Elementor vs. WPBakery: Which WordPress Page Builder Reigns Supreme?

When it comes to building a WordPress website, the right page builder can make all the difference. Two of the most popular choices in the market are Elementor and WPBakery. These page builders have carved a niche for themselves by offering powerful features that cater to both novice and experienced web designers. But which one is better for you? Let’s explore each builder in-depth to determine which reigns supreme in this battle of the WordPress page builders.

Overview: Elementor vs. WPBakery

Elementor is a relative newcomer to the WordPress ecosystem but has quickly gained popularity thanks to its intuitive interface, drag-and-drop functionality, and a host of design elements. Launched in 2016, it offers a live frontend editor that allows users to see changes in real time.

WPBakery, previously known as Visual Composer, has been around for much longer. It has established itself as one of the most widely used WordPress page builders, often bundled with premium themes. WPBakery also offers a backend editor, alongside a frontend editor, making it versatile for developers and designers.

User Interface and Ease of Use

Elementor

One of the biggest selling points of Elementor is its intuitive user interface. The drag-and-drop functionality is seamless, and the live editing feature lets you see exactly how your page will look before hitting the publish button. With Elementor, there’s no need to toggle between the backend and the frontend, which saves time and reduces the learning curve for beginners.

Elementor has a clean, minimalist design. The elements are neatly categorized, and you can add sections, widgets, and templates with just a few clicks. The side panel offers advanced design options like spacing, typography, and custom CSS. This makes Elementor suitable for both beginners and those with more design expertise.

WPBakery

WPBakery is also a drag-and-drop page builder, but it doesn’t offer real-time editing like Elementor. Users have to toggle between the backend and frontend editors, which can be slightly cumbersome. However, WPBakery has made significant improvements in its user interface over the years.

The backend editor is favored by developers as it offers more control over the layout structure. The frontend editor, though functional, isn’t as smooth as Elementor’s, and the preview often doesn't reflect the real-time design. WPBakery’s interface can feel cluttered, especially for beginners, and takes more time to get accustomed to compared to Elementor.

Winner: Elementor, for its clean interface and real-time editing.

Design Flexibility

Elementor

Elementor is known for its design flexibility. With over 100 widgets and hundreds of pre-built templates, users can create almost any kind of page. The builder offers pixel-perfect design control, which means you can adjust every element to your liking, from spacing to color schemes. Additionally, Elementor offers advanced design features like motion effects, custom positioning, and Z-index layering, which give designers more creative freedom.

One of Elementor’s standout features is the Theme Builder. It allows you to design your entire website from the header to the footer, bypassing the need for a traditional WordPress theme. You can create custom headers, footers, blog layouts, and even product pages for WooCommerce.

WPBakery

WPBakery is also a powerful tool, but it’s often considered more limited in terms of design options. While it does offer a range of content elements and templates, it lacks the extensive customization features that Elementor provides. WPBakery users can add custom CSS, but it doesn’t have the same granular control over elements as Elementor.

However, WPBakery shines when paired with certain premium themes. Many WordPress themes come pre-built with WPBakery templates, which can speed up the design process. Still, when it comes to standalone design flexibility, Elementor takes the lead.

Winner: Elementor, for its advanced design flexibility and theme-building capabilities.

Templates and Widgets

Elementor

Elementor provides 300+ pre-designed templates, ranging from landing pages to blog posts, portfolios, and WooCommerce pages. These templates can be imported with just a click and customized according to your needs. Elementor also offers global widgets, which allow you to reuse a widget across multiple pages. If you edit the global widget, it updates everywhere, making it easier to manage site-wide changes.

WPBakery

WPBakery also comes with a variety of pre-designed templates, but the selection is not as extensive as Elementor’s. However, the builder integrates well with most premium themes, many of which offer exclusive WPBakery templates. Like Elementor, WPBakery provides access to various content blocks like buttons, sliders, and pricing tables, but its widget collection isn't as robust or frequently updated.

Winner: Elementor, due to its larger selection of templates and more versatile widgets.

Performance and Speed

Elementor

Elementor has a reputation for being resource-heavy, which can lead to slower page loading times. However, the developers have worked hard to optimize the builder with recent updates. Elementor includes several options to reduce file sizes, like minifying CSS and JS, but it still tends to load slower on websites with a lot of elements or heavy customization.

WPBakery

WPBakery is known for its efficient performance, especially when used on websites with simpler layouts. Since it doesn’t offer the same level of real-time previewing as Elementor, it consumes fewer resources during the design process. That said, WPBakery can also slow down if you’re using a lot of third-party plugins or complex elements, particularly in the frontend editor.

Winner: WPBakery, for slightly better performance on simple pages.

Third-Party Add-Ons and Integrations

Elementor

Elementor has a thriving ecosystem of third-party add-ons. There are countless plugins available that extend the builder’s functionality, adding new widgets, templates, and integrations. Popular plugins like Elementor Pro, Essential Addons, and Crocoblock significantly enhance the builder's capabilities.

In terms of integrations, Elementor works seamlessly with WooCommerce, Mailchimp, Zapier, and other popular tools. Elementor Pro even supports dynamic content, which allows you to pull data from custom fields and display it dynamically across your site.

WPBakery

WPBakery also supports a range of third-party add-ons, but its ecosystem is not as extensive as Elementor’s. Many premium themes come with WPBakery add-ons, and there are several standalone extensions available in the market. While it integrates well with WooCommerce and other major plugins, it doesn’t offer the same level of advanced integrations like dynamic content support that Elementor does.

Winner: Elementor, due to its larger ecosystem and advanced integration features.

Pricing

Elementor

Elementor offers a free version, but many of its advanced features, such as the Theme Builder and WooCommerce Builder, are only available with the Pro version. The pricing for Elementor Pro starts at $59 per year for one site, and the higher-tier plans include more licenses and support.

WPBakery

WPBakery does not have a free version, and it is priced at $64 for a lifetime license for use on one website. The package includes lifetime updates and premium support, which could make it a better value for some users who don’t want recurring annual payments.

Winner: WPBakery, for its one-time purchase option.

SEO Friendliness

Elementor

Elementor is generally considered SEO-friendly. The builder’s code is clean, and you can optimize page speed through features like lazy loading and minification. Additionally, Elementor integrates seamlessly with popular SEO plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math.

WPBakery

WPBakery is also SEO-friendly, but it can produce more bloated code than Elementor, especially if you use a lot of elements. This can impact page loading speed, which is a crucial ranking factor for SEO. However, WPBakery also works well with SEO plugins like Yoast SEO, making it a decent choice for optimization.

Winner: Elementor, for its cleaner code and advanced optimization features.

Support and Community

Elementor

Elementor has a large and active community of users, and the support team offers a variety of resources, including documentation, video tutorials, and a dedicated Facebook group. Elementor Pro users also get access to premium support.

WPBakery

WPBakery also has a support system, but it’s more geared toward users who have purchased premium themes that include WPBakery. It offers documentation and ticket-based support, but the community isn’t as large or active as Elementor’s.

Winner: Elementor, for its more active community and better support system.

Conclusion: Which Page Builder Reigns Supreme?

In this comparison, Elementor emerges as the winner, primarily due to its intuitive user interface, superior design flexibility, extensive template library, and thriving ecosystem of third-party add-ons. It’s an excellent choice for both beginners and advanced users looking for creative freedom and versatility.

However, WPBakery has its strengths too. It performs better on simpler pages, is a great choice for users who prefer a backend editor, and offers lifetime licensing, which could be a more cost-effective solution for some. If you're building a site that doesn’t require advanced design or real-time editing, WPBakery can still be a solid choice.

Ultimately, the best page builder for you depends on your specific needs. If you’re looking for real-time editing, vast customization, and extensive integration options, Elementor is your best bet. If you prefer simplicity and a one-time fee, WPBakery could serve you well.