At a glance
Page Builder by SiteOrigin
Build responsive page layouts using the widgets you know and love using this simple drag and drop page builder.
Page Builder: Pagelayer – Drag and Drop website builder
The most advanced frontend drag & drop page builder. Pagelayer is a light weight but extremely powerful Website Builder.
Full Comparison
Technical Specs
| Metric | Page Builder by SiteOrigin | Page Builder: Pagelayer |
|---|---|---|
| Requires WP | 4.7+ | 4.7+ |
| Requires PHP | 7.0.0+ | 5.5+ |
| Tested up to WP | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Plugin age | 13 yrs | 7 yrs |
Quick Verdict
Page Builder by SiteOrigin wins this comparison. Its user satisfaction is exceptional, with 93% of reviewers giving it 5 stars. Page Builder: Pagelayer has 1.25x fewer installs and a 1-star rating of 25%, which signals significant user frustration. For most WordPress sites, Page Builder by SiteOrigin is the safer, more reliable choice.
Feature Comparison: Page Builder by SiteOrigin vs Page Builder: Pagelayer
| Feature | Page Builder by SiteOrigin | Page Builder: Pagelayer |
|---|---|---|
| Editor Type | Backend drag and drop with live preview | Frontend drag and drop |
| Responsive Design | Built-in responsive layouts | Responsive controls available |
| Widget Support | Works with existing WordPress widgets | Includes its own set of widgets |
| Gutenberg Integration | Compatible as a Gutenberg block | Includes Gutenberg blocks |
| Landing Page Builder | Build landing pages with layout builder | Dedicated landing page builder |
| Visual Editor for Custom Layouts | Yes, drag and drop layout builder | Yes, frontend visual editor |
| WooCommerce Compatibility | Build product pages with widgets | Compatible with WooCommerce |
| Plugin Weight | Lightweight, minimal bloat | Lightweight design |
Who Should Use Page Builder by SiteOrigin
- Teams who need a reliable drag and drop page builder trusted by 400K+ active installs. This scale of adoption gives you confidence in long-term support and compatibility.
- Developers and site owners who prioritize user satisfaction. With 93% of reviews at 5 stars, you are joining a user base that consistently reports positive results with this plugin.
- Anyone who wants to build responsive pages with widgets they already know. The plugin lets you use standard WordPress widgets, meaning you don't have to learn a new ecosystem to create a page layout in WordPress.
Who Should Use Page Builder: Pagelayer
- Users who prefer a frontend drag and drop page builder where you edit directly on the live page. This visual editor for custom page layouts lets you see changes instantly as you build.
- Site owners focused on creating dedicated landing pages. Pagelayer markets itself as a landing page builder, making it a candidate if your workflow centers on high-conversion landing pages.
- Those who want Gutenberg blocks and a page builder in one package. Pagelayer includes both, which can reduce the number of plugins you need to manage.
Community & Support
Page Builder by SiteOrigin holds 93% 5-star ratings and only 2% 1-star ratings, indicating a user community that largely trusts the plugin. Page Builder: Pagelayer shows a different pattern, with 67% 5-star ratings and 25% 1-star ratings. This 1-star rate is 12.5 times higher than its competitor, suggesting a notable minority of users encounter serious issues.
Verdict: Page Builder by SiteOrigin or Page Builder: Pagelayer for WordPress sites?
Pick Page Builder by SiteOrigin if you want a drag and drop layout builder WordPress users have rated at 93% 5 stars. It offers a proven way to build responsive pages with widgets, backed by 400K+ active installs. Pick Page Builder: Pagelayer only if you specifically need a pure frontend editing experience and are comfortable with a plugin where 1 in 4 reviews is 1 star. For general use, Page Builder by SiteOrigin is the clear winner.
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 methodologyFrequently Asked Questions
Q How many people use Page Builder by SiteOrigin compared to Page Builder: Pagelayer?
Both plugins report about 400K+ active installs on WordPress.org, so their user bases are the same size.
Q Which has better user ratings — Page Builder by SiteOrigin or Page Builder: Pagelayer?
Page Builder by SiteOrigin averages 4.8/5 from 1,004 reviews, while Page Builder: Pagelayer averages 3.9/5 from 102 reviews — Page Builder by SiteOrigin has the higher average rating.
Q Which is more actively maintained — Page Builder by SiteOrigin or Page Builder: Pagelayer?
Page Builder: Pagelayer was last updated on Jun 9, 2026 and Page Builder by SiteOrigin on May 23, 2026, so Page Builder: Pagelayer received the more recent update.
Q Are Page Builder by SiteOrigin and Page Builder: Pagelayer both free?
Yes — both Page Builder by SiteOrigin and Page Builder: Pagelayer 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 Page Builder by SiteOrigin or Page Builder: Pagelayer better for WordPress sites?
Page Builder: Pagelayer is better for most sites because it includes Gutenberg block support and landing page features out of the box, which gives you more flexibility for modern layouts. Page Builder by SiteOrigin is a solid choice if you want a classic drag-and-drop experience with a strong focus on responsive design, but it lacks the newer block editor integration that Pagelayer offers.
Q Which is easier to set up for a WordPress beginner — Page Builder by SiteOrigin or Page Builder: Pagelayer?
Page Builder by SiteOrigin is easier for a beginner because its widget-based interface feels familiar and works directly on the front end of your site without any extra learning curve. Pagelayer also has a simple drag-and-drop setup, but its additional Gutenberg blocks can be confusing if you are just starting out with WordPress.
Q What is the biggest feature difference between Page Builder by SiteOrigin and Page Builder: Pagelayer?
The biggest difference is that Pagelayer includes Gutenberg block support, meaning you can build pages inside the WordPress block editor, while SiteOrigin sticks to a standalone visual editor and widgets. This makes Pagelayer more versatile for users who want to mix blocks with a page builder, whereas SiteOrigin is better for those who prefer a dedicated builder separate from the editor.
Q Can you switch from Page Builder by SiteOrigin to Page Builder: Pagelayer (or the other way) without losing data?
Switching between these two builders is not straightforward because they use different content structures and shortcodes, so your existing layouts will likely break or appear as raw code. You would need to manually rebuild your pages in the new builder or use a migration tool, which is time-consuming and not guaranteed to preserve all styling.
Q Which type of site should choose Page Builder by SiteOrigin, and which should choose Page Builder: Pagelayer?
Choose Page Builder by SiteOrigin if you run a content-focused site like a blog or news site where you need simple, responsive layouts with widgets that work reliably across devices. Choose Page Builder: Pagelayer if you are building landing pages or WooCommerce product pages, because its Gutenberg block support and landing page tags make it easier to create conversion-focused designs.
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