📊 Data-Driven Comparison · Updated 2026

Disable Gutenberg or Live Composer? How to Choose the Right One

Honest Breakdown

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By PluginMatch Editorial
· ⏱ 3 min read
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DI
Disable Gutenberg

500K+ installs

WP.org rating 5.0/5
LI
Live Composer

10K+ installs

WP.org rating 4.4/5

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

Live Composer – Free WordPress Website Builder

Page builder for WordPress with drag and drop header/footer editing, responsive settings, and animations. Compatible with Gutenberg block editor.

Rating
4.4/5
Active Installs 10K+
Author LiveComposer
Version v2.1.17
Last Updated Jun 2026

Full Comparison

Technical Specs

Disable Gutenberg vs Live Composer: Key Statistics
MetricDisable GutenbergLive Composer
Requires WP4.9+6.0+
Requires PHP5.6.20+7.4+
Tested up to WP7.06.9.4
Plugin age8 yrs11 yrs

Quick Verdict

Choose Disable Gutenberg if you need to restore the Classic Editor and remove the block editor entirely. It holds a 99% five-star rating from over 732 reviews and has 500K+ active installs. Disable Gutenberg wins this comparison because it solves one specific problem with near-perfect execution. Live Composer is a page builder that works alongside Gutenberg, but its 79% five-star rate and 9% one-star rate indicate inconsistent user satisfaction.

Feature Comparison: Disable Gutenberg vs Live Composer

Functional features of Disable Gutenberg and Live Composer
Feature Disable Gutenberg Live Composer
Primary editor mode Classic Editor (TinyMCE) with meta boxes Frontend drag and drop page builder
Gutenberg compatibility Disables the block editor entirely Compatible with Gutenberg block editor
Header and footer editing Not included Drag and drop header/footer editing
Responsive settings Not included Built-in responsive controls
Animation effects Not included Built-in animation options
Restores original Edit Post screen Yes, includes all meta boxes No
Landing page builder Not included Frontend page builder

Who Should Use Disable Gutenberg

  • Site owners who want to restore the Classic Editor for WordPress posts and pages. This plugin is trusted by over 500K+ installs, making it the most popular solution for removing Gutenberg.
  • Teams managing WooCommerce products who need a stable, block-free editing interface. It serves as a reliable classic editor for WooCommerce products without unexpected layout changes.
  • Developers or editors who prefer the original TinyMCE editor and meta box layout. 99% of reviewers gave it five stars, reflecting strong satisfaction with its focused feature set.

Who Should Use Live Composer

  • Users who want to build a landing page in WordPress without writing code. Live Composer provides a drag and drop page builder with frontend editing for real-time visual feedback.
  • Site builders who need drag and drop header footer WordPress functionality. This plugin includes dedicated tools for editing those layout areas, a feature Disable Gutenberg does not offer.
  • Anyone searching for a WordPress frontend builder that works alongside Gutenberg. If you want to keep the block editor for posts but use a builder for pages, Live Composer supports that hybrid workflow.

Community & Support

Disable Gutenberg earns a 99% five-star rating and only 1% one-star rating from over 732 total reviews. This split shows that almost every user found the plugin did exactly what it promised. Live Composer has a 79% five-star rating and a 9% one-star rating. The larger proportion of negative reviews suggests some users encountered compatibility issues or feature gaps.

Verdict: Disable Gutenberg or Live Composer for WordPress sites?

Pick Disable Gutenberg if your priority is to disable Gutenberg block editor and restore the Classic Editor. It has 50x more installs than Live Composer and a 99% five-star approval rate. This plugin is the definitive answer to "how to disable gutenberg in wordpress" for users who want zero learning curve and zero visual builder interference.

Pick Live Composer if you need a drag and drop page builder plugin with header and footer editing. It suits users who ask "how to build a landing page in wordpress" and want a frontend builder that does not force you to remove Gutenberg. Just be aware that its 79% five-star rating trails far behind Disable Gutenberg's 99% score.

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 Live Composer?

Disable Gutenberg has 500K+ active installs while Live Composer has 10K+, meaning Disable Gutenberg is used on more sites.

Q Which has better user ratings — Disable Gutenberg or Live Composer?

Disable Gutenberg averages 5/5 from 732 reviews, while Live Composer averages 4.4/5 from 212 reviews — Disable Gutenberg has the higher average rating.

Q Which is more actively maintained — Disable Gutenberg or Live Composer?

Live Composer was last updated on Jun 4, 2026 and Disable Gutenberg on Apr 17, 2026, so Live Composer received the more recent update.

Q Are Disable Gutenberg and Live Composer both free?

Yes — both Disable Gutenberg and Live Composer 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 Live Composer better for WordPress sites?

Disable Gutenberg is better if you want to keep the default WordPress editing experience simple and familiar, especially for text-heavy content like blogs or news sites. Live Composer is better if you need to build custom layouts visually without writing code, making it a stronger choice for landing pages and design-heavy projects.

Q Which is easier to set up for a WordPress beginner — Disable Gutenberg or Live Composer?

Disable Gutenberg is easier for a beginner because you just activate it and the classic editor comes back with no learning curve. Live Composer requires you to learn a drag-and-drop interface, which takes more time upfront but gives you more design control later.

Q What is the biggest feature difference between Disable Gutenberg and Live Composer?

Disable Gutenberg simply removes the block editor and restores the classic WordPress editor, so it does not add any new design features. Live Composer is a full front-end page builder that lets you drag and drop elements directly on your site, which is a completely different approach to building pages.

Q Can you switch from Disable Gutenberg to Live Composer (or the other way) without losing data?

Yes, you can switch between them without losing your existing content because both plugins work with standard WordPress post content. Disable Gutenberg does not alter your database, and Live Composer stores its layouts as shortcodes that remain in your content even if you deactivate the plugin.

Q Which type of site should choose Disable Gutenberg, and which should choose Live Composer?

Choose Disable Gutenberg for a blog, news site, or any site where you just need a clean text editor and want to avoid the block editor entirely. Choose Live Composer for a business site, portfolio, or landing page where you want to control every visual element with drag-and-drop tools.