Elementor vs LightStart (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 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 5 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 5 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 7,297 reviews, against 4.3 from 873 reviews.
Elementor has more reviews behind its score: 7,297 against 873.
Elementor was updated more recently, on August 31, 2026; LightStart on August 20, 2026.
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 or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
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 | 7,297 | 873 |
| Active installs | 10 million+ | 400,000+ |
| Total downloads | 886,364,228 | 20,151,015 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 31, 2026 | Aug 20, 2026 |
| First published | May 30, 2016 | Feb 26, 2010 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.1 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
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 5 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.
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Website Builder by SeedProd
700,000+ installs · 4.9 from 4,699 reviews
-
Royal Addons for Elementor
600,000+ installs · 4.8 from 611 reviews
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Pagelayer
400,000+ installs · 3.9 from 103 reviews
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Kadence Blocks
600,000+ installs · 4.8 from 332 reviews
-
Essential Addons for Elementor
1 million+ installs · 4.9 from 4,115 reviews
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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.