Starter Templates vs Blog Designer Pack
Compare WordPress plugins and tools side by side. Pick products with “Compare” in the software directory.
| Feature | Starter Templates v4.7.9 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.9/5 Visit Details | Blog Designer Pack v4.0.14 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.7/5 Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 1M+ | 30,000+ |
| Last updated | October 20, 2026 | October 11, 2026 |
| Editions | Starter Templates · Essential and Business Toolkits ($) | Blog Designer Pack · Blog Designer Pack Pro ($) |
| Pros | Large library of free website and section templates; Works with Elementor, Spectra, Beaver Builder and the block editor; Onboarding installs the needed plugins | Several post layouts through shortcodes, widgets and Elementor; Load-more option for post lists |
| Cons | Premium templates need a toolkit licence key; AI builder and image features call external services | Some designs and options are reserved for the Pro edition; Many shortcodes and layouts to learn |
| More features | ||
| Other features | Full website template import, Import of site options from a template, AI website builder, Plugin install and activation during onboarding, Licence check for premium templates ($) | Post grid, list and masonry layouts, Post ticker, Post widgets, Elementor layout widget, Load more posts over AJAX, Freemius account and Pro upgrade path |
| Integrations | ||
| Analytics | — | Freemius |
| Plugins | Elementor | Elementor |
| Other | ZipWP API | — |
| Requires WordPress | 6.6 | 5.8 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 5.4 |
| Tested up to | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Phones home | Only if you agree | Only if you agree |
| External services | api.zipwp.com, fonts.googleapis.com, ipwho.is, api.ipify.org, credits.startertemplates.com, app.zipwp.com, websitedemos.net | api.freemius.com |
| Blocks | 1 | 1 |
| Shortcodes | — | 9 |