If you’re new to building WordPress websites, choosing the right page builder (or site builder) is important. Among the most popular options are Elementor, Divi, and Breakdance, but how do they stack up against each other in terms of ease of use for someone just starting out?
In this article, we'll compare Elementor vs Divi and introduce Breakdance as a modern contender. We'll explore a number of areas for comparison:
- Setup and getting started - How easy is it to get started with the builder?
- User interface - how clean and easy to use is the builder interface?
- Pre-made elements - will you be able to build your site without heavy customizations?
- Pricing & value - how affordable is the builder?
A site builder that is easy to navigate, quick to set up, and straightforward in its customization options can save countless hours. It can also boost confidence, allowing new users to experiment and grow their skills without feeling overwhelmed. Let's see how Elementor, Divi, and Breakdance compare in this essential aspect.
Elementor Vs Divi Builder Vs Breakdance: Setup And Getting Started Comparison
Elementor - Getting Started
Elementor is a popular choice for beginners. It is positioned as an easy-to-use tool for both DIYers and professionals who need to build WordPress websites.
If you’ve used other site builders or page builders, Elementor will seem familiar. It installs as a plugin and provides a special “Edit with Elementor” button on pages and posts, making it easy to get into the builder and start designing your site.
Its templating system is somewhat complex, requiring you to use a self-contained “Theme Builder” interface to do things like create headers, footers, single post templates, and archive templates. This dedicated interface can seem unfamiliar at first and may cause some friction for new users.
Elementor does have a limited library of approximately 39 pre-designed template kits available for use in building your site.
Divi Builder - Getting Started
Divi Builder is another popular tool for new WordPress users. It positions itself as a beginner-friendly option and boasts an extensive library of pre-made sections and templates.
To get started with Divi, you can install it as a theme or as a stand-alone plugin. This extra decision can be difficult for beginners, so it’s important to understand the difference between the approaches. The Divi theme is probably the better option for new site builds and will give you more control over your design from the theme options, whereas the Divi Builder plugin can be used on existing sites to build individual pages or the entire site. Both use the same interface.
Divi’s interface is somewhat counter-intuitive, using floating interface panels and inline controls for most options. This can take some getting used to if you have previous experience with other site builder or page builder interfaces.
Templating in Divi is also done through a dedicated “Theme Builder” interface, but Divi’s is slightly more intuitive due to its integration with the native WordPress dashboard. It allows you to create headers, footers, and other templates while managing where the templates apply.
Divi comes with a large library of layouts and layout packs which can be used to expedite the process of building your site out. The downside is that customizing the pre-made layouts included with Divi can be time-consuming due to a lack of global styling (a feature that allows you to style all elements of a certain type for your entire site from one convenient interface.)
Breakdance - Getting Started
Breakdance is a great option for those who are just beginning their WordPress journey. With a modern interface and a focus on ease of use, it’s a great option for beginners.
To get started with Breakdance you just need to install and activate the plugin. You can immediately choose from one of many beautiful pre-made website options, or build your own. The pre-made website options make it very fast to get a fully functional and attractive site running in just a few minutes. Most are even WooCommerce-ready.
The Breakdance interface is very familiar for anyone who has used a site builder or page builder, with some important differences that streamline the workflow for beginners. Instead of being bombarded with complex options, Breakdance gives you exactly what you need in each interface panel, with an option to dive deeper into the controls whenever you want to. This approach allows Breakdance to be incredibly easy to use for beginners without sacrificing power.
Templating is easy and handled through the normal WordPress admin interface. Use Breakdance to create headers, footers, and all of the other templates you need for a complete site. Breakdance also features advanced targeting options, allowing you to make sure your templates apply only where you need them. Note that all templating is handled for you if you opt to import a complete site from the library instead of building your own.
Breakdance’s design library is smaller than Divi’s, but each design is hand-crafted by a professional designer to help you attain a premium quality website with less time and money spent. This quality-over-quantity approach helps you make sure your site won’t look cookie-cutter when using Breakdance design templates.
Additionally, all of Breakdance’s design library sites are built using global styles. This means you can use the convenient Global Settings interface to get an imported design on brand in just a few seconds.
Elementor vs Divi vs Breakdance: Which Is Easier To Get Started With
All three contenders have fairly straightforward setup processes.
Elementor and Divi both have some challenges when it comes to pre-designed layouts/templates, which makes them somewhat less attractive for anyone not looking to design their site from scratch.
Breakdance’s combination of a user-friendly interface, premium design library, and a focus on global styling makes it a powerful option that will get your website up and running quickly.
Elementor Vs Divi Builder Vs Breakdance: User Interface Comparison
Elementor - User Interface
The Elementor user interface is familiar and well known for anyone who has used a site builder or page builder before.
Its drag and drop interface style makes it easy to drag elements into your designs, and drag already-added elements to reposition them.
Editing element properties is straightforward as well, with everything divided between three tabs: Content, Design, and Advanced.
While Elementor has made an effort to surface the most commonly needed properties for each element in either the Content or Design tabs, some properties you might need will be buried in the Advanced tab. The lack of a search function for element controls means you’ll have to click more to access these properties and controls.
Divi Builder - User Interface
The Divi Builder interface is the biggest departure from expectation, with a colorful inline control approach where settings and other options float above your design elements in the preview window. This can make the learning curve harder if you’re used to more traditional interfaces.
Divi also uses a floating panel approach rather than docked sidebars, which gives it a more unique feel. Managing floating windows can be somewhat cumbersome when they cover up parts of your design, however, so this will be a matter of personal preference.
Where Divi beats Elementor is with its searchable controls. By typing in a search query, the floating controls panel for any element can be narrowed down to the controls you’re looking for. This eliminates clicks and helps improve the workflow.
Breakdance - User Interface
Breakdance is the best of both worlds: A modern, clean, and highly optimized interface (like Elementor) but with searchable controls (like Divi.) This combination makes the Breakdance user experience quite smooth and comfortable.
Elements can be added and re-arranged via drag and drop, and the controls for each element are divided between three tabs in a conveniently docked sidebar: Content, Design, and Settings.
Additionally, Breakdance features convenient indicators for any element control sections or individual controls that have been modified from their default value. This makes resetting controls or entire sections of controls a breeze: just click the indicator.
Breakdance pulls cleanly ahead when it comes to customization of the interface, however. You can designate where the sidebars are (left or right position), the color scheme of the builder, and much more in Breakdance’s Preferences area.
Elementor vs Divi vs Breakdance: Which Has a Better User Interface?
All three builders—Elementor, Divi, and Breakdance—offer robust interfaces designed to facilitate website creation.
Elementor's interface is straightforward but can sometimes feel cluttered.
Divi offers powerful customization options but may overwhelm new users with its extensive controls.
Breakdance strikes a balance with a clean, user-friendly interface that incorporates helpful features like searchable panels and indicator lights. Because of this, Breakdance offers the easiest and most intuitive user experience.
Elementor Vs Divi Builder Vs Breakdance: Pre-Made Element/Module Selection Comparison
Elementor - Pre-Made Elements/Modules
According to their website, Elementor Pro includes approximately 112 “widgets” or elements that can be used to build your layouts and designs. These elements range from the basics (text, image, button) to more complex elements such as pricing tables and animated headlines.
The styles of these elements are often fairly basic, requiring additional steps to make sure they look modern and attractive.
The Elementor ecosystem also includes a number of high quality third-party element packs, but these are often expensive in addition to the required Elementor Pro subscription.
Divi Builder - Pre-Made Elements/Modules
Even including Divi WooCommerce elements, it falls short of Elementor with approximately 71 included “modules” or elements. These include all the basics you need, plus a few more advanced options such as portfolio carousels and maps.
The default styles leave some room for improvement, often not including attractive default styles. This means a bit more work when using these elements because you have to tweak the styles individually to match your site’s look and feel.
Extending Divi Builder is as simple as buying one of the available third-party element packs, which also carry their own price. This can increase the cost of using Divi Builder considerably if the built-in elements are not sufficient for your needs.
Breakdance - Pre-Made Elements/Modules
With over 145 high quality elements, Breakdance has the most extensive native element library of these three builders. The built-in elements are expertly crafted and range from basic text and heading elements to advanced accordions, tabs, sliders, and even WooCommerce elements for customizing every aspect of your WooCommerce site.
Every element in Breakdance also has high quality default styles, giving your site a cohesive look without any additional tweaks. The styles for all elements can be adjusted in seconds using Breakdance’s global settings, saving you hours over the course of your project.
Breakdance features an incredible innovation called Element Studio, which lets advanced users and developers modify the built-in elements or build their own. Because of this, the Breakdance ecosystem is growing and there are third-party element packs available. Due to the large number of native elements, however, these third-party packs are more of a luxury than a necessity.
Elementor vs Divi vs Breakdance: Which Has More Elements
It’s a close race when comparing Elementor vs Divi and Breakdance, but Breakdance edges out the others with a much larger range of native elements, freeing you from the need to buy additional element packs from third-parties. In addition, its extensibility (via Element Studio) means that there are infinite custom element possibilities for developers and advanced users.
Elementor Vs Divi Builder Vs Breakdance: Pricing And Value Comparison
Elementor - Pricing And Value
Elementor offers a freemium pricing model. The free version includes a set of basic widgets and features suitable for simple websites. However, for more advanced functionalities and a broader selection of widgets, you need to upgrade to Elementor Pro.
Elementor Pro is available in various pricing tiers, starting at $59 per year for a single site license, scaling up to $399 per year for an Agency plan that supports up to 1,000 sites. This tiered pricing structure allows users to choose a plan that fits their needs and budget.
Elementor users often need to purchase third-party add-ons for other advanced features, such as dynamic data integrations. These range in price but add to the overall cost of using Elementor.
Divi Builder - Pricing And Value
Divi Builder operates on a premium pricing model. To use Divi, you need to purchase a license from Elegant Themes.
Divi Builder offers a basic license for use on unlimited sites starting at $89 per year. For additional features and services, the price is $277 per year. Divi Builder also offers a lifetime license option, a unique offering among these three builders.
Like Elementor, some necessary features (like more advanced forms, a popup builder) aren’t included by default and will need to be added via additional third-party plugins. This will mean a higher price each year when you include all of the necessary subscriptions.
Breakdance - Pricing And Value
Breakdance offers a free version that is perfect for testing out Pro features and building a basic site, as well as a Pro version that unlocks more advanced features.
The Pro version of Breakdance starts at $99.99 per year for a single-site license, and includes all Breakdance Pro features. For unlimited sites, the price is $199.99 per year.
Notably, Breakdance includes features that other builders lack, meaning you need fewer third-party add-ons. Features such as the form builder and popup builder alone can save you hundreds in yearly license fees.
If you do want a wider variety of elements, however, there are third-party packs that you can purchase. These are not necessary but often feature very advanced or specific elements that may be useful.
Elementor vs Divi vs Breakdance: Which Offers Better Value for Money?
Elementor and Breakdance’s free versions provide flexibility, allowing users to start for free and upgrade as needed. Divi offers a cost-effective option with its lifetime access plan, making it a potentially valuable long-term investment for users who are sure they’ll stay on the platform.
Overall, Breakdance will cost users less over time due to its robust native feature set, meaning you can eliminate other third-party licenses and use Breakdance’s baked-in features instead.
Final Verdict: Elementor Vs Divi Vs Breakdance - Which Is Best For Beginners?
While all of the builders reviewed here are a viable option for beginners, it depends largely on how you want to approach building your site, whether you prefer third-party add-ons for certain features, and how much you’re willing to spend.For a modern, fast workflow focused on global-first styling and less need for third-party add-ons (thereby reducing the overall cost), Breakdance is a great option. It is also the newest of the three, meaning it is built on more modern technology which will age more gracefully moving forward. This is an important consideration when choosing a platform on which to build your site or business.
