Elementor
The most widely installed visual page builder for WordPress, with a free drag-and-drop editor and Pro plans adding theme, popup, form and…
90
WPBakery Page Builder
Long-running premium drag-and-drop builder with front-end and back-end editors, a grid builder and role manager, sold as a one-time lifetime licence.
Est. active installs~3MLikely 1.5M–6M
Vendor claims6M+Vendor's own figure
Price from$59/yrPremium
Overview
WPBakery Page Builder, formerly Visual Composer, is one of the oldest WordPress page builders and is still bundled with a large number of ThemeForest themes. It is premium only: there is no WordPress.org version, and licences are bought from wpbakery.com or come with a theme.
You can build pages in two ways. The back-end editor shows a block-style outline of rows, columns and elements inside the WordPress admin, while the front-end editor lets you drag elements and edit text inline on the page itself. The plugin ships with around 50 content elements, 100+ predefined templates and access to a cloud template library, and more than 250 third-party add-ons extend it further. The Grid Builder designs post and portfolio grids, an ACF element pulls custom field values into layouts, and the Role Manager decides which user roles can use the builder and on which post types.
Pricing
WPBakery uses lifetime licences: $82 for one site, $299 for five or $592 for ten, each with lifetime updates, template library access, WPBakery AI and a year of support. Support Plus can be added as a yearly subscription. A 15-day refund applies to lifetime licences.
Recent changes
Version 9.0 in 2026 redesigned dozens of element settings and the front-end controls, improved asset loading (the vendor reports faster TTFB and LCP), added block theme compatibility and connects its AI assistant to ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.
Limitations
- Content is stored as shortcodes, so deactivating the plugin leaves pages full of bracketed code.
- No theme builder, popup builder or form builder of its own; these rely on themes or other plugins.
- No global style system comparable to newer builders, and no rule-based display conditions.
WPBakery suits people maintaining sites built on themes that bundle it, and buyers who prefer a one-time licence over subscriptions. For new projects, block-based tools or modern builders offer cleaner output and more site-building features.
Best for: Owners of themes that bundle WPBakery and buyers who want a lifetime licence rather than a subscription.
WPBakery is a mature, inexpensive builder with a huge add-on ecosystem and a useful role manager. Its shortcode storage and lack of theme building make it a weaker choice for new sites than modern builders or Gutenberg-based tools.
Pros
- One-time lifetime licence with free updates
- Both front-end inline and back-end outline editors
- Grid Builder and ACF element for dynamic listings
- Role Manager to limit builder access by role and post type
- Large ecosystem of 250+ add-ons and theme integrations
Cons
- Shortcode-based content causes lock-in
- No built-in theme builder, popups or forms
- Weak global styling compared with modern builders
- Heavier front-end output than block-based tools
Key features
What WPBakery Page Builder highlights on its own website, split by version.
Included features From $59/yr
- Front-end inline editor
- Back-end outline editor
- 50+ content elements
- 100+ predefined templates plus cloud library
- Grid Builder for posts and portfolios
- ACF field element
- Role Manager by role and post type
- Custom CSS per page and element
- WPBakery AI assistant
- Element presets for reuse
- WooCommerce shortcode elements
- 250+ third-party add-ons
- Lifetime licence with free updates
Feature checklist
18 of 25 features we track in Page Builders, feature score 57/100
Editing 7/8
Visual front-end editor Key
Edit pages visually on the front end, seeing the real design as you build.
Front-end editor with drag and drop and inline text editing.
Included
Built on the block editor
Works inside Gutenberg as blocks rather than a separate editor.
Uses its own front-end and back-end editors, storing content as shortcodes.
Not included
Responsive controls Key
Separate settings per breakpoint for desktop, tablet and mobile.
Responsive column and visibility settings per device; fewer per-breakpoint style controls than modern builders.
Partial
Global styles & design tokens
Site-wide colours, fonts and spacing reused across elements.
Skin Builder sets colours and spacing for the builder; no global colour/font token system.
Partial
Flexbox & CSS grid layouts
Modern container layouts using flexbox and CSS grid.
Row and column grid with equal-height and content position options; no flexbox container element.
Partial
Custom CSS per element
Add custom CSS to individual elements or sections.
Custom CSS from the builder or in advanced settings.
Included
Revision history & undo
Step back through changes and restore earlier versions.
Relies on WordPress post revisions; no dedicated builder history panel confirmed.
Partial
AI assistant
Generate layouts, text, images or code with built-in AI.
WPBakery AI helps generate content and code; included with licences.
Included
Elements & templates 3/5
Template library Key
Ready-made page and section templates.
100+ predefined templates plus a downloadable cloud template library.
Included
Large element library
Wide range of widgets/elements (sliders, tabs, galleries, pricing tables and more).
50+ built-in content elements plus 250+ third-party add-ons.
Included
Popup builder
Design popups with triggers and display conditions.
No popup builder; available through third-party add-ons.
Third-party
Built-in forms
Contact or lead forms built into the builder.
No native form element; embeds Contact Form 7, Gravity Forms and Ninja Forms.
Third-party
Motion effects & animations
Entrance animations, scroll and hover effects.
CSS entrance animations and parallax backgrounds on rows and elements.
Included
Theme & dynamic 4/6
Theme builder Key
Design headers, footers, archives and single templates.
No header, footer or archive template builder in the plugin.
Not included
Dynamic content Key
Pull post fields, custom fields and site data into designs.
Grid Builder and ACF element show post data and custom fields; no general dynamic tags.
Partial
ACF / custom field support
Use Advanced Custom Fields, Meta Box or similar in designs.
Use ACF fields on pages, posts and grid elements.
Included
Query loops & listings
Build custom post grids/listings with your own loop design.
Grid Builder designs custom post, portfolio and media grids.
Included
Display conditions
Show elements or templates based on rules (user role, page type, date…).
No rule-based display conditions beyond device visibility.
Not included
WooCommerce builder Key
Design product, shop, cart and checkout templates.
WooCommerce shortcodes available as elements; no product or checkout template builder.
Partial
Performance & workflow 4/6
Lightweight output Key
Minimal markup/CSS/JS on the front end; assets loaded only when used.
Shortcode-based output; v9.0 added smarter asset loading and smaller frontend assets.
Partial
Content survives deactivation
Pages keep readable content (not shortcodes) if the builder is removed.
Content is stored as shortcodes that remain if the plugin is removed.
Not included
Role & client permissions
Limit what clients or roles can edit.
Role Manager controls which roles can use the builder and on which post types.
Included
White label
Rebrand the builder for client sites.
No white-label option is listed.
Not included
Developer API
Hooks/APIs for custom elements and integrations.
Documented API for building custom elements; Shortcode Mapper for plugin shortcodes.
Included
Cloud templates / multisite
Save and reuse templates across sites (cloud library).
Cloud template library from WPBakery; your own templates are saved per site.
Partial
Pricing
Regular
$82lifetime1 site
One-time payment with lifetime updates, template library, WPBakery AI and 1 year of support.
5 Sites Bundle
$299lifetime5 sites
One-time payment; same inclusions as Regular.
10 Sites Bundle
$592lifetime10 sites
One-time payment; same inclusions as Regular.
Support Plus
$59per year1 site
Optional priority support add-on; $28 for the first year, includes Templatera and Easy Tables add-ons.
Prices are list prices from the vendor's site, checked 14 Oct 2026. Many vendors discount the first year.
How many sites use WPBakery Page Builder?
Free installs from WordPress.org, the vendor's own claim, and our estimate of paid installs.
Free version (WordPress.org)
—
No free version on WordPress.org.
Vendor claim
6M+
Sites/users claimed on the vendor's website. source
Estimated active installs
~3M
Our estimate, see method below.
How we estimated this: Premium-only. Vendor claim of 6M+ is probably cumulative and includes theme bundles; assumed about half still active, est. 2M-4M. Likely range: 1.5M to 6M. This counts sites running the paid version, including sites whose licence has lapsed. Estimates are rough and based on public figures as of 14 Oct 2026.
Company & policy
| Refund policy | 15-day refund on lifetime licences (source, 5 Oct 2026) |
|---|
WPBakery Page Builder compared
Bricks Builder/WPBakery Page BuilderElementor/WPBakery Page Builder
Thrive Architect/WPBakery Page Builder
Oxygen Builder/WPBakery Page Builder
Breakdance/WPBakery Page Builder
Divi/WPBakery Page Builder
Beaver Builder/WPBakery Page Builder
Spectra/WPBakery Page Builder
Kadence Blocks/WPBakery Page Builder
SeedProd/WPBakery Page Builder
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FAQ
Is WPBakery Page Builder free?
No. WPBakery Page Builder is a premium plugin. Paid plans start at $59/yr.
How many sites use WPBakery Page Builder?
The vendor claims 6M+ sites in total. We estimate around 3M active installs.
Does WPBakery Page Builder have visual front-end editor?
Yes: included. Front-end editor with drag and drop and inline text editing.
Does WPBakery Page Builder have responsive controls?
Yes: partial. Responsive column and visibility settings per device; fewer per-breakpoint style controls than modern builders.
Does WPBakery Page Builder have template library?
Yes: included. 100+ predefined templates plus a downloadable cloud template library.
Does WPBakery Page Builder have theme builder?
No: not included. No header, footer or archive template builder in the plugin.
Does WPBakery Page Builder have dynamic content?
Yes: partial. Grid Builder and ACF element show post data and custom fields; no general dynamic tags.
Does WPBakery Page Builder have woocommerce builder?
Yes: partial. WooCommerce shortcodes available as elements; no product or checkout template builder.
Does WPBakery Page Builder have lightweight output?
Yes: partial. Shortcode-based output; v9.0 added smarter asset loading and smaller frontend assets.
Is there a free version of WPBakery?
No. WPBakery is premium only, though many ThemeForest themes include a bundled copy that receives updates through the theme.
Is the WPBakery licence a subscription?
No. Licences are one-time purchases with lifetime updates; support beyond the first year needs the optional Support Plus subscription.
What happens if I deactivate WPBakery?
Pages are stored as shortcodes, so the layout disappears and bracketed shortcode text remains in the content until it is cleaned up or rebuilt.
Can WPBakery design headers, footers and archive templates?
Not on its own. Theme building depends on your theme or third-party add-ons.
Last updated 5 Oct 2026. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an edit.