Elementor vs Framer
We give Elementor a 2.2 GPA and Framer a 2.6, out of 4.0. Framer grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Elementor
Drag-and-drop page builder plugin and hosting for WordPress
Framer
AI website builder with a visual canvas, CMS and hosting
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAElementorFair | 2.6GPAFramerGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CGraded against its alternatives, Divi and the hosted builders. Advanced Solo, the plan with stored forms, popups and store widgets, is $7 a month for one site, billed $84 a year. Cheap for an editor, but hosting is extra: Elementor Host is $15 a month in its first year, taking one site to about $22. | BBasic is $10 a month per site, billed yearly, inside the cheapest quarter of what builders here charge, and it covers 1,000 AI credits a month, 30 pages, 50 GB of bandwidth and a custom domain. Two multipliers to watch: every site needs its own plan, and each extra editor is $20 a month on top. |
| Free plan and trial | CThe free plugin has no time limit and builds real pages with the core widgets. But the theme builder and popups are Pro, and nothing goes live until you pay someone for hosting, since Elementor's plans don't include it. | BBetter than most free plans in this category: you can actually design and publish, on a Framer address, with up to three editors. The limits are 1 GB of bandwidth and 500 AI credits to try, no custom domain, and Framer calls it suited to non-commercial use. A personal site could live here. |
| Features | CVisual editing with responsive controls, a theme builder for the whole site, forms, popups, WooCommerce page design and AI on the One plans. Plenty. The gap is the one the listing names: it needs a WordPress site, and no editor plan includes hosting. | CIt does the website job fully: agents draft layouts on a canvas you can still edit by hand, with a CMS, hosting, SEO, analytics, staging, branch previews, multiplayer editing and a Server API. But Framer's own pages say it builds websites rather than applications, which is the smaller job here. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. The editor is drag-and-drop with global styles, but first you need WordPress running on a host, then the plugin, then Pro, so there's real setup and a learning curve. Elementor Host takes out the hosting step for another fee. | CNo rating on record, and a freeform canvas with responsive breakpoints, components and CMS collections takes learning, even with agents drafting the first pass. The good part is that what the AI changes stays visible and editable, so you're never locked out of your own page. |
| Platforms and integrations | BIt runs in the browser inside WordPress, works with WooCommerce and Google Analytics, and Elementor MCP connects sites to Claude, Codex and Cursor. No desktop or phone app is listed. | BWeb plus desktop apps for Mac and Windows, with no phone or Linux app listed. Claude Code, Codex and Cursor can connect to a project, there's a Server API for publishing from a script, and it works with Shopify, Tally and Cal.com. |
| Best for | designing WordPress sites visually | marketing sites and portfolios you can still hand-tune |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Elementor and Framer. How we grade
Where they differ
- Elementor starts at $5 per month for 1 site, billed annually ($60 a year). Framer starts at $10 per site / month, billed yearly (Basic).
- Only Framer lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Elementor also covers templates and forms.
- Framer also covers AI agents.
At a glance
| Elementor | Framer | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $5 per month for 1 site, billed annually ($60 a year) | $10 per site / month, billed yearly (Basic) |
| Free plan | The free Elementor editor plugin for WordPress, with drag-and-drop tools, key widgets and core site-building features. You supply WordPress and hosting. | Design pages and publish on a Framer domain with 1 GB of bandwidth, 500 AI credits to try and up to three editors. A custom domain needs a paid plan. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Elementor Ltd. | Framer B.V. |
| Price read from | elementor.com | framer.com |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Elementor
- WordPress users who want to design pages visually without code
- Freelancers and agencies building many WordPress client sites
- WooCommerce shops that want custom product and checkout pages
Framer
- Designers and marketers building marketing sites, portfolios and landing pages
- Teams that want AI-generated pages they can still adjust by hand
- Students and early-stage startups, who can apply for a free year
Worth knowing
Elementor
- Elementor needs a WordPress site; the plugin and Pro plans do not include hosting, and Elementor Host does not include a Pro license.
- Pro and One plans are billed annually, with no monthly option on the pricing page, and come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Essential stores no form submissions and has no popups, custom code or ecommerce widgets.
- Elementor Host is a separate subscription, from $15 a month billed annually for one site ($180 the first year), and renews at list price.
Framer
- Framer builds websites rather than applications, and each published site needs its own plan.
- Additional editors cost $20 a month each, or $10 for content-only editors, on top of the site plan.
- Basic stops at 30 pages and 2 CMS collections; staging and branching need Pro.
- The desktop app covers Mac and Windows only; no mobile or Linux app is listed.
Key features
Elementor
- Visual drag-and-drop editor
- Pages are designed visually inside WordPress, with responsive controls for desktop, tablet and mobile and global styles for fonts and colors.
- Theme Builder and dynamic content
- Pro plans design headers, footers and templates for the whole site and pull WordPress content into them. Custom fields and post types start on Advanced Solo.
- Forms and popups
- A form builder sends leads to marketing tools and stores submissions from Advanced Solo up, where the popup builder is also included.
- WooCommerce store design
- Ecommerce widgets lay out WooCommerce product, cart and checkout pages. They are not included in Essential.
- AI and Elementor MCP
- One plans generate code, copy, images and layouts from prompts using monthly credits, and Elementor MCP connects sites to Claude, Codex and Cursor.
- Elementor Host
- Managed WordPress hosting on Google Cloud with a CDN, daily backups, staging and a free domain for the first year, sold apart from the editor plans.
Framer
- Agents on the canvas
- A design agent generates and refines layouts in place, and other agents manage CMS content or write code components. Each change stays visible and editable.
- Visual design canvas
- Pages are laid out on a freeform canvas with responsive breakpoints, components and effects, with no coding needed for layout or interactions.
- Built-in CMS
- Collections, fields and detail pages hold a site's content: 2 collections and 1,000 items on Basic, 10 collections and 2,500 items on Pro.
- Hosting and publishing
- Sites publish to built-in hosting with custom domains, SSL and analytics. Pro adds a staging environment, site redirects and 90 days of analytics history.
- Live collaboration
- Teams work together with multiplayer cursors, comments, roles and branch previews. Viewers are free, and extra editors are billed per seat.
- External agents and Server API
- Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and other AI tools can connect to a project, and a Server API updates and publishes sites from a script without opening Framer.
Plans
Elementor
Free$0
The basic Elementor editor plugin with drag-and-drop tools and core widgets, installed on your own WordPress site.
Essential$5
per month for 1 site, billed annually ($60 a year)
57 Pro widgets, Theme Builder, 10 cloud templates and forms without submission storage. No popups, custom code or ecommerce features.
Advanced Solo$7
per month for 1 site, billed annually ($84 a year)
85 Pro widgets, popups, custom code and CSS, ecommerce features and custom fields. Advanced is the same for 3 sites at $9 a month ($108 a year).
Expert$17
per month for 25 sites, billed annually ($204 a year)
Everything in Advanced across 25 sites, with storage for 5,000 cloud templates.
One$19
per month for 1 site, billed annually ($228 a year)
Editor Pro plus 25,000 monthly credits for AI, image optimization, accessibility, cookie consent and email delivery. First year advertised at $180.
One Agency$45
per month for unlimited sites, billed annually ($540 a year)
One for unlimited sites with 350,000 monthly credits shared across client sites. First year advertised at $432.
Framer
Free$0
A Framer domain, 1 GB of bandwidth, 500 AI credits to try and up to three editors. Described by Framer as suited to non-commercial use.
Basic$10
per site / month, billed yearly
1,000 AI credits a month, 30 pages, 2 CMS collections, 50 GB of bandwidth, a custom domain and built-in SEO.
Pro$30
per site / month, billed yearly
3,000 AI credits a month, 150 pages, 10 CMS collections, 100 GB of bandwidth, staging, branching with previews and site redirects.
EnterpriseCustom
Custom limits, unlimited editors, SSO, SCIM, an uptime guarantee and credits with volume discounts.
Ways to pay less
Elementor
- Other savings
Birthday sale: 21% off the first year of One
The pricing page shows One at $180 for the first year instead of $228, and One Agency at $432 instead of $540. Both renew at the regular yearly rate. No end date is given.
Framer
- Annual discount
Free custom domain with yearly billing
The pricing page lists a complimentary custom domain for Basic and Pro sites on yearly billing.
- Education
Free Basic plan for students
Students can apply for a year of the Basic plan at no cost, which Framer values at $120, along with 1,000 AI credits a month. Applications are reviewed within about 5 working days.
- Startups
Free year of Framer Pro for startups
Startups can apply for a 100% discount on their first year of the Pro plan, which Framer values at $360.
