⭐ SiteOrigin vs Spectra
Compare the popular link building services SiteOrigin and Spectra side-by-side to see which one is right for you, including features, integrations, addons, pro & cons, FAQs, and more.
The SiteOrigin Page Builder is an affordable solution that transforms WordPress content crafting with its responsive grid system, ensuring consistent designs across devices.
An intuitive drag-and-drop backend interface makes content creation seamless, even for non-coders, and its integration with standard WordPress widgets further enriches the building experience.
Users benefit from real-time editing, comprehensive design history, and integration with the SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle plugin.
However, its interface might seem outdated to some, especially when compared to high-end competitors like Divi or Beaver Builder.
While boasting many features, it does have its limitations, notably lacking a frontend builder and being vulnerable to potential plugin conflicts.
In essence, for budget-conscious users seeking a reliable WordPress page builder, SiteOrigin presents a worthy consideration but may require patience regarding its limitations.
Read the full SiteOrigin Review
Spectra is a feature-rich plugin tailored for the WordPress Gutenberg editor, enabling users to effortlessly craft visually appealing websites.
With its integration into the familiar WordPress interface, it ensures a blend of speed, stability, and security, particularly emphasizing a clean and recent coding standard.
Users benefit from over 100 pre-built templates suitable for diverse niches, from blogs to specialized sectors like pet care.
Built by the team behind the famed Astra theme, it promises optimal performance with its modern React framework.
While it boasts an array of functionalities, SEO optimizations, and responsive controls, users should note some limitations.
These include restricted dynamic data support (in the free version), potential compatibility issues, and customization constraints.
However, its free availability and user-centric design make it an appealing choice, especially for bloggers.
Pairing Spectra with the Astra theme might offer a more rounded website-building experience.
Read the full Spectra Review
This guide uses data collected from their websites, as well as other sources, to help you decide which link building service is a better fit for your needs.
🎯 Target Audiences Compared
The target audience for SiteOrigin is individuals and businesses using WordPress who are looking for free themes, plugins, and addons to build and customize their websites easily.
The target audience for Spectra is beginners, marketers, and professionals who seek a user-friendly, high-performance solution for creating visually appealing and responsive websites without the need for extensive coding knowledge.
👍 PROS: SiteOrigin vs Spectra
The table below provides an overview of the advantages offered by SiteOrigin and Spectra so that you can quickly see if what you need is available.
- Affordability: It's among the least expensive page builders, with most features available for free. Even the premium services are competitively priced.
- User-Friendly Backend: SiteOrigin provides a streamlined backend editing experience, reducing the complexities often found in frontend builders.
- Comprehensive Widget Selection: Offers a broad variety of both default WordPress widgets and unique ones.
- Design Efficiency: Boasts dozens of pre-built layouts, making design intuitive for both beginners and experienced users.
- Editing Ease: Real-time live editing for content and widgets, a history log for design revisions, and an easy-to-use CSS visual interface allow for precise modifications.
- Versatility: Compatible with any WordPress theme, it allows users to modify appearances seamlessly. Moreover, the builder facilitates responsive layouts adapted to mobile devices without needing coding expertise.
- License Freedom: Can be installed on unlimited sites without any renewal concerns.
- Support and Community: Features an online forum and knowledgebase for in-depth research and problem-solving.
- Available completely free, offering extensive features, blocks, and themes.
- Simple installation paired with a user-friendly interface.
- Variety of pre-built templates and stylish block patterns for key templates, including blog listings, individual posts, headers, and footers.
- Developed by the team behind the renowned Astra theme.
- Effective global controls for managing various aspects efficiently.
- SEO optimization features enhance search engine visibility.
- Responsive controls guarantee compatibility across various devices.
- Supports third-party integrations, broadening its functionality.
- Emphasizes quick and smooth performance.
- Provides preset settings and display conditions for optimal content targeting.
👎 CONS: SiteOrigin vs Spectra
The table below provides an overview of the advantages offered by SiteOrigin and Spectra so that you can quickly see if what you need is available.
- Limited Frontend Capabilities: Lacks a frontend builder and a visual drag-and-drop feature, relying on a quick switch tool instead.
- Support Limitations: No immediate support options like a live chat box or phone line, which some users might prefer.
- Design Visualization: During the editing process, a live view isn't consistently available, making it occasionally challenging to visualize real-time changes.
- Template Restrictions: Offers a limited number of templates.
- Usability Concerns: Some users might find the interface challenging to navigate or utilize efficiently.
- Stability and Compatibility Issues: Potential conflicts with other plugins can result in data loss during updates or even occasional site crashes. Furthermore, the customer support in these scenarios has room for improvement.
- Limited support for dynamic data in the free version hampers content possibilities in blocks.
- Customization options are somewhat limited compared to other advanced tools.
- Some users reported performance issues, such as slow speeds, freezing, and site crashes.
- Notable increase in database size can affect load speeds.
- While it offers a vast range of features, its support options could be more expansive, potentially leading to troubleshooting challenges.
- Compatibility hiccups with certain themes have been noted.
- Although there's a range of block designs, some lack padding, margin controls, and flexibility for individualized customization.
- Default font selection is limited, though it can be expanded with plugins.
📌 Features Compared
The table below provides an overview of the features by SiteOrigin and Spectra so that you can quickly see if the features you need are available.
Simple Content Creation: Drag and Drop Interface: Theme Compatibility: Widget Integration: Toolbar and User Experience: Precise Code Generation: Live Editing: History Browser: Row and Widget Styles: Enhanced by Widgets Bundle: Free and Accessible: SiteOrigin Premium Benefits:
- Fast email support for all products.
- Access to all addons without individual selection.
- Ongoing updates with new addons included.
- Enhanced Page Builder experience with refined and new addons.
- Widgets Bundle extras for more powerful widget features.
- Theme enhancements for professional web presence. Layout Management: Starter Templates and Designs: Wireframe Blocks: Block Patterns: Advanced Block Presets: Spectra Copy Paste: Container Block: Global Styling Support: Popup Builder: Coming Soon Mode: Animations: Local Google Fonts Loading:➕ Features List (expand/collapse)
👉 Read more about Spectra Features here.
🔩 Integrations Compared
The table below provides an overview of the integrations by SiteOrigin and Spectra so that you can quickly see if the integrations you need are available.
➕ Integrations List (expand/collapse)
Theme Integration:
- Page Builder is not tied to a specific theme or theme developer.
- It can seamlessly integrate with any theme.
- Ensures that your content remains intact when you switch themes or change design preferences.
Content Portability:
- Guarantees that your content remains consistent regardless of design changes.
- Offers the freedom to evolve your design choices without losing content integrity.
Widget Compatibility:
- Page Builder embraces the use of WordPress widgets.
- Integrates with various plugins to expand widget functionality.
- Preserves the familiarity and utility of widgets for site owners.
Enhanced Functionality:
- Collaboration between Page Builder and widgets for improved website customization.
- Ensures a seamless and productive relationship between Page Builder and widgets.
Compatible Themes:
- Spectra seamlessly integrates with various themes, such as:
- Spectra One
- Astra
- Blocksy
- Flatsome
- GeneratePress
- Hestia
- Kadence
- Neve
- And more
Plugin Compatibility:
- Spectra is fully compatible with a wide range of plugins, including:
- Easy Digital Downloads
- FluentCRM
- FluentForm
- GiveWP
- Gravity Forms
- LearnDash
- LifterLMS
- MemberPress
- PrestoPlayer
- Restrict Content Pro
- SureCart
- SureMembers
- The Events Calendar
- TutorLMS
- Wishlist Member
- WooCommerce
- Yoast SEO
- And many others
⚒️ Addons & Extensions
The table below provides an overview of the addons by SiteOrigin and Spectra so that you can quickly see if the addons you need are available.
➕ Addons List (expand/collapse)
Featured Addon: Custom Post Type Builder:
- Build custom post types using reusable Page Builder layouts.
Accordion Addon:
- Additional settings and styles for the SiteOrigin Accordion Widget.
Anchor ID Addon:
- Link directly to SiteOrigin Slides, Tabs, Accordion Panels, and Carousel Items.
Block Animations Addon:
- Adds animation options to Page Builder rows, cells, and widgets.
Blog Addon:
- Additional settings and styles for the SiteOrigin Blog Widget.
Bulk Addresses Addon:
- Add multiple Map Marker addresses to the SiteOrigin Google Maps Widget in one go.
Carousel Addon:
- Additional settings and styles for the SiteOrigin Carousel widgets.
Contact Form Addon:
- Additional settings and styles for the SiteOrigin Contact Form Widget.
Call-To-Action Addon:
- Additional settings and styles for the SiteOrigin Call-To-Action Widget.
Custom Row Colors Addon:
- Organize Page Builder rows with custom background colors.
Hero Addon:
- Additional settings and styles for the SiteOrigin Hero Widget.
Image Overlay Addon:
- Add customizable text overlay with animations to images.
Lightbox Addon:
- Enable lightbox on various SiteOrigin image widgets.
Link Overlay Addon:
- Link entire Page Builder rows, cells, or widgets.
Lottie Player Addon:
- Customize and enhance SiteOrigin Lottie Player with additional settings.
Map Styles Addon:
- Adds predefined map styles to SiteOrigin Google Maps widget and consent prompt styling options.
Mirror Widgets Addon:
- Create widgets once and use them everywhere, with updates reflecting across instances.
Multiple Media Addon:
- Upload multiple images at once to SiteOrigin Slider and Image Grid widgets.
Parallax Sliders Addon:
- Enhances Slider, Hero, and Layout Slider widgets with parallax and fixed background image options.
Retina Background Images Addon:
- Add Retina background images to widgets, cells, and rows for high-pixel-density displays.
Social Widgets Addon:
- Add custom networks to the SiteOrigin Social Media Buttons Widget.
Tabs Addon:
- Additional settings and styles for the SiteOrigin Tabs Widget.
Testimonials Addon:
- Additional settings and styles for the SiteOrigin Testimonial Widget.
Toggle Visibility Addon:
- Toggle visibility of Page Builder rows and widgets based on device or logged-in status. Schedule content visibility.
Tooltip Addon:
- Add beautiful tooltips to various SiteOrigin Widgets.
Web Font Selector Addon:
- Choose from hundreds of web fonts directly in the visual editor.
WooCommerce Templates Addon:
- Create custom WooCommerce templates using SiteOrigin Page Builder.
Ajax Comments Addon:
- Enable AJAX loading comments for seamless conversations on SiteOrigin themes.
Logo Booster Addon:
- Enhance SiteOrigin theme logo functionality. Add alternative logos and sticky logos on scroll.
No Attribution Addon:
- Removes SiteOrigin attribution from your website footer.
POWERFUL & INTUITIVE BLOCKS:
- Flexible Site Layouts with Flexbox Containers: Customize elements freely without a grid or table.
- 42+ Presets: Professional block templates to import and customize.
- Edit Everything On the Page: Customize styles without coding.
Diverse Design Blocks Library: Offers various design blocks for versatile website creation.
Container, Counter, Modal, Slider Block, Image Gallery, Tabs, Form, Icon List, Price List, Share, Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Timeline, Image, Table of Contents, Star Ratings, Call To Action, Blockquote, How To, FAQ, Testimonials, Google Map, Inline Notice, Review, Taxonomy List, Marketing Button, Content Timeline, Team, Lottie Animation, Buttons, Heading, Info Box, Responsive Conditions, Masonry Gallery, Display Conditions
100+ Expert-designed Templates:
- Extensive library of premade templates for rapid design.
Super-fast Load Times:
- Optimized performance ensures quick loading of websites built with Spectra blocks.
Fully Customizable Blocks:
- Easily personalize blocks to match your branding and style.
Mobile-optimized by Default:
- Spectra blocks are optimized for all screen sizes, eliminating the need for additional mobile customization.
📌 High Level Features
The list below compares the high level features offered by SiteOrigin and Spectra so that you can very quickly see if the features you need are available.Free Version | ✅ |
Theme | ❌ |
Plugin | ✅ |
Drag & Drop Editor | ✅ |
Widgets | ✅ |
Templates | ✅ |
AI Functionality | ❌ |
Hosting | ❌ |
Save To Cloud | ❌ |
Free Version | ✅ |
Theme | ❌ |
Plugin | ✅ |
Drag & Drop Editor | ✅ |
Widgets | ✅ |
Templates | ✅ |
AI Functionality | ❌ |
Hosting | ❌ |
Save To Cloud | ❌ |
💲 Pricing Compared
The list below provides an overview of the pricing offered by SiteOrigin and Spectra.Price (per Year) | $29 - $99 |
Lifetime Pricing | ❌ |
👉 Read more about SiteOrigin Pricing here. |
Price (per Year) | $49 - $149 |
Lifetime Pricing | ✅ |
Lifetime Price | $209 - $649 |
👉 Read more about Spectra Pricing here. |
🔗 Useful Links & Resources
Here are useful links and resources for SiteOrigin:
💵 Refund Policies Comparison
Having an easy-to-find & understand refund policy is vital for any business.
It shows that they stand behind their products and services, and are willing to give you a refund if you are not satisfied with your purchase.
Both SiteOrigin and Spectra have refund policies, which we have summarized below.
SiteOrigin Refund Policy:
SiteOrigin Premium provides access to fast email support.If unsatisfied, a full refund can be requested within 60 days of purchase by contacting support with the order number.
Refunds are processed within 24-48 hours after email confirmation.
SiteOrigin Refund Policy
Spectra Refund Policy:
Within 14 days of purchase, customers can request a refund for products that aren't meeting their expectations.Refunds won't be processed after this period.
Ownership of the product is forfeited upon receiving a refund, and refund requests can be rejected at the company's discretion.
Renewal payments are non-refundable, but customers are notified before renewal for cancellation if needed.
Refund requests can be made through support tickets.
Spectra Refund Policy
📧 Contact Information
SiteOrigin Contact Information:
You can contact SiteOrigin using the following methods:
Email Support: [email protected]
Help Portal: https://siteorigin.com/contact/
Spectra Contact Information:
You can contact Spectra using the following methods:
Help Portal: https://wpspectra.com/contact/
Address: 300, Delaware Ave Ste 210A, Wilmington, DE 19801
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is SiteOrigin?
SiteOrigin is a platform that offers free WordPress themes, plugins, and tools to help you build and customize beautiful websites.
Is there a membership required to access the free themes and plugins?
No, you can access and download the free WordPress themes and plugins without any membership or signup requirements.
What is SiteOrigin Premium?
SiteOrigin Premium is a collection of powerful addons designed to enhance various aspects of the products. These addons improve existing features and introduce new functionalities.
What does SiteOrigin Premium include?
SiteOrigin Premium includes access to all available addons, ensuring you don't need to choose which ones you want individually. You get all the addons at a single fair price.
What kind of support is provided for SiteOrigin Premium users?
SiteOrigin Premium subscribers receive fast email support for all the products, including Page Builder, Widgets Bundle, SiteOrigin CSS, and themes.
Are there ongoing updates for SiteOrigin Premium addons?
Yes, as new addons are introduced to SiteOrigin Premium, you'll receive them as free updates. SiteOrigin has a roadmap of planned features to continuously enhance the offerings.
How can I customize the look and feel of my WordPress theme?
SiteOrigin CSS provides a unique visual interface that lets you change the appearance of any WordPress theme, helping your site stand out from the crowd.
What is Page Builder, and how does it work?
Page Builder is a free tool by SiteOrigin that allows you to create WordPress pages using a simple, intuitive drag and drop interface. It's regularly updated and well supported.
Can I use SiteOrigin plugins with other page-building plugins?
Yes, the Widgets Bundle collection of widgets is compatible not only with SiteOrigin's Page Builder but also with other popular page-building plugins.
What is Spectra?
Spectra is a feature-rich WordPress plugin that serves as a powerful website builder, enhancing the default WordPress block editor.
How does Spectra compare to Gutenberg?
Spectra is designed to complement and enhance the default WordPress block editor (Gutenberg), offering a feature-rich and intuitive website-building experience.
Is Spectra suitable for beginners?
Yes, Spectra is 100% beginner-friendly and seamlessly integrates with the native WordPress editor, making it easy for users of all levels to build websites.
What are the advantages of using Spectra over other page builders?
Spectra stands out by offering unmatched performance with its clean code, lightning-fast editor, and zero dependencies, resulting in faster load times and superior SEO optimization.
Can I create websites quickly with Spectra?
Absolutely! Spectra provides over 100 pre-built website templates that you can import with a single click, allowing you to customize and personalize your site effortlessly.
What kind of websites can I build with Spectra?
Spectra's library includes a diverse range of pre-built templates for various niches, such as blogs, portfolios, eCommerce sites, restaurants, agencies, and more.
Does Spectra offer responsive design options?
Yes, Spectra provides a range of customization options, including advanced design choices, organized block settings, and flexbox containers for responsive design without coding.
What sets Spectra apart in terms of performance?
Spectra is designed for optimal performance, achieving lightning-fast load times through its use of just-in-time assets and the modern React framework.
How does Spectra contribute to SEO and page speed?
Spectra helps boost SEO with optimized assets, clean code output, and lightning-fast load times, leading to better page speed scores and higher search engine rankings.
Can I trust Spectra's stability and security?
Yes, Spectra is built with clean code according to the latest standards, maximizing security. Its lightweight nature ensures stability, and it integrates seamlessly with other WordPress plugins.
What additional features does Spectra offer?
Spectra provides a vast library of icons and images, built-in SEO features, GDPR compliance options, a user-friendly dashboard, and exceptional support through its community and resources.
Can Spectra be used with other WordPress themes and plugins?
Yes, Spectra is designed to work seamlessly with any WordPress theme and plugins, ensuring compatibility and integration with your preferred tools.
Who is behind Spectra?
Spectra is developed by Brainstorm Force, known for popular WordPress products like the Astra theme. The plugin offers a thriving community, regular updates, and world-class support.
🤔 Final Verdict
The SiteOrigin Page Builder stands out as an affordable and intuitive WordPress plugin, offering a range of widgets and the flexibility to incorporate third-party options.
Prebuilt page layouts enhance its appeal, providing a solid base for custom designs.
However, it struggles to match the front-end prowess of premium competitors like Divi or Beaver Builder, potentially making intricate designs more challenging and time-intensive.
Its user interface, while functional, may appear outdated compared to more contemporary page builders.
Despite its longstanding presence in the market, expecting groundbreaking updates or improvements for SiteOrigin might be optimistic.
However, its backend drag-and-drop interface, compatibility with WordPress templates, and the added convenience of layouts make it a promising choice, particularly for those on a budget.
Yet, potential users should be aware of its limitations: the absence of a frontend builder and true visual drag-and-drop capabilities could be deal-breakers for some.
Still, for users who can work within its confines, SiteOrigin offers a cost-effective avenue for efficient webpage creation.
WP Spectra offers an array of block functionalities tailored for Gutenberg users, enhancing website capabilities for those using the Gutenberg editor.
Notably, its seamless integration with pGutenberg and cost-free availability make it an attractive choice for those on a budget.
The advent of the Gutenberg block editor has transformed website creation on WordPress, reducing the dependency on plugins like Elementor or Beaver Builder.
With page load speeds playing a pivotal role in SEO rankings, Gutenberg stands out for its efficiency and speed, even outperforming some renowned page builders.
It's expected that Gutenberg, aided by plugins like Spectra, will soon eclipse other tools in terms of advanced features.
Spectra, with its user-centric design, caters predominantly to bloggers and affiliate marketers.
While it offers simplicity and is budget-friendly, it has some limitations in managing intricate websites due to restricted flexibility within block elements.
Yet, for those needing an uncomplicated block editor, Spectra is commendable.
Exploring Spectra in conjunction with Astra could potentially yield a more holistic website-building experience.
⚙️ Conclusion
The information in this comparison about SiteOrigin and Spectra is presented to help you make your own, informed, decision about which has the best link building service for you.
How do you know if SiteOrigin or Spectra is right for you?
- SiteOrigin seems to be best suited to individuals and businesses using WordPress who are looking for free themes, plugins, and addons to build and customize their websites easily.
- Spectra seems to be ideal to beginners, marketers, and professionals who seek a user-friendly, high-performance solution for creating visually appealing and responsive websites without the need for extensive coding knowledge.
You can use this data to compare SiteOrigin and Spectra to other link building services, and to assess how well they meet your needs.
If you want to further compare SiteOrigin and Spectra, we recommend that you research further by visiting their websites, checking customer reviews, and social media channels like Reddit to see what other people are saying.
Hopefully, this comparison of SiteOrigin and Spectra has given you further insight into what they offer, and if the features they offer are what you're looking for.
🔀 Alternatives to SiteOrigin
If you are looking for alternatives to SiteOrigin, below is a list of comparisons to the most popular competitors.
⭐ Product Comparisons (2 Options)
- SiteOrigin vs Avada
- SiteOrigin vs Beaver Builder
- SiteOrigin vs BoldGrid
- SiteOrigin vs Breakdance Builder
- SiteOrigin vs Bricks Builder
- SiteOrigin vs Brizy
- SiteOrigin vs Cwicly
- SiteOrigin vs Divi Builder
- SiteOrigin vs Elementor
- SiteOrigin vs GenerateBlocks
- SiteOrigin vs GeneratePress
- SiteOrigin vs Genesis Pro
- SiteOrigin vs Greenshift WP
- SiteOrigin vs Kadence Theme & Blocks
- SiteOrigin vs Live Composer
- SiteOrigin vs MotoPress Content Editor
- SiteOrigin vs Oxygen Builder
- SiteOrigin vs Page Builder Sandwich
- SiteOrigin vs Qubely
- SiteOrigin vs SeedProd
- SiteOrigin vs Themify Builder
- SiteOrigin vs Thrive Architect
- SiteOrigin vs Visual Composer Website Builder
- SiteOrigin vs WP Page Builder
- SiteOrigin vs WP Stackable Blocks
- SiteOrigin vs WPBakery
⭐ Product Comparisons (3 Options)
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs Elementor
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs Divi Builder
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs GeneratePress
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs Thrive Architect
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs Avada
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs SeedProd
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs WPBakery
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs Bricks Builder
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs Themify Builder
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs MotoPress Content Editor
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs Brizy
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs Oxygen Builder
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs WP Page Builder
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs Qubely
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs Beaver Builder
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs Genesis Pro
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs Breakdance Builder
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs Visual Composer Website Builder
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs BoldGrid
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs GenerateBlocks
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs Live Composer
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs Cwicly
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs Page Builder Sandwich
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs WP Stackable Blocks
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs Kadence Theme & Blocks
- SiteOrigin vs Spectra vs Greenshift WP