide modules on certain devices and tweak spacing for mobile, ensuring your designs look good on all screen sizes.
  
• Clean Code and Stability: Beaver Builder is often praised for the clean HTML/CSS it generates and for not bloating sites with unnecessary code. It’s optimized for performance and works smoothly with most themes.​
  
• Beaver Themer Add-On (Optional): An advanced plugin (sold separately) that allows you to create theme parts (global header, footer) and dynamic templates (e.g., a custom post type layout or WooCommerce product page) using Beaver Builder’s interface​. This essentially turns Beaver Builder into a full website builder for those who need it.
  

Pros:

• Easy to Use & Beginner Friendly: Beaver Builder has a straightforward interface with a gentle learning curve. Beginners can grasp the basics quickly and start building pages. It’s often noted for its clean, uncluttered UI and reliable drag-and-drop experience.​
  
• Highly Stable & Optimized: This builder is very lightweight out-of-the-box and is less likely to slow down your site. The code it produces is optimized, which helps with page speed and SEO. It also has a strong track record of stability with WordPress updates.
  
• Developer Friendly (Extensible): Developers appreciate Beaver Builder for its clean code and extensibility. It offers hooks, filters, and well-documented APIs for customization. There’s also a thriving ecosystem of third-party addons and a supportive community.
  
• No Lock-in Shortcode Hell: If you ever disable Beaver Builder, your page content (text and images) remains in the WordPress editor in a readable form (mostly wrapped in HTML) rather than indecipherable shortcodes. This makes it a bit easier to transition away, compared to builders that leave a mess of shortcodes.
  
• Reliable for Client Sites: Many agencies use Beaver Builder because it’s white-label capable (higher plans allow rebranding the builder for client WP dashboards) and it’s very predictable. Clients find it easy to edit content with minimal training, and the chance of things breaking is low.
  

Cons:

• Limited Fancy Widgets: Beaver Builder, especially the free lite version, has fewer built-in modules compared to something like Elementor’s free version. For example, fancy marketing elements (pricing tables, forms) or motion effects might require additional addons or Beaver Builder’s premium version. It focuses on essentials, so some users might find it less “feature-packed” out of the box.
  
• Less Template Variety: While there are templates included, the selection is not as large or modern as some competitors. Users seeking dozens of pre-made designs might find Beaver’s library somewhat basic (though you can find third-party template packs).
  
• Premium Cost for Full Features: The full power of Beaver Builder (all modules, premium templates, and multi-site capability) requires a paid license, which starts around $99/year for one site (and more for the package including Beaver Themer). There is no lifetime option, only annual plans. This can be pricey for individual users, though the quality is high. The free version is quite limited.
  
• Advanced Features Require Add-Ons: Functionality like theme building, popups, or form building is not built into the ore Beaver Builder (unlike Elementor, which has those in Pro). You’d need Beaver Themer for theme parts or rely on third-party plugins for popups, etc. This modular approach is clean but means extra cost or complexity for those advanced needs.
  
• Interface Slightly Dated: While very functional, the Beaver Builder interface is not as slick or modern-looking as some newer builders. It uses a sidebar panel for settings, which works well, but lacks some UX touches (like right-click options or inline text editing for all elements) that others offer.
  

WooCommerce: Good, with an addon. Beaver Builder can be used to layout WooCommerce content, but achieving full store design control works best with the Beaver Themer extension. Out of the box, the Beaver Builder plugin includes a basic WooCommerce module that lets you insert WooCommerce products or product grids into your pages​. For example, you could create a landing page and drop in a “Products” module or an “Add to Cart” button. However, to truly customize WooCommerce pages (like the product page template or shop archive), you’ll need Beaver Themer, which provides a suite of WooCommerce-specific modules (product title, price, reviews, add-to-cart, etc.) and template building for WooCommerce​. In summary, Beaver Builder is WooCommerce-compatible and can integrate with stores, but maximum WooCommerce flexibility requires the extra addon. If an agency or developer is using Beaver Builder, Beaver Themer is a worthwhile addition for WooCommerce projects.

Official Site: Beaver Builder Official Website​– includes info on Standard (page builder) and Beaver Themer.

3. WPBakery Page Builder (formerly Visual Composer)

Overview: WPBakery Page Builder is a veteran page builder plugin that has been around for many years (previously known as Visual Composer). It was one of the first widely adopted builders and is still used extensively, especially because it comes bundled with many premium WordPress themes. WPBakery offers both front-end and back-end editing modes​. The back-end mode lets you build page layouts within the WordPress editor (by adding content elements in a blocky interface), while the front-end mode allows true visual editing on the live page. The plugin is packed with a large collection of content elements and has a robust system of add-ons – countless third-party extensions (from marketplaces like CodeCanyon) expand its functionality​. WPBakery is a premium plugin (no free version), but if you purchased a theme that includes it, you can use it on that site. Its interface isn’t as modern as newer builders, but it gets the job done for a lot of users and offers tremendous flexibility in terms of what you can create.

Core Features:

• Drag-and-Drop Page Building (Front & Back End): You can choose to build your page through the back-end grid editor or via front-end inline editing. Both modes use drag-and-drop to place elements in rows and columns.
  
• Huge Selection of Elements: WPBakery comes with 50+ built-in content elements – text blocks, images, sliders, tabs, toggles, accordions, galleries, progress bars, charts, Google Maps, contact forms (if certain plugins are present), post grids, etc. This wide array covers most design needs, and if something is missing, many add-on packs are available to add more elements.​
  
• Template Library: It includes a set of pre-designed templates and the ability to save your layouts as templates. You can import demo layouts or blocks from your theme’s library if provided.
  
• Design Customization: Each element comes with extensive settings. You can adjust colors, fonts, sizes, spacing, and custom CSS for styling. There’s also a role manager to control which user roles can use WPBakery and to what extent.​
  
• Theme Compatibility: WPBakery is coded to be compatible with virtually any WordPress theme. It allows you to switch themes without losing the layouts built with the plugin (since the content is tied to the plugin via shortcodes).
  
• Add-ons & Extensions: A major strength – there’s a large ecosystem of premium add-ons that provide extra design elements or specialty features (for example, elements for timelines, WooCommerce product displays, pricing tables with unique styles, etc.). This means if the core plugin lacks something, you can often find an extension for it.
  

Pros:

• Feature-Rich and Flexible: WPBakery has one of the widest arrays of content elements among page builders, especially when augmented with add-ons​. Advanced users appreciate being able to create very complex layouts with tabs, carousels, grids, etc., all in one plugin.
  
• Front-End + Back-End Editing: The dual editing modes can be useful. Some users prefer constructing the page structure in back-end mode, then switching to front-end to fine-tune content visually. It offers more control for those who like seeing the content hierarchy in the admin.
  
• Mature and Widely Used: Because it’s been around for a long time, WPBakery is a proven solution. Many WordPress professionals know it, and a lot of documentation and help are available. Most compatibility issues with themes or plugins have been ironed out over the years. It’s a known quantity.
  
• Third-Party Add-on Ecosystem: The availability of countless add-ons means you can extend WPBakery in almost any direction (from advanced sliders to custom post type grids). This ecosystem is a big plus for extending functionality without switching builders.
  
• Granular Control: Features like the Role Manager let you disable certain elements or builder access for specific user roles (handy if you don’t want clients to mess up layouts). You can also easily custom-code new elements if you have development skills.
  
• Included in Many Themes: If you often buy premium themes (e.g., from ThemeForest), you’ll notice many come bundled with WPBakery for page building. This effectively gives you the plugin at no extra cost for that site. It’s convenient if you use those themes, as layouts are pre-built with WPBakery.
  

Cons:

• Learning Curve for New Users: WPBakery’s interface can feel a bit overwhelming or unintuitive for beginners. The back-end editor shows shortcodes as boxes, which isn’t very visual, and the front-end editor, while visual, has a lot of buttons and modal windows for settings. It’s not quite as slick or simple as newer builders so that beginners might struggle initially.
  
• Shortcode Lock-In: WPBakery uses shortcodes to save content. If you deactivate the plugin, your pages will be littered with [vc_row], [vc_column], [vc_custom_heading], etc., making the content hard to read. This “lock-in” effect means switching away from WPBakery requires rebuilding pages or cleaning shortcodes, which is a notable downside.
  
• Performance and Bloat: Without optimization, WPBakery can produce heavy pages. It often loads many CSS and JS files. Users have reported slower page load times if a page has many elements or if multiple add-ons are in use. Caching and optimization can mitigate this, but out-of-the-box, it’s not the leanest builder.
  
• Dated UI/UX: Compared to the likes of Elementor or newer builders, WPBakery’s user experience feels dated. For instance, inline text editing is less seamless, and some actions require more clicks. It’s functional but not the most efficient workflow.
  
• No True Free Version: There is no free version on the WordPress repository. You must purchase a license (around $64 for a regular license) unless you use a theme that bundles it. Also, updates and direct support are only available with a valid license (theme-bundled versions rely on the theme for updates).
  
• Limited Innovation: In recent years, WPBakery’s core development has slowed compared to competitors adding new features. It lacks some modern features like a pop-up builder, theme builder, or marketing integrations by default. The separate Visual Composer Website Builder (by the same company) was launched for that, but WPBakery itself is now mostly in maintenance/compatibility mode.
  

WooCommerce: Supported but not specialized out-of-the-box. WPBakery can certainly be used on WooCommerce sites – you can embed products or product categories into any page using Woo shortcodes or some built-in grid elements. Many WooCommerce-centric themes rely on WPBakery to design shop pages. However, WPBakery doesn’t include a dedicated WooCommerce template builder by default. To truly customize the layout of product pages or shop archives, you might need additional tools. There are third-party add-ons (and some themes) that provide WooCommerce elements for WPBakery​, enabling you to drag-and-drop product details, buy buttons, etc., in a custom layout. For example, the “WC Builder” addon allows building custom Woo product and archive pages with WPBakery​. Without such addons, WPBakery alone will display WooCommerce content in the default way (you can still design landing pages that feature products, just not override Woo templates easily). In short, WPBakery is compatible with WooCommerce, but achieving a code-free WooCommerce design experience may require purchasing an additional WooCommerce-page-builder extension or using a theme that provides integration.

Official Site: WPBakery Page Builder​– official product page (premium plugin).

4. Divi Builder

Overview: Divi Builder is the page builder at the heart of the popular Divi Theme by Elegant Themes. However, it’s also available as a standalone plugin (Divi Builder plugin) to use with any theme. Divi is known for its visually polished interface and a vast array of design options. It’s a true front-end builder – click on your page and start editing text, adjust spacing by dragging margins, etc., all in real time. Divi comes with a huge library of layout packs and elements, making it easy to get started. One standout feature is Divi’s split testing and conversion optimization built in (rare among builders)​, which appeals to marketers. Another is its lifetime pricing option – you can pay once for Divi (as part of an Elegant Themes membership) and use it on unlimited sites, which agencies love. Divi’s ethos is giving users the ability to customize every part of their site visually, similar to Elementor Pro or Beaver Themer. It includes a theme builder for headers/footers, etc., and plenty of advanced design effects (shape dividers, animations, filters). With Divi, you’re getting a page builder + theme all-in-one if you use the Divi theme, or you can use the plugin with a different theme if desired.

Core Features:

• Visual Front-End Editor: Divi’s editor allows in-place editing – you can type directly on the page, drag element boundaries to resize padding/margins, and see changes instantly. There’s also a wireframe view if needed, but generally you design on the actual page.
  
• Rich Content Modules: Over 40 modules including text, image, gallery, video, slider, testimonial, accordion, tabs, contact form, call-to-action, countdown timers, pricing tables, and more​. Each module has extensive styling options.
  
• Huge Layout Library: Elegant Themes provides hundreds of pre-made layout packs (full website designs with multiple pages) that you can import. These cover many industries (business, portfolio, online store, etc.), giving users a head-start. You can also save your designs to the library.
  
• Theme Builder: Divi Builder doubles as a theme builder – you can design global headers, footers, blog post templates, category pages, and even WooCommerce product page templates using Divi’s interface​. Conditions can be set on where those templates apply.
  
• Design Customization Galore: Divi offers advanced design settings – custom fonts (with extensive typography controls), colors, gradients, drop shadows, shape dividers, animations, transforms, and even Photoshop-like filters you can apply to images. Almost every aspect is adjustable without code.
  
• Split Testing (Divi Leads): A unique built-in A/B testing system called Divi Leads allows you to test different module variations to see which performs better (for example, test two versions of a landing page headline to see which gets more clicks). The builder can record stats on these to help optimize conversion.
  
• Responsive Editing: You can toggle to mobile or tablet view and adjust settings specifically for those breakpoints. Divi ensures your design is mobile-friendly.
  
• Inline Text Editing: Instead of using a sidebar for text content, Divi lets you click and type directly on the page for any text content, making content creation very intuitive.
  

Pros:

• All-in-One Solution: Divi can serve as both your theme and page builder, eliminating conflicts. Even as a standalone builder, it covers page building and theme building in one package. This comprehensive approach means you don’t need multiple plugins for site design.
  
• Vast Design Possibilities: With its huge template library and extremely granular design settings, Divi is incredibly flexible. Creative users can achieve very unique designs. It’s equally good for simple sites (using a premade layout pack) or highly custom builds.
  
• Lifetime and Unlimited Usage Option: Elegant Themes offers a lifetime license (one-time fee), which gives unlimited site usage​. This is highly cost-effective for professionals and agencies building many sites – you pay once and can use Divi forever, which is a big selling point.
  
• Active Development & Community: Divi is continuously updated with new features. It has a massive community of users, numerous Facebook groups, and third-party child themes and extensions. Support and tutorials are abundant. The community also shares design snippets, layouts, etc., which you can leverage.
  
• Conversion-Friendly Features: The inclusion of marketing-focused features like split testing and integrated email opt-in modules (that can connect to services) is a plus if you’re building sites aimed at lead generation. Divi also has Bloom (email opt-in plugin) and Monarch (social sharing) included in the membership, complementing the builder.
  
• WooCommerce Integration: Divi includes WooCommerce modules, so building online store pages is a breeze (no extra plugin needed for that). For example, you can insert a product gallery or price, or an add-to-cart button as modules when designing a custom product page.
  
• Mature and Reliable: Having been around for years and used on millions of sites, Divi is a reliable platform. Bugs are usually addressed quickly. Users often praise Elegant Themes’ support and responsiveness.
  

Cons:

• Can Be Overwhelming: The sheer number of options and settings in Divi can overwhelm new users​. The interface, while powerful, has a lot of icons and menus that might require a learning period. There’s a certain workflow to Divi that one must get used to.
  
• Speed Considerations: Divi’s richness comes at a cost – it can be somewhat heavy. If a page has many Divi modules and effects, it may load more slowly unless optimized. In the past, Divi had a reputation for being sluggish to load or edit, especially on weaker hosts. Elegant Themes has improved performance, but it’s still wise to use caching and keep an eye on load times for Divi sites (particularly on mobile).
  
• Shortcode Lock-In: Like WPBakery, Divi Builder also uses shortcodes to store layouts. If you deactivate Divi, your content will be wrapped in Divi shortcodes, which are not human-readable. This makes switching away from Divi cumbersome – you’d likely need to rebuild content in another builder.
  
• No Free Version: Divi is not available for free. You must purchase a yearly membership (or the lifetime license). This upfront cost might deter hobby users, though it includes a lot of value (theme, plugins, etc.). There is a demo but no free tier.
  
• UI Performance for Complex Pages: When editing a very large page in Divi Builder, the visual editor can sometimes lag or struggle, especially in older browsers. The editing experience is generally smooth, but some users report it’s not as snappy as Elementor when dealing with really content-heavy pages.
  
• Requires Account for Updates: To receive updates and support, you need to have an Elegant Themes subscription and use your API key. This is standard for premium products, but worth noting for those who prefer one-off plugins.
  

WooCommerce: Excellent. Divi works seamlessly with WooCommerce – in fact, Elegant Themes touts Divi’s deep WooCommerce integration. Divi includes a large set of WooCommerce modules that allow you to design custom templates for your product pages, shop pages, cart, and checkout​. Using the Divi Theme Builder, you can visually arrange product title, images, price, add-to-cart button, reviews, etc., in any layout you want, all through drag-and-drop. It gives you full design control over WooCommerce content​. For example, you could create a unique product page design instead of the standard WooCommerce layout, without writing PHP. Divi’s Woo modules and dynamic content features make it a top choice for building an online store. Moreover, if you use the Divi theme, all WooCommerce styling is made to match beautifully out of the box. In summary, Divi is highly WooCommerce-friendly – both beginners and developers can craft a custom-looking shop with ease.

Official Site: Divi by Elegant Themes​– includes details on Divi theme & builder (premium).

5. Thrive Architect

Overview: Thrive Architect is a premium page builder from Thrive Themes, designed with marketing and conversion in mind. It’s essentially the successor to Thrive Content Builder and is part of the Thrive Suite of tools. Thrive Architect offers a fast, visual editor for creating landing pages, sales pages, webinar pages, and regular site content. Its distinguishing factor is the focus on conversion elements – it includes a lot of pre-designed sections and templates optimized for lead generation (like opt-in forms, call-to-action sections, countdown timers, etc.)​. If you are a marketer or blogger looking to build high-converting pages, Thrive Architect is tailored for that use case. It might not have every fancy design widget, but it has the ones that matter for getting subscribers or sales. Thrive Architect does not have a free version; it’s sold either as part of Thrive Suite membership or as an individual plugin license. It can be used with any theme. It doesn’t include full theme building (Thrive has a separate Thrive Theme Builder for that), but for page content, it’s quite powerful.

Core Features:

• Visual Page Editor: Front-end editing with drag-and-drop, similar to others. Thrive’s editor is known to be very fast and smooth, allowing quick placement and editing of elements.
  
• Conversion-Focused Elements: Built-in elements specifically for marketing: lead generation forms (that integrate with email services), countdown timers, evergreen scarcity timers, testimonial boxes, styled CTA buttons, guarantee boxes, pricing tables, etc.​. These help build sales funnels and landing pages without extra plugins.
  
• Landing Page Templates: Thrive Architect includes hundreds of landing page templates, organized in sets that share design styles. For example, you get a set that includes an opt-in page, thank-you page, and confirmation page, all in a matching style. This is very handy for quickly deploying funnel pages.
  
• Content Modules: Beyond marketing elements, it has all the standard modules like text, image, video, columns, icons, tabs, etc. Also, design elements like gradients, hover effects, and responsive visibility settings.
  
• Inline Text Editing: You can click and type to edit text directly on the page, which makes building content-centric pages quick.
  
• Mobile Responsive Controls: Thrive lets you adjust layout for mobile view (hide/show elements per device, tweak font sizes for mobile, etc.). Ensuring your landing page looks great on mobile is a priority.
  
• Thrive Integrations: It integrates with other Thrive products – e.g., you can drop a Thrive Leads opt-in form or Thrive Quiz right into a page. It also connects to dozens of email marketing services (for lead forms).
  
• A/B Testing (via Thrive Optimize): There is an add-on called Thrive Optimize (or included in Suite) that allows A/B testing of Thrive Architect pages. If you have that, you can create split tests of different page designs easily, which again is useful for marketing optimization.
  

Pros:

• Ideal for Marketers: Thrive Architect shines for marketing sites. It provides conversion-focused templates and elements out of the box. Users who need to build landing pages for campaigns, sales pages for products, webinar registrations, etc., will find tailored tools here (instead of piecing together multiple plugins).
  
• Fast & Efficient: The editor is generally very quick to load and use. Thrive prioritized speed in the editing experience – changes apply quickly, and you’re not waiting around for the builder to catch up.
  
• Professional Templates: The landing page designs are modern and professional. If you lack design skills, Thrive’s templates can give you a high-converting page design with minimal tweaks (just edit text and images). They often follow good marketing design practices by default.
  
• Integrations for Lead Capture: Connecting your MailChimp, ActiveCampaign, or other email service to capture leads is straightforward. The included lead generation forms save time if building an email list is a goal.
  
• Regular Updates (Thrive Suite): Thrive Themes continually updates Architect as part of their suite, adding new features or improving UX. They are often tuned into what digital marketers need (for example, adding features to comply with trends like GDPR cookie consent, etc., across their tools).
  
• Good Balance of Features: While not as bloated as some builders, Thrive Architect offers enough design flexibility for most needs. You can do custom layouts, fancy backgrounds, and so on – plenty for typical business websites and marketing pages.
  

Cons:

• Not as General-Purpose Flexible: Compared to Elementor or Divi, Thrive Architect can feel constrained for general web design. It’s great for marketing pages, but for purely artistic or ultra-custom designs, it might lack some advanced styling options. It’s somewhat opinionated towards clean, conversion-focused design, which is good for results but maybe limiting for creativity.
  
• No Theme Building in Plugin: Thrive Architect alone doesn’t let you design your header/footer or blog templates (Thrive offers Thrive Theme Builder as a separate product for that). So if you need to customize beyond individual pages, you may need to pair it with their Theme Builder or stick to a compatible theme. This separates concerns, but is different from builders that have theme building built-in.
  
• Premium Only: There’s no free version or cheap entry point. It’s part of a membership (which can be costly if you only need the builder) or a standalone ~$97/year plugin. This can be more expensive than some competitors if you’re only running one site and only want the builder.
  
• Learning Curve on Some Features: While basic dragging is simple, some of Thrive’s advanced features (like setting up lead forms with integrations, using the more complex elements) might require reading docs or watching tutorials. The interface is custom (not a copy of Elementor or Gutenberg), so you’ll need to get used to their icons and flow.
  
• Limited Third-Party Extensions: Thrive is a closed ecosystem. Unlike Elementor or Divi, there aren’t third-party add-on plugins for Thrive Architect. You get what Thrive provides. If you need a feature it doesn’t have, you have to rely on Thrive to add it (or custom-code HTML/CSS in the builder). That said, Thrive’s set is quite comprehensive for marketing needs.
  
• Focus on Conversion Might Overwhelm Casual Users: If you’re just trying to design a simple blog page, all the marketing-centric options (like conversion stats, lead forms) could feel like overkill. Thrive’s branding and interface assume the user cares about optimization and business results, which might not resonate with someone just making a hobby site.
  

WooCommerce: Basic compatibility, but not its focus. Thrive Architect can be used alongside WooCommerce, but it does not have dedicated WooCommerce elements or a store builder within it. You could design a product advertisement landing page with Thrive and link to the WooCommerce product, or embed a WooCommerce shortcode (like a product grid) in a Thrive content box. However, if you aim to build an entire WooCommerce-powered store with custom product pages, Thrive’s tools are not geared for that out of the box. Thrive Theme Builder (their separate theme tool) reportedly has some WooCommerce integration​, but Architect itself just treats WooCommerce content as any other content. Essentially, Thrive Architect is great for marketing pages that might sell or promote WooCommerce products, but not for editing the actual WooCommerce templates. If eCommerce is a primary concern, you might lean on another builder or use Thrive’s theme in combination with standard WooCommerce or a specific Woo integration. In short: Thrive Architect works with WooCommerce (no known conflicts), but offers no special WooCommerce design features in the builder. Consider it “WooCommerce-neutral.”

Official Site: Thrive Architect – Thrive Themes (premium plugin, part of Thrive Suite).

6. SiteOrigin Page Builder

Overview: SiteOrigin Page Builder is one of the oldest and most reliable free page builder plugins in the WordPress ecosystem. It introduced many users to the concept of drag-and-drop design within WordPress. SiteOrigin’s builder uses a grid-based approach to let you construct responsive page layouts. It may not have flashy visuals like newer builders, but it is lightweight, stable, and completely free (with optional premium add-ons). It works by adding a Page Builder tab in the edit screen, where you can add rows, choose column layouts, and insert widgets into those columns. It also offers a live editing mode to preview changes. Because it relies on WordPress widgets for content, it’s extremely flexible – you can use any widget (including those from other plugins or the SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle) as a content block in your layout​. For users on a budget or those who prefer a straightforward interface, SiteOrigin Page Builder remains a solid choice.

Core Features:

• Drag-and-Drop Grid Builder: Allows creation of multi-column layouts. You add rows, divide them into columns (with custom proportions), and drag widgets into those columns. This makes it easy to arrange content in various layouts.
  
• Widget-Based Content: Instead of proprietary content elements, it uses WordPress widgets. By default, any widget can be placed on the page. SiteOrigin provides a Widgets Bundle plugin, which adds many widgets (images, sliders, buttons, maps, etc.)​, giving you plenty of building blocks.
  
• Responsive Design Controls: The rows and columns you create are responsive by default (stacking on smaller screens). You can adjust how columns collapse and set custom row widths for different devices if needed.
  
• Live Editor: A built-in live editing mode lets you preview your page on the front-end while still having the controls to edit content. It’s a bit less fluid than true front-end builders, but it helps to see changes in context.​
  
• History Undo/Redo: SiteOrigin Page Builder has an undo/redo history feature​. You can roll back changes if you make a mistake, which encourages experimenting with layouts safely.
  
• Integration & Theme Agnostic: It works with any theme, and because it’s basically adding content to the standard editor, it’s highly compatible. You can change themes, and your content built with Page Builder remains (though you might need to adjust styling).
  
• Performance Focused: It’s known to be light on resources. The output is clean, and it doesn’t load massive scripts. This means it won’t slow down your site as much as some heavier builders might, an important factor for basic sites.
  

Pros:

• Completely Free: The core plugin is free and fully functional. You can build entire websites without paying a cent. This makes it very attractive for students, nonprofits, or anyone on a tight budget. Even the optional premium (SiteOrigin Premium) only adds enhancements; the free version already has a lot.
  
• Beginner-Friendly Interface: While not as “visual” as some, many beginners find the concept of rows and widgets easy to grasp. It feels like an extension of the WordPress widget system, which is familiar. There are fewer distractions – it does one thing and does it well.​
  
• Rock-Solid Stability: SiteOrigin Page Builder has been around since 2013 and has over a million active installs. It’s well-tested and updates focus on compatibility. It rarely has major bugs. You can trust it on production sites for the long term.
  
• Works with Existing WordPress Widgets/Plugins: You can use widgets from other plugins (like a Gravity Form widget, a WooCommerce product widget, etc.) inside your page layout. This interoperability is a big advantage – it’s not a closed system. For example, want to insert a contact form? Just use your preferred form plugin’s widget.
  
• Lightweight and Fast: The plugin adds minimal overhead. Pages built with it tend to load faster than those built with some heavier builders (assuming the same content) because it’s mostly just structured HTML with your theme’s styling. For simpler sites, this means good performance without much tweaking.
  
• Supportive Community and Docs: Being popular, there are lots of tutorials, a support forum, and documentation. The authors (SiteOrigin) actively answer questions on their forum. There’s also a community of users who create additional widgets and extensions.
  
• No Lock-in Content Loss: If you turn off SiteOrigin Page Builder, your content remains in the WordPress editor as simple HTML (with maybe some placeholder shortcode for layout). It’s relatively easy to clean up or switch away if needed. It doesn’t leave a mess of shortcodes for content.
  

Cons:

• Not a True WYSIWYG Front-End Builder: The building experience is more abstract. In the back-end editor, you see rows and widget placeholders, not the actual design. You have to preview to see the final look. The live editor helps, but is not as interactive as something like Elementor’s instant editing. This can slow down design work compared to real-time front-end builders.
  
• Limited Design Styling Options: SiteOrigin focuses on layout. While you can add CSS classes or use the Widget Styles to tweak some basics, it doesn’t provide an extensive style interface on each element. You often rely on your theme’s styling for how the widgets look. If you want pixel-perfect control of every detail without CSS, you might find it lacking.
  
• No Fancy Elements (Without Addons): Out-of-the-box, it’s fairly basic. It doesn’t natively have things like animation effects, popups, form builders, etc. You’d need either custom code or other plugins to achieve those. It’s geared toward content layout, not advanced marketing designs. The Widgets Bundle gives many elements, but not as many as premium builders, and their designs are somewhat basic.
  
• Dated Interface: The UI feels a bit dated compared to modern builders – it’s functional but not “slick.” Some might find it less enjoyable or intuitive because it lacks visual flair or modern drag handles. It feels like using WordPress from a decade ago, which isn’t necessarily bad, but it’s not trendy.
  
• Learning Curve for Responsive Adjustments: While layouts are responsive, making specific tweaks (like reordering columns on mobile or adjusting column widths at certain breakpoints) is not as straightforward as in other builders that have responsive controls. You might need to add custom CSS for some responsive behavior.
  
• Fewer Updates/Innovations: SiteOrigin Page Builder sees fewer major feature updates nowadays. Development is active for maintenance, but it’s not adding new design features frequently. It’s stable, but relatively static in innovation. Users wanting the latest design trends (like motion effects or shape dividers) won’t find them here.
  
• Basic WooCommerce Handling: It doesn’t specifically cater to WooCommerce (though it can use Woo widgets). For complex WooCommerce page designs, it’s not ideal beyond a simple layout of widgets.
  

WooCommerce: Works with Woo, but minimal integration. SiteOrigin Page Builder itself doesn’t offer special WooCommerce blocks or template editing. However, you can certainly build a shop page or a homepage for your store using it by inserting WooCommerce widgets or shortcodes. For example, you could drag a WooCommerce “Products” widget into a Page Builder row to display products. There’s also nothing stopping you from using Page Builder on standard WooCommerce pages (like adding a custom hero section above your product listings, etc., if the theme allows). But importantly, customizing the actual WooCommerce product page layout or cart/checkout pages is outside the scope of SiteOrigin Page Builder. They will appear as determined by your theme. There was mention of third-party solutions (like the Kadence WooCommerce SiteOrigin Builder integration​ to create custom Woo templates, but that’s not native. Essentially, if you need to sprinkle WooCommerce products or content into your page, SiteOrigin can do that (via widgets for product lists, categories, etc.). If you want to overhaul WooCommerce’s design, you’d look to your theme or another tool. The good news is that SiteOrigin is lightweight enough that it usually coexists peacefully with WooCommerce without performance concerns. So, WooCommerce compatibility is fine, but WooCommerce customization is limited.

Official Site: Page Builder by SiteOrigin​ (Free plugin on WordPress.org, with optional SiteOrigin Premium add-on).

7. Brizy

Overview: Brizy is a newer page builder (launched around 2018) that has quickly gained popularity due to its streamlined interface and user-friendly experience. Brizy’s philosophy is to simplify the website building process with inline editing and a clutter-free workspace. It offers a modern drag-and-drop editor with a strong focus on pre-made blocks and layouts – think of assembling a page from ready sections and then customizing. Brizy comes in both a free version (on WordPress.org) and a Pro version with more features (and interestingly, there’s also Brizy Cloud, a separate hosted website builder platform). In WordPress, Brizy works with any theme (or their recommended barebones theme) and lets you design pages visually. It may not have as many third-party integrations yet as older builders, but it covers the bases for most use cases. Notably, Brizy Pro includes a Popup builder and recently a WooCommerce builder, extending its capabilities. The UI is very clean – for instance, when you click an element, a contextual toolbar appears right by it for settings, rather than a sidebar, which many users find intuitive.

Core Features:

• Visual Inline Editing: You can add text and edit it directly on the page, drag elements around, and see changes live. Brizy’s UI tries to minimize panel overload; most options appear contextually.
  
• Pre-made Blocks & Layouts: Brizy includes over 150 pre-designed content blocks (like hero sections, contact sections, testimonials) that you can drop in and tweak​. It also has full-page layouts for various purposes. This block kit approach makes page building very fast if you like the designs.
  
• Content Elements: Standard elements like text, image, button, video, icon, map, etc., are available. Pro adds more like forms, sliders, galleries, tabs, accordions, etc. All elements have styling options for typography, colors, backgrounds, padding/margins, and so on.
  
• Global Styling: Brizy offers global styling options – you can set global colors and fonts and reuse them, which ensures consistency across your site. Editing a global color updates it everywhere used.
  
• Responsive Controls: It provides a device switcher for Desktop/Tablet/Mobile views, allowing you to adjust or hide elements per device to ensure responsiveness.
  
• Fast Performance: Brizy is touted as lightweight and outputs clean code. It was built with performance in mind, using React under the hood for the builder interface, which makes the editing experience snappy.​
  
• Popup Builder (Pro): Create popups with triggers (on click, Exit intent, etc.) using the same visual builder interface.
  
• WooCommerce Builder (Pro): Ability to build product and shop page templates visually (introduced in recent updates) – we’ll detail in the Woo section.
  
• Conversion Elements: Pro also adds marketing elements like contact forms that integrate with marketing services, and Analytics/SEO integrations.
  

Pros:

• Clean, Intuitive Interface: Brizy’s interface gets a lot of praise. It feels uncluttered and modern, which lowers the learning curve. For example, adding a new block gives you an option to choose a premade design or start blank, making it easy to structure a page quickly..
  
• Speed of Design: Using premade blocks and layouts dramatically speeds up the page-building process. Even a beginner can assemble a professional-looking page in minutes by stacking blocks and adjusting text/images. This is great for quickly prototyping or building client sites on a deadline.
  
• Free Version Available: Brizy’s free version is quite capable for simple websites. It includes a decent selection of elements and blocks, making it a viable choice for personal sites or landing pages without cost. You only need Pro if you require advanced widgets or features.
  
• Global Styling & Reusable Blocks: The global style features ensure consistency and save time when you need to change a brand color or font site-wide. You can also save your block designs to reuse on other pages, which improves workflow.
  
• Lightweight Output: Users often note that Brizy doesn’t bloat page HTML as much as some others. This can translate to better front-end performance. Fewer scripts are loaded when not needed, and it generally keeps things optimized.
  
• Active Development: The Brizy team is actively adding features. The builder has grown to include theme building aspects, WooCommerce, etc., in a relatively short time. This means it’s quickly closing the gap with more established builders. They listen to feedback and roll out updates frequently.
  
• Visual Form Builder (Pro): Creating contact or signup forms is easy with Brizy Pro; you can do it all within the builder (no separate form plugin needed for basic forms). Integrations with email marketing are included, simplifying lead generation setup.
  
• Brizy Cloud Option: Slightly aside from WordPress, but if you ever want a hosted solution for a quick project, you can use Brizy Cloud with the same interface. Some consider this a bonus as you can apply similar skills outside WordPress, too.
  

Cons:

• Less Established Ecosystem: As a newer entrant, Brizy doesn’t have as many third-party extensions or the large community that Elementor/Divi have. Fewer tutorials and community support are available (though official support is there). You might not find as many pre-built third-party templates or add-ons specific to Brizy yet.
  
• Pro Features Locked: The free version, while good, is limited. Many of the more dynamic elements (like forms, sliders, gallery, popups, membership display conditions, WooCommerce, etc.) are Pro-only. For a serious business site, you’ll likely need to invest in Brizy Pro.
  
• Occasional Features Gap: Some advanced features present in competitors might still be in Brizy’s roadmap. For example, it introduced the WooCommerce builder a bit later; some aspects of theme building or dynamic content might not be as refined yet. Depending on when you use it, you may find “I wish it did X” where X is something available elsewhere. However, this gap is closing with updates.
  
• Reliance on Blocks (could feel templated): If you overuse the premade blocks without sufficient customization, there’s a risk that sites might look a bit generic or like others using the same blocks. Designers may prefer more from-scratch control. (Though you can certainly build from scratch in Brizy too – it’s just that blocks are heavily encouraged.)
  
• No Lifetime Option (as of now): Brizy Pro is subscription-based (yearly). Some competitors offer lifetime licenses, which some agencies prefer. Brizy has various plans including an unlimited sites plan, but it renews annually.
  
• Fewer Marketing Integrations (for now): It supports the basics (Mailchimp, etc.), but not as many integrations as Thrive or Elementor might via add-ons. If you have a very particular CRM or newsletter service, double-check compatibility.
  
• Stability of New Features: Occasionally, when new features roll out (like the initial WooCommerce beta), there might be bugs to iron out. Early adopters might encounter those. Being a rapidly evolving product, it’s wise to test updates on a staging site if you rely on it for client work.
  

WooCommerce: Growing support (Pro). Brizy Pro has introduced a WooCommerce Builder as part of its feature set​. This means if you have WooCommerce installed, Brizy allows you to design the templates for product pages, product archives, etc., using its drag-and-drop interface, rather than being stuck with your theme’s layout. For example, you can design a custom single product page: add the product title element, image gallery, price, add-to-cart button, description tabs, and related products – Brizy provides these as dynamic elements to place in your design. This puts Brizy in line with Elementor Pro and Divi in terms of WooCommerce flexibility. However, note that this is a Pro feature; the free Brizy does not include WooCommerce special integration beyond using shortcodes. With Brizy Pro, you also get pre-designed shop and product page templates to start from, making it easier. If you don’t want to create templates, you can still use Brizy on regular pages to showcase products (e.g., use a shortcode or a WooCommerce block inside Brizy via the WordPress widget element). Overall, Brizy is now a viable tool for WooCommerce users: you can build a fully custom shop without coding. However, as a newer feature, ensure your version of Brizy Pro is up-to-date for the latest Woo improvements. Brizy’s WooCommerce Builder functionality is part of their Pro plans​, so you’ll need a license for that level of integration.

Official Site: Brizy – WordPress Page Builder​– available in Free (WP.org) and Pro versions.

8. Gutenberg (WordPress Block Editor)

Overview: Gutenberg is the code name for WordPress’s native block editor, introduced in WordPress 5.0. It’s not a plugin you add (it’s built into WP core), but it serves a similar purpose to page builders by allowing block-based page design without coding​. While originally focused on post content, Gutenberg has evolved with features like Block Patterns and Full Site Editing (FSE) to layout entire pages and even theme parts. The interface is somewhat simpler than external builders – everything is a “block” (paragraph, image, heading, gallery, etc.) that you can insert and move up or down. For basic page layouts, Gutenberg is quite capable; you can do multi-column sections, cover images with text overlay, buttons, and more, all within the default editor. Many in the WordPress community see Gutenberg (and the newer Site Editor for block themes) as the future, potentially reducing the need for third-party page builders over time. It’s certainly the most lightweight option since it’s part of the core and optimized by WP developers, but it’s also still catching up in terms of advanced design options.

Core Features:

• Block-Based Content Creation: Content is created as a series of blocks. Blocks can be simple (paragraph, image) or more complex (columns, media & text combo, galleries). You can add new blocks via a plus (+) button in the editor, and drag to reorder them.
  
• Built-in Blocks Library: WordPress provides a variety of blocks: headings, lists, quotes, images, galleries, audio, video, buttons, columns, spacers, separators, embeds (YouTube, Twitter, etc.), and more​. These cover most needs for standard posts and pages.
  
• Block Patterns: These are pre-designed block layouts that come with WordPress or your theme. For example, a “two-column feature section” pattern might contain an image on one side and text on the other, already nicely formatted. Patterns make it easier to add complex sections with one click.
  
• Reusable Blocks: You can save any block (or group of blocks) as a reusable block to use in other posts/pages. This is handy for content you repeat often (like a call-to-action).
  
• Drag & Drop and Rearrangement: You can drag blocks to different positions or use up/down arrows to shift their order. You can also nest blocks (for instance, a Columns block contains Column blocks, which contain other blocks).
  
• Inline Editing: You edit content directly in the page editor. For text, you just type in the block. For images, you upload or select from the media library and see it right there.
  
• Full Site Editing (with block theme): If using a block-based theme, you can use the Site Editor to design the header, footer, and templates using similar block concepts. This is more of a theme-building feature, but it’s part of the Gutenberg project. It’s still relatively new and separate from the post/page editor, but related.
  
• Extensibility via Plugins: Many plugins add their custom blocks (e.g., WooCommerce adds product blocks, contact form plugins add form blocks). There are also “block library” plugins like CoBlocks, Stackable, Kadence Blocks, etc., which provide advanced blocks (testimonials, accordions, etc.) to extend Gutenberg’s capabilities.
  
• Clean Output and Performance: Blocks generally output fairly clean HTML that is styled by your theme. Since it’s core, it’s optimized to not add a lot of extra weight. It also uses modern JavaScript (React) under the hood for the editor UI.
  

Pros:

• Built-in and Free: Gutenberg is part of WordPress core – no additional plugin needed, and thus no extra cost. Every WordPress site running a recent version has it ready to use. This ensures maximum compatibility, and you don’t worry about third-party plugin conflicts for basic page layout.
  
• Simple Interface for Basic Layouts: For creating standard blog posts or simple pages with a mix of text and media, the block editor is straightforward. It feels like a natural extension of the old editor, but more flexible. It’s great for users who just need to do a moderate layout (like add an image gallery or a couple of columns) without the complexity of a full page builder.
  
• Lightweight & Fast-loading Pages: Because it relies on theme styling and minimal extra code, pages built with Gutenberg tend to load quickly. There’s no heavy builder framework on top. Also, the editor itself loads quickly in the admin because it’s streamlined.
  
• Growing Set of Features: Each WordPress release typically enhances the block editor – adding more blocks, patterns, and improving the user experience. It’s evolving quickly. Plus, the community provides many block plugins for whatever the core lacks.
  
• No Lock-In / Future-Proof: Since it’s the WordPress standard, content in Gutenberg is saved in HTML comments and should be more or less future-proof. Even if you disable some plugin blocks, the content often remains accessible. There’s less risk of being stuck with shortcodes from a discontinued builder.
  
• Full Site Editing Capabilities: If you use a block theme (like Twenty Twenty-Three or others), you can now design your entire site (header, footer, templates) with blocks as well. This means Gutenberg is becoming a complete site builder, not just a page/post editor. For those who adopt it, you might eventually not need any page builder at all to achieve what you want.
  
• Integration with WordPress ecosystem: Other plugins and themes increasingly provide support or patterns for Gutenberg, given its core nature. For example, many themes come with block patterns specific to their design. WooCommerce provides native blocks for products (so you can drop a grid of products or a checkout form directly in a page)​. This tight integration is a plus.
  

Cons:

• Limited Design Flexibility (vs. Page Builders): Gutenberg is improving, but still not as flexible as dedicated builders in terms of fine design control​. For instance, making a section with a background gradient and custom padding might require custom CSS or be cumbersome with current blocks. Complex layouts or interactive design elements (carousels, advanced sliders, popups) are not available by default.
  
• Can Be Less Intuitive for Dragging: Moving blocks around, especially in nested layouts, isn’t as smooth as some page builders’ free-form drag and drop. You often rely on the little up/down arrows or the block navigator panel for complex structures. This can frustrate users expecting pixel-perfect drag-and-drop placement.
  
• Dependent on Theme for Styling: The block editor generally adopts your theme’s styles. This means if your theme doesn’t style blocks nicely, you might need custom CSS to make certain blocks look good. Some users find blocks like Button or Columns look plain unless the theme adds style. Page builders usually provide their styling irrespective of the theme.
  
• Fewer Pre-built Templates (without adding plugins): Core has some patterns, but not nearly the variety that page builders offer with their template libraries. Unless you install additional pattern libraries or a theme that provides many, you might miss having lots of ready-made sections to insert.
  
• Block Compatibility Issues: Sometimes, different block plugins or heavy use of many custom blocks can cause editor slowdowns or conflicts. The ecosystem is young, so using many third-party blocks might not be as seamless. Also, older plugins that haven’t embraced blocks might not integrate as smoothly (though you can always use a Shortcode block for them).
  
• Learning Curve for Uninitiated: While simpler than page builders, Gutenberg was a big change from the old Classic Editor. Some users initially find it confusing, especially those used to traditional word processing. There’s a period of adjustment to thinking in terms of “blocks” and the way the UI works (like the block toolbar that appears on hover, etc.). However, new WP users tend to pick it up quickly since they aren’t carrying old habits.
  
• Incomplete Full Site Editing for Some Needs: FSE (Full Site Editing) is powerful but still new. Not all themes or plugins fully support it yet. If you try to use blocks to edit every part of your site, you might hit some limitations (e.g., editing WooCommerce checkout page layout is not fully blockified yet). So, depending on your needs, you might still require a builder or custom code for certain things at this time.
  

WooCommerce: Supported natively via blocks. Gutenberg itself works fine with WooCommerce. In fact, WooCommerce includes a suite of WooCommerce Blocks that allow you to insert product grids, add-to-cart buttons, checkout forms, etc., into any page or post​. With the block editor, you could, for example, create a custom homepage that showcases a “Featured Products” block, a “Best Selling Products” block, etc., very easily. Additionally, if you use a block-based theme, WooCommerce provides block templates for its pages (shop, product, cart, checkout). You can theoretically edit these via the Site Editor (though this is still getting polished). The block editor’s key advantage for WooCommerce is that it’s no-code and integrated – you can assemble a simple store layout using core blocks and Woo blocks without a builder plugin. As of 2025, for deep customization (like totally redesigning the single product page layout), you might still lean on a page builder or wait for WordPress’s Site Editing to mature a bit more in that area. But for most users, WooCommerce and Gutenberg work hand-in-hand: you build content with blocks, and WooCommerce provides specialized blocks for store functionality​. Also, block-enabled plugins (like WooCommerce Blocks or third-party ones) keep expanding what you can do. In short, Gutenberg is WooCommerce-compatible by design, and it’s getting better as the default way to customize WooCommerce without code (especially with block themes, one can now customize every part of a WooCommerce store via the new Site Editor UI​– a feature still under active development). For now, if you’re using the classic WooCommerce with a classic theme, you might use Gutenberg to create landing pages or posts that highlight products, but you’d rely on Woo’s default templates for actual product pages (unless you switch to a block theme or builder).

Official Site: Gutenberg is built into WordPress – see the WordPress Editor documentation​ for details. (There is also a Gutenberg plugin for beta features, but normally you don’t need to install anything extra to use the block editor.)

9. WP Page Builder (by Themeum)

Overview: WP Page Builder is a drag-and-drop page builder plugin released by Themeum. It was launched to provide an easy, beginner-friendly way to build WordPress pages without code, similar to Elementor or Brizy. It features a frontend visual editor and comes with a set of pre-built addons (elements) and templates. WP Page Builder garnered attention for offering many features in its free version, making it an attractive option for users who want a lot without paying. It has an interface with side panels for dragging elements and editing properties. While not as widely adopted as some others, it’s known to be lightweight and straightforward, ideal for simple websites or those who favor its particular UI. (Note: As of a couple of years ago, the plugin was temporarily unavailable on WordPress.org due to some issues​, but assuming it’s accessible now via Themeum’s site or elsewhere, we describe its capabilities.)

Core Features:

• Front-End Editing: Like others, you build your page on the front-end, seeing changes live. Drag rows, columns, and content blocks onto your page and adjust settings in real-time.
  
• Addons (Widgets): WP Page Builder comes with around 30+ addons in the free version​, covering basics (text, image, button, icon, video) and even some advanced ones (carousel, flip box, contact form, pricing table, progress bar, etc.). This was quite generous for a free plugin.
  
• Templates & Blocks: It offers some pre-designed layout bundles and section templates to quickly scaffold pages​. The free version had a handful of page layouts, while the pro expanded that collection.
  
• Responsive Design: You can configure how your design looks on different devices, with options to hide/show elements on mobile or set different spacing.
  
• Styling Options: For each addon, there are style settings for colors, fonts, borders, shadows, etc., and you can even add custom CSS classes. It also allowed adjusting padding/margins by dragging on the element (visual padding control)​
  
• Library System: Ability to save your sections or designs to a library for reuse later. (Though it was somewhat limited – you could save rows, not individual elements, in early versions.​)
  
• Role Management: Control which user roles can access the builder, to prevent clients from breaking layouts.
  
• Translation & RTL Support: Themeum was built with internationalization in mind.
  

Pros:

• Feature-Packed Free Version: One of WP Page Builder’s biggest draws was how much it offered for free​. Users got a lot of advanced addons (like forms, pricing tables) without needing Pro, whereas many other builders reserve those for paid versions. This made it excellent for budget-conscious users who still wanted modern page elements.
  
• Easy for Simple Sites: The interface was designed for simplicity, making it a good choice for beginners. It’s often described as straightforward and not overwhelming. Someone new to page building could catch on quickly with WP Page Builder.
  
• Lightweight Output: It’s relatively lightweight, not adding much overhead to pages. Reviews noted that it produces clean code and is fast, which is beneficial for performance​.
  
• Pre-designed Blocks: The inclusion of block layouts and bundles helps non-designers start with a decent design. Even though the library wasn’t huge, it covered common sections (hero, about, contact).
  
• Good for Simple & Quick Builds: If you need to knock out a basic company website or portfolio quickly, WP Page Builder provides the necessary tools without a lot of fuss. It doesn’t try to do everything under the sun (like popups or theme building), which keeps it focused.
  
• No Shortcode Lock-in (in theory): WP Page Builder stored layouts in a way that if deactivated, you wouldn’t see raw shortcodes. (It might leave some structure HTML, but not as messy as some shortcode-based builders.) This is a plus for content portability.
  
• Pro version available: For users who wanted more, a Pro upgrade existed, which added more templates and a few extra addons. It was reasonably priced, and you could get support from Themeum.
  

Cons:

• Not Widely Supported Now: WP Page Builder doesn’t have the large community or third-party support that Elementor/Divi do. In fact, it saw a period of being pulled from the WP plugin repo for a security review. Its future updates/support might be in question if Themeum focuses on other products. This uncertainty can be a concern.
  
• Fewer Integrations/Add-ons: Because it’s not as popular, you won’t find third-party add-ons specifically for WP Page Builder. Also, it may not integrate with some WordPress plugins as seamlessly. You mostly rely on what’s built in.
  
• No Theme Building or WooCommerce Addons: It doesn’t have features to customize the header/footer or create dynamic templates. It’s purely a page content builder. Also, no built-in WooCommerce blocks/addons were provided​. This limits it to static pages mostly.
  
• Potential Development Slowdown: If the plugin isn’t maintained vigorously, it could lag in features or compatibility. For instance, WordPress has changed a lot with Gutenberg; a builder needs active maintenance to ensure compatibility and modern UX. WP Page Builder may not receive such frequent updates outside of security fixes.
  
• Limited Community Resources: If you run into an issue or need to learn advanced tricks, you won’t find as many tutorials or forum discussions because it’s not as widely used. Support would mainly be through Themeum (if you have Pro) or their community forum for free (which might be slow).
  
• Good but Not Exceptional UI: Users have varying opinions on the UI. It’s decent, but some might find it less refined than competitors. For example, some settings are split between “Style” and “Advanced” tabs in ways that can be confusing. It might take a little clicking around to find certain options.
  
• Future with Gutenberg: As WordPress moves forward with the block editor, smaller builder plugins risk obsolescence unless they innovate. WP Page Builder’s features might overlap with what core Gutenberg and block addons now provide (e.g., block patterns and block libraries could substitute for some of its functionality). Without a strong, unique selling point, it could fade.
  
• No WooCommerce or Popup support: As noted, if you need to integrate product listings or popups, you’d need other plugins and possibly custom work, as WP Page Builder is a more basic tool and doesn’t cater to those out of the box.
  

WooCommerce: No dedicated support. WP Page Builder does not include any WooCommerce-specific modules or template building​. If you are building an online store, you can still use WP Page Builder to design static pages (like a landing page promoting products or a custom homepage). Still, you can’t use it to override the layout of WooCommerce product pages or shop archives. It also doesn’t provide product grids or cart elements as drag-and-drop addons. Essentially, WooCommerce content would have to be embedded via shortcodes or widgets. Themeum did not bundle a Woo integration by default, focusing on WP Page Builder for regular page content. There was mention of a third-party addon that tried to bridge WooCommerce with it​, but nothing official. Therefore, for WooCommerce users, WP Page Builder is not the strongest choice. You’d likely pair WooCommerce with a theme’s default design or use another builder that offers Woo components. In summary, WooCommerce can coexist with WP Page Builder (it won’t conflict; you can still add products to pages via shortcode), but there’s no code-free Woo layout customization available in this builder. If your site is primarily an e-commerce site, you might lean towards a builder with better WooCommerce support.

Official Site: WP Page Builder by Themeum​– The plugin (if available) can be obtained via Themeum’s website (previously on WP.org).

10. Oxygen Builder

Overview: Oxygen Builder is a powerful visual site builder plugin that takes a different approach: it disables your theme and lets you design the entire website from scratch. Often favored by developers and advanced users, Oxygen is more of a hybrid between a page builder and a theme builder. It provides total control over HTML structure, CSS, and dynamic data, enabling you to build very performant, clean websites. Oxygen’s interface is a visual drag-and-drop editor, but it exposes more technical options (like classes, states, custom selectors) than typical builders. Because it replaces the theme, you can design headers, footers, templates, and pages all within Oxygen. It’s a premium product (no free version) and is sold with a one-time payment model. Oxygen is known for producing bloat-free code and allowing things like custom post type templates, WooCommerce store designs, and integrations with ACF (Advanced Custom Fields) for dynamic content. The trade-off is a steeper learning curve and a UI that’s less “instant gratification” than simpler builders. It’s immensely flexible and popular among designers who want pixel-perfect, no-compromise designs within WordPress.

Core Features:

• Visual Editor for Entire Site: Oxygen’s builder lets you create pages and reusable parts (headers, footers) visually. It offers basic elements (divs, sections, headings, images) and more complex ones (menus, sliders, etc.). You position and style them with precision. The canvas shows your page as you build it.
  
• Dom Tree & Class System: Unique among builders, Oxygen shows a DOM tree structure of your elements, and you can assign classes and re-use styles easily (similar to how one would in hand-coded CSS)​. This encourages clean, DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) design.
  
• Flexbox & Grid Layouts: Oxygen has built-in support for CSS flexbox and grid. You can create sophisticated responsive layouts using these modern techniques via visual controls. This is great for complex designs.
  
• Dynamic Data Binding: Oxygen can pull in dynamic data (like post title, custom fields, etc.) into any element. This is how you build templates: for example, design a blog post template with a dynamic post title, content, and featured image spots. It integrates well with custom field plugins (ACF, Meta Box, etc.) so you can create advanced websites (like custom directories, listing sites) all visually.
  
• WooCommerce Integration: Oxygen includes WooCommerce elements to design product pages, shop pages, cart, checkout, etc., visually​. Essentially, you can rebuild the entire WooCommerce experience with your design.
  
• Clean Code Output: Oxygen doesn’t load WordPress theme code, and it tries to output only what’s necessary. No unnecessary wrappers or shortcodes in final output (it doesn’t use shortcodes for content; it stores designs in a proprietary way). The front-end code is known to be lean, which results in faster pages.
  
• Reusable Parts & Templates: You can create reusable “components” (sections or elements that appear on multiple pages) and edit them in one place. And you can create site-wide templates with conditions (e.g., a template for all posts in X category or for all products). Oxygen’s templating system is very robust.
  
• Developer Friendly Options: It allows custom PHP, JavaScript, and CSS to be added in a structured way. You can design something visually and then fine-tune the code if needed. It’s also possible to export designs (to some extent) or use JSON import/export for moving components between sites.
  
• One-time Pricing: Sold as a one-time purchase (with lifetime updates) for unlimited sites, which is attractive to professionals.
  
• Security and Permissions: Since Oxygen can be complex, it has a role manager so you can prevent clients or other users from accessing Oxygen or only allow them to edit certain parts using a simplified interface (called Gutenberg integration, where they can edit content in the block editor while Oxygen handles layout).
  

Pros:

• Extreme Flexibility & Power: You can build basically anything with Oxygen. It’s not limited to a set of pre-designed blocks. You have access to HTML elements and CSS properties to realize any design. For a designer or dev, this is liberating – the builder’s predefined styles do not box you in.
  
• High Performance Websites: Sites built with Oxygen often load faster than those built with other builders because of the cleaner output and lack of theme bloat. If performance and SEO are a big concern, Oxygen provides an edge by letting you create lean code.​ (Beaver is also lean, but Oxygen gives more control to remove what you don’t need).
  
• No Theme Required: It replaces your theme, which means you don’t have to deal with theme limitations or conflicts. You’re designing the theme as you go. This all-in-one approach can simplify site building (no child theme tweaking needed since you just design visually).
  
• Great for Custom/Complex Sites: If you’re building sites with custom post types, fields, taxonomies – essentially mini web applications or very custom layouts – Oxygen excels. It handles dynamic content effortlessly and can produce unique templates for different content types, something that usually requires coding theme files.
  
• One-Time Cost Savings: The pricing model (one-time fee) can save money in the long run, especially for freelancers or agencies building multiple sites. Pay once, use on unlimited sites with lifetime updates is rare and valuable.
  
• Active Community: Oxygen has a passionate user community (Facebook groups, forums) where people share designs, tips, and snippets. There are also third-party plugins (by independent developers) that extend Oxygen with design sets or additional features (like composite elements, motion effects, etc.).
  
• WooCommerce Design Freedom: For WooCommerce store builders, Oxygen is fantastic. You are not stuck with the typical WooCommerce look; you can create product page layouts that are completely custom.. For example, you could build an entirely different product page for a certain category of products. This level of Woo customization is usually only possible with coding or expensive theme builders – Oxygen has it built in.
  
• No Lock-in for Front-End: If you stop using Oxygen, the content (text, images) can be retained via a fallback, and you can choose to have Oxygen’s shortcodes (for design) kept or cleared. Granted, you’d lose the layout since the theme is off, but Oxygen has a mode to “roll back” to a basic theme if deactivated. So while any builder has some lock-in, Oxygen at least doesn’t fill your content with shortcodes – it more cleanly separates content vs design.
  
• Frequent Updates: Oxygen’s development has been quite active, adding major features with each version (e.g., classes, composite elements, Woo integration, etc.). They also respond to bug reports relatively quickly.
  

Cons:

• Steeper Learning Curve: Oxygen is not aimed at total beginners​. The interface and concepts assume some understanding of web design (like the box model, classes, etc.). Beginners might find it confusing or overwhelming. It’s best for those willing to learn more technical aspects or who already have some CSS/HTML knowledge.
  
• Less Suitable for End-Client Editing: If you build a site for a non-technical client, handing it over with Oxygen can be an issue. The client would need to learn Oxygen to make design changes, which is complex. Oxygen isn’t as straightforward for a casual user to tweak content (though basic text changes are okay). Agencies often use Oxygen to build, then use the WordPress block editor for client content edits, or carefully limit what a client can touch.
  
• No Free Version & Requires Investment: There’s no free version to try (though there might be a demo sandbox on their site). You have to purchase it to use it. The cost can be around $129 or more (depending on the package) which is a higher upfront cost, though no renewals.
  
• Oxygen Only Mode: Oxygen disables your theme system. While that’s a pro for control, it also means you rely entirely on Oxygen. Some WordPress features tied to themes (like using the Customizer for certain things) are out the window. If you ever wanted to switch back to a traditional theme, it’s not trivial – you’d have to rebuild those designs or restore a backup from before Oxygen. It’s a commitment per site.
  
• UI Speed and Convenience: The Oxygen builder interface, while powerful, can sometimes be less fluid than, say, Elementor. Some operations might take extra clicks (e.g., adding a basic styled button might require adding a text element, wrapping in a link, styling it, or using a pre-made design set). The workflow is more manual. Also, because it’s so loaded with options, it can be heavier to run in the browser; extremely complex pages in the editor might lag on slower computers.
  
• No Inline Editing by Default: Oxygen historically had text editing in a sidebar, not directly on the element (though newer versions introduced a form of inline text edit). Still, some interactions aren’t as direct as in simpler builders. It feels more like a design tool than a “what-you-see-is-what-you-get” editor at times.
  
• Fewer Fancy Pre-built Templates: Oxygen isn’t about a templates library (though they have some design sets). It’s expected that you design or import something. If you rely on many ready-made templates and sections, Oxygen’s library is smaller. They do have “Design Sets,” but they are limited compared to Elementor/Divi’s hundreds of layouts.
  
• Potential Conflicts with Some Plugins: Because it takes over the theme, some plugins that expect a theme’s support might not work seamlessly. Oxygen tries to accommodate most (and has options to run certain plugins’ PHP in its templates), but there could be edge cases.
  
• Locked to Oxygen for Design: While content is somewhat portable, your design is in Oxygen’s system. If one day you decided to stop using Oxygen, you’d basically have to redesign the site (though text and images remain, they’d be unstyled and stacked). This is similar to other builders’ lock-in, but given Oxygen often fully customizes sites, moving away is like moving from a custom-coded theme to another – a lot of work.
  
• No Multi-user Real-time Collaboration: Minor point, but unlike something like Webflow (SaaS site builder) or newer block editors, Oxygen is single-user editing at a time (like others). On heavy content sites, this can be a workflow consideration.
  

WooCommerce: Excellent, developer-level integration. Oxygen is one of the best choices for WooCommerce if you want to break free from standard layouts. Its WooCommerce integration allows you to visually design templates for the product page, shop archives, cart, and checkout with full control​. It provides WooCommerce-specific components: for example, “Add to Cart Button”, “Product Price”, “Product Title”, “Product Images”, etc., which you assemble in your template. You can even conditionally display different layouts for different products (e.g., a different design for a certain category of products). This level of customization is unparalleled – you’re essentially doing what a custom theme developer would do, but through Oxygen’s interface​. Furthermore, because Oxygen doesn’t load extra bloat, your WooCommerce store can be faster. The only caveat: designing a whole store with Oxygen might require some understanding of WooCommerce hooks and structure to get everything perfect (Oxygen simplifies a lot, but maybe for something like the checkout flow, you’d blend Oxygen with default behavior). Regardless, WooCommerce visually “clicks” with Oxygen: you add the WooCommerce elements into your page, and style them as you wish. For WooCommerce users who are comfortable designing their site fully, Oxygen offers the ultimate freedom, effectively earning it a reputation as “the #1 visual WooCommerce site builder” according to their site​

. If you’re a developer building a WooCommerce site that needs a unique UI, Oxygen is a top pick. If you’re a store owner who’s not code-savvy, you might need professional help to utilize Oxygen effectively for your store. But the results can be tailor-made and optimized. In summary, Oxygen’s WooCommerce compatibility is comprehensive – you can create a high-converting, fully custom WooCommerce storefront without touching PHP, which is a game-changer for WooCommerce design.

Official Site: Oxygen Builder – WooCommerce Visual Builder​

Conclusion:

With so many quality page builders available, the “best” choice depends on your specific needs and skill level. Here’s a summary to help you decide:

• Best for Beginners (Ease of Use): If you’re just starting, Elementor is a top pick – its free version offers plenty of features, an intuitive interface, and lots of templates to kickstart your design. Beaver Builder is another beginner-friendly tool, known for its clean interface and reliability. Beginners might also enjoy Brizy for its block-based approach and simplicity in assembling pages quickly. These builders make it easy to achieve a professional look without getting overwhelmed.
  
• Best for Professionals & Agencies: For agency workflows or advanced users, Divi and Oxygen Builder stand out. Divi offers an all-in-one solution with lifetime pricing – great for agencies building many sites, providing a blend of ease and depth (plus countless templates for rapid development)​
  
  . Oxygen, on the other hand, is perfect for developers/designers who want total design freedom, clean code, and are comfortable with a higher learning curve. It’s excellent for bespoke projects where performance and custom layouts are paramount..Additionally, Beaver Builder with its Beaver Themer addon is favored by many agencies for its stability and client-friendly nature (clients can easily edit content in Beaver without breaking layouts). Agencies that prioritize speed in building landing pages might also keep Thrive Architect in their toolkit, given its conversion-focused elements for marketing sites.
  
• Best for WooCommerce (Online Stores): If your primary goal is building a WooCommerce store with a custom look, consider Elementor Pro or Divi, as both offer robust WooCommerce modules to design product and shop pages visually​. Elementor Pro’s WooCommerce Builder gives you fine control over every part of the shopping experience, and Divi’s deep Woo integration lets you style product layouts with ease. For developers or those seeking ultimate WooCommerce flexibility, Oxygen Builder is unparalleled – it allows you to rebuild all WooCommerce templates to your liking. However, Oxygen is advanced; if you prefer something more user-friendly with WooCommerce, Elementor is a safer bet. Beaver Builder (with Themer) can also handle WooCommerce templates, but it involves an extra purchase. On the simpler end, if you just want to insert products into pages, the core Gutenberg editor with WooCommerce blocks might suffice for basic stores.​
  
• Budget-Conscious Users: If you need a solid free solution, Gutenberg (Block Editor) is already in WordPress and has improved greatly – it’s suitable for basic layouts and, with block pattern libraries, you can achieve a lot without any plugin​. For a plugin alternative, SiteOrigin Page Builder remains a reliable free choice with a long track record and enough features for simple sites. Brizy’s free version is also generous if you like its style of building. These options let you create pages for $0. Keep in mind that investing in a premium builder can pay off in time saved and advanced capabilities, but if your site is straightforward, free tools can do the job.
  

In conclusion, all the builders listed are capable – the key is to match the tool to your requirements if you value ease-of-use and quick results, lean towards Elementor, Divi, or Brizy. If you need deep customization and are technically inclined, Oxygen or a combination of Gutenberg with custom block plugins might serve you best. For marketing funnels and landing pages, Thrive Architect or Elementor (with its many integrations) are tailored for conversions. For minimalists or bloggers, the native approach keeps things lightweight and future-proof within WordPress core.

Before committing, consider building a test page with a couple of these builders – most offer demos or free versions. See which interface “clicks” for you. Also, think long-term: a builder with a strong community and active development (like Elementor or Divi) may provide more resources and updates over time. On the flip side, a lean builder (like Beaver or SiteOrigin) might give you stability and performance if you don’t need flashy features.

Ultimately, the best page builder is the one that empowers you to create the website you envision, without requiring you to write code. All the options above serve that mission in different ways. Pick the one that fits your comfort level and project goals, and you’ll be on your way to building a beautiful WordPress site code-free. Happy building!

About the writer

Hassan Tahir wrote this article, drawing on his experience to clarify WordPress concepts and enhance developer understanding. Through his work, he aims to help both beginners and professionals refine their skills and tackle WordPress projects with greater confidence.