So you're building an online store and you've stumbled into one of WordPress ecommerce's most confusing crossroads... Do you grab Elementor Pro with a lightweight theme, or go all-in with WoodMart - the WooCommerce theme that basically tries to replace half your plugins??
This comparison is DIFFERENT from most. Because we're not comparing apples to apples here... We're comparing a page builder plugin to a complete ecommerce theme. And understanding that difference will save you from making a costly mistake!!!
Let me break it down so you actually know what you're getting into...
1. The Fundamental Difference You NEED to Understand
Here's where most comparisons get it completely wrong..
Elementor is a page builder PLUGIN. It doesn't work alone!! You still need a WordPress theme underneath it. Most people pair it with Hello Elementor (free), Astra, or another lightweight theme. Then you design everything visually with Elementor's drag-and-drop editor.
WoodMart is a complete WordPress THEME. It comes with its own builder tools, WooCommerce features, AJAX functionality, and can optionally work WITH Elementor if you want. It's specifically engineered for online stores from the ground up...
So the real question becomes: Do you want flexibility to build anything, or do you want a specialized ecommerce machine??
2. WooCommerce Features Compared
This is where things get REALLY interesting!!!
WoodMart's Built-in Ecommerce Arsenal
WoodMart comes absolutely LOADED with WooCommerce features that would normally require 10-20 separate plugins:
- AJAX Everything - Filters, search, add-to-cart, pagination... Zero page reloads!!
- Product Swatches - Color, image, and button variations built right in
- Wishlist & Compare - No plugin needed
- Quick View - Customers see product details without leaving the shop page
- Mega Menu Builder - Create beautiful navigation with product showcases
- Size Guides - Perfect for fashion stores
- Frequently Bought Together - Boost average order value instantly
- Advanced Product Galleries - With video support and zoom
- Countdown Timers - Create urgency on sale items
- Stock Progress Bars - Show "Only 3 left!" to drive purchases
And here's the kicker... All of this is included in the $59 theme price. No annual renewals for premium plugins!!!
Elementor Pro's WooCommerce Builder
Elementor Pro gives you the WooCommerce Builder starting with the Advanced plan. You get:
- Custom product page layouts
- Shop archive page design
- Cart and checkout customization
- Product widgets (price, add to cart, images, etc.)
- Dynamic content integration
But here's the catch... For features like wishlist, compare, quick view, AJAX filters, and swatches - you'll need separate plugins. Each one adds complexity, potential conflicts, and often annual subscription costs!!
I covered similar tradeoffs in my Avada WooCommerce guide - multipurpose solutions often require plugin stacking for ecommerce features that specialized themes include natively.
3. The Pricing Breakdown That Changes Everything
Let's do the REAL math here... Not the surface-level comparison most people make!!
WoodMart Pricing
- $59 one-time payment per website
- Lifetime updates included
- 6 months support (extend to 12 months for ~$18)
- 88+ prebuilt demo websites
- ALL ecommerce features included
The catch: One license = one website. Running 5 stores means $295 total.
Elementor Pro Pricing
- Essential: $59/year (1 site)
- Advanced: $99/year (3 sites) - Needed for WooCommerce Builder!!
- Expert: $199/year (25 sites)
- Agency: $399/year (1000 sites)
Plus you'll likely need:
- Wishlist plugin: $29-79/year
- Compare plugin: $29-49/year
- AJAX filter plugin: $39-79/year
- Quick view plugin: $19-39/year
- Variation swatches: $49-79/year
That "cheap" Elementor setup suddenly costs $200-400/year when you add the WooCommerce essentials that WoodMart includes for free...
The Long-Term Cost Reality
Single store owner (5 years):
- WoodMart: $59 (one-time) = $59 total
- Elementor Advanced + plugins: ~$250/year = $1,250 total
Freelancer with 3 client stores:
- WoodMart: $59 × 3 = $177 total
- Elementor Advanced: $99/year × 5 = $495 (no extra plugins per site with Pro)
Agency with 20 stores:
- WoodMart: $59 × 20 = $1,180 total
- Elementor Expert: $199/year × 5 = $995 (better value at scale!)
The math shifts dramatically based on your situation...
4. Ease of Use & Learning Curve
Elementor's Intuitive Interface
I'll give credit where it's due - Elementor has one of the most intuitive drag-and-drop editors in WordPress!! The live preview, inline editing, and widget system make sense almost immediately.
New users can build decent-looking pages within hours. The learning resources are MASSIVE - YouTube tutorials, courses, Facebook groups, documentation... You'll never lack for help :)
WoodMart's Steeper Initial Curve
WoodMart throws A LOT at you upfront... 88+ demos, hundreds of theme options, multiple builder choices (WPBakery, Elementor, or their own tools). It can feel overwhelming!!
But here's the flip side: Once you understand WoodMart's structure, building stores becomes FAST. The theme-specific features like AJAX filters and product swatches just work - no configuration headaches, no plugin conflicts, no compatibility testing.
For someone building their first store, Elementor feels friendlier. For someone building their tenth store, WoodMart's all-in-one approach saves serious time...
5. Performance & Speed Comparison
Both solutions require optimization work - don't let anyone tell you differently!! Similar challenges exist with Avada sites and other feature-rich themes.
WoodMart Performance
WoodMart is actually well-optimized for a feature-heavy theme:
- Loads only CSS/JS needed for each page
- Built-in lazy loading
- AJAX reduces full page reloads (huge for perceived speed!)
- LCP image preloading option
- Compatible with caching plugins
Real-world tests show optimized WoodMart sites hitting LCP around 1.3 seconds on decent hosting. Not blazing fast, but solid for a theme packed with features...
Elementor + Theme Performance
Elementor's performance depends heavily on:
- Which theme you pair it with
- How many widgets you use
- Whether you're using Remove Unused CSS feature
- Your plugin stack
Best case: Elementor + Hello Elementor + good optimization = very fast sites. Worst case: Elementor + heavy theme + 20 WooCommerce plugins = sluggish nightmare!!
The key insight? WoodMart's performance is more predictable. With Elementor, your choices dramatically affect speed. For WooCommerce speed optimization tips, check my Avada WooCommerce speed guide - similar principles apply.
6. Design Flexibility & Templates
WoodMart: Ecommerce-Focused Design
WoodMart gives you:
- 88+ prebuilt store demos (fashion, electronics, furniture, food, etc.)
- 400+ section templates
- 10+ header styles
- Multiple shop page layouts
- Various product page designs
Everything is ecommerce-oriented... Which is fantastic for stores but limiting if you need a blog-heavy site or complex landing pages.
Elementor: Design Without Limits
Elementor Pro offers:
- 300+ templates
- 100+ widgets
- Theme Builder for headers, footers, archives, singles
- Popup Builder
- Complete design freedom on any page type
You can literally design ANYTHING... Landing pages, portfolios, membership sites, magazines, whatever. The tradeoff is that ecommerce-specific features require more setup.
7. Third-Party Ecosystem
Elementor's Massive Addon World
This is where Elementor genuinely DOMINATES!! The ecosystem is enormous:
- Essential Addons
- ElementsKit
- Premium Addons
- JetElements
- And dozens more...
Thousands of additional widgets, hundreds of templates, integrations with everything imaginable. If you need something unusual, there's probably an Elementor addon for it.
WoodMart's Self-Contained Approach
WoodMart takes the opposite philosophy - include everything you need so you DON'T need addons.
It works with standard WooCommerce plugins (WPML, Yoast, payment gateways, etc.) but doesn't have a dedicated addon ecosystem. The theme tries to be complete out of the box rather than extensible.
8. When to Choose WoodMart
WoodMart is your best choice if:
- You're building a dedicated WooCommerce store (not a blog with a shop)
- You want AJAX filtering, quick view, wishlist, and swatches without plugins
- One-time payment appeals more than annual subscriptions
- You're building 1-5 stores and want predictable costs
- You have large product catalogs that benefit from advanced filtering
- Speed and reliability matter more than unlimited design flexibility
WoodMart shines for: Fashion stores, electronics shops, furniture retailers, multi-vendor marketplaces, any serious ecommerce operation.
9. When to Choose Elementor
Elementor Pro is your best choice if:
- You need complete design freedom beyond ecommerce
- You're an agency building many different types of sites
- You already know Elementor and value your existing workflow
- You want the largest possible ecosystem of addons and resources
- Your store also needs complex landing pages, popups, and marketing features
- You're building 20+ sites where Expert/Agency pricing makes sense
Elementor shines for: Marketing-heavy stores, agencies, freelancers building diverse sites, anyone who values design flexibility over ecommerce specialization.
10. The Third Option Worth Considering
Here's something most comparisons won't tell you...
If neither option feels perfect, Divi offers unlimited site licensing. For ~$89/year or $249 lifetime, you can use it on as many sites as you want. It's a middle ground between Elementor's flexibility and WoodMart's value proposition.
I've written about Divi's layout features and recent updates if you want to explore that option.
For comparing other page builders, see my Avada vs Elementor breakdown.
My Final Verdict
After years of building stores with various tools, here's my honest take:
For serious ecommerce stores: WoodMart wins. The built-in features, AJAX performance, and one-time pricing make it the smarter choice for dedicated online stores. You'll spend less time managing plugins and more time selling products!!
For design-first projects: Elementor Pro wins. When you need complete creative control, complex marketing pages, or you're building diverse client sites, Elementor's flexibility can't be matched.
The uncomfortable truth: There's no universally "best" option. Your specific situation - budget, technical skills, store type, scaling plans - determines the right choice.
Still unsure?? If you're building a single serious ecommerce store, start with WoodMart. If you're building multiple different types of sites or need maximum design freedom, go with Elementor. You can always switch later, though migration is never fun lol
What matters most is picking something and actually launching your store. Analysis paralysis kills more businesses than the wrong theme choice ever could!!!
Got questions about which option fits YOUR situation? Drop them in the comments - I've probably encountered your exact scenario before :)
This article contains affiliate links!
Top comments (0)