Websites 101: WordPress Page Builders – Our Top Picks

WordPress has grown in popularity because of its user-friendly platform. Nevertheless, customizing WordPress will almost always need technical knowledge in coding or professional assistance despite being easy to use. Thankfully, WordPress plugin developers acted swiftly and presented us with the ever-popular drag-and-drop page builders.

This article will give you the lowdown on what page builders are, why they are important, and our top picks to help you get started with WordPress.

What Are WordPress Page Builders?

What Are WordPress Page Builders - PERC
What Are WordPress Page Builders – PERC

WordPress was created with the goal of focusing on content creation and removing distractions. The Customizer, or the numerous settings menus, can handle most of your needs with only a few clicks. Your website’s design, on the other hand, is mainly determined by your theme. Many premium themes have plenty of customization options, but harnessing their full potential is too complicated for non-programmers. That’s where WordPress page builder plugins enter the picture.

Page builders are plugins that allow users to create one-of-a-kind layouts distinct from the theme’s standard one, using drag and drop, and no coding is needed. They start with a grid layout and give users building blocks, like headings, images, paragraphs, galleries, lists, widgets, and more.

Why Use a WordPress Page Builder Plugin?

Why Use a WordPress Page Builder Plugin - PERC
Why Use a WordPress Page Builder Plugin – PERC

People who have built websites from the ground up tend to criticize website builders. Some argue that their capabilities are insufficient and that utilizing them leads to mediocre websites. That may have been true in the past. However, page builders have become highly versatile in recent years. The following are some of the most compelling reasons for using a WordPress page builder.

Learning How To Code Won’t Be Required

Learning How To Code Won't Be Required - PERC
Learning How To Code Won’t Be Required – PERC

WordPress relieves you of a significant amount of effort and allows you to be more productive. However, you’ll almost always want to tweak the design and appearance of your content. Page builders were created to assist you in accomplishing this goal.

You Can Design Your Pages Using Pre-Made Modules

You Can Design Your Pages Using Pre-Made Modules - PERC
You Can Design Your Pages Using Pre-Made Modules – PERC

Page builders function by offering you a large number of pre-made components to choose from. These components are sometimes referred to as “blocks” or “modules.” Common elements such as lists, galleries, entire posts, headers, and dividers are among the options available. However, more sophisticated features, like recent posts sections, countdowns, progress bars, and more, are also provided.

You Can Change the Look of Your Website

You Can Change the Look of Your Website - PERC
You Can Change the Look of Your Website – PERC

Most page builders provide plenty of flexibility when it comes to customizing your modules. In most circumstances, you’ll be able to adjust the visible characteristics of a module’s appearance, such as its color and size. Some modules, on the other hand, offer more extensive customization options.

Templates Help You Build Websites More Quickly

Templates Help You Build Websites More Quickly - PERC
Templates Help You Build Websites More Quickly – PERC

One essential benefit of utilizing page builders is their efficiency. It can take weeks or even months to build a website from the ground up. However, if you’re well-versed in the field, you can complete the task within days or hours with a website builder. Furthermore, employing templates to jumpstart your designs will expedite the process more.

Our Top 5 WordPress Page Builders

There are a plethora of WordPress page builders available. Here are a few of the most effective page builders we’ve used throughout the years.

1.   Divi

Divi is a drag-and-drop WordPress theme and page builder plugin with a complete WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor. It is straightforward to use and includes more than 20 templates for several kinds of sites. You can easily edit your page right away by clicking on it and seeing the adjustments in real-time. You do not have to save or click the preview button to view your updated design.

Divi features 46 modules for content that you can place anywhere in your layout by dragging and dropping them. You can organize them in three section types and twenty row types, and you can tweak each component using their advanced design configurations.

Divi allows you to quickly design and save any kind of bespoke page layout you desire for future use. A template can also be exported from one Divi site to another.

The Divi Builder plugin is the core of the Divi theme, although it may be used with any WordPress theme. Another benefit of using this plugin is that you will gain access to Elegant Themes’ whole suite of premium products.

2.   Elementor

Elementor is among the most widely used WordPress page builders around. It’s a visual drag-and-drop editor that allows you to create a website quickly.

More than 80 visual elements, like widgets, are available with Elementor to help you increase visitors and leads. By just clicking on any element on your site, you can update and modify it. It also includes pre-made templates. You can save plenty of time by importing a template, quickly customizing its content, and publishing a page. Since Elementor is a responsive plugin, it will look fantastic on any device.

3.   LiveCanvas

LiveCanvas is a WordPress page builder that is developer-friendly and allows you to design better websites. The builder includes a code editor that will enable you to create pages using HTML and CSS. The user-friendly editor lets you not only view but also modify this code.

The Bootstrap Framework is also used by LiveCanvas. This indicates that the plugin does not introduce any new components to the code but instead lets you use the existing bootstrap framework on your WordPress site. Furthermore, if you use the LiveCanvas builder to create a page and then decide to remove the plugin, the page will continue to function normally, and the layout will not be altered.

This allows you far more versatility than you get with other WordPress page builder plugins. You should be able to build unique and personalized themes for your WordPress site with this.

4.   Oxygen

Oxygen is a powerful page builder that allows you to create elegant WordPress themes from the ground up without having to know how to code. The tool expanded from its beginnings as a plugin to enable users to build their own layouts. It may be helpful when you need to create an entirely new site from scratch and make tweaks and adjustments to an existing one.

The editor is advanced and has a user interface that is seamless and intuitive. Non-programmers can use the page builder, but its most vital point is its compatibility with PHP, CSS, JavaScript, and HTML.

Oxygen touts itself as a simple tool founded on drag-and-drop technology. Beginners, on the other hand, may find it challenging to use the plugin right away. They’ll have to take some time to figure out how the process works. As a result, it’s safe to assume that the platform will primarily appeal to professional developers and web designers.

5.   Beaver Builder

As far as page-building WordPress plugins go, Beaver Builder is among the most user-friendly options available. It includes a frontend visual editor that allows you to build a page while seeing real-time previews.

Beaver Builder is among the top WordPress landing page plugins, allowing you to quickly drag and drop content modules, update, and build a landing page. It comes with a great deal of pre-made content modules. You can easily tailor each module to your requirements using the top toolbar.

There are more than 30 professionally made templates provided if you prefer to start with one. By replacing the example material with your unique content and graphics, you may construct a page more swiftly with a template. Sliders, carousels, backdrops, buttons, content blocks, and other elements can all be added using modules. Beaver Builder is a Gutenberg-compatible plugin that is fully responsive.

Beaver Builder is the one we are constantly coming back to for page load speed, ease of use, and flexibility. Nevertheless, there is no such thing as a perfect page builder. In reality, some aspects of alternative page builders are superior to Beaver Builder. However, if we had to choose one to use across all of our sites, we’d go with Beaver Builder.

Wrap Up

Page builders can be beneficial to both amateurs and seasoned professionals. They make it simple to put sophisticated concepts into action without having to code. With a bit of practice, you’ll be able to create attractive and functioning sites in a fraction of the time it takes to make one from the ground up. This is excellent because while WordPress is highly user-friendly, substantial customization often requires at least basic technical skills.

We’ve compiled a list of the best page builders we’ve used throughout the years in this article. However, to make the most of your WordPress, get the help of a professional, like PERC.

Contact us at PERC today if you’d like our experienced team to work on your site.

Xavier Berkness

Xavier Berkness is the President of PERC, a renowned Digital Marketing Company. With an impressive career spanning over two decades since 1996, Xavier has earned a reputation as a leader in the field of digital marketing. He has leveraged his deep understanding and expertise in building websites to author a highly-regarded book, 'Mastering On-Page Optimization - The Secret Sauce of an SEO System.' Xavier's impactful contributions to the industry have been recognized in a Star Tribune feature, where he was hailed as a 'Mover and Shaker.' Outside the professional realm, Xavier is a nature lover who cherishes time spent near the ocean. He continues to fuel his passion for digital marketing, relentlessly seeking new knowledge and strategies every day. His combination of professional prowess and personal charm make Xavier a trusted authority in the digital marketing industry.