- Bricks usually produces lighter pages than Elementor, which makes speed and Core Web Vitals easier to get right.
- Elementor is easier for beginners and has a much larger add-on and template ecosystem.
- Bricks has classes, global styles and query loops built in, so fewer plugins are needed.
- Switching means rebuilding pages, so plan the SEO side (URLs, titles, redirects) before you move.
Elementor is the most widely used page builder for WordPress. Bricks is a newer visual builder, installed as a theme, that has become popular with developers and agencies who care about speed. If your Elementor site feels slow or fragile, you've probably wondered whether Bricks is worth the switch.
Here is an honest comparison, from someone who builds in both and moves sites from one to the other.
Speed and code output
This is the main reason people move. Elementor pages tend to carry more wrapper elements, CSS and JavaScript, and add-on packs add more on top. Bricks outputs leaner HTML and loads less by default. In practice that means Bricks pages are usually lighter, and good Core Web Vitals scores are easier to reach and keep.
That doesn't mean every Elementor site is slow. A well-configured Elementor site with few add-ons, optimised images and good hosting can be fast. But there's a ceiling, and on Bricks you start from a lower base. If speed is your main problem, read why your Elementor site is slow first: sometimes fixing it in place is enough.
Editing experience
Elementor is easier to pick up. You drag widgets, style them, and you're done. Bricks feels more like building with real HTML and CSS: you work with classes, global styles and a structure panel. For a developer or agency, that's a big advantage, because one change to a class updates the whole site. For a beginner, it takes a little longer to learn.
Once a Bricks site is built with templates and global styles, editors can still change text and images visually without touching the layout.
Features and plugins
- Dynamic content and query loops are built into Bricks, so listing posts, custom post types or custom fields doesn't need extra plugins.
- Forms, popups, sliders and conditions are available natively in Bricks, which often replaces several plugins.
- Elementor's ecosystem is far bigger: more add-ons, more templates, more tutorials and more freelancers who know it.
Cost and licensing
Elementor has a free plugin and a paid Pro version. Bricks has no free version and is sold as a licence. Prices and plans change, so check both official sites for current pricing. Whatever you choose, the licence should be in your name so the site stays yours.
SEO
Neither builder ranks a site by itself. What matters for SEO is the content, the structure, and how fast and clean the pages are. Bricks helps with the last part. The real SEO risk is the switch itself: if URLs, titles or content change during the rebuild without redirects, you can lose rankings. That's covered in how to move to Bricks without losing SEO.
When switching to Bricks makes sense
- Your site is slow and you've already tried caching and image optimisation.
- You rely on several Elementor add-on packs and want fewer plugins to update.
- Editing is fragile: changing one section breaks another.
- You're planning a redesign anyway, so pages will be rebuilt regardless.
- You want a cleaner site that's easier to keep fast over the years.
If none of those apply and your Elementor site works well, there's no need to switch. If several do, a move to Bricks is usually worth it. You don't have to move everything at once either: many clients start with one landing page in Bricks to see the difference. The Elementor to Bricks migration service covers both options.
Jesús Sisco
WordPress and technical SEO specialist. I move sites from Elementor and Divi to Bricks, build new ones in Bricks, and make sure the rankings come along. Based in Madeira.
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