If your WordPress site only needs pages, posts, images, buttons, galleries, responsive layouts and basic styling, keep Elementor Free. Consider Elementor Pro when you need a custom header or footer, blog templates, popups, advanced forms, custom code, dynamic content or WooCommerce page design.
Elementor Pro is a subscription that extends Elementor Free, starting at $60 a year for one site, checked November 8, 2026. Before paying, identify the exact locked feature, check the plan tier that includes it, and read the renewal amount at checkout.
Key takeaways
- Keep Elementor Free for ordinary pages, posts, landing pages, responsive layouts and core widgets.
- Pro adds site-wide templates, advanced forms, popups, custom fonts, custom code and WooCommerce design tools.
- Essential is for one basic website. Advanced Solo and higher add popups, custom code and eCommerce features.
- Elementor Pro does not replace Elementor Core. Both plugins must remain installed and active.
- Hosting, email, security, storage, backups and domains stay separate unless you buy a hosting product.
What Elementor Free gives you before you upgrade
You can build a complete basic WordPress site with Elementor Free, also called Elementor Core. It gives you a visual drag-and-drop editor, so you can place text, images, buttons, videos, galleries and other elements on a page without writing the layout by hand.
Elementor's free resource page lists more than 40 widgets, more than 30 templates, responsive controls, revision history and unlimited pages. Responsive controls let you adjust how a page appears on desktop, tablet and mobile screens. Revision history lets you return to an earlier version after a design change.
The free widget set covers the everyday pieces: Heading, Text Editor, Image, Video, Button, Google Maps, Icon Box, Basic Gallery, Image Carousel, Testimonial, Tabs, Accordion, Social Icons, Progress Bar and HTML, among others. The exact set may change, so use Elementor's current free-download and comparison pages for the documented list before starting.
Free also supports template import and export, landing pages, posts and ordinary site edits. Elementor includes the Hello Theme at no additional charge and recommends it as a lightweight starting theme, though you are not required to use it.
For a brochure site, personal blog, simple service site or basic landing page, these tools may be enough. Elementor Free does not provide hosting, a domain, email, backups, malware protection or storage, so check those terms with your hosting provider.
Which locked features actually require Pro?
The right question is not whether Pro has more features. It is whether the feature you need changes how your site must be built. A locked widget may be a reason to upgrade, but it may also have a separate add-on or a free alternative. Compare any add-on's published price and renewal terms before using it as an alternative to Pro.
The Header & Footer Builder can replace or design site-wide headers and footers. Theme Builder templates can control single posts, blog archives, search results, author areas, featured images and other repeated layouts. Free does not control these across the whole WordPress installation.
Pro also adds custom fonts, scrolling effects, animated headlines, media carousels, call-to-action widgets, login elements, price tables, countdowns, slides, Lottie content and other marketing widgets. These tools matter when you want a reusable design system instead of styling each page separately.
The plan tier matters. Elementor's current comparison shows Essential with Theme Builder and Form Builder, but without Popup Builder, form submissions, form integrations, custom code, custom CSS or eCommerce features. Advanced Solo and higher include those. A site needing a popup, custom code, saved form submissions, an outside service connection or WooCommerce page design should not assume Essential is enough.
Before payment, write down the exact feature you need and find which plan includes it. A form widget is not the same as storing submissions or connecting the form to another service. Theme Builder is not the same as every marketing and store feature.
Pro also does not replace Elementor Free. It is a paid extension, and Elementor Core must be installed and active before Pro can be used. If you want to stay free, keep using the free widgets rather than upgrading because a Pro template appears in the library.
How Theme Builder, forms, popups, dynamic content and WooCommerce change your site
If you are trying to control the repeated parts of a WordPress site, Theme Builder is usually the first Pro feature to consider. It gives you templates for headers, footers, single posts, archive pages, search pages and author areas. That saves you from editing the same design on many pages, but one template can affect many pages at once. Back up the site before major design changes.
Forms are a separate decision. Elementor Pro includes a Form widget, but form submissions and integrations begin with Advanced Solo and higher. If your form only needs to display fields and send a basic message, check the selected plan's documented behavior. If you need stored submissions or email marketing connections, confirm the integration is included before paying.
Popups also begin at Advanced Solo or higher. They suit newsletter prompts, announcement boxes and exit messages. A popup can change how visitors use the site, so treat it as a specific requirement, not proof that every site needs Pro.
Dynamic content connects a layout to changing WordPress data, such as a post title, featured image, author, price or custom-field value. Elementor's documented integrations include ACF and Toolset on Advanced Solo and higher. If your site depends on custom fields, confirm that your plan includes the integration.
WooCommerce Builder is also limited to Advanced Solo and higher. It provides layouts for product titles, images, prices, ratings, stock, tabs, related products, carts, checkout, My Account and payment buttons such as PayPal and Stripe. A WooCommerce site should treat Advanced Solo as the starting point, then confirm the exact feature list at checkout.
If your site needs only a few regular pages, Free remains the simpler choice. If it needs templates, forms, popups, custom fields or store layouts, identify the required feature and choose the tier that contains it.
Which Elementor Pro plan fits one site or several?
Choose the plan by combining two questions: how many WordPress sites need Pro, and which feature tier each site needs. One basic site may fit Essential. A professional service site, lead-generation site or store may need Advanced Solo even when it is the only site.
Elementor's current pricing page presents Essential for one basic site, Advanced Solo for one professional or eCommerce site, Advanced for three sites and Expert for 25 sites. One Agency supports unlimited sites, but it belongs to the broader Elementor One subscription rather than the Pro-only plugin plan.
A freelancer managing client sites should compare Advanced, Expert and One Agency by the number of active sites and the features required across them. Do not buy a larger site allowance to solve a feature restriction. Confirm the feature tier first, then compare the site count.
Taxes depend on your billing address, so the final checkout amount may differ slightly from the figures below. Use the Elementor pricing page to confirm the selected amount at checkout.
What Elementor Pro costs and what renews
The plans below are billed annually, and the monthly figure Elementor displays is the yearly charge divided by 12. One Agency renews at $540 a year; for the Editor Pro plans, read the renewal line at checkout before you pay. Prices checked November 8, 2026:
Elementor Free is $0 and is presented as a permanent plan, not a trial. Pro is a subscription, not a one-time purchase. The 30-day money-back guarantee applies to annual plans only, and Elementor's refund policy says it covers initial purchases of Pro and Elementor Host, subject to its conditions.
Before submitting payment, read the checkout total and renewal amount for the selected plan, along with the site limit and whether the feature you need is included. Elementor Pro itself does not include hosting storage, bandwidth, email, backups or a domain, so check any separate hosting plan as well.
What happens if Pro expires?
If you do not renew Elementor Pro, the Free features continue to function, and Elementor Free can keep receiving updates. The Pro plugin can no longer be updated, new Pro features cannot be added, and some existing Pro access becomes limited.
Elementor's help article says that editing sites created with Pro or Expert-level kits, adding or duplicating Pro widgets and adding new dynamic tags require renewal. Existing Pro designs may continue to display, but you should not treat the site as fully supported or safely editable without an active subscription.
Compatibility also matters. Elementor warns that updating Free while leaving Pro outdated can create problems. If you cancel, you can manage the subscription in the My Elementor dashboard and turn off auto-renewal. After the refund period, cancellation generally ends the subscription when the current billing term ends.
Keep a backup before a major update or design change. If the site depends heavily on Pro templates, forms, popups or store layouts, decide what you will do before the subscription ends rather than waiting until an edit is urgent.
What the Free and Pro decision does not cover
The Free versus Pro choice solves a WordPress design and editing question. It does not tell you whether your hosting gives enough storage, bandwidth, backups, email or security tools. Treat performance and uptime as hosting and site-configuration questions, and check them with the relevant provider.
Pro also does not make a site immune to downtime, conflicts or security problems. Your active theme, plugins, WordPress version, hosting setup, forms and payment services still affect how the site works.
Keep Free when the site needs ordinary content and responsive page editing. Pick Pro when a required feature is locked and the annual renewal is reasonable for the value it provides. Pick Advanced Solo or higher when the site needs popups, custom code or CSS, form submissions, integrations, custom-field connections or WooCommerce Builder tools.
If you are unsure whether Elementor fits your wider WordPress plans, compare the broader Elementor Review: Free vs Pro, Pricing and Who It Fits before committing.
Frequently asked questions
What are the key differences between Elementor Free and Pro?
Elementor Free provides the visual editor, responsive editing, core widgets, templates, revision history and ordinary page-building tools. Pro adds site-wide templates, Pro widgets, custom fonts, forms, popups, custom code, custom-field connections and WooCommerce design tools, with several advanced features beginning at Advanced Solo.
Is it worth paying for Elementor Pro?
Pro is worth considering when your site needs a feature Free does not provide, such as a custom header, archive template, popup, stored form submissions, custom code or WooCommerce page design. A simple brochure site can remain on Free, so compare the exact feature with the recurring cost.
Do I need both Elementor and Elementor Pro?
Yes. Elementor Pro is an extension of Elementor Core, so the Free plugin must remain installed and active. Pro supplies the paid features and license connection.
Is Elementor still worth it in 2026?
It can be, if the plan matches the site's required features and renewal cost. Free remains a permanent no-cost editor, while Pro adds site-wide design, marketing, custom-field and store tools.
What are the downsides of Elementor?
The main tradeoffs are recurring renewal, plan-based feature limits, compatibility requirements between Free and Pro, and reduced Pro editing and update access after expiration. Pro is unnecessary when Free already covers the site's pages and core widgets.
Is Elementor good for beginners?
Yes, Elementor presents Free as a visual drag-and-drop editor with templates, responsive editing and core widgets. Start with Free and upgrade only when a specific required feature is locked.
Is Elementor Pro a one-time purchase?
No. Elementor Pro is sold as a subscription that renews automatically. Confirm the renewal amount at checkout before submitting payment.
What themes work best with Elementor?
Elementor recommends Hello Theme as a lightweight starting theme, but Pro is not limited to it. The theme you choose must be compatible with WordPress and Elementor, so confirm compatibility before changing an established site.
Before paying, use the checkout details as the final decision point. If you need the plans, site limits and renewal terms in one place, follow Elementor Pricing: One, Editor Pro and Host Plans Explained, then compare the separate hosting terms if your WordPress site still needs a host.
Glossary
Find more reviews and guides on Even Reviews. Spotted something to correct? Contact us and include the page title.
