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Quick answer (July 2026): Elementor wins (8.6/10 vs 7.4/10) for almost every new WordPress build. It offers a free plan, a live frontend editor, WooCommerce integration, and cleaner page output. WPBakery (formerly Visual Composer) is only the better choice if your existing theme is built around its shortcodes — switching mid-site requires a full page rebuild.
Elementor wins (8.6/10 vs 7.4/10) for all new builds: it has a free plan, live drag-and-drop frontend editing, WooCommerce support, and actively maintained themes. WPBakery is only worth keeping if your current theme is deeply integrated with WPBakery shortcodes — rebuilding is disruptive and costly. For new WordPress projects in 2026, Elementor is the clear recommendation.
Live frontend drag-and-drop editor, free plan available, WooCommerce builder, Theme Builder. 5M+ active installs. Best for new builds in 2026.
Older shortcode-based builder, no free plan ($69/yr). Best for maintaining existing ThemeForest theme builds — not recommended for new projects.
Pick Elementor for any new WordPress site. Pick WPBakery only if your existing theme ships with it and rebuilding isn't feasible right now.
The biggest immediate difference is that Elementor has a free plan with no time limit — WPBakery does not.
| Plan | Elementor | WPBakery |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Free forever (limited widgets) | None — paid only |
| Entry paid | Essential: $59/year (1 site) | $69/year (1 site) |
| Mid tier | Advanced: $99/year (3 sites) | $199/year (5 sites) |
| Agency | Agency: $399/year (1,000 sites) | $299/year (unlimited) |
| Lifetime deal | Not available | ~$349 one-time (periodic promotions) |
| Trial | 30-day money-back guarantee | No free trial |
| Hosting required | Yes (WordPress) | Yes (WordPress) |
Verdict: Elementor is slightly cheaper at entry level and includes a free plan. WPBakery's unlimited-site pricing can be cheaper for large agencies managing many sites — but Elementor's $399 Agency plan covers 1,000 sites, which is competitive.
Live frontend editing shows your design exactly as visitors see it. Theme Builder lets you design headers, footers, archive pages and single posts. WooCommerce Builder adds product page control. 100+ free widgets, 300+ Pro widgets. Flexbox-based layout engine since Elementor 3.6.
Dual frontend/backend editor. Ships bundled with 9M+ ThemeForest theme installations. Shortcode-based output means pages remain readable without the plugin — but shortcodes create vendor lock-in and inflate page HTML. No native theme builder or header/footer control.
| Feature | Elementor | WPBakery | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Editor type | Live frontend (real-time) | Frontend + backend | Elementor |
| Free plan | Yes (Elementor Free) | No | Elementor |
| Theme Builder | Yes (headers, footers, archives) | No | Elementor |
| WooCommerce builder | Yes (Pro) | Partial (via add-ons) | Elementor |
| Page load performance | Better (Flexbox, asset optimisation) | Heavier (shortcode HTML) | Elementor |
| Plugin/widget ecosystem | Massive (100+ free, 300+ Pro, 3rd-party) | Limited extensions | Elementor |
| Theme compatibility | Works with most themes | Ships with 9M+ ThemeForest themes | WPBakery (for TF themes) |
| Shortcode-free output | Yes (clean HTML) | No (shortcodes in DB) | Elementor |
| Active development | Yes (regular releases in 2026) | Slower cadence | Elementor |
| Support quality | Good (Pro), Community (Free) | Ticket-based | Tie |
| Mobile editing | Separate mobile/tablet breakpoints | Basic responsive | Elementor |
| Animation / motion | Entrance animations, scroll effects | Limited | Elementor |
| Popup builder | Yes (Pro) | No | Elementor |
| Form builder | Yes (Pro — 10+ integrations) | No native form builder | Elementor |
Summary: Elementor wins 11 of 14 dimensions. WPBakery wins only in ThemeForest theme bundling — which matters if you are already using one of those themes.
Use Elementor when:
Use WPBakery when:
Migrating from WPBakery to Elementor requires manually rebuilding your pages — there is no automated migration tool that reliably converts WPBakery shortcodes to Elementor widgets. The typical process:
For large sites, use a staging environment and migrate in batches.
Elementor is the better page builder in 2026 for any new WordPress project. It scores 8.6/10 vs WPBakery's 7.4/10 — driven by a free plan, a live real-time editor, Theme Builder, WooCommerce support, and cleaner page output. WPBakery is not a bad product, but its shortcode architecture is a legacy constraint that creates performance overhead and vendor lock-in. If you are already running WPBakery and your site is stable, there is no urgent need to migrate. For new builds, choose Elementor.