Beaver Builder Review 2023 – Pros, Cons, Pricing and Alternatives

Beaver Builder is a widely-used front-end visual page builder for WordPress, also offering a dedicated theme and theme builder (as of very recently) to work alongside it.

Unlike it’s competitors, Beaver Builder seems to have a strong foothold in the developer community, promising site builders and their clients a platform to create and design websites without the usual headaches.

The added customizability of Beaver Builder makes it a good choice for people that like to get nitty-gritty with their website, and the added tools that Beaver puts at your disposal (The Theme builder, for example) complement the vanilla experience very well.

In this review, we’ll just be looking at the page builder as a standalone plugin.

Beaver Builder Review: The Good, Bad, And The Ugly

For this review, I fired up Beaver Builder to see how it fares in comparison to popular alternatives.

From here on out, I’ll share my experiences using this tool, as well as what I liked and didn’t like along the way.

User Interface & Experience

When you launch beaver builder for the first time, it won’t take you very long to get an idea of how it works.

And even though I found it fairly intuitive as far as page builders go, it wasn’t exactly efficient.

For example, it has a bar going along the top with the Beaver Builder logo on one end, and a handful of buttons on the other.

This is a pure waste of screen space. I don’t need a constant reminder of what builder I’m using and there’s no reason they couldn’t move those buttons to the sidebar.

The only time it’s useful is when you need to bring the sidebar back into view, but Elementor has a much more elegant solution that I think Beaver Builder should take note of.

The sidebars themselves have actually come a long way. If before you only had a rigid sidebar on the left, you now have two sidebars that open just when you need them.

Click on the “+” sign to open the elements and modules bar:

Or click any on-page element to open the editing sidebar:

You can move these sidebars around, which leaves room for you to design your workspace however you want.

It’s similar to what Divi does, and it works.

Adding elements on a page is straightforward and, like most page builders, you don’t have to input a lot of data to see how something looks on-page.

The styling options are pretty impressive too. You get your basic color, hover and alignment options, but you can always take the developer route.

All elements have an “Advanced” tab where you can get your hands dirty and modify any module to your liking, which is exactly what experienced developers need. 

And now would be a good time to make an important observation: I’m not an experienced developer.

I understand how web development works, and I’ve created, managed and optimized my fair share of websites hosted on Wordpress, Webflow, Wix and SquareSpace.

But I’m not the target audience of Beaver Builder. 

So whatever I say in this review – remember that it’s from the perspective of an affiliate marketer. 

Now back to our Beaver Builder review.

Module Library

​The module library is a collection of elements you can use to build your page.

These include things like buttons, images and text blocks. As well as more advanced stuff like accordions, sliders and pricing tables.

Beaver Builder has all that. And it even has a few conversion elements like a subscribe form, countdown timer and testimonial slider.

Beaver Builder doesn’t have a perfect collection of modules. For example, it’s lacking a portfolio or a flip box module, which can come in handy for freelancers or agencies trying to promote their services on a website.

But it doesn’t have a weak library either. For any basic website need, you’re covered.

If you want anything extra, you’ll need to use third-party plugins which often breaks the “visual building” aspect of using a visual page builder.

On top, third-party plugins can mess up the code of your website, but that’s not a 100% risk, so let’s get back to our Beaver Builder review.

In line with other visual builders, Beaver does have a HTML element:

Granted, some website builders do a better job visually with these elements. In Beaver, you’ll just get the classic “Advanced” HTML options you would on any element:

While tools like Thrive Architect or Divi will open up a code playground when using this type of module.

But it’s still a decent element you can use.

Lastly, adding columns and rows is extremely easy in Beaver Builder.

And unlike other page builders, it’s easy to visualize the columns you add, which makes it easier to structure the layout of any page.

Flexibility

Let’s be real for a minute.

Even with a stellar user interface and an abundance of modules and widgets to choose from, none of it really matters if you can’t actually build what you’re trying to build.

In other words, a page builder needs to be flexible.

Given what I’ve had to say about Beaver Builder so far, I wasn’t entirely optimistic about this one.

In terms of achieving different kinds of layouts, Beaver Builder’s “row” system was actually fairly robust and simple to use.

Using both the element settings and global page settings to control margins and paddings, I was also able to eliminate spacing without any fuss.

Beaver Builder is also extremely flexible thanks to its advanced options available for any template or block.

If you need to slightly modify the padding, hover color, class ID, or anything else you can think of, it’s all available in the vanilla package.

That being said, I want to mention that making use of all of these options might not come in handy for everyone.

So yeah, Beaver is flexible, and we have to mention that for a fair Beaver Builder review.

But when it comes to actually making use of these customization options… you need to know what you’re doing to enjoy Beaver to its maximum potential.

By comparison, builders like Divi make a beginner’s job much easier by offering a large amount of templates which require little editing to get them publish-ready.

And since we mentioned that…

Content & Page Templates

If you rely heavily on templates, Beaver Builder does offer a reasonable selection of landing pages and content structures to wet your appetite.

And while the designs aren’t winning any awards, they’re still decent enough. (They offer a good base to build upon if nothing else.)

In order to use one of these templates, however, Beaver Builder will need access to the entire page.

By default, it will end up looking like this:

But if you’re using an older theme, your design can only extend to the boundaries set by it.

Unfortunately, the builder itself doesn’t offer any way around this problem, so you’ll need to install a plugin (like this, or this) to get a new option in your page template settings.

Once enabled, it will lift the themes inherent boundaries and allow Beaver Builder to fill the entire page with content.

But again, only go this route if you use an older theme and you can’t use Wordpress’ options to fill a page with Beaver Builder Full Width.

Finally, you can save your own templates to reuse later, which is a crucial element to consider if you produce a LOT of similar content. (This alone saves hours of your time.)

Not only that, but you can also save individual sections from your design to reuse on another page/post.

AND… you can save both rows and modules as “global” elements, allowing you to reuse them anywhere on your site and edit them from one central location.

This is one somewhat subtle feature that can be really powerful if you know how to use it.

Mobile Responsiveness and Editing

Like most page builders today, Beaver Builder lets you preview pages as they’d look from a mobile device.

You just need to click on responsive editing to open this tab:

And kudos to Beaver Builder for mixing mobile previewing with editing for mobile audiences.

While most page builders give you the ability to hide/slightly modify some elements for mobile, Beaver lets you drastically change a page that’s going to be seen from mobile devices.

On top, their templates and widgets are already looking good on smaller screens, so a big plus in this department.

Speed

Speed is an interesting subject in Beaver Builder.

In our previous Beaver Builder review, we spoke at length about the problems with the speed of working in Beaver. It just took too long to add and modify elements on page, which was a horrible hindrance for users of all skill levels.

That’s not the case anymore.

You can quickly add and edit elements of all sizes and shapes. Working in Beaver Builder is fast.

If you’re to talk about the speed of the site itself, things get even better.

Some page builders have limitations when it comes to the code behind the site. You can’t always access and clean it at will (or pay someone to do it for you) so the fact that you can do that in Beaver makes it a great choice. Especially for someone that knows how to work around source code.

The added layout options for CSS and Javascript connoisseurs also opens up a lot of possibilities for that same purpose.

Support

Beaver Builder speaks highly of their support, and it’s hard to say otherwise based on my own experience.

Even before I got my hands on the plugin, the email response I got back from enquiring was fast and helpful.

And while they do have a contact form to fill out, you’ll get the best response by posting in the dedicated support forum.

Aside from that, the Beaver Builder’s community Facebook group is another excellent support line with over 16,000 members.

Not only do you get responses to your question in minutes, but the answers are coming from other Beaver Builder users who offer advice on workarounds and alternatives you wouldn’t normally get from Beaver Builder’s official support.

Price

Beaver Builder is pretty expensive.

Beaver Builder isn’t the cheapest page builder out there, but it’s not the most expensive, either.

It does have a free version, but it’s even more limited than the paid version, so I wouldn’t recommend it.

(Besides, if you’re going the free route, Elementor is the easy choice.)

Looking at how it’s competitors are priced, you can get a better idea of where this plugin sits in the market.

At first glance, Beaver Builder might seem like one of the more expensive options on the market, but it’s not entirely true.

Even with Beaver Builder’s lowest plan ($99), you’re allowed to install the plugin on unlimited sites, with complete access to all the plugins modules and templates.

(You can continue to use Beaver Builder after 1 year, but you just don’t get updates and support without renewal.)

So while some alternatives above may appear cheaper, not all of them offer the same flexibility. (For example, using Elementor PRO on unlimited sites will set you back $199.)

Even with my somewhat mediocre rating of this tool, it’s still not a bad price point for what you get.

That said, it would be nice if they offered a single site license at a discount.

And that’s why the pricing might or might not be a problem for you. If you’re a developer working on numerous sites at the same time, it’s not a problem. If you’re a budget blogger, it might be a bit too much.

And since we mentioned that, let’s end our Beaver Builder review with an analysis of who this tool is good for.

Is Beaver Builder Right For You?

Now that I’ve covered all the different features and functions of Beaver Builder, weighing up the pros and cons and giving my experience along the way — let’s talk about YOU.

As with any tool, Beaver Builder isn’t going to be the right choice for everyone, so I’d like to get to the bottom of who exactly this page builder is suitable for.

Budget Bloggers

At a $99 one-time (with 1 year of updates and support), Beaver Builder isn’t the biggest expense you’re likely to run into when building a site.

That said, I’d still recommend the free version of Elementor if budget is really a concern. That way, you can get what is, in my opinion, a superior page builder without spending a penny.

If you do plan on upgrading in the near future, and you’d like to run your page builder on multiple sites, then it would be cheaper to stick with Beaver Builder.

Beginner Bloggers

If there’s one thing I can say about Beaver Builder, it’s that it’s really easy to pick up and start using.

Of course, a big part of that is due to how minimal it is as far as page builders go, but either way, I’d still feel confident about recommending this to someone who’s new to building websites.

Now, is it the best page builder for beginners?

No. Not really. Though it is a good option, in my opinion, it’s still not as easy to use as its newest competitor, Elementor.

High-Level Marketers

If you’re looking for the most capable page builder, I definitely wouldn’t recommend Beaver Builder straight out of the box.

That said, if you were to combine it with the Ultimate Addons plugin and perhaps some developer experience, that might be a different story.

As it stands within the context of this review, Beaver Builder just isn’t what I would consider a “high-level” solution.

Currently, your best bet would be either Divi Builder or Elementor PRO.

Read our Beaver Builder vs Divi comparison to find out more.

Conclusion

I hate to say it, but Beaver Builder struggles to outshine the competition in what has essentially become a fierce market in the last couple of years.

With newer page builders like Divi Builder and Elementor PRO offering a faster, more feature-rich experience right out of the box, it’s difficult to make a strong case for Beaver Builder.

If you have a good understanding of CSS, and you don’t mind investing in additional addons and plugins to unlock the true power of this plugin, you’ll no doubt have a completely different opinion.

As it stands, though, it just doesn’t tick enough boxes and it’s simply not the most complete page builder on the market today.