Kadence - What's the difference between Kadence and other page builders?
If you're new to WordPress, one of the first things you'll encounter is the many different ways to build and design your website within WordPress. You may have heard of page builders like Elementor, Divi, Beaver Builder, Thrive Architect, or WPBakery.
💡 So where does Kadence fit in?
The short answer: Kadence builds on the native WordPress Block Editor, giving you powerful design tools without introducing an entirely separate editing system. That means fewer plugins to manage, less platform lock-in, and a faster, more streamlined website that's easier to maintain over time.
The WordPress Block Editor vs. Page Builders
The WordPress Block Editor is the editor built directly into WordPress. Kadence expands on this editor by adding a powerful collection of blocks, layouts, and customization tools, allowing you to create beautiful pages without needing code or an additional page builder plugin.
Page builder plugins like Elementor and Divi work differently. They replace the standard WordPress editing experience with their own proprietary editing system. While they offer plenty of design flexibility, they also add another layer between WordPress and your website. Because your content is built within that page builder's ecosystem, you're effectively locked into using it. If you decide to switch to a different editor in the future, you'll need to rebuild pages and spend time cleaning up leftover layouts and formatting.
Why We Build Our Themes with Kadence
After working with WordPress for over 14 years, we've found Kadence strikes the best balance between flexibility, performance, and ease of use.
Some of the biggest benefits include:
- Faster websites. Kadence is lightweight and optimized for performance, helping your pages load quickly and rank higher in search.
- A simpler editing experience. Instead of learning WordPress and a separate page builder interface, you work within the same Block Editor WordPress uses for pages, posts, and other content throughout your site.
- Future-friendly. As WordPress continues to invest in the Block Editor, Kadence evolves right alongside it.
- Accessible. Ranked #1 in accessibility two years in a row, Kadence helps create a better experience for all visitors.
- Less plugin dependency. Build beautiful, dynamic layouts using Kadence Blocks — no separate page builder needed.
- No coding required. Customize fonts, colors, layouts, headers, footers, and more using intuitive built-in controls.
Learn More: What is Kadence and Why We Chose It For Our Themes
Can Kadence Do Everything a Page Builder Can Do?
Yes! Everything you can do with a traditional page builder plugin, you can do with Kadence (and more 👏🏻).
Learn More: What Can I Customize in Kadence?
How can I switch from a page builder to Kadence?
If you're switching from Elementor, Divi, or another page builder, you can absolutely install a Kadence theme on your existing website.
Keep in mind that page builder layouts don't automatically convert to Kadence Blocks. Because they use different editing systems, any pages built with your previous page builder will need to be recreated using the WordPress Block Editor and Kadence Blocks.
The good news: If you're using one of our themes, you don't have to start from a blank page. Simply import your chosen demo, then replace the placeholder content with your own text and images. You can customize the layouts as much as you'd like, or build completely custom pages using Kadence Blocks — totally up to you!
Can I use a page builder plugin with your themes?
Technically? Yes. However, we strongly recommend against it.
Our themes are specifically designed for the WordPress Block Editor and Kadence Blocks. If you replace the editor with a page builder like Elementor or Divi, you'll no longer be using the layouts, documentation, tutorials, or workflows that our themes are built around.
In most cases, adding another page builder just makes things more complicated without providing any additional benefit.
If you're starting fresh with one of our themes, we strongly recommend sticking with the WordPress Block Editor and Kadence Blocks. It's the setup our demos, tutorials, and support are all designed for.
Do I Need Kadence Pro?
Nope! All of our themes work with the free version of Kadence.
While Kadence does offer a Pro version with some additional features, none of the functionality shown in our demos requires Kadence Pro.
Learn More: Do I Need to Pay for the Kadence Framework?
Our Recommendation
We believe the best WordPress experience comes from using tools that work with WordPress, rather than circumventing it. That's exactly what Kadence does. Instead of introducing an entirely separate editing system, it enhances and expands on the native Block Editor, making it our platform of choice for every theme we create. ✨
Still on the fence? Here’s a deeper look at what makes 17th Avenue Designs themes worth the investment!