Elementor vs Bricks: The Performance-Focused Builder Showdown

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Elementor is the free, beginner-friendly WordPress page builder with the largest add-on ecosystem. Bricks is the paid, developer-focused option that produces lighter, cleaner code and includes its full feature set on every plan.

 ElementorBricks
Best ForBeginners wanting an easy, no-cost starting pointDevelopers wanting full functionality on every plan
PricingFree core; Pro from $59/year (1 site) to $399/year (agency)$79/year (1 site) to $249/year (unlimited), or $599 lifetime
PluginFind ListingYes, PF Score and data availableNo WordPress.org listing, no PF Score
More InformationView Elementor on PluginFindVisit Bricks Builder

Elementor and Bricks take different routes to doing the same job.

Elementor installs as a standard WordPress plugin with a genuinely usable free tier. Bricks installs as a theme with no free version, only a hosted demo to try before buying.

That means Elementor is the lower-risk way to try page building for free, while Bricks asks for commitment before you’ve used it.

Methodology

PluginFind’s own database supplies Elementor’s PF Score, install count, update history, and vulnerability status, sourced largely via its WordPress.org listing. Bricks carries no WordPress.org listing, so none of that data exists for it. Everything about Bricks below is drawn from published third-party reviews, community consensus, and Bricks’ own pricing and feature documentation, with pricing for both taken from each vendor’s current public pages.

Elementor

At a Glance

Best For: Non-developers and teams wanting an easy start and a well-documented, widely-supported plugin

Pricing: Free core plugin; Pro plans from $59/year for one site up to $399/year for agencies managing up to 1,000 sites

Pros:

  • Free version is genuinely usable, not just a trial
  • The largest third-party add-on ecosystem of any page builder
  • Native CSS Grid and Flexbox containers for modern, lightweight layouts
  • Gentle learning curve with a large library of tutorials and community support

Cons:

  • Theme building, popups and most advanced widgets require Pro
  • Feature access is split across pricing tiers, not included on every plan
  • Reputation for adding page weight, particularly with several add-ons installed

Pricing and Licensing

Elementor’s core plugin is free, listed on WordPress.org. Pro is priced per site, starting at $59/year for a single site and scaling to $399/year for agency plans covering up to 1,000 sites. Lifetime licences were discontinued in 2022, so ongoing use of Pro features means an annual renewal indefinitely.

Features and Functionality

The free version includes 30 widgets and native CSS Grid and Flexbox containers, enough to cover basic page design without any payment. That free-to-Pro path is Elementor’s strongest practical advantage.

Who It’s Built For

Elementor suits non-developers and teams who want to be productive without writing any code.

Bricks

At a Glance

Best For: Developers and agencies prioritising code quality over up-front cost

Pricing: $79/year (1 site), $149/year (3 sites) or $249/year (unlimited), or a $599 one-off lifetime licence covering unlimited sites

Pros:

  • Every plan, including the cheapest, includes the full feature set: 110+ elements, Query Loop Builder, Popup Builder, Menu Builder and WooCommerce Builder
  • Widely cited among developers for producing clean, semantic HTML rather than the heavier markup common to widget-based builders
  • Flat, unlimited-site pricing available via the Agency or Lifetime plans
  • Class-based styling and direct CSS, JS and PHP access for developers who want it, without requiring it

Cons:

  • No free tier and no downloadable trial, only a hosted online demo
  • Not distributed via WordPress.org, so PluginFind holds no PF Score, install count or vulnerability data for it
  • Distributed as a theme rather than a plugin, a different install model to Elementor
  • Steeper learning curve for non-developers than Elementor’s template-driven approach

Pricing and Licensing

Bricks has no free tier and no downloadable trial. The only way to try it before paying is a hosted online demo at Bricks’ own site. It’s installed as a theme rather than a plugin, and isn’t distributed through WordPress.org. Plans run from $79/year for one site and $149/year for three, up to $249/year for unlimited sites, or a $599 one-off lifetime licence also covering unlimited sites.

Features and Functionality

Every Bricks plan, including the cheapest, includes the same full feature set: all 110+ elements, the Query Loop Builder for pulling in posts, products or custom content, the Popup Builder, Menu Builder and a built-in WooCommerce Builder. The only thing that changes between plans is how many sites you can activate the licence on and whether you pay annually or once, not what the software can do.

Who It’s Built For

Third-party reviews and community discussion consistently frame Bricks’ code access as its core differentiator from Elementor: developers get full control over CSS, JavaScript and PHP when they want it, but nothing about the visual builder requires it.

Elementor vs Bricks: Feature Comparison

 ElementorBricks
Free tierYesNo
Feature gating by planYes, Pro tiers unlock moreNo, every plan gets everything
Pricing modelAnnual, per siteAnnual (per site or unlimited) or lifetime
WordPress.org listingYesNo
PF Score availableYesNot applicable
Distribution formatPluginTheme
Built-in WooCommerce builderPro plans onlyIncluded on every plan

Bricks vs Elementor: How to Choose

  • New to page builders and want the most third-party support available? Elementor.
  • Want to try before you commit? Elementor’s free version is genuinely usable; Bricks only offers a hosted demo.
  • Comfortable with code and want the lightest possible output? Bricks.
  • Want every feature available regardless of budget tier? Bricks includes everything on every plan; Elementor gates features by tier.
  • Managing many sites and want the lowest long-run cost? Bricks’ $599 lifetime licence covers unlimited sites with no renewal.

Final Verdict

Elementor vs Bricks isn’t a comparison between similar tools. They are built for completely different types of user.

If cost and ease of entry matter most, Elementor’s free tier removes the risk of committing before you know what you need.

If code quality matters and upfront cost isn’t an issue, Bricks is worth it: every plan, including the cheapest, includes the full feature set.

The right choice comes down to which of those two priorities matters more for the site you’re building and the people you’re building it for.

Ready to compare data? View Elementor’s full listing on PluginFind, or visit Bricks Builder to evaluate it directly. You can also browse every WordPress page builder plugin tracked on PluginFind.