The block editor is a drag-and-drop editor that became the default editor in WordPress in late 2018. Classic Editor is a WordPress plugin that allows users to replace the block editor with the original WordPress editor.

Both editors have their advantages and disadvantages. Most notable are the page building capabilities the block editor has and how much easier the classic editor is to use.

In this post, I compare these editors based on usability, how well they perform, and how well supported they are.

Classic Editor vs Block Editor: Overview

The classic editor is the default editor WordPress had until December 2018 when it was replaced by the block editor. It’s now available as a free plugin: Classic Editor.

The block editor is the default editor in WordPress. It has a drag-and-drop interface, allowing users to build web pages with content blocks instead of just images and text.

This is the main difference between the block editor and the classic editor.

The classic editor uses a WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) editor most comparable to word processors like Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

The block editor uses a drag-and-drop interface most comparable to page builder plugins like Divi, Elementor and Beaver Builder.

The general consensus among WordPress users is that although the block editor is a much better option for creating intricate designs, the classic editor is a lot more familiar and easier to use.

The latter view is especially held by WordPress developers who hear complaints from clients about how confusing the block editor is to use.

No matter what opinion you hold, it’s important to remember that although the Classic Editor plugin is maintained by WordPress and still receives updates, its longevity is finite given that it’s no longer part of the default WordPress experience.

What is the Classic Editor?

For the first 15 years of WordPress, every time you created a new page or blog post, you used a WYSIWYG interface to add content.

The default content type in this editor was paragraph text, but you could add headings and images with buttons on the editor’s toolbar.

This made the interface feel quite familiar and not too different from the well-known interface in Microsoft Word.

When Automattic, WordPress’ parent company, made the block editor the default editor in WordPress, they received a lot of negative feedback from the WordPress community who found the block editor to be difficult to use or outright buggy.

Thus, the Classic Editor was born.

It’s maintained by WordPress and has over 9 million active installations. Installing it replaces the block editor in WordPress with the software’s original WYSIWYG editor, giving you (and your clients) a much simpler way to add content to your site.

Fortunately, given the plugin’s active user base, it’s well supported by third-party developers.

What is the Block Editor?

The block editor is the default editor in WordPress. It was originally available as a plugin called Gutenberg before Automattic made it the default editing experience with the release of WordPress 5.0 in December 2018.

Now, WordPress pages are made up of blocks filled with different types of content. This very blog post is made up of Paragraph, Heading and Image blocks.

Related: What are WordPress Blocks? + How to Use Them

While it most certainly has a learning curve and its forced inclusion in the WordPress ecosystem has been nothing short of controversial, the block editor has allowed WordPress to innovate and remain competitive in a market where all-in-one website builders are gaining influence.

With the block editor, any WordPress user has the power to design pages in their own way without needing to install a third-party page builder plugin.

1. User Interface & Ease of Use

You can see how different these two editors are from one another right off the bat just by looking at them.

The classic editor uses a simple WYSIWYG interface that sits right within the interface for the rest of the admin area, meaning the admin bar at the top and the admin menu to the left don’t disappear when you create a new post or page.

WordPress completely transforms when you create a new post or page with the default block editor.

The admin bar and menu disappear and are replaced by a completely different interface.

This design choice alone confuses users. Not only do they need to learn a new way to add content to their sites, they also need to learn a new navigation system.

And to be fair, it’s not even immediately clear how to get back to the WordPress dashboard.

Adding content is much easier in the classic editor because it accepts text by default.

If you want to add a heading, change the Paragraph dropdown menu to Heading 2 or Heading 3 before typing. If you want to add an image, click the Add Media button.

If you want to add bold text, highlight a bit of text, and click the Bold button, or click it before typing.

The block editor is a little more complicated.

While its default block is Paragraph, it requires a little more input to add other types of content.

WordPress tries to give users a little direction by including “Type / to choose a block,” but it’s definitely not as simple as the classic editor.

However, if you’re anything like me, you don’t write content directly in the WordPress editor. You write it in a program like Google Docs, Notion or Microsoft Word, copy your text from one of these programs, and paste it directly into the editor.

This process is a lot more convenient with the block editor than it is with the classic editor because the block editor accepts preformatted text better than the classic editor.

When I paste content from Google Docs to the classic editor, it includes a space after each paragraph that’s visible on the frontend. I have to remove each one manually.

If I choose “paste as plain text” when pasting, I don’t get these spaces, but my text also isn’t formatted properly, so I have to go in and add headings, bold and italic formatting, and links manually.

When I paste content into the block editor, it removes spaces and preserves my formatting. All I have to do is set external links to open in a new tab.

In short, while the block editor isn’t as simple and intuitive as the classic editor, it’s a much more convenient way to add content to WordPress if you create that content in a third-party word processor.

2. Customization

The block editor is a lot more customizable than the classic editor.

Each block has a customization panel on the right side of the block editor’s interface. It allows you to configure different style and layout settings to create a unique look.

This isn’t possible with the classic editor. You’d need to rely on third-party page builders instead.

It generally isn’t recommended to use page builders for blog posts. If you publish a lot of posts and decide to switch to a new editor, you’ll have a lot of pages to redesign.

However, this limitation is actually preferred by fans of the classic editor.

A lot of users prefer for styles and other design elements to be handled by their themes or WordPress developers. All they want to do is add simple content to their websites. This simplicity isn’t possible with the block editor.

Related: 20 Best WordPress Block Plugins

3. Performance

The speed and performance of the back and frontends of each editor is negligible if you have decent web hosting.

Any issues you do experience are most likely caused by power-hungry browser extensions or low-performance hardware, not the editors themselves.

The block editor’s performance mostly shines when it’s compared to page builders.

It’s a lot more lightweight than most of the page builders available for WordPress, allowing you to create codeless designs that aren’t as slow.

What is the Classic Editor Block?

If you want to use the classic editor but don’t want to install the plugin, you can use the Classic Editor block in the block editor.

Just start typing “classic” when you add a new block, and it should come up. It’s simply labeled “Classic” and has a keyboard icon.

Adding these blocks opens up the classic editor interface in the block editor, allowing you to use the WYSIWYG editor while using the block editor.

Which Editor Should You Use for WordPress?

Choosing a WordPress editor is a matter of personal preference.

If you want more customization options, especially for blog posts, choose the block editor. This is especially true if you want to use a block-based theme or utilize the block editor’s full-site editing (FSE) features.

If the block editor feels too complicated and all you want to do is add simple text and image-based pages to your website, choose the classic editor.

How to Migrate to the Classic Editor

Migrating from the classic editor to the block editor is easy since the classic editor is primarily text and images.

Migrating from the block editor to the classic editor should go smoothly, but I recommend following these guidelines:

• Do not switch to the classic editor if your theme relies on full-site editing
• Do not switch to the classic editor if you have a block-based theme
• Migrate in a staging environment first
• Check each page and blog post to ensure everything is formatted properly

If you want to give your staff/team members the ability to switch between the two editors, go to Settings → Writing, and change “Allow users to switch editors” to “Yes.”