Elementor and Divi are the two most popular WordPress page builders, enabling visual website design without coding. Both promise drag-and-drop simplicity, but they differ in important ways. This comparison helps you choose the right builder for your needs.
Overview
Elementor
Launched in 2016, Elementor quickly became the world's most popular WordPress page builder. Known for its modern interface and extensive free version, it powers over 5 million active websites.
Divi
Created by Elegant Themes in 2013, Divi pioneered the visual page builder concept. It comes bundled with the Divi theme or as a standalone plugin, with a massive community and template library.
Pricing Comparison
Elementor
- Free Version: Fully functional with basic widgets and features. Genuinely useful for simple sites.
- Essential: $59/year for 1 site. Adds pro widgets, theme builder, and premium templates.
- Expert: $199/year for 25 sites. Popular for agencies and freelancers.
- Agency: $399/year for 1000 sites.
Divi
- Yearly Access: $89/year for unlimited sites. Includes all themes and plugins from Elegant Themes.
- Lifetime Access: $249 one-time for unlimited sites forever. No renewal costs.
Elementor Free vs Pro
Elementor's free version is surprisingly capable—you can build complete websites without paying. The Pro version adds:
- Theme Builder (header, footer, single post templates)
- WooCommerce Builder
- Popup Builder
- Form Widget
- Premium widgets and templates
- Custom fonts and CSS
For serious business sites, Pro is typically worth it. For simple sites or testing, Free works well.
Interface and Ease of Use
Elementor
Uses a sidebar panel interface. The editing panel appears on the left while you see your page on the right. Changes happen in real-time—what you see is exactly what visitors see.
Strengths:
- Clean, modern interface
- Intuitive widget organization
- Fast performance while editing
- Right-click context menus
- Responsive editing tools
Divi
Uses inline editing—you click directly on page elements to edit them. Settings appear in floating panels. The approach feels more like designing directly on the page.
Strengths:
- True inline editing experience
- Visual section/row structure
- Bulk editing capabilities
- Undo/redo history
- Keyboard shortcuts
Learning Curve
Both builders require learning time. Elementor tends to feel more intuitive for beginners with its familiar sidebar approach. Divi's inline editing takes adjustment but becomes powerful once mastered.
Design Capabilities
Templates and Layouts
Elementor: Offers 100+ free templates and 300+ Pro templates. Third-party template markets like Envato Elements add thousands more. Template Kit system imports complete websites.
Divi: Includes 2,000+ pre-made layouts organized by industry. New layout packs released weekly. Generally more comprehensive starting templates included.
Design Options
Both offer extensive styling controls:
- Typography (fonts, sizes, spacing)
- Colors and gradients
- Borders and shadows
- Spacing and alignment
- Background images and videos
- Animations and effects
Divi edges ahead in gradient controls and advanced design effects. Elementor offers cleaner organization of options and more predictable behavior.
Widgets/Modules
Elementor: 40+ free widgets, 60+ Pro widgets. Clean, focused functionality.
Divi: 45+ modules. Some modules offer more variations and options built-in.
Both cover standard elements (headings, images, buttons, forms) and advanced features (sliders, pricing tables, testimonials). Elementor's third-party ecosystem offers more add-on options.
Theme Builder
Both tools let you design more than just page content:
Elementor Theme Builder (Pro)
- Create custom headers and footers
- Design single post templates
- Build archive pages
- WooCommerce shop templates
- Condition-based display rules
Divi Theme Builder
- Similar capabilities to Elementor
- Global headers/footers
- Post type templates
- WooCommerce integration
- Template assignment flexibility
Both accomplish the same goals effectively. Elementor's interface for theme building feels slightly more intuitive.
Performance
Page builders add code that can slow down websites. Both Elementor and Divi have improved significantly:
Elementor: Recent versions improved loading with optimized asset delivery and reduced DOM output. Generally lighter than Divi out of the box.
Divi: The 5.0 version dramatically improved performance with its new framework. Includes built-in performance features.
With proper optimization (caching, image optimization, good hosting), both can achieve fast load times. Neither is a performance disaster with proper setup.
Ecosystem and Support
Elementor
- Massive third-party add-on market
- Active Facebook community (500k+ members)
- Extensive documentation and tutorials
- Works with any WordPress theme
- Pro includes premium support
Divi
- Includes Elegant Themes full library
- Large community and forums
- Comprehensive documentation
- Divi theme or use with any theme
- 24/7 support for all members
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Elementor If:
- You want a powerful free version to start
- You prefer a cleaner, more modern interface
- You need maximum third-party integration options
- You're working with an existing theme you want to keep
- Per-site pricing fits your budget better
Choose Divi If:
- You want lifetime pricing for unlimited sites
- You prefer inline editing directly on the page
- You want more built-in templates from day one
- You like having one company's complete ecosystem
- You're building multiple client sites
The Bottom Line
Both Elementor and Divi are mature, capable tools used by millions of websites. You won't go wrong with either for most projects. The "best" choice often comes down to:
- Interface preference: Try both free versions and see which feels more natural
- Pricing model: Per-site vs. unlimited lifetime changes the math significantly
- Existing assets: If you already own one or have templates built for it, switching has costs
Many professionals learn both tools, choosing based on project requirements or client preferences. There's no single "better" option—just the right fit for your specific situation and workflow.