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    separator Developing for Block Editor and Site Editor separator Core vs Custom vs Block Libraries separator When to choose block libraries

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    Most Popular Block Libraries in Gutenberg
    1. Kadence Blocks
    2. Stackable
    3. CoBlocks
    4. Spectra (by Astra)
    5. Greenshift
    6. PublishPress Blocks
    7. Getwid
    Most Popular Block Libraries for Common Design Elements
    Last updated on Oct 23, 2024

    When to choose block libraries?

    While custom blocks provide flexibility and unique functionality, block libraries offer pre-built solutions that can speed up development and provide reliable, feature-rich blocks for common tasks. Here’s when and why block libraries can be a smart choice for your WordPress projects.

    1. Rapid Development Needs

    If your project must be completed within a short period, block libraries make it possible to develop complex features without ‘reinventing the wheel.’ All block libraries contain thousands of pre-built blocks that can significantly reduce development time.

    Example: You can add sliders, accordions, or testimonials on a client’s website rapidly. When ready-to-use block libraries are available, you know you will have a faster option to style it to match the project design.

    2. Specific Feature Requirements

    Sometimes projects require functionality too labor-intensive to implement from the ground up. Block libraries often provide specific blocks that are either hard or time-consuming to build on your own.

    Example: Need to add a carousel, popover, or pricing table? Popular block libraries include optimized, responsive versions of such components, ready to be styled and customized. They can also contain other configuration options such as responsive breakpoints or custom animations that otherwise would require a huge amount of custom development work.

    Let’s break down the top options in the market and assess their strengths in terms of features, performance, and design.

    Here are some of the most popular Gutenberg block libraries

    1. Kadence Blocks

    2. Stackable

    3. CoBlocks

    4. Spectra (by Astra)

    5. Greenshift

    6. PublishPress Blocks

    7. Getwid

    Here’s an updated table of the most popular Gutenberg block libraries with their best use cases and pricing:

    #PluginBest ForPricing
    1Kadence BlocksVersatile blocks with strong performance, ideal for dynamic content (carousels, sliders, etc.)Free, Pro: $89/year
    2StackableSleek, modern design with advanced customization and responsive layoutsFree, Pro: $49/year for 1 site, $149 for unlimited sites, Lifetime: $499
    3CoBlocksLightweight and fast for simple blocks like accordions, galleries, and hero sectionsFree
    4SpectraExcellent for a wide range of blocks, from sliders to post grids and timelinesFree, Pro: $39/year
    5GreenshiftAdvanced animations, page builder blocks, and CSS grid controlsFree, Pro: Starting at $39/year
    6PublishPress BlocksInteractive elements like sliders, maps, buttons, and advanced content display blocksFree, Pro: Starting at $69/year
    7GetwidPerformance-oriented, offering 40+ free blocks like image sliders, banners, and accordionsFree

    These libraries provide a wide range of blocks suited for different purposes—from complex layouts and dynamic content to simple, performance-oriented blocks.

    When building with Gutenberg, certain common design elements such as carousels, popovers, accordions, and galleries are often required. Below is a comparison of how various block libraries handle these elements:

    Block TypeKadence BlocksStackableCoBlocksSpectra (by Astra)GreenshiftPublishPress BlocksGetwid
    Carousel/SliderAdvanced customization for posts and productsSmooth, responsive sliders with deep stylingSimple image carouselsInteractive sliders for images and postsHigh-performance sliders with animation controlsImage slider with autoplay and custom speedBasic image sliders with lightbox options
    PopoversModal popups with customizable triggersPopovers with hover/click animationsLacks popover supportPopovers with flexible stylingAdvanced hover and modal popupsAdvanced popups with Google Maps integrationNo popover support
    AccordionSmooth, fast accordion with customizationHighly customizable with animation optionsLightweight and easy to styleFully responsive with animationAdvanced accordions with CSS controlsAnchor links and theme presets for accordionSimple accordion with basic settings
    TabsFull control over tab layout, color, and animationResponsive, customizable tabs with design settingsNo dedicated tab blockAdvanced tab settings with animationsHigh-performance tabs with transitions and hover effectsReorderable tabs with custom anchorsSimple tab layout with flexible styling
    TestimonialCustom testimonial blocks with slidersMultiple layout options, customizable stylesSimple testimonial layoutsTestimonial sliders with image supportDynamic testimonials with animations and CSS controlTestimonial slider with customizable avatarsBasic testimonial block with flexible layouts
    Pricing TableHighly customizable pricing tablesDetailed pricing tables with column optionsLimited pricing table supportResponsive pricing tables with hover effectsAdvanced pricing tables with CSS grid controlPricing tables with flexible column settingsSimple but customizable pricing tables
    Gallery/MasonryAdvanced galleries with carousel, grid layoutsMasonry/grid layouts with hover animationsSimple gallery blockInteractive gallery with hover effectsCSS grid gallery with full control over layout and animationsEnhanced galleries with lightbox displaysFlexible image galleries with hover effects
    FormsBasic forms with advanced stylingContact forms with customizable fieldsNo dedicated form blockAdvanced form builder with deep integrationsAdvanced forms with WooCommerce supportContact and newsletter forms with customizationNo form block
    Hero SectionFlexible hero sections with typography and backgroundsCustom hero sections with full layout controlSimplified hero sectionsDynamic hero sections with responsive textAdvanced hero sections with CSS animationsNo dedicated hero section blockSimple hero block with image and text fields
    Call-to-Action (CTA)Custom CTA buttons with hover statesCTA blocks with customizable layoutsBasic CTA buttons with limited customizationCTA with animations and form integrationHigh-performance CTA blocks with animationsNo dedicated CTA blockSimple CTA block with basic styling
    Countdown TimerAdvanced countdown blocks with evergreen optionsResponsive countdown timers with flexible stylingLacks countdown timer supportFully responsive countdown timers with animationsCSS-controlled countdown timers with animationsNo countdown timer blockNo countdown timer block
    Post Grid/ArchiveDynamic post grids with filtering optionsAdvanced post grids with pagination optionsSimple post grid optionsPost grids with dynamic filtering and paginationFull grid control with dynamic contentCustomizable post grid with column controlsBasic post grid block with responsive design
    Table of ContentsFull table of contents with dynamic updatesDynamic table of contents with custom anchorsNo table of contents blockResponsive table of contents with animationsAdvanced table of contents with CSS customizationCustomizable table of contents with anchor linksNo table of contents block

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