building a website can be a real headache especially if you’re not a coding whiz.
I’ve been around the block with WordPress for a while and I’ve tried a ton of different tools to make my life easier.
I’m talking about theme builders – those little helpers that let you customize your website without having to touch a single line of code.
Our 5 Favorite WordPress Theme Builders
I’ve been playing around with some really cool ones lately and I wanted to share my favorites with you.
These are the top 5 theme builders that I’ve found to be the most user-friendly versatile and let’s be honest the ones that haven’t made me want to pull my hair out.
Divi
Divi is like the Swiss Army Knife of theme builders.
It’s an Elegant Themes product that can be used as both a WordPress theme and a standalone theme builder.
You can use it to customize your existing theme or you can create a brand-new website from scratch.
Divi’s got a ton of customization options so you can literally personalize everything from the header and footer to the overall layout.
And the best part? They have tons of pre-designed layouts and modules that make it super easy to drag and drop elements and build beautiful pages.
One thing that makes Divi stand out is that it’s available in 32 different languages which is a huge plus if you’re working with clients who don’t speak English.
And the latest update brings some really awesome features like single and archive templates making your design work much more efficient.
Plus there’s a whole marketplace of extensions to help you create even more unique and powerful websites.
But hold on it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.
Divi’s huge range of options can also be a bit overwhelming for beginners.
If you’ve never used a theme builder before you might find yourself getting lost in all the customization settings.
And there’s one other little quirk – deleting Divi isn’t as simple as just disabling the plugin.
It tends to leave behind some shortcodes in your content so you’ll have to do some cleanup afterward.
Not ideal but doable.
Elementor
Elementor is another page builder that has taken the theme building world by storm.
They offer a free version but if you want access to the full theme building features you’ll have to upgrade to the Pro version which costs $49.
Elementor Pro is packed with design elements from forms and call-to-action boxes to all sorts of other goodies.
You can create dynamic content that’s completely customizable and even build pop-ups to capture email addresses or prevent people from abandoning their online shopping carts.
One of the things I really like about Elementor is how easy it is to manage multiple templates.
You can do everything from one simple interface which is a big time-saver.
And Elementor also lets you use conditional targeting so you can create different experiences for different users based on their location device or other factors.
But like Divi Elementor’s customizability can be a bit intimidating for newbies.
You’re dealing with dynamic content conditional targeting and a whole bunch of third-party plugins which can get overwhelming fast.
And let’s not forget the price.
The annual fee of $50 only gives you access to the theme builder on one website so if you’re working with multiple clients the costs can add up quickly.
However there’s an “unlimited” plan for $200 a year that gives you access to 1000 websites.
Thrive
Now if you’re new to web coding and looking for a theme builder that’s super simple to use Thrive is definitely worth a look.
It’s designed to make website creation easy for anyone.
They have a site wizard and a simplified design that makes it a breeze to edit page elements.
The drag-and-drop editor lets you work with individual templates without any fuss.
Thrive comes with a companion theme called Shapeshift.
It’s got a ton of pre-built page templates from a blog index and homepage to a 404 page just in case someone tries to visit a dead link.
And the design is sleek and modern giving your pages a clean professional look.
Thrive also has global colors for a personalized look and a form element that integrates seamlessly with your email marketing.
It’s a really closed system which is great for people who want a theme builder that just works without any fuss.
But there are a couple of drawbacks.
First Shapeshift is the only theme that works with Thrive.
You can’t use any of the thousands of other themes available on WordPress which can be a bummer if you have your heart set on a specific design.
Second Thrive is geared more towards content creators and publishers – bloggers business owners and that type of thing.
If you’re planning to build a personal website it’s fine.
But if you’re a designer creating websites for clients you might find it a bit limiting.
Genesis
Genesis is a powerful framework with a lot of customization options.
Unlike many other theme builders Genesis has an options bar that lets you tweak backend elements like adding RSS feeds comments trackbacks and archives.
They also put a lot of emphasis on security which is really important these days.
They’ve gone through a lot of effort to improve their security and even hired consultants to test their framework and make sure it’s top-notch.
Plus there’s a massive selection of themes to choose from so you have ultimate customizability.
One of the cool features of Genesis is the one-click theme setup that lets you install demo content in seconds.
You can customize image- or text-based headers to keep your client’s branding front and center.
And Genesis sites are compatible with a wide range of widgets so you can add all the functionality your clients need.
However there are some limitations.
You might have to dive into the base code to edit certain page elements which can be a challenge for non-coders.
Things like font colors background colors font sizes and other elements may not be editable.
Another thing to consider is that Genesis might come with some features you don’t need or that are redundant with tools you already have.
For example it includes an SEO guidance system but if you’re already using a more reputable SEO plugin this might just clutter up your backend.
WP Bakery (formerly Visual Composer)
You might recognize this plugin as Visual Composer which was once one of the most popular drag-and-drop page builders on WordPress.
It was running on over 2 million websites at its peak.
Since rebranding as WP Bakery it’s added even more features and support.
They’ve got a dedicated support team and it’s multilingual which is great.
The drag-and-drop editor and grid design templates make it easy to create custom pages with personalized front- and backend elements.
One of the best things about WP Bakery is that all the themes you build with it are 100% mobile-compatible.
Since more than half of all web traffic these days comes from mobile devices it’s crucial that your clients’ websites are accessible on mobile.
And the $64 annual fee is relatively affordable making it accessible to most clients.
The downside? Once you’ve customized your site with WP Bakery switching theme builders can be a pain.
You’ll basically have to rebuild your website from scratch if you decide to use a different plugin.
And you might not be able to edit content provided by other plugins through the WP Bakery platform.
Now while WP Bakery isn’t free it’s really not that expensive.
The license only costs $16 a year which is less than what you’ll pay for most domain name licenses.
But if you’re looking for a completely free option WP Bakery isn’t the answer.
Choosing the Right Theme Builder
So there you have it.
I hope this rundown of some of the most popular WordPress theme builders helps you find the perfect one for your needs.
It’s all about choosing the right tool for the job.
If you’re a beginner I’d recommend starting with Thrive or WP Bakery.
They’re both relatively simple to use and have a lot of great features.
If you’re a bit more experienced and looking for more advanced customization options Divi or Elementor are excellent choices.
And if you’re looking for a powerful framework with a strong focus on security Genesis is a great option.
No matter which theme builder you choose remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.
Do your research try out a few different options and find the one that fits your needs and budget best.
And hey if you ever have any questions about WordPress or need help with your website feel free to reach out.
I’m always happy to help!