WPBakery vs Elementor Comparison: Which is Better for Your Project?

In the dynamic world of website building and design, choosing the right page builder is crucial for the success of your online presence. WordPress WPBakery vs Elementor is often a dilemma, as they are some of the most popular and widely used WordPress page builders 

Here, we aim to provide a comprehensive comparison between the two, helping you determine which page builder is better suited for your website.

What is WPBakery?

Formerly known as Visual Composer, this is a popular drag-and-drop builder plugin used in WordPress design and development services. It’s known for its versatility and ease of use, making it a preferred choice for a wide range of WP users.

Overview of WPBakery Page Builder

It started as Visual Composer, one of the pioneering drag-and-drop tools for WordPress. The builder allows users to create custom page layouts in a visual manner without needing to write code.

It offers both frontend and backend editing capabilities, giving users flexibility in how they design and manage their website’s content.

Key Features and Benefits

• Drag-and-Drop Interface: Simplifies the page-building process with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, making it accessible for users of all skill levels.
• Wide Range of Elements: Comes with a vast array of content elements and templates, enabling users to build diverse and complex page layouts.
• Third-Party Add-ons: A large ecosystem of third-party add-ons and extensions enhances its functionality and design options.
• Responsive Design Options: Provides tools to create mobile-responsive websites, ensuring compatibility across various devices.
• Compatibility: Generally, the builder is compatible with most WordPress themes, offering users flexibility in choosing their website’s design. It’s also compatible with popular plugins such as WooCommerce and Contact Form 7.

Typical Use Cases and User Base

WPBakery is popular among beginners and intermediate developers. Its ease of use and flexibility make it suitable for a wide audience, including bloggers, small business owners, and web developers.

Use Cases:

• Business Websites
• Blogs and Personal Sites
• Landing Pages and Marketing Sites
• E-commerce Sites

WPBakery stands out for its ease of use, extensive plugin compatibility, and a broad range of functionalities, making it a robust tool for various web projects in the WordPress ecosystem.

What is Elementor?

What is Elementor? A highly acclaimed and widely used page builder for WP, renowned for its user-friendly interface and customization capabilities. It has rapidly grown in popularity, becoming a top choice for many users.

Overview of Elementor Page Builder

Elementor was launched to provide users with an advanced yet intuitive tool for website design and development. It stands out for its real-time drag-and-drop interface, allowing users to see their changes live as they build.

The tool offers a wide range of widgets and templates, facilitating the creation of professional-looking websites without any need for coding. It supports responsive design, ensuring websites look great on all devices.

Key Features and Benefits

• Intuitive Drag-and-Drop Editor: The builder’s ease of use is one of its most significant advantages, allowing even beginners to create beautiful websites.
• Extensive Template Library: Comes with a large collection of pre-designed templates that can be customized to fit any need.
• Responsive Design Control: Offers comprehensive tools to adjust and optimize websites for mobile, tablet, and desktop viewing.
• Powerful Widgets: Includes a variety of widgets for adding features like sliders, testimonials, and social media integrations.
• Theme Builder: Allows users to design entire themes, including headers, footers, and blog post layouts, offering complete design control over the site.

Typical Use Cases and User Base

The tool is favored by a diverse range of users, from DIY website builders and bloggers to professional web designers and developers.

Use Cases:

• Professional Business Sites
• Creative Portfolios
• E-commerce Platforms
• Custom Landing Pages

The builder’s comprehensive feature set, combined with an intuitive interface, makes it an excellent tool for building a wide array of website types.

WPBakery vs Elementor Comparison: Which Is Better

Features	WPBakery	Elementor
Interface and Ease of Use	More friendly for developers.	Friendly for beginners and even developers.
Pricing	Starts at $59.	Starts free.
Elements and Widgets	50+ widgets available.	40 available for free. 100+ with the paid version.
Compatibility with themes and plugins	Works seamlessly with popular themes and plugins.	Compatible with a wide range of themes and plugins.
SEO functionality	Short codes may impact SEO.	Excellent SEO functionality, slight page load impact.
Template library	100+ templates available.	100+ templates available
Support	Great support + community support.	Responsive support + thriving community.

Ease of Use

User Interface Comparison

• WPBakery: Offers a backend and frontend editor. The backend editor might feel less intuitive to modern users but provides detailed control.
• Elementor: Primarily a frontend, drag-and-drop editor with a real-time live preview, making it highly intuitive.

Learning Curve for Beginners

• WPBakery: Slightly steeper learning curve due to its dual-editor system, with the front end editor enabled by default.
• Elementor: Generally considered more beginner-friendly due to its straightforward, live-editing interface.

Workflow Efficiency for Experienced Developers

• WPBakery: Offers more control to developers comfortable with shortcodes and backend editing.
• Elementor: Streamlines the design process, especially with its extensive widget library and template kits.

Design Capabilities

Design Options and Flexibility

• WPBakery: Good range of design options but can be limiting in advanced design scenarios.
• Elementor: Superior flexibility with more advanced design capabilities.

Templates and Blocks

• WPBakery: Wide range of templates available through third-party sources.
• Elementor: Extensive library of pre-built templates and blocks.

Customization and Styling Options

• WPBakery: Offers a decent range of styling options, but may require custom CSS for advanced styling.
• Elementor: Superior styling options with more control over details.

Elements and Widgets

Variety and Quality

• WPBakery: Good selection of elements, but quality can vary across third-party add-ons.
• Elementor: Larger selection of high-quality widgets and elements.

Extensibility with Third-Party Addons

• Both offer extensive third-party add-ons, enhancing their functionality and element variety.

Elementor vs WPBakery Performance

WPBakery vs Elementor Speed

• WPBakery: Can be heavier, potentially impacting load times.
• Elementor: Generally optimized for performance, though page size can become an issue with excessive widget use.

Code Quality and Page Output

• WPBakery: Generates more shortcodes, which can affect code cleanliness.
• Elementor: Produces cleaner code, beneficial for long-term site maintenance.

Responsiveness and Mobile Optimization

Tools for Mobile-Friendly Designs

• Both provide tools to adjust designs for mobile, but Elementor offers more intuitive and finer control.

Responsive Design Controls and Preview Options

• WPBakery: Basic responsive controls.
• Elementor: Advanced responsive design controls and preview options for different devices.

WPBakery Page Builder vs Elementor: SEO Considerations

SEO Features and Plugin Compatibility

• Both are compatible with major SEO plugins like Yoast, but Elementor’s cleaner code structure might offer a slight edge in SEO.

Impact on Search Engine Rankings

• Dependent more on content and overall website optimization. Both builders are capable but require proper SEO practices.

Pricing and Value for Money

Free vs. Premium Versions

• WPBakery: No free version; only paid.
• Elementor: Offers a powerful free version, with premium plans providing additional advanced features.

Pricing Structures

• WPBakery: Single license purchase.
• Elementor: Annual subscription model with different tiers.

Long-Term Value

• Elementor: Generally considered to provide better value, especially with its robust free version.

Support and Community

Customer Support and Documentation

• Both offer good customer support, but Elementor has more extensive documentation and tutorials available.

User Community

• Elementor: Larger, more active community, providing a rich source of shared knowledge and third-party resources.
• WPBakery: Established user base, but community engagement is less dynamic.

Integration with Other Plugins

Compatibility

• Both integrate well with most WordPress plugins, including WooCommerce.

Integration with Marketing Tools and CRMs

• Elementor offers better integration capabilities, particularly with modern marketing tools and CRMs.

Real-World User Experiences

Websites Built with Elementor:

• The New Yorker: This iconic magazine’s website has utilized the builder for its online presence, showcasing a mix of news, culture, and entertainment content.
• Goodreads: A well-known website for book lovers, offering user-generated book reviews, recommendations, and a community for readers.
• Tripadvisor: This famous travel platform is known for its extensive collection of traveler reviews and opinions on accommodations, restaurants, experiences, and more.
• Evernote: The popular note-taking and organization app’s website is also built using the tool, highlighting its features and offerings.
• Sonic Drive-In: This popular fast-food chain’s website, showcasing their menu and promotions, is another example of an Elementor-built site.

Websites Built with WPBakery:

• TechCrunch: A leading technology media website, offering the latest tech news and information, utilizes WPBakery for its layout and design.
• Harvard University: The renowned educational institution’s official website also uses WPBakery for certain aspects of its web design.
• The Next Web (TNW): A popular site for international technology news, business, and culture, built using WPBakery.
• WWE: The official website of the World Wrestling Entertainment, showcasing wrestling news and entertainment, is built using WPBakery.
• Toyota Brazil: The Brazilian branch of the automotive giant uses WPBakery for its website, highlighting their vehicles and services.

Bottom Line: So, while both are competent WordPress page builders, Elementor tends to offer greater ease of use, design flexibility, and a more modern interface. 

Conclusion

WordPress Elementor vs WPBakery each offer unique strengths and cater to different user needs and preferences. While the former shines with its user-friendly interface, extensive customization options, and strong community support, the latter holds its ground with its own set of loyal users who appreciate its specific functionalities and editing style.

Choose wisely and, when in doubt, come to ProCoders for help!