Creating a website from scratch may sound like a daunting task, but only if you’re not using WordPress page builder.
The aptly named WP Page Builder is one such tool that lets you design your websites with such ease that you may actually end up enjoying the whole process.
WP Page Builder, in essence, takes away the coding part from the equation and instead hands you the tools to start creating websites on a drag and drop interface. Since that is as easy as playing with Lego bricks, your entire process takes almost no time, and the resulting websites also look stunning (if you designed well, that is).
But how does WP Page Builder work? What features does it offer, and how much does it cost?
In this article, I’ll answer all your questions and a lot more to help you decide whether this plugin is the best answer to your website building needs or not! Let’s dive in.
- What is WP Page Builder?
- How does WP Page Builder work?
- WP Page Builder Features
- WP Page Builder Pricing
- System Requirements for WP Page Builder
- How to Install WP Page Builder?
- Compatibility and Performance of WP Page Builder with Cloudways
- WP Page Builder Incompatibilities
- WP Page Builder: Pros and Cons
What is WP Page Builder?
WP Page Builder is a feature-rich page builder plugin that arms you with a drag-and-drop interface to build stunning WordPress websites. With this plugin, you can create impressive page layouts and designs even if you have zero website-building experience.
WP Page Builder is budget-friendly but also offers a free (Lite) version with multiple features. So while you may need to purchase the premium version for more advanced features, the free (Lite) version has enough features to let you build basic websites comfortably.
Now that you know what WP Page Builder is let’s find out how the plugin works.
How Does WP Page Builder Works?
It’s simple. When you install WP Page Builder on your WordPress, it replaces your basic editor with a frontend editor that lets you manipulate your site’s design directly from the front-end.
The user interface is extremely friendly, and as already mentioned, you don’t need to use code or CSS, nor do you need the help of a developer. It’s all rather intuitive.
Also, when the Plugin is active, you can edit any page on your WordPress site and see the live changes right then and there. While in editing mode, you can see multiple addons, blocks, and layouts, and other elements needed for any website. You just have to drag these elements, drop them into your site, and make the style changes you want.
WP Page Builder Features
So right off the bat, here’s something you should know beforehand: WP Page Builder ships with fewer features compared to other popular page builders like Elementor, Beaver Builder, SeedProd, etc.
But does that mean you can’t get the job done? Absolutely not. All the essentials are there for you to create stunning websites, so there’s no holding you back.
Here’s a look at the most notable features of WP Page Builder to give you an idea of what you get:
Realtime Frontend Drag-and-Drop Page Builder: The real-time frontend drag-and-drop functionality is the main feature of the WP Page Builder plugin, which is the ultimate tool to develop your WordPress websites. There are tonnes of elements for you to pick and drop on your website.
Blocks, Addons, and Layout Packs: WP Page Builder offers 60 blocks, 38 addons, and 27 pre-designed layout packs for things like testimonials, team member sections, and pricing tables. WP Page Builder has a wide variety of templates you can choose from and customize it until you are content.
Create, Save, and Reuse Designs: If you have to use the same design on different pages, WP Page Builder offers an option to save individual rows and full web page designs. You have an export option to use your saved design on another website later.
Flexible Row-column Layout Building: WP Page Builder comes with rows and columns flexibility. Adding rows, setting column size, or padding, everything is easy with WP Page Builder. Everything you create with WP Page Builder is 100% responsive and mobile-ready as well.
Customization and Styling Options: Every content element has a styling option. Beyond that, you can hide elements on a specific device. You can set different settings for different devices as well as enable content elements on different screen sizes.
WP Page Builder Pricing
So how much does WP Page Builder cost?
WP Page Builder has 3 pricing structures. Although WP Page Builder provides its users with a free (Lite) version, you’ll need to upgrade to a premium version if you want more advanced features.
The pricing for the premium versions of the plugin are as follows:
- Individuals: $39/Year
- Freelancers: $59/Year
- Agencies: $99/Year
You also get a 30 days money-back guarantee if you feel that the plugin is not the right solution for your WordPress website.
System Requirements for WP Page Builder
Now let’s take a look at the system requirements for WP Page Builder.
Name | Required |
WordPress version | 5.4 or higher |
PHP Version | 7.3 (or higher recommended |
Database | MariaDB – 10.1 or higher / MySQL – 5.7 or higher |
WP Memory Limit | 256MB or higher |
Browser | Chrome, Firefox, Safari (recommended) Internet Explorer is not supported |
Server Modules | mod_rewrite, cURL, fsockopen, imagick |
Make sure that you meet all the requirements before installing the plugin to avoid running into errors.
How to Install WP Page Builder?
Let’s start by learning how to install the free (Lite), and then we’ll also see how to install the premium installation with license key activation.
Installing WP Page Builder Free (Lite) Version
- Go to WordPress Dashboard > Plugin > Add new
- Search for WP Page Builder In the search bar on the right.
- Click on the Install Now button.
- After installation, click on Activate to activate the plugin.
Once you install and activate the WP Page Builder plugin, the Edit With WP Page Builder button will appear on the page.
Premium Version
Here’s how to install the premium version of the WP Page Builder plugin:
- Go to the Themeum.com website, sign in to your account and navigate to your profile picture on the top right corner of the site.
- Hover there and click on Dashboard, where you’ll see a list of all the purchased products
- On the right side, click on Download, and the plugin will be downloaded to your local system.
- Navigate to WordPress Dashboard > Plugin > Add new
- Click on the upload button at the top left corner
- Click on a browse button and choose the WP Page Builder Zip file from your local system or just drag and drop it
- Click on “Install Now” once the file name appears
- After installation, Click on a activate button to activate it
License Key Activation
- Login to themeum.com, go to the license section under your profile
- Enter your site URL and click on Add URL button
- After adding the URL, copy the license key that appears.
- Go to WP Page Builder > License Page, enter the license key in the text field, and click on “Connect with License key.”
Now you are done with the license key activation, and your WP Page Builder premium version is installed.
Compatibility and Performance of WP Page Builder with Cloudways
Now it’s time to test WP Page Builder’s compatibility with Cloudways. After all, one of the biggest concerns of any website owner is the site’s load time, and your choice of hosting plays a vital role in that.
Managed Cloud hosting like Cloudways is probably the best choice for any website owner serious about their online presence since it provides optimal security, fast performance, and 24/7 support, among many other vital factors.
Let’s start the testing process.
Resources that we used:
Cloudways Server Configuration
Name | Specification |
Cloudways Server | Vultr – High Frequency |
Datacenter location | Seattle |
RAM | 2GB |
SSD Disk | 64GB |
Bandwidth Transfer | 2TB |
Processor | 1 Core |
Operating System: | Debian 9 |
NGINX | 1.19 |
Varnish | 6.0.7 |
Apache | 2.4.25 |
Database | MariaDB 10.1 |
PHP | 7.3 |
Application Configuration
Name | Specification |
WordPress Version | 5.7.2 |
CDN | CloudwaysCDN |
SSL | Lets Encrypt |
Theme | Ocean WP |
Installed Plugin
Plugin Name | Version |
Breeze | Version 1.2.2 |
Cloudways Bot Protection | Version 4.63 |
WP Page Builder Premium Plugin | Version 1.0.9 |
Ocean Extra (for page setting) | Version 1.7.7 |
I developed a life-like website using the resources above. Now, I’m going to test this site with different tools and share the performance stats of the site in this section.
GTMetrix Performance Analysis
URL: https://gtmetrix.com/reports/wordpress-629073-2046410.cloudwaysapps.com/j1ueyIxL/
- Performance: 100%
- Structure: 93%
- LCP: 558ms
- TBT: 0ms
- CLS: 0.01
Pingdom Performance Analysis
URL: https://tools.pingdom.com/#5eafa461a8400000
- Performance Grade: 86
- Page Size: 1.0 MB
- Load Time: 377ms
- Requests: 55
PageSpeed Insight Performance Analysis
Overall Grade: 97
- FCP: 0.8s
- Speed Index: 1.4s
- LCP: 1.1s
- TTI: 0.8s
- TBT: 0ms
- CLS: 0.018
The results clearly indicate that a website built with WP Page Builder and hosted on Cloudways works incredibly. Do note that I used Cloudways managed WordPress hosting with dedicated servers and built-in cache plugins.
WP Page Builder Incompatibilities
Due to regular WordPress updates, you might run into some incompatibilities. Here’s a look at some of them:
Cache Plugin Headache
When you face an issue where the changes you made on your WP Page Builder editor do not show on the preview page, your cache plugin might be the reason. Simply purging your cache plugin can solve this issue.
Plugin Conflict
Some issues often occur due to other plugins. Whenever you face an unresolvable issue, deactivate all the plugins except WP Page Builder and enable each one by one and test WP Page Builder after each activation. Repeat this process until you find the plugin causing the issue.
Disabling WP Page Builder Removes Everything
Disabling the plugin may remove everything from your site, including your content. So make sure to create a backup of your site before doing anything with the WP Page Builder Plugin. Also, you can save your templates in the library or export them for later use.
WP Page Builder: Pros and Cons
Now that you’re completely aware of most things regarding WP Page Builder, let’s take a quick look at the pros and cons of the plugin:
Pros
- WP Page Builder offers 60 blocks, 38 addons, and 27 pre-designed layout packs for their users.
- There is a free version with multiple features and a simple interface that helps you decide if it is the right product for you or not.
- It’s ideal for agencies because you can save both rows and full web page designs and reuse them.
- Easy to use even for beginners with no coding skills required, and the price is reasonable compared to other page builders.
Cons
- WP Page Builder has fewer features compared to other page builders
- Customer support is limited to email and documentation, though the documentation is super helpful
- Header and footer options are not available in WP Page Builder. You have to figure out a way to create a header and footer.
- Custom Widgets features are underrated as compared to other page builders
Final Thoughts
So what do you think about WP Page Builder? Does it look like an ideal solution to your website building needs? Do the features offered in the plugin suffice for your needs?
If nothing else, this is a great plugin for beginners and even pros who want a solid solution to design websites. If this plugin is right up your alley, give it a go with the free version and if it feels right, go with the premium version.
Overall, it’s a fantastic drag and drop option for building websites!
Danish Naseer
Danish Naseer is a WordPress Community Manager at Cloudways. He is passionate about designing, developing, and engaging with people to help them. He also actively participates in the community to share his knowledge. Besides that, he loves to watch documentaries, traveling and spending time with family. You can contact him at [email protected]