The integration of technological advancements makes the process of creating websites easier than before. In WordPress, the use of site builders simplifies the process even more. But, what is a site builder in wordpress? In basic terms, a site builder is a tool within WordPress that has the capability of allowing users to create and customize websites with no prior technical or programming skill.
Designing a blog, business website or even a portfolio website can be effortlessly done on WordPress. It uses a drag and drop interface which is visual, making it simple for users to design and structure their web pages.
Site builders guide you in an easier way to organize your content by placing an image, text box, button, and form and changing their appearance on the front end. Lets see why WordPress site builders have become so important for both new developers and experienced ones.
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WordPress Page Builder vs. Default WordPress Editor (Gutenberg)
When using WordPress, you may have come across the integrated block editor called Gutenberg which serves as the default edit. It was released with WordPress 5.0 and enhances content writing with a more graphic interface by utilizing blocks instead of a singular area, which is an improvement from the older Classic Editor. However, even though Gutenberg was an improvement, it still does not provide the same flexibility or user customization as a systemized page builder such as Elementor, Divi, or Brizy.
What Is Gutenberg?
The built-in editor of WordPress is called Gutenberg. It functions on a block-based model where every paragraph, image, heading, button, etc. is considered a separate block. From the editor, you can change, style and rearrange these blocks. For simple content creation, it is clean and quite user-friendly.
However, Gutenberg revolves mostly around content rather than design. It is ideal for blog posts and more straightforward pages. However, if you attempt to create a visually complex layout such as a homepage or landing page, you will encounter limitations very quickly.
Benefits of Using a Page Builder in WordPress
Page builders do more than simplify website design tasks. They have truly transformed the manner in which individuals construct sites on WordPress. Supported by real-world data, here are the primary reasons for the adoption of web page builders by millions of website owners and developers, ranging from novice to expert levels, to include Elementor, Divi, and WPBakery in their preferred tools.
1. Widespread Adoption Shows Trust
Based on W3Techs’s statistics as of 2025, around 12.3% of all websites on the internet utilize Elementor, which stands for approximately 28.4% of WordPress websites. This notable percentage of the market isn’t just waiting to be seized; it is the aftermath of a builder’s trust in a page builder’s ability to make the web design process easier and quicker.
WMTips also claims that 14.3% of all websites utilize a page builder, out of which Elementor captures more than 62.8% of that market, followed by Divi and Avada. These numbers show why page builders have become so popular: they work effectively without requiring a lot of time or effort from users.
2. Drag-and-Drop Simplicity = Lower Learning Curve
The classical way of customizing WordPress required users to learn coding languages like CSS, HTML, and sometimes even PHP. Page builders, however, eliminate that hurdle. They allow users who do not have a technical background to create professional websites in a matter of hours, not days, through a simple drag-and-drop interface.
According to a user survey conducted by Elementor in 2023, which Colorlib referenced:
- More than 70% of users did not have any prior experience in web development
- But we’re able to independently create fully working sites with the help of Elementor.
This type of change in design accessibility is what has brought page builders so much attention recently.
3. Faster Development and Time to Launch
Time is money, whether you’re building for your own needs or for a client. Kinsta’s study showed that freelancers and agencies using page builders like Elementor or Divi were able to optimize their development time by as much as 45% due to:
- Pre-constructed templates
- Reusable elements (such as saved sections)
- Global styling
- Live frontend editing
For users looking to quickly launch a site, page builders eliminate tedious tasks, enabling a smoother workflow.
4. No Need for Multiple Plugins
Most page builders have pre-designed templates for the following widgets:
- Contact Forms
- Image Sliders
- Pricing Tables
- Testimonials
- Call To Action Blocks
This implies that you do not have to add 5-10 additional plugins just to have a modern site design. Fewer plugins = better performance and less compatibility issues.
5. Mobile-Responsive Design Without Hassle
Modern website users expect their sites to look visually appealing on their mobile devices. This is a prerequisite that gets handed out automatically with the contemporary page builder templates, and modern tools like Elementor, Divi, and Brizy allow you to edit how your site looks on varying devices with responsive controls – all without the need for media queries or mobile CSS hacks.
Users of WebFX in the 2024 UX survey stated that the foremost feature a modern website should have is a mobile version, numbering up to 58 % of the participants. Brizy, Elementar, and Divi allow non-designers and graphic aesthetics to achieve better results with effortless click-and-go features.
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6. Visual Design = Fewer Revisions
Most clients struggle to come up with a visualization of a site through wireframes or a backend editor’s interface. Problem solvers such as page builders allow live visual editing, fixing the problem.
In a 2022 survey conducted by HubSpot, 46% of freelance web designers surveyed mentioned having fewer client revision rounds with the use of a visual builder, as clients were able to see changes made immediately and provided prompt feedback.
7. Built-in Optimization Tools
Page builders enable performance management pages at a more advanced level using features such as:
- Lazy loading
- CSS/JS minification
- Optimized item rendering
- Template caching
Bricks and Oxygen Builders are examples of builders designed for speed, offering superior code to WPBakery which leads to improved Core Web Vitals scores, optimizing SEO.
The PageSpeed study by Cloudways in 2023 reported that websites using Bricks Builder averaged over 90 on Google PageSpeed, significantly outperforming other setups.
8. Cost-Efficiency for Freelancers and Agencies
Building multiple websites becomes easier with advanced builders like Elementor Pro or Divi because they allow you to:
- Work on multiple sites with one license (if your plan allows for it)
- Reapply previously created designs
- Simplify your workflow
The survey done by Colorlib showed it is just as popular with freelancers and agency owners—over 32% were proved to be freelancers and agency owners—which also proves its scalability and dependability in client work.
Conclusion: What is a Site Builder in WordPress?
A site builder in WordPress is grabbing the shortcut buttonn for creating code-less and professional looking websites. Personal blogs, agency sites and eCommerce platforms can now be visually designed and outlined within a site builder.
Speed, lower reliance on developers, and vision accuracy indicates that WordPress site builders are a no-brainer.
If custom design isn’t your focus, a block editor can do the basic content publishing task at hand effortlessly.
Block editors are here to stay, not just a trend, and their purpose is on the rise in web design. Creators, freelancers, and businesses are empowered to design stunning and smart websites, striking them at their terms.
FAQs About WordPress Site Builders
1. Do I really need a page builder if I’m using a premium WordPress theme?
Not at all but only when they have a certain goal in mind. Numerous paid themes offer in-built features for customization or even include a particular builder, such as WPBakery or Elementor. But if you desire greater control over the layout and design beyond what the theme offers, then a page builder is ideal. A builder is more flexible which is why your design is not tied to your theme.
2. Will a page builder slow down my website?
Yes, but only if you overdo animations, heavy media content, or use older builders like WPBakery. Newer builders such as Bricks, Oxygen, and even some configurations of Elementor can be lightweight when set up correctly. To prevent slow loading speeds:
- Enable caching and image optimization plugins
- Turn off unused widgets in your builder
- Pick performance-first themes such as Hello or GeneratePress
3. What’s the difference between a “site builder” and a “page builder”?
While most people do not see a difference, the truth is quite simple:
- You use page builders to create unique pages using drag and drop features.
- Site builders add additional tools for editing headers, footers, blog sections, and even WooCommerce pages.
Because these let you manage the layout of the whole website, even dynamic pages and sections, Elementor Pro, Bricks, and Divi are considered site builders.
4. Are free versions of page builders good enough?
Yes, for many users. Take Elementor Free, for example. It covers 80% of what the majority of beginners will need.
You can:
- Create custom landing pages
- Add buttons, videos, forms (using 3rd party plugins)
- Design responsive mobile layouts.
If you want to step up your skills or take on freelance projects, the Pro versions offer critical features such as theme building, advanced marketing widgets, and dynamic content.
5. Can I use multiple page builders on one website?
The answer is yes, but it is better to avoid it if possible. Using page builders interchangeably can lead to:
- Styling conflicts
- Higher loading times
- A cluttered backend interface
Mixing one builder for the entire site is inefficient. If you are experimenting with other options, do it on a staging site rather than your live project.