Divi vs Elementor: Which WordPress Page Builder Wins?

Searching “Divi vs Elementor” means you’re choosing between two options. But what if both options have serious performance problems?

My commissions:

• Divi (Elegant Themes): 50% per sale + 50% recurring ($44.50 first year, then every renewal)
• Elementor: 45-65% per sale ($26.55-$38.35 for Essential plan, depending on tier)
• Neither: I’m ranking by actual value, not commission

My assessment: Divi wins clearly - the lifetime plan ($249) saves you $196-746 over 5 years, AND Divi 5 eliminated the shortcode lock-in problem by moving to blocks. Elementor still wins on complex page performance and has a free version, but Divi’s cost savings + fixed lock-in issue make it the better value.

Between these two? Divi for most users, especially with Divi 5. Better alternative exists? Yes - Gutenberg with a premium theme, but that’s not what this comparison is about.

⚡ Quick Verdict: Divi vs Elementor

TL;DR: Divi wins for most users. The lifetime plan ($249) beats Elementor’s recurring costs, AND Divi 5 eliminated the shortcode lock-in problem. Elementor is better if you need the free version first or prioritize complex page performance over cost savings.

Winner: Divi: - and Divi 5 makes it an even clearer winner.

Why: Divi’s lifetime plan ($249) saves you money long-term and gives unlimited sites. Divi 5 fixed the shortcode lock-in problem by moving to blocks, eliminating the #1 criticism of Divi. Elementor still wins on complex page performance, but Divi’s cost advantage ($196-746 saved over 5 years) + no more shortcode lock-in makes it the better choice for most users.

Full Disclosure: My Bias in This Comparison

What I make from each option:

Divi (Elegant Themes):

• Commission: 50% on initial sale + 50% on every renewal
• First year: $44.50 (from $89/year plan)
• Every renewal: $44.50/year forever
• Lifetime sale: $124.50 (one-time, no recurring)
• Why I promote it: Lifetime plan is genuine value, product works despite performance issues

Elementor:

• Commission: Starts at 45%, goes to 65% with volume
• Essential ($59/year): $26.55-$38.35 per sale
• Expert ($199/year): $89.55-$129.35 per sale
• Tiered structure rewards high-volume affiliates
• Why I promote it: Free version exists, better performance, no shortcode lock-in

If I were purely mercenary:

• I’d only recommend Divi annual plans (recurring $44.50/year forever)
• I’d never mention Elementor Free exists (kills my commissions)
• I’d hide the fact that Divi 5 fixed the shortcode problem (makes Elementor less appealing)

Instead, I’m ranking both by actual value - Divi wins on cost savings, Elementor wins on performance/free version.

You shouldn’t trust me blindly. Verify everything using the sources linked throughout this article.

Divi vs Elementor: The Direct Comparison

Pricing: The Real Cost

Divi Pricing

Advertised pricing:

• “Starting at $7.42/month!” (billed yearly)

Actual pricing:

• Year 1: $89/year (breaks down to $7.42/mo but paid upfront annually)
• Renewal: $89/year (same price, actually consistent)
• Lifetime: $249 one-time payment (unlimited sites, lifetime updates)
• Divi Pro: $277/year (includes Divi AI, Cloud, VIP support)

What’s included:

• Unlimited websites (this is actually generous)
• Divi Theme + Builder
• Extra theme, Bloom plugin, Monarch plugin
• 30-day money-back guarantee

Hidden costs:

• Domain: $15-20/year (not included)
• Hosting: $60-300/year (required, not included)
• Premium Divi plugins: $0-200/year (if you need more modules)
• Real cost Year 2+: $89-277/year depending on plan

Total 5-year cost:

• Yearly plan: $445 (5 × $89)
• Lifetime plan: $249 (one-time)
• Lifetime saves you $196 over 5 years

Elementor Pricing

Advertised pricing:

• “Starting at $59/year!”

Actual pricing:

• Essential: $59/year (1 site)
• Advanced Solo: $84/year (1 site + eCommerce)
• Advanced: $99/year (3 sites)
• Expert: $199/year (25 sites)
• Agency: $399/year (1000 sites)

What’s included:

• Elementor Pro features (50+ widgets, theme builder, popup builder)
• Premium support
• Updates
• Works with any WordPress theme

What’s NOT included:

• Elementor Free exists (30+ widgets, genuinely usable)
• No lifetime option (you pay forever)
• Hosting still required

Hidden costs:

• Hosting: $60-300/year
• Domain: $15-20/year
• Third-party addons: $0-200/year (many features require extra plugins)
• Real cost Year 2+: $59-199/year depending on sites needed

Total 5-year cost:

• Essential: $295 (5 × $59)
• Expert: $995 (5 × $199)
• No lifetime escape

Pricing Winner

On upfront cost: Elementor Essential at $59/year wins

On long-term cost: Divi Lifetime at $249 beats everything

5-year cost breakdown:

• Divi Lifetime: $249 total
• Divi Yearly: $445 total
• Elementor Essential: $295 total
• Elementor Expert: $995 total

BUT WAIT - The catch:

Divi Lifetime sounds great UNTIL you try to leave. Deactivate Divi and your content turns into a mess of shortcodes. You’re effectively locked in forever.

Elementor lets you leave. Deactivate it and your content is still accessible, just unstyled. You can rebuild it.

Cost winner: Divi Lifetime ($249) IF you accept vendor lock-in forever. Elementor Essential ($295 over 5 years) IF you value freedom.

Hosting Requirements: The Cost You’re Not Considering

“Hosting required” isn’t enough information. Here’s what actually works:

Minimum Server Requirements

Divi Official Requirements:

• PHP Memory Limit: 512 MB minimum (768 MB recommended)
• PHP Version: 7.4 or higher
• Max Execution Time: 180 seconds
• MySQL: 5.6 or higher

Elementor Official Requirements:

• PHP Memory Limit: 256 MB minimum (512 MB recommended)
• PHP Version: 7.4 or higher
• Max Execution Time: 300 seconds
• MySQL: 5.6 or higher

Key difference: Divi needs 2x the memory of Elementor minimum requirements.

Source: Elegant Themes documentation, Elementor system requirements

Shared Hosting Reality Check

Budget shared hosting ($3-7/month) like:

• Bluehost Basic: 256 MB PHP limit
• ChemiCloud Starter: 256 MB PHP limit
• GoDaddy Economy: 256 MB PHP limit

What actually happens:

Elementor on budget shared:

• ✅ Works (meets 256 MB minimum)
• ⚠️ Slow on complex pages
• ⚠️ May need upgrade for heavy sites

Divi on budget shared:

• ❌ Struggles (below 512 MB minimum)
• ❌ Frequent timeout errors
• ❌ Editor lag unbearable
• Required: Upgrade to higher tier immediately

Cost impact:

• Sarah (blogger) on $5/month ChemiCloud = Elementor works, Divi doesn’t
• Must upgrade to $12/month plan for Divi = $84/year more

Which Hosts Work Best

SiteGround (Officially recommended by Elegant Themes for Divi):

• StartUp plan: $17.99/month (meets Divi requirements)
• Includes: Divi pre-installed, optimized settings
• User report: “Moved to SiteGround, load times cut in half”
• Cost: $215/year
• P.S. SiteGround is NOT one of my recommended hosts

Budget hosts that struggle:

• Bluehost (basic plans too limited for Divi)
• ChemiCloud (works for Elementor, not Divi)
• GoDaddy (both builders struggle - stay away)

Recommended minimum hosting:

• For Divi: $15-20/month managed WordPress host like Scala Hosting
• For Elementor: $8-12/month shared works like ChemiCloud

Server Resource Usage (Average)

Memory consumption:

• Divi: 30% more memory than Elementor on average
• Elementor: More efficient, works on lower specs

CPU usage:

• Divi: Higher CPU on complex pages
• Elementor: Better optimization

Database queries:

• Divi: 35% more queries than Elementor (documented)
• Elementor: More efficient database usage

The Real Hosting Cost

Scenario: Sarah (Blogger) wants to start

With Elementor:

• ChemiCloud Starter: $5/month = $60/year
• Elementor Free: $0
• Total Year 1: $60

With Divi:

• Need SiteGround StartUp minimum: $17.99/month = $216/year
• Divi Lifetime: $249
• Total Year 1: $465

Divi requires $405 more in Year 1 just to run properly. The “lifetime savings” don’t exist for users who need hosting upgrades.

Sources: Elegant Themes hosting requirements, OnlineMediaMasters.com Divi hosting guide, SiteGround WordPress specifications

Hosting takeaway: Elementor works on cheaper hosting. Divi’s “savings” disappear when you factor in required hosting upgrades. Sarah (blogger) recommendation changes from Divi to Elementor Free because Divi would cost $405 more in Year 1 just for hosting requirements.

Performance: Hardware & Speed

Divi Performance Reality

What Elegant Themes claims:

• “Dynamic CSS and JavaScript loading”
• “Performance optimizations built in”
• “Fast loading times”

What independent testing shows:

Simple pages (basic layouts):

• Google PageSpeed: 92-98 desktop, 85-90 mobile
• Performs well, comparable to Elementor
• Source: Multiple independent speed tests October 2025

Complex pages (heavy modules, sections, animations):

• First Contentful Paint: 50% longer than it should be
• Largest Contentful Paint: 30% longer than acceptable
• Google PageSpeed: Can drop to 60s
• 35% more database queries than Elementor
• Source: DevMaverick.com testing, WPAllImport.com comparison

User report:

“The Divi visual builder is very heavy on the device you’re using. If you have a longer page, that will become problematic when you start scrolling or moving elements around. Your browser lags and it’s a very unpleasant experience.” - DevMaverick developer switching to Elementor

The editor problem:

• Backend builder performs poorly with complex pages
• Users report lag when scrolling or moving elements
• Many developers use “element mode” instead of visual mode to avoid lag
• Requires good hosting just to edit pages comfortably

Source: OnlineMediaMasters.com, DevMaverick.com, WPSimplify’d.com - October 2025 testing

Elementor Performance Reality

What Elementor claims:

• “Optimized asset loading”
• “Improved CSS loading”
• “Fast and lightweight”

What independent testing shows:

Simple to moderate pages:

• Google PageSpeed: 88-94 desktop, 80-88 mobile
• Performs acceptably
• Source: Multiple independent tests

Complex pages:

• Handles complexity better than Divi
• Still slower than native Gutenberg
• Loads all widgets by default (bloat issue)
• Can be optimized with experiments features

Performance report:

“The Query Monitor showed a 35% decrease in queries when changed from Divi to Elementor, with no other changes being made.” - DevMaverick.com

The nested container problem:

• Excessive nested sections/containers kill performance
• Editor becomes slow with too many layers
• Frontend is okay, backend editing suffers

Experiments to enable:

• Inline Font Icons (reduces CSS requests)
• Lazy Load Background Images
• Optimized DOM Output
• Improved Asset Loading
• Improved CSS Loading

Source: OnlineMediaMasters.com, Essential-Addons.com, Digital4Design.com - 2025 testing

Real-World Load Time Benchmarks

GTmetrix Testing (2024 WP Rocket Study):

Simple page load times:

• Elementor: 2.7 seconds fully loaded
• Divi: 2.9 seconds fully loaded
• Winner: Elementor by 0.2 seconds

Google PageSpeed Insights Testing:

Complete page load (simple to moderate complexity):

• Elementor: 4.4 seconds
• Divi: 4.9 seconds
• Winner: Elementor by 0.5 seconds

Page Weight & HTTP Requests:

• Divi: 874 KB, 36 HTTP requests
• Elementor: 940 KB, 15 HTTP requests
• Winner: Divi on weight, Elementor on requests (fewer is better)

Mobile Performance (PageSpeed Insights):

• Elementor: 74/100 (Orange rating)
• Divi: 64/100 (Orange rating)
• Winner: Elementor by 10 points

Complex WooCommerce Pages:

• Divi performs better on complex product layouts (fewer database queries)
• Elementor has cleaner checkout flow but slightly heavier

Sources: WP Rocket 2024 benchmarks, GTmetrix comparative tests, Divi Cake WooCommerce testing

Performance Winner

On simple pages: Elementor loads faster (2.7s vs 2.9s)

On page weight: Divi lighter (874 KB vs 940 KB)

On HTTP requests: Elementor more efficient (15 vs 36 requests)

On mobile: Elementor wins (74/100 vs 64/100)

On complex pages: Mixed - Elementor handles complexity better (35% fewer queries), but Divi performs better on WooCommerce product pages

On editor performance: Elementor significantly better (users report less lag)

On raw speed compared to alternatives: Both lose to Gutenberg + lightweight theme by 20-40%

Performance winner: Elementor for overall performance, especially on mobile and simple-to-moderate pages. Divi edges out on very complex WooCommerce layouts.

Workflow Reality: Time = Money

Performance metrics are one thing. How long does it actually take to build something?

Building Speed (Backend Editor Performance)

Simple pages (5-10 elements):

• Both: Smooth and responsive
• Minor delay when opening editor initially
• Adding elements and adjusting settings is fast
• Winner: Tie

Moderate pages (15-30 elements):

• Divi: Occasional lag when opening module settings, switching tabs, copying modules
• Elementor: Sidebar approach allows instant navigation
• Winner: Elementor (noticeably faster)

Complex pages (50+ elements, animations, custom CSS):

• Divi: Struggles on basic hosting, lag becomes painful
• Elementor: Handles better but still slows down
• Winner: Elementor (less struggle)

Source: Oxygen Builder comparative testing 2024, WP All Import editor benchmarks

Time-to-Build Estimates (Based on User Reports)

Simple landing page (header, hero, features, CTA, footer):

• Elementor: 25-35 minutes (faster interface)
• Divi: 35-45 minutes (more clicks, slower settings)
• Time saved with Elementor: 10 minutes per page

Blog post template:

• Elementor: 15-20 minutes
• Divi: 20-30 minutes
• Time saved with Elementor: 5-10 minutes

Complex page (30+ sections, custom layouts, animations):

• Elementor: 2-3 hours
• Divi: 3-4 hours (lag compounds with complexity)
• Time saved with Elementor: 1 hour

Editing Existing Content

Quick text changes:

• Elementor: Faster (sidebar stays open, click text, edit)
• Divi: Slower (need to open module settings each time)
• Winner: Elementor

Spacing/padding adjustments:

• Elementor: Type exact numbers directly (fast)
• Divi: Visual drag-and-drop OR manual input (flexible but slower)
• Winner: Elementor for speed, Divi for visual control

Copy-Paste Between Pages

Divi Global Modules:

• Change once, updates everywhere automatically
• Better for repeating elements (headers, CTAs)
• Requires setup upfront

Elementor Templates:

• Save any section as template
• Insert anywhere, but not linked (manual updates)
• More flexible, less automated

Winner: Depends - Divi for sync, Elementor for flexibility

The Time Cost Calculation

Example: Mike (Agency Owner) building 25 sites/year

Using Elementor (faster workflow):

• Average 30 minutes saved per site × 25 sites = 12.5 hours/year saved
• At $100/hour billing rate = $1,250/year value

But Divi costs less:

• Divi Lifetime: $249 (one-time)
• Elementor Expert: $199/year
• Divi saves: $949 over 5 years in licensing

Net calculation:

• Elementor saves $1,250/year in time
• Divi saves $950 total over 5 years
• Winner for agencies: Elementor (time savings > license savings)

For low-volume users (Sarah, Tom): Time savings don’t matter as much, cost savings do → Divi wins

Offline Editing

Both require internet connection for:

• Initial builder loading
• Saving changes
• Template library access

What breaks offline:

• Template imports (both)
• Cloud features (both)
• AI features (both)

Winner: Tie (both need connection)

Undo/Redo Functionality

Divi:

• Works but occasionally buggy on complex pages
• Can lose changes if browser crashes
• Revision history is reliable backup

Elementor:

• More reliable undo/redo
• Handles complex edits better
• Fewer reports of lost work

Winner: Elementor (more reliable)

Workflow verdict: If you’re building frequently (agencies, freelancers), Elementor’s faster workflow can outweigh Divi’s cost savings. If you’re building occasionally (1-2 sites/year), Divi’s licensing savings matter more than time savings.

The Hidden Problems Both Builders Share

1. Page Builder Bloat

• Both add extra HTML/CSS/JavaScript to make visual editing work
• Both slower than native Gutenberg
• Both require optimization plugins (WP Rocket, FlyingPress) for good scores
• Both struggle with Core Web Vitals on complex pages

2. Learning Curve Tax

• Both require learning proprietary systems
• Time invested doesn’t transfer to other builders
• Skills don’t apply to Gutenberg (the WordPress future)

3. Plugin Ecosystem Dependency (The Hidden Cost)

Both spawn entire ecosystems of addons, and here’s what users actually spend:

Divi Popular Addons:

• Divi Supreme ($69/year or $199 lifetime) - Advanced modules, most popular
• Divi Essential ($39/year) - Extra design modules
• Divi Toolbox (Free but limited features)
• Divi Overlays ($49/year) - Advanced popups (since Divi lacks built-in popup builder)
• Divi Bars ($29/year) - Notification bars

Elementor Popular Addons:

• Essential Addons ($39.97/year) - 85+ widgets, most-installed addon
• PowerPack ($49/year) - Creative widgets and templates
• Happy Addons ($39/year) - 100+ widgets
• JetElements ($49/year) - Advanced styling options
• Element Pack ($29/year) - 200+ widgets

What users actually install:

Divi users average: 1-2 paid addons

• Most common: Divi Supreme ($69) + Divi Overlays ($49) = $118/year in addons
• Real Divi cost: $89/year base + $118 addons = $207/year total
• Divi Lifetime “savings”: $249 one-time + $118/year addons = $839 over 5 years

Elementor users average: 1-2 paid addons

• Most common: Essential Addons ($40) + PowerPack ($49) = $89/year in addons
• Real Elementor cost: $59/year base + $89 addons = $148/year total
• 5-year total: $740

The real comparison with addons:

• Divi Lifetime + typical addons: $839 over 5 years
• Elementor Essential + typical addons: $740 over 5 years
• Winner: Elementor actually costs less when you factor in addons

Why you’ll need addons:

Divi missing features that require addons:

• Popup builder (Divi Overlays needed)
• Advanced animation options (Divi Supreme)
• Timeline modules (paid addon)
• Advanced pricing tables (paid addon)

Elementor missing features that require addons:

• Advanced form styling (Essential Addons)
• Complex grid layouts (PowerPack)
• More animation presets (Happy Addons)
• Advanced carousels (JetElements)

Sources: Divi Supreme pricing, Essential Addons pricing page, user surveys from Divi/Elementor Facebook groups

The cost reality most comparison sites won’t tell you: Factor in addons, and Divi’s “lifetime savings” shrinks significantly or disappears entirely.

4. The Real Cost

• Initial price is just the start
• Hosting upgrade often needed ($20-50/month more)
• Speed optimization plugins needed ($49-199/year)
• Additional modules/addons ($50-200/year)
• Real annual cost: $200-500/year total

5. The “Design Freedom” Trap

• Infinite options = infinite time wasting
• Most users stick to templates anyway
• Could have achieved same result faster with Gutenberg

The truth: You’re choosing between two different flavors of vendor lock-in. The question is which lock-in you prefer.

The Shortcode Lock-In: Mostly Solved in Divi 5 (With Caveats)

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Divi 5 removes shortcodes entirely, addressing the biggest criticism of Divi. But there are important details to understand.

What’s changed in Divi 5:

Divi 5 completely rewrote the framework to use blocks instead of shortcodes. This means:

• New sites built with Divi 5 won’t have shortcode lock-in
• Migration from Divi 4 to Divi 5 is semi-automatic (one-button press)
• Backward compatibility mode preserves old Divi 4 shortcodes (with performance cost)

Source: Divi 5 And The Move Away From Shortcodes

The migration reality:

If you’re starting fresh with Divi 5: No shortcode lock-in. This problem is solved.

If you have existing Divi 4 sites: You need to migrate. The process:

1. Click migration button in WordPress admin
2. Divi 5 auto-converts compatible modules to new format
3. Unsupported/legacy shortcodes get wrapped in “shortcode module” (keeps working but slower)
4. You may need to manually update some third-party Divi modules

What this means for the comparison:

The old problem (Divi 4 and earlier):

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Deactivating Divi 4 turned your site into unreadable shortcode soup.

The new situation (Divi 5):

Divi 5 uses blocks (like Elementor and Gutenberg). Deactivating is cleaner, though you still lose design/functionality and need to rebuild layouts.

Real user complaint (still valid for Divi 4):

“When you deactivate Elementor or Beaver Builder, you have access to all your content. When you deactivate Divi, you are left with a mess of shortcodes and everything is unusable.” - WPCrafter.com comment

Updated trade-off assessment:

With Divi 5, the lock-in is much less severe:

1. New sites: No shortcode lock-in (block-based like Elementor)
2. Existing sites: One-button migration mostly handles it
3. Some manual work: Third-party modules may need updates
4. You still save $196-746 over 5 years vs Elementor

Is Divi lock-in still a concern?

For new sites (Divi 5): No more than Elementor. Both use proprietary systems, but both can be deactivated cleanly.

For existing Divi 4 sites: Migration required. Mostly automatic, some manual fixes needed.

For client work: Still recommend Elementor due to better performance on complex pages and no migration headache if they already have Elementor sites.

Bottom line: Divi 5 fixes the shortcode problem that was the #1 reason to avoid Divi. This makes Divi even more competitive with Elementor.

Support Quality

Divi Support

Claimed support:

• 24/7 support
• Documentation
• Forums
• Facebook groups

Actual support quality:

• Response time: Usually within 24 hours
• Support is generally helpful
• Massive community (3M+ users)
• Tons of tutorials (pro and con - indicates problems need solving)
• Support score: 7/10

User feedback:

“I contacted Elegant Themes Support without great expectations but Georgie really got into it very fast.” - Trustpilot review

Elementor Support

Claimed support:

• Premium support for Pro users
• Documentation
• Community forums
• Live chat

Actual support quality:

• Response time: Generally fast for Pro users
• Large community (12M+ websites)
• Extensive documentation
• Some users report better experience than Divi
• Support score: 7.5/10

User feedback:

“I’ve always had great support from Elementor. They respond quickly and have resolved all the issues I’ve enquired about.” - Trustpilot review

Support Winner

Elementor edges out slightly with faster response times for Pro users, but both have good support. The real support comes from community resources and Facebook groups for both.

Features Comparison

Features winner: Elementor for pure features (popup builder, better theme builder, free version). Divi for A/B testing and larger template library.

WooCommerce: Which Builder for E-commerce?

If you’re running an online store, this matters:

Elementor WooCommerce Builder:

• 24+ dedicated WooCommerce widgets
• Full customization of product pages, cart, checkout, My Account pages
• Better checkout flow - cleaner, more intuitive for customers
• Dynamic product grids with filtering
• 300+ templates including WooCommerce-specific designs
• More flexible for complex product variations
• Winner for: Customer-facing checkout experience, product variations

Divi WooCommerce Modules:

• 25 unique WooCommerce modules
• Separate modules for billing, shipping, payment (granular control)
• Built-in A/B testing for product pages (unique to Divi, huge for optimization)
• Better performance on complex product layouts
• 2,000+ layout packs including e-commerce templates
• Fine-tuned control over individual checkout elements
• Winner for: A/B testing, granular customization, complex layouts

Real-world recommendation:

Choose Elementor if:

• You prioritize checkout conversion (cleaner, faster flow)
• You need quick product page setup (better templates)
• You sell products with many variations
• You want the most flexible WooCommerce builder

Choose Divi if:

• You run split tests on product pages (built-in A/B testing)
• You need maximum control over checkout field placement
• Your product pages are very complex/custom
• You’re optimizing for performance on product-heavy sites

The data: Both builders have roughly equivalent WooCommerce features (24-25 modules each). Elementor has a more intuitive workflow, Divi has more granular control and unique A/B testing.

Most WooCommerce agencies prefer: Elementor (easier client handoff, better checkout UX) unless they need Divi’s A/B testing.

Sources: Divi Cake WooCommerce comparison, Elementor WooCommerce documentation, agency surveys

What About Better Alternatives?

Full transparency: Both Divi and Elementor are slower than native Gutenberg + a premium theme like GeneratePress. If you’re technical and don’t need drag-and-drop, that’s the faster route.

But this article is about choosing between Divi and Elementor. If you need a visual page builder with drag-and-drop, Divi is the better value for most users despite its shortcode lock-in.

One exception - client work: If you build sites for clients, use Elementor Expert ($199/year for 25 sites) instead of Divi. The shortcode lock-in makes it ethically questionable to trap clients in Divi. They should be able to switch later if they want.

Migration: Leaving Divi or Elementor

If you’re already on Divi and want to escape:

The Divi Escape Plan

WARNING: This is painful due to shortcode lock-in

Option 1: Rebuild from scratch (recommended)

• Export your content
• Install new builder/setup
• Rebuild pages using exported text content
• Pain level: High
• Time: 2-10 hours per site depending on size
• Cost: Your time

Option 2: Use migration plugin

• Divi to Elementor: Some plugins exist but results are mixed
• Divi to Gutenberg: No clean automated path
• Expect to manually fix 30-50% of content
• Pain level: Very High
• Success rate: 60-70%

Timeline:

1. Week 1: Set up new builder on staging, start rebuilding
2. Week 2: Complete rebuild, test everything
3. Week 3: Final testing, prepare for switch
4. Week 4: Go live, keep Divi installed as backup for 30 days

Lesson: Shortcode lock-in is real. Choose carefully.

If you’re on Elementor and want to switch

Much easier - no shortcode hell

Option 1: Switch to Gutenberg

• Content is preserved, just unstyled
• Rebuild layouts with blocks
• Pain level: Medium
• Time: 1-5 hours per site

Option 2: Switch to another builder

• Beaver Builder, Oxygen, or Bricks
• Content accessible, layouts need rebuild
• Pain level: Medium
• Time: 2-8 hours per site

Timeline:

1. Week 1: New setup, export critical content
2. Week 2: Rebuild key pages
3. Week 3: Complete rebuild, test
4. Week 4: Switch, deactivate Elementor

Much cleaner exit than Divi.

Real User Experiences: Divi vs Elementor

Divi User Complaints (Documented)

Performance issues:

“The Divi Builder Timeout Error occurs when the builder fails to load or save due to delayed responses… The visual builder is very heavy on the device you’re using.” - DiviGrid.com

Shortcode lock-in:

“When you deactivate Divi, you are left with a mess of shortcodes and everything is unusable.” - WPCrafter.com community

Editor lag:

“If you have a longer page, that will become problematic when you start scrolling or moving elements around. Your browser lags and it’s a very unpleasant experience.” - DevMaverick developer

Pattern: Heavy pages cause editor lag, performance degrades with complexity, shortcode lock-in creates vendor dependency

Source: DiviGrid.com, DevMaverick.com, WPCrafter.com forums - October 2025

Elementor User Complaints (Documented)

Bloat concerns:

“Elementor adds more CSS/JavaScript than Gutenberg. But this usually only becomes an issue when you install extra Elementor plugins and don’t properly optimize your site.” - OnlineMediaMasters.com

Nested container slowdowns:

“One of the most common and often most difficult to diagnose causes of a slow Elementor editor is the excessive or inefficient use of containers.” - AWP.Agency

No lifetime option:

“Elementor no longer offers lifetime deals. If you see one, it’s likely fake.” - WPWebLife.com

Pattern: Can get bloated with addons, nested elements cause slowdowns, annual cost forever

Source: OnlineMediaMasters.com, AWP.Agency, Essential-Addons.com - 2025

Migration Success Stories

Switching FROM Divi TO Elementor:

“We decided to swap Divi for Elementor in order to improve loading performance and make the content easier to edit. The Query Monitor showed a 35% decrease in queries when changed from Divi to Elementor, with no other changes being made.” - DevMaverick developer

Performance improvement documented: 35% fewer queries, better editor experience, happier content editors

Switching TO Neither: Many developers in Reddit discussions mention moving away from both to Oxygen, Bricks, or Gutenberg for better performance and less bloat. They report better PageSpeed scores and easier maintenance.

Final Verdict: Divi vs Elementor

The comparison:

Divi vs Elementor is like choosing between a lifetime gym membership that locks you in forever (but saves money) versus paying monthly forever but being able to cancel anytime.

Between these two, Divi wins for most users - especially with Divi 5.

Choose Divi if:

• You want to save money long-term (lifetime plan = $249 vs paying $59-199/year forever)
• You’re starting fresh or willing to do one-button migration (Divi 5 = no shortcode lock-in)
• You build sites for yourself or your business
• You need unlimited sites (Divi gives unlimited, Elementor charges per site)
• You primarily work with simple to moderate pages
• You like having lots of pre-made templates (800+ designs vs 300)

Choose Elementor if:

• You want to try before buying (Free version with 30+ widgets)
• You value freedom to switch builders later (no shortcode mess)
• You need better complex page performance (35% fewer database queries)
• You build sites for clients (ethical to let them switch later)
• You need popup builder without buying extra plugins
• You can’t tolerate any form of vendor lock-in

The math that matters:

5-year total cost:

• Divi Lifetime: $249 (one-time) + $0 renewals = $249 total
• Elementor Essential: $59/year × 5 = $295 total (1 site only)
• Elementor Expert: $199/year × 5 = $995 total (25 sites)

Divi saves you $46-746 over 5 years, depending on which Elementor plan you’d need.

Real-World Use Cases: Who Should Choose What?

Let me show you how this plays out for real users:

Sarah - Food Blogger (1 Site)

Situation: Starting a recipe blog, needs something free to test, might upgrade later Traffic: 5,000 visits/month Technical skill: Beginner (never touched code) Best choice: Elementor Free + Astra theme Why: $0 to start, 30+ widgets enough for blog posts, can upgrade to Pro ($59/year) only if she needs popup forms or advanced features later Total Year 1 cost: $0 (free)

Mike - WordPress Agency Owner (25+ Client Sites/Year)

Situation: Builds 2-3 client sites per month, needs unlimited licenses Traffic: Varies (client sites) Technical skill: Intermediate Best choice: Divi Lifetime ($249) Why: Unlimited sites, one-time cost, no per-site billing. Even building just 5 sites pays for itself vs Elementor Expert ($199/year for 25 sites). After Year 2, it’s pure profit. Total Year 1 cost: $249 (then $0 renewals forever) 5-year savings vs Elementor Expert: $746 ($995 - $249)

Jennifer - E-commerce Store Owner (WooCommerce)

Situation: Running an online clothing store, needs advanced product page customization Traffic: 15,000 visits/month Technical skill: Intermediate Best choice: Elementor Pro Essential ($59/year) Why: Better WooCommerce builder (full checkout customization, 24+ WooCommerce widgets), cleaner cart/checkout pages. Divi has better A/B testing but Elementor’s checkout workflow is superior for customer experience. Total Year 1 cost: $59/year Trade-off: Pays $59/year forever vs Divi’s $249 one-time, but gets better e-commerce tools

Tom - Nonprofit Director (Tight Budget, 3 Sites)

Situation: Main site + 2 campaign landing pages, needs donation forms Traffic: 8,000 visits/month Technical skill: Beginner-Intermediate Best choice: Divi Lifetime ($249) Why: Unlimited sites for one-time cost, includes 800+ templates (saves design costs), 30-day refund if it doesn’t work out. Elementor Advanced ($99/year for 3 sites) costs $495 over 5 years vs Divi’s $249 lifetime. Total 5-year cost: $249 vs Elementor’s $495 Savings: $246

Pattern you’ll notice:

• Free/try-first users → Elementor Free
• Single e-commerce site → Elementor Pro (better WooCommerce)
• Multiple sites or agencies → Divi Lifetime (unlimited = massive savings)
• Budget-conscious long-term → Divi Lifetime

The shortcode lock-in trade-off (mostly solved in Divi 5):

Old Divi (pre-v5): Shortcodes made switching painful.

Divi 5 (current): Uses blocks like Elementor. The shortcode lock-in problem is solved for new sites. Existing Divi 4 sites need one-button migration (mostly automatic, some manual fixes for third-party modules).

If you’re starting fresh: Divi 5 has no more shortcode lock-in than Elementor.

If you have existing Divi 4 sites: Migration is relatively painless compared to rebuilding from scratch.

Commission disclosure:

• Divi: 50% + recurring ($44.50/year on renewals, $124.50 on lifetime)
• Elementor: 45-65% ($26-130 depending on plan/tier)
• I make MORE long-term from Divi annual renewals than lifetime sales
• I’m recommending Divi Lifetime despite making less commission on it ($124.50 one-time) than I would from annual renewals ($44.50/year forever). It’s genuinely better value for most users.

Verify This Yourself

Don’t trust me. Verify everything:

Divi claims:

• Pricing: https://www.elegantthemes.com/join/
• Performance: https://www.elegantthemes.com/blog/divi-resources/divi-speed-optimization
• Features: https://www.elegantthemes.com/gallery/divi/

Elementor claims:

• Pricing: https://elementor.com/pricing-plugin/
• Performance: https://elementor.com/help/speed-up-a-slow-site/
• Features: https://elementor.com/features/

Independent testing:

• DevMaverick Divi to Elementor switch: https://devmaverick.com/why-i-stopped-using-divi-and-switched-to-elementor/
• OnlineMediaMasters speed testing: https://onlinemediamasters.com/divi-slow-loading-website/
• WPAllImport performance comparison: https://www.wpallimport.com/divi-vs-elementor/

Alternative options:

• GeneratePress: https://generatepress.com/
• Kadence WP: https://www.kadencewp.com/
• Gutenberg: Built into WordPress (free)

My affiliate status:

• Elegant Themes: https://www.elegantthemes.com/affiliates/
• Elementor: https://elementor.com/affiliates/
• Both pay commissions disclosed above

Try both risk-free:

• Both offer 30-day money-back guarantees
• Test on staging sites
• Compare performance yourself
• Read community forums before buying

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Legal Note: This comparison contains documented facts (with sources) and my professional opinions based on 10+ years with WordPress. Opinions are clearly marked. I earn affiliate commissions from both Divi and Elementor, disclosed throughout.

Affiliate disclosure: I make money from affiliate links to Divi/Elegant Themes (50% + recurring commissions) and Elementor (45-65% commissions). I make very little from GeneratePress and Kadence despite recommending them, because they have better products at lower price points. I’m trying to rank by value, not maximum commission.

Final thought: The best page builder is the one that doesn’t exist. Consider learning Gutenberg before committing to proprietary systems. Your future self might thank you.