Introduction
Elementor is a page builder well-known for its user-friendliness and drag-and-drop functionality. Moreover, its flexibility, seamless integration, and versatility make it more powerful. With its theme builder and pop-up features, it is like an all-in-one solution.
However, there are several weaknesses of Elementor, such as page performance issues, a steep learning curve, limited features for free users, etc. In this article, we will discuss the weaknesses of Elementor. If you are using it, it is important to know its disadvantages. Additionally, understanding these disadvantages can help you avoid or fix them for your website. I have been using Elementor since I started using WordPress. So I have a good understanding of the weaknesses of Elementor.
1. Pricing
A. Cost Analysis
Elementor’s Lite plan, which does not include all functionalities, costs almost $65 for one year on one site. Its advanced plan costs $85 for one year on one site, which is extremely unfavorable for budget-friendly websites. I really dislike its high price. Other page builders don’t charge this much. Making a functional website without using Elementor Pro is a very hard and challenging. Moreover, If the website is not built properly without Elementor Pro, it will become a very tragic situation. Your website will become very slow.
B. Convincing Clients for Elementor Pro
Your client may not want to pay this much for a single tool. Sometimes, you may need to buy Elementor Pro for your client with your own money.
C. License Limitations
I feel Elementor’s licensing is terrible; it only offers one site and only for one year. On the other hand, other page builders offer more generous terms.
Elementor Pro might not be worth it for a budget-friendly website.
2. Performance and Speed
A. Code Bloat
Advanced features of Elementor (e.g., pop-ups) can lead to excessive code, which may potentially slow down your website. Regarding page speed, if your website is very slow, Google will not recommend it in search results, leading to no organic traffic.
B. Page Load Times
If your site is poorly designed, nothing can fix it. You will need to redesign your website to achieve good speed. It is very hard to achieve good speed with an Elementor website.
3. Learning Curve and Usability
A. Interface Complexity
Elementor is user-friendly, but if you want to use its advanced features, it becomes very difficult to learn (e.g., pop-ups, theme builder, dynamic content, etc.). It is very challenging and time-consuming to master or even understand all its features. The steep learning curve is a major weakness. However, if you can learn everything, I think you would be satisfied with its capabilities.
B. Workflow Efficiency
When using Divi or other page builders, they feel very efficient, but Elementor is inefficient. It can take a lot of time to make even small changes with Elementor.
4. Design Flexibility and Limitations
A. Template Constraints
There are many limitations when customizing prebuilt templates. On the other hand, builders like Brizy don’t have these problems. I have faced this problem sometimes when I try to edit previous templates. Sometimes, the updates don’t apply, or there are many customization limitations, such as issues with customizing the typography of text. Additionally, if you customize a template, it might not fit well with the overall website design.
B. Responsive Design Challenges
Making your website responsive on all devices is very difficult and time-consuming. I find it very boring to make my website responsive on all devices using Elementor. Sometimes in Elementor, it shows that the design is optimized for mobile or other devices, but when you actually visit the site, it looks different, which can be a real headache to fix.
5. Limitations for Free Users
A. Missing Useful Features
The most useful features, such as the theme builder, pop-ups, dynamic content, premium widgets, or pre-made templates, are unavailable in the free version. This makes it very time-consuming and challenging to build a functional website using the free version.
B. Overdependence on Add-ons for Free Users
To enable required functionalities like designing headers, footers, or pop-ups, you need several add-ons (3 to 5), which can slow down your website significantly. This is not reversible unless you buy Elementor Pro. It is very, very difficult to build a website while relying on addons. Additionally, it may cause your website to lag.
6. Compatibility and Integration Issues
A. Theme and Plugin Conflicts
Elementor is compatible with all of the themes and plugins, but, however, for some plugins or themes, it is not very compatible. Additionally, its can lead to poor site functionality. Moreover, it can cause bugs that might break your website.
B. Dependency on Add-Ons
Even with the paid version of Elementor, you may need to install multiple add-ons to enable small functionalities without using code. As discussed earlier, extra plugins/addons can slow down your website badly. Moreover, a common issue of installing multiple add-ons is Elementor bugs. Some add-ons might crash with each other, which can break Elementor, eventually breaking your whole website.
7. Bugs, Support, and Community Feedback
A. Bug Issue
When you make a big website, Elementor bugs come, and it is a headache.I have faced Elementor bugs many times. It is very bad. Sometimes when I update the page, it does not update. Sometimes it becomes a headache for me. I have gone to there support but it don’t help me much.
B. Quality of Customer Support
Elementor’s support is great. They have live chat. I have gone through their support; most of the time it is great. However, Customers have reported that Elementor’s support needs improvement. Sometimes, it can take several days to receive a reply to a support ticket.
Conclusion
In this article, you have learned where Elementor can be useful for you and where it may fall short. Elementor is the king of page builders, but it has several disadvantages, such as performance issues, a steep learning curve, and high pricing. Understanding these disadvantages will help you avoid such issues.
Here are some of my recommendations for your Elementor website.
- Don’t use too many add-ons; use one or two if needed.
- To avoid performance issues, you can watch some tutorials on YouTube to avoid such issues.
- Use reputed themes or addons.
- hire a Elementor expert if needed
There are many page builders in the market, but sometimes Elementor might not fit perfectly for your needs.
You may want to know the weaknesses of using disadvantages of WordPress too.
