Your WordPress site’s page builder choice determines everything from daily workflow efficiency to long-term performance and scalability. With 53% of WordPress sites using one of the top ten page builders, making the wrong decision means rebuilding your entire site when switching becomes necessary.
The page builder market has matured significantly, with clear leaders emerging in different categories: Elementor dominates market share at roughly 30% of all WordPress sites reviewed, while newer competitors like Bricks Builder are capturing developer attention with performance-first architecture. This comparison examines the four most recommended builders in 2025 across features, performance, pricing, and ideal use cases.
Quick Comparison: Elementor vs Divi vs Beaver Builder vs Bricks
Before diving into detailed analysis, here’s how these builders stack up across key decision factors:
| Feature | Elementor Pro | Divi | Beaver Builder | Bricks Builder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $59/year (1 site) | $89/year (unlimited) | $89/year (1 site) | $79/year (1 site) |
| Lifetime Option | No | $249 one-time | No | $599 one-time |
| Design Elements | 100+ widgets | 200+ elements | 30+ core modules | 110+ elements |
| Theme Builder | Yes (Pro) | Yes (included) | Yes (via Themer) | Yes (included) |
| WooCommerce | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Performance Impact | Moderate-Heavy | Heavy | Light | Lightest |
| Best For | Feature-rich sites | Agencies, templates | Stable, simple builds | Performance-focused devs |
Elementor Pro: The Feature-Rich Market Leader
Elementor commands the largest market share for good reason: its combination of intuitive drag-and-drop editing, extensive widget library, and massive third-party ecosystem makes it the default choice for many WordPress users.
Key Strengths
Unmatched Third-Party Integration. The Elementor ecosystem includes thousands of add-ons, templates, and integrations. Whatever functionality you need, someone has probably built an Elementor add-on for it. This ecosystem advantage compounds over time as more developers target Elementor compatibility.
Editor V4 Improvements. The 2025-2026 updates introduce single div wrappers, CSS classes/states, unified styles, and responsive controls. These architectural changes address long-standing performance criticisms while maintaining backward compatibility.
AI Integration. Elementor’s AI features assist with content generation, image creation, and layout suggestions. The Ally accessibility tool scans and fixes 180+ accessibility issues automatically, which complements dedicated WordPress accessibility plugins for WCAG compliance.
Notable Limitations
Performance Overhead. Despite improvements, Elementor adds approximately 0.18 seconds to load time and 32.4 MB to page weight compared to lighter alternatives. Sites with dozens of Elementor-built pages require aggressive optimization to meet Core Web Vitals thresholds.
Annual Pricing Only. Unlike competitors offering lifetime licenses, Elementor requires ongoing annual payments. The Essential plan at $59/year covers single sites, scaling to $999/year for agency use across 1,000 sites.
Elementor Pricing Breakdown
- Essential: $59/year for 1 website
- Advanced: $99/year for up to 3 websites
- Expert: $199/year for up to 25 websites
- Agency: $999/year for up to 1,000 websites
View current pricing at elementor.com/pricing.
Divi: The All-in-One Value Proposition
Divi from Elegant Themes takes a different approach: unlimited site licensing bundled with additional tools. The $89/year subscription or $249 lifetime license includes not just Divi Builder but also the Extra theme, Bloom email opt-in plugin, and Monarch social sharing plugin.
Key Strengths
2,000+ Pre-Made Layouts. Divi’s template library dwarfs competitors. For agencies building multiple client sites, this translates to significant time savings on initial design phases.
Divi 5 Architecture. The ongoing Divi 5 rollout brings customizable responsive breakpoints, Loop Builder for dynamic content, Flexbox and CSS Grid layouts, and native WooCommerce modules. These updates modernize Divi’s technical foundation for WooCommerce checkout optimization.
Lifetime Licensing Value. At $249 one-time for unlimited sites, Divi offers the lowest long-term cost for agencies and developers managing multiple properties.
Notable Limitations
Heaviest Performance Impact. Divi generates the bulkiest frontend code among these four builders. The framework’s rendering-blocking CSS requires manual optimization work that other builders handle automatically. Pair with a quality WordPress caching plugin for best results.
Unique Interface Learning Curve. Divi’s inline editing approach differs from standard WordPress paradigms. Users comfortable with other builders may need adjustment time.
Divi Pricing Breakdown
- Yearly Access: $89/year for unlimited websites
- Lifetime Access: $249 one-time for unlimited websites
- Divi Pro (includes AI, Cloud, VIP): $277/year or $297 lifetime
View current pricing at elegantthemes.com/join.
Beaver Builder: The Stability Champion
Beaver Builder prioritizes reliability over feature count. Its conservative development approach means fewer breaking changes, cleaner output code, and simpler debugging when issues arise.
Key Strengths
Lightest Traditional Builder. Beaver Builder generates minimal HTTP requests and conditionally loads JavaScript. Performance tests consistently show faster load times than Elementor and Divi, with SEO benefits when paired with proper caching. For additional speed improvements, see our WordPress performance optimization tips.
Version 2.10 Accessibility Overhaul. Recent updates add semantic HTML structure, ARIA attributes, keyboard navigation, and reduced-motion support across core modules. This matters for sites requiring WCAG compliance.
Glitch-Free WYSIWYG Editing. The editing interface rarely breaks or produces unexpected results. For teams where multiple people edit content, this predictability reduces support tickets and training time.
Notable Limitations
Smaller Element Library. With approximately 30 core modules versus 100+ in Elementor, Beaver Builder relies more heavily on third-party add-ons for specialized functionality.
Basic Grid System. The row/column layout system lacks the advanced container and grid options found in competitors. Complex overlapping designs require workarounds.
Beaver Builder Pricing Breakdown
- Starter: $89/year for 1 website
- Plus: $179/year for up to 3 websites
- Professional: $299/year for up to 50 websites
- Unlimited (Agency): $546/year for unlimited websites
View current pricing at wpbeaverbuilder.com/pricing.
Bricks Builder: The Performance-First Contender
Bricks takes a fundamentally different approach by functioning as a theme rather than a plugin. This architectural decision eliminates compatibility layers and overhead that slow down traditional builders.
Key Strengths
Cleanest Code Output. Sites built with Bricks consistently score higher on Core Web Vitals without additional optimization. The builder generates minimal CSS and JavaScript, avoiding the duplication and bloat common in competitors.
Built-In Feature Replacements. Bricks includes native forms with spam protection, popups, mega menus, password protection, and frontend post creation. These built-in features eliminate the need for plugins that would cost $299-$499 annually elsewhere.
Developer-Friendly Architecture. Custom PHP, CSS, and JavaScript integration feels natural rather than bolted-on. Components enable scalable design systems, and query loops provide powerful dynamic content capabilities.
Notable Limitations
Steeper Learning Curve. Bricks assumes some HTML/CSS knowledge. Users comfortable with basic code benefit most; pure visual designers may find the interface less intuitive initially.
Smaller Ecosystem. As a newer builder, Bricks has fewer third-party add-ons and templates than established competitors. The growing community is active but not yet matching Elementor’s scale.
Bricks Builder Pricing Breakdown
- Starter: $79/year for 1 website
- Business: $149/year for up to 3 websites
- Agency: $249/year for unlimited websites
- Ultimate Lifetime: $599 one-time for unlimited websites
Local and staging sites don’t count against license limits, and all plans include the complete feature set. View current pricing at bricksbuilder.io/pricing.
Performance Comparison: Real-World Impact
Page builder performance directly affects search rankings through Core Web Vitals scores. Here’s how these builders compare under typical conditions:
Bricks Builder produces the leanest output by default. Test sites built with Bricks commonly pass Core Web Vitals without additional optimization plugins. The theme-based architecture eliminates plugin compatibility overhead entirely.
Beaver Builder follows closely with conditional asset loading and minimal JavaScript. Its conservative module approach avoids the DOM bloat that trips up other builders.
Elementor Pro requires more optimization work. The Editor V4 improvements help, but heavy template libraries and third-party add-ons accumulate overhead. Dedicated caching and asset optimization plugins become necessary for larger sites.
Divi demands the most performance attention. Framework-level CSS and JavaScript load regardless of which elements appear on individual pages. Manual configuration and professional caching solutions help but add complexity. Combining Divi with database optimization can help offset some overhead.
Which Builder Should You Choose?
The right choice depends on your specific priorities and constraints:
Choose Elementor Pro if you want the largest ecosystem, need extensive third-party integrations, or prioritize feature availability over performance optimization. The platform suits marketing sites, membership platforms, and projects where visual variety matters more than milliseconds.
Choose Divi if you’re an agency building many client sites and want predictable lifetime costs. The template library accelerates initial builds, and unlimited licensing keeps per-project costs low. Accept that each site will need performance optimization work.
Choose Beaver Builder if stability and reliability matter more than cutting-edge features. The builder suits corporate sites, institutions, and teams where multiple editors need a predictable interface. Accessibility compliance is straightforward with recent updates.
Choose Bricks Builder if performance is non-negotiable and you’re comfortable with developer-oriented tools. The builder excels for custom projects, sites where Core Web Vitals directly impact revenue, and developers who appreciate clean code architecture.
Migration Considerations
Switching page builders after building a site is painful regardless of which platforms are involved. Content exports as shortcode-laden markup that requires manual cleanup. Consider these factors before committing:
- Test your preferred builder on a staging site with realistic content volume
- Evaluate third-party add-ons you’ll need and their ongoing costs
- Check that your hosting environment meets the builder’s requirements
- Factor in team training time for the chosen interface
The page builder market continues evolving rapidly. Elementor’s Editor V4 addresses historical performance criticisms, Divi 5 modernizes its architecture, and Bricks gains ecosystem momentum. Whatever you choose today, plan to reassess in 18-24 months as these platforms mature.