Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder vs Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets (2026): PluginCheck
Quick Verdict
Pick Elementor if you do not already have a page builder or want an all-in-one solution with 10 million active installs. Pick Essential Addons for Elementor if you already run Elementor and want 120+ extra widgets and templates without switching builders.
Choosing between Elementor and Essential Addons for Elementor really comes down to scope: do you need a full page builder, or extras to layer on top of one? Elementor is the page builder itself, while Essential Addons is a 120+ widget and template pack that only works once Elementor (or Elementor Pro) is installed. Most users evaluating these two are trying to decide whether they need the core builder or enhanced components.
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder
The Elementor Website Builder has it all: drag and drop page builder, Atomic Editor, pixel perfect design, global and reusable style systems, mobile r …
- Active installs 10M+
- Rating 4.5/5 (7,279)
- Last updated Jul 20, 2026
- Support resolved 78%
- Tested to WP 7.0.2
- Requires PHP 7.4
Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets
Elementor addon offering 120+ widgets and templates — Elementor Gallery, Slider, Form, Post Grid, Menu, Accordion, WooCommerce & more.
- Active installs 2M+
- Rating 4.9/5 (4,093)
- Last updated Jul 19, 2026
- Support resolved 79%
- Tested to WP 7.0.2
- Requires PHP 7.0
Where Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder Wins
Massive user base
Elementor has 10,000,000 active installs versus 2,000,000 for Essential Addons, giving it a 5x larger community and more third-party tutorials, themes, and integrations.
Overall quality score
Elementor scores 95.2/100 against Essential Addons' 94.76/100, and it earned a perfect 100/30 on popularity due to its dominant market position.
All-in-one functionality
Elementor is a complete page builder on its own, so you do not need a separate core plugin, while Essential Addons depends on Elementor being installed to function at all.
Where Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets Wins
Higher user ratings
Essential Addons scores 98/100 on ratings from 4,093 reviewers, beating Elementor's 90/100 from 7,279 ratings, suggesting stronger satisfaction among users who do rate it.
Deeper support resolution
Essential Addons resolves 78.9% of support tickets compared to Elementor's 78.0%, a small but real edge for users who expect help with widget-specific issues.
Lower complexity for add-on buyers
If you only want extra widgets and templates without committing to a full builder swap, Essential Addons slots into an existing Elementor setup with no migration. It is also free to start, reducing the cost of trying it.
Score-by-Score Comparison
Elementor scores 100/30 versus Essential Addons' 94/30, reflecting its 10 million installs versus 2 million and its status as a category-defining product.
Both plugins score a perfect 100/25 on maintenance, and both were updated within 27 hours of each other in mid-July 2026, indicating equally active development.
Essential Addons scores 98/15 on ratings versus Elementor's 90/15, with a higher average rating from 4,093 reviewers. Elementor's lower score likely reflects its larger, more diverse user base including beginners.
Essential Addons scores 79/15 versus Elementor's 78/15 on support, with a 0.9 percentage point higher resolution rate. The difference is marginal in practice.
Both plugins score a perfect 100/15 on compatibility, indicating equal broad compatibility with current WordPress versions and common environments.
The Bottom Line
If you have not yet chosen a page builder, Elementor is the clear pick: a 95.2/100 quality score, 10 million installs, perfect maintenance and compatibility scores, and a complete builder in one package. If you already run Elementor and just want more widgets, Essential Addons is a logical add-on with a stronger 98/100 rating and slightly better support resolution. For the most common scenario of 'which one do I install first,' the answer is Elementor, since Essential Addons cannot function without it.