DEV Community: Monowar Hossain

How to Install Free Widgets For Elementor: 8 Essential Widgets Elementor's Free Core Doesn't Include

Monowar Hossain — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 19:45:22 +0000

Summary

Elementor's free version is great, but it's missing a few widgets almost every site ends up needing — a Pricing Table, a Flip Box, a Countdown Timer, a Team section. I built Free Widgets For Elementor to fill exactly those gaps, without bloat or upsells. Here's how to install it and what each widget does.

The Problem
The Solution
Requirements
Step-by-Step Installation
What's Inside: All 8 Widgets
Using the Demo Library
Common Mistakes to Avoid
FAQ
Conclusion
Related Articles

The Problem

If you've built more than a couple of sites with Elementor's free version, you've hit this wall: you need a Pricing Table, or a Flip Box, or a simple Countdown Timer — and the free core just doesn't have them. The usual fix is installing a giant all-in-one addon pack that ships 80+ widgets when you need 3, slowing the site down with unused CSS/JS on every page.

The Solution

I built Free Widgets For Elementor as a focused, lightweight plugin that adds only the widgets Elementor's free core is actually missing — nothing you already have, nothing you don't need:

Pricing Table · Flip Box · Team · Call To Action · Countdown Timer · Post Grid · Logo Carousel · Table of Contents

It's 100% free, GPL licensed, with no Pro version, no license key, and no "Upgrade" nags in the editor. Each widget's CSS/JS is only loaded on pages where that widget is actually used, so it doesn't add weight to pages that don't need it.

Requirements

WordPress 6.0+
PHP 7.4+
Elementor (free version — Elementor Pro is not required)

Step-by-Step Installation

Make sure the free Elementor plugin is installed and activated on your site.
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New and search for "Free Widgets For Elementor".
Click Install Now, then Activate.
Open any page with the Elementor editor — you'll see a new Free Widgets category at the top of the widgets panel.
Drag any widget onto your page and start customizing.

What's Inside: All 8 Widgets

Widget	What it's for
Pricing Table	Header, price, feature list, button, optional "featured" highlight
Flip Box	3D hover/click flip to a back face with a call to action
Team	Photo, role, bio, and social links for team member cards
Call To Action	Title, text, button, and background in a styled box
Countdown Timer	Counts down to a date/time, with an optional expired message
Post Grid	Responsive grid of posts — image, title, meta, excerpt, read-more
Logo Carousel	Responsive logo/brand carousel with arrows, dots, and autoplay
Table of Contents	Auto-generated, clickable page outline with smooth scroll and scrollspy

Using the Demo Library

Instead of building sections from scratch, the plugin includes an optional Demo Library — a one-click way to import ready-made Elementor sections (with images) built using these widgets. New demos are added over time without needing a plugin update.

To use it: go to the plugin's Demo Library screen from the WordPress admin, browse the available sections, and click Import on the one you want.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Installing without Elementor active — the plugin extends Elementor, so Elementor (free) must be installed and active first.
Expecting a Pro upsell — there isn't one. If a widget looks locked, that's not this plugin; double check you installed the right one.
Assuming it needs Elementor Pro — it doesn't. Everything works on the free version of Elementor.

FAQ

Does this plugin require Elementor Pro?
No. It only requires the free version of Elementor.

Will it slow down my site?
No — each widget's CSS/JS loads only on the specific pages where that widget is used.

Is it really free forever?
Yes. No Pro version, no license key, no locked features.

Does it work with Elementor's Flexbox/Grid containers?
Yes, all widgets are built to work inside Elementor containers.

I activated the plugin but don't see the "Free Widgets" category — what's wrong?
This almost always means Elementor (free) isn't active yet. Activate Elementor first, then reload the page editor — the category will appear at the top of the widgets panel.

Conclusion

If you've ever reached for a bloated all-in-one addon pack just to get one Pricing Table or Countdown widget, Free Widgets For Elementor is built to be the lighter alternative — just the widgets Elementor's free core is missing, and nothing else.

Try it: WordPress.org Plugin Page · GitHub Repository

Written by Monowar Hossain (devmonowar) — WordPress Developer specializing in Plugin Development, Elementor and ACF. Open Source Contributor.
GitHub · WordPress.org · LinkedIn

How to Add Customer Testimonials in WordPress: A Complete Guide to Advanced Testimonial

Monowar Hossain — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 17:21:52 +0000

Summary

Social proof sells — but most WordPress testimonial plugins are either too basic (one boring layout) or bloated page-builder addons you don't need. I built Advanced Testimonial to be the focused middle ground: seven layouts, nine card styles, a front-end submission form, and Schema.org markup for star ratings in Google — all in one lightweight plugin.

The Problem
The Solution
Requirements
Step-by-Step Installation
Displaying Testimonials
Collecting Testimonials From Visitors
Common Mistakes to Avoid
FAQ
Conclusion
Related Articles

The Problem

Testimonials are one of the highest-converting elements you can add to a page — but most WordPress solutions force a trade-off. Basic plugins give you one static layout with no way to collect new reviews. All-in-one page-builder addon packs give you a testimonial widget buried inside 80 other widgets you'll never touch, adding weight to every page on your site.

The Solution

Advanced Testimonial is a dedicated plugin built only for testimonials: a proper post type with Groups, rich per-review fields (rating, company, verified badge, video), seven display layouts, and nine card styles you can mix and match. It ships with built-in Schema.org Review markup, so Google can show star ratings as rich snippets next to your search result.

Requirements

WordPress 6.5+
PHP 7.4+
No page builder required — works with the shortcode and block editor out of the box; an Elementor widget is included automatically if Elementor is active.

Step-by-Step Installation

In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New and search for "Advanced Testimonial".
Click Install Now, then Activate.
A new Testimonials menu appears in your dashboard sidebar.
Add your first testimonial, or open Testimonials → Settings → Tools and use the one-click starter demo to see it in action immediately.

Displaying Testimonials

Use the shortcode anywhere:

[advanced_testimonial layout="grid" columns="3" group="clients" limit="9" order="desc"]

Or add the Advanced Testimonial block in the editor — it has the same controls with a live preview. Seven layouts are available: Grid, List, Card, Carousel, Marquee, Masonry, Spotlight. Pick any of nine card styles (Classic, Modern, Minimal, Bubble, Bold, Glass, Gradient, Outline, Retro) with the style attribute — mix a different style per block if you like.

Collecting Testimonials From Visitors

Add [at_form title="Leave a review" group="clients"] to any page, and visitors can submit their own testimonial directly from your site. Submissions land as Pending so you review them before they go live, with built-in spam protection (nonce, honeypot, rate-limiting).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting to group testimonials — if you plan to show different sets on different pages (e.g. per service or product), set up Groups first under Testimonials → Groups before adding reviews.
Not enabling the submission form's spam protection settings — the defaults are safe, but check Settings → Submission Form if you get unexpected spam.
Assuming Elementor is required — it isn't. The shortcode and block work on any theme.

FAQ

Do I need Elementor to use this plugin?
No. The shortcode and Gutenberg block work with any theme. If Elementor is active, a widget appears automatically.

Can testimonials include video?
Yes — paste a YouTube, Vimeo, or self-hosted MP4 URL on any testimonial; it opens in a lightbox on click.

Will it slow down my site?
No. CSS/JS load only on pages that actually display testimonials, with no jQuery.

Will my testimonials be deleted if I uninstall the plugin?
No, not by default — you have to explicitly opt in under Settings → Advanced first.

Conclusion

If you need real, manageable testimonials — not a giant addon pack — Advanced Testimonial gives you the layouts, styles, and a submission form to collect new reviews, without adding weight to pages that don't need it.

Try it: WordPress.org Plugin Page · GitHub Repository · Browse Demos

Written by Monowar Hossain — WordPress Developer specializing in Plugin Development, Elementor and ACF. Open Source Contributor.
GitHub · WordPress.org · LinkedIn

How to Build a Fast, Accessible Slider in WordPress With General Slider

Monowar Hossain — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 09:54:38 +0000

Summary

Most WordPress slider plugins either load jQuery and half a megabyte of unused CSS/JS on every page, or lock the good design presets behind a Pro upgrade. General Slider is built on the lightweight Splide engine — no jQuery, accessible by default, and assets load only on pages that actually show a slider.

The Problem
The Solution
Requirements
Step-by-Step Installation
Building Your First Slider
Design Presets and Skins
Common Mistakes to Avoid
FAQ
Conclusion
Related Articles

The Problem

A slider sounds like a simple feature, but it's one of the most common places a WordPress site picks up unnecessary weight — jQuery dependencies, render-blocking CSS, and JavaScript that runs on every page even when there's no slider on it. Slower pages mean worse Core Web Vitals and worse Google rankings.

The Solution

General Slider builds reusable sliders once, then lets you drop them anywhere with a block, shortcode, or Elementor widget — no page builder or coding required. It's built on Splide, a lightweight, dependency-free slider engine, so there's no jQuery on the front end, and assets are only added on pages that actually contain a slider.

Requirements

WordPress 6.0+
PHP 7.4+
No page builder required — works with the block editor and shortcode; an Elementor widget is included if Elementor is active.

Step-by-Step Installation

In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New and search for "General Slider".
Click Install Now, then Activate.
Go to General Slider → Add New to build your first slider, or General Slider → Settings to import a ready-made demo instead.
A starter demo is created automatically on first activation, so a fresh install already has something to look at.

Building Your First Slider

Add slides manually, or switch Slides source to Pull slides from posts (dynamic) and the slider builds itself automatically from your latest posts, pages, or WooCommerce products.

Embed it anywhere:

Block: add the General Slider block and pick your slider.
Shortcode: [general_slider id="123"]
Elementor: drop the General Slider widget.

Design Presets and Skins

Five design presets (Hero, Split, Minimal, Testimonial, Fullscreen) control the slide layout, and 14 navigation & frame skins (Classic, Soft, Stories, Numbers, Neon, Glass, and more) control the arrows, dots, and frame — mix any skin with any preset. Add per-slide background video, text entrance animations, and an accent colour, all from the slider's settings box — no code required.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting to publish the slider — a slider must be published, not just saved as a draft, for it to appear on the front end.
Pointing the block/shortcode at the wrong slider — double-check the ID matches the slider you intended; the exact shortcode is shown on each slider's edit screen.
Not clearing the cache — if you use a caching plugin and don't see your changes, clear the site cache after editing a slider.

FAQ

Does it load jQuery?
No. The front end uses the lightweight, dependency-free Splide engine.

Will it slow down my site?
No — CSS/JS load only on pages that contain a slider, images are lazy-loaded, and sliders only initialise when scrolled into view.

Do I need Elementor?
No. A dedicated Elementor widget is included if Elementor is active, but the block and shortcode work with any theme.

Can I build a slider automatically from my posts?
Yes — switch "Slides source" to dynamic and pick posts, pages, or WooCommerce products.

Conclusion

If your current slider plugin is adding weight to pages that don't even use it, General Slider is built to fix exactly that — a fast, accessible slider that only loads where it's actually needed.

Try it: WordPress.org Plugin Page · GitHub Repository · Browse Demos

Written by Monowar Hossain — WordPress Developer specializing in Plugin Development, Elementor and ACF. Open Source Contributor.
GitHub · WordPress.org · LinkedIn

DEV Community: Monowar Hossain

How to Install Free Widgets For Elementor: 8 Essential Widgets Elementor's Free Core Doesn't Include

Summary

Table of Contents

The Problem

The Solution

Requirements

Step-by-Step Installation

What's Inside: All 8 Widgets

Using the Demo Library

Common Mistakes to Avoid

FAQ

Conclusion

Related Articles

How to Add Customer Testimonials in WordPress: A Complete Guide to Advanced Testimonial

Summary

Table of Contents

The Problem

The Solution

Requirements

Step-by-Step Installation

Displaying Testimonials

Collecting Testimonials From Visitors

Common Mistakes to Avoid

FAQ

Conclusion

Related Articles

How to Build a Fast, Accessible Slider in WordPress With General Slider

Summary

Table of Contents

The Problem

The Solution

Requirements

Step-by-Step Installation

Building Your First Slider

Design Presets and Skins

Common Mistakes to Avoid

FAQ

Conclusion

Related Articles