ElementsKit Lite vs Essential Blocks
Compare WordPress plugins and tools side by side. Pick products with “Compare” in the software directory.
| Feature | ElementsKit Lite v4.0.9 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.9/5 Visit Details | Essential Blocks v6.5.1 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.9/5 Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 1M+ | 200,000+ |
| Last updated | October 20, 2026 | October 19, 2026 |
| Editions | ElementsKit Lite · ElementsKit Pro ($) | Essential Blocks · Essential Blocks Pro ($) |
| Pros | Header and footer templates in the free edition; Widget builder and dynamic content types; Template library for layouts | Large block library with patterns for the block editor; WooCommerce product grid and add-to-cart blocks; Works within the standard WordPress block editor |
| Cons | Many widgets and features are shown as upgrade prompts; Needs Elementor to be active; Template library fetches remote layouts from the vendor | Several blocks and features are marked PRO; Feed and AI blocks call third-party services and need keys or accounts |
| More features | ||
| Other features | Header and footer template post type, Widget builder post type, Dynamic content post type, Layout template library, Pro widget upgrade prompts in the editor, Deactivation feedback form | Block library registered from block.json files, WooCommerce product grid and add-to-cart blocks, Fluent Forms block, NFT gallery block fed by OpenSea, Openverse image search block, AI features through an OpenAI API key, Pro-only blocks and conditions flagged is_pro ($) |
| Integrations | ||
| Analytics | — | WP Insights usage tracker (opt-in) |
| Social | — | Facebook Graph API, Instagram Graph API |
| E-commerce | — | WooCommerce |
| Plugins | Elementor, WPML | Fluent Forms |
| Other | ElementsKit template library API, Google Fonts | Google Maps API, OpenSea API, Openverse API, OpenAI API, Templately |
| Requires WordPress | 6.0 | 5.8 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Tested up to | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Phones home | Only if you agree | Only if you agree |
| External services | api.wpmet.com | graph.facebook.com, graph.instagram.com, maps.googleapis.com, app.templately.com, api.opensea.io, api.openverse.org, api.openai.com, send.wpinsight.com |
| Blocks | — | 60 |