Trying to find the very best WordPress theme builder?
With a theme builder, you may design a responsive web site utilizing drag-and-drop. This can be a nice resolution should you can’t discover an off-the-rack theme that you just like, or should you simply plain need extra flexibility to construct your or your purchasers’ websites.
You’re in luck as a result of the WordPress theme builder house has not too long ago seen some speedy enhancements, partially due to competitors from among the world’s hottest web page builder plugins. The place a couple of years in the past you’d have only a couple viable choices, you’re now spoiled for selection relating to high-quality theme builders.
On this submit, we’re going to take a look at six of the very best choices. All of those instruments allow you to use a visible, drag-and-drop interface to totally customise your theme. Some are devoted theme builders, whereas others are web page builder plugins which have expanded into the theme constructing house.
Both manner, you’ll get an amazing software to allow you to customise all, or simply some, of your theme.
Let’s dig in.
WordPress Theme Builders vs Web page Builders
At this level, you is perhaps seeing phrases like “drag-and-drop” and “visible interface” and pondering, “hey, that sounds lots like a WordPress web page builder plugin”.
If that’s you, you’re 100% proper! Web page builders and theme builders are very comparable and have numerous overlapping options. They’re additionally not mutually unique — a single plugin could be each a web page builder and a theme builder. Actually, lots of the instruments on this listing are WordPress web page builder plugins that additionally supply theme constructing performance (usually of their premium variations).
The important thing distinction between a WordPress web page builder vs theme builder is that this:
- A web page builder permits you to create a one-off customized design for a single piece of content material, for instance, a single weblog submit.
- A theme builder permits you to create templates that robotically apply to some/your entire content material. For instance, a template that robotically applies to each single weblog submit. As quickly as you publish a weblog submit, it robotically provides the data from the WordPress editor to pre-determined factors within the template — you don’t must recreate the design for every weblog submit such as you would with a web page builder. Extra on how that works within the subsequent part.
Apart from that, every part else about them may be very comparable. For instance, you’ll use the very same Elementor interface whether or not you’re making a one-off design with the free model or constructing your theme templates with Elementor Professional and Theme Builder.
What to Search for in a WordPress Theme Builder
Earlier than stepping into the very best theme builders, I believe it’s essential to run over among the most essential components of a theme builder for 2 causes:
- It should assist focus your search.
- It should permit me to outline some key phrases that you just’ll see lots, corresponding to “singles” and “dynamic content material”.
Essential Terminology Defined
Within the comparability beneath, I’m going to make use of numerous phrases that, should you’re a newbie, may really feel a little bit complicated/overwhelming. I’ll do that as a result of theme builders are inherently considerably complicated since they necessitate no less than a primary understanding of WordPress templating and customized content material (even should you don’t need to straight work together with these ideas).
So, quite than attempting to clarify these phrases for every software, I’m simply going to clarify them as soon as on this part.
First, there’s the idea of templates, which I touched on when introducing the distinction between web page builders vs theme builders. Most theme builders work by letting you design as many templates as you need after which put them collectively like legos. For a WordPress web site, there are 4 “core” sorts of templates that you just’ll work with:
- Header – self-explanatory.
- Footer – self-explanatory.
- Single – that is the template for a “single” piece of content material. That might be a person weblog submit or a web page. Or, should you’re utilizing customized submit sorts, this might be the design for a person merchandise in a customized submit kind — for instance, a person WooCommerce product.
- Archive – that is the template for the web page that lists a number of items of content material. For instance, your weblog web page, a class web page, a tag web page, and so forth. If you happen to’re utilizing customized submit sorts, this is also the template that lists all the content material in a given customized submit kind (for example, all of your WooCommerce merchandise).
Second, there’s the idea of dynamic content material, which matches hand-in-hand with templates. To create one template that, for instance, robotically applies to each weblog submit that you just publish, you want a solution to dynamically insert content material from every weblog submit. That’s, you want to have the ability to say: “put the title from the editor right here, place the listing of weblog classes there, add the weblog writer identify there, and so forth”.
Dynamic content material permits you to try this — you may add a widget that robotically pulls within the core WordPress info, such because the title of a submit.
Nevertheless, many theme builders allow you to go one step additional and likewise dynamically insert customized content material, corresponding to content material from customized fields that you just’ve added with a plugin corresponding to Superior Customized Fields (ACF). This can be a actually highly effective function as a result of it permits you to construct really customized WordPress websites while not having to know any code.
Issues to Think about when Selecting a Theme Builder
With these phrases defined, listed below are my suggestions for some key areas to think about when selecting the very best WordPress theme builder in your wants:
- Consumer-friendly builder – all of those instruments have visible, drag-and-drop builders, however you may want the method of 1 vs one other.
- Pre-made templates – to save lots of time, most instruments embody importable templates. You’ll wish to browse these to see should you just like the aesthetics.
- Conditional template show – you’ll need to have the ability to management precisely the place/when to make use of your templates. For instance, perhaps you wish to use one header template for weblog posts and a special one for pages.
- Dynamic content material integrations – should you use a plugin corresponding to ACF, Meta Field, Pods, or Toolset, then you definitely’ll wish to be sure to can simply insert dynamic content material from these plugins.
- Theme integration – should you nonetheless wish to use a part of an present theme, be certain your theme builder helps this “surgical” method. Not all do.
Now, let’s get into the very best WordPress theme builders.
Energetic on over 5 million WordPress websites, Elementor is the most well-liked WordPress web page builder plugin. With Elementor Professional, the premium model, you may take the identical visible, drag-and-drop Elementor builder and apply it to your total theme.
You’ll be capable of design templates for various components of your theme, corresponding to your:
- Header
- Footer
- Singles
- Archives
You’ll be able to then conditionally apply these templates wherever in your web site. For instance, you can use one weblog submit design for all of your weblog posts. Or, you can create distinctive templates for various classes, tags, authors, and so forth.
With Elementor Professional 3.0 (newly launched in ~September 2020), you may handle your entire templates from one interface, which is tremendous handy.
The Elementor interface can be fairly speedy, user-friendly, and contains loads of design/fashion choices.
Elementor Professional can be much more than simply a theme builder — you additionally get entry to different premium options, together with, most notably, a popup builder, which helps you to design all types of popups utilizing the identical drag-and-drop interface.
One other benefit is that there’s a vibrant market of third-party Elementor add-ons that may additional lengthen its web page and theme constructing functionalities.
👉 Study extra in our full Elementor Professional overview
Key Options
- Visible, drag-and-drop builder
- Responsive controls
- Create limitless templates in your theme
- Conditional template show
- Simply handle all templates from one interface (as of Elementor 3.0)
- Pre-designed templates for various theme components
- Importable full-site templates, referred to as “Website Kits”
- Dynamic content material – devoted widgets for core WordPress content material and built-in integrations for ACF, Toolset, Pods, and Meta Field
- WooCommerce integration by way of WooCommerce Builder
- Popup Builder
- Constructed-in e-mail advertising integrations
- Works along with your present theme (or can fully substitute it)
Value
Whereas the core Elementor web page builder plugin is out there at WordPress.org, you’ll want Elementor Professional to entry the theme constructing performance.
There are three plans. The options are the identical throughout all three plans, however every plan has a special web site restrict:
- 1 web site – $49
- Three websites – $99
- 1,000 websites (primarily limitless*) – $199
All plans include one yr of help and updates. To proceed receiving help/updates after the primary yr, you may get a 25% low cost.
*That is principally a limiteless license, however the Elementor group moved to a 1,000 web site cap as a result of some folks have been abusing the limitless license cap and reselling/sharing licenses.
Extra Data / Obtain
Thrive Theme Builder is exclusive on this listing in that it’s an precise WordPress theme, not a plugin like all of those different instruments.
Whereas the opposite theme builders really feel such as you’re constructing your web site design from scratch, Thrive Theme Builder is a bit more like a extremely customizable theme. You’ll begin from the Shapeshift base theme, which comes with a bunch of various templates.
Within the setup wizard, you may select which templates you need, which helps you shortly rise up and operating with a cohesive web site with all of the essential components coated. Then, in order for you extra management, you may go in and totally edit these templates utilizing the visible, drag-and-drop interface. Or, you may as well create your personal templates from scratch.
Nevertheless, as a result of every part begins from the Shapeshift theme, all of the Thrive Theme Builder websites will share roughly the identical aesthetic. This isn’t essentially a criticism, as a result of the Shapeshift aesthetic is de facto clear and fashionable. However it’s one thing to remember. You additionally gained’t be capable of use a special theme.
One other factor to remember is that Thrive Themes’ merchandise are type of a closed ecosystem, which is totally different from all the opposite plugins. With Elementor, Divi, and most different theme builders, there’s a vibrant market of third-party extensions. That’s not the case with Thrive.
Once more, that’s not essentially a criticism as a result of that is considerably all the way down to preferences. It’s type of like an Android vs iOS debate — would you like the openness of Android or the closed iOS ecosystem the place every part “simply works”? Provided that each are wildly profitable, there’s clearly not one “proper” reply.
Key Options
- Precise WordPress theme, not a plugin like different instruments
- Visible, drag-and-drop builder
- Responsive controls
- Begin from base Shapeshift theme
- Easy setup wizard to decide on baseline templates
- Full management to edit present templates or create your personal
- Create limitless templates
- Help for dynamic content material, together with customized fields
- Integration with WooCommerce
- Built-in listing constructing instruments (and integrations)
Value
Thrive Theme Builder has two pricing plans — the one distinction is the variety of websites:
- 1 web site – $97
- 5 websites – $127
These plans include lifetime updates and one-year of help.
There’s no limitless web site license, which suggests it’s not an amazing choice should you’re attempting to construct consumer web sites.
You can too get entry to Thrive Theme Builder as a part of the Thrive Themes membership, which prices $19 monthly (billed yearly) for entry to all of Thrive Themes’ merchandise together with Thrive Leads (e-mail listing constructing – our overview), Thrive Architect (web page builder – our overview), and Thrive Optimize (A/B testing – our overview).
The complete membership additionally permits you to use all the plugins/themes on as much as 25 private web sites. If you wish to use them on consumer websites, you’ll want the Company membership which is $49 monthly to be used on as much as 50 private or consumer websites.
Extra Data / Obtain
Although it isn’t that previous, Brizy has shortly grown to draw an enormous following and the builders have been persistently pushing out new options corresponding to theme constructing.
Some of the distinctive issues about Brizy is its visible, drag-and-drop editor. Whereas a visible editor itself isn’t distinctive, the Brizy group has carried out an amazing job of retaining as many settings as attainable “inline”, which reduces the period of time it’s important to spend shifting back-and-forth between the sidebar settings space. It’s a small factor, however I believe it makes for a extremely easy and speedy design expertise.
When it comes to editor expertise alone, Brizy may need the nicest editor on this listing, no less than for my part. This stuff are pretty subjective, so that you may want a special software.
One other distinctive function is the built-in Brizy Sync software, which is principally like cloud storage for all of your templates/blocks. It can save you a template on one web site after which simply reuse it on different websites, all while not having to manually import/export something.
There’s additionally a non-WordPress model of Brizy referred to as Brizy Cloud, which acts as a kind of Squarespace/Wix various. You may like this, and also you get it free of charge as a part of your buy, but it surely’s a bit exterior the scope of this submit.
Key Options
- Visible, drag-and-drop builder
- Responsive controls
- Create limitless templates
- Conditional template show
- Megamenu builder, which is one other distinctive function
- Dynamic content material, together with integrations for ACF, Toolset, Pods, and Meta Field
- WooCommerce integration
- Constructed-in e-mail advertising integrations
- Popup builder
- Built-in Brizy Cloud service
Value
Whereas there’s a free model of Brizy at WordPress.org, you’ll want Brizy Professional for entry to the theme constructing options.
Right here, there are three plans:
- Private – $49 to be used on as much as Three websites and one yr of help/updates.
- Studio – $99 to be used on limitless websites and one yr of help/updates.
- Lifetime – $299 to be used on limitless websites and lifelong help/updates. This can be a restricted time deal.
Extra Data / Obtain
Divi is likely one of the hottest WordPress themes in existence. It’s a combo of a theme and a web page builder (or, you may as well use the web page builder by itself as a standalone plugin). Nevertheless, in contrast to Thrive Theme Builder, the theme constructing options aren’t built-in into the theme itself — it’s principally a plugin like the opposite instruments.
As of Divi 4.0, you’ll be capable of use Divi’s visible, drag-and-drop interface to create templates in your header, footer, and “physique” (contains single and archive templates).
One in all Divi’s robust factors is that it contains tons of full-site template kits, which helps you shortly rise up and operating with a robust basis.
Like Elementor, Divi additionally has a vibrant market of third-party extensions that may add extra options to the core plugin.
Key Options
- Visible, drag-and-drop interface
- A number of fashion/design choices
- Responsive controls
- Conditional template show
- Full web site templates referred to as “Theme Packs”
- Dynamic content material help for native WordPress content material and customized fields
- WooCommerce integration
- Use it as a theme or a plugin
Value
Divi is out there as a part of the Elegant Themes membership, which will get you entry to all of Elegant Themes’ plugins and themes, together with Bloom for e-mail opt-ins (our overview) and Monarch for social sharing.
There are two choices to buy the membership — each permit limitless utilization on private and consumer websites:
- $89 for one yr of help and updates
- $249 for lifetime help and updates
Extra Data / Obtain
Beaver Builder is likely one of the most established and well-known WordPress web page builder plugins. With the Beaver Themer extension, you may take the identical visible, drag-and-drop Beaver Builder interface and apply it to your total theme.
Total, Beaver Builder doesn’t actually have any flashy options that stand out — it’s simply…strong. Which may sound like a criticism, but it surely’s not meant to be. As an alternative of regularly pushing out new options like another instruments, the Beaver Builder group has simply targeted on making the options that they do have tremendous dependable, which lots of people respect.
So, whereas it gained’t blow you away with the function listing, it additionally gained’t allow you to down with glitches or bugs, which is equally as essential as a flashy function listing.
You get a strong, easy interface, pretty clear code (for a web page builder), and every part you should design your personal WordPress theme.
Key Options
- Visible, drag-and-drop builder
- Responsive controls
- Create limitless templates
- Conditional template show
- Dynamic information, together with help for customized fields
Value
With a view to use Beaver Builder as a theme builder, you’ll want each the premium model of Beaver Builder in addition to the premium Beaver Themer extension.
Beaver Builder prices $99 to be used on limitless websites and Beaver Themer prices $147 to be used on limitless websites. So, all in, you’re $246 to make use of Beaver Builder for theme constructing on limitless web sites.
Extra Data / Obtain
Oxygen is exclusive on this listing in that it’s a plugin that fully replaces your WordPress theme. With one thing like Elementor Professional, your theme nonetheless “hundreds” even should you substitute each template with one from Elementor Professional.
Nevertheless, Oxygen 100% replaces your theme. This, together with some actually clear code (for a theme builder), results in light-weight completed web sites, no less than in my testing. That’s, if efficiency and code high quality are of utmost significance to you, Oxygen might be the chief in these respects.
One other space the place Oxygen excels is customized content material websites. Oxygen makes it straightforward to insert dynamic content material from native WordPress info or customized fields (like these you’ve added with Superior Customized Fields).
All the different instruments try this. Nevertheless, Oxygen takes issues one step additional and likewise contains helpful options that allow you to add dynamic content material in repeaters and loops and use conditional logic to point out/disguise dynamic information. Whereas these are superior options, they’re actually essential should you’re constructing websites that depend on customized content material.
One in all my favourite options is the block editor integration (Gutenberg), which is superior should you’re constructing consumer websites. It permits you to visually construct your personal customized blocks utilizing Oxygen’s drag-and-drop interface. You, or your purchasers, can then simply use these blocks whereas working within the block editor.
The one draw back of Oxygen is that, although it does have a visible, drag-and-drop editor, I don’t assume it’s fairly as beginner-friendly for informal customers. For that purpose, it’s an amazing choice for builders/superior customers, however most likely not the only option for an off-the-cuff person who simply needs a little bit extra management over their web site.
Key Options
- Visible, drag-and-drop builder
- Responsive controls
- Flexbox structure engine (makes it simpler to create horizontal and vertical layouts)
- The cleanest code of any software on this listing
- Dynamic content material, together with customized fields
- Embody dynamic content material in repeaters or loops
- Conditional logic for dynamic content material — you may present/disguise content material primarily based on whether or not or not information exists in a customized subject, which most different theme builders don’t permit
- Drag-and-drop Gutenberg block builder, which is tremendous cool
- WooCommerce integration
Value
All of Oxygen’s plans are one-time billing, which suggests you get lifetime help and updates. Moreover, all plans permit limitless utilization on each private and consumer websites.
Due to this lifetime supply and limitless utilization, it’s robust to beat Oxygen from a price perspective.
There are three plans, every with totally different options.
- Primary – $99 – entry to the core Oxygen builder. That is all you’ll want for many websites.
- WooCommerce – $149 – provides help for WooCommerce. You’ll clearly want this for eCommerce shops.
- Company – $169 – additional provides help for the Gutenberg block builder.
Extra Data / Obtain Demo
Which Is the Best WordPress Theme Builder?
Now for the essential query, which is the general greatest WordPress theme builder?
Effectively, I believe numerous that comes all the way down to your personal private function wants, information stage, and price range, so I can’t make one single suggestion for all conditions. All of those instruments have their very own execs and cons, and all are high quality instruments in their very own rights (which is why they’re on the listing).
Nevertheless, provided that I’ve used all of those instruments at this level, I’d single out three of those WordPress theme builders for various conditions.
Total Best Theme Builder for “Most” Folks
First off, I’d say the very best total theme builder for most folks is Elementor Professional. I simply don’t assume every other software matches its function set. You get tons of widgets, tons of fashion choices, and different helpful instruments such because the popup builder. It’s additionally nonetheless fairly straightforward for freshmen to make use of and, as a result of it’s so common, it’s tremendous straightforward to seek out assist. There are tons of YouTube movies and the Elementor Neighborhood Fb group has over 75,000 members who’re glad to assist out should you run into issues.
Mainly, should you’re undecided the place to start out, you gained’t go flawed with Elementor Professional as a result of it hits the candy spot for the stability of options, ease of use, and pricing.
Best Theme Builder for Superior Customers or Customized Content material Websites
Then again, should you’re a extra superior person (or a developer), you may want Oxygen. Whereas I don’t assume Oxygen is essentially the most beginner-friendly software on this listing, it has lots going for it — most notably, code cleanliness. If you happen to’re the type of one that complains concerning the code high quality in different web page builders, Oxygen is certainly the very best software for you.
I’d additionally simply usually say that Oxygen excels relating to constructing customized content material websites (with dynamic information from customized fields) due to its options corresponding to repeaters, loops, conditional logic, and extra. Whereas all of those instruments allow you to work with customized content material, Oxygen goes the furthest.
Best Theme Builder for Newbies
Lastly, should you’re a complete beginner, Thrive Theme Builder is perhaps the most suitable choice for you due to its method. Not like all of those different instruments which can be plugins, Thrive Theme Builder is an precise theme (Divi type of is as nicely, but it surely’s totally different). This, together with its template method, makes it tremendous straightforward to rise up and operating with a cohesive web site.
Nevertheless, the draw back of this theme method is that you just lose numerous the pliability of different instruments. So — good for freshmen, however not the most suitable choice for individuals who need 100% flexibility.
Most Reasonably priced WordPress Theme Builder
Lastly, let’s shortly discuss value.
If you happen to’re on a good price range, the 2 most reasonably priced theme builders for a single web site are:
And should you’re on the lookout for a lifetime limitless deal, your choices are:
- $99 for the lifetime entry-level Oxygen tier on limitless websites, or $169 for the top-tier (with WooCommerce integration and Gutenberg block builder).
- $249 for the lifetime Elegant Themes membership (Divi) and use on limitless websites.
- $299 for the lifetime Brizy Professional membership and use on limitless websites — restricted time deal, this may disappear sooner or later.
Do you’ve got any questions on selecting the very best WordPress theme builder in your wants? Ask away within the feedback!
