What is a Page Builder?

A page builder typically uses a drag-and-drop interface, enabling us to add, rearrange, and customize elements such as text, images, and buttons with ease without having to code. With a page builder, we can design a site that looks polished, fits our brand, and functions as needed.

They are particularly useful for individuals and businesses who want to build professional-looking websites quickly, offering pre-designed templates and widgets to streamline the process. By making website development more accessible, page builders empower us to focus on design and content rather than complex technical aspects. Whether integrated into platforms like WordPress or offered as standalone services (like Wix or Squarespace), page builders cater to users of all skill levels, making them a popular choice for website creation today.

Why Use a Page Builder?

Page builders have become increasingly popular in recent years, especially for individuals and businesses looking to create professional websites without the need for extensive technical knowledge. Here are some of the key reasons to use a page builder:

Ease of Use

One of the most compelling reasons to use a page builder is its simplicity. Most page builders offer a drag-and-drop interface, allowing us to place and customize elements on a web page without writing a single line of code. This is especially valuable for non-technical users who need to create visually appealing websites but don’t have the skills or resources to work with HTML, CSS, or JavaScript. For example, tools like Elementor and Divi offer intuitive interfaces that even beginners can navigate easily. The learning curve is minimal, allowing us to create fully functional websites in a matter of hours, rather than days or weeks.

Speed and Efficiency

Page builders significantly reduce the time it takes to create a website. Pre-designed templates and ready-made content blocks make it easier to start building without having to reinvent the wheel. This feature is especially useful for businesses that need to launch their websites quickly. With a page builder, we can select a template, customize it, and publish our site in a fraction of the time it would take to hand-code a site from scratch. Platforms like Wix or Squarespace excel in this area, providing hundreds of templates that cater to various industries and website types.

Cost-Effective Solution

Hiring a professional web developer can be costly, especially for small businesses or individuals with limited budgets. A page builder provides a cost-effective alternative, as it eliminates the need for hiring professionals for basic web development tasks. Although some page builders may have premium versions or add-ons that come with a fee, they are generally far more affordable than custom development services. Free versions of page builders, such as Elementor for WordPress, still offer robust features that can be enough for basic website needs, making them a great option for those on a budget.

Customization and Flexibility

Page builders offer a high degree of customization, allowing us to tailor the design and functionality of our website to match our brand identity. With options to modify fonts, colors, layouts, and even add custom CSS for advanced styling, we have full control over how our website looks and operates. Most page builders also support a range of plugins and integrations, enabling us to add extra functionality such as e-commerce features, contact forms, and social media feeds. For example, Beaver Builder and Elementor allow for easy integration with popular plugins like WooCommerce, giving us the flexibility to expand our website as our business grows.

Mobile Responsiveness

In today’s mobile-first world, ensuring that our website looks good on all devices is essential. Most page builders come with responsive design capabilities, meaning that the layouts automatically adjust to different screen sizes. We can preview how our site will look on mobile, tablet, and desktop devices and make necessary adjustments. This ensures that our site provides a seamless user experience across all platforms, which is critical for engaging modern audiences and improving SEO rankings.

SEO and Performance Optimization

Many page builders are designed with SEO best practices in mind. They often include features like meta tags, keyword optimization, alt text for images, and clean code structure, which helps improve search engine visibility. Builders like Divi and Wix include built-in SEO tools to help us optimize our content for better ranking on search engines, ensuring that our website performs well in organic search results.

Key Features to Look For in a Page Builder

When selecting a page builder, we should consider the following features to ensure we’re getting the best tool for our website:

Drag-and-Drop Interface

A page builder should allow us to easily place elements exactly where we want them. This feature makes the design process more intuitive and eliminates the need for coding.

Responsive Design

In today’s mobile-driven world, our website needs to look good on all devices. Choose a page builder that offers responsive design options, so our site automatically adapts to various screen sizes.

Pre-Made Templates

Templates can save us significant time. A good page builder will include a variety of templates, from landing pages to blogs, helping us start with a solid foundation that we can customize.

Integration with Popular Plugins and Tools

Check for compatibility with essential plugins like SEO tools, analytics, social media integrations, and e-commerce plugins (e.g., WooCommerce if we’re on WordPress). This ensures that our website is both functional and scalable.

Customization Options

Whether it’s changing fonts, adjusting colors, or adding custom CSS, our page builder should offer a high degree of customization. This flexibility allows us to tailor the website to match our brand identity.

Support and Documentation

Look for page builders that offer reliable customer support and comprehensive documentation. This is especially important if we’re new to web design or need assistance troubleshooting.

Performance and SEO Optimization

Page builders can sometimes slow down a site. We should look for one that’s optimized for performance and includes SEO-friendly features to help our website rank well in search engines.

Affordable Pricing

While there are free page builders available, premium options often come with advanced features and better support. Evaluate the costs to find a page builder that fits within our budget without sacrificing essential features.

Comparison of the Top Page Builders

There are many page builders to choose from, each with unique strengths and weaknesses. Here’s a comparison of some popular options to help us find the best one for our needs:

Elementor

Platform: WordPress

Target audience: Beginners to advanced users

Overview: Elementor is one of the most popular WordPress page builders due to its powerful yet user-friendly features. It includes a highly intuitive drag-and-drop editor, allowing us to place elements precisely where we want.

Strengths:

  • Extensive Template Library: Elementor offers a large selection of pre-made templates and blocks, so we can quickly build pages without starting from scratch. We can also save custom designs as templates for reuse.
  • Customization Options: Elementor shines in customization, enabling us to adjust margins, padding, and colors to achieve the exact look we desire. The Pro version adds even more options, including motion effects, custom CSS, and theme-building capabilities.
  • Advanced Features: The Pro version offers a Theme Builder, WooCommerce Builder, and custom pop-up builders, which let us modify headers, footers, and more. This makes Elementor versatile enough for advanced projects and unique designs.

Weaknesses:

  • Can Be Resource-Intensive: Due to its many features, Elementor can sometimes affect site speed if we don’t optimize your website properly. Using caching plugins and lightweight themes can help mitigate this.

Pricing: Free basic version available; Elementor Pro starts at $49/year for one website, with options for multi-site plans.

Best For: Those who want design flexibility with powerful customization options, especially for WordPress sites with specific design needs.

Wix

Platform: Standalone Website Builder

Target audience: Small businesses, portfolios, and users looking for an all-in-one solution

Overview: Wix is a complete website builder platform that doesn’t require WordPress or another CMS. It’s designed to be as user-friendly as possible, providing a seamless drag-and-drop experience with hundreds of professional templates.

Strengths:

  • Ease of Use: Wix’s editor is incredibly straightforward, even for beginners. We can start with a template and customize it using the intuitive drag-and-drop builder, which lets us move elements exactly where we want.
  • All-in-One Solution: With Wix, everything we need is in one place, from hosting and domain registration to SEO tools and analytics. This all-inclusive approach makes setup fast and straightforward.
  • Wix App Market: Wix offers a marketplace with a wide range of apps that allow us to add functionality, like social media feeds, e-commerce, and booking systems. These apps are simple to integrate, making it easy to expand our site’s features.

Weaknesses:

  • Limited Flexibility: Compared to WordPress-based builders like Elementor, Wix is less flexible. Once we choose a template, switching to a new design isn’t as seamless, and we may face restrictions in customizing advanced features.
  • Not Ideal for Scalability: Wix is a great solution for small to medium sites, but it may not be the best choice for larger, complex websites. Expanding beyond a certain point can be challenging compared to more customizable platforms.

Pricing: Plans start at $14/month, with varying features based on the chosen plan. Premium plans include advanced functionalities, such as e-commerce and higher bandwidth.

Best For: Users who want a simple, guided experience with built-in hosting and a comprehensive toolset, ideal for small businesses, portfolios, and personal sites.

Divi

Platform: WordPress

Target audience: Creative professionals and freelancers

Overview: Divi, created by Elegant Themes, is a visually-focused page builder that offers powerful customization options and a range of professionally-designed layouts. It’s especially popular for its versatility and its ease of use for visually-driven websites.

Strengths:

  • Visual Builder: Divi’s front-end, visual editing interface lets us see changes in real-time, making it easier to fine-tune the look of our site. Its responsive editing tools enable us to optimize the design for desktops, tablets, and mobile.
  • Rich Library of Layouts: Divi includes hundreds of pre-designed layouts and layout packs, making it easy to start with a foundation. We can also create, save, and reuse our custom layouts, which is handy for designers and agencies.
  • Advanced Split Testing: Divi includes built-in A/B testing, allowing us to test different versions of a page or element and determine which one performs best. This is especially useful for optimizing landing pages and conversions.

Weaknesses:

  • Potential Learning Curve: Divi offers a lot of options, which can sometimes feel overwhelming for beginners. However, Elegant Themes provides thorough documentation and support resources to help.
  • Performance Considerations: Like Elementor, Divi can impact page speed if we’re not careful. Using optimization tools and lightweight themes can help reduce any slowdowns.

Pricing: $89/year or a one-time fee of $249 for lifetime access to Divi, along with other Elegant Themes products.

Best For: Designers, freelancers, and agencies who want access to a highly customizable, visually-focused page builder with robust split-testing capabilities.

Squarespace

Platform: Standalone Website Builder

Target audience: Small businesses, personal sites, and portfolios

Overview: Squarespace is known for its sleek, modern templates and focus on aesthetics. It’s an all-in-one website builder that combines website design, hosting, and built-in tools for e-commerce, blogging, and more.

Strengths:

  • Beautiful Templates: Squarespace offers some of the most visually impressive templates, which are designed with a focus on modern aesthetics. This makes it an excellent choice for portfolios, creatives, and businesses looking to make a strong visual impact.
  • Integrated E-Commerce: Squarespace’s e-commerce tools are user-friendly and effective for small businesses. We can easily add a store, set up products, and manage orders, making it a viable option for online shops.
  • Built-In SEO and Marketing Tools: Squarespace includes built-in SEO features, analytics, and marketing tools, so we can optimize our website and track its performance without needing additional plugins.

Weaknesses:

  • Limited Customization: Squarespace is less flexible than WordPress builders, and advanced customization is limited. For example, while there are styling options, custom CSS capabilities are limited compared to WordPress.
  • More Expensive for Advanced Features: Compared to WordPress-based options, the premium features and e-commerce capabilities can be relatively costly.

Pricing: Plans start at $16/month. E-commerce plans with advanced features start at $26/month.

Best For: Small businesses, creatives, and individuals seeking an all-in-one solution with professional designs and built-in e-commerce features.

Beaver Builder

Platform: WordPress
Target audience: Agencies and developers who value clean code and stability
Overview: Beaver Builder is a WordPress page builder that emphasizes performance, stability, and developer-friendliness. It’s known for creating clean, efficient code, making it an ideal choice for agencies or developers who build websites for clients.

Strengths:

  • Stability and Clean Code: Beaver Builder generates code that is easy to read and clean, making it a reliable option for agencies and developers. This also means that if we decide to stop using Beaver Builder in the future, we won’t be left with unmanageable shortcodes or messy code.
  • Themer and Theme Builder: Beaver Builder offers a Beaver Themer add-on, which extends its capabilities to theme-building. This allows us to create custom headers, footers, and archive pages, making it a versatile tool for complex projects.
  • White Labeling Options: For agencies, Beaver Builder includes white-labeling options on higher-tier plans, allowing us to brand the builder as our own for client projects.

Weaknesses:

  • Limited Templates: Beaver Builder’s template library is smaller than that of competitors like Elementor or Divi. However, the available templates are designed with flexibility in mind.
  • Higher Cost: Beaver Builder is on the pricier side, especially if we need the Beaver Themer add-on. However, the quality and stability make it a worthwhile investment for many.

Pricing: Starts at $99/year for the Standard plan; Beaver Themer is available as an add-on for $147.

Best For: Agencies, developers, and users who prioritize clean code, stability, and white-labeling options for client work.

Choosing the Right Page Builder for You

Now that we’ve looked at the top page builders, how can you choose the right one for your needs? Here are a few questions to ask yourselves:

What type of website are you building?

If you’re creating a business site with e-commerce capabilities, consider a page builder like Wix or Squarespace, which offer all-in-one solutions. For more complex websites with specific customizations, Elementor or Beaver Builder on WordPress may be better suited.

What’s your budget?

If you’re creating a business site with e-commerce capabilities, consider a page builder like Wix or Squarespace, which offer all-in-one solutions. For more complex websites with specific customizations, Elementor or Beaver Builder on WordPress may be better suited.

How important is flexibility?

If you need a highly customizable website that will grow with you, WordPress-based page builders like Elementor or Divi provide greater flexibility. For a more guided experience that still looks professional, Wix and Squarespace offer excellent out-of-the-box options.

Do you need ongoing support?

If you’re new to website building, having access to a reliable support team can make all the difference. Page builders like Squarespace and Wix offer strong customer support, while WordPress-based builders usually provide community support and premium customer service options with paid plans.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right page builder is a crucial step in creating a professional, functional website that suits our specific needs. By evaluating the features, cost, and level of customization offered by each page builder, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your goals. Whether you’re looking for an easy-to-use platform, advanced design capabilities, or a scalable solution, there’s a page builder out there that’s perfect for you.

With the right page builder, you’ll have the tools you need to bring your vision to life, creating a website that attracts visitors, engages your audience, and supports your business growth.

At WebSites Dev we work primarily with open-source software which makes  WordPress a privileged choice for a CMS and Elementor as a Website and Page Builder. To learn more check our this article about reasons why WordPress remains the undisputed CMS in the market.