Bricks Builder has become the loudest name in WordPress page builders in the last two years — especially among developers. Cleaner code, faster output, no bloat. The criticism it leveled at Divi (slow, bloated, dated) struck a nerve.
Then Divi 5 launched in February 2026 and rewrote the conversation. JavaScript bundle dropped 84%. Server processing improved 40–80%. Suddenly the "Divi is slow" critique was largely outdated. So in 2026, which one wins? After running both at Nicada Digital across multiple client projects, here's our honest take.
Quick verdict:
Choose Bricks if you're a technical developer who wants the cleanest possible HTML output and is willing to invest in the learning curve. Choose Divi if you want a faster start, broader ecosystem, easier client handovers, lifetime pricing, AI tools, and Cloud sync. For 90% of UK agencies and businesses, Divi is the better long-term choice.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Divi | Bricks |
|---|---|---|
| Lifetime price | $249 | $249 |
| Annual price | $89/yr | Not offered |
| Sites per licence | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Pre-built layouts | 800+ | ~30 (Bricks templates) |
| Theme Builder | Yes (mature) | Yes (called Templates) |
| Visual Builder | Drag-and-drop, beginner-friendly | More technical, panel-based |
| Cloud sync | Yes (Divi Cloud) | No |
| AI tools | Divi AI (built-in) | None native |
| Page speed (typical) | 90+ achievable (Divi 5) | 95+ achievable |
| HTML output | Improved in Divi 5 | Cleanest of any builder |
| Custom code support | Strong | Excellent (devs love it) |
| Community size | Massive | Smaller but growing |
| Documentation | Comprehensive | Good but newer |
| Best for | Agencies, businesses, beginners | Technical developers |
Performance: The Original Bricks Argument
Bricks was designed from day one with performance as a core priority. It outputs minimal CSS, lean HTML, and only loads JS modules you actually use. Out of the box, Bricks sites typically score 95+ on PageSpeed.
Divi 4 was the foil. Bloated, JavaScript-heavy, slow on mobile. The performance gap was real.
Divi 5 changed this. JavaScript bundle dropped from 276 KB to 45 KB. Server processing 40–80% faster. With proper optimisation (see our page speed guide), Divi 5 sites routinely score 90–95 on mobile.
Verdict: Bricks still wins on raw performance, but the gap shrunk from "huge" to "small." For most users, Divi 5 is fast enough.
Ease of Use: Where Divi Wins Decisively
Bricks is built for developers. Its terminology — query loops, dynamic data, pseudo elements, custom HTML — assumes a technical background. The interface is panel-heavy and feels more like a code editor than a design tool.
Divi's Visual Builder, by contrast, is genuinely drag-and-drop. Click a section, drag a module in, edit visually. No technical knowledge required.
This matters a lot for:
- Non-technical site owners who want to manage their own content
- Agency clients who'll edit pages after handover
- Junior staff who need to be productive quickly
- DIY business owners following our Divi beginner tutorial
Verdict: Divi is dramatically easier to learn and use. If you're not a developer, the Bricks learning curve will frustrate you.
Ecosystem: Divi's Major Advantage
Divi has been around since 2013 and powers 2+ million websites. The ecosystem reflects that:
- 800+ pre-built layout packs (free with Divi)
- Hundreds of premium child themes from creators like Aspen Grove and Divi Engine
- Thousands of YouTube tutorials
- Massive Facebook community (Divi Theme Users group has 100k+ members)
- Divi-specific marketplaces with pre-styled assets
Bricks has a community, and it's growing rapidly — but it's a fraction of Divi's. Tutorials, templates, and pre-styled assets are far fewer.
Theme Builder Comparison
Both builders include a "Theme Builder" feature for designing global headers, footers, blog templates, and dynamic content layouts.
Bricks Templates are powerful but more developer-oriented. Working with dynamic data, query loops, and conditional logic requires technical understanding.
Divi Theme Builder is more polished and easier to use for non-developers. The visual interface for assigning templates to specific pages or post types is more intuitive. See our Theme Builder tutorial.
Verdict: Divi for ease, Bricks for raw flexibility (if you're a developer).
Pricing
| Plan | Divi | Bricks |
|---|---|---|
| Annual | $89/yr | Not available |
| Lifetime | $249 one-time | $249 one-time |
| Pro plan | $277/yr (AI + Cloud + VIP) | Not available |
| Sites | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Pricing is functionally identical at the lifetime tier. Divi offers more flexibility with annual and Pro options. See our Divi pricing breakdown and Divi lifetime deal review.
Cloud Sync: Divi's Big Advantage
Bricks doesn't offer anything equivalent to Divi Cloud. If you manage multiple sites, this is significant. With Divi, design a header once, sync it everywhere. Update a testimonial section once, propagate everywhere. With Bricks, you're exporting and importing JSON files manually.
Verdict: Big Divi advantage for agencies, freelancers, and multi-site users.
AI Tools
Divi AI is built into the Visual Builder — generate copy, images, and entire layouts from prompts. Bricks doesn't have a native AI tool, though some third-party plugins fill the gap. See our Divi AI review.
Verdict: Divi wins for AI-augmented workflows.
Code Output and Developer Experience
Bricks shines here. Its HTML output is minimal, semantic, and clean. Developers love working with it because what you see in the editor is essentially what's rendered — no extra wrapper divs, no bloat.
Divi 5 made huge strides on this front but still outputs more wrapping markup than Bricks. For projects where every byte counts (very high-traffic sites, performance-obsessed clients), Bricks wins.
Verdict: Bricks wins for technical developers and performance-critical projects.
WooCommerce Support
Both builders support WooCommerce, with built-in shop modules for designing custom product pages, cart, and checkout.
Divi's WooCommerce integration is more mature with more pre-styled options. Bricks' WooCommerce support is solid but newer.
For deep ecommerce needs, see our Divi WooCommerce guide.
Use Case Recommendations
Solo business owner building their own site
Divi. Easier to learn, more pre-built layouts, broader documentation.
Web design agency
Divi. Cloud sync, easier client handovers, larger talent pool. See our Divi for agencies guide.
Freelance developer building for clients
Either, leaning Bricks if you and your clients are technical. Divi otherwise.
Performance-obsessed dev with high-traffic site
Bricks. Cleaner output, fewer wrapping divs.
Ecommerce shop
Divi. More mature WooCommerce integration and ecosystem.
Marketing landing pages with frequent updates
Divi. AI tools, faster iteration, more layouts.
Custom WordPress development for technical clients
Bricks. Cleaner code respect from technical stakeholders.
Switching Between the Two
Like switching from Elementor to Divi, switching between any two page builders requires manual rebuilding. Content survives; layouts must be recreated. If you're considering switching, our migration guide applies similarly to Bricks-to-Divi moves.
The 2026 Verdict
Bricks is excellent. The hype is largely deserved. If you're a technical developer who values clean output and minimal markup, it's a fantastic choice.
But for most UK businesses and agencies, Divi remains the better long-term option in 2026:
- Larger ecosystem of layouts, child themes, and modules
- Easier learning curve for non-developers and clients
- Cloud sync for multi-site management
- AI tools built in
- Lifetime + annual + Pro pricing flexibility
- Bigger talent pool for hiring
- Equivalent performance after Divi 5's rewrite
FAQs
Is Bricks better than Divi?
For developers, often yes. For agencies and non-technical users, Divi remains the better choice in 2026 due to ecosystem, ease of use, and Cloud sync.
Is Bricks faster than Divi?
Slightly, but Divi 5 closed most of the gap. With proper optimisation, the difference is 5–10 PageSpeed points — not the chasm it used to be in the Divi 4 era.
Should I switch from Divi to Bricks?
Probably not, unless you have a specific technical reason. Migration costs (rebuilding every page) usually outweigh the benefits. Stick with Divi 5 and tune it properly.
Does Bricks have a community as big as Divi's?
No — Bricks' community is growing fast but is still a fraction of Divi's. This affects available tutorials, templates, and hireable freelancers.
Is Bricks better for SEO?
Marginally, due to cleaner HTML. But SEO is mostly about content, links, and technical fundamentals — not the page builder. See our Divi SEO guide.
Do agencies use Bricks?
Some do, especially smaller technical-leaning shops. But Divi remains the dominant agency choice due to Cloud sync, easier client handovers, and broader ecosystem.
Conclusion
Bricks deserves the praise it gets. It's a brilliantly engineered builder, especially for developers. But the comparison isn't 2022 anymore — Divi 5 has reset the performance conversation, and Divi's ecosystem advantages now matter more than ever.
For UK agencies, businesses, and DIY site owners, Divi remains the more practical choice in 2026. Easier to learn, faster to build with, broader ecosystem, and just as performant when properly tuned.
Try Divi 5 risk-free for 30 days here and judge for yourself.