Choosing between Bricks Builder and Elementor for your WordPress site? You're not alone. Both are powerful page builders, but they take very different approaches.
We've used both extensively for WordPress websites at Web Cardiff. Here's what we've learned about when to use each one.
The Quick Answer
Choose Bricks Builder if: You want clean code, better performance, and don't mind a steeper learning curve.
Choose Elementor if: You need lots of templates, third-party integrations, or want something familiar and well-documented.
What Are These Page Builders?
Both let you build WordPress pages visually, without coding. You drag elements, adjust settings, and see changes instantly.
But that's where the similarities end.
Elementor launched in 2016 and dominates the WordPress page builder market. It's used on millions of sites. Bricks Builder is newer (2021) but growing fast among developers and performance-focused users.
Performance: Where Bricks Shines
Bricks Builder generates cleaner HTML and CSS. Your pages load faster because there's less bloat. The code looks like a developer wrote it by hand.
Elementor creates more nested divs and inline styles. It's not terrible, but it's heavier. On complex pages, you'll notice the difference.
We've seen 20-30% faster loading times switching from Elementor to Bricks on similar designs. That matters for SEO and user experience.
Learning Curve and Interface
Elementor feels familiar if you've used other page builders. The interface is intuitive. Drag, drop, style. Most people pick it up quickly.
Bricks Builder assumes you know some CSS and web development basics. It's more powerful but less hand-holdy. The interface is cleaner but takes time to master.
Think of Elementor as Photoshop and Bricks as professional design software. Both work, but one requires more skill.
Templates and Design Options
Elementor wins on templates. Thousands available from Elementor and third parties. Need a restaurant template? You'll find dozens.
Bricks Builder has fewer templates but they're higher quality. The focus is on building from scratch rather than tweaking pre-made designs.
For most business websites, the template difference isn't critical. You'll customise heavily either way.
Pricing Comparison
Elementor:
- Free version available (limited features)
- Pro: £39/year for 1 site
- Expert: £199/year for 1000 sites
Bricks Builder:
- No free version
- Lifetime licence: £159 for unlimited sites
- No recurring fees
Bricks costs more upfront but saves money long-term if you build multiple sites.
CSS and Customisation
Bricks Builder embraces CSS. You can write custom CSS directly in the builder. It supports CSS Grid, Flexbox, and modern CSS features natively.
Elementor hides CSS from most users. You can add custom CSS, but it's treated as an advanced feature.
For designers who know CSS, Bricks feels more natural. For beginners, Elementor's visual controls are easier.
Third-Party Integrations
Elementor integrates with everything. WooCommerce, form plugins, membership sites, email tools. If there's a WordPress plugin, someone's probably built an Elementor widget for it.
Bricks Builder covers the basics but has fewer third-party integrations. It's catching up, but slowly.
This matters if your site needs specific functionality beyond standard pages and posts.
Dynamic Content and Custom Fields
Both handle dynamic content well. You can pull in custom fields, create post templates, and build dynamic layouts.
Bricks Builder makes this more intuitive with better field mapping and conditional logic.
Elementor requires Elementor Pro for most dynamic features and can feel clunky for complex setups.
Performance in Practice
We tested both builders on identical hosting setups:
Elementor site:
- Homepage: 2.1 seconds load time
- PageSpeed score: 78/100
Bricks site (same design):
- Homepage: 1.6 seconds load time
- PageSpeed score: 91/100
These aren't scientific benchmarks, but they reflect what we see consistently. Bricks produces lighter, faster sites.
Security and Updates
Elementor has a large attack surface due to its popularity and complexity. Security issues get fixed quickly, but they happen more often.
Bricks Builder has a smaller codebase and fewer known vulnerabilities. Being newer and less popular probably helps too.
Both update regularly. No major concerns with either.
Support and Community
Elementor has extensive documentation, YouTube tutorials, and community forums. Finding help is easy.
Bricks Builder has good official documentation but fewer community resources. You'll sometimes need to figure things out yourself.
This gap is narrowing as Bricks grows, but it's still noticeable.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Bricks Builder if you:
- Want the fastest possible site
- Know basic CSS
- Build sites professionally
- Prefer clean code over convenience
- Don't need many third-party integrations
Choose Elementor if you:
- Want lots of templates and widgets
- Need extensive third-party integrations
- Prefer visual controls over code
- Want guaranteed community support
- Are building your first WordPress site
Our Recommendation
For most business sites, we lean towards Bricks Builder. The performance benefits matter more than template variety.
But Elementor isn't wrong. It's mature, well-supported, and gets the job done.
If you're building a simple business website - say for an accountant or tradesperson - either will work fine.
For complex sites or when performance is critical, Bricks Builder edges ahead.
Making the Switch
Moving between builders isn't simple. Neither provides good import/export for the other's content.
Plan to rebuild pages if you switch. That's annoying but manageable for most sites.
The Bottom Line
Both Bricks Builder and Elementor build great WordPress sites. Your choice depends on priorities: performance and code quality (Bricks) versus ease of use and ecosystem (Elementor).
Need help choosing the right builder for your WordPress project? Get in touch and we'll walk through your specific requirements.
The best page builder is the one that helps you build fast, maintainable websites your visitors love. Both can do that in the right hands.