Thanks to WordPress, web developers and designers can create fully functioning websites in a fraction of the time that it used to take. Even individuals without any website building knowledge whatsoever can create web pages, especially thanks to the many WordPress page builder solutions that are now available.
Two of these solutions stand out as the best for building beautiful, functional WordPress pages quickly: Elementor and Bakery. Both Elementor and Bakery (also referred to as WPBakery) are excellent choices with user-friendly interfaces, but which one is better?
That’s what we will be exploring in this review of the Elementor and Bakery WordPress page builders. We’ll also cover when it’s best to use custom web design for creating a tailor-made website instead of a simple page builder.
About Elementor
Elementor is a software company based in Israel that was founded in 2016. More than 8 million professionals use the Elementor web page builder and over 600,000 websites utlize the plug-in. It’s a highly-respected platform for creating and editing WordPress pages, and it’s no surprise as to why.
The goal at Elementor is to empower web professionals to create powerful and beautiful websites using the most comprehensive all-in-one design tool. It offers solutions for web designers, developers, digital marketing professionals, agencies, and SMBs.
But does it deliver? Let’s find out.
Elementor Features
One of the best features of Elementor is the ability to drag and drop elements into your web pages. This is an advanced feature that isn’t available from many page builders, and with Elementor, it’s completely free.
The drag-and-drop page building allows users to edit their pages live and preview all changes and updates in real time. This means you can achieve high-end edits without having to constantly update and preview your site. There’s also an Undo/Redo function that lets you fix mistakes quickly.
In terms of speed, Elementor is fast and responsive thanks to the constant updates. Best of all, it’s user-friendly; you don’t need any coding knowledge or expertise in CSS with this one.
Elementor Pricing
The free version of Elementor is enough for most people, but some opt for Elementor Pro. The free page builder is a cheap design solution that gives users access to 40+ basic widgets and 30+ page templates, while a Pro plan offers over 300 templates and 90+ basic and pro-level widgets.
If you’re using Elementor for a single site, you can get the most basic Pro plan for $49/year, but there are also other plans available for building multiple websites.
Elementor Pros & Cons
There are a lot of pros that come along with using Elementor as your page building, like:
- Option for a free plan
- Open-source page building
- Easy-to-use interface
- Multiple integrations (email marketing, CRM, social media, etc.)
- Lots of features for extreme customization
- Instant updates
- Intuitive drag and drop editing
The only real flaw of Elementor is that there isn’t a lifetime payment option. If you choose to go with a Pro plan, you’ll have to continue paying until you no longer want or need access to the page builder.
About WPBakery
WPBaker is a front and back-end page builder that is used by more than 4 million people. Similar to Elementor, this tool allows you to build web pages using an intuitive drag-and-drop feature, and there is no programming knowledge needed to use it.
The main goal of the WPBakery plug-in is to help people build complex, content-rich pages in a matter of minutes rather than weeks.
WPBakery Features
The best thing about using WPBaker is probably the fact that it acts as both a front-end and back-end editor. The front-end editing allows you to instantly see changes and updates you’ve made to your site, while the back-end editing is great for building content-rich layouts and developing a site outline.
Another great thing about Bakery is that it’s compatible with any WordPress theme, so you won’t have to switch from builder to builder if you decide to change your site’s theme.
The last feature that’s worth noting is that WPBakery comes pre-packed with 50+ content elements that can be added through the easy-to-use drag and drop system. You can learn more about Bakery’s Content Elements by clicking here.
WPBakery Pricing
Unfortunately, there is no free version of Bakery, which is one area where Elementor has this page builder beat. The good news is that the pricing plans are affordable, and you can make a one-time payment of $56 to start using the page builder on a single website.
The Extended plan comes with a hefty price tag of $299, but this is the one you’ll want to go with if you plan on using WPBakery for SaaS applications.
WPBakery Pros & Cons
Similar to Elementor, there are quite a few pros connected to WPBakery, including:
- Affordable pricing and one-time payment
- Multilingual support and responsive customer service
- 50+ content elements
- Drag and drop editing
- Premade templates can be saved for later
- Works with all WP themes
- Multiple add-on options
For some of you, the biggest con of using WPBakery is that there is no free version. On top of that, this page builder is easy to use, but it’s not quite as user-friendly as the Elementor interface. There might be a bit of a learning curve, especially if you’ve never used a page builder before.
When Custom Web Design Is the Best Choice
Both Elementor and WPBakery have some stunning templates to choose from, but if you want your site to be completely unique, the best way to stand out is through custom web design.
A professional design consultant or agency understands the core components of what good, responsive, website design requires. They know exactly how to paint your company’s picture – AKA, design your website – in the best possible light.
The best custom web designers build sites entirely from scratch, never buying themes or using premade templates that you’ll find on page builders like Elementor and WPBakery. They can deliver modern, fast, great-looking websites that are compatible with all devices and integrate well with eCommerce solutions, CRM, social media accounts, and more.
Conclusion
OK, let’s do a quick recap of Elementor vs Bakery vs custom web design.
Elementor is completely free to use, and better yet, it’s easy to use. It’s packed with helpful features for content creation, web design, marketing, social sharing, and more.
WPBakery is another highly-respected tool, but the most basic plan doesn’t come with as many features and it’s not available for free. So if you know that a page builder is right for creating your website, we recommend Elementor.
However, custom web design through SGD is an excellent choice if you’re interested in creating a unique site with strong branding, mobile compatibility, exemplary user experience, and a crisp, clean look that is sure to stand out from your competition.
Get in touch today for more information on SGD’s custom web design as well as other services like SEO, digital marketing, and website maintenance.
