Classic Editor vs Gutenberg Essential Blocks – Page… (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Gutenberg Essential Blocks – Page…
200K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Classic Editor has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 1,225 reviews) and leads in active installations (9.0M+ vs 200K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Classic Editor has accumulated 85M+ total downloads while Gutenberg Essential Blocks – Page… has 8.1M+. Gutenberg Essential Blocks – Page… has a higher support resolution rate (100% vs 0%).
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Classic Editor | Gutenberg Essential Blocks – Page… | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.9/5 | 4.9/5 | |
| Total Reviews | 1,225 | ◄ | 206 |
| Active Installs | 9.0M+ | ◄ | 200K+ |
| Total Downloads | 85M+ | ◄ | 8.1M+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | ► | 100% |
| Last Updated | 3 months ago | ► | 2 days ago |
| First Released | 2017 | 2018 | |
| Age | 9 years | 8 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.9+ | 5.8+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.2.4+ | 7.4+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 1.6.7 | 6.0.7 |
Rating Breakdown
Classic Editor
Gutenberg Essential Blocks – Page…
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Classic Editor averaged approximately 12,420 daily downloads while Gutenberg Essential Blocks – Page… averaged 8,209.
Recent Reviews
Classic Editor Reviews
Back to Simple
Really helpful if u don’t like the block editor. Feels familiar n easy to work with. Not fancy, but it makes editing way more comfortable for me.
perfect for users who prefer the old WordPress
The Classic Editor plugin is perfect for users who prefer the old WordPress editing experience. It’s lightweight, easy to use, and works flawlessly without any setup. Highly recommended for a simple a
Keeps It Simple
Installed this cz I prefer the old editor. Works exactly as expected, no issues so far. Makes writing posts much easier for me. Would be nicer if it had few more options, but still solid. tnkz devs.
Gutenberg Essential Blocks – Page… Reviews
Great customer support
I had an issue integrating essential blocks with my blocksy theme. Specifically, the blocks were not loading correctly on my content hook pages. Eric from essential blocks was fantastic. He helped deb
Great collection of blocks
Essential Blocks offers a lot of great blocks for FSE/Gutenberg themes, and most of the useful ones are free, which is awesome. They offer a lot of customization and I haven’t experienced any bugs or
Works Well With Their Flexia Theme
I decided to switch themes and so as a pro user of the BetterDocs plugin I decided to jump in with Flexia FSE theme. The Essential Blocks plugin adds a lot of options even with the free version. Give
More Block Editor Worth Comparing
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.