In this blog post, we will compare two of the best WordPress block plugins available in the market: Spectra Pro Vs Kadence Blocks. We will look at their features, user interface, pricing, pros and cons, and use cases. By the end of this post, you will have a clear idea of which plugin is better for your website.
Most importantly I will give you a clear idea about which one you should choose and why.
Feature
Layout & Design
ADVANCED
MODERATE
Customization Capabilities
ADVANCED
MODERATE
Starter Templates
MANY
FEWER
Performance & Speed
HIGH
MODERATE
Themes Compatibility
MODERATE
MODERATE
Price
$49-199
$59-199
Support
Chat-Email
Deal
I am using both Spectra plugin and the Kadence blocks plugin and this comparison is solely based on my personal experience.
So without boring you much with all the technical details and stuff, here is what I found after using both the plugins.
User Interface and Experience
Both Spectra Pro and Kadence Blocks offer a user-friendly and intuitive interface and experience for creating and editing your website content. They both integrate with the native WordPress Gutenberg editor and allow you to drag and drop blocks into your website sections.
For this comparison, I am mainly focusing on usability, user interface, and user experience.
Structural Blocks
Spectra Pro plugin uses containers as the main building blocks for a website, which is a flexbox container. On the other hand, Kadence blocks use Rows as the main building blocks for websites, which also have Flex properties for inner containers.
However, if you take a look at the code that each structural block is generating, you will realize that Kadence blocks have an extra line of code to create one container box. This means the code size of Spectra plugin is lesser than Kadence blocks.
Blocks control
While using Spectra you get an option to choose which block you wish to turn ON/OFF for your website use.
But, there is no option to turn off any block in Kadence from the backend, which is a big NO for me. No matter if you have a smart loading in-build, I prefer to control what blocks I see when I am adding one on my page without any confusion with another block.
If I am using both Spectra and Kadence on my website, or maybe any other block plugin with Kadence. Sometimes I can’t tell if I am using a Kadence block or Spectra. Like in this case below.
Blocks Usability
While using the Spectra plugin the options for the block are much more clearly visible, and there is enough space in between each layout setting and style settings for better visibility.
In Spectra you can simply enter the value in order to add any margin, padding or anything else. But in Kadence we get fixed options like Small, Medium, Large options first then you if you wish to add custom value, you need to dig a little deeper, which I do not prefer. I would like to enter values to control the block setting.
Features Comparison
Both Spectra Pro and Kadence Blocks offer a lot of features and functionalities for creating and enhancing your website content. They both provide a variety of blocks that can help you create stunning layouts, design elements, content types, and more. They both also integrate with popular WordPress plugins such as WooCommerce, Elementor, WPBakery Page Builder, Contact Form 7, Gravity Forms, and more.
However, there are some differences between the two plugins in terms of features and functionalities. Here are some of them:
Layout and Design
1- You can create any type of website use both the Spectra plugin as well as Kadence blocks. There might be a difference between what type of blocks are available in each plugin.
eg: Spectra plugin doesn’t have a free accordion block but it’s available in Kadence Blocks free.
So, If you wish to use only Free versions then make sure you check which plugin got all the blocks that you might need for your website.
2- After adding any block on the page, the customization options are clearly laid out in the Spectra plugin as compared to Kadence blocks.
Customization options
Both plugins have a good amount of customization options available. However as mentioned before, I personally feel the options in Spectra are much clearly visible and laid out.
Apart from that, There is one thing that stands out in Kadence blocks and that is the feature of “Custom Css“.
In Kadence blocks, when you add a row layout, you can enter custom Css to that, which is a big advantage if you are using some custom styling. This option is not available in Spectra.
Pre-made Templates
- Spectra Pro plugin provides a lot of pre-made templates. You can import these templates from the dashboard itself. These templates can help you save time and effort in creating your website content.
- Kadence Blocks also provides pre-made templates. You can import these templates from the Gutenberg editor.
However, the template library from Spectra (Starter templates) got more and better-looking templates as compared to Kadence Blocks (Starter templates).
Performance and Speed
I personally do not prefer to do a speed test while reviewing any theme or plugin because this is the point which is dependent on various external factors, like hosting, or how you build your website and other things.
So no matter if you have a fast-loading website theme or plugin but if you don’t use it properly. You can easily screw up the speed of your website.
But, We have already seen above how Kadance blocks generate extra code to create one container, So once you start building your site. It will surely start getting heavier when you use Kadence blocks.
Integration and Compatibility
Both Spectra Pro and Kadence Blocks are compatible with most WordPress themes and plugins. They both work well with the native WordPress Gutenberg editor and allow you to create and edit your website content with ease.
However, there are some differences between the two plugins in terms of integration and compatibility. Here are some of them:
- Compatibility with Popular WordPress Themes
- Both plugins have no issue if you use them with any other theme.
- Integration with Popular WordPress Plugins
- This is the point where Spectra pro will get an edge if used with ASTRA theme, because they have special integration with popular themes and plugins like LearnDash, Surecart, and various others.
Pricing and Support
Both Spectra Pro and Kadence Blocks have their free versions that you can download and install on your website. They both offer a lot of features and functionalities for creating and enhancing your website content.
Here is a quick look at the pricing for both the plugins.
| Feature | Spectra Pro plugin | Kadence Blocks |
|---|---|---|
| Free version | Yes | Yes |
| Pro version | Yes ($49-$179) | Yes ($69-$199) |
| Money-back guarantee | 14 days | 30 days |
| Support channels | Email, ticket system, live chat | Email, ticket system |
| Support community | Forums, blogs, social media | Forums, blogs, social media |
| Documentation | Yes | Yes |
| Tutorials | Yes | Yes |
| Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Latest deal price for Spectra | Latest deal price for Kadence |
The pro version of Spectra Pro plugin costs $49 for a single site license, $59 for a 10 site license, or $69 for a 1000-site license. The pro version also comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee. Check the Latest deal price for Spectra.
The pro version of Kadence Blocks costs $69 for an unlimited sites license and $199 for their full bundle. The pro version also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Check the Latest deal price for Kadence
- Support Options
- Spectra Pro plugin provides support for both the free and the pro versions of the plugin. You can get support from the plugin developers via email, ticket system, or live chat. You can also get support from the plugin community via forums, blogs, or social media. You can also access documentation, tutorials, videos, and FAQs on the plugin website.
- Kadence Blocks provides support for both the free and the pro versions of the plugin. You can get support from the plugin developers via email or ticket system. You can also get support from the plugin community via forums, blogs, or social media. You can also access documentation, tutorials, videos, and FAQs on the plugin website.
Conclusion
Both Spectra Pro and Kadence Blocks are powerful and versatile WordPress plugins that can help you create and enhance your website content. They both offer a lot of features and functionalities for creating and editing your website content. They both also integrate well with most WordPress themes and plugins.
So, which plugin should you choose for your website?
The answer depends on your needs, preferences, budget, and goals.
If you want clean block setting design and layout options, better pre-made templates, and better performance and speed, then you should choose Spectra Pro plugin.
If you wish to have the freedom of adding custom CSS to your container blocks, or if you wish to share or sell your website then Kadence blocks with the help of Kadence Clouds is a better choice.
Both plugins are free to use and offer a pro version as an optional upgrade. The pro version of both plugins provides access to more features and functionalities for creating and enhancing your website content.
You can try both plugins for free and see which one suits your website better. You can also compare the features and prices of the pro versions and see which one offers more value for your money.
