Hey all! I'm trying to get a grasp on the current landscape of WordPress page builders, especially since my senior developer has pointed out that the platform is all in on Gutenberg. Clients are starting to expect block-based editing capabilities, which means we need to adapt and find the best options out there. Historically, we've created custom themes using Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) to let clients manage their own content, but they didn't have the flexibility of using a page builder or blocks since everything was hardcoded.
Now, we really want to empower our clients to construct their own pages using pre-designed blocks. While my senior dev argues for sticking with Gutenberg because it's native to WordPress and works well with ACF, I'd like to dive into other alternatives to determine whether we can fully trust Gutenberg's maturity and flexibility. I'd love to hear your updated experiences and recommendations on whether we should commit to Gutenberg or consider other page builders!
7 Answers
Honestly, if you're picking a builder, go for Bricks. Oxygen is okay too, but it’s a step behind. On the topic of ACF, I prefer Metabox which is almost the same functionality-wise but offers a nicer interface. It's great for keeping things simple and efficient!
Look, overall, I find all page builders have their downsides, but if I had to pick, I’d lean toward Gutenberg for the reasons you've mentioned: it's native and works with ACF (even if it’s clunky). Just be sure to adjust your project budget significantly—maybe 1.5-3x—because you'll have to account for all the finer details to make it look seamless later on. An approach to consider is using ACF's flexible content modules and designing a manageable selection of components that can be rearranged; it might work better for you than a full page builder!
I’ve given Gutenberg a try, but it just didn’t suit my style. Sometimes it feels way too restrictive. For straightforward tasks, it’s fine, but when it comes to dynamic templates and layouts, I found myself fighting with its logic too often. That’s why I made the switch to Livecanvas, which suits my workflow much better—it lets me work directly with HTML and CSS without unnecessary abstraction layers. For certain roles, I still use Gutenberg, but for real development work, Livecanvas gives me the control I need. Totally no regrets!
Thanks for the tip about Livecanvas, never heard of it - will check it out.
Gutenberg's blocks are quite functional. By also creating custom blocks and using full-site editing (which can be a bit tricky), you really expand what you can do with it. Other page builders do have extra features like animations, but honestly, you might not need that much fluff. With block styles and careful theme coding, you can keep everything looking consistent and organized. You can even set restrictions on block availability for better control!
I've really dove into Gutenberg and even create custom blocks. I don't use full site editing, but I'm utilizing ACF Pro for options. I totally back your senior dev's opinion: WordPress is clearly steering everyone toward Gutenberg. If you're already on ACF, you might not need a separate page builder at all. Craft custom Gutenberg blocks that manage what your clients can edit. It's like having ACF's flexible content but integrated right into WordPress. I've made a few client sites with custom blocks, and they love how easy editing is now! Sure, it took extra work at first, but I’m learning to create them more quickly now.
I appreciate your reply, thanks. Considered.
Question as it's been a long time since I did Webdev work but I mostly used D7-8 and WordPress for clients. What is the point where WordPress isn't fitted anymore as a solution? Is it still mostly being used for biz sites that could - in theory- be static, blogs, and news sites?
I'm here to say just this: Gutenberg works!
Sage with the ACF-composer package is really helpful for developers. It's a friendly base to build upon!
Interesting, thanks for the tip. We're using Bedrock for most projects—is Bedrock the same as Sage? I'll have to investigate more!
Thank you for the reply, interesting point about ACF flexible content, definitely will look into that.