Chidozie ChimaGutenberg, Elementor, Bricks. Three different tools, one common theme—you’re going to be annoyed no matter which one you pick. The real question isn’t which one is best, but which one will frustrate you the least.
Gutenberg
Gutenberg is WordPress’ native page builder, and despite years of development, it still feels clunky. It’s fast, lightweight, and doesn’t bloat your site with unnecessary code, but using it often feels like trying to cut steak with a spoon. Dragging and dropping blocks is unpredictable, customization is limited unless you know CSS, and if you’re used to traditional page builders, it will drive you mad. Still, it’s the direction WordPress is forcing everyone towards, so if you plan to stick around long-term, you might as well get used to it.
Pros:
✅ Lightweight & Fast – No unnecessary bloat, just blocks and raw speed.
✅ Native to WordPress – No need for third-party builders, which means fewer plugin conflicts.
✅ Future-Proof – Like it or not, WordPress is going all-in on Gutenberg.
Cons:
❌ The UI Feels Clunky – Dragging, dropping, and resizing blocks often feels like wrestling a stubborn shopping cart.
❌ Customization is a Pain – If you want anything beyond the basics, prepare for custom CSS and PHP.
❌ The Experience Varies – Some themes support it beautifully. Others? Not so much.
Biggest Annoyance:
It tries to be a page builder but fails at being truly intuitive. If you’re coming from Elementor or Bricks, you’ll hate how rigid it feels.
Will It Annoy You?
If you like minimalism and don’t mind fighting with block settings, you might tolerate it. Otherwise, you’ll be installing a real page builder within an hour.
Elementor: The “Friendly” Bloat Machine
Elementor is the crowd favorite for those who just want to slap together a website without thinking too much. It’s easy, packed with widgets, and allows anyone to build something halfway decent. But let’s be real—Elementor is a bloated mess. Every section is wrapped in so many unnecessary divs that it makes your HTML look like spaghetti, and unless you spend extra time optimizing, your site will crawl. Updates are another nightmare. One day your site is fine, the next Elementor pushes an update that breaks everything, and now you’re on Google frantically searching for a fix.
Pros:
✅ Easy to Use – Click, drag, and drop your way to a decent-looking site.
✅ Massive Add-on Ecosystem – Tons of third-party widgets and templates.
✅ Decent Customization – You can get creative without touching code (until you hit its limits).
Cons:
❌ Performance Issues – The moment you add too many elements, your site starts loading like it’s on dial-up.
❌ Too Many Divs – Elementor loves wrapping everything in unnecessary HTML tags.
❌ Updates Can Break Stuff – Every major update feels like playing Russian Roulette with your website.
Biggest Annoyance:
Even with optimization, Elementor can be bloated as hell. If you’re obsessed with speed, you will hate it.
Will It Annoy You?
If you don’t care much about performance and just want an easy way to build pages, Elementor is fine. But if you want clean code and speed, you’ll rage-quit, eventually.
Bricks: The Powerhouse for Developers & Perfectionists
Bricks is for those who want full control without Elementor’s baggage. It’s fast, outputs clean code, and is far more flexible. The downside? It has a learning curve. It’s not as plug-and-play as Elementor, and if you’re not willing to dive into its features, you’ll probably find it frustrating. There also aren’t as many third-party add-ons yet, but it’s steadily growing. Unlike Elementor, though, Bricks actually seems to care about performance and giving developers what they need.
Pros:
✅ Insanely Fast – Loads quicker than Elementor and outputs clean code.
✅ No Lock-in – You can export designs as HTML/CSS, so you’re not stuck.
✅ Dynamic & Developer-Friendly – Custom loops, conditions, and flexibility galore.
Cons:
❌ Learning Curve – More advanced than Elementor. You will have to read the docs.
❌ Fewer Third-Party Add-ons – Not as many pre-built widgets compared to Elementor.
❌ Still Growing – Bricks is newer, so features are still being added.
Biggest Annoyance:
If you’re used to Elementor’s plug-and-play approach, Bricks might feel overwhelming at first. It rewards those who dig in but can frustrate beginners.
Will It Annoy You?
If you want total control, it’ll annoy you the least. But if you just want a simple drag-and-drop builder, it might feel like overkill.
The Verdict: Which One Should You Use?
| Feature | Gutenberg | Elementor | Bricks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | ❌ (Clunky) | ✅ (Beginner-Friendly) | ⚠️ (Moderate Learning Curve) |
| Performance | ✅ (Fast) | ❌ (Bloated) | ✅ (Fast & Optimized) |
| Customization | ❌ (Limited) | ✅ (Lots of Widgets) | ✅ (Ultimate Flexibility) |
| Code Quality | ✅ (Clean) | ❌ (Messy) | ✅ (Clean & Exportable) |
| Third-Party Add-ons | ❌ (Limited) | ✅ (Loads) | ⚠️ (Growing) |
- Pick Gutenberg if you want something lightweight and native (and don’t mind the frustration).
- Pick Elementor if you just want something easy and don’t care about bloat.
- Pick Bricks if you want power, speed, and long-term flexibility.
At the end of the day, no matter what you pick, something is going to piss you off. That’s just the reality of WordPress.