Introduction
Choosing the right page builder for your WordPress website can dramatically impact your design workflow, performance, and scalability. Two giants in this space—Elementor and WPBakery Page Builder—have been dominating the market for years. But in 2025, which one truly stands out for ease of use, flexibility, and performance?
In this in-depth comparison of Elementor vs WPBakery, we’ll break down their features, UI experience, pricing, performance, integrations, and more, so you can confidently decide which tool best suits your WordPress development needs this year.
Overview: Elementor vs WPBakery
| Feature | Elementor | WPBakery |
| Launched | 2016 | 2011 |
| Installs | 5M+ | 4M+ |
| Editing Mode | Frontend (Live Visual Editor) | Backend + Frontend |
| Theme Builder | Yes (Pro) | Limited |
| WooCommerce Builder | Yes | Yes |
| Compatibility | High with modern themes | Good, but legacy limitations |
| Market Focus | Designers, Developers, Agencies | Developers, Template users |
User Interface & Ease of Use
Elementor
- Live frontend editor with real-time preview
- Drag-and-drop interface with no coding needed
- Inline text editing, floating panel, and canvas view
Pros: Intuitive, beginner-friendly, lightning-fast editing
Cons: May feel restricted if you prefer backend editing
WPBakery
- Offers both backend (Classic editor) and frontend editing
- Older interface style with more options hidden behind menus
Pros: Familiar for old-school users, backend control
Cons: Less modern and not as intuitive as Elementor
Winner: Elementor
Design Flexibility
Elementor
- Full control over margins, padding, backgrounds, gradients
- Flexbox and CSS Grid support (2025 update)
- Custom positioning and animations
- Global design settings
WPBakery
- Layout flexibility limited compared to Elementor
- Relies heavily on shortcodes and theme styles
Winner: Elementor — it offers advanced layout control with minimal friction.
Pre-built Templates & Widgets
Elementor
- 300+ pre-designed blocks and full-page templates
- 100+ widgets (Pro only)
- Template kits for industries like SaaS, Restaurants, etc.
- Elementor AI (2025) for quick layout generation
WPBakery
- 50+ content elements
- Template library, though not as rich
- Lacks AI-assisted or modern template kits
Winner: Elementor for depth, variety, and AI-enhanced design tools.
Theme & WooCommerce Builder
Elementor Pro
- Theme Builder lets you design headers, footers, archives, single post layouts
- Dynamic tags and conditional logic
- WooCommerce Builder for custom product, cart, and checkout pages
WPBakery
- Requires theme support or add-ons for theme building
- Limited WooCommerce customization
Winner: Elementor — complete independence from theme limitations.
Performance & Page Speed
Elementor
- Recently improved performance with Optimized DOM Output and Asset loading
- Lazy load widgets, optimized scripts
- Still heavier than some block-based builders
WPBakery
- Uses shortcode-based output, which can bloat the HTML
- Slower page rendering and loading times
- Requires caching or optimization plugins for speed
Winner: Elementor, though both require performance tweaks for fast loading.
Responsiveness & Mobile Editing
Elementor
- Device-specific settings for mobile, tablet, desktop
- Real-time mobile editing
- Custom breakpoints (Pro)
WPBakery
- Mobile responsiveness controlled via CSS classes
- No live mobile editing
Winner: Elementor — more control and preview tools.
Integration & Compatibility
Elementor
- Works well with most themes, plugins, WooCommerce, and LMS platforms
- Large third-party ecosystem (e.g., Crocoblock, Essential Addons)
- Elementor Cloud Hosting now available
WPBakery
- Bundled with many premium themes on ThemeForest
- Relies on theme-level customizations for full compatibility
- Less active third-party ecosystem
Winner: Elementor
Pricing Comparison
| Plan | Elementor | WPBakery |
| Free Version | Yes (limited features) | No |
| Paid License | Starts at $59/year (1 site) | $64 one-time (1 site) |
| Multi-site License | Yes (up to 1000 sites) | Only regular & extended license |
| Cloud Hosting | Yes ($99/year) | No |
Elementor has a subscription model, while WPBakery is a one-time purchase. Elementor’s feature set may justify the annual fee, especially for agencies.
Winner: Tie, depending on budget and needs.
Pros & Cons Summary
Elementor
- Intuitive frontend editing
- Robust theme and WooCommerce builder
- Mobile responsive and SEO-friendly
- Massive template library
- Active development (AI & performance improvements)
- Heavier if overloaded with widgets
- Subscription model might not suit all users
WPBakery
- Familiar for long-time WordPress users
- One-time fee
- Backend editing for developers
- Outdated UX
- Shortcode bloat
- Limited design flexibility without add-ons
Final Verdict: Which Should You Choose?
Elementor is clearly the winner in 2025 for:
- Web designers who need visual control
- Agencies looking for faster workflows
- Developers building custom WooCommerce stores
- Users seeking advanced design tools without code
Choose WPBakery only if:
- You’re maintaining a site built with WPBakery already
- You prefer backend editing
- You’re using a bundled theme and don’t want to switch
Pro Tip: If you’re starting a new WordPress project in 2025, go with Elementor. It’s more modern, scalable, and intuitive.
Still stuck choosing between Elementor and WPBakery? Go with Elementor for flexibility, speed, and ease — and future-proof your WordPress website today!
