WordPress is an extremely flexible way to build your website, but when you’re just getting started all of the different terminology can be pretty confusing. Two words that you’ll see a lot as you’re looking into your WordPress options are ‘themes’ and ‘page builders,’ and while they do similar things, they are different tools. Understanding the difference will be important so you can choose the best way to build your site.
Every WordPress site must have a theme. A page builder is an optional add-on that will give you so much more freedom and control over your site! So let’s take a look at these two tools, how they are different, and figure out which option is best for you.
What is the difference between a WordPress theme and a page builder?
A WordPress theme is a template for your site. Your site has to have a theme installed. When you have a theme installed you can change the content, but the general look and feel is mostly decided on by the theme. There are thousands of themes to choose from– some are free and some are ‘premium’ that you need to pay for. Premium themes tend to offer more customization options than free themes, but are still fairly limited. It will probably let you change the colors and fonts, and sometimes choose between things like different header layouts.
A page builder lets you override the theme to customize your site. It is an optional add-on to your site. It gives you complete control over the design of your site. You can choose all the elements of your site’s design– the header, footer, colors, fonts, layouts, what elements are on each page– everything. (You might sometimes see page builders called ‘theme builders’, but they are the same thing.)
To fully customize a theme, you need to know CSS and PHP. To fully customize a page builder you do not need advanced technical knowledge, you just need to learn how to use the drag-and-drop tools and options. It makes customizing your WordPress site easy and accessible no matter what your technical skill level is.
Learn More: Check out the best WordPress page builders for 2026
Pros and Cons of Using a Theme Without a Page Builder
Pros
- Easy learning curve
- Quick setup
- Thousands of options to choose from
- Lots of free options available
- You can make very basic customizations easily
- Newer themes are mobile responsive out-of-the-box
Cons
- Not many options to customize
- Your site may look very similar to others if you pick a popular theme
- To get a new design you’ll need a whole new theme
- Limited features
- Requires knowledge of code for custom design beyond pre-set options
- Requires plugins for advanced elements
Pros and Cons of Adding a Page Builder to Your Site
Pros
- Fully customizable and as flexible as you want
- Can start with a ready made design or create one that is entirely yours
- No technical knowledge needed
- Allows you to drag-and-drop design and see changes in real-time
- If you want to change your design you don’t need a new theme builder
- Extensive features and functionality available
- Reduces the need for plugins
Cons
- Steeper learning curve
- Slower to set up
- If you add too many elements it can slow down your website page load
- Most page builders cost money
- Need to pay for advanced options
We Recommend Divi
We personally love Divi. Divi is a theme and a page builder, so it does everything. You install it as your WordPress theme and it has the page builder built in, so there’s nothing else to install. Divi does cost money (about $89 a year), so it’s not going to be the right choice for everyone, but if it’s in your budget it can be a great way to get full creative control over your WordPress site.
