Elementor is the most popular way to design pages with drag and drop on WordPress. When you hit the limits of the free version, the first step is usually Elementor Pro; when you need more widgets and dynamic content, add-on packs come into play. In this article we compare the most preferred Elementor add-ons.
First, the basics: Elementor Pro
Elementor Pro offers essential professional features such as a theme builder (header, footer, single post and archive templates), a form widget, a popup builder and WooCommerce templates. Most of the add-ons below deliver the most efficient results when used together with Elementor Pro.
Essential Addons for Elementor
Essential Addons is one of the most popular packs that adds many extra widgets to Elementor.
- Advanced data tables, filterable galleries, timelines
- Advanced form styles and WooCommerce widgets
- Ability to turn off individual widgets you don't use
Best for: Those who want to build sites quickly with ready-made, stylish components.
Ultimate Addons for Elementor
Ultimate Addons is developed by Brainstorm Force, the developer of the Astra theme.
- Many creative widgets and ready-made blocks
- Advanced form styles and eye-catching sections
- Works seamlessly with the Astra theme
Best for: Astra users and those designing visually rich pages.
Crocoblock (JetPlugins)
Crocoblock is more than a widget pack; it is a family of plugins for building dynamic sites.
- JetEngine: Custom post types, custom fields and dynamic listings (for listing, real estate and directory sites)
- JetSmartFilters: Advanced filtering for products and content
- JetWooBuilder: WooCommerce page templates
- JetFormBuilder: Advanced form builder (also available as JetFormBuilder Pro)
Best for: Those building listing sites, directories, booking sites or complex data-driven sites.
Which one should you choose?
| Need | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Theme builder, forms, popups | Elementor Pro |
| Many ready-made widgets | Essential Addons |
| Creative design compatible with Astra | Ultimate Addons |
| Dynamic content, filtering, listing sites | Crocoblock |
Tips for keeping your site fast
- Don't install multiple widget packs at the same time; components doing the same job add unnecessary load.
- Turn off the widgets you don't use in the pack you choose, from the settings.
- Enable Elementor's experimental performance features (e.g. optimized DOM output).
- Use a caching plugin (such as WP Rocket) and a lightweight theme.
Conclusion
For most sites, Elementor Pro plus a single widget pack is sufficient. If you are building a dynamic, data-driven site, Crocoblock is the better choice. You can find all Elementor add-ons and themes in the WordPress Plugins & Themes category.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do these add-ons work without Elementor Pro?
Essential Addons and Ultimate Addons also work with free Elementor. Some Crocoblock features (e.g. building dynamic structures with theme templates) are used more efficiently together with Elementor Pro.
Can I use multiple widget packs at the same time?
Technically yes; however, each pack loads additional CSS and JavaScript. To keep the site fast, it is more sensible to stick with a single pack and turn off the widgets you don't use.
Is Gutenberg faster than Elementor?
Gutenberg (the block editor) is generally lighter because it produces less code. However, Elementor makes it easier to create complex designs without coding knowledge. With proper caching and optimization, Elementor sites can also run fast.
