“Landing page builders” is how we affectionately refer to tools that allow technical marketers to become landing page creators. These SaaS platforms empower us to whip up clean-looking lead generation machines in no time at all. Same as WordPress landing pages builders, the goal is always the same: creating high-converting, user-friendly designs that deliver results.
There are a number of WordPress plugins that deal with landing page building in one form or another. Overall, these external landing page builders have maintained a leg up in the competition.
Here we’ll look at how to handle landing pages in WordPress, and also explain why we still use a landing page builder even though there is such great tooling built directly into our CMS. And, we’ll explain why we ended up choosing Swipe Pages as noted in our previous article: Best Landing Page Builders for 2025 – Which Suits Your Business Needs?
WordPress out-of-the-box landing page templating
In WordPress, there is a “Landing Pages” feature under Templates in the admin area. It’s not what you might think. Really, it is a way to keep your pages that you consider to be landing pages separate from the rest of your content. It is nice to have, but is most useful when integrated with a landing page building tool. Having landing page templates separate from pages allows permissions to be managed separately, but it is not required to use this feature. Landing pages can also be built in the standard page editor — instructions linked below.
Landing pages with Elementor Pro for WordPress
We are huge fans and regular users of Elementor Pro as a page builder. Separate page templates can be set up in the Theme Builder, and custom designs can be tailored with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. Elementor Pro offers a rich library of pre-designed templates and widgets, making it easy to create stunning landing pages. For marketers who prefer flexibility, it’s an excellent choice. However, while it’s powerful, it can be time-consuming to master, and performance can sometimes take a hit if too many elements are added.
Why External Landing Page Builders Still Lead
Despite WordPress plugins like Elementor Pro offering solid solutions, external landing page builders such as Swipe Pages often have the edge for speed, simplicity, and advanced functionality. These platforms are built specifically for creating and managing landing pages, which means you get dedicated features like A/B testing, faster load times, and seamless integrations with CRM and email marketing tools.
Swipe Pages, for instance, excels in offering AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) for landing pages, ensuring lightning-fast load speeds—something that can be harder to achieve with WordPress, especially if your website already has multiple plugins or heavy content. Additionally, external builders tend to include built-in analytics and conversion tracking, reducing the reliance on third-party tools.
The Balance: Using Both
The reality is, it doesn’t have to be an either-or decision. For businesses already running a WordPress site, plugins like Elementor Pro can be a cost-effective and integrated way to build landing pages without leaving your CMS. However, for campaigns requiring specialized landing pages with advanced features and faster speed, external tools like Swipe Pages are hard to beat.
We do use WordPress for specialty landing pages. If you’d like to follow the professional WordPress developer / consultant approach, we recommend you continue reading on our support site.
Why We Chose Swipe Pages
As much as we appreciate WordPress and Elementor Pro, our experience has shown that Swipe Pages offers unmatched speed, flexibility, and performance for creating high-converting landing pages. The focus on mobile performance, robust A/B testing, and ease of use makes it a standout choice for most of our needs.
In the end, the best choice depends on your specific goals and resources. If you’re comfortable working within WordPress and need to keep costs down, Elementor Pro is a great option. But if conversions and speed are your top priorities, and you’re running high-stakes campaigns, a dedicated landing page builder like Swipe Pages is worth the investment.
Whether you use WordPress, external builders, or both, the key is to stay focused on delivering a seamless, conversion-friendly experience for your visitors.
