Visual Composer Vs Elementor Vs BeBuilder: The Best Option
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Visual Composer Vs Elementor Vs BeBuilder: The Best Option

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The value of a good page builder becomes clear when you have to make a website. Especially when you’re packing it with features and functionalities.

But what is a page builder? Page builders are plugins that work in conjunction with website themes.

So, it is important to check whether your chosen theme is compatible with a page builder before buying it.

There are many choices available for page builders. That can make it difficult to know which one is best for you.

This article compares three of them: Visual Composer vs Elementor vs BeBuilder. After reading about their characteristics, you’ll know which has the features you like.

What is Visual Composer?

 

Launched in 2011, Visual Composer is one of the oldest WordPress page builders on the market. This comprehensive builder can create complete websites, not only single pages.

The Visual Composer's interface is intuitive and easy to work with. The builder has a drag-and-drop interface with many features to make your website unique.

This WordPress page builder gives you live previews. You can see in real-time how changes to the content and visual hierarchy affect the look of your website.

You do not need any coding to make customizations. You can focus on the design and content and Visual Composer takes care of the rest.

The Visual Composer Hub is a recommended feature of this plugin. This tool helps you to get more out of the Visual Composer features. It opens the way for you to add more extensions, elements, and templates.

What is Elementor?

 

On the market since 2016, Elementor is the second page builder in this comparison. At the moment, there are five million active installations.

Elementor can build an entire website from the ground up.

This builder plugin is also packed with features. On top of this, the developers send out updates all the time.

Thanks to this, Elementor is growing into a complete web design and building system, with advanced features and options.

Elementor too has a live preview mode, so you can see the effect of the changes you make in real-time. It also gives you an overview of the changes you have made to any of the pages.

Elementor contains a large set of ready-made templates with awesome and special elements.

Elementor suits the needs of private individuals, freelancers, and larger companies. This plugin provides visual design, web design and development, and marketing features.

What is BeBuilder?

 

BeBuilder is the third page composer that you will learn about. It is part of the BeTheme WordPress theme.

The Muffin Group falls under the Envato Power Elite authorship. BeTheme is one of the most popular themes on the WordPress market.

BeBuilder has improved over the last years and has released its 3.0 version.

It has a new builder that uses 'wraps' and 'dividers' to make up pages and sections. The combination of wraps and the search tool makes creating pages and posts very simple.

BeBuilder has many options that help you to make clean, modern, and fast websites.

It has a drag-and-drop interface and over 60 elements that you can incorporate. You can use article boxes, icons, maps, sliding boxes, tabs, testimonial templates.

You can use the BeBuilder page builder instead of the common WordPress Editor. BeBuilder is a live frontend editor.

Even making visually complex designs is easy. That’s because you don’t have to switch between the editor and the preview mode.

Getting Started

Visual Composer

 

Visual Composer is a visual page builder with a drag-and-drop interface. This tool allows you to make the website you want.

Visual Composer offers many options for customization. The slight drawback is that these options are only accessible from the live mode.

In other words, there is no options sidebar. You can only access them from the main editor, which is a little confusing.

This visual composer is similar to other website builders on the market. You will like Visual Composer if you have experience with one of those.

If you like the WordPress Editor better, you will prefer Elementor vs Visual Composer.

The interface of the Visual Composer Editor has the following elements:

  • Element Edit Window
  • Frontend Editor (including Element Control and the intuitive drag-and-drop builder)
  • Navigation panel
  • Tree view
  • Settings

Elementor

 

Many differences become apparent when comparing Visual Composer vs Elementor.

On the left of your screen, for example, Elementor has a fixed sidebar in its editor. On the right, you still have a large workspace.

The Elementor Editor shows three important elements:

  • Columns. In Elementor, columns are organizing elements that make vertical divisions in rows.
  • Sections. Sections form the principal layout of Elementor pages. To these sections, you can add rows, columns, and widgets.
  • Widgets. These are website content elements that you can drag from the sidebar and drop into one of the page's sections.

The drag-and-drop mode is very useful because you can quickly add new modules to your page. To these modules, you can then add widgets.

The real-time editing lets you see immediately what your page looks like.

BeBuilder

 

One of the prominent features of the BeBuilder Muffin Builder plugin is the toolbar on the right. There you find the following elements:

  • Prebuilt sections. This contains a variety of building blocks that are ready to use. There is a subdivision by type so finding the right one is not hard.
  • Revisions. There are four types of revision that aid in securing your website.
  • Import/Export. In this element, you can import and export content, templates, or add SEO-optimized content. You can also add plugins such as Yoast.
  • Preview. This is similar to the WordPress Preview option. The BeBuilder feature shows unsaved changes and works more like a live previewer.
  • Settings. One of the things you can control in the Settings sections is the overall look of BeBuilder

Creating Pages

Visual Composer

 

Visual Composer has a large library of elements. Some of the 350 elements are available in the free version.

These include text blocks, single images, basic buttons, headings, videos, and shortcodes.

Visual Composer organizes content in content blocks. There you can add buttons, icons, text blocks, and so on.

You can arrange or merge these blocks to get the layout you like.

The Visual Composer elements fall into the following categories:

  • Basic
  • Containers (Row and column elements)
  • Content
  • Media
  • Social
  • WordPress

In this page builder, you can change design options or add styling to the content elements. You do this by applying style effects and customizing the properties of the elements.

Elementor

 

There is a seamless interplay between Elementor's widgets and modules. You can add modules to your page to arrive at the design and layout you want.

The Elementor free version includes 30 standard widgets. In the premium version, you get an additional 60 pro widgets.

You can do almost anything with the widgets. You can make simple websites or complete landing pages.

The free basic content widgets include:

  • Accordion
  • Divider
  • Heading
  • Icon Box
  • Image
  • Image Box
  • Progress Bar
  • Star Rating
  • Tabs
  • Text Editor

The free version of the page builder also allows you to customize style settings for individual site sections.

After adding widgets to the modules you can further modify them. You can use templates and override the global template settings if you want.

There are three tabs where you find customization options:

  • Advanced
  • Content
  • Style

BeBuilder

 

The BeBuilder page builder makes it fun and easy to create websites. This custom-built site builder plugin has added layers of functionality.

These are very useful when used in conjunction with BeTheme WordPress themes. That makes it seamless and 100% reliable.

You can divide your pages into work sections. Then, you can choose the color, background, and layouts for each.

You can add classes, sidebars, and other elements. There are no limits to what you can add to a section.

The BeBuilder editor lets you copy entire sections, making website building faster.

You can streamline workflows by using this integrated page builder. It is the core of your BeTheme theme and WordPress work environment.

To add an item to a section, click the 'Add Item' button. That will open a window where you can select the desired item.

After that, there are a few different options. For example, you can expand the item by clicking the '+'-button.

Templates

Visual Composer

 

The Visual Composer website builder free version comes with ten templates.

The premium version of Visual Composer has a huge library with more than 300 templates. These include pages, headers, footers, sidebars, and individual blocks.

However, even with the premium version, there are no complete website kits. Elementor is a better choice if you want to enjoy the website kits shortcut.

The Visual Composer website builder has two kinds of templates:

  • Predefined templates. In these templates, you can modify the content. They have basic features and are flexible in their use. There are block or section templates, and page templates.
  • User templates. These let you use your current page as a template. Save the page that you are working on and use it as a template.

You will find all the User templates in the Template Window. This is also where you find the Predefined templates.

You can find the theme you want by using the filter options.

Elementor

 

You can find a template for any kind of website in Elementor's template library. All are modern, stylish, and ready to use.

You can add your own website or template and use it in the same way. You won't have any trouble accessing them from the WordPress Dashboard.

You also find complete website kits in the premium version of Elementor. Importing and setting these up to make a new website takes minutes.

Each time you create a new page, you can choose between using a template or adding a new section. The block templates are useful because you can quickly make new page sections with them.

Examples of block templates are CTAs and contact forms. Page templates apply to an entire page.

BeBuilder

 

BeBuilder uses ready-make sections. You can add these blocks anywhere on your page with only a few clicks.

The blocks contain sample text and images when you import them. But, you can replace the sample content to match your website.

The BeBuilder developers continue to grow the template library, so there will always be something for you. With a few clicks, you can import and customize templates to create a complete page.

The developers also plan to add new features to make using the template easier.

BeBuilder also utilizes wraps.

You can add a wide variety of items to the wraps and then add the wraps to sections. The wraps have limitless styling options.

Key Features

Visual Composer

 

The Visual Composer Hub is one of the best features of this site builder. It is a cloud storage space where you can keep your addons, elements, and templates.

Also in the Hub are things like downloadable headers, footers, free stock photos, sidebars, blocks, and templates. Unsplash provides all of the high-quality stock images offered here.

The Row Layout Builder is an aid to designing responsive rows and columns. Thus, the realization of your design ideas will look perfect on any device.

It’s also possible to add GIF images from Giphy to your site. You can do this via the Visual Composer Editor or the popup builder.

Visual Composer integrates with many third-party tools. This enables you to enjoy greater creative freedom.

Elementor

 

A big plus of Elementor vs Visual Composer is the dedication of the developers to their product. They continue to work hard to add new features.

A new feature is 'Embed Anywhere'. Thanks to this option you can embed your saved templates with a shortcode.

You can add Elementor designs to any part of the website, as long as it accepts shortcodes.

The Global Widget is another remarkable feature. After saving a widget you’ve designed, you can apply it straight to other areas of your website.

However, that’s not the end, as you can continue to make changes to the design. Global Widget will update the widget, wherever it appears on your site.

Elementor also offers a good popup builder. The interface lets you create welcome bars, large displays, fly-ins, and other popups.

BeBuilder

 

Here are some BeBuilder's advanced features:

  • Pre-designed sections. Many page builder plugins have pre-designed sections. But this feature is so useful for quickly making the website you want.
  • Toolbars. BeBuilder's Live Builder has toolbars with intuitive organization. Finding what you need is easy.
  • Autosave and backup. These tools help you to maintain version control. The options offered go beyond Publish and Update.
  • Robust and comprehensive options. These give you the freedom you want and the possibilities are endless. You can customize almost anything on your website.
  • Extensive responsiveness. This feature makes sure that your website will look great on other devices. You can:
    • Add custom logos for mobile websites
    • Decrease fonts
    • Add Pinch-to-Zoom
    • Define headers for your mobile site
    • Customize mobile buttons
  • Code mirror for developers. This built-in option makes managing your custom CSS and JS easier. It automatically highlights errors.

Pricing

Visual Composer

 

Visual Composer offers five different licenses:

  • Single: 1 website - $49/year
  • Plus: 5 websites - $99/year
  • Accelerate: 20 websites - $149/year
  • Growth: 100 websites - $349/year
  • Agency: 1,000 websites - $849/year

Elementor

 

You can find the Elementor page builder for free on WordPress.org. The free version provides excellent demos and page-building experience.

If you want more from your page builder, choose one of the premium versions:

  • Essential: 1 website - $49
  • Expert: 25 websites - $199
  • Studio: 100 websites - $499
  • Agency: 1,000 websites - $999

BeBuilder

 

BeBuilder uses a one-time flat fee of $59.

That plan includes everything. You will not find any templates or pre-built sections behind a paid wall.

You get:

  • Muffin Live Builder
  • Muffin Builder 3 (Back-end page builder)
  • Muffin Woo Builder
  • More than 600 pre-built websites

All of that for the one-time price of $59.

Support

Visual Composer

 

The free version offers very basic support. This comes in the form of the Visual Supports Slack page.

Getting other forms of support is tedious and can take a long time. The only way of getting technical support is by providing a ticket.

Comparing the knowledge base of Visual Composer vs Elementor shows that the former offers much less.

Elementor

 

Elementor has a great knowledge base and it is easy to access through Elementor's website. There are many articles, videos, and customer support services available.

You can become part of the developers' vast and open Facebook and Github communities. Here you can contribute to improvements by providing feedback, reports, and suggestions.

Members with a premium plan can get premium support at any time.

BeBuilder

 

The last page builder in this review has comprehensive online documentation. Its knowledge base has explanations for the use of each feature of the theme and builder.

The documentation's step-by-step descriptions are clear and easy to understand. BeBuilder continues to add more and more video tutorials that explain how to set up a website.

BeTheme has a support forum if questions remain after consulting the documentation. Here you can ask questions and receive help from users and experts.

BeBuilder expert users can join the forums to help less experienced users.

FAQs about Visual Composer vs Elementor vs BeBuilder

1. What are the main differences between Visual Composer, Elementor, and Beaver Builder?

Popular WordPress page builders like Visual Composer, Elementor, and Beaver Builder let users design unique layouts without knowing how to code. There are, nevertheless, some significant distinctions between these builders. For instance, Visual Composer offers a library of more than 300 pre-designed templates, whereas Elementor allows sophisticated users greater flexibility with its large widget library. On the other hand, Beaver Builder is renowned for its simple drag-and-drop user interface.

2. Which of these website builders is the most user-friendly for beginners?

Although all three builders have user-friendly interfaces, Beaver Builder is frequently regarded as being the most accessible to beginners. Users can easily design personalized pages using its straightforward drag-and-drop interface without needing any technical expertise. On the other side, individuals who are new to website building might need a little more time to understand Elementor and Visual Composer.

3. How do the pricing plans compare between Visual Composer, Elementor, and Beaver Builder?

The precise features and functionalities given determine how much each of these website builders cost. A free version of Visual Composer is available, as well as paid plans with more sophisticated capabilities. There is a free version of Elementor as well as a Pro plan with more capabilities. Standard, Pro, and Agency plans are available from Beaver Builder, and each one has unique features and capabilities.

4. What types of websites can be created using Visual Composer, Elementor, and Beaver Builder?

Blogs, portfolios, e-commerce sites, and other types of websites can be made with Visual Composer, Elementor, and Beaver Builder. For creating distinctive and customized designs for any sort of website, each builder provides a selection of templates and modules.

5. Which builder offers the most customization options for advanced users?

With its wide design possibilities, large widget library, and flexibility, Elementor is frequently regarded as the most adaptable and adjustable page builder. But in addition to these customization options, Visual Composer also provides a robust design options panel and a wide selection of pre-made templates. Beaver Builder has less customization choices, but it's still a fantastic choice for people who want to make simple, sophisticated designs.

6. How do the performance and speed of websites built with Visual Composer, Elementor, and Beaver Builder compare?

The functionality and loading times of websites created with these builders vary depending on a number of elements, including the size of the website and the particular plugins and themes chosen. However, Elementor and Beaver Builder are frequently praised for their quickness and effectiveness, whereas Visual Composer might need more tweaking to perform at its best.

7. Can these website builders be integrated with popular e-commerce platforms such as WooCommerce and Shopify?

Yes, all three builders can be integrated with well-known e-commerce solutions like Shopify and WooCommerce. Users can build unique product pages and shopping carts using these integrations without knowing any code.

8. What level of support and documentation is available for users of Visual Composer, Elementor, and Beaver Builder?

Each of the three builders provides a wealth of documentation and support materials, such as knowledge bases, forums, and tutorials. Elementor and Beaver Builder also provide premium support alternatives for users that want more specialized help.

9. What are some notable features that set each builder apart from the others?

Users who want a wide range of design options should consider Visual Composer because of its extensive template library and robust design options panel. Elementor is a wonderful alternative for those who desire total control over the appearance and operation of their website thanks to its widget library and customization choices. Beaver Builder is a fantastic option for users looking for a user-friendly page builder because of its intuitive drag-and-drop interface and simplicity.

10. Can these website builders be used with any WordPress theme, or are they limited to certain ones?

Although most WordPress themes can be used with these website builders, there may be some compatibility issues with specific themes. To ensure compatibility with your selected theme, it is usually preferable to examine the documentation and support materials for each builder. Some builders may also provide their own themes or templates that are tailored to their own features and functionality.

Concluding Remarks on Visual Composer vs Elementor vs BeBuilder

It is important to note that, when you pick your WordPress page builder, you need to consider your needs and expectations.

Visual Composer has a React base, which means that it does not use shortcodes.

Still, you can generate shortcodes with a special element. You can then add these codes to your site.

Elementor is great if you want to build a website without using code. That makes working with this builder plugin very easy.

Elementor is a good choice for those without technical knowledge or site-building experience.

BeBuilder is the best choice if you are looking for great value for money. It is robust and simple and has an excellent user interface.

It is perfect for experts and beginners. It also has a long list of useful features, not to mention that it’s completely optimized for SEO and speed.

Albert Ślusarczyk
Albert Ślusarczyk
As the co-creator of Be Theme, I am a strong believer in designing with care and patience. I pour my energy, time & knowledge into perfecting the theme for our 260,000+ customers.