Building a professional, fully-functional website without coding skills has long been a challenge for WordPress users, especially when using the Gutenberg block editor. GutenKit, a powerful WordPress plugin, promises to revolutionize the Gutenberg experience, providing a no-code solution for developers, freelancers, and web designers. This detailed review explores GutenKit’s features, its benefits for website creators, and why it’s a must-have tool.
1. Introduction to GutenKit
Target Audience: Developers, freelancers, and web designers
Alternatives: Squarespace, Webflow, Wix
Integrations: Google Maps, WordPress Multisite, Gutenberg
Main Features: 65+ blocks, 18+ modules, 500+ templates, Mega Menus, Dynamic Content
GutenKit enhances the Gutenberg editor, turning it into a robust, dynamic website builder. By eliminating the need for custom coding, GutenKit makes it easier for users to design fully-featured websites that are fast, SEO-optimized, and professional-looking.
2. Core Features of GutenKit
GutenKit brings several advanced features to the table, allowing users to build websites quickly and efficiently. Let’s dive into the core features:
2.1 Blocks, Modules, and Templates
65+ Gutenberg Blocks: From Advanced Accordions to Post Grids, Pricing Tables, and Dynamic Content, the plugin provides a wide variety of pre-designed blocks.
18+ Modules: Modules allow users to add features like sticky content, parallax scrolling, or CSS animations without adding custom code.
500+ Ready-Made Patterns and Templates: These designs speed up the website creation process and help users develop professional pages without hassle.
These blocks, modules, and templates are fully customizable and enable you to create unique website experiences for users. They offer significant flexibility in terms of design and functionality, ensuring that you can achieve a website that meets your vision without dealing with sluggish page builders.
2.2 Mega Menus
Expandable Menus: GutenKit’s Mega Menus allow for two-dimensional, multi-column, multi-tab dropdowns. This feature enables users to create advanced site navigation with just a few clicks.
Complete Control: Menu items can be customized with custom links, labels, or existing pages, allowing users to design intuitive and engaging navigation.
This feature ensures better navigation experiences for users, providing the type of comprehensive menu options typically found on more complex sites, such as e-commerce platforms or media websites.
2.3 Dynamic Web Pages
Query Loop Builder: Users can dynamically display posts and pages based on criteria like post type, author, and custom meta queries.
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) Support: Dynamic content can be displayed effortlessly, adding flexibility to build customized layouts that respond to different user interactions.
For anyone managing blogs, news sites, or portfolio websites, these dynamic content features are game-changers. They offer seamless content management, ensuring that your website remains engaging for visitors by showing relevant content dynamically.
2.4 Customizable Layout Controls
Comprehensive Layout Customization: Customize backgrounds, margins, paddings, borders, and visibility controls, making your website as unique as you want.
Advanced Effects: Use design effects such as parallax scrolling, sticky content, one-page scroll, Lottie animations, and CSS transformations.
These effects give you creative freedom without sacrificing website performance, ensuring fast load times and responsiveness on mobile devices.
3. Building Faster, SEO-Friendly Websites
One of GutenKit’s primary selling points is how it enhances performance and SEO-friendliness without the typical trade-offs experienced with traditional page builders like Elementor or Divi.
3.1 Speed Optimization
Lightweight Plugin: GutenKit promises that its features won’t slow down your website, keeping page load times fast.
No Lag: Unlike clunky page builders, this plugin works seamlessly with the Gutenberg editor, optimizing the user experience.
Speed is critical for SEO. Fast websites not only rank higher in search results but also lead to lower bounce rates. GutenKit’s optimized code structure and lightweight framework ensure your site runs smoothly while incorporating rich, dynamic elements.
3.2 SEO-Friendly Design
Built-in SEO Best Practices: By offering dynamic content tools and easy-to-navigate Mega Menus, GutenKit enhances user experience, which directly affects SEO rankings.
Mobile Responsiveness: Templates and blocks are designed with responsiveness in mind, ensuring a consistent experience across devices.
The plugin’s well-designed, highly responsive layouts improve your chances of ranking higher on search engines by ensuring that content is accessible and user-friendly on any device.
4. Who Should Use GutenKit?
GutenKit is designed for anyone who wants to build powerful WordPress websites without getting involved in code. This includes:
Developers and Freelancers: You can quickly create client websites, avoiding the need for costly page builders and delivering dynamic websites.
Web Designers: The customization options give full creative control over website layouts, animations, and interactions.
Small Business Owners: Even with limited technical skills, GutenKit allows business owners to maintain, update, and customize their websites without hiring a developer.
The plugin provides significant value for anyone who frequently works within the WordPress ecosystem and wants a simple, flexible way to build dynamic, interactive websites.
5. Plans and Pricing
GutenKit offers three pricing tiers, all with a one-time payment for lifetime access:
License Tier 1: $59 (Normally $149)
Use on 3 sites
Includes all features
License Tier 2: $119 (Normally $199)
Use on 10 sites
All features included
License Tier 3: $199 (Normally $389)
Use on unlimited sites
All features included
Each tier gives you lifetime access, meaning you’ll get future updates and new features at no extra cost. With a 60-day money-back guarantee, you can test the plugin risk-free and ensure it suits your needs.
6. Comparing GutenKit with Competitors
While there are several website builders available for WordPress, GutenKit stands out due to its speed, simplicity, and compatibility with the Gutenberg editor. Here's a quick comparison with its competitors:
GutenKit vs. Squarespace
Flexibility: GutenKit offers more flexibility for customization and control over your design, while Squarespace is more limited in terms of templates and blocks.
SEO and Speed: Sites built with GutenKit are faster due to its optimized code structure.
GutenKit vs. Webflow
Ease of Use: Webflow has a steeper learning curve compared to GutenKit, which is easy to use for WordPress users familiar with Gutenberg.
Cost: Webflow can become expensive with recurring payments, while GutenKit offers a one-time fee.
GutenKit vs. Wix
Performance: Websites built with Wix tend to load slower compared to WordPress sites with GutenKit, which are optimized for speed.
7. Conclusion: Is GutenKit Worth It?
If you’re looking to enhance your WordPress website without relying on heavy, slow page builders, GutenKit is an excellent choice. It’s packed with a wide array of customizable features, including dynamic content, advanced navigation, and ready-made templates, all designed to streamline the website-building process.
With its focus on performance, SEO, and ease of use, GutenKit is a fantastic option for developers, freelancers, web designers, and anyone looking to create high-performing websites without writing a single line of code. Given its affordable one-time payment and lifetime access, it’s a deal that delivers incredible value.
Final Rating: 5/5
With its robust feature set, user-friendly interface, and impressive performance, GutenKit is a standout plugin that transforms the Gutenberg experience for WordPress users.