Ever since Elementor was launched in 2016, WordPress page builders have been comparing it with Divi. Both are excellent page builders, but they work very differently.
And with all the features that they have, it’s not surprising that many builders are wondering which between Divi and Elementor is a lighter page builder.
Elementor is a lighter page builder than Divi because of its cleaner code and seamless integration with almost every WordPress theme.
It has more design modules and better features but still a bit lighter than Divi. However, the difference in their performance may not be as much as what you’d expect.
Stick around because we’ll go through all the factors contributing to a page builder’s size and how it can affect your site’s speed.
We’ll also talk about a few things that can help you decide which between Divi and Elementor can help you do more with your site without compromising its size.
Divi or Elementor: How Do They Stack Up?
WordPress users have been comparing Divi and Elementor because of the similarities that they have when building sites. Although they help you create the “perfect design” they often slow down your site.
In many cases, using WordPress page builders for your site is about getting better features in exchange for larger page sizes. It’s important to pick a lighter page builder because it allows you to get the same features without impacting your site.
To help us find the lighter page builder, we conducted a set of tests to measure the performance of Divi and Elementor. But before we proceed with the results of the tests, here are some essential things that you need to know about it:
- We are using the standalone Divi Builder to have an apples-to-apples comparison.
- We’re using Elementor’s free version because the paid version is only an add-on for the actual plugin.
- We imported the site templates for Divi and Elementor to create real-life results instead of the bland text widgets.
- The numbers you’ll find are the median result for 10 tests on brand new WordPress sites with only Elementor and Divi as the active plugin.
Here are the results of our tests:
| Specs | Elementor | Divi |
| Page Load | 1.235s | 1.283s |
| HTTP Requests | 28 | 15 |
| Page Size | 530kb | 535kb |
| Database Queries | 30 | 8 |
| Page Import | 22:19 | 21:05 |
As you can see, Elementor is slightly lighter than Divi. Despite having more HTTP requests and database queries, it still loads a bit faster than Divi.
Elementor is not yet fully optimized in this test, leaving more room for improvement in speed versus the ‘already optimized’ performance we got from Divi.
Although the difference between the two is almost negligible for some people, users who have larger sites can take advantage of the lighter, cleaner code of Elementor.
Aside from this, it also has a bit more features compared to the standalone Divi Builder.
Check out our in-depth Elementor Pro Review to get the details insights.
Should You Use Elementor Instead of Divi?
Page builders make it very easy to build sites, and they’re useful, especially for users without technical know-how.
However, they are also notorious for slowing down most sites, making it more of a balancing act between performance and features.
Sure, it’s easy to pick Divi because the “all-in-one package” you’ll get from it may outweigh its slightly slower performance.
However, if you look at what Elementor can do, the design modules, additional features, and what it can do to help you build sites, it’s impressive to think that it is still lighter than Divi.
Here’s a disclaimer: you’ll find several page builders that are lighter than Elementor – some of them may even outperform it in almost every test.
Unfortunately, they’re only lighter because they have fewer features and aren’t as versatile and robust.
I mentioned it because, in many cases, a lighter page builder means fewer features available for building and customizing sites.
Elementor is an exception because it remains faster and lighter than Divi – an “optimized” page builder with fewer features that should’ve outperformed Elementor in our test.
Speed and size are important for page builders, but these aren’t the only factors you need to consider.
However, if we’re only comparing Divi versus Elementor and their performance, there’s no doubt that Elementor is not only lighter but also a better page builder than Divi.
Related Reading: Elementor Pro vs Astra Pro
Conclusion: Which Is a Light Page Builder, Divi, or Elementor?
Divi and Elementor make it easy for anyone to customize any WordPress site, but that’s where their similarities end. There are instances where one may outperform the other, but when it comes to size and performance, Elementor is better than Divi.
However, these aren’t the only deciding factors you need to use when looking for the best page builder.
Although they help, it would be better to determine what you want to achieve before building your site. Then, pick the one that will make it easier for you to do just that.
Others WordPress Page Builder Article:
- Do You Need a Theme With Elementor Pro?
- Do I Need Elementor Pro for WooCommerce?
- Does Elementor Work With Divi?
- Is Elementor Faster Than Divi?
- Is Divi Good for Beginners?
- Is the Plugin Elementor an Easy Way to Build Websites?
- What Theme Should I Use With Elementor?
- Best Things You Can Only Do With Elementor Pro
- Best Elementor WordPress Themes
- Best Elementor WooCommerce Themes
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