WPBakery is not fully outdated, but it is no longer the best choice for most new WordPress projects. The plugin remains actively developed and widely used, but its shortcode-based architecture, limited full-site editing support, and slower editor experience put it behind modern alternatives like Elementor, Bricks, and the native Gutenberg block editor. For existing sites running smoothly on WPBakery, staying put is often the practical decision. For anyone starting fresh in 2026, better options exist. This article works through the most common questions about WPBakery’s current state, from what it actually does to whether you should migrate away from it.
What is WPBakery and what is it used for?
WPBakery is a drag-and-drop WordPress page builder plugin that lets users create custom page layouts without writing code. It offers both a live frontend editor and a schematic backend editor, making it one of the few major page builders to include two distinct editing modes out of the box. It ships with over 50 content elements, an Advanced Grid Builder, WooCommerce compatibility, and more than 100 predefined templates.
WPBakery was originally called Visual Composer. After a product split, the two tools went their separate ways: WPBakery Page Builder continued as a WordPress-only plugin, while Visual Composer became a standalone website builder. This history explains why you will still find the two names used interchangeably in older documentation and forum threads.
Recent versions have added an AI assistant capable of generating text, improving existing copy, translating content, generating custom CSS and JavaScript, and, since version 8.5, assisting with SEO meta content. The plugin also supports WordPress multisite environments and integrates with WPML and WooCommerce, which broadens its appeal for multilingual and e-commerce projects.
Is WPBakery still supported and actively developed?
WPBakery is actively supported and under continuous development. In 2025, the team moved to a structured release cadence with six major releases across the year, and a significant version 9.0 update is planned for 2026, focusing on a new grid system, improved responsiveness, and a better overall editor experience.
The 2025 development cycle included several notable additions. WPBakery introduced AI-assisted custom GPTs that allow users to generate new page elements from a plain-text description or an image. Version 8.7 also brought element edit window caching with hover-triggered preload, which the team reported reduced editor wait times by up to three seconds, particularly on mobile connections.
WPBakery attended five WordCamps in 2025, including WordCamp Europe in Basel, and won the TemplateMonster Award for best WordPress plugin in the page builder category. The team also launched a beta testing program for early access to upcoming features, signalling an intent to keep the developer community engaged.
License holders can access manual updates without an active subscription. The Support Plus plan adds auto-updates, AI features, the template library, and priority support. Neither the plugin’s development pace nor its community presence suggests a product in decline, though the roadmap does reflect a team catching up to modern standards rather than leading them.
Why do so many WordPress sites still use WPBakery?
WPBakery remains widespread primarily because it is bundled with thousands of premium WordPress themes. Independent tracking data suggests it powers somewhere between 10 and 12 percent of all WordPress websites, which translates to millions of active installations. A large portion of those users never chose WPBakery directly; they inherited it when they purchased a theme on ThemeForest, where more than 2,900 themes include WPBakery as the default builder.
Popular themes like The7 and Bridge, each with hundreds of thousands of downloads, ship with WPBakery baked in. When a theme’s custom modules, sliders, and layout sections are built specifically for WPBakery, switching builders means losing those features entirely. That lock-in effect keeps existing users on the platform long after they might otherwise have moved on.
The pricing model also plays a role. WPBakery offers a one-time lifetime license starting at €69 for a single site, which compares favourably to subscription-based competitors like Elementor Pro. For freelancers and agencies managing multiple client sites, the absence of recurring fees is a genuine advantage, especially when the sites in question are stable and do not need the latest design capabilities.
Finally, WPBakery has a reputation for stability. Its backend editor produces predictable results, and experienced developers who know the tool can build layouts quickly. That reliability, combined with the wide availability of WPBakery-compatible themes and add-ons, keeps it viable for teams that prioritise consistency over modern feature sets.
How does WPBakery compare to Gutenberg and modern builders?
WPBakery and Gutenberg serve different use cases, and the right choice depends on what you are building. Gutenberg is the native WordPress block editor, built into every WordPress installation, and it generates clean semantic HTML with no shortcode dependency. WPBakery excels at complex multi-column page layouts and provides stronger guardrails against accidental breakage, but it carries more code weight and relies on a shortcode architecture that modern tools have moved away from.
WPBakery vs. Gutenberg
Gutenberg is lightweight by design. It integrates directly with WordPress core, avoids heavy plugin dependencies, and produces markup that is straightforward for search engines to parse. Real-world rebuild tests documented by independent reviewers show meaningful performance improvements when sites move from WPBakery to Gutenberg, though the exact gains depend heavily on the theme and other installed plugins. WPBakery officially supports using Gutenberg blocks as elements within its own layouts, which gives teams a hybrid path if they want WPBakery’s layout tools alongside Gutenberg’s content-writing experience.
WPBakery vs. Elementor and performance-first builders
Elementor is the most widely used third-party page builder, with over 10 million active installations. It offers real-time inline editing, a large widget library, and a mature ecosystem of add-ons. WPBakery requires opening a popup to edit element settings rather than clicking directly on the canvas, which reviewers consistently describe as a slower workflow. Performance-first builders like Bricks Builder and Breakdance consistently score 95 or above on PageSpeed Insights with minimal optimisation, while WPBakery’s performance is more variable and depends significantly on the theme and add-on load. WPBakery also cannot edit headers, footers, or full site templates, a limitation that full-site editors like Elementor Pro, Divi, and Breakdance do not share.
What are the biggest drawbacks of using WPBakery today?
The most significant drawback of WPBakery is shortcode lock-in. Every layout WPBakery builds is stored as raw shortcodes like [vc_row] and [vc_column]. If you deactivate the plugin, every page it built displays those shortcodes as plain text instead of the designed layout. There is no clean migration path built into the tool itself; moving away typically means manually rebuilding pages in a new editor.
Beyond lock-in, WPBakery carries several practical limitations in 2026:
- No inline editing. Users must open a popup menu to change element settings. Modern builders like Elementor allow direct on-canvas editing, which is noticeably faster for content updates.
- No full-site editing. WPBakery is a page-content builder only. It cannot manage headers, footers, or global site templates without a separate theme or plugin.
- Performance overhead. WPBakery can slow down sites when loaded with add-ons. Its shortcode-based approach is a legacy architecture, and newer builders produce leaner output by default.
- Developer reluctance. Many developers are hesitant to take over WPBakery-built projects because the architecture is considered outdated. This can create friction when you need outside help or want to hand off a site.
- Frontend editor reliability. The live preview editor is widely considered unreliable by experienced developers, who tend to work exclusively in the backend editor. That limits the visual editing experience WPBakery markets as a core feature.
The pricing structure also has a catch. The base license gives you access to AI features, the template library, and premium support for one year. After that, you need a Support Plus subscription to maintain those features. There is no free version or trial, so testing the tool before committing requires a purchase.
Should you migrate away from WPBakery?
Whether to migrate from WPBakery depends on the current state of your site and what you need from it going forward. For sites that are functioning well, serving clients without friction, and not facing a rebuild, migrating is rarely cost-efficient. The consensus among independent reviewers in 2026 is straightforward: if it works, leave it alone.
The case for migrating is stronger in these situations:
- You are building a new site or undertaking a full redesign.
- Page speed is a measurable problem, and WPBakery’s code overhead is a contributing factor.
- You need full-site editing capabilities, including headers and footers.
- Clients or team members find the popup-based editing workflow too slow.
- You are struggling to find developers willing to work with the existing setup.
Migration from WPBakery to another builder requires rebuilding pages manually. There is no reliable automated converter for complex layouts. For small sites with fewer than ten pages, this is typically a one-day project. For larger sites with dozens of custom pages, it is a significant undertaking that warrants a proper project plan, a staging environment, and a full backup before anything changes.
The migration path to Elementor involves auditing existing pages, rebuilding them one by one in Elementor while keeping WPBakery active, then deactivating WPBakery and cleaning up residual shortcodes. For teams moving to Gutenberg, the Converter for Blocks plugin can assist with transforming WPBakery shortcodes into native blocks, though manual rebuilding is still recommended for complex layouts.
For new projects, the recommendation from most independent sources is clear: start with Gutenberg, Elementor, Bricks, or Breakdance rather than WPBakery. The architectural advantages of those tools compound over time, particularly as WordPress continues its shift toward full-site editing and block-native workflows.
What are the best WPBakery alternatives in 2025?
The best WPBakery alternatives in 2026 are Gutenberg, Elementor, Bricks Builder, Breakdance, Divi, and Beaver Builder. The right choice depends on your priorities: performance, ease of use, full-site editing, or e-commerce capability.
Gutenberg (WordPress Block Editor)
Gutenberg is the native WordPress editor included in every installation at no additional cost. It avoids shortcode lock-in entirely, generates clean semantic HTML, and has matured into a capable tool for content-focused pages and full-site editing. It is the fastest-growing builder by market share and the most future-proof option for teams building on WordPress long-term. The trade-off is a less visual layout experience compared to dedicated page builders.
Elementor
Elementor is the most widely installed third-party WordPress page builder, with a real-time drag-and-drop frontend editor, over 100 widgets, and a large ecosystem of third-party add-ons. It supports full-site editing through Elementor Pro, including headers, footers, and dynamic templates. Elementor is subscription-based, which is a meaningful cost difference from WPBakery’s lifetime license model. It is the most direct like-for-like replacement for teams that want a visual builder with broader capabilities.
Bricks Builder
Bricks Builder is a performance-first WordPress builder that consistently scores 95 or above on PageSpeed Insights with minimal optimisation. It functions as a WordPress theme rather than a plugin, replacing the theme layer entirely. Bricks is aimed at developers and technically confident designers who want full control over output quality. It offers a lifetime pricing model, making it a strong long-term investment for agencies.
Breakdance
Breakdance, from the team behind Oxygen Builder, scores 85 to 95 on PageSpeed Insights and is particularly strong for responsive e-commerce design. It includes dynamic data support, a form builder, a popup builder, and deep WooCommerce integration. A free version is available, with Pro starting at around €100 per year for a single site. Independent performance comparisons consistently place Breakdance among the top performers for speed-conscious builds.
Divi and Beaver Builder
Divi Builder from Elegant Themes is a strong alternative for designers who want extensive built-in design options alongside full theme-building support. Beaver Builder is a lighter, more stable option praised for clean output and straightforward maintenance. Both are well-established tools with active development communities and are worth considering if Elementor or Bricks feel like more than you need.
Choosing the right builder affects more than just how a site looks. It shapes page speed, code quality, and how easily search engines can crawl and index your content. If you are rethinking your WordPress setup and want your content to rank in Google as well as appear in AI Overviews and generative engines like ChatGPT, the technical foundation matters. A well-maintained plugin like WPBakery can still support a solid SEO strategy, but pairing any builder with a dedicated SEO workflow and the right optimisation tools will always produce better results than relying on the builder alone.
