Are you looking for a WordPress theme builder that gives you total control over your website's header, footer, and archive pages? To help you choose, we've put the top options to the test.
In this article, we’ll compare them on what really matters: performance, features, and overall value, so you can pick the right plugin for your website with confidence.
Quick Comparison - WordPress Theme Builders
If you're in a hurry, this table gives you a quick overview of our findings.
| Theme Builder | Best For | Ease of Use | Standout Feature | Pricing (Starts at) |
| Breakdance | All-Around Use | Very Easy | Reduces Plugin Bloat | $99.99/year |
| Oxygen | Developers | For Devs | Power & Clean Code | $129 one-time |
| Beaver Builder | Agencies | Easy | Stability & Reliability | $89/year |
| Divi Builder | Beginners | Learning Curve | Template Library | $89/year |
| Elementor | Marketers | Easy | Ecosystem | $84/year |
| Brizy | Simplicity | Easy | Clean Interface | $60/year |
| Full Site Editing | Core Users | Learning Curve | Native Integration | Free |
What Is a WordPress Theme Builder?
theme builder is a plugin that gives you drag-and-drop control over your entire website's design and not just the page content. Unlike traditional WordPress themes, it lets you create custom templates for your header, footer, blog posts, and archive pages without needing to write any code.
This flexibility allows you to work with dynamic content and apply designs across your entire site or target them to specific areas, like a custom header for your blog or a unique layout for your WooCommerce product pages.
WordPress Theme Builders vs Page Builders
While they sound similar, theme builders and page builders serve two different purposes. A page builder helps you design the content inside a specific page, like a custom landing page. In contrast, a theme builder designs the structure around your content that applies across your entire site.
Many modern plugins now combine both and offer a complete website-building solution in one package.
Here's a quick breakdown of how they differ:
A Theme Builder is for your entire site:
- Scope: Controls the full website design.
- Controls: Manages headers, footers, and archive page layouts.
- Best For: Creating a complete, custom website from the ground up.
A Page Builder is for individual pages:
- Scope: Focuses only on the content within a single page.
- Controls: Edits the main content area.
- Best For: Designing unique landing pages or specific in-page layouts.
Now that you understand the difference, let's explore the best WordPress theme builders available today.
7 Best WordPress Theme Builders to Create Custom Website
1. Breakdance

Breakdance is a modern WordPress website builder that has rapidly gained popularity, powering over 25,000 websites in just two years. What sets it apart is its focus on performance as it outputs exceptionally clean code that results in faster loading times compared to older page builders like Elementor or Divi. It excels with its advanced Post Loop and Product Loop builders and gives you element-level control to create fully custom archive pages and grids. Breakdance also offers sophisticated display conditions that let you combine both AND and OR rules and precisely control where your templates appear.
Pros
- Clean, efficient code that translates to faster load times and better SEO rankings.
- Post Loop and Product Loop builders with element-level customization.
- Deep WooCommerce integration with dedicated eCommerce elements.
- Over 130 built-in elements with modern and polished designs.
- Global Styles system allows consistent styling across entire site automatically.
- Works independently without requiring a WordPress theme.
- Built-in mega menu builder, popup builder, and multi-step form feature.
Cons
- Less third-party ecosystem compared to other established builders.
- Theme builder features require paid plan, not available in free version.
Breakdance Pricing
Breakdance offers a free version for page building features. Paid plans that include theme builder start at $99.99/year for 1 site, with a Pro Unlimited plan at $199.99/year for unlimited sites.
Customer Reviews
- WordPress: N/A
- Trustpilot: 4.4 out of 5 stars with 66 reviews.
Recommended For
Agencies, developers, and anyone prioritizing site performance while wanting advanced customization options. It's also ideal if you're building online stores.
2. Oxygen

Oxygen is a unique WordPress builder that takes a different approach by completely replacing your WordPress theme rather than working alongside it. This gives you total control over every aspect of your website's design and structure, from headers to footers.
It is built specifically for developers and advanced users, and generates exceptionally clean, lean code that results in faster loading times and better performance than traditional page builders. While it offers complete customization control, its developer-focused interface requires a steeper learning curve compared to more user-friendly alternatives.
Pros
- Built-in CSS Grid and Flexbox controls with visual interface eliminate need for custom CSS.
- Conditional logic allows showing/hiding elements based on user roles, device types, or custom conditions.
- Breakdance WooCommerce elements allow you to design custom product templates, customize checkout flows, and create unique cart designs.
- Dynamic data integration works seamlessly with ACF, Meta Box, Pods, and Toolset custom fields.
- Reusable components system allows creating design libraries that sync your entire site.
- Built-in query builder creates custom post loops without requiring additional plugins.
- Advanced animation controls include hover effects, entrance animations, and scroll-triggered actions.
Cons
- Steep learning curve makes it challenging for beginners and non-technical users
- No AI features or design assistance tools available.
Oxygen Pricing
Oxygen offers a Lifetime Bundle for $199 one-time payment that includes Oxygen Classic, Oxygen 6, Breakdance Elements, Breakdance WooCommerce, and Breakdance Forms. If you're just interested in Oxygen Classic, it's available in three plans starting at a one time payment of $129.
Customer Reviews
- WordPress.org: N/A.
- G2: 4.3 out of 5 stars with 28 reviews.
Recommended For
Experienced developers and agencies who need complete design control and want modern design elements without ongoing subscription costs.
3. Beaver Builder

Beaver Builder is a popular WordPress page builder that also offers theme building capabilities through its Beaver Themer add-on. Known for its stability and clean code output, the plugin has carved out a niche among developers and agencies who prioritize performance over flashy features. It offer front-end visual editing with a true WYSIWYG experience that shows exactly how your design will look in real-time.
However, its development pace is slower than competitors, and recent updates have introduced a new Loop Module, and improved WooCommerce integration.
Pros
- Dynamic Global Templates allow creating reusable components with per-page customizable settings.
- Block theme support allow using Beaver Themer with modern WordPress block themes.
- Loop Module integration provides enhanced dynamic content display with third-party filtering support.
- WooCommerce integration with support for off-canvas cart and enhanced product grids.
- White-labeling capabilities create fully branded solutions for client work
- Block editor integration lets you use Beaver Builder modules within WordPress blocks.
- Template parts feature lets you inject content at specific WordPress hook locations automatically
Cons
- Interface may feel less modern compared to newer page builders with contemporary designs.
- No lifetime pricing option, requiring ongoing annual subscription payments.
- Limited built-in popup and marketing automation tools compared to competitors.
Beaver Builder Pricing
Beaver Builder offers four pricing tiers: Starter ($89/year for 1 site), Plus ($179/year for 3 sites), Professional ($299/year for 50 sites), and Unlimited ($546/year for unlimited sites). All plans include the Beaver Themer addon. A free Lite version is also available with basic features.
Customer Reviews
- WordPress.org: 4.7 out of 5 stars with 388 reviews.
- G2: 4.5 out of 5 stars with 28 reviews.
- Trustpilot: 4.7 out of 5 stars with 38 reviews.
Recommended For
Professionals who prioritize code quality, site performance, and long-term stability.he add-on comes included with the higher tier Ultimate plan, which costs $546/year.
4. Divi Builder

Divi Builder, created by Elegant Themes, is one of the most popular WordPress page builders that evolved from a standalone theme into a comprehensive visual website building platform. With the upcoming Divi 5, the builder has undergone a complete architectural rebuild and introduces modern features like Design Variables, CSS Grids and customizable breakpoints.
The theme builder allows you to design custom headers, footers, blog layouts, archive pages, and WooCommerce product templates using the same visual interface. You can create dynamic templates with conditional logic to display different designs based on post types, categories, or user roles.
Pros
- Visual Builder that offers instant editing with immediate visual feedback.
- Extensive template library with over 350+ pre-designed layout packs for quick website creation.
- Built-in AI features for content generation and design assistance.
- Unlimited website usage with single license covers personal and client projects.
- Built-in A/B testing functionality for optimizing conversions and user engagement.
- Dynamic content support works with custom fields and WooCommerce data to create flexible, data-driven templates.
Cons
- Steep learning curve can overwhelm beginners with extensive customization options
- Resource-intensive on lower-end hosting, requiring adequate server resources for optimal performance
- Limited compatibility with some third-party plugins compared to more universal builders
Divi Builder Pricing
Divi offers two main pricing models: annual membership at $89/year or lifetime access for $249 one-time payment. Both include unlimited website usage, all themes and plugins, plus premium support. Pro plans with AI features and cloud storage cost $277/year.
Customer Reviews
- WordPress.org: N/A.
- G2: 4.9 out of 5 stars with 235 reviews.
- Trustpilot: 4.9 out of 5 stars with 25,000 reviews.
- Capterra: 4.8 out of 5 stars with 1,140 reviews.
Recommended For
Website designers and agencies who want lifetime access for building multiple sites and don't mind investing time in learning a complex interface.onal cloud services and it costs $277/year or $297 today and then $212 from next year.
5. Elementor

Elementor is one of the most popular WordPress page builders, known for its user-friendly interface and extensive template library. The Pro version includes a powerful Theme Builder that allows complete customization of headers, footers, single posts, and WooCommerce pages, plus AI-powered features for content generation.
The Pro version includes a powerful Theme Builder that allows complete customization of headers, footers, single posts, and WooCommerce pages, plus AI-powered features for content generation. However, Elementor's popularity comes with trade-offs as it can impact site performance if not carefully optimized. Its display conditions for templates are also limited compared to newer builders.
Pros
- Template library with over 300 pre-designed templates, including templates for theme builder.
- WooCommerce Builder for full customization of product pages and shopping experiences.
- AI-powered features for generating content, images, and code in the Pro version.
- Dynamic content support works with ACF and custom post types for flexible layouts.
- Popup Builder with advanced targeting options including exit intent and scroll triggers.
- 15 theme builder widgets to allow you to create custom theme parts.
Cons
- Slows down website performance due to extra HTML and larger DOM size.
- Regular updates can introduce glitches, sometimes breaking site layouts.
- Lacks advanced granular user role controls; poor for agency or team use.
Elementor Pricing
Elementor offers a free version with basic features. Pro plans start at $59/year for the Essential plan (1 site), $99/year for Advanced (3 sites), $199/year for Expert (25 sites), and $399/year for Studio (100 sites). Advanced and higher plans include support theme builder and WooCommerce builder.
Customer Reviews
- WordPress.org: 4.5 out of 5 star with 7,170 reviews.
- G2: 4.4 out of 5 stars with 380 reviews.
- Trustpilot: 4.5 out of 5 stars with 3,327 reviews.
- Capterra: 4.6 out of 5 stars with 901 reviews.
Recommended For
Beginners and intermediate users who want an intuitive interface with comprehensive features.
6. Brizy

Brizy is a WordPress page and theme builder known for its clean, minimalist editor and budget-friendly pricing. It comes in two versions: the WordPress plugin and Brizy Cloud. The Pro plugin includes a theme builder to design headers, footers, single and archive templates, with display conditions and dynamic content from ACF, Pods, and Toolset.
It also ships with WooCommerce elements for product, shop, cart, and checkout layouts. The UI is intentionally simple, though many controls are icon-only, which can be initially challenging for new users.
Pros
- 500+ pre-designed templates for pages, blocks, popups, and stories.
- 36+ content elements and 4,000+ vector icons for fast web page creation.
- Lottie animations and scroll reveal effects for modern micro-interactions.
- Popup builder with page- and condition-based display rules.
- Global colors and typography for consistent site-wide styling.
- Brizy Cloud sync to save and reuse blocks/templates across multiple sites.
- White-label options for agencies, including branded client experience.
Cons
- Fewer native elements and advanced controls than larger builders.
- No public developer API limits third‑party add‑ons and deep extensibility.
- Form builder lacks advanced features like conditional fields and multi-step forms.
- Popup targeting and automation are more limited than dedicated popup plugins.
Brizy Pricing
Brizy offers both annual and lifetime pricing. Annual plans start at $60/year (Personal for 1 site), $108/year (Freelancer for 100 sites), $192/year (Agency for 500 sites), and $300/year (White Label with API). Lifetime options include Personal ($149), Freelancer ($299), and Agency ($399). A cloud-hosted version is also available starting at $13/month.
Customer Reviews
- WordPress.org: 4.7 out of 5 star with 947 reviews.
- G2: 4.5 out of 5 stars with 56 reviews.
- Trustpilot: 4.2 out of 5 stars with 162 reviews.
- Capterra: 4.6 out of 5 stars with 17 reviews.
Recommended For
Best for freelancers, small agencies, and small businesses that want a simple, affordable builder with lifetime options.
7. Full Site Editing

Full Site Editing (FSE) is WordPress’s native way to design entire websites using the WordPress Block Editor and a block theme. With the Site Editor, you can visually build and edit templates and parts such as headers, footers, single, archive, 404, and search. It also comes with Global Styles that lets you define site-wide typography, colors, and spacing, while Patterns and Synced Patterns make reusable design systems easy.
The Query Loop, Navigation, and Template Part blocks handle core theme builder features, and WooCommerce’s Blocks enable cart, checkout, and product templates inside the same workflow.
Pros
- Native, plugin-free theme building that reduces maintenance and plugin conflicts.
- Strong accessibility focus and ongoing improvements in core
- Better portability when switching block themes with minimal layout loss.
- Tight integration with the WordPress Pattern Directory for fast web design.
Cons
- Requires a block theme as classic themes don’t support the Site Editor.
- Limited conditional logic for templates compared to dedicated theme builders.
- Dynamic data from custom fields is more restricted without custom code or plugins.
- Fewer advanced animation and interaction controls than visual builders.
- Complex layouts can be harder to achieve without custom CSS or custom blocks.
- WooCommerce Blocks are improving but still behind specialized builders for deep customization.
- Learning curve for users migrating from classic themes or legacy page builders.
Block Editor Pricing
Free. Full Site Editing is part of WordPress core; no additional license required.
Customer Reviews
Major review sites cover the core WordPress experience, so there aren’t dedicated ratings for Full Site Editing.
Recommended For
Best for WordPress-first teams who want a lean, future-proof setup with minimal plugins. are completely free to use. There are no additional costs or subscriptions required.
Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right WordPress Theme Builder for Your Project
So, after all that, which theme builder should you actually choose?
For most projects, the answer is Breakdance. It’s built on modern tech that avoids the performance drag you often get with older builders like Elementor or Divi. That means a faster site and less need for optimization plugins right out of the box.
Functionally, it just goes a step further. You get advanced display conditions (with AND/OR logic) and a WooCommerce builder that’s more capable than what comes standard in other plugins. It gives you professional features without a learning curve.
If you're a developer and want total, granular control over your site's code, Oxygen is your best bet. It has a steeper learning curve, but the clean output and raw power are unmatched.
WordPress Theme Builders - Frequently Asked Questions
If you're looking for the most straightforward WordPress builder, consider Breakdance. Its intuitive, visual editor allows you to build without getting bogged down in complex menus. Its streamlined design and direct editing approach make it remarkably easy to grasp, letting you focus on creating, not struggling with the interface.
While several excellent theme builders are available, Breakdance stands out as the best choice for those looking for complete control, performance, and a truly visual building experience. Its intuitive interface, combined with powerful features like dynamic data, global styles, and a focus on speed, makes it the ideal solution for creating high-performing, custom WordPress websites without needing to code.
Breakdance is the best WordPress builder due to its visual interface, dynamic data, and top performance allowing you to create stunning, custom websites effortlessly, without coding.
WordPress Theme Builders - Related Information
Elementor vs Breakdance: Which is Best and Why?
Divi vs Breakdance: Which Builder Wins?
Divi vs Elementor: Which Page Builder Is Better?
Elementor vs Beaver Builder: Which is Better?
Divi vs Beaver Builder: Which Is a Better WordPress Page Builder?
