# Gutenberg vs Elementor vs Bricks Builder: Best WordPress Page Builder in 2026 ## Table of Contents - [Introduction](#introduction) - [Overview of the Three Builders](#overview-of-the-three-builders) - [Gutenberg: The Native WordPress Block Editor](#gutenberg-the-native-wordpress-block-editor) - [Elementor: The Most Popular Visual Builder](#elementor-the-most-popular-visual-builder) - [Bricks Builder: Developers' Favourite in 2026](#bricks-builder-developers-favourite-in-2026) - [Performance Comparison](#performance-comparison) - [Design Flexibility Comparison](#design-flexibility-comparison) - [Learning Curve Comparison](#learning-curve-comparison) - [Pricing Comparison](#pricing-comparison) - [Recommended Use Cases](#recommended-use-cases) - [Frequently Asked Questions](#frequently-asked-questions) - [Conclusion](#conclusion) - [References](#references) --- ## Introduction Choosing a WordPress page builder is one of the most important decisions when developing a website in 2026. Gutenberg, Elementor and Bricks Builder represent three very different development philosophies, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. This comprehensive comparison analyses the three builders from the perspective of a web developer or agency that needs to choose the most suitable tool for their projects. --- ## Overview of the Three Builders | Aspect | Gutenberg | Elementor | Bricks Builder | |---|---|---|---| | Type | Native block editor | External visual builder | External visual builder | | Price | Free | Freemium (from $59/year) | $79/year (unlimited) | | Active users | 60M+ | 12M+ | 100K+ (rapid growth) | | Learning curve | Medium | Low | Medium-high | | Performance | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | | Flexibility | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | | Ecosystem | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | --- ## Gutenberg: The Native WordPress Block Editor Gutenberg is the native WordPress block editor, introduced in WordPress 5.0 (2018) and fully mature in 2026. It is the default WordPress editor and requires no additional plugins. ### Gutenberg Strengths **Superior performance.** Gutenberg generates clean, semantic HTML without additional layers of abstraction. Pages built with Gutenberg have the best Core Web Vitals of the three builders. **Native WordPress integration.** Gutenberg is fully integrated with the WordPress ecosystem: Full Site Editing (FSE), block themes, block patterns and the blocks API. **No plugin dependency.** Being the native editor, there is no risk of the builder becoming outdated or being abandoned by its developer. **Full Site Editing (FSE).** Gutenberg allows editing all site elements (header, footer, sidebar, archive pages) directly from the editor, without needing code. **Block ecosystem.** There is a very extensive ecosystem of block plugins (Kadence Blocks, GenerateBlocks, Spectra) that extend Gutenberg's capabilities. ### Gutenberg Weaknesses **Learning curve for designers.** Gutenberg has a steeper learning curve than Elementor for designers without technical experience. **Fewer visual design options.** Compared to Elementor or Bricks, Gutenberg has fewer visual design options out-of-the-box. It requires additional plugins (Kadence Blocks, GenerateBlocks) to reach the same level of flexibility. **Less intuitive editor for complex layouts.** Creating complex layouts with Gutenberg can be more complicated than with Elementor or Bricks. --- ## Elementor: The Most Popular Visual Builder Elementor is the world's most popular WordPress page builder, with more than 12 million active sites. It is known for its intuitive drag-and-drop interface and its extensive ecosystem of widgets and templates. ### Elementor Strengths **Very intuitive drag-and-drop interface.** Elementor has the lowest learning curve of the three builders. Anyone can create attractive pages without technical knowledge. **Extensive widget ecosystem.** Elementor includes more than 100 widgets in its Pro version and has a very extensive ecosystem of third-party plugins (Essential Addons, JetElements, etc.). **Template library.** Elementor has a library of more than 300 page templates and more than 10,000 pre-designed content blocks. **Elementor AI.** In 2026, Elementor AI allows layouts, texts and images to be generated directly from the editor. **Responsive design mode.** Elementor has an excellent responsive design mode that allows the design to be adjusted for mobile, tablet and desktop visually. ### Elementor Weaknesses **Lower performance.** Elementor generates HTML with many layers of divs and loads additional CSS and JavaScript that can affect performance. Elementor pages typically have worse Core Web Vitals than Gutenberg or Bricks pages. **Bloated code.** The code generated by Elementor is not semantic and can be difficult to maintain. **Price.** Elementor Pro starts at $59/year for a single site. For agencies with multiple sites, the cost can be significant. **Plugin dependency.** If Elementor stops being updated or changes its pricing model, sites built with it may become outdated. --- ## Bricks Builder: Developers' Favourite in 2026 Bricks Builder is the WordPress page builder that has grown most in popularity among developers in recent years. It combines the flexibility of a visual builder with the code cleanliness that developers expect. ### Bricks Builder Strengths **Excellent performance.** Bricks generates clean, semantic HTML with minimal performance impact. Bricks pages have Core Web Vitals comparable to Gutenberg. **Superior design flexibility.** Bricks offers the highest level of design control of the three builders. It allows complex layouts to be created with CSS Grid and Flexbox visually. **Query Loop.** Bricks' Query Loop allows dynamic layouts to be created for custom post types, taxonomies and any type of WordPress content visually. **Very competitive pricing.** Bricks costs $79/year for unlimited sites, making it very attractive for agencies. **Clean, semantic code.** The code generated by Bricks is clean, semantic HTML that is easy to maintain and optimise for SEO. **ACF and Meta Box integration.** Bricks integrates perfectly with Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) and Meta Box to create sites with complex dynamic content. ### Bricks Builder Weaknesses **Steeper learning curve.** Bricks has a steeper learning curve than Elementor. It is not the best option for clients who will be editing content autonomously. **Smaller ecosystem.** The Bricks plugin and template ecosystem is smaller than Elementor's. **Fewer pre-designed templates.** Bricks has fewer pre-designed templates than Elementor, although the library is growing rapidly. --- ## Performance Comparison Performance is one of the most important factors when choosing a page builder, especially in 2026 with Core Web Vitals as a Google ranking factor. | Metric | Gutenberg | Elementor | Bricks Builder | |---|---|---|---| | LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) | < 1.5s | 2.0–3.0s | < 1.8s | | CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) | < 0.05 | 0.05–0.15 | < 0.05 | | INP (Interaction to Next Paint) | < 100ms | 150–250ms | < 120ms | | Generated CSS size | ~20KB | ~150KB | ~40KB | | Generated JS size | ~10KB | ~200KB | ~30KB | | PageSpeed Score (mobile) | 90–100 | 60–80 | 80–95 | *Approximate values for a standard content page without additional optimisations.* --- ## Design Flexibility Comparison | Feature | Gutenberg | Elementor | Bricks Builder | |---|---|---|---| | Visual CSS Grid | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | | Visual Flexbox | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | | Custom CSS per element | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | | Animations and effects | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | | Granular responsive design | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | | Dynamic content (CPT, ACF) | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | | Hover effects | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | --- ## Learning Curve Comparison | Profile | Gutenberg | Elementor | Bricks Builder | |---|---|---|---| | Designer without technical experience | Medium | Low | High | | Web developer | Low | Medium | Medium | | Content editor | Medium | Low | High | | Marketing agency | Medium | Low | Medium | | Theme developer | Low | Medium | Low | --- ## Pricing Comparison | Plan | Gutenberg | Elementor | Bricks Builder | |---|---|---|---| | Free | ✓ (complete) | ✓ (limited) | ✗ | | 1 site | Free | $59/year | $79/year | | 3 sites | Free | $99/year | $79/year | | 25 sites | Free | $199/year | $79/year | | Unlimited | Free | $399/year | $79/year | For agencies with more than 3 sites, Bricks Builder is significantly more cost-effective than Elementor Pro. --- ## Recommended Use Cases ### Use Gutenberg if: - Performance is your absolute priority. - You are developing a block theme for WordPress. - Your client will be editing content regularly and you want them to use the native WordPress editor. - You want to minimise dependency on third-party plugins. - You are developing a news site or blog with a lot of content. ### Use Elementor if: - Your client needs to edit the design autonomously without technical knowledge. - You need a quick solution with many pre-designed templates. - The project has a limited budget and you need to deliver quickly. - You are developing a landing page or marketing site with many animations. ### Use Bricks Builder if: - You are a developer who values clean code and performance. - You need to create sites with complex dynamic content (custom post types, ACF). - You manage multiple client sites and want an unlimited licence. - You need maximum control over CSS and layout. - You are developing a B2B site with strict performance requirements. --- ## Frequently Asked Questions **Can I migrate from Elementor to Bricks Builder?** Yes, it is possible to migrate from Elementor to Bricks Builder, but the migration is not automatic. Content created with Elementor must be recreated in Bricks. Partial migration tools exist, but they are not perfect. **Is Bricks Builder compatible with WooCommerce?** Yes, Bricks Builder has native WooCommerce integration and allows complete customisation of the shop, product, cart and checkout pages. **Will Gutenberg replace Elementor and Bricks Builder in the future?** It is possible that Gutenberg will gain market share as it matures, especially with improvements to Full Site Editing. However, Elementor and Bricks Builder will remain relevant for specific use cases where visual flexibility is more important than performance. **Which builder is best for SEO?** Gutenberg and Bricks Builder generate cleaner, more semantic code than Elementor, which can have a positive impact on technical SEO. However, SEO depends primarily on content and keyword strategy, not on the builder. **Can I use Bricks Builder with any WordPress theme?** Bricks Builder includes its own theme (Bricks) that is installed automatically. To use it with another theme, you must ensure the theme is compatible with Bricks. --- ## Conclusion In 2026, the choice between Gutenberg, Elementor and Bricks Builder depends primarily on the project profile and team: - **Gutenberg** is the best option for projects where performance is the priority and the team is willing to invest in the learning curve. - **Elementor** remains the best option for projects where ease of use and delivery speed are priorities. - **Bricks Builder** is the best option for developers seeking the perfect balance between performance, flexibility and price. At Emovere we use Bricks Builder for most of our WordPress projects thanks to its performance, flexibility and price. If you need to develop a high-performance WordPress site, contact our team. --- ## References [1] WordPress — Gutenberg Documentation. https://developer.wordpress.org/block-editor/ [2] Elementor — Official Documentation. https://elementor.com/help/ [3] Bricks Builder — Official Documentation. https://academy.bricksbuilder.io/ [4] WP Engine — Page Builder Performance Study 2026. https://wpengine.com/ [5] Kinsta — Best WordPress Page Builders 2026. https://kinsta.com/blog/wordpress-page-builders/