Because of this, I'm oftentimes left with a decision—pay a premium to hire my own research team and create new and compelling content, or pay a fraction of the price for an AI writing tool that can quickly research a topic and write a paragraph as well as (or better than) most humans.

When the topic doesn't require specialized knowledge, I'm more likely to use AI.

In order to find the best AI content writer, I tested 12 copywriting tools and had each one generate a paragraph reviewing it's own service. The results were a mixed bag, but it's fair to say that the cream rose to the top.

Best AI Content Writers (2023)

Most Popular

Copy.AI

$49/mo*

• Dedicated to short form writing
• Free Trial Option
• $11M in Funding

Lab Notes:

Copy AI is a worthy competitor in the race to build neural content writers that match or exceed the abilities of human writers. Our testing showed a tool capable of producing quick and easy product descriptions, headlines, and social media content, but it lacks output for full-length articles and other long-form writing.

Read Review

Try For Free

2,000 words/mo Free

Our Favorite

Jasper AI

$82/mo*

• Templates for long and short form content
• AI art platform add-on
• $125M in Funding

Lab Notes:

We've been using Jasper AI almost exclusively after trying out the other writers. It's the best funded writing platform, which means continued improvement, but does also come with a heftier price tag. We don't mind the added cost, though as it still comes in well under the price of paying a human writer for roughly the quality of work.

Read Review

Try For Free

10,000 words free through our referral link

Best Value

Anyword

$24/mo*

• Plagiarism checker
• Writing community access
• $21M in Funding

Lab Notes:

Anyword is by far the cheapest of our top 3 AI writing tools, but doesn't give up much in terms of quality. We found that Anyword's short-form, technical copywriting was indistinguishable from humans and held up to the top competitors. In addition, Anyword gives users 2 months free trial to give the app a try.

Read Review

Try For Free

2 Months Free

The prices above are subject to change. Your costs may vary.

Researched, Reviewed, & Written by

Tim Seidler – Owner & Founder | WebMonkey

Our recommendations are based on real-life, hands-on experience and updated regularly on the basis of new product releases, pricing changes, and a number of quality factors.

Why use an AI content generator?

The real question is, why not?

If you haven't actually sampled text from an AI writing tool yet, I suggest you do. Entire paragraphs are generated in the blink of an eye simply by providing a few keywords and clicking submit. Not only that, but the copywriting that is produced can rival any professional human writer depending on the subject matter.

Instead of making you do all the work, I've picked a few target keywords and phrases to demonstrate just what these writing tools can do.

Our Choice – The Best AI Writing Tool

JASPER AI

By far the most comprehensive and awe-inspiring copywriting tool we have had the privilege of testing. Jasper spits out perfectly crafted sentences with almost no need for keyword manipulation. It's as if this text generating technology can read your mind and put your words on paper far better than you'd ever imagine was possible.

Try Jasper Free

First Impressions

I started using Jasper in the spring of 2023, and it just now occurred to me to review its writing technology along with its competitors.

The aha moment for me was when I found the paragraph generator in the list of templates. By simply typing in a question or topic and clicking “generate,” Jasper opened my eyes to how quickly I could produce copywriting on a large scale.

Since then I've used it to summarize bible verses, talk about art colleges, and review products.

When people catch onto AI writing technology the same way they've begun to find AI art, the world will change very rapidly, and I truly believe that Jasper will be leading the way.

Jasper AI Review (of itself!)

Jasper AI is a writing assistant powered by advanced artificial intelligence. It's designed to help copywriters produce error-free writing faster and more efficiently than ever before.

By utilizing advanced text filtering, plus deep learning and natural language processing (NLP) technologies, the writing assistant offers instant checks of your writing for spelling, grammar, tone of voice, punctuation and other inaccuracies. With this level of precision and accuracy, Jasper AI ensures both efficient and effective writing when it comes to tackling any text writing tasks.

The paragraph generator tool within Jasper enables users to quickly generate a high-quality, engaging paragraph with just a few clicks. With tags and sentence structures already included, all you have to do is add your own topic of discussion and let Jasper AI take care of the rest.

This technology can be used for a variety of applications such as short stories, essays, blog articles, social media posts, and much more. Editing is not necessary when using this cutting-edge tool; the generated paragraph is presented in an easy-to-use format that will save countless hours of time and energy in the writing process.

The text above was combined from two separate outputs. The level of specificity about the service shows me that Jasper actually looks at existing information on the web and bases the answer on it's findings.

How much does Jasper cost?

Jasper pricing is variable, but the company currently sets their Creator plan at $49/mo. For more advanced users the Pro plan is set at $69/mo.

Does Jasper AI have a free trial?

Yes! Jasper offers a 7-day free trial to try out the Creator and Pro plan features.

How much money has Jasper raised?

To date, the company has raised more than $126 million from both venture capital and private investment funds. The success of Jasper AI has been credited to its cutting-edge technology, which helps businesses reduce costs and improve efficiency.

Funding was led by notable venture capital firms Andreessen Horowitz and Base10 Partners, with a number of other investors, including Radiant Venture Capital and Vertex Ventures, joining the latest round.

Most Popular AI Writer

COPY AI

It's hard to compete with Jasper, but lucky for Copy AI, they had a head start. Boasting more than 300,000 users, this service more than triples the reported users of Jasper. Though I found it slightly inferior in its ability to spit out perfect paragraphs, for certain applications, Copy AI is the way to go. It's also slightly less expensive if you're price conscious.

Try Copy AI Free

First Impressions

The first time I used the tool I tried to find a template that allowed me to generate a full paragraph based on one topic. What I came up with was Bullet Point to Paragraph.

It asked for a topic and at least 40 characters of text to describe what I wanted it to say. For me, it seemed a little excessive to require a character count when I'm ultimately trying to reduce my writing. That said, I was thoroughly impressed by the output.

I was given five well-crafted options of varying lengths. The sentences were arranged in multiple paragraphs—unlike Jasper, which bunches them all into one continuous string.

I like that it told me how many characters and words were in each output. They ranged from 80 words to 225 words each. Having the choice to decide how concise I wanted the requested text to be was a very nice touch.

Copy AI Review (of itself!)

With the new Copy AI from Artificial Intelligence SaaS, you can create content for blogs, e-books, and webpages that is indistinguishable from a human writer. Not only is it capable of writing in text format with an individual voice for each piece, but it can also create multimedia content that enriches your messages with images and videos.

Copy AI's machine learning algorithms look at the content you provide them as well as what other people like to read on the web. They learn from all this data to develop their own style and improve upon it over time. This means that not only do you get great content created by artificial intelligence software but the content will get better over time!

To see how well Copy AI works, I gave it the task of writing a blog post about itself.

The sentence above blows me away. The AI tool was self aware enough to know I was asking it to review itself.

Most Affordable AI Writer

Anyword

Rivaling the best AI writing tools, but costing less than half their competitors, Anyword delivers a simplified user interface that allows you to quickly jump into text generation using their AnyCopy feature. You also have the ability to work with pre-determined templates tailored to specific types of copywriting. Try it free for 2 months.

Try Anyword Free

Anyword Review (of itself!)

The AI Writing Tool from Anyword is a revolutionary program that can help streamline the writing process for all types of content. This AI-driven writing platform helps to automate aspects of the writing process such as research, grammar, and spellchecking. The easy-to-use interface allows users to customize the writing process to their particular needs and write with confidence.

Furthermore, the tool offers detailed analytics on your writing performance which can help to inform and improve your writing style in the future. All in all, the AI Writing Tool from Anyword is an impressive product that is sure to help make anyone's writing experience more efficient and effective.

I'm having a hard time finding fault with Anyword. I loved the simplicity of the interface. While they offer the same templates as other services, I didn't feel as overwhelmed with choices right away. Their AnyCopy tool allows you to jump into text generation mode right away, which I appreciate.

More AI Writing Tool Reviews

ChatGPT Review (of itself!)

ChatGPT is a valuable tool for writing content. It can help generate ideas, draft articles, and even refine your writing. The AI provides quick responses, which makes it ideal for brainstorming sessions. Its ability to understand and respond to various topics ensures that the content produced is relevant and well-informed. Whether you're writing a blog post, an essay, or social media updates, ChatGPT can assist in creating clear and engaging content.

One of the strengths of ChatGPT is its versatility. It can adapt to different writing styles and tones, making it suitable for a wide range of content needs. The AI can also help with editing and proofreading, ensuring that the final product is polished and free of errors. However, it's important to review the AI's suggestions to ensure accuracy and appropriateness. Overall, ChatGPT is a helpful tool for anyone looking to improve their writing process and produce high-quality content efficiently.

ChatGPT is one of the most popular AI content writing platforms and for good reason—it's versatile, concise, and conversational. It's also very affordable for how powerful it is. The main downside is that it has periods of downtime during times of peak traffic.

CopySmith Review (of itself!)

The Copysmith copywriting tool is a powerful technology that makes it easy to write persuasive copy quickly and conveniently. It uses AI technology to help you create optimized content for a wide range of marketing applications.

With its advanced algorithms, it can detect your target audience, determine the best voice and tone to use, automatically define USPs, pick keywords and phrases that ensure maximum engagement rate, and even generate headlines and body copy with just a few clicks.

Its sophisticated algorithm helps ensure that you get great quality content while also saving time and energy. Furthermore, with its extensive library of writing styles, it can be adapted to fit almost any type of writing – from SEO blogs to website copy and beyond! With its easy-to-use dashboard and affordable pricing plans, Copysmith makes it extremely fast and easy to generate engaging content that resonates with your intended audience.

Copysmith has a wide range of AI tools and templates to meet multiple writing needs. And while the platform takes a bit of practice to get the hang of, its output is solid when compared to other AI writing platforms.

Peppertype Review (of itself!)

If you're looking for a writing tool that can help you get your ideas down quickly and easily, you should check out Peppertype. It's a great AI-powered tool that can help you with everything from brainstorming to editing.

I really like the way that Peppertype helps you to organize your thoughts. It's easy to add new ideas and rearrange them, and the AI provides helpful suggestions for how you could improve your writing. The editing features are also really helpful, and I've found that the tool does a great job of catching errors that I might otherwise miss.

Overall, I highly recommend Peppertype if you're looking for a writing tool that can help you be more productive. It's helped me a lot, and I'm sure it can help you too!

I don't like that the Peppertype tool chooses to speak in the first person on my behalf. The writing is well done and can pass for human, but that doesn't mean I want to portray that. If there were additional checkboxes that gave me the option to change perspective I think I'd like it more.

Rytr Review (of itself!)

Rytr is an AI writing tool that uses AI to generate content for you. This article will discuss some of the use cases of this tool and how it can help you in your business.

The Rytr AI writing tool is a content generation platform that takes care of all the tedious tasks involved in creating content. It can help you generate blog posts, articles, newsletters and more. It also allows you to customize your content by adding images, videos, or links to relevant resources.

If you are looking for a way to save time on content creation while still maintaining quality, then this is the best AI writing assistant for you!

I don't love the way the tool infuses, what I deem, basic high school formatting into the text output. Telling me what the article will discuss and signing off with a paragraph that summarizes the previous paragraph is unnecessary filler, and I don't want to have to filter through that for the meat of the topic every time I ask for an output. On the other hand, if it was offered as a checkbox I could turn on and off, I think that could be useful.

Copymatic Review (of itself!)

If you are in search of a writing tool that can help you get your work done faster and easier, then you should definitely check out CopyMatic AI. This amazing tool uses artificial intelligence to help you write better and faster. Here is a review of this amazing tool to help you decide if it is the right fit for you. CopyMatic AI is a revolutionary writing tool that uses artificial intelligence to help you write better and faster. This amazing tool was created by two former Google employees, who saw the potential of using AI to help people write better.

CopyMatic AI is designed to help you improve your writing skills by giving you real-time feedback on your work. This writing tool is very easy to use. All you need to do is type in what you want to write and the tool will give you real-time feedback on your work. The feedback includes suggestions on how to improve your grammar, spelling, and vocabulary. You can also use the tool to check your work for plagiarism. CopyMatic AI is a very affordable writing tool. It only costs $3 per month, which is very reasonable considering the benefits it provides. Overall, CopyMatic AI is an excellent writing tool that can help you write better and faster.

While there are some highlights in the generated text, the overall impression I get is that this tool needs more development. The sentences are choppy, and it repeats “real-time feedback on your work.” Ultimately I don't want to have to edit AI writing extensively, as that defeats the purpose of using a copywriting tool in the first place.

WriteSonic Review (of itself!)

I recently had the chance to try out Writesonic AI Writing Tool and I must say, I'm impressed. It's an incredibly powerful tool, with a simple and intuitive interface that makes creating content incredibly easy. The AI-driven writing capabilities are particularly impressive. It can quickly generate content ideas and help you refine them into full-length articles, without you having to do any of the heavy lifting. The AI also checks your work for grammar and spelling mistakes, so you don't have to worry about making any errors.

I also found the tool's collaboration capabilities to be incredibly useful. It was easy to share my work with my team and get feedback in real-time, and the integrated chat feature was great for discussing ideas. Overall, I'd highly recommend Writesonic AI Writing Tool to anyone looking for a powerful and easy-to-use writing tool. It's definitely worth checking out!

Again, I don't love the first person. After trying out a few of these tools, I do think that it chooses that voice when you specify “review” in your seed keywords. When I swapped to asking about “features,” I didn't get the same perspective. The tool also chose to use the word “incredibly” more times than I'd like, but I think that overuse of adverbs is common across most AI writing tools. I also have a suspicion it might be one way Google's algorithms identify AI content—so beware.

Simplified Review (of itself!)

In this fast-paced world, we are always looking for ways to be more productive. One way to be more productive is to automate some of our tasks. This is where ai writing tools come in.

Ai writing tools can help you write faster and better. They can also help you with your grammar and spelling. In this article, we will review some of the best ai writing tools.

Though I included their brand name, Simplified, in the text prompt, the AI failed to return a result that was specific to this service. It also failed when it came to writing a lengthier response.

Scalenut Review (of itself!)

Scalenut is a unique AI writing tool that allows users to write articles and essays faster and with more accuracy. The Scalenut platform uses natural language processing (NLP) technology to analyze the user's text, identifying the main ideas, sentences, and paragraphs. This information is then used to generate an outline for the article or essay, as well as suggestions for improvement.

The Scalenut platform also includes a revision feature that helps writers edit their work quickly and easily. With this tool at your disposal, you will be able to produce top-quality content in no time!

Scalenut's AI writing tool performed well in my opinion. It gave me two paragraphs that are neatly written and go into some level of detail about the product.

Frase

Frase.io is yet another option for AI copywriting. Their tool offers a free trial that includes on search query. After that, you'll need to upgrade to a paid plan. The Solo plan gives you 10 queries per month for $15, the Basic gives you 30 queries per month for $45, and then Team plan is $115 per month for unlimited queries.

When there are services that give you access to much more for less, we have a hard time understanding why anyone would choose them.

Article Forge

Article Forge is a gated AI writing platform. In order to activate your free trial you're required to give up your credit card information and agree to the price increase after 5 days ($57/mo). This tells me that they either don't trust that users will want to use their service after testing the tool or that they're out of touch with the current ecosystem and are falling behind in other areas as well.

We recommend waiting for a free trial without strings attached or trying Jasper instead.

Copy Shark

After filling out Copyshark's application to demo the product before anyone else, I was left disappointed. Unfortunately, they're one of the only services that actually required a credit card up front.

Sadly, I know if I signed up for the trial I'd forget about the subscription and pay the $59/mo unintentionally.

It's hard to believe anyone would pay for a writing service they can't try first. For now, I'll wait to voice my opinion on the Copy Shark AI writing tool until they open up to free trials.

Examples of AI generated copywriting

The best way to show you the power of these copywriting tools is to put them to work. Below you'll find actual text that was created in a few short seconds.

Industry: Religion
Keyword: John 3:16
Thoughts: This example shows that the AI generator for Jasper was able to identify the actual bible verse, quote it, and summarize its relevance in a matter of seconds.

Generated by Jasper.ai

Industry: Education
Keyword: Best Nursing Schools in Chicago
Thoughts: Again, the paragraph generator from Jasper is able to pull relevant and specific information about the subject and craft a near-perfect paragraph that would take most humans significant brain power and time to match.

Industry: Gaming / Ecomm
Keyword: TITAN EVO 2023 SERIES Gaming Chair
Thoughts: If you're looking for product descriptions; Jasper is able to quickly research and summarize product details effortlessly.

Does AI generated content rank well in Google?

Yes! The writing generated from the best AI tools doesn't seem to be easily detected by search engines, and is capable of ranking quickly in the SERPS.

Don't believe me? Sign up for examples of AI generated content ranking top 10 within 24 hours!

Assuming you have an established web presence and follow standard SEO best practices, there's no reason AI generated copywriting can't perform well on Google.

Top 3 AI Copywriting Tools

Winner – Jasper

10,000 Words Free

Runner-Up – Copy.AI

2,000 Words/mo Free

Best for Less – Anyword

Get 2 Months Free

The post Best AI Content Writer : We Asked 12 AI Writing Tools to Review Themselves Then Assessed Their Answers appeared first on WebMonkey.

Choosing to build your website using a builder like Divi or Genesis could be an excellent option for you, even if you're brand new to website building and management. Both Divi and Genesis utilize the WordPress framework, which is the most popular website framework in the world. Both Divi and Genesis have a lot to offer, but which one is best for you? Let's find out.

What is Divi?

Divi Builder is a visual content editor that works in a drag-and-drop format. Divi went from a back-end page building tool to a front-end visual content editor in its most recent upgrade. This upgrade changes how you can use Divi and creates a more user-friendly overall application for the builder.

Building and Design Features

Not only does Divi give users the opportunity to build their pages from scratch to fit the design aesthetic of their business into the website, but it also has a growing number of pre-made themes and layouts available. You don't have to be a designer or have a great eye to make Divi work for you, and in that way, it's friendly to all kinds of people at various skill levels.

Testing Features

Divi Builder has a phenomenal A/B Lead testing tool that allows you to test different content variations or designs on your site to see, which leads to more conversions. It's not always easy to tell which design or content changes will lead to more business for you, but you'll know before committing to a change with this excellent tool.

ECommerce Features

Divi Builder is WooCommerce compatible, which is highly desirable, especially for those new to website building. WooCommerce is probably the most popular ecommerce platform available, especially on WordPress. It creates a virtual storefront hassle-free and straightforward, just another user-friendly notch in Divi's belt.

Support Features

Divi Builder has a ton of support options to help you find what you need without having to call or text in to create a support ticket. If you do end up in a situation where you have to speak directly to a support professional at Divi, then you might end up waiting longer than you'd like. Luckily, you can find answers to most questions and problems via other options.

Some of the support options available with Divi are as follows:

• Detailed documentation
• Messenger support
• Facebook groups

Pros: What We Like About Divi

Divi has a lot to offer, especially with its recent updates within the last year or so. The folks at Divi are consistently pumping out new elements, themes, and products to increase both the user-friendliness and overall options available with this page builder.

• The lifetime pricing option includes all themes and the builder to give you unlimited access to all of this website builder's fantastic features for as long as you're using WordPress.
• A website builder for anyone from professionals to brand new entrepreneurs looking to save money by building their website.
• The Divi Page Builder supports WooCommerce for easy ecommerce conversions.
• Options to develop pages and themes from scratch or utilize pre-built options in a mix and match style or as a single theme.
• You can utilize the page builder plug-in with any theme, even those that aren't associated with Divi or ElegantThemes.
• Divi 4.0 includes a theme builder to customize every possible aspect of your website, regardless of your theme.
• All Divi Builder themes are fully responsive and utilize easy to use drag-and-drop visual content editing.

Cons: What to Consider About Divi

Like everything, Divi has some points of contention with users. Although the page builder has a lot to offer, it isn't perfect. Here are some things to consider before you purchase Divi.

• The number of features and options can be overwhelming at first and create a big learning curve.
• Support isn't always as accessible as you would like when you need to speak to them directly. It takes some time to hear back.
• If you ever decide to leave Divi to work in a different theme or with a different page builder, you may find it challenging to convert pages due to Divi's shortcode in pages as you build.

What is Genesis?

The Genesis Framework is a back-end page builder and theme design tool that allows users to either access its vast array of pre-built themes or build pages and themes of their own utilizing the framework's user-friendly tools. Genesis Framework exists on its own behind the scenes of any themes that StudioPress creates.

StudioPress is a highly regarded company that will be around for a long time, so it offers peace of mind to Genesis users that their support system and new themes will continue to come out for a long time to come.

Building and Design Features

Genesis Framework offers a wide range of pre-built themes that you can use and which come with helpful instructions on how to install the theme with ease. You can also design your pages or themes, but doing so requires a bit more coding knowledge than your average WordPress user likely has in their roster.

Marketing Features

The SEO features users highly regard available standards with the Genesis Framework because of their proven effectiveness. You can disable the SEO features to add those from outside plug-ins if the features that come with Genesis don't suit your needs, but that's unlikely.

ECommerce Features

Since the Genesis Framework has very few overall features and add-ons, the ecommerce features of this framework will depend mainly on the child-theme you choose or your coding skills. StudioPress didn't set Genesis up to work directly with any single ecommerce plug-in or framework, but some themes will utilize WooCommerce or other ecommerce platforms in their design.

Support Features

Support is something you'll find mostly available from community members using the community forums or Facebook groups versus submitting a support ticket. Genesis doesn't have real-time support, so you could wait between 24 and 48 hours to have Genesis respond to your needs if you opt for the support ticket option versus looking through or posting on the community forum.

Pros: What We Like About Genesis

There's a lot to love about the Genesis Framework. It offers options and features that you can't find on other pages or theme builders on WordPress. Here are some of our favorite things about Genesis:

• Each theme comes with detailed instructions for setting up your website so that you're less likely to run into trouble along the way.
• Genesis Framework is developer-friendly in a lot of ways, including its coding and simple hooks.
• Genesis is an excellent value for the money since you can buy the framework and themes separately or together for a single, lifetime price
• Users highly regard the SEO credentials of Genesis, and, as a bonus, you can deactivate them to install other SEO plug-ins if those that come with Genesis don't fit your needs.
• Compatible with third-party products and features that can add additional customization options to your Genesis Framework.
• There are always new themes coming out for the Genesis Framework from the good folks at Studio Press.
• Fewer features and add-ons mean faster loading times for most Genesis child-themes.

Cons: What to Consider About Genesis

Genesis has many options and features exciting for users of all shapes and sizes, but it lacks in some vital areas. Here's a look at some of the areas you might want to question before officially deciding to opt for this framework:

• Support comes mostly in the form of community forums. Opting to open a support ticket could mean waiting 24 to 48 hours for a response, which is often far too long in this fast-paced world.
• Genesis doesn't come with too many customization options for its existing themes. Although you can build your themes and pages, customizing existing themes is far more difficult, especially for inexperienced users.
• Although Genesis is easy to set up due to its focused themes, it lacks other page builders' features and uses.
• This framework is well suited to professionals and developers but might not be user-friendly and straightforward for the average WordPress user.

Comparing Divi and Genesis Side-by-Side

Divi Builder and the Genesis Framework both offer tons of pre-made templates and great basics for new users to utilize while building their first website. These builders also have lots of features that make them great options for developers looking to utilize the same basic framework and even similar page designs on multiple websites.

Despite their similarities, some pretty extreme differences between these two-page builders will change which type of WordPress users should use them and how they might choose to do so.

Ease of Use and Learning

From a new user standpoint, both Divi and Genesis offer simple, pre-built themes that you can install to do the work of creating your first website.

Divi doesn't have as many focused themes like Genesis, meaning you'll have to choose based on an overall aesthetic or features versus simply finding a pre-made restaurant theme, for instance. Instead, Divi gives you general themes and lots of customization options to make them your own with their drag-and-drop builder. You can even see the changes in real-time.

Genesis is the opposite. It features a wide array of very specific theme options that focus on different industries and needs like restaurants, law offices, creatives, and more. The downside to Genesis is that you can't edit and customize to the extent that you'd be able to on Divi once you choose your theme. Instead, you're all but stuck with the theme as-is unless you know code.

Regarding learning, Genesis themes come with instructions to help you install them and utilize them with ease. Divi themes require you to take the lead in utilizing the themes. Both of these page builders do a great job of hooking new users up with community forums and information, but neither offers real-time support, so you rely on fellow users to learn the basics.

Arguably Divi is easier to use for the average WordPress user because that person probably knows some, but not enough to develop websites from scratch. Genesis is ideal for brand new users who have never seen the back end of a website before because of the simplicity of their focused themes. Developers would likely be happy with either option.

Workflow Process

Divi is all about drag-and-drop customizations on the front end. It's about making your site into exactly what you want with every possible feature and add-on at your fingertips. It's simple to use, and the user interface is seamless, classy, and not too busy.

With Genesis, you'll work mainly on the back end. You can't see your changes in real-time, and you can't test your changes against the original layout or features as you can do in Genesis. You'll also work more with the code to make significant changes. Otherwise, you'll only be adding your content, which makes the workflow relatively unexciting and straightforward.

Overall we'd say that Divi has a better workflow process because it allows you to see your changes immediately and to test variations before you commit. Doing things this way will enable you to feel more in control of your website than you could with Genesis.

Design Features

Divi Builder has just about every design feature that you could want in a theme builder. Their typography options, colors, backgrounds, gradients, boxes, shapes, and more are almost unbeatable. You can truly customize every single element of your theme or website with the design options available on Divi.

Genesis has far fewer design features built into the framework. If you want to make design changes through Genesis, you'll need to understand code to a much greater extent than with Divi. Typically you will have a few colors and fonts to choose from depending on your theme choice, but overall your options are severely limited compared to Divi.

Pricing

You can buy yearly access to Divi for $89 per year, or you can pay a one-time fee of $224 and receive lifetime access. Either way, you'll get unlimited websites, premium support, and product updates, but lifetime access is a much better deal if you're certain you'll love working with Divi. Although there is no trial period, Divi does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.

If you'd like the Genesis Framework, then you can buy it with a theme package for $59.95 on average. That will give you access to the full framework, but only the theme package you chose to purchase, but it does give you lifetime access from the start. If you'd like access to the widest variety of themes under the Genesis Framework for life, then you'll pay $360 for Genesis Pro.

Upgrading to Genesis Pro gives you live chat support, all StudioPress Themes, the Genesis Framework, and unlimited sites. It's a much better deal for developers than the other Genesis option.

Since StudioPress is such a highly rated and reputable company with a wide variety of themes already on the market and even more coming out daily, we think that the better value for the price is Genesis Pro over Divi.

Search Engine Optimization and Blogging

Genesis has a great, global SEO package built-in that is easy to use for every WordPress user from beginner to professional. If you are a professional or understand code, you can also override some of the SEO settings on individual pages or posts if necessary.

Divi themes come with a lot of extra code that can bloat your site and slow downloading speeds, negatively impacting SEO. There are many more options to increase your SEO with Divi, but you may find them more challenging to understand than the simple and straightforward SEO package that Genesis offers.

Regarding blogging, both page builders allow you to choose a pre-built theme that revolves around blogging, and both allow you to add blog posts in other theme formats as well. Where Divi takes the lead, here are its options for customizing things like fonts, colors, graphics, page appearance, etc. Genesis simply doesn't have the customization options that Divi does.

When it comes to blogging, customization is vital to set you apart from the crowd. There is an astronomical number of blogs online, and there's likely at least a few that are similar to your website. Finding a way to set your blog apart with its look and features is a great way to entice more followers.

Which Page Builder is Best?

Divi and Genesis each have their benefits, and each will suit different people for various reasons. Let's look at who we believe would find more success with Divi and who would find happiness with Genesis.

Best for Small Budgets

If your budget is small, likely you're a newbie to the world of website building anyway. In this case, we would recommend Genesis because you can opt for the single theme packages that will only average a little under $60 for a lifetime of use.

You can definitely upgrade to Pro or choose Divi if you'd like, but if you're hoping to build a single website with a specific focus, Genesis is by far the less expensive and more straightforward option.

Best for ECommerce

Since Divi comes with WooCommerce built-in regardless of its theme, it is our number one choice for ecommerce websites. You can customize your ecommerce section as well so that it's not a generic virtual storefront like those you'll typically find in retail-focused themes.

Genesis offers ecommerce-focused themes, but choosing one will likely leave you without the ability to customize your site's look, and that might lead to fewer conversions depending on your target audience. It can also be a blessing for people who are brand new to website building, though, so make sure you think through which is more important to you before choosing.

Best for Advanced or Complex Builds

Advanced users and developers will likely enjoy the benefits of both Divi and Genesis. Still, we think Divi offers more to non-professionals in terms of the complex or advanced website or page builds. Although there is a learning curve with all of Divi's options and features, it's far less than the learning curve to understand code that you'd need to use Genesis for the same builds.

Divi offers a massive variety of pre-made themes that feature complexities that few Genesis themes support, making it even more ideal for users looking for very intricate page designs or structures.

Best for Support

We are giving the support award to Genesis only because of the Genesis Pro option. If Genesis Pro didn't provide real-time chat support, then these two page builders would've tied in this category, but the real-time chat pushes Genesis over the edge.

Of course, if you're opting for the theme package options with Genesis, then you'll find that the support for Divi is about the same, and that shouldn't be a significant consideration when you're deciding between the two builders.

FAQs

Why do I need a WordPress page builder? 

There are several reasons you'll want to choose a page builder over merely choosing a free theme and running with the general WordPress customization options. First, your website's design is a massive piece of the puzzle of getting it noticed over other websites. Unless you know HTML or CSS, you need to choose a website builder to help you customize your theme and set yourself apart from the crowd.

Second, the WordPress Editor is a very basic version of a page builder and won't give you all of the options that you might want or need to customize your website. It provides only basic SEO options and a few fonts and colors versus builders like Divi, where almost every element of your website is fully customizable. Finally, you'll get access to more specific support and more themes with a page builder than you will with the basic WordPress Builder option, and that's a huge plus, especially when you're just starting out.

What should I consider when choosing a page builder? 

First and foremost, you should always consider your budget when you are looking for a page builder. Some builders are so massive and pricey that they aren't going to work well for the average WordPress user. Many builders have pricing options that can help you utilize them within your budget, regardless of your budget.

For instance, the yearly or lifetime Divi options give you two different price ranges for using their products. The same is true for the Genesis Framework buying options. It would be best if you also considered your individual needs. Do you need a visual interface? Do you need drag-and-drop functionality? Are you planning to use this page builder for a single site or for multiple projects? Look to the future, determine what you think you will need in a page builder, and then look for one that most closely matches those needs.

How much research should I do before choosing a page builder? 

We recommend doing your due diligence before you choose a page builder to fit your needs. You'd be doing yourself a disservice by only looking at the basics. If any of the page builders you're interested in offer free trials, then we recommend taking advantage to see if you like that builder and test its user-friendliness. If you're looking at page builders like Divi and Genesis that don't offer free trials, then read over lots of reviews on their webpages to ensure that you're getting the best features for your dollar and that you're getting the support you need.

If you're looking for a set amount of time, then we'd recommend putting at least a few hours of research and a week or so of testing out options before you make a final decision, especially if you have a small budget to start.

Conclusion

Divi and Genesis both have a lot to offer, even though they are almost exact opposites. Where Divi focuses on complexity and customizations, Genesis focuses on simplicity and page loading times. Overall we think that Divi has more to offer for a broader range of users. Genesis is a great product, and we'd highly recommend it if you are looking for a simple theme or if you know code.

The post Divi vs. Genesis : The Best WordPress PageBuilder Theme appeared first on WebMonkey.

Which one is better? It depends on your specific purposes. For some individuals, Visual Composer is a reliable building platform with a history of success. However, the newer plugin Elementor is a popular alternative. Let's consider both plugins, their creation, their features, and how the two programs compare.

Overview of Visual Composer

Visual Composer is the “sequel” to the very successful WPBakery plugin developed by Michael Makijenko. Although at one time, WPBakery was the same thing as Visual Composer, when the enhanced premium service came out, Visual Composer became its own entity.

The Visual Composer company wanted to charge an annual fee for the new Visual Composer to cover expenses for the plugin's new features. However, the company had a lifetime agreement with another developer, called Envato, not to mention a large base of consumers who downloaded WPBakery with the agreement that one payment would cover indefinite service.

The new Visual Composer Website Builder launched with enhanced features, including a complete revamping of the old program. The new website builder doesn't use the same code of the original WPBakery, creating cleaner code with fewer errors.

Whereas the original program (still active and with a one-time fee for life) is still available, the new Visual Composer Website Builder changes the user's entire way they interact with WordPress. With VCWB, you build the site using the new program, not simply inserting WordPress code.

What Are Visual Composer's Best Features?

The best reason to use Visual Composer Website Builder is when you don't want to develop a website from the ground up but want to rely on existing templates to make it look professional and, yes, even a little bedazzling with modern effects.

Drag and Drop Website Builder

Visual Composer is very easy to use, with a front end and back end page builder, based on the drag and drop system. You can instantly see how the site will look as you add on widgets, text, and images/video using front-end, or get a bird's eye view of the site's elements with a bird's eye view.

There are over 100 unique content elements with attributes and options to customize. You design the site just as you see it, meaning you can replace text and image fields with your unique copy and testimonials. You can also integrate social media pages and develop enticing Call-to-Action buttons.

Create a header, footer, and sidebar for each page or a global template. Whether you want a new look or want to keep your previous layout, customizing your page piece by piece is easy. Developing content goes smoothly because of block templates and ready-made elements, which lets you develop unique layouts that are not as confined as the usual WordPress theme.

Design your rows and columns with a Row Layout Builder, built with multiple device responsiveness in mind. Resizing columns is easy, as is customizing the gap space in between columns. When you resize any section, the plugin software analyzes the mechanics according to popular layouts. You're given a choice of snap-to-grid options to make the site look clean.

Even if you have a bare-bones idea for a site, you can stock it with free high-quality images from Unsplash, directly accessible from the Visual Composer Hub.

Workflow and Performance

Assigning multiple administrators is easy, and you can move elements around the site just using the mouse. You can simplify the virtual work area by using the Tree view editor, which makes the site builder work similarly to Photoshop, or use a recycling bin to delete elements like an operating system.

Create a global header and footer, design custom archive pages, or put your site into maintenance mode with a default page. A pop-up builder lets you boost conversions and develop sales pages. You can replace elements and tabs for better brand consistency or assign a unique name or ID to an element to use it later on.

Suppose you have questions about site design or SEO optimization. In that case, you might not even have to contact customer service — the built-in qualitative analysis tool will give you automated advice on mistakes to avoid and what might help improve rankings. Visual Composer is also compatible with Yoast SEO.

If you want to insert extra CSS features or Javascript, that's no problem since Visual Computer works well with scripts and codes. Post grid elements to showcase certain content and always give your site the look of being active daily.

Speaking of performance, Visual Composer Website Builder also has the reputation of being one of the fastest editors on the market since it doesn't involve creating shortcodes like WP add-ons but generates clean code you build.

Fonts and Colors

Visiting a free cloud marketplace of content elements, you can customize fonts, icons, marquees, message boxes, separators, and the like. The templates and elements library is full of downloadable features and also updated every week.

You also get access to video, parallax, gradient backgrounds, and other visual effects to keep your site looking 2023fresh. Visual Composer Website Builder works with any WordPress theme and handles practically all integrations. You can replace static text sections with dynamic content text.

Amateur designers can count on professional touches like a filter library (Instagram quality filters) and lightboxes to direct users on where to click.

Themes and Forms

You can choose from over 100 templates and dozens of content elements, whether you want to install charts, forms, sliders, headers, footers, or entire sections. All elements are responsive (meaning they can display accurately on various devices), and you can choose different formats for landing pages, portfolio pages, product pages, and business or service descriptions.

Visual Composer integrates with other form plugins-in like Captain Form, WP Forms, Gravity Forms, and Ninja Forms, among others.

E-Commerce

Integrate with WooCommerce and build a store, display products, and store categories, and let customers click to buy. Not only can you count on price listings and add-to-cart and checkout options, but you can also use Gutenberg blocks anywhere on the page, even with the store.

Customer Support

Visual Composer offers customer service through a ticket system. With a yearly service fee, you get updates for life and a 24/7 technical support team. You also get updates whenever available, including new versions of Visual Composer.

Overview of Elementor

Based out of Israel and founded in 2006, Elementor is a website builder and just one product of Elementor Ltd.

Using a drag and drop interface and built-in responsive mode (meaning it displays accurately on all devices), Elementor is a powerhouse, with 700 add-ons, 50 available languages, and five million installations so far.

According to the company, Elementor is built for professionals at all stages, from freelancers to agencies. The all-in-one approach includes visual design, optimization, web development, and marketing. Its pixel-perfect design offers clean coding and open-source programming, making it easy for developers to develop add-ons.

You can create a website and e-store and customize them down to the last detail, all without knowing any sophisticated programming language.

Like Visual Composer, Elementor is a website builder plugin. Despite it being a WordPress add-on, there are few if any limitations. The plugin has numerous individual features spread across broad categories like a visual editor, workflow, marketing, layout, typography, e-commerce, theme builder, or theme content.

Drag and Drop Interface

Build a website by dragging and dropping the content you like and customizing your site from scratch or choosing one of 300 designer-quality templates.

In addition to an easy-to-use interface, you get nearly 100 widgets with Elementor that lets you customize headlines, buttons, and other important site content. Easily showcase images and videos in a carousel, or a slideshow, with activity effects.

Faster Workflow

The responsive editing keeps your site looking organized and professional, from PCs to mobile phones, TVs, or tablets. One of the best features beyond website building is creating standardized content on any page without any limitations.

Navigation is fluid, as you can quickly access multiple page elements or “layers” to maintain control. Designing your site from “one place” keeps things simple and yet customized to your liking.

You can also optimize your website building with hotkey shortcuts, a cheatsheet pop-up window, redo and undo, or even a “find” feature to navigate to any page or dashboard for easy customization. You can even search for revision history, just to make sure you don't get lost in all the features.

The building style is easy to manage using an in-line editing feature that lets you type directly into the tabs and create it as you write it. You can also streamline the process and use a global widget and save your settings for reuse on another page, once again, using a drag and drop system.

Elementor code is clean. Just to show you its reliability, you can run your website in Elementor “safe mode” to figure out other plugins that might be causing issues. Basic SEO services are also provided, such as replacing URLs automatically when you change domain names.

Fonts and Colors

Choose global fonts or customize different fonts for titles, paragraphs, and button text. Use drop-cap to increase the size of a beginning letter to give your site a magazine-like feel. Add your custom Typekit font and see how your fonts look in a live preview as you type.

You can also design a global color scheme or apply one system to just one element on your site. Customize background gradients for a sleek look or even add background videos/images to make it look more interactive. It's easy to put a slideshow in the background or use a Canvas template to design a landing page with a different look.

Add special effects with CSS filters, scrolling or mouse effects, or blending effects to give your site a more theatrical presence. Working with Elementor also gives you access to the little things that make sites look and run better, such as shape dividers for text, box shadows, an icon library, testimonial carousel, and even a count-down widget for those last-minute deals.

Themes and Forms

While various features are nice, one of the most significant advantages of Elementor is the control you get over layout, theme, and style. You can customize the header, footer, background and take advantage of text editor columns to maximize the space.

Choose between contact forms, subscription forms, logins, or another call-to-action. You can even auto-send an email when they submit a form.

Use absolute positioning to drag widgets precisely where you want them, even if they are not on a grid. Connect your audience to action links, or even set up forms to boost conversion rates.

Even better is the marketing assistance Elementor offers by integrating with the MailChimp, Active Campaign, ConvertKit, Campaign Monitor, Hubspot, Zapier, GetResponse, Drip, ReCaptcha V3, Facebook SDK, MailerLite, and Slack.

Customize your favorite theme with your text, or adapt an existing layout and theme to your specifications. You can even customize 404 pages or the search results page for a more personalized user experience. Integrate all social media accounts, and even embed your best quotes or social comments on your site.

If you want full control, you can set the width, height, and column width of every section. If you want two widgets side-by-side in just one column rather than the whole page, use in-line elements, fixed positions, or nested columns to tweak your presentation. Besides video sharing sites, you can also easily integrate your site with Google Maps.

Finally, give your call-to-action section some pizazz with boxes, animations, parallax viewing, mouse effects, and even some 3D elements.

E-Commerce

While visual design is the key advantage of Elementor, you can also benefit from e-commerce solutions, like a price table or list widget, specifying products and filters you want to display. Create a cart, as well as a checkout page, and set up your entire store onsite.

Customer Service

Elementor offers 24/7customer support via a ticket system.

Comparisons Between Visual Composer and Elementor

At first glance, it appears that the main difference between these two plugins is in price. Elementor has a less expensive agency plan. Elementor is also the newer software.

There are variations in the number of features, as Visual Composer offers 200 elements and 100 templates. Elementor offers only 90 widgets but 300 templates. For more designer options to base your site on (while also customizing to your own preferences), Elementor has a slight edge.

A closer look at the specifics, however, also reveals that Elementor lacks a back end builder. A back end builder lets you see all main settings at the same time, including all visible elements and page and post settings. To most users, however, it could be a minor issue.

Elementor offers slightly more options on its free plan (reviewed below).

Visual Composer Pros and Cons

Pros?

• Has more header options
• Better reviewed for professionals who design themes and know basic coding
• More total elements and widgets
• Lower prices for developer/agency customers

Cons

• May have extra requirements, such as Webpack 4.0+
• Slightly more complex to learn than Elementor
• Some complaints of compromising on web loading speed — however, you also have to consider the quality and quantity of your hosting web package

Elementor Pros and Cons

Pros?

• More layouts and themes to choose from
• Intuitive design makes it easier to use for newbies
• More customizable elements/widgets
• Complete “kits” for website builders that don't know how to design professional sites

Cons

• Newer company
• Some complaints about customer service

Payment Options

When it comes to payment options, you will find that both companies and plugins are comparable in free options and membership plans.

Visual Composer Payment Plans

The Premium edition of Visual Composer Website Builder comes in three paid plans:

• Single Website
• Three Websites
• Developers

For $49 a year, you get one website with full editing features, as well as 200 elements and 100 templates. You get full access to Woocommerce, pop-up builder, insights analytics, and even customer support. The only limitation is one site per plan/payment.

For $99 a year, you get three websites with full features and access to the same number of elements and templates.

For $349 a year, you can get a developer's access with “unlimited options,” an ideal choice for agencies. However, there is a limit of 1000 websites per developer plan.

Elementor Payment Plans

Elementor has three payment plans:

• Personal
• Plus
• Expert

You get one site for $49 a year and access to over 90 widgets and 300 templates. Included in every package deal is access to a theme builder, WooCommerce builder, pop-up builder, and updates and tech support for one year.

For $99 a year, you get the same features but for three websites.

For $199 a year, you get up to 1000 sites with the same features.

Free Options

Both free options are limited and do not contain the modern features previously mentioned. They are both, however, sufficient opportunities for sampling each respective product.

Upgrading to a paid subscription is as easy as clicking on the new plan button and making payment. If you upgrade to a premium level, you pick up where you left off without any interruptions or rebuilding.

Visual Composer

Visual Composer also has a free version, which is an ultimate page builder and membership to the Visual Composer Hub, the cloud-based marketplace of elements. Free members get access to 30 elements and ten templates, as well as updates, analytics, and API options.

Unlike WPBakery, which has no free option, Visual Composer Website Builder does let you create a site for free. Refunds are provided but must be within 15 days.

Elementor

Elementor comes in two options: a free version or Elementor Pro. However, there is no demo version of Elementor Pro. If you buy Elementor Pro and are unsatisfied, you can cancel the service and get a refund within 30 days.

If you stick to the free Elementor program, you only get the basic features with none of the sophisticated add-ons. However, access to the drag and drop editor, responsive editing, and 40 widgets and 30 templates may be enough to accommodate your site.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use WordPress and a website builder, or invest in a competing CMS system similar to WordPress?

WordPress is liked in the web design community by amateurs and professionals alike. Namely, because it offers CMS-exclusive benefits like:

• A point and click, a graphics-based system of management
• The ability to enter and adjust your site from any web browser
• No HTML or FTP knowledge is required
• You get an SEO boost since internet search engines are comfortable with WordPress format
• Blogging is built-in and easy to direct attention to when designing
• Plugins can be installed with one click
• Site Management is scalable with your business
• You can easily assign multiple users and or administrators
• WordPress is free and has an active community

Some users find that competing website software, like Joomla or Wix, is not as fast-loading or as easy to learn as WordPress. That said, merely using WordPress does not necessarily make your site look professional or eye-pleasing.

Why do most web designers use website builders when there are free or low-cost themes?

Free themes can give you an attractive layout, as well as some widgets. However, most of these themes do not have customizable elements, nor do they have drag and drop flexibility since this is a premium-quality feature.

You cannot only move elements all over the screen, point and click style, but you can also rewrite text paragraphs or upload your photos to image holders. You can borrow an existing template (legally, of course) and make the site your own.

Free themes from WordPress users tend to be limited by comparison and have more rigid elements that cannot be moved, reshaped, or customized to personal specifications. With a website builder, you also get access to libraries of stock photos and elements and widgets that might not be offered with individual themes.

Most companies or individuals that create themes use a website builder. Using a site builder within WordPress lets the creator focus on the theme's aesthetics, rearranging widgets, and other elements according to what they think will sell.

The “blank sheet” approach of a website builder is precisely why both Elementor and Visual Composer come with templates and layouts so that you can work from an established formula, making your custom adjustments. All you have to do is add your unique graphics, content, and brand message.

Why do most web designers rely on website builders instead of just using WordPress plugins and widgets?

In theory, you could install individual widgets or use WordPress's block system to organize your site better and not spend the money on premium site builders. Or, as mentioned, you could buy a theme individually.

But one other significant advantage in plugins like Visual Composer and Elementor is that they come with many third-party applications pre-installed, making your job easier.

Downloading just one site builder (especially if it has a cloud-based marketplace to install additional elements that are guaranteed to work) eliminates the chore of downloading and installing multiple widgets and themes.

Website builders guarantee clean code, functional layouts and elements, and seamless integration with other competitive plugins, like forms, email lists, and social media embedding.

How do you install these plugins?

You can do it in a few different ways.

Option 1: Upload the plugin files/folders via ZIP file to your site’s file directory, or use an FTP program. WordPress will find them and then allow manual installation and activation.

Option 2: Look at your web hosting company’s apps (or even WordPress’s business hosting options) and then search for the automatic one-click installation option. Clicking “download and install” automatically installs the plugin and all you have to do is activate it.

Option 3: While on WordPress plugin-search, enter Elementor or Visual Composer and choose the plugins when they come up for a manual installation.

In the case of Elementor, visit their installation page for more information, or visit Visual Composer Help.

Conclusion

Our research has shown that Elementor and Visual Composer Website Builder are both excellent choices. These site builder plugins are particularly helpful for beginners and theme developers who need more control over multiple elements and settings.

Visual Composer had some advantages in freedom and complexity — a plus for developers but not necessarily for individuals starting their first or second website. Visual Composer also had seniority by a few years, first launched in 2011, though it had fewer overall downloads than Elementor.

Elementor, on the other hand, has received better reviews from users because of its intuitive design, which translates to “easier to use” than VCWB. The agency price for Elementor is also significantly less than that of Visual Composer.

While reviews for Elementor's customer service were mixed, overall, Elementor is the beginner's choice, and five million downloads and counting can't be wrong.

If you are building or updating a site, then sample one of these two programs and see the difference between professional and standardized layouts and elements. Both plugins are available with a money-back guarantee. You will immediately notice the difference in design and in results. Why not download a free version today?

The post Visual Composer vs. Elementor appeared first on WebMonkey.

But which one is better? Can you do the same things with both page builders? Keep reading to learn more about the features, performance, and prices of each.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Beaver Builder?

Here are the pros and cons of using Beaver Builder:

Pros:

• Optional theme available for use with the plugin: If you want to make sure Beaver Builder works with your site, you can use the Beaver Builder theme along with the plugin.
• Works with new and existing sites: You can use Beaver Builder with your current website without making huge changes, and you can use it with new sites.
• Drag and drop elements on the page: You don’t have to know how to code with Beaver Builder, so you can get started immediately.

Cons:

• Cheaper plans have limited features: Unless you get the most expensive plan, you won’t be able to take off the Beaver Builder branding. The Standard plan also only works on one site.
• More expensive than Divi: One year of the cheapest Beaver Builder plan is more expensive than Divi, and you don’t get as many features.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Divi?

Here are the pros and cons of using Divi:

Pros:

• Access to multiple WordPress products: When you sign up for Divi, you get access to a theme and plugin. But you also get access to plugins for email and social media management.
• Yearly and lifetime plans available: If you know you want to use Divi long-term, you can save money and buy a lifetime plan for less than three times the annual price.
• Regular product updates: You get access to regular product updates and support, no matter which plan you choose.

Cons:

• Has a steep learning curve: If you’re new to web design, you may find it takes a while to get the hang of using Divi. It can even be hard for some professionals.
• Hard to switch between themes: As your website grows and changes, you may want to use a new theme. But Divi can make it hard to switch things over from your old theme.

Beaver Builder Overview

Beaver Builder is a popular WordPress plugin that you can use to create pages with a visual editor. You don’t have to worry about knowing how to code or work with the text editor in WordPress.

They offer a variety of plans to fit your needs and budget, and they all have fantastic features. You can choose from their many modules and templates to make web design easy and quick. The higher tiers offer a theme to make your website look cohesive from top to bottom.

Divi Overview

Divi is part of Elegant Themes, and you get a suite of products to use on your WordPress website. The Divi page builder is a plugin, but there’s also a Divi theme, so it’s similar to Beaver Builder in that sense.

However, Divi also comes with plugins to help you manage your social media and email. It’s a great option if you have an online business that you want to run from a single place. Divi is a visual editor, so you can make almost any design come to life.

Who is Beaver Builder Best For?

Beaver Builder is best for people who have a WordPress website that they want to improve. You can use it with your existing website, and you don’t have to worry about switching to a new theme. You can maintain your basic site structure while converting to the Beaver Builder.

But you don’t have to have an existing website to use the page builder. The templates use professional designs, so you don’t have to hire a web designer. You can get a new site up and running in a day, and you can make sure you love the end result.

Beaver Builder has three price tiers, so you can choose the plan that’s best for you. It doesn’t matter if you’re designing your personal site or if you have web design clients. The page builder has an option for you.

Who is Divi Best For?

Divi is best for someone who wants limitless design potential for their website. It can replace the standard WordPress editor with an advanced visual editor, so you don’t need to code. You can drag and drop elements where you want them on the page.

However, if you prefer to use some CSS, you can use that with the CSS editor. You can also edit the text easily with the inline text editor. If you like the design of one page, you can save it and apply the format to new pages later.

Divi is also great for people who want to run an entire business with one platform. You can do more than create your website with the various products that come with a Divi subscription.

Reliability and Performance

Reliability and performance are essential when building a website. Here’s how the two page builders stack up:

Beaver Builder

Beaver Builder uses the Bootstrap framework, so it’s lightweight and easy to use. In one test, a page with the Beaver Builder loaded faster than 94 percent of websites. It performs well among websites, so you don’t have to wait long for your website to load.

If the page builder ever does have an issue, you can contact support. All Beaver Builder plans come with customer support, so you can get the help you need. Then, you can keep working on and promoting your website.

You can use Beaver Builder with any website host that offers WordPress. That means you can find a host that fits your budget and needs. However, your site reliability and performance will depend on that of your chosen hosting company.

Divi

Compared to Beaver Builder, Divi loads slightly faster. It outperforms about 97 percent of websites in the same test. You can use the visual or backend editor, and you can still get fast results when loading the page.

Now, these results are for the Divi plugin, not the theme. If you decide to use the Divi theme, you may have different results. Results can also vary based on your website host, your location and other factors.

If you want to choose a reliable website host for Divi, they recommend SiteGround, FlyWheel or Pressable. SiteGround is the more affordable option, but the other two make it easy to set up your Divi site.

Tools & Features

Both page builders have some great tools and features. Here’s how they compare:

Beaver Builder

Beaver Builder has a few excellent features.

Templates

Beaver Builder has dozens of premium templates that you can use to design your website. You can use templates for your regular content, such as your homepage or blog. But if you want to sell products or services, you can use the landing pages for that.

You can use both types of templates based on the page you want to create. That way, you can make sure your entire site looks how you want it to.

Responsive Design

With more people using their phones to browse the web, responsive sites are more important than ever. Luckily, you can use any template from Beaver Builder, and it will work on mobile devices. You can use the templates and make them look good on any screen size.

You won’t have to create one design for mobile browsers and another for desktop browsers. So you can save time when designing your site.

Customizable

No matter what theme you want to use, you can customize your Beaver Builder pages. You can drag and drop elements where you want them, and you don’t need to mess with coding. Even if you’ve never designed a website, you can still design a good looking site.

You can search through the various templates from Beaver Builder to find a template you like. Then, you can build off that to create a unique page that suits your needs.

Divi

Divi also has some useful features to help you create a fantastic site.

Responsive Design

Like Beaver Builder, you can use Divi to create a website that looks good on any screen. You don’t have to worry about if your pages will load on a smartphone. So you can focus more on the design.

Font & Text Styling

If you want to customize your website, being able to use your chosen fonts is important. You can use fonts that Divi already has, but you can also upload your own. That way, you can create a cohesive website that fits with your brand.

You can also control the look of lists, anchor text and block quotes. You can even change the size and style of your chosen font.

Advanced Coding

While visual editors can do a lot, sometimes, you need to use code to get your website to look how you want. Divi has an advanced code editor that you can use to work on the backend of your site.

You can add custom CSS to any element, and you can add custom code anywhere on the page. While writing code, you can take advantage of auto-complete, error reporting and find and replace.

Filters and Effects

Divi lets you adjust the position of your page elements across three axes.? You can skew the design and transform your site. If you want to bring out a photo, you can add a drop shadow behind it to help it stand out.

You can also add shadows behind the text, so you can emphasize a particular heading or sentence. Divi lets you animate the elements on your site with options like fade, zoom and bounce.

Layouts Library

If you want to get started but don’t have any design ideas, you can start with the layouts library. It contains over 100 websites and over 800 layouts. You can use the library for ideas, or you can use it to create your entire site.

Other Plugins

The Divi builder plugin is probably the most popular product from Elegant Themes. However, your subscription comes with a few other products. First, Extra is a theme that works well for online magazines and bloggers.

If you have an email list, you can connect it to Bloom, which is an email opt-in plugin. Monarch is a social media sharing plugin that makes it easy to share your website on social media platforms.

Pricing Summary

When deciding which page builder is best for you, you should consider your budget. The price isn’t the only important factor, but it can help to know your options.

Here are the prices for Beaver Builder and Divi:

Beaver Builder

The first plan from Beaver Builder is the Standard Plan, and it starts at about $100 per year. You can use it with as many sites as you want, but it’s not compatible with multisite WordPress installations. This plan comes with the Beaver Builder plugin and access to modules and templates.

Other features include world-class support and access to the full Beaver Builder plugin. However, this plan lacks access to the Beaver Builder theme, so you will need to use it with another WordPress theme.

Next up is the Pro Plan, which costs around $200 per year. You get all of the features available with the Standard Plan, but this one is compatible with multisite installations. That makes it easy to set up if you have multiple sites on the same hosting account. This plan also includes the Beaver Builder Theme.

The Agency Plan starts at around $400 per year, and it includes everything on the Pro Plan. However, you can also replace or change the core Beaver Builder Templates. You can also change the instances of Page Builder and Beaver Builder in your WordPress admin panel.

If you renew your subscription after a year, you can get a 40 percent discount. So if you end up liking the page builder, you can save money during your second year.

Cancellation

If you don’t end up liking Beaver Builder, you can cancel your subscription at any time. You can get a refund if you cancel within 30 days of purchasing your subscription. You can also change your plan any time during the year if you realize you need more or fewer features.

If you decide not to renew your subscription, you can cancel the automatic renewal so that you don’t have to pay for another year.

Divi

A Divi subscription also gets you various plugins to help grow your business. You don’t have to pay extra for them, but you do have a couple of payment options.

If you want to try Divi for a year, you can get yearly access for around $90 per year. Then, you can renew each year or switch to a different page builder.

However, if you know that you want to use Divi long-term, you can save money with the lifetime access plan. You pay for it once, and you can use Divi on as many websites as you want. Then, you won’t have to worry about renewals.

Cancellation

Like Beaver Builder, Divi has a 30-day refund policy if you don’t like the product. If you cancel the annual plan after that, your account will remain active until the year ends. However, you won’t get the money back on your purchase.

You also won’t get your money back after 30 days if you choose the lifetime plan. But you can stop using it and come back to it later and not have to pay again.

Which Is the Best Value?

When comparing features, access and overall price, Divi is the better value. The annual plan costs less than the cheapest Beaver Builder plan, and you get more than just the page builder. You also get plugins to help with social sharing and email marketing.

Comparing the page builders themselves, you also have more features and control with Divi. While Beaver Builder has some features, Divi has a more exhaustive list. You can use the builder to create pages no matter what your vision is.

Security

Running a website has its vulnerabilities, so you should consider the security behind anything you use on your site. Here’s how the Beaver Builder and Divi compare when it comes to security:

Beaver Builder

Older versions of the Beaver Builder plugin have some security issues. Hackers can get into the plugin and create or edit pages and more. Luckily, you can get rid of that vulnerability by updating to the most recent version of the plugin.

Beaver Builder updates the plugin frequently, so you should make a point to check your site at least weekly. Then, you can update any plugins that are available for updates.

You should also make sure you install an SSL (secure sockets layer) certificate on your website. That way, you can protect sensitive information for you and your visitors. If you run an online store, it’s even more important to use a security certificate.

Your WordPress version can also affect your site security. Always update to the most recent WordPress version as soon as you can to protect your site from security breaches.

Divi

Divi is also fairly safe and secure, but older versions can be vulnerable to attacks. Wordfence released a report in August 2023about a critical vulnerability for Divi and some other products from Elegant Themes.

However, users could eliminate the risk by updating to the newest version of Divi. If you can’t always do that, you can use the Security Patcher Plugin as a short-term solution until you can update your Divi plugin.

Divi does update their plugin regularly, so you should stay on top of those updates. That way, you can always make sure your website is safe from hackers.

Customer Service

Good customer service can make a huge difference when using a new product. Consider the options you have for getting help with Beaver Builder and Divi:

Beaver Builder

Beaver Builder offers a contact us form that you can use for basic questions. You can use it to ask about refunds, report a bug or suggest a new feature. If you have a support-related question, you can use the support form. The support form is only for customers with an account.

Before contacting Beaver Builder, you can check out their knowledge base. It covers common questions about the builder, your account, upgrades and more.

If you can’t find the answer you need, you can also check out the community forum. Someone may have asked your question, and you can find the answer. But if not, you can ask it in the forums and get help from other users.

The general FAQ page on the Beaver Builder website is another great resource. If you have the most basic question, you can probably find the answer in the FAQs.

Divi

Divi has a contact form you can use to ask about billing and sales. For more advanced help, you can open a chat with someone on the Divi support team. However, you will need to have an active Divi account to use their chat feature.

If you want to learn more before you sign up or if you don’t want to wait for a chat agent, you have other options. You can browse the Elegant Themes documentation to learn more about Divi and the other products. You can search based on your issue to find a relevant article.

For specific questions, you can also ask the community or post your question in the Divi Facebook group. Then, you can get help from other users, which is useful if you have a particular issue.

The Divi blog is another place where you can learn more basic things about the program. IT’s great for learning and getting answers to some basic or more common questions and problems.

Final Thoughts

Beaver Builder is a feature-rich yet straightforward page builder for WordPress sites. You can use it for your site or clients, and it works well.

Divi is another excellent page builder with even more features that give you flexibility and control. You can use the builder for any number of sites.

Both page builders are great, so you should consider which features are more important to you. Then, you can choose the best page builder for you.

FAQs

Here are some common questions about Beaver Builder and Divi, along with their answers;

Which Page Builder Is Best for Beginners?

If you’re new to web design and page builders, you should start with Beaver Builder. While it is more expensive than Divi, it has just enough features to get you started. You don’t have to worry about all of the options available with Divi, so you can get your site up and running quickly.

Beaver Builder is also a good choice for beginners because you can try Beaver Builder Lite. It’s a free version of the plugin with more limited features. But it’s a good option if you want to try out Beaver Builder without getting a demo or having to pay.

Which Page Builder Is Best for Professionals?

Divi is an excellent option for professional web designers. You can use it with as many websites as you want, so it’s great for web design firms. It has all of the features you could want in a visual designer, but you can also use CSS and custom coding.

Divi is very flexible, and it’s cost-effective for individual designers and small firms. However, Beaver Builder can also be good for web designers with larger budgets or clients who want a Beaver Builder template.

What’s the Most Important Feature?

When looking at page builders, the choices can be overwhelming. It can help to focus on one or two features that stand out. However, those important features can vary from person to person or company to company.

An advanced web designer might prefer Divi’s flexibility, while a newer designer may want the simplicity of Beaver Builder. Consider what you’re looking for in a page builder. If you still can’t decide, do the demo option for both to see which you like better.

Can I Try Either Page Builder?

Speaking of trying page builders, you can try both Beaver Builder and Divi before you buy them. Both offer a demo, so you can see how it works on your site. You can get the full effect and use all of the features.

However, you can also try the free “l(fā)ite” version of Beaver Builder. You can use some of the more basic features, and you can test it over a longer period. Then, you can upgrade if you want more options for your site.

What If I Need Help?

Beaver Builder and Divi both offer fantastic customer support. You can contact support directly for individual help, or you can look at forums and documentation on the Beaver Builder or Divi website.

Sometimes, the documentation or blog will have a post that perfectly answers your question. The forums are also useful if you have a question on the weekend when customer support may not be as active.

The post Beaver Builder vs. Divi appeared first on WebMonkey.

The best drag-and-drop editors give you full control over the look and function of your WordPress site – all without writing a single line of code.

For full customization over your WordPress site’s layout, the following page builders just can’t be beaten.

Best WordPress Page Builders

Here are our top choices for the 11 best WordPress page builders:

• Divi
• Beaver Builder
• Elementor
• Genesis
• Thrive
• WP Bakery
• Visual Composer
• SiteOrigin
• Themify Builder
• Live Composer
• Brizy

We based our selections on their ease of use, compatibility with popular WordPress themes, useful features, the ability to see changes in real-time, and overall versatility.

Jump to the WordPress page builder you believe suits you best or continue reading our in-depth reviews below.

Why You Need a WordPress Page Builder

As a beginner with little to no knowledge of HTML or CSS, the thought of creating an eye-catching and unique WordPress site that still functions seamlessly can feel downright overwhelming.

That’s where WordPress page builders come into play – with the right plugin, you can drag and drop countless page elements to create your ideal layout in just minutes. You’ll be able to build sites that rival those of professionals without spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars or waiting weeks or months for them to be fine-tuned.

In the past, page builders have often been criticized for creating cookie-cutter websites. But, today, the best of these tools are powerful and versatile enough to create pretty much any site you wish with any look/layout you please with remarkably few exceptions.

Whether your old site needs a facelift or you want your brand-new to come out of the gates swinging, the best WordPress page builders will help you customize your website to perfection.

Divi – Best Overall

In our opinion, the Divi builder takes the title as the best WordPress page builder. Not only is this plugin incredibly intuitive with a user-friendly interface, but it also blends its drag-and-drop controls with front-end editing, a live visual editor, and numerous pre-designed content elements to round out your site. Best of all, this tool is offered by Elegant Themes, creators of some of the best WordPress themes available.

Pros

• Intuitive Interface
• Front-End Visual Editor
• Includes 46 Modules
• Over 300 Pre-Built Templates
• Built-In A/B Testing

Cons

• Shortcode-Based Builder
• Huge Number of Features Can Be Overwhelming

Ease of Use

All in all, Divi is an incredibly user-friendly page builder plugin. It boasts an intuitive interface that enables you to edit your site with a front-end visual editor (most popular) or a back-end editor for even more control. That said, the huge number of features and options that Divi offers can feel overwhelming at first.

Top Features

The Divi builder offers a huge number of modules to create the perfect layout. For example, these include an accordion, audio player, blog, contact form, countdown timer, map, shop, social media follow, video, and so much more.

In addition, there are a huge number of pre-built templates separated among 40 main layout packs for the utmost in personalization. Additional styling options give you yet more control – you can even add custom CSS for even further customization.

Because the Divi builder is offered by Elegant Themes, you can pair the plugin with the Divi theme for full control. However, the page builder works seamlessly with pretty much any theme available anywhere.

Another feature of note is the user access controls. These controls are perfect for group projects if others must use the page builder for your website but you don’t want to give them full control. You’re able to easily select who gets access to what.

Overall Value

The Divi builder costs $89 per year for unlimited sites as part of an Elegant Themes membership.

Elegant Themes also offers a lifetime membership for a $249 one-time payment, which grants you unlimited access to their themes, plugins, and other tools for all of your sites.

Because an annual membership grants you access not only to the Divi builder and all the powerful features it provides but also to the full range of themes and other plugins offered by Elegant Themes, this WordPress page builder is of excellent overall value.

Beaver Builder – Most User Friendly

You could argue that Beaver Builder is, in fact, the best WordPress page builder – and you might be right. However, we rank it slightly (and, we mean, slightly) behind Divi in our overall rankings. That said, this powerful plugin is notable for its incredible user-friendliness, especially its front-end live visual editor complete that allows you to see changes in real-time.

Pros

• Extremely User Friendly
• Live Front-End Visual Editor
• 30 Top-Quality Templates
• Huge Variety of Design Features
• Fully Mobile Responsive

Cons

• No Undo/Redo Function
• Lacks Some Features Others Page Builders Provide

Ease of Use

The top reason to choose Beaver Builder is its ease of use. It’s incredibly user friendly with an amazingly intuitive user interface.

The live front-end editor is perhaps the best available today and lets you see changes in real-time. Just drag and drop the ready-to-use modules to create or edit your site without breaking a sweat.

Thanks to the ability to add custom CSS, clean codes, and regular updates, the plugin is also a favorite among developers.

Top Features

With a drag-and-drop front-end editor, tons of content modules, and dozens of great templates, you can get your website up and running in just minutes with Beaver Builder.

Although it’s user friendly enough for beginners to use, the powerful features make it more than robust enough for more advanced users. This plugin supports the use of shortcodes and widgets for further customization.

Beaver Builder works seamlessly with almost every theme out there. You can even switch between themes without missing a step. Or, if you decide this page builder isn’t for you, any content created with it is ported back into the standard WordPress editor, so you don’t lose a thing.

Overall Value

Beaver Builder costs $99 per year for unlimited sites.

Repeat annual users receive a 40% discount upon renewal of their subscription. More advanced packages are also available, including “Pro” for $199 per year and “Agency” for $399 per year.

Beaver Builder provides much in the way of overall value thanks to its affordable pricing, powerful features, user-friendly interface, and world-class customer support.

Elementor – Best Free Version

Not only is Elementor high among the most popular WordPress page builders, but it’s also our choice for the best free page builder plugin. The drag-and-drop editor is highly intuitive with an extensive array of templates and blocks to customize your website at will. It even features a much-loved undo/redo function! Although the free version is powerful on its own, upgrade to the paid version for even more great features.

Pros

• Easy to Use
• Live Front-End Editor
• Undo/Redo Function
• Includes Templates
• Powerful Popup Builder

Cons

• Free Version Lacks Some Templates/Blocks
• Lacks Some Useful Features Competitors Provide

Ease of Use

It doesn’t get much easier to use than Elementor. This highly intuitive page builder was developed with beginners in mind. Pre-made templates, tons of content modules and blocks, and a unique right-click menu make creating your site easy.

Top Features

Elementor boasts somewhat basic features, although they’re all quite powerful. Both the free and paid version get the job done (and the free version makes quite nice layouts), but the paid version gives you access to more tools and features.

The popup builder is one of the top features. It’s robust and powerful with tons of useful tools to customize the look and function of your popups. The plugin is fully responsive, a must in the modern-day, so you can rest assured your site works just as seamlessly across all devices.

One nitpicky negative regarding Elementor’s features and the plugin as a whole is that the free and paid templates are mixed together in the library with no easy way to differentiate between the two.

Overall Value

The free version of Elementor is fantastic.

However, many users might find it useful to upgrade to “Personal” for $49 per year for a single site, “Plus” for $99 per year for three sites, and “Expert” for $199 per year for 1,000 sites.

The free version of Elementor is the best free WordPress page builder. The overall value of the paid versions is harder to quantify since, unlike other top plugins, they do not offer a low-cost version for use on unlimited sites. Needless to say, Elementor still brings a lot of value to the table no matter which version you select.

Genesis

Not convinced by our top three choices for the best WordPress page builders? Then Genesis Framework by StudioPress might be for you. Although not as popular as other plugins (but still quite popular all told), it will enable you to quickly and efficiently build a top-quality WordPress site with ease.

Pros

• Pre-Designed Templates
• Pair with a StudioPress Theme
• Lots of Content Elements
• Customizable Headers
• Mobile Responsive

Cons

• Lacks Some Useful Features
• Coding Knowledge Required for Certain Applications

Ease of Use

At its most basic, Genesis is easy enough to use. It incorporates drag-and-drop functions and a visual editor to appeal to beginners and pros alike. The majority of tools are intuitive and a variety of templates are available to further speed things up. That said, basic knowledge of CSS and PHP might be needed, especially if you hope to further customize child themes due to a lack of built-in formatting options.

Top Features

Genesis has an easy one-click theme setup to get you started. From there, the simple interface is quick to learn with a limited learning curve. Countless theme options can further be customized to your liking. Custom page templates and featured content widgets give you a lot of control over the final look and function of your websites.

Of course, this page builder plugin is completely mobile responsive. Your sites will look and function just as smoothly on all devices. Genesis is suitable for most types of websites. It’s compatible with the vast majority of WordPress themes, even if you don’t choose one from StudioPress.

Overall Value

A $59.95 one-time fee gets you Genesis Framework by StudioPress for life.

That said, StudioPress does suggest using a child theme alongside Genesis which will run you around $99.95 if you buy both together.

All in all, Genesis is a great value WordPress page builder that nets you an efficient website-building tool despite a few small hiccups.?

Thrive Architect

Another popular drag-and-drop WordPress page builder, Thrive Architect is a great choice for pretty much anyone, especially those that want a lot of templates to choose from.

Pros

• Over 300 Templates
• True Visual Editor
• Lots of Customizable Modules
• Fully Responsive
• Great for Business Sites

Cons

• Somewhat Complicated
• Some Features Must Be Bought Separately

Ease of Use

We’ll be honest, Thrive Architect isn’t the easiest page builder to use. The user interface is somewhat complicated and requires a bit of a learning curve. Although it’s slightly overwhelming at first, you’ll quickly figure things out if you stick at it.?

Top Features

The sheer number of templates is a key feature of Thrive Architect. Hundreds of page templates let you get started quickly and easily. A wide range of customizable elements further lets you finetune your site to your preferences.

Throw the visual editor into the mix and building pages becomes even quicker. In fact, speed is what Thrive Architect is known for. The page builder was built from the ground up to help you get your websites out as quickly as possible. In fact, it was specifically built with business websites in mind.

Overall Value

Thrive Architect costs $19 per month for use on up to 25 websites.

Other pricing options include $67 per year for use on a single website or $97 per year for use on up to five websites.

Thrive isn’t the cheapest nor is it the most expensive of WordPress page builders. For what it brings to the table, however, it is a great value purchase, especially if you plan to use this plugin for business websites.?

WP Bakery

WP Bakery is one of the most popular WordPress page builders around. The powerful plugin lets you customize your website with either a front-end or a back-end editor. The drag-and-drop design means that no coding knowledge is required.

Pros

• Intuitive Editor
• Front-End and Back-End Editing
• Use with Any WordPress Theme
• Drag-and-Drop Interface
• Mobile Responsive

Cons

• Content Stored as Shortcodes
• Some Plugins Can’t Be Edited

Ease of Use

WP Bakery is simple to use. Like most of the best WordPress page builders, it features a visual editor that lets you see changes in real-time. Combine this with tons of pre-made content modules and creating the perfect website layout can’t get much easier.?

Top Features

Both front-end and back-end content editing give you lots of options. Choose from countless templates and content modules to further speed up the creation process. For those with a bit of coding knowledge, most (but not all) widgets and plugins can be further customized.

This WordPress page builder plugin works well with almost all WordPress themes. Of course, it’s also fully responsive so your site will be completely accessible for desktop, tablet, and mobile users alike. Top-notch customer support is just the icing on the cake.

Overall Value

WP Bakery costs $45 for use on a single site and $245 for use in a single SaaS application. A free version is also available.

Thanks to the wide variety of features available, the easy-to-use interface, and the ability for developers to further customize their content, WP Bakery is undoubtedly a great value WordPress page builder.?

Visual Composer

Another top-rated WordPress page builder plugin, Visual Composer is so popular for a reason – it’s relatively easy to use to quickly create eye-catching websites with a lot in the way of customization features.

Pros

• Drag-and-Drop
• Live Visual Editor
• Front-End and Back-End Editing
• Powerful Design Options
• Compatible with Most Themes

Cons

• Clunkier Interface Than Others
• Some Features Sold Separately

Ease of Use

Visual Composer sits squarely in the middle of the competition in terms of ease of use. It’s not difficult to learn how to use effectively but it’s far from the most intuitive. The interface can be a little clunky at times, although you’ll quickly work out any kinks with the drag-and-drop visual editor.

Top Features

Visual Composer is compatible with the vast majority of WordPress themes. Its powerful design options make customization a cinch.

The plugin comes with front-end and back-end editing for increased control. The real-time live editor lets you visually see changes as soon as you make them. Countless design elements and content modules make developing the ideal site easier, although there are less pre-designed templates than some competitors.

Visual Composer is a good choice for beginners but it’s an effective page builder for those with some coding knowledge as well. You can create custom content elements and edit specific elements for even more flexibility over your designs.

Overall Value

Visual Composer costs $49 per year for a single website.

Or, upgrade to three websites for $99 per year or even 1,000 websites for $349 per year. A free version is also available.

To get down to brass tacks, Visual Composer boasts excellent overall value. You get most of the features you expect from a top-quality page builder at an affordable annual price.

SiteOrigin

Page Builder by SiteOrigin shouldn’t be overlooked. As a free WordPress page builder plugin, it’s very popular among users that don’t want to pay for a premium plugin. But the free cost isn’t the only thing to love about SiteOrigin. It’s also quite robust with powerful features paired with a simple user interface.

Pros

• Free
• Simple Interface
• Powerful Features
• Mobile Responsive
• Drag-and-Drop Editor

Cons

• Not Compatible with Some Widgets
• Lacks Some Features of Premium Plugins

Ease of Use

SiteOrigin is something of an enigma in the sense that it boasts an exceedingly simple interface yet it’s also somewhat complicated to use. In fact, its simplicity is actually what makes figuring out its features somewhat difficult. For example, the live editor doesn’t have as many features as most premium plugins which means it can take a little longer to create the layout you desire.

Top Features

The SiteOrigin Page Builder is grid-based with a drag-and-drop live editor. It works well with almost any WordPress theme. It’s compatible with the most popular widgets, although not all widgets are available/compatible. One really nice feature is the undo/redo function which we’re surprised not all premium page builders include.

Overall Value

Page Builder by SiteOrigin is free.

As a free plugin, it provides unmeasured value. However, as a completely free plugin, it does lack some of the top features that make premium paid plugins really shine.

Themify Builder

Themify Builder is a powerful plugin that is completely free (although a paid add-on bundle is available). The free WordPress page builder provides a drag-and-drop interface with countless useful features that let you create the perfect layout for your site in minutes.?

Pros

• Free
• Drag-and-Drop
• Pre-Designed Layouts
• Front-End and Back-End Editing
• Mobile Responsive

Cons

• Not Very Intuitive
• Lackluster Customer Support

Ease of Use

Themify Builder isn’t exactly difficult to use. But it’s not intuitive either. The basic user interface is somewhat clunky and takes some time to figure out. While it does the job for a free page builder, most premium plugins are far more user friendly.

Top Features

As a free WordPress page builder, Themify Builder comes with all the basic features that you’d expect but not much more than that. It does offer front-end and back-end editing, an undo/redo function, and plenty of pre-made modules. Several pre-designed templates are also available.

Do note that many of the most popular widgets are not offered for free. For example, contact forms, Slider Pro, and WooCommerce all require you to pay for the premium add-on bundle.

Overall Value

Themify Builder is free.

However, most users will need to buy the premium add-on bundle for $35 to access all of the features required to create a functional website.

Themify Builder is decent value thanks to its lack of a price tag. And, while we’re not saying that it’s not the right choice for some people, its clunky interface and so-so customer support place it near the bottom of our list of the best WordPress page builders.

Live Composer

Live Composer is another free WordPress page builder. Although far from our favorite plugin, it’s certainly nothing to scoff at. In addition to its easy-to-use interface, it’s a completely open-source plugin.

Pros

• Free
• Easy to Use
• Drag-and-Drop Editor
• Over 40 Content Modules
• Responsive Design

Cons

• Somewhat Limited Customizability
• Payment Required for Additional Features

Ease of Use

Live Composer is simple and easy enough to use. You edit your site with a front-end live visual editor so you can see how the layout looks as you make changes. The interface is user friendly, although it’s somewhat lacking in features compared to premium plugins.?

Top Features

Live Composer has all the basic features you need without anything extra, at least in the free version. Notable free features are the easy-to-use front-end editing interface, over 40 pre-made content modules, and access to two free themes. For additional features like video, maps, contact forms, and sliders, you must upgrade to the paid “Official Extensions Pack.”

Overall Value

Page Builder: Live Composer is free.

However, most users will need to upgrade to the Official Extensions Pack for $49.00 for one site to access premium add-ons and extensions.

As for overall value, we rank Live Composer firmly in the middle. It’s a decent page builder with a simple interface and useful features but it lacks the powerful functions that the best WordPress page builders provide (especially when using the free version without the premium add-ons and extensions).

Brizy

If ease of use is your most important requirement, then Brizy is worth a look. This free WordPress page builder is about as intuitive as they get, although it lacks some of the necessary features to set it apart from the competition.

Pros

1. Intuitive
2. Streamlined Interface
3. Real-Time Visual Editing
4. Hundreds of Pre-Designed Templates
5. Robust Free Version

Cons

• New (Relatively Untested)
• Limited Customer Support

Ease of Use

Ease of use is where Brizy really shines. The intuitive user interface is incredibly simple – not to mention lightning fast. The drag-and-drop page builder is one of the best around. Real-time editing lets you see changes as you make them.

Top Features

The free version of Brizy is one of the best free WordPress page builder plugins (after Elementor) thanks to the number of premium features included. Sliders, tabs, animations, and pre-made modules are just a small sampling of the features this free plugin offers.

Overall Value

The Brizy page builder is free.

Or, upgrade to the “Pro” package for $49 per year to access even more premium designs and features for up to three websites. Take it one step further with a “Studio” account that works with unlimited websites for just $99 per year.

Brizy is a great value WordPress page builder whether you select the free or premium version of the plugin.

How to Choose the Best WordPress Page Builder

Despite the dozens of options available (the 11 above are just the tip of the iceberg), choosing the right WordPress page builder for your project doesn’t have to be difficult.

We suggest focusing on the same factors we did in our reviews above: ease of use, compatibility, features, the ability to see changes in real-time (i.e. a live visual editor), and versatility. Customer support and overall value are likewise important to consider.

Ease of Use

The whole point of using a page builder is to make customizing your WordPress site easy.

The best page builders allow you to quickly and easily design your envisioned site and make changes on the fly. Look for a page builder with an intuitive interface that utilizes drag-and-drop functions.

Additionally, the easiest to use page builders offer a variety of pre-designed content templates and content elements to make customization even more streamlined.?

Compatibility

The page builder plugin you select must be compatible with your existing WordPress theme.

Although most work well together, this is one reason we prefer plugins such as Divi. This tool is offered by Elegant Themes, allowing you to get your theme and visual page builder from the same place.

Your WordPress page builder should also support a variety of shortcodes and widgets. It must allow you to create mobile-friendly websites.

Of course, the page builder plugin you choose must also be compatible with the latest WordPress editors, such as Gutenberg.

Features

The availability of certain features helps set different page builders apart.

Look for a plugin that offers plenty of styling options, pre-built templates, and a variety of modules and other content elements.

Our favorite page builders give you the ability to edit within the front-end instead of solely in the settings panel and even allow you to add custom code to any element. A revision history with undo and redo functions is also useful.

Many page builders offer free live demos to help you get a feel for the plugin’s features when compared to the competition (this is also a great way to check out the interface and user experience yourself).

While many of our favorite WordPress page builders are offered in free versions, the paid versions boast far more powerful features.

Live Visual Editor

A live visual editor allows you to customize your site and see live edits in real-time with each change you make.

This is a hugely helpful feature for designing your website, especially as a beginner. Although live editors are pretty much standard for drag-and-drop plugins, you’ll still find a handful of page editors with lackluster live editing features.

We strongly prefer those with a comprehensive and well-developed live visual editor. More importantly, it’s essential to select a tool with a glitch-free interface.

Versatility

The best WordPress page builders boast versatile features.

In addition to maintaining a variety of features, those features are also flexible and can be customized to suit your needs.

Versatile templates with lots of different elements are especially important if you plan to use the same page editor to build several websites of different types or styles. Look for a page editor with official add-ons available for even more flexibility and control over your site’s layout and function.

Customer Support

Quick and reliable customer support is a must for any tool or service.

This is especially true for premium versions of page builder plugins, many of which cost upwards of $100 per year. When you pay that much for a plugin, you deserve solid support.

Although the best drag-and-drop WordPress page builders function so smoothly that problems are rare, readily available technical support is a godsend if problems do arise.

Furthermore, we always prefer those services which offer community-based support, often in the form of a community forum.

Overall Value

Is your page builder worth the money you spent on it?

Naturally, the answer is different for every individual and every website. But, it’s important to keep this question in the back of your mind when looking at different plugins and tools. Ensure that you’re getting enough bang for your buck with the page builder you select.

This is a big reason why we often pay a little extra for an annual subscription that allows use on unlimited websites.?

Which WordPress Page Builder is Right for You?

Although all 11 of the above WordPress page builders excel in their own ways, Divi stands above the rest.

Divi takes our top spot thanks to its user-friendliness and ease of use. It’s packed with useful features as well as two dozen pre-made templates and countless content elements for easy editing. Since it was created by Elegant Themes, it’s perfect for those that want a WordPress theme and page builder from the same place.

Not far behind Divi is Beaver Builder, our second choice overall, thanks to its top-notch live editor, compatibility with a huge variety of WordPress themes, and overall versatility.

For those not interested in dishing out a little dough for page builder (just $89 per year for Divi and $99 per year for Beaver Builder, both for unlimited sites), we recommend Elementor as the best free WordPress page builder. You can easily upgrade to the paid version ($49 per year for a single site) to unlock even more useful features.

WordPress Page Builder FAQ

Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about WordPress page builders:

Q: What are the benefits of a WordPress page builder?

A: Nearly full control over the look/layout of your site without knowing how to code. Make as many changes as you like and see how they look in real-time. Pre-built modules and templates let you create a stunning and functional site in minutes.

Q: What are the disadvantages of a WordPress page builder?

A: Not enough flexibility for the most niche sites, although plenty of customizability for the majority of sites, including blogs, small business websites, and all but the largest online stores.

Q: Do I need coding experience to use a WordPress page builder?

A: No coding experience is required to use a drag-and-drop page builder for your WordPress site, although most plugins allow for further customization via HTML or CSS.

Q: What is the difference between a free and paid WordPress page builder?

A: The best free WordPress page builders are quite robust. Although powerful enough to quickly create high-quality websites, most paid plugins come with even more features and are even easier to use.

Q: Should I use a WordPress page builder for my site?

A: For very basic websites, you’ll likely be fine using WordPress’s built-in block editor, otherwise known as Gutenberg. Although this tool gets the job done, it doesn’t offer the flexibility and customizability of a page builder. On the other hand, some very large, very complex, and very niche sites require professional help. That said, a page builder is the best choice for the vast majority of WordPress sites.

The post What is the Best WordPress Page Builder? appeared first on WebMonkey.

WordPress is inarguably the industry-leading open-source content management software for building websites. But the basic editor that WordPress provides is difficult to navigate and leaves many users looking for a better solution. Two of the major solutions, Elementor and Divi, vie for top billing when it comes to naming the best WordPress page builder plugin.

What is Elementor?

Launched in June 2016, Elementor is a live WordPress editor plugin that replaces the basic WordPress editor. It features a user-friendly interface so that almost anyone can use the editor to build a website without much of a learning curve, one of the biggest downfalls of traditional web page editors. Many of the features are drag-and-drop.

The cost is reasonable, ranging from a super affordable $0 to $199 per year, depending on how many sites and features you want to invest in. The gang behind Elementor is committed to providing regular updates so that the editor continues to work as it should.

Design Features

Built to streamline the process of web design, you no longer have to know CSS to build a great website. Right from the editor, you can change fonts, colors, add custom CSS, add background gradients, videos, and overlays. You can take your designs to the next level with special blend modes, CSS filters, and Elementor’s shape divider tool, which allow you to manipulate your graphics without the need for advanced Photoshop skills.

Marketing Features

Whether you are trying to collect data on potential leads, attract attention, or move leads through sales funnels, Elementor has all of the tools that you need in one place. You can build stunning landing pages full of features like widgets, pop ups, testimonials, countdowns, ratings, custom forms, and call to action links.

Typography Features

You can do a lot more with Elementor than just simple text modifications. Standard changes like fonts, size, eight, decoration, line, and letter spacing are there. Plus, add HTML tags, drop caps, text shadows, and columns.

Layout Features

Take complete control of your pages' layout by easily manipulating sections, columns, spacing, margins, and padding.

Mobile Features

Optimize your web pages by device with independent changes. Set font size, layout, and individual elements by device type so that your pages are as responsive and usable on a smartphone as they are on a laptop.

Theme Builder Features

Manipulate your theme's individual features like visuals, content, headers, and footers, and more special theme editing features. For bloggers, create a blog post template to use over and over to streamline your posts. Create unique, 404 pages and search result pages. Easily set up a portfolio with a built-in portfolio widget or add custom menus.

ECommerce Features

Easily add e-commerce features to any website using the dynamic Woo Commerce platform. Individually manage WooCommerce elements, product descriptions, price lists, categories, and price tables right in elementor with no need to add additional WordPress plugins.

Form Features

Build any form that you need, from simple contact forms to confirmation emails and custom messages. Integrate tracking features in your forms with hidden fields and take advantage of Honeypot compatibility for security needs.

Social Media Features

Blend your current social media pages and activities with your website with full support for Facebook pages, comments, and embedding. Add social icons and share buttons to increase engagement and build your community.

Media Content Features

Display content on your pages in unique and attractive ways with carousels, slides, overlays, and embedding options.

Support Features

The majority of support for Elementor comes from an active community of designers and developers who use the products and are eager to help others. The company directly provides support by email, but the community resources are often quicker and more complex than the email support. The base module is free, but Elementor offers a satisfaction guarantee on those purchases if you pay for the professional versions.

Pros: What We Like About Elementor

Elementor bills itself as a live, drag-and-drop editor that is simply faster than the others. Speed is good, but their user-friendly design is even better.

• Elementor has familiar interface controls like copy/paste and drag & drop.
• The simplified design process allows users to design an entire website from one screen.
• Workflow is seamless with autosave, undo, redo, and revision history, keeping track of every detail.
• It has built-in Design Capabilities, including basic photo editing, backgrounds, animations, overlays, and fonts.
• Integrated marketing solutions include landing pages, a popup builder, a form builder, and easy integration for third-party marketing tools.
• Full integration with Woo-commerce builder at the pro level pairs perfectly with integrated marketing tools to build start-to-finish sales funnels.
• A full range of widgets for design elements replaces the need to install extra WordPress plugins.
• There is an excellent support network from a community of Elementor experts available to answer any question. While they don’t offer live chat support, their support community's sheer reach is more powerful than a contact center or chatbot could ever be.

Cons: What to Consider About Elementor

So far, this plugin sounds like a dream come true to anyone who has struggled to build a WordPress site. But there are two sides to every story; here are a few things you should know before you jump in feet first.

• Although we agree that the interface is easy to use, allowing free reign on creative control means that there are too many details to get lost in. If you choose this editor, rough out a plan before you get started, or you might spend hours getting lost in the details.
• While Elementor works with a long list of WordPress themes, it is not exhaustive. If you use a theme that does not recognize Elementor, then the plug-in has a nasty habit of overriding your color schemes and fonts.
• The pricing structure is subscription-based, and you have to keep the plugin installed, or you will lose your entire design. For users who don’t like the idea of paying monthly fees, this one may be a non-starter. The prices are very affordable now, but there is no guarantee for the future and no option to buy a lifetime update.
• For developers, things get a little bit more complicated. It can be difficult to design widgets to work with Elementor, and there is no option for back-end editing. Elementor is a front-end, the only editor.

What is Divi WordPress Page Builder?

Divi has been around just a little bit longer than Elementor, launched by Elegant Themes in 2015. It offers a user-friendly visual editor on the front-end with a developer-focused back-end editor. Most designers and DIYers will stick to the visual editor, but unlike Elementor, we just wanted to point out that backend editing is accessible with Divi.

Divi boasts easy drag-and-drop building tools with a ton of design options on a visual platform. Like others on the market, it is responsive and offers options for customizations.

Divi is more than a page builder or a theme. It is a community of designers and developers providing everything from support to third-party extensions, templates, and modules designed exclusively for Divi.

Building and Design Features

Divi works just like you would expect from a front-end visual editor, allowing anyone to set up robust websites quickly and easily. Access a layout library full of more than three hundred templates or go on your own with the ability to manipulate layout, design, effects, and interactions.

Marketing Features

Integrate your social media accounts and email marketing tools with your website using the Monarch social media plugin or Bloom email plugin. Each one has been designed by Elegant Themes to work seamlessly with Divi. Perform split testing to see how well ad campaigns or webpage changes perform with target audiences using Divi Leads to better utilize the traffic your site receives.

ECommerce Features

Add eCommerce functionality to your website using WooCommerce directly from the Divi editor. Did you know that Woo-Commerce currently supports almost half of all online shops? It is a pretty popular choice that you will find readily available.

Support Features

Divi by Elegant Themes, one of the most popular WordPress theme shops, is under a brand name users can trust. They provide live chat support, an active community of professionals and enthusiasts, and a satisfaction guarantee. Plus, they offer a simple pricing structure that works well for individuals and enterprises alike.

The Pros: What We Like Most About Divi

Divi is one of the most flexible front-end website builders available as a WordPress plugin. Divi is fully-supported with training, builder tools, and 24/7 live chat support. It is great for anyone who feels intimidated by website design as it provides easy-to-use, front-end tools with a graphical interface.

• Divi takes care of its customers well, and it shows with their excellent track record of satisfied customer ratings.
• They put in the work to keep the software up to date and moving forward to meet demands in the market.
• This builder is affordably priced and packed with quality templates so users can put up a nice looking website with minimal time and money invested.
• It features the option to do split testing so you can try out changes on your website and measure performance. This is an excellent tool for building landing pages.
• Divi considers itself to be 100% SEO-friendly. It has built-in features that include a native good site structure, ability to add meta titles and descriptions, a breadcrumb module that eliminates the need for the Yoast SEO plugin.
• The Divi Builder pairs perfectly with the Divi Theme for a seamless WordPress site.

The Cons: Where Divi Falls Short

Divi does some things well, but if you are looking for a feature that they don’t support then, Divi may fall flat of your expectations.

• Divi doesn’t do e-commerce well. It is a popular choice for creating landing pages but requires other tools to complete the sales funnel's actions.
• Divi doesn’t clean up after itself very well. It tends to leave behind shortcodes when the builder is deactivated. This leaves a lot of tedious manual work to do when redesigning a website.
• Divi is limited in its marketing functionality. On the upside, it can create landing pages, perform split testing, and integrate with WooCommerce. But without a popup builder, it is missing an important part of the sales funnel process.

Comparing Elementor and Divi Side-by-Side

There are many good (and some not-so-great) things to be said for each of these WordPress builder plugins. They are both front-end visual designers for WordPress sites with routine updates, affordable price tags, and a wealth of support. When you get into the nitty-gritty, how do the two measure up against one another?

Ease of Learning and Use

Both Elementor and Divi offer familiar drag and drop interfaces that are easy to work with. Neither plugin is particularly difficult to learn, making them suitable for beginners and non-designers alike. Divi offers a wealth of training materials and 24/7 live chat support. While Elementor doesn’t have a dedicated team to provide live chat support, it does have a loyal community of experts willing to lend a hand anytime you need them.

It is a little bit of a draw when it comes to ease of use. If you are a developer or have any interest in back-end programming, then Divi is the better choice for you. Suppose you strictly prefer to stay in the visual editor but want to complete freedom over your design. In that case, we like Elementor better for the wide range of customizable features in the visual editor.

Workflow Process

Both builder plugins feature autosave, undo, redo, revision history, and draft modes so that you can work confidently and test out ideas. Divi also includes A/B testing for trying out new changes. Both Elementor and Divi offer inline text editing, meaning that you can just click and type where you want the text to appear. Both allow you to save and manage your designs as unique templates to streamline your workflow process. And both offer global elements and styles so you can carry the same elements and settings to all of your websites.

Design Features

With Elementor, there is no shortage of design features built into the visual editor. All of the basics, like fonts, colors, and custom CSS, are available. Plus, get more leverage with your designs on backgrounds and images with gradients, background videos, overlays, slideshows, blend modes, and shape divider.

Pricing

Elementor has a tiered pricing structure ranging from free (our favorite) to $199 per year for the full-feature professional version and unlimited websites. While it is hard to beat free, some features are not available with the free version, specifically e-commerce integration.

Divi offers two ways to buy. For $89/year, you can support one website. Or, for a one-time fee of $249, you get lifetime support and unlimited websites. Plus, Divi includes a WordPress theme designed just for this plugin.

Strictly speaking of money, Divi has the advantage with the option to buy a lifetime license upfront for a reasonable price and no additional costs for themes. Elementor’s pricing is still very reasonable, but users will have to invest in a separate theme (be careful about compatibility) and maintain their subscription or risk losing their design.

Range of Design Elements

In a visual editor, the design element modules allow you to customize specific bits and pieces of your website like headings, images, text blocks, videos, carousels, menus, and more. If you are coming from the basic WordPress editor, you will be pleased to find a large selection of both plugins' basic elements.

Elementor has a wide range of modules. Even in the free version, which includes around 40 modules, there is plenty to choose from—upgrading to one of the professional versions, and your options double to more than 90 elements. Elementor has an ample and growing selection of just over 300 premade templates.

Divi is a little more limited, but still very capable, offering around 40 customizable elements. But where they fall short in elements, they make up for a larger selection of premade template designs.

Search Engine Optimization and Blogging

Search engine optimization (SEO) is intricately involved in all aspects of a website. How fast a web page loads and how responsive it is to user input affect search engine ranking as much as old standbys like keyword use, meta tags, and descriptions. It only makes sense that a visual web page builder would have integrated SEO tools.

If you plan to host a blog on your website, pay attention here. While these two plugins are competitive and offer many similar features, Divi is distinctly better for blogging. You can blog with Elementor, but it is a little bare-bones on its blogging-centric features.

Elementor lacks any and all native blog editing features. If you are using Elementor and want to add a blog to your website, your best bet is to do some research and find a blog-friendly WordPress theme that also plays well with Elementor, like OceanWP. Otherwise, it is back to the basic WordPress blog post editor.

We like Divi better for hosting blogs because they have included tools to make editing blog posts easy. Divi also takes care of a lot of the back-end SEO, which takes a lot of maintenance off your hands without needing another plugin.

Marketing Features

Modern websites are far more than a digital billboard. Complex sales funnels now walk users through an experience that starts with piquing interest, followed by building trust and nurturing a sale through closing the deal. This process or sales funnel takes a lot more than just a single web page with some crafty copy.

Elementor has all of the tools you need to build a sales funnel, including a visual editor to create landing pages, pop-ups, and forms. It also offers seamless integration with dozens of popular marketing tools like MailChimp, HubSpot, ConvertKit, Woo Commerce, LearnDash, Pods, Facebook, YouTube, and many more.

By comparison, Divi is also good for creating landing pages but lacks some of the features needed to get the most of your marketing and Woo-Commerce activities. Additional WordPress plugins can be used with the Divi theme to accomplish the same goal, but Elementor makes it a little easier to get there.

Which Page Builder Plug-In Is Best?

We are comparing two A+ options, making it more difficult to see a clear winner and a clear loser. Depending on what you are looking for, the best choice can be very debatable. Here is what we think:

Best for Small Budgets

If your budget is nil, Elementor offers a free version for one website with many features. While it ultimately has fewer features than the pro version, you might not even notice it because it has all of the right features in the free version.

Best for E-Commerce

Suppose you plan to incorporate e-commerce with your website. In that case, Elementor offers seamless integration with Woo E-commerce, plus integrated marketing tools like pop up builders, landing page templates, and forms. Although Divi also supports Woo Commerce and is set up for A/B testing, there is a case for both.

Best for Advanced Development and Complex Integrations

If your website requires a high level of customized content or you want a developer to create custom elements and widgets, choose Divi. Hands down, developers find the Divi platform easier to work with. Plus, Elementor simply does not allow back-end access, which may be necessary for complex integrations.

Best for Support

It is slightly a draw here with both Elementor and Divi offering excellent support networks in their ways. The main thing to know here is that Elementor does not have staffed live chat support. They do have email support, but it can be challenging to get the help you need this way. To make up for it, they have a well-developed community of pro users that are happy to let you lean on them for help.

Divi takes more control over their support, offering a staffed chat support feature that is available 24/7. Divi also has a pretty great resource community and a lot of training material available to learn as you go. Divi is slightly more difficult to learn as a tradeoff, so you probably need more resources.

Final Thoughts

Side-by-side, Elementor and Divi are the same. Both plugins are visual web page editors that work off a familiar drag/drop and copy/paste framework. Both plugins do their job well and have support teams committed to keeping the software updated.

We like the option to buy out a lifetime license upfront with Divi. Unfortunately, Elementor doesn’t have that option. But both are affordable, so it is not exactly a dealbreaker, especially since Elementor offers a free version.

Divi offers more customization if you are skilled and interested in getting into the backend, but that isn’t exactly the visual editor's point. In this area, Elementor takes the cake with a seemingly endless lineup of visual customizations.

Elementor is also a little more advanced when it comes to features and support for marketing activities like building sales funnels and e-commerce integration.

Frequently Asked Questions

What themes does Elementor work best with?

Elementor works with all themes that adhere to WP coding standards. But if you are looking for specific suggestions, we are partial to Hello Elementor, the official theme from the Elementor team. It is this most lightweight theme possible, literally designed to work with Elementor by Elementor. We also like Astra, a lightweight and customizable free theme that pairs well. And, GeneratePress which is a good performance option.

What if I sign up and don’t like it?

With Divi, you get simple pricing, around-the-clock support, and an active community. But like every new software, there is a learning curve and the possibility that the plugin won’t work the way you need it. Divi offers a risk-free trial period for 30 days.

Elementor has two options. The most obvious choice is to start with the free version and try it out. If you need more, you can upgrade at any time. The pro plans each come with a standard 30-day money-back guarantee if the plugin is not the right fit for you.

Which plugin builds faster pages?

There has been a long-standing assumption in the industry that Elementor builds faster pages than Divi. Perhaps that was true at one time, or there are many more variables to the equation, but some recent speed tests show that they are the same, if not slightly favoring Divi for faster page speeds.

What should I do if the builder plugin causes a conflict with another WordPress plug in?

Both Elementor and Divi are designed to work with current WordPress codes. Users should not experience issues with other plugins as long as those plugins also adhere to WordPress codes. If you encounter an issue, contact the developer of the third-party plug in causing the issue.

The post Elementor vs Divi – 2023 WordPress Page Builder Comparison appeared first on WebMonkey.

Should you use Elementor for your WordPress website? Is it worth downloading the plugin? Keep reading to learn more about the free and paid versions of Elementor:

What are the Pros and Cons of Elementor?

Here’s an overview of the benefits and drawbacks of both the free and paid version of Elementor:

Pros of the Free Version

• Drag and drop editor: Elementor’s drag and drop editor makes it easy for you to edit your website. You get most of the basic editing features for free.
• Basic templates and widgets: The free plan comes with over 40 basic widgets and 30 templates you can use to create your site.
• Use on multiple sites: You can use the free plan on one site or hundreds of sites, and the price stays the same.

Cons of the Free Version

• No support or updates: You may not have to pay cash, but you will have to spend time fixing things yourself if you don’t pay for Elementor.
• No theme or popup builders: You can’t design themes or popups for your website without paying for Elementor Pro.

Pros of the Paid Version

• More themes and widgets available: If you want to customize your site, you can access hundreds of themes and widgets with a Pro plan.
• Flexible prices for different needs: Elementor has different tiers based on how many sites you need to use with the builder.
• Ecommerce builder available: You can use Elementor Pro to build an online store, so you can turn a profit from your investment.

Cons of the Paid Version

• Steep price increases: The second level paid plan is twice as expensive as the first level, and you can only use Elementor on two more sites with the upgrade.
• Nothing new at higher tiers: Unless you need to use Elementor on more sites, higher-priced plans offer nothing extra.

Overview

Elementor is one of the most popular page builders for WordPress websites. Over 5 million people use Elementor to build part or all of their websites. You can control all elements of your web design from one place with the page builder.

Sites with Elementor run quickly, so you don’t have to worry about it bogging down your website. You also don’t need to worry about coding or dealing with the backend. All of the design is visual, and you can drag and drop elements where you want them.

Elementor has a free plan you can use to test it out. If you want more features, you can upgrade to Elementor Pro, and there are different tiers based on the number of websites you have.

• Personal (1 website)
• Plus (3 websites)
• Expert (1,000 websites)

Before moving forward, let’s look at what Elementor is:

What is a Page Builder?

Elementor is a page builder that functions as a drag and drop editor to use on your WordPress site. By default, you have to edit WordPress sites through their “backend” using text boxes and some coding.

Page builders like Elementor give your site the ability of other platforms, like SquareSpace. Instead of using code and text, you can design a website with just the visuals. Elementor is a WordPress plugin, but other page builders come as full themes you can download and install.

Who is Elementor Best For?

Elementor is an excellent option for anyone who needs to build a website with WordPress. You can use it to edit your personal site, or you can use it with web design clients. Here are a few uses for Elementor:

Personal

Do you want to start a blog or website without the limitations of other web design platforms? Elementor makes it easy to create a WordPress site. You can access popular plugins and features, but you don’t have to learn to use the WordPress editor. Just choose a web host that fits your budget and set up your site.

Business

If you want to become a web designer, you need to get some experience and build a portfolio. The Elementor Pro Plus plan lets you build three sites with one license. You can use Elementor to experiment with different sites, so you can show off your skills.

Once you have more sites to run, you can upgrade to the Expert plan for use with up to 1,000 sites.

Ecommerce Sites

No matter which Pro plan you choose, you can use the WooCommerce builder on Elementor. You can create an online store that looks beautiful and is easy to edit and navigate.

While the WooCommerce builder isn’t available with Elementor Free, it’s worth the upgrade if you want to build an online business.

Reliability and Performance

When choosing a website builder and page builder, you want it to be reliable and fast. Luckily, Elementor checks those boxes. If your page builder or website crashes, you won’t be able to access your content, and visitors will leave your site.

Elementor is fast both when you’re building pages and when loading your site. As you design your website, you can quickly drag and drop elements to fit your design idea. You can also edit your pages easily if you need to.

Elementor is open-source, which means anyone can edit the source code. Many developers can work on it to improve the builder. You can take advantage of these by updating your Elementor plugin whenever there’s a new version.

Updating will also make sure your website runs fast and secure. However, using Elementor won’t guarantee your site will run smoothly. You need to choose the right website host with reliable uptime so that your site won’t go down every day.

Look for hosts with higher than average uptimes, and try one that’s close to 99 percent. If your site has a low uptime, it won’t matter how well Elementor runs.

You can consider WordPress-recommended hosts because WordPress trusts those companies. Other hosts can work well, too, so compare a few hosts within your budget. Then, you can find the right host for you.

Tools and Features

Check out these tools and features you get when you use Elementor:

Types of Page Builders

Elementor is a page builder, and you can use it to build different parts of your website. Here are some examples:

Editor

You can use the Elementor Editor on existing or new pages on your WordPress site. If you click to edit a page, you can click on the Elementor icon to enter the drag and drop editor. Then, you can add text boxes, media files, widgets and more.

The editor makes it easy to create a page from scratch, or you can copy and paste existing content. You can use files already in your media library, or you can upload new files.

Elementor’s editor is available on both Elementor Free and Elementor Pro. You can use it on any WordPress site, and all you need is the Elementor plugin.

Theme Builder

If you want to design your entire site with Elementor, you can use the theme builder. WordPress sites run on themes, and you can use a premade theme from WordPress or a third-party designer. However, Elementor’s Theme Builder lets you create a unique theme.

You can access each part of your website and make changes within the editor. You won’t have to worry about messing with code or choosing the right website theme from what’s available. If you have a visual design in mind, you can bring it to life.

Unfortunately, the theme builder isn’t available with Elementor Free. However, you can use it with any of the Elementor Pro plans. Then, you can customize your entire site in one place.

Popup Builder

Adding popups in the right places and at the right time can help you grow your site. You can add a popup banner to the top of your site to promote your latest product or service. People can sign up with their email address, and you can contact them.

Popups also work over the body of a webpage, and you can choose when they show up. You can use a couple of popups, but don’t overdo it, or you might drive people away.

WooCommerce Builder

WooCommerce is one of the most popular online store plugins for WordPress. Luckily, you can use Elementor Pro to design pages for your store. Elementor Pro offers all of the widgets you need for your store, including product images and add to cart buttons.

Like other Elementor features, you can design the visual part of your store without having to code or edit the backend.

WordPress Integration

Because Elementor is a WordPress plugin, you know it will work on your WordPress site. It works seamlessly with WordPress, so you can create the website of your dreams.

Once you set up your WordPress site, you can go to the Plugins page, click Add New and search for Elementor. Then, you can install the plugin and head to edit a page on your site. Click the Elementor box near the top of the page editor, and you can open the visual editor.

Add-ons

You can use third-party add-ons to further customize your Elementor site. Popular add-ons include Prime Slider, which provides you with slider widgets to use on your site, and Rank Math, which can help you with search engine optimization (SEO).

You can view the available add-ons and choose the ones you want. Then, you can use them to add more capabilities to your website.

Full Site Editor

If you choose Elementor Pro, you can use the Full Site Editor to change everything about your site at once. You can change the body content like with the regular editor. But you can also edit your site’s header and footer.

That can help you save time when making changes to your website.

Revision History

If you’ve ever experimented with website design, you’ve probably done something you didn’t like. But you may also have not known how to fix it. Both Elementor Pro and Elementor Free let you access your revision history to find the version you want to go back to without manually editing everything.

Auto Save

Another issue that’s bound to happen if you work on websites a lot is to lose your work. If you spend a long time editing a webpage, you want to save those changes. Elementor will automatically save your changes, so you can access them even if your computer crashes.

And because of the revision history feature, you can get right back to work once you get your computer up and running.

Draft Mode

After you publish your website, you may decide to make changes. Perhaps you want to edit your bio or change your homepage. If you can’t edit and publish the changes at once, you can save the new version as a draft. Then, you can finish it and publish the new page later.

Copy Paste and Copy Style

As you build your website, you may design an element that you really like. Instead of recreating it, you can copy and paste the element to another part of the page or to a different page.

The copy style feature is similar, and it lets you duplicate a section or column. Then, you don’t have to redesign it for each page of your website.

Pricing Summary

If you want to test out the Elementor Pro features, you don’t need to start with the highest tier. You can start small and upgrade later if you want to use it on multiple websites.

Here’s an overview of the different plans from Elementor and their prices:

Free

As you might expect, Elementor Free doesn’t cost anything. You can use it on any number of websites without upgrading. However, you don’t have access to some of the more advanced features on Elementor Pro.

You can only work with a few widgets and themes, and you can only use it to build standard pages. The free version won’t let you create eCommerce pages, popups or themes.

Elementor Free does give you access to responsive editing, so you don’t have to mess with code. You can find Elementor in the Plugin library and install it to use it right away.

Personal

If you want more features with a page builder, you may want to upgrade to Elementor Personal. It’s one of the Pro plans, so you will have to pay about $50 per year. For that price, you get access to all of the Pro features, including updates, support, template kits and more.

You can use the Personal license on one website, so it’s great if you don’t want to hire a designer for your site. If you don’t have web design clients, you don’t need more than a single license.

Elementor Personal is also a great option if you want to test out the Pro features. You can’t get a demo of Elementor Pro, so you can use this as a paid demo of sorts. If you don’t like or need the advanced features, you can downgrade to Elementor Free at the end of the year.

Plus

Some people may need to use Elementor on a few websites. If you have a couple of websites for personal and business use, you may want to consider the Plus plan. You can use it on up to three websites, so you can test it out with a few designs.

This plan has all of the same features as the Personal plan, but it’s double the price at $100 per year. However, if you have a personal blog and a separate online store, the extra cost is worth it.

You can also take advantage of this plan if you just started a web design business. That way, you can use Elementor for a few clients, and you can upgrade later when your business grows.

Expert

Do you have a thriving web design business and want to use Elementor? You should get Elementor’s Expert plan, which is for up to 1,000 websites. Like the other paid plans, it has advanced page design features and widgets.

You can experiment with different designs to build your web design portfolio, or you can use it with real client websites. This plan costs about $200 per year, but you have a lot of flexibility with it.

You probably don’t need this plan if you aren’t a web designer. But if you do design websites often, you can stick with the same page builder to work more efficiently.

Cancellation

If you use Elementor free, you can stop using it at any time. You can go into a page that you created with Elementor and click “Back to WordPress Editor.” Once you move all pages back to the standard editor, you can uninstall and delete the Elementor plugin.

If you go with Elementor Pro, cancellation requires a few extra steps. For one, Elementor sets up your account to renew automatically each year. You will need to go into your Elementor account and click “Cancel Auto Renewal.”

That way, you won’t have to pay for another year of Elementor that you won’t use. However, you will only get your money back if you cancel within 30 days of signing up. If you cancel after that, you need to contact Elementor support about a refund.

Which Plan is the Best Value?

If you need a basic page builder, you can’t go wrong with the Free version of Elementor. However, some people may need more features. Professional web designers will benefit the most from Elementor Expert, but individuals should use the Personal plan.

Security

Elementor does its best to keep everything secure. Their developers write safe code when building and updating the plugin, and they check the software for potential security issues. Elementor also has community channels where users can report vulnerabilities, so you can help find problems.

They work quickly and efficiently to fix any problems that do show up, so you can keep your website safe. Be sure to check your WordPress dashboard regularly for any updates to Elementor and your other plugins.

You can also download a third-party security plugin to keep your site safe. But regularly updating your site is a good start to securing your site with or without Elementor.

Even if you don’t have to make changes to your site all of the time, check it each week to see if there are updates. Be sure to also update WordPress when new versions come out to protect your entire site.

Website security is essential to keeping your data safe. It can also help you bring in and retain visitors and customers. While Elementor can’t control every part of your site’s security, it is a secure and reliable plugin.

Customer Service

Elementor offers multiple options for getting the help you need. Anyone can access the knowledge base, where you can read about Elementor and its features. Their FAQ section has questions that others have had, so you can see if someone has an answer for your issue.

If you prefer to learn with videos, Elementor also offers some video tutorials to help you get started. You can also ask the community and connect with other web designers on Facebook and Github to learn more about Elementor.

Unfortunately, Elementor Free users don’t have access to one-on-one customer support. However, Pro users get 24/7 support through Elementor’s ticket system. You can log into your account and submit a support ticket.

Customer support reps can log into your WordPress dashboard or even your website control panel to help solve your problem. Then, you don’t have to waste time trying different solutions.

FAQs

Here are some common questions about Elementor and their answers:

Why Should I Use a Page Builder on WordPress?

WordPress is the most common website platform in the world, but it’s not the easiest one. You have to use the text editor and a bit of code to get the design you want. But if you aren’t that tech-savvy, it can be difficult to use WordPress.

Still, you have more control over your site than if you used another visual editor, like Wix or SquareSpace. Elementor is a plugin that you can add to your new or existing WordPress site, and you can get the benefits of a drag and drop editor.

You don’t have to worry about coding, and you can design with website visuals in mind. Plus, you can use other popular WordPress plugins, like WooCommerce or Yoast, to build a beautiful, functioning website.

Do I Need Elementor Pro?

If you just want a basic page builder for your website, you don’t need Elementor Pro. The free version has a decent number of features to get you started. However, you can only do so much with the free plan.

You should choose one of the Elementor Pro plans if you want more features and page building options. It’s also worth the upgrade if you think you may need individual customer support.

If you’re unsure about Free or Pro, start with free. You may find you don’t need any extra features or help from Elementor. However, if you need or want a widget or feature that doesn’t come on the Free version, you can upgrade.

Which Elementor Pro Plan Should I Get?

If you don’t plan on designing other websites, the Personal plan is more than enough. It’s relatively affordable, and you can take advantage of all the features. And if you have a web design business, you can use the Expert plan for all of your client websites.

Most people have one or maybe two websites. So you probably don’t need the Expert plan unless you have a growing design firm.

Consider how many sites you plan to use with Elementor and where you will need the Pro features. Even if you own a few sites, you may only need the Personal license. You can use the Pro features on one site, but you can get an Elementor Free plan for your other websites.

What If I’m Not a Web Designer?

Elementor makes it easy for web designers and non-designers to create gorgeous websites. If you’re new to web design, you can read through Elementor’s knowledge base or watch some video tutorials to learn the ropes.

You don’t have to worry about hiring a web designer to create or update your site. As long as you check your WordPress dashboard each week, you can stay on top of your website maintenance.

What If I Need Help?

If you have an Elementor Pro account, you can contact their in-house support team. But even if you have the free version, you can get help from the Elementor community. The plugin is one of the most popular WordPress page builders, and odds are someone can help you fix your issue.

Final Thoughts

Elementor is an excellent page builder for WordPress sites. You can get all of the freedom and creative benefits of WordPress without having to code or work with the backend. They have plans for every budget, and you don’t need to be a professional designer to use it.

Finally, you can use Elementor on as many WordPress websites as you need. You may need multiple licenses for Elementor Pro, but it doesn’t matter if you have one site or a dozen sites. If you want an easy way to create and edit pages, you should look at Elementor.

The post Elementor WordPress Page Builder Review : Free vs. Pro Version appeared first on WebMonkey.

When you think of a website builder, you may think of Wix or Squarespace. But they both face some tough competition from Site123. The company offers many similar services to other website builders, so it’s a surprise that it’s not as popular.

So is Site123 the right website builder for you? Keep reading to learn about the performance, features, and more.

What are the Pros & Cons of Site123?

Here’s a quick list:

Pros

Easy to set up and use: Site123 has a three-step setup process, and each step includes information to help you create your site. Once you set everything up, it’s easy to use and design a unique website.

Offers different plugins: You can choose from many product integrations, so you can connect to Facebook or Twitter. Some tools make it easy to manage your website, while others let you communicate with customers.

Hosting and website builder in one: You don’t have to worry about finding separate hosts and website builders, so you can get started immediately.

Cons

Design and technical limitations: While Site123 makes it easy to build a site, you can’t export it if you decide to move to a different host. You also can’t change the layout of your website template.

More expensive than the competition: The cheapest plan is over $12 per month, which is a lot more than other website builders and third-party web hosts.

Overview

Site123 is a website builder and hosting company in one, and it faces competition from Wix, Weebly, and Squarespace. While it’s not as popular as others, Site123 offers plenty of features to get your website up and going.

They have data centers all over the world, so you and your visitors can easily view your site. The builder is easy to use, and you don’t need to be a designer or developer to make the most of it.

You can use Site123 to create a variety of sites, including:

• Personal Blogs
• Business Websites
• Online Stores

Before you decide if you should use Site123, consider how website builders work:

What is a Website Builder?

A website builder is a platform anyone can use to create a website. But don’t confuse it with website hosting, which is sometimes a different service. However, Site123 combines the two, so you don’t have to worry about connecting a host.

Using a website builder makes it easy to create a website without using a bunch of code. You can make small tweaks to make your site unique. In this review, you’ll learn about the various features, pricing, and flexibility. Consider if Site123 is the best platform to build your site:

Who is Site123 Best For?

Site123 offers a variety of plans and services for different needs. They may not be as well-known as other website builders, but you should consider it. Here are a few groups of people who can benefit from using Site123:

Personal

Do you want to create a personal blog or portfolio site? Does the idea of coding and HTML freak you out? Site123 doesn’t require any technical knowledge for you to build a site. You can create any site you want, so you can build your online presence today.

Business

If you have a small business, you may have other things to do besides build a website. In that case, Site123 makes it easy to build a website for your business. You can get it up and running in a few hours. That way, you can send customers to your site to learn more about you.

Ecommerce Sites

Running an online business requires the right website builder and hosting plan. Site123 offers two plans with ecommerce capabilities, so you can sell products and services.

You don’t need to set up a complicated website or design sales pages. Site123 helps you keep things simple, so you can make sales and grow your business.

Reliability and Performance

When considering a website builder, you should know about the platform’s uptime. Uptime refers to how often the site is up and accessible. If a site goes down, that affects the overall uptime.

Site123 doesn’t guarantee uptime on its website, but it’s very reliable when it comes to a site’s uptime. The average uptime is about 99.99%, which is better than some hosts and website builders.

Your site may go down a couple of times over the course of a few months. However, when the site is up, you can expect it to be pretty fast. If you keep your site relatively simple, it can load in under a second.

Site123 does offer a money-back guarantee, and you can use that if your site is frequently down. However, they may not offer your money back if your site goes down for maintenance or if you add certain third-party functions.

To get your money back, you’ll need to contact Site123 and cancel your subscription. You’ll need to fill out a specific form to start the refund and cancellation process.

While the small amount of downtime can add up over the course of a year, it’s usually not a big problem. You can expect your site to be up and running again within a few minutes.

But if you do have concerns, don’t be afraid to contact Site123 for help. They can move your site to a different server or find another way to solve your issue.

Tools & Features

Here are some of the important features and tools to consider from Site123:

Design

Site123 makes it super easy to design your site. You can choose a premade template and input your content immediately. There’s no need to mess with HTML or other coding languages, and you can add images and text.

However, changing the template you get or adjust the layout can be difficult. You can’t drag and drop different elements to make the site look exactly how you want it to. And if you do have coding knowledge, you can’t edit the HTML or CSS.

If you edit the menu, you’ll have to change it on each page, rather than all at once. This may not be a problem when you first create your website. But if you later decide you want more custom options, you’ll be out of luck.

Responsive Design

While there are some design limits, you also have to consider that Site123 offers responsive design. That means you can make your site look good on desktops, tablets, and phones.

You can preview the various layouts when you edit your site, so you can make sure everything looks good. As more people use their phones and tablets to browse the web, having a responsive website is more important than ever.

It doesn’t take long to review how your site looks on mobile. So take a couple of seconds to ensure all of your visitors can see the content on your site.

Technical

Because Site123 focuses a lot on ease of use and design, you don’t have a ton of technical capabilities. You can connect some plugins and apps to get more functionality. Some of the plugins let you market your website and connect to social media.

You can also add a meta description to each page, and you can create a slogan for your site. But that’s about it when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO).

Site123 offers some control over the technical side of your site, but there are limits. You don’t have much control over the backend of your website, so it can be hard to scale your site.

And if you want more technical features, you’ll need to pay for a higher tier. But even then, you still have some limitations.

Product Integration

Site123 has an App Market where you can add various web apps to improve your site. You can connect to popular programs like Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel. That way, you can track your website views and social ads.

The App Market has programs for everything from live support chat to payment gateways to online stores. If you know what kind of site you want, you can select the best products to integrate.

But keep in mind how much storage your website has. You could easily use up a portion of the 10GB from a Premium plan. Make sure you choose product integrations that you will use and consider upgrading if you need more apps.

That way, you can keep your site up and running, and visitors can access your content. If your site is for business, you can then make more sales to pay for the higher website plan.

Ecommerce Support

If you want to build an online store, Site123’s Premium plan is the best option. You can choose the type of ecommerce site to build, including an online store or a restaurant site. Then, you can name the site and create your account.

After you set up your website, you can go to the App Market and connect a payment gateway and other ecommerce tools, like bookings. If you sell products, you can list your products on your site and connect them to a cart.

No matter what type of business you have, creating an ecommerce site is essential. You can capture potential customers who visit your site even if you don’t sell anything online. Then, you can encourage those customers to visit your business.

Online Booking

If you offer appointments or reservations, you can connect a booking app to your site. An app makes it easy to book your services, and you don’t have to book through emails or calls manually.

You can set up your availability, and customers can book directly on your site. Whether you offer consultations or have a restaurant, online booking is useful.

For online appointments, you can use the booking tool to fill your schedule. And for restaurant reservations, you don’t have to spend time on the phone scheduling them.

You’ll have more free time to focus on your customers or other tasks. An online booking tool can help you grow your business without hiring any new employees, and Site123 makes it easy to connect one to your site.

Email Accounts

If you have a business, you want to have a professional email account with your business domain. Site123 offers email accounts for some of the paid plans, so you don’t need to use an email like yourbusiness@gmail.

You can use an email account with the higher paid tiers, including the advanced, professional, and gold plans. Site123 emails have encryption, so you can avoid online threats, and you can use your email safely.

The email doesn’t cost extra, so you can start using it when you set up your site. Then, you can contact customers manually, and you don’t have to clutter your personal email inbox.

Access to Images

One interesting feature of Site123 is the ability to access their library of images and videos. You can choose from the stock images in Site123’s library, and you can find images to fit your website’s niche.

They have images for everything, from food to education to medicine. The images are great if you aren’t a photographer and can’t afford to hire one. You can still add a visual appeal to your website, and you don’t have to pay for the images.

Site123 also offers free icons you can use when designing your site. So even if you have your own pictures, their icons can help users navigate your site.

Free Domain

When starting your website, you may not want to spend a ton of money. While you’ll have to pay for one of the premium plans, you can get a free website domain.

The free plan gives you a subdomain on Site123’s website. You don’t have to pay anything, and that subdomain will be free as long as you keep that site.

If you choose a premium plan, you will get a free second-level domain for one year. You can keep that domain free when you purchase an annual plan.

Storage

The free plan from Site123 offers 500MB of storage and 1GB of bandwidth. It’s a great option if you’re just getting started and want to build a simple website without spending money.

The premium plan has 10GB of storage and 5GB of bandwidth. If you upgrade to a higher premium tier, you can get up to 270GB of storage and 135GB of bandwidth.

Pricing Summary

If you’re building your first website, you don’t need a ton of features. You can start with the basics so that you can publish your site, and you can upgrade when you need more capabilities.

Here are the various plans from Site123 and their prices:

Free

The free plan is self-explanatory because you don’t have to pay anything to build your website. You can use a subdomain from Site123, so you also don’t have to pay for that.

With a free plan, you get 500MB of storage, which should be more than enough for a basic website. You’ll also get 1GB of bandwidth, and that can support a few visitors each day.

The free plan is excellent for testing out a website with little investment. If you find you need more features, you can upgrade, or you can stick with the free plan if you like it.

Premium

The premium tier offers four unique plans, so you can choose the one with the features you want. Here are the plans and their prices:

• Basic – $12.80 per month
• Advanced – $19.80 per month
• Professional – $28.80 per month
• Gold – $34.80 per month

With the basic plan, you get up to 10GB of storage and 5GB of bandwidth. You can get a free domain from Site123, or you can connect a domain you already own.

All of the paid plans let you remove the floating Site123 tag that appears on your site. They also all come with a free domain or a domain connection. However, none of the tiers offer unlimited storage or bandwidth.

The two features increase by three times between each tier, so you can get up to 270GB of storage and 135GB of bandwidth. You shouldn’t have any issues at first, but as you grow your site, you may not have enough room.

If you need to store a lot of videos or large files on your site, you’ll use up your storage faster. And if you have more people visit your site, it can crash if you run out of bandwidth. While you can upgrade, you may still max out the gold plan.

Cancellation

If you use Site123 but later decide to move your website and cancel your subscription, you should consider the cancellation policy. Site123 will give you your money back if you cancel within 14 days of signing up.

The policy only applies to your initial purchase, so you can’t use it for automatic renewals. If your plan is almost ready to renew, cancel the service before they charge you. However, you won’t get a partial refund for plans you cancel long before they expire.

You can cancel your plan through your account by going to Billing & Payments. But if you’re still in the 14-day window, you should contact customer support to get a refund. 

Which Plan is the Best Value?

The basic plan in Site123’s premium set of plans is the best option for a lot of people. It offers enough storage and bandwidth for you to get started, and you can use your own domain rather than a subdomain on Site123.

While the plan is more expensive than similar options from competitors, it gives you access to features like mailing lists and ecommerce options. Whether you’re looking to build a personal blog or an online store, the basic premium plan is a great place to start.

Security

No matter what type of website you have, you need to consider security. Even if you don’t sell products or services, having an unsecured website can leave you vulnerable to hackers and other issues.

Site123 offers a free Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate, and you can use it with a subdomain or your domain. The certificate encrypts your website and its content, and Site123 will apply the certificate automatically.

Having an SSL certificate can help your visitors feel safer on your website. If you take online payments, your customers can trust that the certificate will protect their payment information. Google may also rank your site higher when you use an SSL, so you can get more visitors.

Customer Service

Site123 offers live support at all times and throughout the year, so you can get help with your site or account. Their live support team can answer any questions and work with you to solve issues.

However, you can also use the Support Center, which has answers to some common problems. The Support Center has sections for everything from the website editor to the app market. You can also get answers to questions about billing and payments or SEO.

Before contacting Site123 directly, check out the Support Center. The center may have the answers you need to build or redesign your website.

FAQs

Here are some answers to common questions about Site123:

Do I Need a Paid Version?

One of the benefits of Site123 is that you can start making your website for free. However, the free plan has many limitations that upgrading can solve.

You don’t need to pay for the gold plan, but the basic premium plan can double your website storage and bandwidth maximums. Upgrading will also get rid of the Site123 branding, so you can make your website look more professional.

However, the free version is plenty for building a personal blog.

Can I Use Site123 On X Operating System or Browser?

Site123 operates entirely through the web, so you can use it on any browser and operating system. Whether you have a Windows or Mac computer, you can use Site123 to create your website.

How Many Servers Does Site123 Have?

Site123 has a network of hundreds of servers all over the world. Because of that, they can store your website anywhere, and that can make it easier for visitors to access your site. The company keeps their servers up to date, so you can maintain a fast website.

Is Site123 Good for SEO?

When building a website for your business, you need people to find it. Luckily, Site123 has a few tools you can use to optimize your website for search engines.

You can create a slogan for your site, and you can include keywords relevant to your site topic. That way, you can have a better chance of Google selecting your site for the right keywords and phrases.

For individual pages, you can also add a meta description, which is what will show up under the link to your page on search results. You can use the description to entice people to click on your link and view your site.

Do You Need to Hire a Designer?

If you want to make the most of your site, you can hire a web designer. But Site123 makes it easy to design your website yourself. You don’t need to use any coding languages, so you can set up your website quickly.

Should I Get My Domain From Site123?

Because Site123 offers a free domain with your paid account, it can be a good deal. However, things get tricky if you decide to move to another website builder or host.

If you buy your domain through Site123, you’ll need to transfer it to another domain registrar. You can keep it with Site123, but you may have a hard time connecting it to your new website.

Getting your domain through Site123 is an excellent option if you plan to stick with the platform. You can get the domain for free when you renew your account each year. If you get a domain elsewhere, you’ll have to pay for the domain, and you’ll have to pay to connect it.

Connecting your domain costs about $10 per month, so be sure to consider that when budgeting for your website. However, the extra fee can be worth it if you think you may change hosts in the future.

Can I Take My Site to Another Platform?

While Site123 offers a lot of features, it does have about as many limitations. So if your site outgrows Site123, you may decide to move to another website builder or host.

Unfortunately, Site123 does not let you export your website content. If you decide to leave, you’ll need to copy and paste each page individually. You will also need to choose a new template and customize that once you set up your new platform.

Final Thoughts

Site123 is an excellent tool for designing a website cheaply and easily. You can start for free, and you can upgrade to a paid plan as your site grows. You’ll also get access to a bunch of apps and an SSL certificate to make your site even better.

Lastly, you don’t need any technical knowledge to create a site. The platform provides everything you need, so you can get started right away. No matter what site you want to build, consider Site123 for an easy option.

The post Site123 Website Builder Review – Our 2023 Review and Recommendation appeared first on WebMonkey.

Despite its rising popularity, not all website builders offer WordPress hosting. Here, we’ve narrowed down where you can find a WordPress hosting website builder and where you will get the best bang for your buck.

What is the Best WordPress Hosting Money Can Buy?

1. WP Engine – Best overall
2. Bluehost – Best value for money
3. Kinsta – Great for customer service
4. Flywheel – Great for beginners
5. GoDaddy – Best on-the-go service
6. HostGator – Great for US-based customers
7. DreamHost – Great for developers?
8. SiteGround – Great boutique-style solution

WordPress Hosting Comparison

Here’s a quick overview of everything that these services have to offer.

1. WP Engine

Best Overall WordPress Hosting

WP Engine is at the top of many WordPress hosting lists for its exceptional capabilities and ease of use. It only offers WordPress hosting, so they have fine-tuned their platform to optimize it for WordPress. This service also boasts excellent uptimes, daily backups, and increased security, including real-time threat detection.?

WP Engine has plans for businesses ranging from individuals and blogs to mid-sized companies to large-scale corporate solutions that can support millions of visitors per month.

Pros

• No long-term commitment required
• Access to free StudioPress themes
• Backup and restore data for free

Cons

• One of the most expensive options on this list
• Additional charges for exceeding the set number of storage and visitors?

Ease of Use

While WP Engine has features and plugins to lessen the burden of setup, it can still be a lot for someone just starting. We recommend WP Engine for experienced developers or experienced WordPress users looking to transfer to a new hosting site.

WP Engine’s features cater more to developers and users who understand backend processes. However, this is not to say new users cannot use WP Engine. They’ve streamlined their setup to make it as user-friendly as possible, and all of their fees are very upfront. They do not add hidden costs to your migration or setup.

Features

WP Engine offers helpful features to migrate your data and build your website.

Automated Migration: Working with partners BlogVault, WP Engine provides an automated, user-friendly WordPress migration plugin. You do not have to be a web developer to transfer your domain and import your database.

StudioPress Themes: Choose one of 36 StudioPress themes to personalize and brand your website. Themes are mobile responsive and optimized for SEO. Enhanced security features allow visitors peace of mind when shopping or browsing.

Account Activity Log: Businesses with multiple users will benefit from the account activity log. You can view all account actions and environment changes from one dashboard.

GeoTarget: Use the GeoTarget plugin to personalize your content to different markets.

Help and Support

WP Engine boasts award-winning support for its customer service. If you run into an issue, help is available 24/7 to get you the assistance you need. Users can log in for chat, phone, or email support.

You can find articles for everything from setup to general account information to features to WordPress-specific questions.

Value for Money

While WP Engine is one of the most expensive WordPress hosting services on this list, but you get a lot for your money. Your account allows you to take advantage of WP Engine’s award-winning customer support and user-friendly migration.

By subscribing annually, you can bank additional savings from monthly plans. Choosing the basic plan at an annual rate will save you $60 per year.

User Review

Ann Marie W. (Trustpilot)

Outstanding Customer Support – Very Attentive

“You don’t know what you don’t know, and I’m so glad to have found WPEngine about 3.5 years ago.

I had been using very cheap hosting, before switching to WPE. My previous host had an extremely severe internal server problem that was so severe that I had to move and rebuild my sites.

Instead of making any rash decisions, I had called on several hosting companies, but I did not call the “SALES” department. I would call the TECHNICAL department.

In addition to making my choice, I went to all of the social media channels of all of the hosting companies that I was looking at. In fact, what I was looking for was the commonality of any problems, response times on social media, and if everyone had the same issues/complaints.

In my 3.5 years with WPEngine, I can share that I have only had about 2 or 3 tickets that needed more attention than their chat can handle.

One of the most important aspects of RELIABLE HOSTING is RELIABLE SUPPORT.

In my professional opinion, and personal experience WPEngine yearly fees are worth every penny because they have always been and are very attentive while providing outstanding customer support.

That is priceless and worth every penny.

I use their chat support 99% of the time, and it’s great that they do offer phone support, however, I have rarely ever needed to use it.

I highly recommend them.”

2. BlueHost

Best Value for Money

BlueHost is the most inexpensive paid option on this list, but still competitive with the services and features. Try BlueHost out for a reduced price during your first year, and buy with confidence with their 30-day money-back guarantee.

BlueHost is one of only three hosts endorsed by WordPress to seamlessly migrate your WordPress account to BlueHost. Choose from personal or professional WordPress hosting.

Pros

• The introductory year is inexpensive. Although you will renew at a higher rate after your first year
• Uptime is reliable
• All of their shared hosting plans offer substantial storage
• They do not limit the amount of traffic your website can get

Cons

• Despite the inexpensive plans, they often try to upsell you on a lot of their extra features
• All servers are US-based, so visitors from other countries can have sluggish speeds
• Unlike competitors, there is no free migration option
• The free backup option is limited

Ease of Use

Their recently updated cPanel makes BlueHose easy and intuitive for beginners to use. Through this simplified dashboard panel, you can manage your business and website, including email addresses and blogs.

Once you’ve figured out what works best for your business, you can customize your cPanel to match your needs. You can move or delete certain features based on your preferences.

If you are just getting started with BlueHost, they offer a one-click WordPress installation that seamlessly connects your WordPress account to BlueHost. While this is a very user-friendly process, they also provide articles and information on installing your WordPress account to BlueHost hosting.

Features

BlueHost offers many features and plugins that help you build your website and support your business.

SSL: BlueHost provides a free SSL certificate with every hosting plan option. This is especially helpful if you plan on collecting visitor or customer information. Having an SSL certificate assures ecommerce customers that your website is safe for them to make a purchase.

Additional Security: BlueHost also provides standard anti-spam filters to detect unsolicited and virus-infected ads that can breach your website and CDN services, rare for a website host to offer its clients.

Add-ons: You can choose from a wide variety of add-ons to keep all of your business tools under one account. BlueHost offers a lot of marketing add-ons like SEO support and Constant Contact, which allows you to maintain a database of contact information on easily send email and ad campaigns.

Advertising: BlueHost provides $100 in Google Ads credits once you spend $25. Google Ads help increase your visibility when customers search for products, services, or information similar to what you offer.

Help and Support

If you run into any problems, BlueHost has 24/7 phone or chat support. You can also troubleshoot your issues on your own on their Help page.

Value for Money

BlueHost offers a very affordable introductory price, and then competitive pricing after your first year. You can get a basic package for $2.95 per month for the first year, which comes with a free domain and free SSL certificate.

After your first year, a basic package increases to $7.99 per month, which is still competitive with other WordPress hosting platforms.

3. Kinsta

Great for Customer Service

Kinsta made the right partnerships in their hosting services. This WordPress host uses Google cloud server hosting instead of traditional shared or dedicated hosting for increased speed, scalability, flexibility, and reliability. As a Google Cloud Premium Tier user, Kinsta taps into some of the highest fiber network speeds, reaching up to 10,000 TB per second in some areas.

For WordPress hosting, the MyKinsta dashboard is made specifically with WordPress in mind. You will find WordPress features that you may not find with a traditional cPanel dashboard.

Pros

• Automatic backups can be set for as frequently as hourly and are saved for 14-30 days
• An excellent customer service team
• Uses Google cloud server hosting for increased speed

Cons

• The basic plan does not come with multi-site support
• Does not have email hosting, but recommends G Suite

Ease of Use

Kinsta eliminates the need for cPanel with its intuitive, user-friendly dashboard. Beginners and experienced web developers will benefit from this easy to understand dashboard panel.

However, some have experienced issues with establishing their domain. Kinsta provides a guide for configuring your domain and DNS settings, but it is not very user-friendly if you have no experience resolving this issue.

Features

High Security: Kinsta’s increased security monitors and blocks malicious attacks. Its 24/7 security helps you and your visitors feel at ease.

• DDoS detection
• Hardware firewalls
• Uptime monitoring
• SSL support
• Hack fix guarantee

Google Cloud Platform: Using the Google cloud platform allows Kinsta users access to its 24 global data centers for optimal speed. Google will also securely store and transport your data.

Free Site Migrations: Based on your account, you will have access to a certain amount of free site migrations. An expert from Kinsta’s migration team will move your data to a temporary domain to ensure that everything is as it should be before going live on your active domain.

Help and Support

Kinsta supports its customers with 24/7 chat support. Some users report its chat support has quicker response times than GoDaddy or WP Engine.

If you are looking to troubleshoot on your own, Kinsta also has a plethora of information to make your transition seamless. You can read deep dive guides on learning WordPress, troubleshoot with peers in the knowledge base, subscribe to Kinsta’s blog, and take advantage of free updates. Plus, Kinsta sometimes offers free migrations from select web hosts to take that stress off of your plate.

Value for Money

Despite Kinsta not offering a free trial, they provide a 30-day money-back guarantee on their services, including their WordPress hosting. The plan you choose is also very transparent. Each plan tells you how many monthly visitors it supports, how much free storage you are entitled to, how long your backup retention is available, and more.

Like other services, Kinsta also runs discount specials for those who purchase annual plans instead of monthly. Choosing a yearly plan will get you two months of service for free in savings.

4. Flywheel

Great for Beginners

If you are new to WordPress hosting or do not have a developer platform, you can still easily transfer over your WordPress data and create a professional, modern website through Flywheel. Flywheel offers many features that benefit beginners like free migration support, website staging, automated backups, and free demo sites.

Like others on this list, Flywheel utilizes the Google cloud platform for their hosting infrastructure. This provides a stable hosting environment as well as faster loading speeds.

Pros

• Clean, user-friendly interface
• Migrate your existing website for free
• All sites have a dedicated IP addresses

Cons

• Does not sell domains, so you’ll need to purchase your domain through another service
• You cannot get email hosting through Flywheel

Ease of Use

Flywheel offers easy to understand features to help streamline your development process.

• Modern, intuitive dashboard
• Packaged themes and plugins
• One-click local development

WordPress hosting novices will benefit from Flywheel’s free WordPress migration and optimization. You don’t need to be an experienced web developer to set up an account, migrate your data over, and create a visually appealing website through Flywheel.

Features

Demo sites: Flywheel offers free demo sites to new users looking to try out their service. You can create multiple password-protected demo sites to get a feel for the system without having to provide your billing information.

Managed hosting: Flywheel is a WordPress exclusive host, and as such, they have mastered migration, support, and technical updates to provide a seamless transition of your WordPress data. You will also benefit from the increased security and cached data and performance optimization from Flywheel’s managed service.

Website staging: Utilize your test environment to make changes to your website before going live to your followers and visitors without additional servers or plugins.

Help and Support

Flywheel’s live chat service is available 24/7/365, as is the email ticket support desk. Telephone customer service is only available for plans at $250 per month or more.

To troubleshoot on your own, look at the video tutorials, blog entries, eBooks, and help documents that Flywheel continues to release.

Value for Money

Flywheel is one of the midrange WordPress hosts on this list, and you can try it for free for 14 days. If you are an individual or small business with one WordPress page, you will be fine with the Tiny or Starter packages, which start at $15 per month.

However, if you are a larger business or need to host multiple WordPress pages, you will need a Freelance or Agency package, which starts at $115 per month. Like with some of the other options on our list, you can save two months by purchasing annually instead of monthly.

The moneyback guarantee window is shorter with Flywheel than with other WordPress hosts. Monthly users only have three days to claim a refund for dissatisfaction, whereas annual subscribers have 30 days.

5. GoDaddy

Best On-The-Go Service

GoDaddy may be best known as a domain registrar, but its services expand far beyond establishing a website domain. Create a GoDaddy account to take advantage of their web security, website building, email hosting, and WordPress hosting services.

Being one of the most established WordPress hosts on this list, GoDaddy offers certain features that you won’t find anywhere else. GoDaddy is the only WordPress host on this list that has an app so you can manage your website from your phone or tablet.

Pros

• Download mobile app for on-the-go website management
• You can choose between Windows and Linux hosting
• Most plans offer unlimited websites

Cons

• Customer support can sometimes be inconsistent
• You may run into some upsells at checkout or find that certain discounts are only applied when you meet specific criteria

Ease of Use

Users who reviewed GoDaddy remarked at its ease of use. It is excellent for beginners looking for WordPress hosting. However, more experienced users may find the lack of creative control limiting.

Features

GoDaddy is a full-service WordPress host that offers many different features. However, some may be at an additional cost.

Free domain: Once GoDaddy’s bread and butter, your domain is now included in any WordPress hosted website for a savings of $34.99 per year.

Website backup: You can backup your data for up to 90 days when you enable GoDaddy’s backup restore feature. While they are not automated, you have the option to schedule backups, create on-demand, or download your data.

Security: Your account entitles you to an automatic Sucuri plugin, which provides automatic daily malware scanning to protect your site from malicious attacks.?

Help and Support

GoDaddy offers 24/7 phone and chat support for its customers. Search their global directory for customer service phone numbers within and outside of the United States. GoDaddy currently has customer service support numbers for over 50 countries worldwide.

Visit the Help Center to search common issues by topic. You will find help documents on everything from getting set up to marketing to adding appointments, events, or products.

Value for Money

GoDaddy is frequently offering discounts and special offers on their packages. Currently, they are slashing their $9.99 basic WordPress hosting plan to $5. However, this only applies to new hosting plans, and packages renew at standard pricing.

If you are looking to add email hosting to your GoDaddy website, you will pay an additional monthly fee. Email hosting plans are free for the first year but then transfer to a paid subscription. You also cannot get free SSL for your website unless you purchase the Ultimate plan or higher.

All of your purchases are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied.

6. HostGator

Great for US-based Customers

HostGator is a fast, reliable WordPress host for US-based individuals, blogs, and businesses. Unfortunately, their data centers are only located within the United States, but they provide a fast and stable platform.

Pros

• Provide a 99.9% uptime guarantee
• Offer unlimited storage space
• Extended 45-day guarantee

Cons

• Slower response times from customer support team than competitors
• Must pay an additional fee to restore data from backups

Ease of Use

HostGator is easier to navigate than others on this list. The cPanel dashboard is very user friendly and provides all of the necessary account, billing, hosting, domain, and support tabs and icons without becoming overwhelming.

Features

You can create WordPress hosting sites through Windows and Linux with each offering various features to enhance your experience.

Free migration: Even beginners can transfer their existing WordPress website to HostGator with the help of their WordPress customer support experts, and this is included with any package.

Email hosting: HostGator uses G Suite to host your email at no additional cost to you. Create unlimited email addresses at your domain with this professional and convenient service.

Increased website performance: HostGator allows more visitors to visit your website each month than its competitors. Even the starter plan allows for up to 100k visitors per month.

Help and Support

HostGator provides its customers with 24/7/365 live chat and phone support. You can also troubleshoot or search answers to your questions in their knowledge base, which has extensive information on advanced troubleshooting, cPanel, domains, hosting products, and more.

Value for Money

If you are new to WordPress hosting, and looking to try out different services, take advantage of HostGator’s low introductory rates. However, these rates do jump after your first year.?

All plans come with free Let’s Encrypt SSL security support, and you can build your business with a $100 credit for Google AdWords after you spend your first $25 through HostGator. If you are not satisfied with HostGator, you have 45 days to claim your money-back guarantee, which is longer than most competitors.

7. DreamHost

Great for Developers?

While DreamHost may not be the household name that BlueHost or GoDaddy is, it has become a cult favorite for developers and designers. WordPress also endorses them as a reliable hosting platform.

Pros

• Provide one-click software installation
• You can host unlimited sites and unlimited subdomains
• Unlimited bandwidth

Cons

• Less user-friendly control panel than competitors
• Many features, including optimized WordPress hosting, costs extra

Ease of Use

While DreamHost’s control panel boasts a clean, modern design, it may not be intuitive for all users, especially those used to cPanel dashboards.

If you are an experienced web developer, you may appreciate the advanced customization you can do with DreamHost, but this may become daunting if you are a beginner.

Features

Unlimited bandwidth and storage: DreamHost does not cap your limit on disk space with its shared hosting.

Domain hosting: While they may not be as well known as other domain hosts, you have access to a free domain with your DreamHost subscription.

Instant WordPress setup: For hosting plans that support multiple websites, DreamHost offers their one-click installer to install WordPress within seconds.

Help and Support

As a DreamHost customer, you can access support through their website or directly on your control panel. They provide 24/7 chat support with a tech as well as a knowledge base and discussion forums where you can talk with peers who may have encountered the same issue as you.

Value for Money

DreamHost is less expensive than some competitors, but even its introductory rates only last three months. The basic WordPress hosting plan starts at $4.95 per month, then increases to $6.99 per month after your first three months. If you prepay a longer-term plan, you can benefit from additional savings.

8. SiteGround

Great Boutique-Style Solution

Because it is less known than some of the major WordPress hosts, SiteGround still provides a small, boutique feel to web development. It provides a custom solution at a reasonable price for your blog, business, or store. The well-trained staff provides expert, personalized support to get your website up and running.

Pros

• Managed WordPress host providing exclusive support and one-click staging
• Automated, free daily backups
• Access to six data centers located around the world

Cons

• Not a lot of SSD space for each plan
• Introductory price is low, but all plans renew at higher prices

Ease of Use

SiteGround has an intuitive backend interface that you can customize based on your preferences. The dashboard is a clean, modern design that is easy to follow and doesn’t overwhelm you with too many pages or information.

Features

Daily restores: Even its most basic account has free daily backups to protect your data. If you need something that was removed, you can take advantage of the one-click restore feature.

100% energy match: environmentally-conscious customers will appreciate SiteGround’s 100% energy match. SiteGround works with Google Cloud, their site partner, to match 100% of the energy consumed by its global operations with renewable energy to maintain a commitment to carbon neutrality.

Managed WordPress: All SiteGround plans can take advantage of free WordPress migration. SiteGround also provides customers with a WordPress site building wizard, automated updates, expert support, a staging tool, and more.

Help and Support

All GoGeek and higher plans provide advanced priority support to customers. Advanced support customers are assigned a support agent, and your support tickets are given priority response.

Value for Money

SiteGround is currently $6.99 per month for the StartUp package, but it is normally $14.99 per month. With this basic package, you get free SSL, email, managed WordPress, backups, and more. SiteGround provides a 30-Days Money-Back guarantee to provide customer peace of mind.

How to Choose a WordPress Host

Like with other web development, you should consider which features and design elements matter the most to you when choosing a WordPress host.

Ease of Use

If you are new to WordPress hosting and are looking for an easy-to-build template, you should consider Flywheel or Bluehost. They have extensive libraries of templates that will make your page stand out.

Features and Plugins

All of the WordPress hosts on this list offer various apps and plugins to give you an integrated experience that simplifies your website development. Some of these plugins are paid while others are free. Consider which options are worth the money and whether they come standard through other packages.

GoDaddy offers many features that you can add to your website to enhance the user experience.

Value for Money

Free services often seem most appealing, but some can be limiting regarding the features they offer or the number of templates you can access.

Most mid-range WordPress hosting services will help you get the best return on your investment.

Help and Support

24/7 support is ideal when you run into an issue. Still, many WordPress hosting services also allow you access to community forums, FAQ pages, demo pages, and other tutorials to enable you to build your best website.

Can You Use a Free WordPress Host?

Some of the hosting websites on this list provide a free WordPress option. There are also other WordPress hosting options that do not have all of the features of these top picks but offer a free choice if you cannot budget for a paid subscription.

• WordPress.com
• AccuWeb Hosting
• AwardSpace
• InfinityFree
• Freehostia

8 Best WordPress Hosting Roundup

Here is a quick snapshot of the top WordPress Hosting websites.

Best WordPress Hosting

1. WP Engine – Best overall
2. Bluehost – Best value for money
3. Kinsta – Great for customer service
4. Flywheel – Great for beginners
5. GoDaddy – Best on-the-go service
6. HostGator – Great for US-based customers
7. DreamHost – Great for developers?
8. SiteGround – Great boutique-style solution

Conclusion

While WordPress was initially designed to support blogs, it has grown to accommodate ecommerce and other businesses. Its user-friendly platform makes it great for beginners and less time consuming for website professionals.

Choosing a WordPress host will allow you to access customizable templates and features to set your website apart. Most WordPress hosts integrate smoothly with WordPress and provide user-friendly interfaces that you can operate with little or no web support staff.

FAQs

If you’re still unsure which WordPress host is best for you or your business, consider these frequently asked questions.

What is WordPress Hosting?

WordPress hosting provides a stable platform for your website that improves SEO and provides increased security. While additional features may vary based on the host, they are all usually equipped for one-click installation to easily integrate with WordPress. In general, hosting WordPress through another platform allows for enhanced security like SSL features and improved performance.

There are two different kinds of WordPress hosting.

• Shared hosting: Least expensive option
• Managed hosting: A more expensive option, but allows for higher website speeds and more secure access

How Does WordPress Benefit You?

If you are looking to optimize your search results, WordPress uses SEO tools to allow your website to show up in more search results. WordPress hosts often have their own SEO coding that allows for a cleaner website with increased SEO.

Can You Use WordPress Hosting Without A WordPress Website?

While managed WordPress hosting is only available for WordPress users, it is sometimes allowable through shared hosting. Shared hosting is mostly done with WordPress as the plugin, so you can opt not to include that plugin when building your website.

The post Best WordPress Hosting 2023 : 8 Reliable Hosting Companies for Guaranteed Uptime appeared first on WebMonkey.

Is Duda the right website builder for you? Read on to learn everything you need to know to make the right decision.

What are the Pros and Cons of Duda?

Let’s start with a rundown of Duda’s strengths and weaknesses.

Pros

• The user journey feature allows you to customize how different customers will experience your site, based on factors like their location or the number of times they’ve visited.
• Drag and drop set-up is very easy to use; while Duda often markets itself to professional web designers, amateurs looking to create their very first site should still be able to navigate without much trouble.
• Massive variety of templates: more than 90 templates from which to choose gives users a significant amount of flexibility.
• Top of the line page loading speeds.

Cons

• On the pricier side: there is no free option, and the least expensive pricing tier costs $14/mo, and only if you pay for the full year upfront.
• Their templates are heavily structured. While there is a significant amount of flexibility in choosing the template, your creativity within those templates will be limited.
• Small app store and very limited marketing features compared to some competing options.

Overview

Every 17 seconds, someone creates a new website using Duda Website Builder. Why? Duda bills itself as “the fastest website builder out there,” and has an array of impressive features and attractive design templates. It’s also easy to use, and while they often market themselves towards web designers, Duda should be accessible for anyone no matter your level of experience.

Before we dive into the details, though, let’s take a step back and look at the basics.

What are Website Builders?

Gone are the days where you have to be a coding expert to create a website. In recent years, many services have emerged to help anyone design a website and get it live. What was once a relatively small industry has blossomed into a large, competitive one.

That competition has pushed many of these site builders to occupy their own specific niches. The perfect option for one customer may not work for others. Where once upon a time, users may have been picking between just a few website builders, which all had much the same features, now you have to do considerable research to find which is the right option for you.

One of these top options is Duda Website Builder. It’s certainly not as simple as a roundup of pros and cons; let’s dive into each category, so you can make an informed decision as to whether Duda is the right website builder for you.

Ease of Use

Duda is a drag and drop website builder, with an intuitive set up that allows users of any level experience to navigate the site with ease. Duda offers a staggering number of templates, allowing for a significant amount of flexibility in design and appearance.

The structures are extremely structured, which has both benefits and drawbacks. Naturally, that hems you in a bit. Many site builders have significantly more flexibility within each template. That’s not the case with Duda. What you see is largely what you get, and each element will typically be contained to its original location.

However, much of that is countered by the high volume of templates. While you don’t have much creativity within individual templates, there is still plenty of overall variety within the design process.

And the structure can be a blessing in disguise. With some web design services, you can suffer from paralysis by analysis—the amount of choice you have can leave you on an endless quest for perfection. With Duda, though, you just choose one of the many templates, and many of those decisions are made for you.

Further, signing up for the service and the free trial is quick and easy as well. You can go from not having an account to creating a website in a matter of minutes. Overall, Duda grades very well on ease of use.

Design Quality

So we know that Duda is intuitive to use and beginner-friendly. But what is it, exactly, that these beginners can create? In the end, nothing else about a web designer matters if it doesn’t create high quality, professional sites. If your site looks poor, people will assume the same about you and your business.

Luckily, that’s not an issue with Duda. Far from it, in fact. Duda’s design templates are super-polished, with a clean appearance that conveys an air of professionalism. And, as we mentioned, there are upwards of 90 from which to choose. No matter what type of business you have, and what type of message you’re trying to convey with your site, odds are Duda has a polished, attractive template to match.

As we mentioned, Duda does not give you nearly as much flexibility to alter elements as many competitors. However, we don’t necessarily consider that a bad thing. While there are certainly drawbacks to this style, much of it is because Duda truly believes in what they’ve created.

The templates are all highly curated, and rather than focusing on creative freedom, Duda focuses on allowing the user to choose a template they already love and leaving the elements as they are.

Categories

If the number of templates feels a little overwhelming, never fear. Duda allows you to filter the templates by category. Choose one of their ten categories, including business, lifestyle, travel, and eCommerce, and you’ll only be shown the templates Duda believes are relevant to what you’re trying to create.

Preview Mode

It makes sense that you wouldn’t want to commit to a template before seeing what it looks like. Thankfully, Duda allows you to preview your template. Best of all, that’s not just on web browsers but also on phones and tablets.

A template will look different depending on the platform on which you’re viewing it, so it’s essential to be able to preview it on every device. You’re also able to customize certain aspects of the design for different platforms, so it will look excellent no matter how a user is viewing your site.

Reliability and Performance

Not all information about Duda’s infrastructure and networks is public, but based on what we do know, Duda scores quite well in this regard.

Hosting

All Duda websites are cloud hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS), no matter what membership tier you choose, and more bandwidth-intensive files are all hosted by Duda’s Global Content Delivery Network (CDN).

Backups

Duda offers automatic backups, as well as manual backup options as well. You can revert back to one of 20 stored automatic backups, or one of ten stored manual backups.

Speed

Here is one of Duda’s greatest strengths. Duda has preferred status on Google PageSpeed, one of very few website builders to do so. That means Duda sites utilize Google’s best practices for optimizing page loading times.

There’s nothing you need to do in order to improve page speeds, as every Duda site is optimized for performance. And speed doesn’t just matter for speed itself; Google’s SEO algorithms favor faster-loading sites. Customers will enjoy the faster loading times, and they’ll also have an easier time finding your site in the first place because of them.

Duda also uses dynamic serving, which means your site’s performance will be tailored according to the type of device the user is accessing it from. That means mobile users will get to access the faster-loading mobile site, for example.

Security

Duda offers free SSL encryption certification by request.

Tools and Features

Duda is quite a mixed bag in terms of tools and features. It has some of the best and most unique features available on the market, but it also lacks several vital basics. Let’s take a look at a few of the most important features you need to know about.

App Store

Here’s an area where Duda falls a bit short. Most website builders have an app store that allows you to incorporate apps into your site seamlessly. For years, Duda didn’t have one at all. They’ve added one recently, but it’s still less extensive than that of many competitors.

Customization

Many users will want total control over their website's appearance, and this is an area where Duda is fairly strong. As we mentioned, the individual templates are quite structured and don’t offer much customization. However, users still have considerable control in this regard because of the sheer volume of templates.

The customization does not stop there either. Duda offers an excellent collection of over 100 styles of font. Further, there is a wide array of customizable widgets that you can deploy on your website. While this certainly doesn’t make up for the lack of an app store, it does help.

User Journey

Now we come to Duda’s calling card feature: the User Journey. This is a truly unique feature that gives users control over the way specific visitors experience your website based on myriad features, including their location and whether or not this is the first time they’ve visited the site.

For example, you can trigger specific pop-ups for someone’s first visit that won’t reappear on subsequent visits. Or, you can provide special offers for people visiting from an IP address close to your business. The user journey feature also gives you increased control over your data collection, which can be incredibly valuable.

Photo Editing

Duda also comes with a built-in photo editing feature. Users can upload images from your computer, from the included stock library, or from image-hosting sites like Dropbox or Flickr. You can also simply upload an image from the web. If you’re looking to add many images at once, that’s no problem with Duda.

Then, you can crop, resize, apply filters, or more using the embedded Aviary photo editor.

SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is imperative to make sure users can find your site. SEO factors determine where different sites rank on search engines like Google. Duda does have some automatic SEO features, including:

• Support for 301 redirects
• Automatic integration with certain social media sites
• Customizable meta-data
• Automatic sitemaps

However, many website designers have SEO support services, and some even customize your SEO approach based on your specific goals or business plan. Duda does not have any such features.

Pricing Summary

Unfortunately, Duda does not have a free price tier. That is definitely a bit of a blow to the value you can get from the site, and will likely be a dealbreaker for many potential users. However, they do offer a 14-day free trial, with no credit card required.

Once your free trial is up, Duda offers three different pricing tiers. Let's take a look at them one by one:

Basic

As the name would suggest, the basic price tier is the simplest and least expensive Duda has to offer. It comes in at $14/mo if paid upfront annually, $19/mo if paid monthly, and provides bare bones features and support. It includes one website, hosted on AWS. And if you require customer support, you’ll only have access to their email support service.

That said, you’ll still have access to the rest of Duda’s full complement of website building features and templates. If you’re just looking to create a simple site without any bells and whistles, you might consider the Basic plan.

Team

The Team tier is the next level up, and costs just a bit more. It comes in at $22/mo on an annual payment plan, and $29/mo if you pay monthly. Like the Basic plan, it includes just one website but features far more support and a few bonus features.

Where basic members only have access to customer support via email, team members have access to email, phone, and chat support. Further, you can have your brand logo on each part of the site, on top of additional client interaction features and team access for up to four members.

If you just want to construct one site, we believe the Team plan offers the best value for your dollar.

Agency

Finally, the high-end price plan is the Agency tier. Agency is the perfect level for someone who plans on creating a larger number of websites, as it allows you to save on scale. While it comes in at a much pricier $74/mo on the yearly scale and $99/mo if you choose to pay monthly, you get a lot for your money.

That starts with eight websites per account. On the yearly plan, that comes out to $9.25/mo per site—substantially less per site than even the basic plan. Further, the Agency plan includes brand logos in every area of the site, access for up to ten team members, advanced client data capabilities, and priority customer support access.

As one would expect, the plan that costs a premium price comes with the most premium features. If you’re a larger organization or a freelance web designer who will be creating pages in bulk for your clients, the Agency plan is the way to go.

ECommerce Add-Ons

The above pricing plans were all for the basic website building features. However, that isn’t all Duda has to offer. If you’re looking to start an eCommerce site, Duda has add-ons to help you out… but they’ll cost you a bit more.

Pricing is determined by the number of products you plan on selling. If you’re a small business looking to sell 100 or fewer products, that will cost you $7.25/mo. For $19.25/mo, you can sell up to 2,500 products. And if that’s not quite enough, you can sell an unlimited number of products for an additional $39/mo.

Customer Service

As we briefly touched on earlier, Duda has several different customer support methods, access to which is determined by the price plan you choose.

Basic users only have access to email support—there are no live support options at this tier. That means if you want real time customer support from human staff you’ll have to invest in one of the higher tiers.

Team level members, on the other hand, have access to email support, phone support, and a live chat. Finally, at the Agency tier you’ll get access to all three types of support, along with priority email response.

Help Center and Resource Center

In addition to these three methods of contacting customer support representatives, there are a few other ways to get help. The Duda Help Center features an array of written resources on different subjects ranging from web design to billing. If you have a question and can’t access a live representative, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to find the answer you need here.

Further, there’s a Resource Center that features marketing materials, product updates, and even live webinars. Finally, there’s also an AI chat bot that you can try, though it is typically quite limited. You’re unlikely to find much in the chat bot that you wouldn’t find faster in the help center.

FAQs

Now you know some of the details about Duda Website Builder, but there’s likely still a few more things you want to know. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about Duda.

How Do I Cancel My Duda Account?

No one wants to invest in a paid service without knowing what will happen if they decide to cancel. Even with a high-quality service like Duda, some users will find that it’s not what they’re looking for. And others will merely have a change in plans. So what do you do in these situations?

Thankfully, Duda offers hassle-free cancellation. Simply go to the Payment Info section of your account, and switch off the auto-pay option. Your website will remain live until the end of the current pay period, and then it will be unpublished thereafter.

If, for whatever reason, you want your website to be taken down immediately, you can click the Unpublish button in your site editor.

Do I Get a Free Domain with Duda?

Many site providers offer a free domain along with an account. Duda, however, does not. While this may not be an issue for many, when you pair it with the fact that Duda already doesn’t have a free pricing tier, that could make it altogether unsuitable for users on a budget.

What is the Enterprise Plan?

Users who have already done some research may have noticed that there was an additional price plan that we hadn’t covered previously.

The Enterprise plan is a comprehensive subscription tier designed for large businesses that manage hundreds of websites. It includes unlimited team members, team training and onboarding, and many more premium features. Naturally, such a plan costs a pretty penny.

Odds are, if you’re reading this article, you’re likely looking to make a website for yourself, your small business, or for a client, so you likely won’t have any need for what makes the Enterprise plan stand out. But if you’re interested in learning more, check it out here.

Is Duda Suitable for Blogging?

Website users often want to include a blog on their site. Blogging can be an excellent way to connect with potential customers and promote your business. Accordingly, many users will prioritize website builders with strong blog integration.

Duda does have blogging capabilities, but they’re very limited, and it doesn’t have the same features (including a newsletter) as some more powerful alternatives. If blogging is something you’re interested in passively for your site, Duda will do the job. But if it’s a priority for you, we recommend you look elsewhere.

Can I Export My Duda Site?

Unfortunately, at this time, there is no way to export your Duda site to another host. Despite the fact that Duda uses a common cloud hosting service (AWS), Duda is an SaaS platform, which per Duda means your site can’t be ported to another host.

What Are Some Alternatives to Duda?

Duda Website Builder has a lot of strengths, but it doesn’t necessarily fit for everyone. If you think Duda might not be the best for you, there are a few other website builders that might fit you a bit better.

• Squarespace: likely the most well-known website builder, Squarespace is an ideal option for people who prioritize ease of use and SEO capabilities.
• Wix: an excellent overall option, Wix doesn’t have as much design versatility as Duda, but you do have more control within individual templates, and Wix offers more in the way of powerful features as well.
• WordPress: a fairly unique site builder, WordPress is an excellent option for users who prioritize blogging. However, you’ll have to be at least a bit familiar with coding in order to get the most out of WordPress.
• Weebly: Weebly has limited design flexibility and features, so if a top of the line site is what you’re looking for, Weebly isn’t your best bet. But it is a much cheaper and quicker option than Duda; if your goal is to get a website off the ground with as little fuss and financial investment as possible, you should consider Duda.

Each web designer has its own set of strengths and weaknesses, as you can see.

Final Thoughts

A quality website is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. Prospective customers are going to make a snap judgment about you or your company based on what they see on your website; an amateur website will give off the impression that you’re an amateur operation. Thankfully, it’s become easier than ever to create a high-quality, professional website thanks to the proliferation of website builders.

One of the top options is Duda. Duda Website Builder is near the best in the market in certain key areas. Duda’s variety of templates is unmatched, and each and every one of the nearly 100 templates that they offer is polished and professional. Duda also features lightning-quick loading speeds, as one of the only website builders preferred by Google PageSpeed; that doesn’t just enhance your user experience, it also helps boost your SEO.

Further, Duda offers its unique User Journey feature, which allows you to customize the experience of users on your site depending on specific factors like location.

But like any product, Duda isn’t perfect. They have limited features compared to some competitors, and aren’t the most wallet-friendly as they don’t offer a free option. Their templates are also heavily structured; users looking for maximum creative control will want to look elsewhere.

Overall, though, Duda is an excellent option. If you’re not shopping with a tight budget in mind, Duda Website Builder could be the perfect option for you.

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