The strongest SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle alternative for most sites is Spectra, which brings modern layout and design blocks to the native editor rather than tying widgets to SiteOrigin’s system. Otter Blocks is a strong free block pack, and Black Studio TinyMCE Widget suits anyone who just needs a proper visual widget. We ranked these from our index of 55,000+ WordPress plugins.

Why people switch from SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle

• The Widgets Bundle is tied to SiteOrigin’s builder and widget model, so people move to Spectra or Otter Blocks for native block editing.
• Its widgets feel dated against modern block design, so people move to Kadence Blocks or Otter Blocks for cleaner controls.
• People still using widget areas or the classic editor move to Black Studio TinyMCE Widget for a reliable visual widget.
• Those keeping the SiteOrigin approach for now pair it with Page Builder by SiteOrigin.

Spectra – Modern block toolkit

Spectra, known as Spectra, is a block library from Brainstorm Force that adds containers, advanced layout blocks, and design settings to Gutenberg. Against SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle, it works natively in the block editor with far more current design controls. The drawback: a few advanced blocks and features are held back for the Pro version.

Choose Spectra if you want a modern, native block library to replace SiteOrigin’s widgets.

Black Studio TinyMCE Widget – Visual text widget

Black Studio TinyMCE Widget adds a proper visual editor to WordPress widget areas, letting you format text and media without HTML. Against SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle, it is far simpler and does one thing reliably for classic widget areas. The drawback: it is only a rich-text widget, so it offers none of the layout or design blocks the Widgets Bundle provides.

Choose Black Studio TinyMCE Widget if you only need a clean visual editor inside a widget area.

Otter Blocks – Free design blocks

Otter Blocks from ThemeIsle is a Gutenberg block collection with section blocks, sliders, and design tools built for full site editing. Against SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle, it offers modern, block-native equivalents of most common widgets. The drawback: its large number of blocks and options can feel cluttered, and some blocks are reserved for the Pro tier.

Choose Otter Blocks if you want a broad, free set of design blocks for the block editor.

Page Builder by SiteOrigin – Staying with SiteOrigin

Page Builder by SiteOrigin is SiteOrigin’s own Page Builder, the natural companion to the Widgets Bundle for arranging widgets into rows and columns. Against SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle alone, it adds the layout structure the bundle’s widgets slot into. The drawback: it keeps you in SiteOrigin’s dated, panel-based editing rather than moving you toward the block editor.

Choose Page Builder by SiteOrigin if you want to keep building with SiteOrigin’s rows and widgets.

Kadence Blocks – Fast, modern blocks

Kadence Blocks adds advanced rows, galleries, and design blocks to Gutenberg with a strong focus on performance. Against SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle, it delivers modern layout control natively in the editor while staying light. The drawback: several of its more powerful blocks require Kadence Blocks Pro.

Choose Kadence Blocks if you want a lightweight, modern block toolkit with room to expand.

When to stay on SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle

Stay on SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle if you already run SiteOrigin’s Page Builder and rely on its widgets, since the two work together smoothly and cost nothing. The bundle lets you enable only the widgets you use, keeping things reasonably light. If your site is built around these widgets, moving to a block library means rebuilding content for a benefit you may not need yet.

How we ranked these

Every plugin here is scored by the WPS Score, a single 0 to 10 rating built from 21 signals covering maintenance, support responsiveness, compatibility, performance, and ratings quality across our index of 55,000+ plugins. Rankings are derived from that data, not editorial preference, and no plugin author can pay to change a score. How the WPS Score works.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free alternative to SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle?

Otter Blocks and Spectra are the best free alternatives, as both bring modern layout and design blocks to the native WordPress editor. If you only need a rich-text widget for a classic widget area, Black Studio TinyMCE Widget is a simpler free option.

Does SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle require the SiteOrigin page builder?

No, SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle can run on its own and its widgets also work in the block editor and standard widget areas. It is most powerful, though, when paired with SiteOrigin’s Page Builder, which is how many sites use it.

Are Gutenberg block plugins better than SiteOrigin widgets?

Block plugins like Spectra, Kadence Blocks, and Otter Blocks edit directly in the native editor and generally offer more current design controls than SiteOrigin’s widgets. SiteOrigin remains a solid, free choice, especially on existing sites already built with its tools.

The verdict

The best all-round SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle alternative is Spectra for modern native blocks, with Otter Blocks the strongest free pick and Black Studio TinyMCE Widget the simplest for classic widget areas. If you still build with SiteOrigin’s Page Builder, staying on SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle remains sensible.