📊 Data-Driven Comparison · Updated 2026

Disable Gutenberg or Vertical Timeline Widget for? How to Choose the Right One

Honest Breakdown

PM
By PluginMatch Editorial
· ⏱ 3 min read
Share
DI
Disable Gutenberg

500K+ installs

WP.org rating 5.0/5
VE
WP.org rating 4.8/5

At a glance

Plugin A

Disable Gutenberg

Disable Gutenberg Block Editor and restore the Classic Editor and original Edit Post screen (TinyMCE, meta boxes, etc.).

Rating
5.0/5
Active Installs 500K+
Author Jeff Starr
Version v3.3.1
Last Updated Apr 2026
Plugin B

Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor

Use a vertical timeline widget for Elementor to showcase your journey, story, milestones, or roadmap directly inside Elementor.

Rating
4.8/5
Active Installs 10K+
Author Satinder Singh
Version v2.7.5
Last Updated Jun 2026

Full Comparison

Technical Specs

Disable Gutenberg vs Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor: Key Statistics
MetricDisable GutenbergVertical Timeline Widget for Elementor
Requires WP4.9+5.2+
Requires PHP5.6.20+7.2+
Tested up to WP7.07.0.1
Plugin age8 yrs8 yrs

Quick Verdict

Pick Disable Gutenberg if you need to restore the Classic Editor and remove the block editor from your WordPress site. It holds a 5.0 star rating from 732 reviews, and 99% of those are 5 stars. Disable Gutenberg has 50x more installs than Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor, making it the clear winner for reliability and trust. Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor is a niche tool for building timeline layouts inside Elementor, but it cannot compete with the scale and user satisfaction of Disable Gutenberg.

Feature Comparison: Disable Gutenberg vs Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor

Functional feature comparison
Feature Disable Gutenberg Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor
Primary function Disable block editor, restore Classic Editor (TinyMCE, meta boxes) Add a vertical timeline widget to Elementor pages
Editor compatibility Works with the original Edit Post screen Works exclusively inside the Elementor page builder
Block editor removal Yes, fully disables Gutenberg block editor No, does not affect the block editor
Classic Editor restoration Yes, restores TinyMCE and meta boxes No, does not restore Classic Editor
Timeline building No timeline feature Yes, vertical timeline widget for milestones or roadmaps
Elementor integration No Elementor dependency Requires Elementor to function
Tag relevance block-editor, classic-editor, editor, gutenberg elementor, elementor-timeline, timeline, vertical-timeline, widget

Who Should Use Disable Gutenberg

  • Site owners who want to restore classic editor wordpress workflows and keep the familiar TinyMCE toolbar, 99% of reviewers gave it 5 stars, showing near-universal satisfaction.
  • Developers managing multiple client sites who need a reliable way to disable gutenberg block editor without breaking custom meta boxes or custom fields.
  • Teams running WooCommerce stores who want a classic editor for woocommerce products, avoiding the block editor's layout quirks for product descriptions.

Who Should Use Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor

  • Elementor users who want to add vertical timeline elementor layouts for company milestones or project roadmaps without writing custom code.
  • Freelancers building client sites who need a free way to add vertical timeline to elementor pages using a dedicated widget, it holds a 4.8 star rating from 26 reviews.
  • Anyone learning how to make a timeline in elementor quickly, as the widget handles the responsive styling and animation out of the box.

Community & Support

Disable Gutenberg has a strong ratings profile. 99% of its reviews are 5 stars, and only 1% are 1 star. That level of positive feedback is rare for any plugin with 732 total reviews. Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor also rates well, with 92% 5-star reviews, though 4% of reviewers gave it 1 star. Support thread data for both plugins is too small to draw meaningful conclusions.

Verdict: Disable Gutenberg or Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor for WordPress sites?

Pick Disable Gutenberg if your priority is controlling the editing experience across your entire site. It has 50x more installs than its competitor and a 99% 5-star rate from 732 reviews. It solves a core WordPress problem, how to disable gutenberg in wordpress, with a single, trusted solution.

Pick Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor only if you already use Elementor and need a timeline widget for a single page or project. It serves a narrow purpose well, but it cannot replace the foundational utility of Disable Gutenberg. For most WordPress users, Disable Gutenberg is the smarter, safer choice.

How this comparison was made

This comparison is AI-generated from live WordPress.org data. Install counts, ratings, versions and support statistics sync weekly, so the numbers on this page stay current. Content passes automated quality checks before publishing, and pages below our quality threshold are held for human review.

Read our full methodology

Frequently Asked Questions

Q How many people use Disable Gutenberg compared to Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor?

Disable Gutenberg has 500K+ active installs while Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor has 10K+, meaning Disable Gutenberg is used on more sites.

Q Which has better user ratings — Disable Gutenberg or Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor?

Disable Gutenberg averages 5/5 from 732 reviews, while Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor averages 4.8/5 from 26 reviews — Disable Gutenberg has the higher average rating.

Q Which is more actively maintained — Disable Gutenberg or Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor?

Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor was last updated on Jun 10, 2026 and Disable Gutenberg on Apr 17, 2026, so Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor received the more recent update.

Q Are Disable Gutenberg and Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor both free?

Yes — both Disable Gutenberg and Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor are free to install from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Some features may require a paid upgrade offered by the plugin author.

Q Is Disable Gutenberg or Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor better for WordPress sites?

For sites that need to restore the classic editing experience, Disable Gutenberg is the clear winner. If you want to add a visual timeline to your pages, Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor is what you need. They solve completely different problems, so the better choice depends entirely on what you want your site to do.

Q Which is easier to set up for a WordPress beginner — Disable Gutenberg or Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor?

Disable Gutenberg is easier for a beginner because you just activate it and the classic editor returns immediately with no configuration. Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor requires you to already have Elementor installed and know how to use its page builder to add and style the widget. Most beginners find the simple on/off switch of Disable Gutenberg much less intimidating.

Q What is the biggest feature difference between Disable Gutenberg and Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor?

Disable Gutenberg removes the block editor entirely and restores the classic WordPress editor, while Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor adds a new content display element to the Elementor page builder. One plugin takes away a feature, and the other adds a design widget. They have zero overlap in what they actually do for your site.

Q Can you switch from Disable Gutenberg to Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor (or the other way) without losing data?

Yes, you can switch between them without losing any of your existing posts, pages, or content. Disable Gutenberg only controls which editor you see, and Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor only adds a visual element to pages you build. Your actual database content remains untouched when you activate or deactivate either plugin.

Q Which type of site should choose Disable Gutenberg, and which should choose Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor?

Choose Disable Gutenberg if you run a blog, WooCommerce store, or any site where you prefer the simpler classic editor and want to avoid the block editor entirely. Choose Vertical Timeline Widget for Elementor if you build visual, story-driven pages with Elementor and need a stylish way to display chronological events or company history. These plugins serve completely different audiences.