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Gutenberg

By WordPress.org

Content Management / Blog & Article Publishing

Reviewed by Abdul Hameid

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

Gutenberg Review - In-Depth Analysis

Gutenberg is the block editor for WordPress, enabling a modular approach to site editing. Test new features and customize your site with ease.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

7.24/10

User Rating

2.1/5 (based on 3886+ reviews)

Active Installations

400,000+

Update Frequency

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

Security Score

4.75 / 10 (Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

Gutenberg is a new paradigm for creating with WordPress, revolutionizing the publishing experience. It introduces a block editor that allows users to edit individual content blocks on posts or pages.

With Gutenberg, you can add and adjust widgets, design site headers and footers, and create media-rich content without needing shortcodes or custom HTML. Each piece of content is treated as a block, making it easy to create and rearrange layouts.

This beta plugin provides early access to the latest features in block and full site editing. It invites tech-savvy users to test and contribute to the development of future enhancements.

For more information, users can refer to the WordPress Editor documentation and Developer Documentation for extensive tutorials and API references.

Comparing to Alternatives

Gutenberg is WordPress's official block editor, but its polarizing reception has fueled a whole category of plugins built specifically to disable or replace it. These alternatives cater to users who prefer the classic writing experience or find the block editor's workflow disruptive.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Deep integration with WordPress core, ensuring long-term support and continuous development
Block-based system offers flexible layout options without needing a separate page builder
Free and included by default, with no upsells or premium tiers
Continually improving over time, with several users noting better experiences in recent versions

Weaknesses

Steeper learning curve compared to the classic editor and some third-party page builders
Performance issues like layout shift and slow loading reported even in recent versions
Considered less intuitive and more cumbersome than dedicated page builders by many long-time WordPress users

User Sentiment Analysis

With a 2.1/5 rating from nearly 3,900 reviews, sentiment is overwhelmingly negative — almost 70% of ratings are 1 or 2 stars. Still, a meaningful 22.4% of users give it 5 stars, indicating a genuinely split user base rather than universal rejection.

Positive highlights

"Block editor really pushed the WordPress to the new level making it more functional, accessible and clean" — Gennady Kurushin
"Once you learn where everything is, it's powerful... I'm going with the block editor every time" — Billy Wilcosky
"Gutenberg makes content creation effortless with its clean block-based interface" — jaxson5
"Ah oui, Gutenberg rend la création de contenu vraiment fluide grâce à son système de blocs clair" — nadiabh
"At our agency we love Gutenberg and our clients love using it too" — STHLM Web Design

Common complaints

UX/UI considered unintuitive, illogical, and harder to use than the classic editor
Editor requires more clicks and effort to accomplish simple tasks
Persistent technical issues like layout shift and cursor jumping during editing
Seen as an inferior imitation of dedicated page builders, lacking their benefits while inheriting their complexity
Frustration that Gutenberg is forced by default with no easy built-in opt-out
Development architecture criticized as a disorganized mix of React, PHP, JS, and HTML
Feels outdated or slow to evolve compared to newer page builder alternatives

Weaknesses

History of multiple medium-severity stored XSS vulnerabilities affecting Contributor+ roles
Recurring security patches needed across many versions, indicating ongoing risk in block-related features
Steep learning curve continues to frustrate long-time users years after launch
Perceived stagnation in addressing core usability complaints despite years of updates

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Gutenberg suits WordPress users building content-rich sites who want native block-based flexibility without installing a third-party page builder. It's a good fit for agencies and users willing to invest time learning the block workflow, especially those creating block themes or using it as a lightweight alternative to Elementor and similar tools.

Not ideal for

Not ideal for users who prefer the simplicity of the classic editor, need a fast and intuitive writing experience, or manage sites with Contributor-level users given the history of stored XSS vulnerabilities. Those frustrated by UI complexity or performance quirks like layout shift may be better served by disabling it entirely.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

Gutenberg is completely free and bundled with WordPress core, offering the full block editor experience including block themes, layout tools, and ongoing feature updates at no cost.

Final Verdict

Gutenberg remains one of WordPress's most divisive features, and the numbers reflect that: nearly 70% of reviewers rate it 1-2 stars, citing unintuitive UX, performance quirks, and frustration with being forced into the workflow. Yet a solid base of 5-star reviews shows that users willing to adapt find genuine value in its flexibility, particularly for building block themes and reducing reliance on third-party builders.

Given the security history of multiple stored XSS vulnerabilities and the persistent usability complaints, sites with Contributor-level authors or teams preferring simplicity may be better served by one of the many classic editor alternatives. For everyone else, Gutenberg is free, actively maintained, and improving, but it demands patience and a willingness to learn its block-based paradigm.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Gutenberg plugin.

block editor

site editing

WordPress customization

FAQ

The best place to report bugs, feature suggestions, or any other feedback is at the Gutenberg GitHub issues page. Before submitting a new issue, please search the existing issues to check if someone else has reported the same feedback.

While we try to triage issues reported here on the plugin forum, you’ll get a faster response (and reduce duplication of effort) by keeping feedback centralized in GitHub.