Why we stopped using WPBakery isn’t just a story about switching web tools — it’s about saving business owners from slow websites, tangled code, and lost customers. We made this decision after watching how WPBakery Page Builder slowed down sites, dragged down SEO rankings, and locked business owners into designs they couldn’t easily fix or update.
A client of ours — a Lauderhill boutique owner — learned this the hard way. Her site looked good, but it loaded painfully slow, didn’t work right on mobile, and drove away shoppers before they even browsed. When we checked under the hood, WPBakery was the common thread causing the problems. And this wasn’t a one-time thing — we’ve seen it again and again with local businesses.
And here’s a fact you can’t ignore: conversion rates drop by an average of 4.42% for every extra second your website takes to load (between 0 and 5 seconds). A slow site doesn’t just frustrate visitors — it costs you real business. That’s exactly why we stopped using WPBakery — and why you might want to consider it, too.
What Is WPBakery (And Why Was It Popular)?
WPBakery Page Builder — formerly known as Visual Composer — made a big splash when it first hit the scene. It was one of the original drag-and-drop builders for WordPress, designed to help users build pages without writing code. The concept was simple: add rows, columns, and content blocks by dragging them into place. For many non-coders, it felt like the perfect solution.
At the time, WPBakery was a breakthrough for small business owners and freelancers who needed websites but couldn’t afford a professional designer. It promised easy customization and a sleek design experience. For several years, WPBakery seemed like the obvious choice if you wanted flexibility without learning HTML, CSS, or JavaScript.
But here’s the catch — technology moves fast, and what was impressive in 2015 feels outdated today. The same tool that once made web design easier now makes it harder to deliver a fast, optimized, modern website. While WPBakery kept adding features, it failed to fix its core issues: bloated code, slow loading times, poor mobile responsiveness, and compatibility headaches.
In the end, what made WPBakery popular in the early days became the exact reasons we (and many others) walked away from it.
Why We Stopped Using WPBakery
1. It Slows Down Your Website
Speed isn’t just important — it’s critical. Every extra second your website takes to load increases the chance visitors will leave. WPBakery adds an unnecessary layer of extra code to your pages, inflating the size of every element and making your website heavier.
When WPBakery generates a page, it wraps each content block in multiple layers of shortcodes, scripts, and styling rules. While this might make editing easier on the front end, it creates a bloated backend that browsers have to work harder to load. This means:
- Longer load times for visitors
- Poor performance on mobile devices
- Lower scores on Google’s PageSpeed Insights
- Negative impact on search rankings
We’ve tested sites with and without WPBakery, and the difference is shocking. Even on a simple homepage, WPBakery can slow load times by several seconds — enough to cost you potential customers. In a world where users expect speed, using a slow builder like WPBakery is like driving with the parking brake on.
2. It Creates Messy Code
One of WPBakery’s biggest hidden problems is the way it generates shortcodes for everything you build. Each text block, image, button, or section is wrapped in shortcode tags that only WPBakery understands. As long as you keep using WPBakery, your pages look fine.
But what happens when you want to switch to another builder — or if WPBakery stops being supported? You’re left with pages full of broken shortcodes.
We’ve seen business owners trapped in this shortcode nightmare, unable to update their site without a full redesign. Even worse, search engines don’t read these shortcodes, so your site’s SEO can suffer behind the scenes.
Clean, readable code is key to good SEO and easy website maintenance. Builders like Elementor and Gutenberg leave behind clean HTML that’s easier to manage, easier to optimize, and safer for long-term growth. WPBakery’s messy shortcode system locks you in — and that’s a deal-breaker for us.
3. It’s Harder to Make Mobile-Friendly Designs
Today, more than 60% of website traffic comes from mobile devices. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re losing customers — plain and simple. Unfortunately, WPBakery wasn’t built with mobile-first design in mind.
While it offers some responsive design options, they’re clunky and limited. You often have to tweak every element by hand just to make sure it looks decent on a phone or tablet. Even then, results aren’t always consistent across different screen sizes.
Other builders, use a mobile-first approach that automatically adjusts layouts for smartphones and tablets. They allow for fine-tuned control over spacing, fonts, and images for different devices — without jumping through hoops.
When mobile design is an afterthought, it shows. WPBakery’s outdated tools make mobile responsiveness feel like a chore instead of a built-in feature. For us, that’s unacceptable in today’s web landscape.
4. It Doesn’t Keep Up with Modern Web Standards
Web design isn’t standing still — and neither should your website tools. Google’s algorithm updates, new browser standards, accessibility guidelines, and security protocols all change how websites should be built. WPBakery hasn’t kept up with these changes.
Here’s where WPBakery falls short:
- Slow updates that lag behind WordPress core releases
- Limited support for modern CSS frameworks and web technologies
- Poor integration with new SEO tools and accessibility standards
- Inconsistent compatibility with other plugins and themes
Meanwhile, builders like Gutenberg are developed alongside WordPress itself, ensuring tight integration and regular updates. Elementor also pushes frequent updates that embrace new design trends, speed improvements, and compatibility enhancements.
In today’s fast-moving web world, sticking with a builder that drags its feet is risky. We want tools that grow with us — and WPBakery isn’t one of them.
5. Better Alternatives Are Everywhere
We didn’t stop using WPBakery without a plan. We tested, researched, and worked with multiple alternatives before making the switch. Today, we build with tools that offer faster performance, cleaner code, and better flexibility — like:
- Elementor: A powerful drag-and-drop builder with clean output, mobile-first design, and blazing-fast performance. It’s user-friendly and packed with design features.
- Gutenberg: The WordPress block editor that comes built-in. It’s lightweight, fast, and improves with every WordPress update. Perfect for clean, simple sites that don’t need heavy design work.
- Oxygen Builder: For developers who want full control over code and performance, Oxygen offers unmatched flexibility without the code bloat.
These alternatives allow us to create beautiful, high-performance websites that load fast, work on all devices, and rank better in search engines. When better options are out there, why settle for less?
Why Staying with WPBakery Could Cost You
Choosing the wrong builder isn’t just a minor inconvenience — it can cost you serious business. Here’s what staying with WPBakery might be costing you:
- Lower search engine rankings due to slow speed and messy code
- Fewer conversions because of poor mobile experience and slow load times
- Higher maintenance costs when you need to make updates or switch builders
- Frustration when your website doesn’t perform the way you need it to
With modern, better-supported tools available, there’s no reason to stick with an outdated builder that holds you back. If your site still runs on WPBakery, you’re losing money — and opportunities — every single day.
How Can Design Develop Now, Inc. Help You?
At Design Develop Now, Inc., we specialize in helping Lauderhill businesses move away from outdated tools like WPBakery and into modern, high-performing websites that actually work for your business.
Here’s what we do for you:
- Rebuild slow, outdated WPBakery sites for better speed and SEO
- Design mobile-friendly websites that work on all devices
- Use modern platforms like Elementor or Gutenberg for flexible, future-proof design
- Handle everything — design, SEO, content, and more — so you can focus on your business
Ready to ditch WPBakery and get a website that actually works for you?
Call us now at +1 800-336-7716 for a free consultation.
Let’s build something better — together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I migrate my existing WPBakery content to another builder without losing data?
Yes — most builders offer import tools or plugins that convert WPBakery shortcodes into native blocks, though complex layouts may require some manual tweaking.
Is switching from WPBakery going to break my live site?
With proper staging and backups, you can safely test and switch builders without affecting the live site — downtime is avoidable with a well-planned migration.
Will my current WPBakery license still work after I stop using it?
Yes — any existing WPBakery license remains valid, but it won’t help if you switch to another builder, since licenses are specific to each tool.
How much will it cost to rebuild a WPBakery site using a new, faster builder?
Costs vary by site complexity, but typically range from a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars for full redesign, optimization, and migration handled by professional developers.
