Gutenberg vs. Page Builders: Is It Time to Ditch Elementor & Divi?

At MakeItAllWork, the debate between WordPress’s native editor and third-party page builders is one we revisit constantly. For years, tools like Elementor and Divi were essential, providing visual design freedom that the original WordPress editor simply couldn’t touch.

But times have changed. The native WordPress Block Editor, commonly known as Gutenberg, has matured significantly. It’s no longer just a basic content tool; it’s a powerful site builder in its own right.

In 2025, the question is: Is it finally time to ditch your heavy page builder for the lightweight power of Gutenberg? Let’s compare these architectures on the metrics that truly matter: performance, flexibility, and maintenance.

What is the Core Difference in How They Work?

The fundamental difference lies in their architecture and how they load your content:

• Page Builders (Elementor, Divi, etc.): These rely on shortcodes, nested DIVs, and custom CSS/JS files to render your layout. When a page loads, the system has to process all these proprietary codes and scripts before the content is displayed. They are an external layer added to WordPress.
  • Analogy: They are like a beautiful, multi-function Swiss Army Knife—they do everything, but they are heavy and complex.
• Gutenberg (The Block Editor): This is native to WordPress. It uses simple, standardized HTML markup and CSS classes. It relies on the core WordPress code, minimizing the need for extra scripts and shortcodes.
  • Analogy: It’s like a finely tuned, custom toolbox—only the necessary tools (blocks) are loaded when needed, making it lightweight.

Round 1: Performance and Speed

In the age of Google’s Core Web Vitals, speed is non-negotiable.

Round 2: Flexibility and Customization

This round used to belong entirely to page builders, but Gutenberg has closed the gap.

• The Page Builder Advantage: They still offer an unparalleled library of pre-built widgets and extremely granular design control (padding, margins, shadows) without touching code. They are perfect for designers who need total creative freedom immediately.
• The Gutenberg Counter-Punch: With the introduction of Full Site Editing (FSE) and third-party block libraries (like Kadence Blocks or GenerateBlocks), Gutenberg can now control headers, footers, templates, and complex layouts. It’s highly customizable, particularly when paired with a good block-based theme.
• Verdict: Page Builders retain a slight edge for pure drag-and-drop complexity, but Gutenberg wins on long-term flexibility because its structure adapts better to new WordPress features (like custom fields and pattern libraries).

Round 3: Long-Term Maintenance and Stability

Maintenance is where the true long-term cost of a website lies.

• The Page Builder Risk: Dependence on a third-party framework creates maintenance risk. Updates to WordPress or PHP can sometimes break the page builder, forcing developers to wait for an update. If you ever want to uninstall it, your content is often left as unusable shortcode soup.
• The Gutenberg Stability: Because it’s part of the WordPress core, Gutenberg is guaranteed to remain stable and compatible with future updates. If you change themes or stop using a specific block plugin, your core content remains clean, semantic HTML.
• Winner | | Gutenberg |

The 2025 Verdict: It’s Time to Go Native

For most business websites, the pendulum has officially swung. The performance, long-term stability, and clean code benefits of Gutenberg (especially when paired with premium block plugins) now outweigh the perceived ease-of-use of heavy page builders.

Page Builders are still useful for: highly dynamic custom applications or sites where pure design velocity outweighs long-term speed.

Gutenberg is now the best choice for: Small businesses, e-commerce, blogs, agencies focused on SEO, and any organization prioritizing speed and future-proofing.

At MakeItAllWork, we are strategically shifting new client builds to modern, lightweight, block-based architectures. This ensures your website is built for speed and engineered for the next decade of the internet.

Ready to upgrade your website’s architecture for maximum performance?

Click here to schedule a free Architecture Strategy session and see how clean, native WordPress can make your site fly!