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Page Builder by SiteOrigin

By Greg - SiteOrigin

Design & Themes / Page Builders & Visual Editors

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

Page Builder by SiteOrigin Review - In-Depth Analysis

Build responsive page layouts using a simple drag and drop interface. SiteOrigin Page Builder is easy to use and compatible with all WordPress themes.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

7/10

User Rating

4.8/5 (based on 1005+ reviews)

Active Installations

400,000+

Update Frequency

Outstanding It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

5.77 / 10 (Medium Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

SiteOrigin Page Builder is a powerful content creation interface, instantly recognizable and astonishingly different. It makes it easy to create responsive column-based content using the widgets you know and love. Your content will accurately adapt to all mobile devices, ensuring your site is mobile-ready.

We have created an intuitive interface that looks just like WordPress itself. It is easy to learn, so you will be building beautiful, responsive content in no time.

Page Builder works with standard WordPress widgets, so you will always find the widget you need. We have created the SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle to give you all the most common widgets, and with a world of plugins out there, you will always find the widget you need.

Choose your editor; Page Builder is ready to be used anywhere. Build in the traditional Page Builder interface or insert a Page Builder Layout into the Block Editor. Insert the SiteOrigin Layout Widget into sidebar and footer widget areas or use the SiteOrigin Layout Block in block-based widget areas.

Page Builder gives you complete freedom to choose any WordPress theme you like. It is not a commitment to a single theme or theme developer. The advantage is that you are free to change themes as often as you like. Your content will always come along with you.

Page Builder's simple drag and drop interface means you will never need to write a single line of code. Page Builder generates all the highly efficient code for you.

Page Builder supports live editing. This tool lets you see your content and edit widgets in real time. It is the fastest way to adjust your content quickly and easily.

This tool lets you roll forward and back through your changes. It gives you the freedom to experiment with different layouts and content without the fear of breaking your content.

Row, cell, and widget styles give you all the control you need to make your content uniquely your own. Change attributes like paddings, background colors, and column spacing. You can also enter custom CSS and CSS classes if you need even finer-grained control.

We have built a lightweight framework, focusing on small page sizes and fast load time. Page Builder is compatible with all other major performance plugins.

Page Builder uses modern SEO best practices and seamlessly integrates with all major SEO plugins, ensuring your content is optimized for search engines.

Page Builder is our commitment to the democratization of content creation. Like WordPress, Page Builder is, and always will be, free. We will continue supporting and developing it for many years to come. It will only get better from here.

Page Builder is accessibility-ready. Tab through all form fields and settings, and make changes without a mouse.

SiteOrigin has been creating magical tools for your WordPress website since 2011. Page Builder is actively developed with new features and exciting enhancements every month.

Documentation is available on SiteOrigin. Free support is available on the SiteOrigin support forums.

SiteOrigin Premium enhances Page Builder by SiteOrigin, the SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle, and all SiteOrigin themes with a vast array of additional features and settings.

Comparing to Alternatives

SiteOrigin remains one of the longest-standing free page builders, competing against a crowded field of drag-and-drop tools. It differentiates itself with a lightweight footprint and strong compatibility with the Classic Editor and widget-based themes, though newer builders offer more modern design features out of the box.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Lightweight and non-bloated compared to many modern builders
Excellent long-term compatibility with Classic Editor and widgets
Well documented with responsive, highly praised support
Free version is fully functional for building complete pages

Weaknesses

Feature set feels dated next to Elementor or Brizy in terms of design flexibility
Frequent updates can add maintenance overhead for site admins
Multiple historical XSS vulnerabilities compared to some newer competitors

User Sentiment Analysis

With a 4.8/5 average from over 1,000 ratings and 93.1% five-star reviews, sentiment is overwhelmingly positive. Only 2.8% of reviews fall into the 1-2 star range, suggesting very few users have had a seriously negative experience.

Positive highlights

"The basic page builder is quite good for starters... very well documented with support" — Rana
"Been using Page Builder by SiteOrigin... with 0 issues, and just all work with Classic and TinyMCE" — DB
"It works as promised. I am extremely satisfied with this plugin" — gertjuergensen
"What makes it the best is their AMAZING other worldly support" — adventurousghost
"This editor is not bloated, just works... has a very good feature set" — Adrian

Common complaints

Weaknesses

History of multiple XSS and file inclusion vulnerabilities, including a high-severity CSRF/reflected XSS issue
Frequent plugin updates noted by at least one reviewer as burdensome for site maintenance
No 1-2 star reviews were available to assess specific dissatisfaction patterns, limiting complaint visibility

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Ideal for users maintaining older or widget-based WordPress sites, those attached to the Classic Editor, and anyone wanting a free, straightforward page builder without heavy bloat. Long-term SiteOrigin users and budget-conscious site owners will appreciate its stability and support quality.

Not ideal for

Not the best fit for users wanting cutting-edge design capabilities found in modern builders, or for security-sensitive environments that allow Contributor-level access, given the plugin's history of multiple XSS vulnerabilities affecting that role. Site owners who dislike frequent updates may also find the maintenance cadence tiresome.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers a complete drag-and-drop page building experience, including layout rows, columns, widgets, and compatibility with the Classic Editor—enough for many users to build full sites without ever upgrading.

Pro version (29 - 99 USD / year)

SiteOrigin Premium adds extra widgets, additional layout and styling options, and priority support add-ons, extending the free builder's capabilities for users who need more advanced widget bundles.

Final Verdict

Page Builder by SiteOrigin enjoys strong, consistent user satisfaction, backed by a high average rating and a very low share of negative reviews. Its appeal lies in reliability, lightweight design, and standout support, particularly for users who value compatibility with the Classic Editor over flashier modern interfaces.

However, its lengthy list of past XSS and file inclusion vulnerabilities—several rated medium to high severity—means administrators should stay diligent about updates, especially on sites with Contributor-level users. Given the crowded alternative landscape, it's best suited to those already invested in SiteOrigin's ecosystem or seeking a simple, no-cost builder rather than users chasing the most modern design toolset.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Page Builder by SiteOrigin plugin.

Page Builder

Drag-and-drop

Responsive Design

Screenshots

FAQ

Go to Plugins > Add New within WordPress. Search for “SiteOrigin Page Builder” using the field at the top right of the page. Alternatively, manually install the plugin ZIP file from Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin. If you’d like to install Page Builder manually and use Safari, disable the Safari auto-unzip feature in Safari > Preferences before downloading.