Essential Blocks vs Ajax add to cart for WooCommerce
Compare WordPress plugins and tools side by side. Pick products with “Compare” in the software directory.
| Feature | Essential Blocks v6.5.1 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.9/5 Visit Details | Ajax add to cart for WooCommerce v2.6.7 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free · ★ 4.7/5 Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 200,000+ | 10,000+ |
| Last updated | October 19, 2026 | October 5, 2026 |
| Editions | Essential Blocks · Essential Blocks Pro ($) | Ajax add to cart for WooCommerce |
| Pros | Large block library with patterns for the block editor; WooCommerce product grid and add-to-cart blocks; Works within the standard WordPress block editor | Works on activation with no configuration; Handles simple and variable products, including variations with any attribute; Very small amount of plugin code |
| Cons | Several blocks and features are marked PRO; Feed and AI blocks call third-party services and need keys or accounts | No settings page; changes need filters; Only simple and variable product types by default; Bundles vendor promo notices and a dashboard news widget |
| More features | ||
| Other features | Block library registered from block.json files, WooCommerce product grid and add-to-cart blocks, Fluent Forms block, NFT gallery block fed by OpenSea, Openverse image search block, AI features through an OpenAI API key, Pro-only blocks and conditions flagged is_pro ($) | AJAX add to cart on single product pages, Simple and variable products, filterable, Fills missing variation attributes on any-attribute variations, Declares HPOS compatibility |
| Integrations | ||
| Analytics | WP Insights usage tracker (opt-in) | — |
| Social | Facebook Graph API, Instagram Graph API | — |
| E-commerce | WooCommerce | WooCommerce |
| Plugins | Fluent Forms | — |
| Other | Google Maps API, OpenSea API, Openverse API, OpenAI API, Templately | — |
| Requires WordPress | 5.8 | 4.7 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 5.6 |
| Tested up to | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Phones home | Only if you agree | No |
| External services | graph.facebook.com, graph.instagram.com, maps.googleapis.com, app.templately.com, api.opensea.io, api.openverse.org, api.openai.com, send.wpinsight.com | quadlayers.com, feedback.quadlayers.com |
| Blocks | 60 | — |