An alternative to Elementor, Divi, Bricks, Breakdance and other page builders

At a glance

Based on each product's own documentation in October 2026. Products change; check the current version before you decide.

Why page builder sites get slow

A page builder has to work for every possible layout, so it ships a framework of styles and scripts, often with fonts and icon sets, and adds extra wrapper elements around your content. Performance settings trim some of that, but the page still carries the builder's code alongside the theme's and every other plugin's.

Canvasly compiles each site once, when you export. The output is semantic HTML, one minified stylesheet with only the units you used, and a script with only the features your pages need. A page with no interactive units ships no JavaScript at all. In WordPress, the Canvasly full page template leaves out the theme's styles and other plugins' head and footer code, so the page loads what it was designed with and nothing else.

Canvasly vs Elementor

Elementor is a page builder plugin: you design inside WordPress, and Elementor keeps each layout in its own data and renders it when the page is viewed. If the plugin is deactivated, those layouts stop displaying as designed.

With Canvasly you design outside WordPress and import finished pages. Each page is a standard Custom HTML block, styled by a small Canvasly plugin, and keeps its title, description, social tags and JSON-LD.

Choose Elementor if your team edits layouts inside WordPress every day or builds pages from WordPress data. Choose Canvasly for designed marketing pages and landing pages that should be fast and not tied to a builder.

Canvasly vs Divi

Divi from Elegant Themes is a WordPress theme and builder. Divi 4 stored layouts as shortcodes, which turn into raw text if Divi is removed; Divi 5 moves to a block-based format and migrates older content.

Canvasly doesn't replace your theme. Its pages show through their own template, so you can keep or change your theme without touching them, and there are no shortcodes to clean up later.

Choose Divi if you want one theme that designs the whole WordPress site, from header to blog templates. Choose Canvasly if you want pages that stay the same whatever the theme does.

Canvasly vs Bricks

Bricks is a WordPress theme with a visual builder, popular with developers for its clean output and dynamic data features. Pages built with it are rendered by Bricks, so they need it active to display as built.

Canvasly exports work with any theme, and the same project can also publish a static site to FTP, SFTP, GitHub Pages, Netlify or Vercel, with no WordPress at all.

Choose Bricks for WordPress sites built around dynamic data, query loops and custom fields. Choose Canvasly when you want to design visually and publish the same pages to WordPress or as a static site.

Canvasly vs Framer

Framer is a hosted website builder with freeform design, a CMS and hosting included. Framer's help centre says published sites can't be exported as standalone HTML for self-hosting, so the site stays on Framer.

Canvasly also designs freehand, but every export is yours: a static site for any host, or WordPress pages. Plans are licensed by domain, from one domain a year to a one-time Lifetime license.

Choose Framer if you want hosting, a CMS and real-time collaboration handled in one place. Choose Canvasly if you want to own your files and host them where you like, including WordPress.

Canvasly vs Breakdance

Breakdance comes from the makers of Oxygen and is built as a modern replacement for Elementor and Divi, with performance features and many elements out of the box. It can also run in a themeless mode, where Breakdance designs the whole site instead of a theme.

Canvasly doesn't ask you to rebuild the site around a builder. You design the pages you need, import them alongside your existing theme and content, and the same project can also publish a static site with no WordPress at all.

Choose Breakdance if you want to design the entire WordPress site, templates included, inside one builder. Choose Canvasly if you want fast designed pages that don't depend on a builder, in WordPress or on any host.

Full comparison: Canvasly as a Breakdance alternative →

Canvasly vs Oxygen

Oxygen is made for developers who want full control and clean output. It switches off the WordPress theme system and designs the entire site itself, so the site's whole design depends on Oxygen staying installed.

Canvasly gives designers the same clean output without writing code: freehand drag-and-drop, 132 ready-made units, and an AI assistant, with HTML you can still edit directly (Ctrl+U). It leaves your theme in place for the rest of the site.

Choose Oxygen if you are a developer building a whole WordPress site from scratch. Choose Canvasly if you want clean pages designed visually, without taking over the theme.

Full comparison: Canvasly as a Oxygen alternative →

Canvasly vs Beaver Builder

Beaver Builder is a stable, beginner-friendly page builder plugin that works with any theme and is popular with freelancers and agencies. If it is switched off, pages fall back to plain HTML in the editor, without their styling and layout.

Canvasly pages are plain HTML from the start. They keep their full design through a small plugin and a template that stays the same whatever the theme. You also get freehand positioning instead of rows and columns only, the Builder Pro units, and static export.

Choose Beaver Builder if you want simple layouts edited inside WordPress by clients. Choose Canvasly if you want freeform design and pages that also publish outside WordPress.

Full comparison: Canvasly as a Beaver Builder alternative →

Canvasly vs Kadence Blocks

Kadence Blocks is a lightweight block library for the native WordPress block editor (Gutenberg). Pages are stored as standard WordPress blocks, and its blocks need the plugin active to display as designed.

Canvasly works outside the block editor, so layouts aren't limited to stacked blocks: place elements anywhere, style each breakpoint, add motion effects, and export the result as one compiled stylesheet. The pages then import into WordPress as standard Custom HTML blocks.

Choose Kadence Blocks if you want to stay inside the WordPress block editor. Choose Canvasly if you want design freedom beyond blocks, with the same pages ready for WordPress or any host.

Full comparison: Canvasly as a Kadence Blocks alternative →

Moving pages from a page builder

1. Open the published page with Import → URL, or save it and use File → Open HTML File. Canvasly turns it into an editable project and copies its images, stylesheets and fonts.
2. Adjust the design in the editor, or let the AI assistant restyle it.
3. Export as WordPress, install the small Canvasly plugin and import the pages. See Export to WordPress.
4. Once the new pages are live, you can deactivate the builder for pages you have moved.