WordPress page builders are both hated and loved. Regardless of your point of view, they are here to stay. But, you're reading this because you've probably already decided to take the plunge into page builders yourself. Jump straight to the Elementor vs Divi summary ⇣
So, it’s not a question of whether or not a page builder is right for you, but which WordPress builder to choose.
If you don’t have time to read this Elementor vs Divi review, just watch this short video I put together for you:
Divi vs Elementor summary:
- Choosing between Elementor and Divi is going to come down to two things. Price and ease of use.
- Divi is cheaper but has a steeper learning curve and is harder to master.
- Elementor, on the other hand, is much easier to learn, use, and master but it costs more.
- Using Divi on unlimited websites costs $89 per year (or $249 for lifetime access).
- Using Elementor on unlimited websites costs $199 per year (or $49 per year for just one website).
Maybe you're an absolute beginner, or a WordPress hobbyist looking to take your website to the next level in styling. Perhaps you're a WordPress developer looking to use your time more efficiently by saving yourself hours of hand-coding stylistic changes into your editor.
On one hand, page builders for WordPress websites are a godsend for those who don't know how to code but want to create beautiful websites.
On the other hand, developers complain that page builders add unnecessary weight and bloat, slow down a website’s speed, wrecks SEO, and leave behind a mess of shortcodes to clean up should you choose to change your page builder or even the theme itself.
Besides, what real developer would even contemplate the thought of using a page builder? Using landing page builders are a lot like riding mopeds, both can be fun until your friends see you with one.
Joking aside, in this blog post I'm not going to go into the argument of whether or not page builders are good or bad.
But only to compare two of the most popular WordPress page builders today, Elementor and Divi by Elegant Themes.
Divi is one of the first WordPress theme and page builders out there, but Elementor is closing the gap.
Unlike other Elementor vs Divi reviews, there will be no declared winner. By the end of this comparison, you should know which of these two page builders is the best for you.
Visual frontend interface
Let's start with the frontend interfaces. Both page builders are drag and drop, meaning you simply click on the desired element, then drag it into the position you want it to appear on your web page and drop it into place. It's as easy as that.
Divi
Divi has its elements displayed right on the page layout itself.
Basically, you just select the desired element and rearrange it in the order you'd like it to appear on the page.
You can even add extra elements from the additional modules included with the package.
Elementor
Whereas with Elementor, your elements are, for the most part, provided in the left-hand column, thus giving you an empty canvas-looking layout. You then select the desired element and arrange them in the way you want them to appear on your page.
As with Divi, you can also choose additional elements to add from the extra modules included in your package, Basic or Pro (the Pro version gives you many more elements to choose from).
Content modules
Both page builders provide you with added modules that you can use to enhance the look of your web pages and add more functionality to your website.
Divi
All Divi modules are included in their package.
Elementor
Unlike Divi, Elementor includes some of their modules with their Free Basic Package and then provides you with many more modules when you buy their Elementor Pro. But just like like Divi, it comes with dozens of modules to choose from.
User reviews and experiences
After looking on Facebook and Twitter for comments by users about their experiences and not finding much, I decided to head on over to Reddit where I found way more comments than I needed nor cared to list, but here are a few to get an idea:
Divi
Elementor
Reddit thread: Elementor vs Divi?
Here is an interesting Elementor vs Divi thread on Reddit comparing these two page builders. Check it out!
Which Wordpress Page Builder Is Best For You?
There are many reviews out there comparing and contrasting various page builders on the market today. Originally, I had wanted to do a Divi vs Elementor head-to-head competition and choose the ultimate winner.
But page builders aren’t so cut and dry. It seems when one comes out with an update and improved features, then the other soon follows suit and vice versa.
Many of these improvements and new features are similar, if not the same, which makes it difficult to declare a true winner. However, both are unique enough in their strengths and weaknesses for you to be able to decide for yourself which one is best for you.
There are those in the developer community strongly opposed to using page builders all together, since the main drawbacks are jumbles of messy shortcodes, slower page loads as well as unnecessary weight and bloating of otherwise cleanly coded themes. However, whether we like it or not, page builders, for the time being, are here to stay.
Which page builder is best for you actually depends on, not only your needs but your experience and skill level as well. In the end, I believe the following two are the most important deciding factors between them, and they are different.
The two factors are: ease of use / user friendliness and price.
Ease of use and user friendliness
Divi
Divi is one of those themes/page builders, that users seem to either love or hate. One of the main advantages of the Divi builder is that although it is an agnostic page builder and can be used with most WordPress themes, it was originally built for the Divi theme itself. So updates of both the theme and page builder perfectly coincide with each other.
Another advantage of Divi is that they bundle the plug-in with their theme and not separately. This doesn’t seem to inflate the price in comparison to Elementor and I believe it’s Divi’s way to pull users into their world.
Now, I know you might be thinking, I don't need the theme since I work with different themes, etc. However, the advantages of working with one theme, one page builder specifically built for that theme, and becoming an expert on it are too numerous to list here.
Elementor
Elementor’s rise in the WordPress page builder, the plug-in universe has been nothing short of meteoric. It is now used on over 1 million websites and counting. This is in just under 2 years and for good reason.
Elementor is not only simplistic in design, but it’s also very intuitive and easy to use. This makes it ideal for first time WordPress website users.
For experienced web developers looking to give page builders a shot, Elementor doesn't seem to leave a mess of shortcodes behind unlike numerous reports from Divi users.
Elementor vs Divi: plans and pricing
Divi
Divi also allows you to use not only the page builder plug-in but the theme as well on unlimited websites. Whether you go for their yearly package at $89 a year or the one time, lifetime price of $249, it's an incredible deal.
Not only for the page builder itself but for the themes and updates too. Although Divi doesn't have a free version, Elegant Themes offers a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee.
If you're comfortable dealing with shortcodes or you want to become an expert in one theme and matching page builder then Divi is for you. This powerful combination can be used to duplicate multiple websites either for yourself or for clients.
Elementor
Even though the paid versions of Elementor Pro are more expensive than the Divi builder, they are able to hook new and first time page builder users in with their free version. As with Divi, this is Elementor’s way of pulling users into their world as well.
However, one of the biggest gripes for using Elementor Pro is the pricing. At $49 per year you are limited to one website and the $99 per year only gives you an additional two websites.
Their $199 for unlimited websites is also per year only, unlike the $249 one time, lifetime price for unlimited websites that Divi offers. Divi even bundles their themes into the package.
Bottom line, Elementor is good for inexperienced web designers with little to no coding experience, who want to take their web developing skills to the next level.
For more seasoned web developers, adding Elementor can save countless hours of hand-coding stylistic changes, without having to deal leaving too many messy shortcodes in your wake to deal with later on should you decide to change themes, page builders or simply ditch page builders altogether.
Divi vs Elementor: How do they match up?
| Divi | Elementor | |
|---|---|---|
| Plugin or theme builder?
| Divi comes in both as a WordPress plugin as well as a WordPress theme. In fact, when you buy one, you get both, since the plugin is not sold separately. | Elementor comes as a WordPress plugin only and works with most themes (list here) that respect the coding standards of WordPress. |
| User friendly frontend editing interface?
| Divi's builder has something for everyone. If you're a beginner, you'll quickly find the basic elements of this page builder very easy and quite intuitive to use.
If you are an experienced developer you'll soon discover all the advanced features that will help you create dynamic web pages for your clients, without the countless hours of writing the code yourself. | The beauty of the Elementor page builder is in its simplicity. As soon as you activate the plugin, you'll see the interface is very easy and self-explanatory.
Just drag and drop the elements onto the blank canvas, then fill in your content. You can also play around with the design and animation modules until you get the look you’re after. |
| Content retention after deactivation?
| Yes, after you deactivate the plugin, the content you’ve created with it remains.
However, none of the styling and formatting does, only shortcodes. And those shortcodes can be messy. | Yes, the pages and content created with Elementor should remain the same even after the plugin is deactivated. Although, some custom CSS styles and formatting heavily depend on Elementor and may not work as well. Deactivating it may affect quite a number of the CSS styles and formats used. However, the page still looks quite readable even with some of the shortcodes left behind. |
| Speed and performance?
| In reports from users and when compared to other page builders, Divi builder seemed a little slow in comparison. This is mainly due to the file sizes of all the modules and options for functionality this plugin has. So in many ways, you are sacrificing speed for optionality. | Considering the options that users have in creating web pages and the simplicity that this plug-in offers, it's Speed and Performance is right up there with the best of them. They accomplish this by actually making the file sizes a user has to download smaller, thus increasing its Speed and Performance. |
| Shortcode functionality?
| If you're into shortcodes, then this plugin is for you. Divi seems to have a shortcode for everything. They even have a library for them. Whatever the main features of this page builder don't contain or can't do, there will definitely be a shortcode out there for it. However, this can also create some problems. If you decide to stop using the page builder or migrate to another one, you may be leaving behind a rough sea of shortcodes in your wake to sort out. | Elementor doesn’t have a shortcode library like Divi.
Although, they do have a widget that can be used for any shortcode including shortcodes from third-party plugins as well as shortcodes from saved templates. |
| Ready-to-use designs and layouts?
| Divi has over 58 layout packs and they're adding 2 new layouts every week, all right out of the box. This is just the beginning though. From those 58+ and counting premade layouts, you can make a variety of seemingly endless other layouts, all customized to suit your or your client’s web page needs. All savable, so you can use as your own custom templates. | Elementor has over 100+ pre-made and ready to use designs.
On top of that you can also customise those original 100+ pre-made designs into countless other customised designed layouts. These designs are also savable. |
| Content modules
| Divi builder comes with 46 content modules. Plus many other add-ons made from third-party developers. | Elementor comes with 29 content modules in the free Version + an extra 30 with the pro version. This is in addition to the many other add-ons made by third-party developers. |
| Theme compatibility?
| The Divi builder is compatible with most WordPress themes that respect the coding standards of WordPress (if you want to be sure just reach out to their support and ask). | Elementor is compatible with most WordPress themes that respect the coding standards of WordPress (if you want to be sure just reach out to their support and ask). |
| Plugin compatibility?
| Yes. Although logically it works best with the Divi WordPress theme itself. | Yes. Because the Elementor plugin was designed as a page builder only, so it’s built to be used with most Wordpress themes. |
| Support?
| Divi has both online chat and email support. If chat is busy, they will email your answer to you. | Elementor has email only support. |
| Community?
| Although, Divi doesn’t have a community forum on their website, they do have an active Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DiviThemeUsers/ | Elementor doesn’t have a community forum on their website, but they do have an active Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Elementors/ |
| Free trial?
| Divi builder doesn’t offer a free trial version. However, they do offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if you aren't happy with their product. | Elementor has a free version as well as a paid pro version. There is no free trial for the pro version, but it does have a 30 day money back guarantee. |
| Price?
| Divi pricing is simple. Divi builder is $89 per year for unlimited sites. $249 is a one time payment for lifetime access and updates. | Elementor is $49 per year for 1 site. $99 is per year for 3 sites. $199 is per year for unlimited sites. |
Elementor vs Divi Frequently asked questions
What is Divi?
Divi is both a WordPress theme builder and a drag and drop visual builder by Elegant Themes. The Divi theme has the Divi Builder built-in while the standalone Divi page builder works with practically any WordPress theme on the market. For more information see my Divi review article.
What is Elementor?
Elementor is a visual drag-and-drop page builder WordPress plugin that replaces the standard WordPress front-end editor with an enhanced Elementor powered editor. Elementor comes in both a free, limited, version and a premium version that includes 50+ widgets and 300+ templates.
Is Divi better than Elementor?
It depends. Divi is cheaper but it has a steeper learning curve and is harder to master. Elementor on the other hand, is much easier to learn, use and master but it costs more. Using Divi on unlimited websites costs $89 per year (or $249 for lifetime access). Using Elementor on unlimited websites costs $199 per year (or $49 per year for just one website).
Will Divi and Elementor work with Gutenberg?
Yes, both Divi and Elementor are compatible with Gutenberg and work seamlessly together.
How much does Elementor and Divi cost?
The cost for Divi is between $80 per year or $249 for lifetime access. Elementor offers a free (but limited version) and the Pro version is between $49 per year and $199 per year.
Will Divi and Elementor Work With Any Theme?
Both Elementor and Divi builder offers a visual builder that works with almost all themes on the market. Not only that, with both of these, you also get access to hundreds of landing page templates to choose from.
Elementor vs Divi: What are the biggest differences between them?
The page builder Elementor offers is much easier to learn vs Divi builder. Although the Divi builder interface wins in things like customization options and templates, it isn't as easy and intuitive as the Elementor visual builder. Both of them give you the ability to add custom headers and footers to your pages and both allow inline editing.
Another big difference is that unlike the Divi Builder, Elementor doesn't come with a custom Elementor theme. The Divi Builder comes bundled with the Divi theme.
Divi vs Elementor: Which is the best for bloggers?
if you are looking for a way to build simple landing pages to get more subscribers, you should go with Elementor. it is the easiest of the two visual builders. But if you want more pre-made templates, go with Divi builder, it comes with almost a thousand different templates to choose from.
Summary
The Divi builder and Elementor are two of the best page builder plugins on the market. The key difference between the two WordPress page builders is that one comes with a theme and the other does not. Just like Divi, Elementor is a drag and drop page builder but it doesn't come with a custom Elementor theme. But both of these can work with any WordPress theme on the market.
Elementor and Divi builder both offer a simple drag and drop visual builder interface that lets you build pages without any code.
The Elementor interface allows you to edit everything from the colors to the header, footer, and other parts of your pages with simple drag and drop. You can use it to build professional-looking landing pages without touching a line of code.
Elementor and Divi both come with layout packs to help you create content that stands out of the crowd. The Elementor interface lets you choose from a dozen different layout options that come bundled with its layout packs. But if you go with Divi, you get access to over 880 different layouts and over 110 website templates.
The Divi library of pre-made templates is a lot diverse than all the templates Elementor has to offer. In this Elementor vs Divi 2021 comparison, the Divi Builder comes out on top in things like template options to choose from and customizability.
Unlike the Divi Builder, the page builder Elementor has to offer lacks built-in A/B testing ability. If you want to improve your conversion rate, you can use Divi's A/B testing tools to test different variations of your page to find the one that performs the best.
Although the Divi Builder offers more templates to choose from, you get access to over 300 Elementor templates if you buy the Elementor Pro license. All Elementor templates are fully customizable. You can customize everything from the headers, footers
Pricing is one of the things you need to consider in the Elementor vs Divi builder battle. Although Divi builder is a cheaper visual builder than the Elementor Page builder, it comes with a few downsides such as a steep learning curve.
Elementor is much easier to get started with. And although the Divi Builder is cheaper than Elementor Pro, you need to consider that the free version of the builder Elementor comes with lacks a lot of features that Elementor Pro has to offer but it can help you build all types of pages.
So which WordPress page builder will you get?
What are your thoughts on these two popular WordPress page builders? Do you prefer one over the other? Have you checked out these Elementor alternatives? Do you think there’s an important feature that I missed? Let me know in the comments!
