WordPress is a popular choice for building websites, so there are countless tools available to help bring your vision to life in a striking way. From drag-and-drop page builders to color scheme generators and more, these tools help you create professional, visually stunning, and functional websites for your clients.
In this blog, we’ve compiled 10 essential WordPress design tools every web designer or developer should have in their toolkit.
Table of Contents
1. SeedProd
SeedProd is an essential tool for any WordPress web designer looking to create custom website designs easily. With its user-friendly drag-and-drop page builder, you can quickly create professional-grade websites without any coding knowledge.
Whether you choose to start with one of their 200+ professionally designed templates to save time or build a fully custom responsive design from scratch, SeedProd has you covered.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- 200+ pre-built themes and 90+ pro blocks
- Easily connects with third-party apps
Cons:
- Only compatible with WordPress
- The Basic plan lacks tools such as email marketing
Pricing:
- Basic: $39.5/year
- Plus: $99.5/year
- Pro: $199.5/year
- Elite: $239.5/year
2. Figma
Figma is a widely known tool for creating websites and apps, helping you not only develop the site but also design an experience that resonates with your customers. The best part is that Figma can also be used to design WordPress sites.
With its plugin, you can quickly convert any Figma creation to WordPress and launch a quality site. While the transfer process may take a bit of time, this design tool enables you to visually present your brand. It can be used by both professionals and beginners.
Pros:
- Can use AI to make prototypes and generate simple UI
- Real-time team collaboration
- Integration with popular tools like Slack and Trello
Cons:
- Has a learning curve
- May experience performance issues when handling bigger projects
Pricing:
- Free
- Professional Team: $15/full seat/month
- Organization: $45/full seat/month
- Enterprise: $75/full seat/month
3. Elementor
Elementor is a powerful site builder tool that allows you to host and grow your online brand. One of its standout features is its live editing capabilities, which lets you see your changes in real time as you build your page. This makes it easy to adjust and fine-tune your design until it's just right.
This design tool comes with a wide range of widgets, from basic image and text elements to advanced features like accordions, sliders, testimonials, icons, social media, and tabs. Each widget is customizable, with independent settings that let you tailor your page to your specifications.
Additionally, Elementor allows you to add widgets created by other WordPress plugins, giving you even more flexibility and customization options.
Pros:
- Option to create and host your site
- Works for websites in different niches
- Can integrate with other apps like PayPal and Stripe
Cons:
- Some template features may be confusing
- Site speed issues have been reported
Pricing:
- Lite: $2.99/month
- Basic: $9.99/month
- Business: $19.99/month
- Grow: $22/99/month
4. Visual Composer
Visual Composer allows WordPress web designers to fully customize all aspects of their website, from logos and menus to headers, footers, and sidebars. With its robust design options, you can easily customize the appearance of any element on your page, giving you complete control over the look and feel of your site.
This tool lets you add stylish backgrounds to your pages, including parallax, gradient, slideshow, carousel, zoom in and out, video, and more. It allows you to add visual interest and depth to your site and make it stand out from the competition.
Visual Composer also comes with flexible rows and columns for creating grid layouts on your site. This is especially useful for creating clean, professional-looking designs that are easy to navigate.
It includes support for the new Gutenberg editor, Google Fonts, and Yoast SEO, making it a well-rounded and comprehensive tool for WordPress web designers.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Over 100 professional templates
- Theme builder feature that allows creating quick custom web designs
Cons:
- Slow UI
- The tool can bug if you’re using themes that are not fully optimized for it
Pricing:
- Single: $49/year
- Plus: $99/year
- Accelerate: $149/year
- Agency: $349/year
5. Brizy - Page Builder
Brizy – Page Builder is a WordPress plugin made by Brizy.io. It is a simple-to-use, no-code website builder that anyone can use regardless of their website development knowledge. Choose from 180+ templates to begin your web creation and tailor them to your liking. You can even use the AI feature to get a website developed in several minutes.
With a focus on responsiveness, Brizy offers the chance to create landing pages, educational pages, sites for your restaurant, health and beauty websites, and more. You can even host your website on their cloud or connect to a third-party operator.
Pros:
- Simple to learn and use
- Pre-made designs and templates you can customize
- Provides comprehensive documentation and tutorials
Cons:
- No live chat
- A limited number of elements compared to other tools
Pricing:
- Personal: $59/year
- Freelancer: $99/year
- Agency: $199/year
- White Label: $299/year
- Enterprise: Custom
6. Divi
Divi is a professional WordPress page builder plugin and drag-and-drop theme. With a simple interface, it is easy to use, even for beginners.
It has hundreds of layout packs for different websites, so you can easily find a starting point that suits your needs. You can also drag and drop dozens of content modules anywhere on your layout. This feature allows you to customize your page and arrange elements in multiple sections and row types.
Additionally, Divi works well with popular WordPress themes, making it possible to use it with the theme of your choice. What’s more, it’s not expensive — its affordable pricing makes it one of the top budget-friendly web design tools for web designers.
Pros:
- Ease of use
- Many customization opportunities
- Dozens of eCommerce integrations
Cons:
- Heavily relies on shortcodes
- Can lag on larger websites
Pricing:
- Divi: $89/year
- Divi Pro: $277/year
7. Spectra
Source: Spectra
Beginners find Spectra a great solution to their WordPress coding needs. This drag-and-drop tool allows users to quickly place different blocks around the page and arrange them to their liking. It uses the latest standards to ensure safety and security, as well as smooth development. Plus, it solves a big issue: WordPress costs — Spectra is free!
Spectra has over 100 pre-built templates of websites or pages you can use as a guide to create your personal site. You can create blogs, landing pages, and “About Us” sections or develop the whole site based on your industry — whether it’s healthcare, pet care, tourism, eCommerce, or more.
Pros:
- Fast and stable
- Native WordPress interface
- Organized collaboration and the chance to group tabs in blocks
Cons:
- Lacks dynamic data
- Fewer optimization opportunities compared to other tools
Pricing:
- Spectra Pro: $49/year
- Essential Toolkit: $79/year
- Business Toolkit: $149/year
8. Oxygen Builder
Oxygen Builder is a powerful toolkit for building custom WordPress websites. Its seamless visual design and code integration allow you to efficiently work with custom HTML, CSS, and Java to create unique and custom websites.
It has drag-and-drop editing capabilities, making it easy to build custom pages and layouts without needing coding knowledge. This is especially useful for creating professional-grade websites quickly and efficiently.
Oxygen Builder also comes with WooCommerce integration and Gutenberg Blocks, allowing you to build custom WooCommerce stores with ease.
Pros:
- Gives a lot of control over your site creation
- Drag & drop feature that allows rebuilding blocks
- Unlimited site license
Cons:
- No shortcode support in text fields
- Has a learning curve
Pricing:
- Basic: $129 one time
- WooCo: $149 one time
- Ultimate: $179 one time
9. Thrive Themes
Thrive Themes allows WordPress web designers to create custom, professional-grade websites. In terms of customization capabilities, it offers almost the same level of power and flexibility as Oxygen Builder.
You can easily customize every aspect of your website, from the layout and design to the colors and fonts. This way, you can create a unique and visually stunning site that perfectly represents your brand.
Pros:
- Thrive Automator helps build smart automation, which allows building workflows between different apps and plugins
- User-friendly
- A/B testing feature
Cons:
- Can only be used with WordPress
- Only part of the Thrive Suite
Pricing:
- $149/quarterly
- $299/yearly
10. LocalWP
LocalWP is a tool that makes it simple to create WordPress websites on your computer. This is especially useful for web designers and developers who want to work on WordPress projects without using a live website.
LocalWP is also an excellent option for bloggers who want to redesign or customize their blogs without hacking into their live sites. It is free for the most part, although there are some premium options and add-ons available for those who want to take their website to the next level.
Pros:
- Cost-effective
- Easy to use
- Built-in SSL support
Cons:
- Can be sluggish
- Users have reported crashes when designing complex sites
Pricing:
- Free
How To Choose the Right WordPress Design Tools
Here are some tips to help you choose the website design tools that best fit your needs:
- Determine your needs: First, understand what you need from your website design tool. Do you need a tool with a drag-and-drop interface or are you comfortable working with code? Do you need a tool that integrates with WooCommerce plugins or other e-commerce platforms? Understanding your needs will help you narrow your options and choose the best tool for your project.
- Consider your budget: Website design tools can vary widely in price, from free to hundreds of dollars per year. Determine your budget before looking at tools, and consider any additional charges, such as premium templates or add-ons.
- Look for user-friendliness: On average, designing a website takes two to five months. A tool that is easy to use will save you time and frustration, especially if you're new to website design. Look for tools with intuitive interfaces and helpful documentation or tutorials.
WordPress Design Tools Key Takeaways
Websites become more complex and powerful as businesses and organizations invest more time, energy, and money into their online presence. With that comes a need for more robust WordPress tools to build them. After all, 59% of visitors prefer browsing a well-designed site over those that look basic.
With the help of excellent website design tools, you can quickly craft virtually any site you imagine, from a simple blog to a full e-commerce website. These tools will also make your job easier, enabling you to create visually stunning sites with minimal effort.
If you need professional help, consider working with a web development agency to ensure your website meets the highest standards of functionality and design.
