In Brief
WordPress page builders are plugins that let you design custom page layouts using drag-and-drop tools, no coding needed
They work alongside your WordPress theme, not as a replacement for it
Popular options include Elementor (free version available), Divi, and Beaver Builder
The built-in Gutenberg editor handles basic pages well, so you may not need a separate builder
Page builders can slow your site and create dependency, so decide whether you genuinely need one before installing
If you’ve looked into customising your WordPress site, you’ve probably come across names like Elementor and Divi. These are page builders, and they promise to make designing your website easier.
But do you actually need one?
And what’s the difference between a page builder, a theme, and the editor that’s already built into WordPress?
This guide answers those questions in plain English, with UK pricing and honest advice about when page builders help and when they’re overkill.
Table of Contents
What You Get ‘Out of the Box’
Before looking at page builders, it’s worth understanding what WordPress already includes.
Every WordPress installation comes with the block editor (called Gutenberg).
This lets you build pages using blocks for text, images, headings, buttons, columns, galleries, and dozens of other elements. You can rearrange blocks, adjust colours, change fonts, and create simple multi-column layouts without installing anything extra.
Your theme adds another layer of control.
Most modern themes let you customise colours, upload your logo, adjust header layouts, and modify fonts through the WordPress Customiser. Some themes offer extensive options here. Others keep things minimal.
For many small business websites, this combination is enough.
You can create a professional homepage, write blog posts, build an about page, and set up a contact page using just the block editor and your theme’s built-in settings.
Page builders enter the picture when you want more than this.
Perhaps you need pixel-perfect control over spacing. Maybe you want to create a sales page with a specific layout that the block editor can’t produce. Or you’d like access to pre-designed templates you can customise quickly.
What Is a WordPress Page Builder?
A WordPress page builder is a plugin that gives you visual control over your page layouts. Think of it as a design layer that sits on top of your WordPress theme, letting you create custom designs without touching any code.
Instead of typing content into a plain text box, page builders let you drag and drop elements onto your page.
Want a two-column section with an image on the left and text on the right? You can build that visually.
Need a row of three service boxes with icons? Just click, drag, and arrange.
How Page Builders Work
When you edit a page using a builder, you see a visual interface rather than a plain text editor. Most builders show your actual page as you work, so you can see exactly how things will appear to visitors.
You work with pre-built elements, often called widgets or modules.
These include text blocks, images, buttons, contact forms, pricing tables, testimonials, and dozens of other components. Simply drag them onto your page and arrange them however you like.
Each element has its own settings panel where you adjust colours, spacing, fonts, and other details. You don’t need any coding knowledge to use these tools.
When you’re happy with the design, save and publish just like any other WordPress page.
How Page Builders Differ from Themes
This distinction trips up many WordPress users, so let’s clarify what each does.
Your WordPress theme is your website’s overall design template.
It determines how your header and footer look, what fonts appear across your site, your colour scheme, and the general layout structure. Popular themes include GeneratePress, Astra, and OceanWP.
Some themes, like Divi, come with their own built-in page builder.
A page builder, by contrast, is a tool for customising pages visually. How much control it takes depends on the builder and how you use it. Basic page builders let you design individual pages while your theme handles everything else.
More advanced builders like Elementor Pro can take over your entire site design, including headers, footers, and blog templates, leaving your theme as little more than a technical foundation.
You always need a theme installed because WordPress requires one, but the theme’s role varies.
Some people use full-featured themes and add a builder for specific pages. Others use minimal “starter” themes like Hello or GeneratePress specifically so the builder controls everything. Some builders, like Divi, are actually themes themselves with building tools included.
Page Builders vs the Gutenberg Block Editor
WordPress includes a built-in editor called Gutenberg, sometimes called the block editor. This replaced the old classic editor in 2018 and offers its own block-based approach to building pages.
What Gutenberg Offers
Gutenberg comes free with every WordPress installation.
It uses blocks for different content types:
- paragraphs
- headings
- images
- galleries
- buttons
- and more
You can rearrange these blocks and adjust basic settings like colours and spacing.
For many websites, Gutenberg provides everything you need. If you’re writing blog posts or creating straightforward pages with text and images, the block editor handles this well.
WordPress continues improving Gutenberg with each update, adding more design options and flexibility.
Where Page Builders Go Further
Dedicated page builders offer more design freedom than Gutenberg.
You get finer control over layouts, more pre-made templates to start from, and advanced styling options for every element. Page builders let you adjust exact padding values, add custom animations, and control how pages look on different screen sizes.
The trade-off is added complexity and cost.
Page builders require learning a new interface and often need annual subscriptions for full features. They also add extra code to your website, which can affect loading speed if not managed carefully.
Popular WordPress Page Builders
Several page builders dominate the market. Here are the main options you’ll encounter.
Free and Freemium Options
Elementor is the most widely used page builder. The free version includes a solid set of features, and many small businesses use it without ever upgrading. Elementor Pro starts from around £39 per year and adds more widgets, theme building features, and dedicated support.
Beaver Builder offers a limited free version called Beaver Builder Lite. The full version costs around £74 per year and is known for being stable and producing clean code.
SiteOrigin Page Builder is completely free and has been around for years. It’s simpler than Elementor but handles basic page building tasks without costing anything.
Premium Page Builders
Divi Builder comes as part of an Elegant Themes membership, costing approximately £70 per year or £198 for lifetime access. It’s a complete design system with hundreds of pre-made layouts.
WPBakery (formerly Visual Composer) is often bundled free with premium themes from ThemeForest. If your theme includes it, you might already have access without realising.
Breakdance is a newer option focused on performance. It generates cleaner code than older builders and includes built-in tools for forms, popups, and menus.
A Note on WooCommerce
If you run an online shop using WooCommerce, check that your chosen page builder integrates properly.
Most popular builders offer WooCommerce widgets for displaying products, creating custom shop pages, and designing checkout flows. Elementor Pro and Divi both include strong WooCommerce support.
Do You Actually Need a Page Builder?
This is the question many business owners skip, assuming page builders are essential. They’re not always necessary.
When a Page Builder Makes Sense
A page builder is worth considering if you want to create custom landing pages for marketing campaigns, if your theme’s customisation options feel too restrictive, or if you need specific layouts for services or sales pages.
If you’re building multiple unique page layouts and want creative control without hiring a developer, a page builder can genuinely help. Many business owners find they can create professional-looking pages using these tools.
Page builders also suit visual thinkers who prefer seeing their design take shape rather than working with abstract settings panels.
When You Might Not Need One
If you’re mainly publishing blog posts, the Gutenberg editor probably provides everything you need. Many modern themes offer extensive customisation through the WordPress Customiser without requiring additional plugins.
Ask yourself whether you actually need custom layouts.
Many effective business websites use simple, consistent page structures throughout. A well-chosen theme might already give you professional results without adding builder complexity.
Performance matters too, page builders add extra code that can slow your site. For simple websites, this overhead isn’t always justified.
Things to Consider Before Choosing a Page Builder
Before installing a page builder, think through these practical points.
Performance impact varies between builders. Some generate bloated code that slows your site noticeably. Newer builders like Breakdance focus on clean output, while older ones can be heavier. Test your site speed before and after installing any builder to see the real effect.
Dependency. Once you build pages with a specific builder, your content becomes dependent on that plugin. Switching builders later means rebuilding those pages from scratch, which matters if you’re planning for the long term.
Learning curves differ. Elementor is generally considered beginner-friendly with plenty of tutorials available. Divi has more features but takes longer to master. Don’t assume all builders work the same way.
Child themes become important when you’re customising heavily. A child theme is a secondary theme that inherits everything from your main theme but lets you make changes safely. When your main theme updates, your customisations remain intact.
If you’re layering a page builder on top of theme modifications, using a child theme protects your work from being overwritten.
Costs add up. Annual subscriptions for premium builders, combined with premium themes and other plugins, can become significant. Factor this into your budget, particularly if you’re managing multiple websites.
Making Your Decision
WordPress page builders give you visual design control over your pages without needing to write code. They work alongside your theme to let you create custom layouts using drag-and-drop tools.
Whether you need one depends entirely on what you’re trying to achieve.
For highly customised landing pages, unique service layouts, or marketing pages that need to stand out, page builders are genuinely useful.
For straightforward websites with consistent pages, you might find your theme and the Gutenberg editor already do everything you need.
If you’re curious, start with a free option like Elementor’s free version. Create a test page and see whether it feels worthwhile before committing to premium features.
And if the whole thing feels more complicated than you want to handle, that’s perfectly fine.
Getting professional help with your WordPress site is always an option, and sometimes the smartest move is knowing when to hand things over to someone who does this daily.
Frequently Asked Questions
A page builder lets you design custom page layouts visually without writing code. You drag and drop elements like text blocks, images, and buttons onto your page, then adjust colours, spacing, and other settings through a visual interface. It’s essentially a design tool built into your WordPress dashboard.
No, though the line can blur. A theme is required by WordPress and traditionally controls your site’s overall design. A page builder is usually a plugin that lets you customise layouts visually. However, some builders (like Divi) are actually themes, and advanced builders can take over so much of your site’s design that the theme becomes just a technical requirement rather than a design choice.
Possibly not. The Gutenberg block editor built into WordPress handles blog posts and basic pages perfectly well. Page builders are most useful when you need custom layouts for landing pages, services pages, or content that requires specific visual arrangements beyond what the standard editor offers.
Elementor is generally considered the most beginner-friendly option. The free version includes enough features for most small business websites, and countless tutorials exist online. Beaver Builder is another good choice if you prefer a cleaner, simpler interface with less clutter.
It can affect your loading speed, yes. Page builders come with lots of bells and whistles that add extra code to your site, which takes longer to load. The impact varies between builders, with newer options like Breakdance focusing on cleaner, lighter code. Testing your site speed before and after installing a builder helps you understand the actual effect on your website.
Technically yes, but it’s not straightforward. Pages built with one builder don’t transfer cleanly to another because each builder uses its own code structure. You’ll likely need to rebuild affected pages from scratch. This lock-in effect is worth considering before choosing a builder for your main pages.
Your content stays in WordPress, but the formatting and layout will break. Page builder content often appears as shortcodes or messy code snippets when the builder is deactivated. The text remains, but the design disappears. This is why choosing your builder carefully from the start matters.
A child theme is a secondary theme that inherits features from your main (parent) theme but lets you make customisations safely. When the parent theme updates, your changes stay intact because they live in the child theme. If you’re making code modifications alongside using a page builder, a child theme protects your work.
It depends on your needs. Gutenberg handles basic pages well and costs nothing extra. If you need custom landing pages, unique layouts, or finer design control, a page builder adds those capabilities. Many business owners find Gutenberg sufficient for most pages, using a builder only for specific marketing or sales pages.