Elementor vs LightStart (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Landing Page Plugins top 10: Elementor at #1 and LightStart at #3. Elementor leads on all 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Elementor
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder
The Elementor Website Builder has it all: drag and drop page builder, Atomic Editor, pixel perfect design, global and reusable style systems, mobile r …
LightStart
LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming Soon and Landing Page Builder
Easy Drag & Drop Page Builder that adds a splash page to your site that it's perfect for a coming soon page, maintenance or landing page.
Who leads on what
Elementor leads on all 6 measures we track.
Elementor ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Landing Page Plugins.
Elementor has more users: 10 million+ active installs against 400,000+.
Elementor is rated higher: 4.5 out of 5 from 7,319 reviews, against 4.3 from 874 reviews.
Elementor has more reviews behind its score: 7,319 against 874.
Elementor was updated more recently, on October 13, 2026; LightStart on September 29, 2026.
Elementor was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 21,965,719 times against 239,805.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Elementor
Pick Elementor if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you, you want the score backed by more reviews, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
LightStart
LightStart does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Elementor vs LightStart side by side
| Elementor | LightStart | |
|---|---|---|
| Landing Page Plugins ranking | #1 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.3 |
| Reviews | 7,319 | 874 |
| Active installs | 10 million+ | 400,000+ |
| Total downloads | 910,268,920 | 20,415,858 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 21,965,719 | 239,805 |
| Last updated | Oct 13, 2026 | Sep 29, 2026 |
| First published | May 30, 2016 | Feb 26, 2010 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.1 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Elementor ratings
LightStart ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither Elementor nor LightStart can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Landing Page Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Elementor vs LightStart: common questions
Is Elementor better than LightStart?
Elementor leads on all 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Elementor ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Landing Page Plugins.
Which has more users, Elementor or LightStart?
Elementor ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Landing Page Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Elementor or LightStart?
Elementor has more users: 10 million+ active installs against 400,000+.
Are Elementor and LightStart free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Elementor is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. LightStart may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Elementor and LightStart
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Website Builder by SeedProd
600,000+ installs · 4.9 from 4,699 reviews
-
ElementsKit Elementor Addons
1 million+ installs · 4.9 from 2,049 reviews
-
Royal Addons for Elementor
600,000+ installs · 4.8 from 612 reviews
-
Admin and Site Enhancements
200,000+ installs · 5.0 from 424 reviews
-
Ultimate Coming Soon
9,000+ installs · 4.5 from 6 reviews
More Landing Page Plugins comparisons
- Beaver Builder Page Builder vs Elementor
- Beaver Builder Page Builder vs LightStart
- Colibri Page Builder vs Elementor
- Colibri Page Builder vs LightStart
- Website Builder by SeedProd vs Elementor
- Kit vs Elementor
- Kit vs LightStart
- Elementor vs Kubio
- Elementor vs Landingi Landing Pages
- Elementor vs Landing Page Builder
- Elementor vs Pagelayer
- Elementor vs Ultimate Coming Soon
Weekly · free
What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.