THE SHORT ANSWER
Both are good choices for agency client sites right now. Pick Divi 5 if you run many sites and want one license that covers them all. Pick Elementor if your clients already know it or you rely on its add-on ecosystem. The bigger win is sticking to one builder and setting up presets properly.
We build in both every week, so we get this question a lot. Both builders changed a lot in 2026: Divi 5 launched in February, and Elementor started rolling out its new V4 “Atomic” editor. Here is how they compare for agency client sites right now.
01Divi 5 and Elementor at a glance
| Area | Divi 5 | Elementor |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing | One membership covers unlimited sites | Pro plans are priced by number of sites |
| Global styles | Design variables and presets | Global colors and fonts, plus classes and variables in V4 |
| Layout | Flexbox and grid | Flexbox containers and grid |
| Add-ons | Smaller, Divi 5 versions still arriving | Very large add-on market |
| Big change in 2026 | Divi 5 rebuilt from the ground up | V4 Atomic editor, opt-in for existing sites |
02When is Divi 5 the better pick?
- You build or maintain many client sites and want one license for all of them.
- You already have a Divi portfolio and a team that knows it.
- You want design variables so one brand change updates the whole site.
03When is Elementor the better pick?
- The client already uses Elementor and their team is trained on it.
- The project depends on a specific Elementor add-on.
- You hire freelancers often. Elementor skills are easy to find.
FROM OUR DESK
The worst setup we see isn’t either builder. It’s an agency running both, plus a third, with no shared presets. Pick one main builder, build a starter kit in it and reuse it on every site.
04What about speed?
Both can be fast, and both can be slow. Speed depends more on the build than the builder: fewer add-ons, global presets instead of per-module styles, optimized images and good caching. On Divi, make sure pages are fully native and not stuck in backward compatibility mode.
05What about client editing?
Both are friendly for clients when the site is built with presets and a few saved templates. Record a short edit guide video for each site. It saves more support time than any builder feature.
Need extra hands in either builder?
Divi 5 and Elementor Pro builds from $400 a page, delivered under your brand.
06Should you switch builders?
Rarely for existing sites. Rebuilding a working site in another builder costs more than it saves. Choose your main builder for new projects, and keep existing sites on the builder they use unless they need a redesign anyway.
07Our take for most agencies
If you are starting fresh and run more than a handful of client sites, Divi 5 is usually the better fit, mainly for the licensing and design variables. If your team and clients already know Elementor, stay there and invest in a proper starter kit instead.
- Running 20+ client sites: lean Divi 5.
- Clients who edit a lot and already know Elementor: stay with Elementor.
- A project that depends on one specific add-on: pick the builder that add-on supports.
- Mixed portfolio: pick one builder for new work and leave existing sites alone.
08Build a starter kit, whichever you pick
The builder matters less than how you set it up. A starter kit turns every new site into a copy of your best one.
- Global colors, fonts and spacing set once as variables or global styles.
- Presets for buttons, headings, cards and forms, so nobody styles a module by hand.
- A header, footer and blog template your team reuses and adjusts.
- A short list of approved plugins and add-ons, and nothing else.
- A naming rule for sections and classes, so any developer can find their way around.
FROM OUR DESK
When agencies hand us their starter kit, builds get faster and cheaper from the second project on. We spend the time on the design, not on guessing how their last developer named things.
09Long-term upkeep
A client site lives for years. Think about who keeps it working, not just who builds it.
| Question | Divi 5 | Elementor |
|---|---|---|
| Big version changes | Divi 4 to Divi 5 needed a planned migration | V4 Atomic is opt-in, so sites move when you choose |
| Add-on risk | Fewer add-ons, so fewer to break | More add-ons, and each one is another update to watch |
| License renewals | One membership for every site | Pro license per site tier, renewed yearly |
| Finding help | Smaller pool of Divi specialists | Large pool of freelancers |
Both are actively developed. The real risk in either is a site built on add-ons nobody maintains anymore. Still running Divi 4 sites? Read whether to move client sites to Divi 5.
10Handing a site to the client
Most support tickets come from clients editing in places they shouldn’t. Limit that on purpose.
- Give the client an Editor role where possible, not full admin.
- Lock global templates like the header and footer.
- Save two or three section layouts they can drop onto new pages.
- Record a five-minute edit video under your agency’s brand.
11FAQ
Is Divi 5 faster than Elementor?
It depends on the build. A clean, fully native Divi 5 site and a clean Elementor site with few add-ons can both score well. Heavy add-ons slow down either one.
Is Elementor V4 ready for client sites?
Existing sites don’t switch automatically. For new sites, test V4 on staging first and check that the add-ons you need support it.
Which is cheaper for agencies?
For many sites, Divi usually costs less because one membership covers unlimited sites. Check current pricing on both vendors’ sites before you decide.
Can you work in both?
Yes. We build in Divi 5, Divi 4 and Elementor Pro every week, following your agency’s own setup.
Can you convert an Elementor site to Divi 5, or the other way around?
Not automatically. There is no reliable converter between the two, so the pages are rebuilt. For a working site, that cost rarely makes sense unless a redesign is planned.
Which builder do clients find easier?
The one that was set up for them. A site with presets, locked templates and a short edit video is easy in either builder.
