Gutenberg gets more and more features with each WordPress update. But is it good enough to compete with Elementor?
What is Elementor?
Elementor is a drag-and-drop page builder that is popular among WordPress users. It is a plugin that you can install on your website, and it allows you to create custom pages and posts by dragging and dropping widgets and elements onto your page.
What is Gutenberg?
Gutenberg is a page builder that was introduced in WordPress 5.0. Gutenberg is a block-based editor, which means that you can create content by adding blocks of different types, such as paragraphs, headings, images, and videos.
Comparing Gutenberg and Elementor
Now that we have looked at the features and pros and cons of both Gutenberg and Elementor, let’s compare them based on a few important factors.
Ease of Use
Gutenberg is built into WordPress core, which means that it is always available and easy to access. It has a
clean and minimalist design that is easy to navigate, and it’s great for creating simple designs quickly. However, Gutenberg can be limiting for more complex designs, and it may require additional plugins to achieve certain features.
On the other hand, Elementor is a drag-and-drop page builder that allows for more design flexibility. It has a WYSIWYG interface that lets you see your changes in real-time, and it has a large selection of widgets and elements to choose from. However, Elementor can be overwhelming for beginners, and it may take some time to learn how to use all of its features.
Design Flexibility
When it comes to design flexibility, Elementor is the clear winner. It has a wide range of design options, and you can create custom pages and posts that look completely different from the default WordPress design. Elementor also allows for advanced customization options, such as custom CSS and JavaScript.
Gutenberg, on the other hand, is more limited in terms of design flexibility. While it is possible to create custom designs with Gutenberg, it may require additional plugins or coding knowledge. Additionally, some users may find the block-based editor to be too restrictive for their design needs.
You can’t even add simple padding to your designs, that’s why there are Gutenberg based page builders like GeneratePress.
Customizability
Elementor clearly wins this category. I tried Gutenberg, but it’s impossible to create a beautiful website yet, without a lot of CSS. Some basic features like adding padding are still missing.
Pricing
Gutenberg is free and built into WordPress core, which means that it’s always available to use. On the other hand, Elementor has both a free and paid version, with the paid pro version offering more advanced features and support. The paid version of Elementor can be expensive for some users, especially if you need to use it on multiple websites.
Pros and Cons of Elementor
Pros
- Easy to use for complex designs
- Wide range of design options
- Large selection of widgets and elements
- Supports custom post types and taxonomies
Cons
- Requires a plugin installation
- Paid version is expensive
Pros and Cons of Gutenberg
Pros
- Built into WordPress core, which means it’s always available
- Easy to use for simple designs
- Has a minimalist design that is easy to navigate
Cons
- Limited design flexibility
- Blocks can be restrictive
- Requires additional plugins for some features
- Limited third-party support
Conclusion
Currently, Gutenberg is not ready to build beautiful websites. Because a lot of customization options are missing. If you want to use Gutenberg, you should use GeneratePress and GenerateBlocks.
