When it comes to build a website with WordPress there are so many options. You can go for a page builder like Elementor or choose a super customizable theme like Astra.
In this post I’ll explain the difference between these 2 and how to choose the best one for your needs.
First of all, just for you to know the main difference – Elementor is a WordPress page builder while Astra is a WordPress theme.
Both of them are free to use and are available on WordPress.org. Elementor can be found in Plugins section and Astra can be found in Themes section.
They also have Pro versions, if you need more customization options and advanced features.
Here comes the question: should I use Astra Pro or Elementor Pro or should I even use both of them?
Let’s dive into details and see the difference between these two.
1. Editing experience
Astra Pro is a highly customizable WordPress theme. It works in the native WordPress Customizer, which allows you to adjust your website in the front end.
Once you launch the Customizer (WP admin – Appearance – Customize), you’ll be able to adjust your website as you wish. You can customize your header, footer, typography, colors, sidebar, background and plenty of other elements.
Elementor Pro works in the front end as well. You only need to click on “Edit with Elementor” on any page or blog post to be able to adjust it. Once you’re in the edit mode, you can see all the changes in real time.
It offers you a set of predefined widgets which you can easily drag and drop on your page and edit them right away.
2. Features
If you buy Astra Pro, you’ll get access to powerful features and integrations. Some of these are:
- Sticky Header
- Mobile Headers
- Page Headers
- Mega Menu
- Colors & Typography
- Boxed Layout
- Full Width Layout
- Fluid Layout
- Spacing Control
- Grid Blog Layout
- List Blog Layout
- Masonry Blog Layout
- Infinite Loading
- Mobile Header Designs
- Above & Below Header Content
- Custom Header & Footer
- WooCommerce options
- Display Conditions
Check out the full list of features here.
Elementor Pro is packed with an impressive set of advanced options. Here are some examples:
- 300+ Pro Templates & Blocks
- Custom Fonts & Adobe TypeKit
- Motion Effects
- Slides & Carousels
- Custom CSS
- Scrolling Effects
- Popup Builder
- Sticky Elements
- Social Buttons & Integrations
- Social Proof Widgets
- Action Links
- Form Widget
- Call to Action Widget
- Evergreen Countdown
- Theme Builder
- Dynamic Content
- WooCommerce options
- Forms
Have a look at the full list of features here.
3. Compatibility
Astra Pro is compatible with most popular page builders like: Elementor, Beaver, Brizy and Gutenberg.
On the other hand, Elementor Pro works with most of WordPress themes, but is not fully compatible with all of them. It depends on the theme provider and whether they made their themes compatible with Elementor.
4. Built in templates & widgets
Depending on the plan you choose, Astra Pro offers you from 20 to 55 starter templates, which are ready made page templates that you can import on your site and customize.
If you go for one of their Agency plans, you will also get access to Ultimate Addons for Elementor or/and Beaver (a set of predefined widgets to further enhance your website).
With Elementor Pro you’ll get more than 50 premium widgets on top of around 30 widgets (available in the free version). Also, you’ll get access to their Template Library which includes more than 100 pre-designed pages.
5. Price
There are 3 plans offered by Astra Pro:
| Astra Pro | Mini Agency Bundle | Agency Bundle |
|---|---|---|
| $59 / year | $169 / year | $249 / year |
| All Astra Pro Features | All Astra Pro Features | All Astra Pro Features |
| 20+ Free Starter Templates | 55+ Free Starter Templates | 55+ Free Starter Templates |
| One-to-One Support | One-to-One Support | One-to-One Support |
| Extensive Training | Extensive Training | Extensive Training |
| Unlimited Website Usage | Unlimited Website Usage | Unlimited Website Usage |
| WP Portfolio Plugin | WP Portfolio Plugin | |
| One of the Following Addons: | Ultimate Addons for Elementor | |
| Ultimate Addons for Elementor | Ultimate Addons for Beaver | |
| Ultimate Addons for Beaver | Convert Pro Plugin | |
| Schema Pro Plugin | ||
| SkillJet Academy | ||
| All Future Plugins |
There are also 3 plans provided by Elementor Pro:
| Personal | Plus | Expert |
|---|---|---|
| $49 / year | $99 / year | $199 / year |
| For 1 Site | For 3 Sites | For 1,000 Sites |
| 90+ Widgets | 90+ Widgets | 90+ Widgets |
| 300+ Pro Templates | 300+ Pro Templates | 300+ Pro Templates |
| Theme Builder | Theme Builder | Theme Builder |
| WooCommerce Builder | WooCommerce Builder | WooCommerce Builder |
| Popup Builder | Popup Builder | Popup Builder |
| Support for 1 Year | Support for 1 Year | Support for 1 Year |
| Updates for 1 Year | Updates for 1 Year | Updates for 1 Year |
6. Performance & SEO
Astra Pro is an extremely fast theme built with performance and SEO in mind. It requires less than 50KB of resources, has optimized code and uses Vanilla JavaScript for a better performance.
It also has some cool SEO features like: built-in schema markup, built-in AMP compatibility, built-in breadcrumbs, optimized header tags and more.
Elementor Pro doesn’t have so many built in SEO and performance features, but it’s compatible with most popular speed optimization plugins like: Autoptimize, WP Super Cache, WP Rocket, Shortpixel, Imagify, etc.
Also, it’s compatible with most popular SEO plugins like: Yoast, Rank Math, All in one SEO, etc.
7. Integrations
Astra Pro has the following integrations:
- LifterLMS
- LearnDash
- WooCommerce
- Easy Digital Downloads
- Convert Pro
- Schema Pro
On the other hand, Elementor Pro has an impressive list of integrations:
- ActiveCampaign
- MailChimp
- ConvertKit
- Campaign Monitor
- Zapier
- Hubspot
- Drip
- GetResponse
- Adobe TypeKit
- reCAPTCHA
- Facebook SDK
- Slack
- MailerLite
- Discord
The bottom line
Both products are great and super powerful. So, there is no perfect setup or choice.
If you like building websites from scratch and want a granular control over every aspect of your site, then Elementor Pro might be a great option.
If you want more built in options and like customizing an existing theme in WordPress Customizer, then Astra Pro is the way to go.
Frequently Asked Questions?
Absolutely, it works just fine with both free and premium versions of Elementor builder.
There is no need to use both of them (however, this is possible). If you like building things from scratch then use Elementor Pro. If you’re more comfortable customizing an existing theme, then go for Astra Pro.
Yes, it’s worth getting it, if you need more advanced functionality like: header/footer builder, form builder, WooCommerce builder, advanced animations, popup builder and many more.
Yes, it’s worth getting it, if you care about your site’s SEO, performance and need advanced options like: page headers/footers, WooCoomerce integration, white label, better typography, etc.
The Pro version of Elementor can work with almost any WordPress theme. Even so, it’s better to choose a fully compatible theme for the best experience.