{"id":93138,"date":"2026-04-22T23:38:59","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T04:38:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/?p=93138"},"modified":"2026-04-22T23:38:59","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T04:38:59","slug":"a-guide-to-choosing-the-right-wordpress-block-plugins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/a-guide-to-choosing-the-right-wordpress-block-plugins.html","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to Choosing the Right WordPress Block Plugins"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Among the top features of the WordPress Gutenberg block editor is the ability to add new blocks at any time. This allows us to implement additional types of content and functionality on an as-needed basis.<\/p>\n<p>This is contrary (in theory, at least) to the many page builder plugins on the market. They tend to bundle a large variety of options that are included regardless of whether you want them. For instance, even if you have no interest in using a <a href=\"https:\/\/speckyboy.com\/web-designers-retire-slider\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">slider<\/a>, there&#8217;s likely one bundled in the package.<\/p>\n<p>While it&#8217;s nice that the block editor provides something closer to an \u00e0 la carte experience, it&#8217;s not without risk. There&#8217;s a temptation to experiment \u2013 which brings about a familiar problem: having a bunch of unused plugins mucking up your WordPress install. Worse yet is deactivating a block, only to realize that it has negatively impacted some content along the way.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s not surprising. After all, block plugins are <em>still<\/em> plugins. The same rules and limitations apply. So, before you install them all willy-nilly, read our guide to choosing the right WordPress block plugins.<\/p>\n<h2>Determine Your Goals and Needs<\/h2>\n<p>The block editor is still a relatively new experience for many. As such, there can be some confusion regarding how to accomplish specific tasks. Therefore, take a moment to think about what you want to achieve before considering plugins.<\/p>\n<p>Some items are relatively self-explanatory. If you want to add an <a href=\"https:\/\/speckyboy.com\/10-ways-visualize-data-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">interactive chart<\/a>, that will generally mean using a plugin. The same goes for a contact form or an accordion UI.<\/p>\n<p>However, not everything is so straightforward. Achieving a particular layout, for example, isn&#8217;t necessarily plugin-related. That may be accomplished via a <a href=\"https:\/\/speckyboy.com\/wordpress-block-pattern-directory\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">block pattern<\/a> and the core blocks already included with WordPress.<\/p>\n<p>Even in that case, a plugin may provide a shortcut. But, just as with other types of plugins, it&#8217;s worth weighing the benefits of this approach against any potential downside.<\/p>\n<p>Once you have a grasp of your goals, you can determine whether a block plugin is an appropriate way forward.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/speckyboy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/choosing-wp-block-plugins-01.jpg?resize=900%2C400&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Adding a block pattern in the WordPress block editor\" width=\"900\" height=\"400\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Choose Blocks Just as You Would Any Other WordPress Plugin<\/h2>\n<p>Blocks are part of the overall WordPress plugin ecosystem. With that, the same level of scrutiny should apply when choosing a block plugin.<\/p>\n<p>A plugin&#8217;s reputation, user base, and frequency of updates are all relevant vital signs. Block plugins that are poorly rated or show a support forum full of unanswered questions are red flags.<\/p>\n<p>Then there&#8217;s the debate between niche usage and plugins that aim to be a jack-of-all-trades. This applies to block plugins just as much as it does to other categories.<\/p>\n<p>There are several popular <a href=\"https:\/\/speckyboy.com\/top-custom-gutenberg-blocks-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">block suites<\/a>, where multiple block types are included. This is not unlike the issue we mentioned earlier with page builders. Whereas you may only need one particular block, you&#8217;ll still have to live with the others as well.<\/p>\n<p>That stands in contrast to the <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/support\/article\/block-directory\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Block Directory<\/a>, which lets users add blocks one at a time. However, this requires authors to make blocks available in the directory. Some blocks are only available as part of a larger suite.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/speckyboy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/choosing-wp-block-plugins-02.jpg?resize=900%2C400&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Installing a block plugin from within WordPress\" width=\"900\" height=\"400\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Be Aware of the \u2018Lock-in&#8217; Effect<\/h2>\n<p>What happens if a block plugin you&#8217;ve chosen is no longer a good fit? What if it&#8217;s abandoned by its author?<\/p>\n<p>Similar to <a href=\"https:\/\/speckyboy.com\/page-builder-wordpress-gutenberg-block-editor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">switching<\/a> from a page builder, moving on from a block plugin has consequences. Deactivate it and you may lose formatting and\/or functionality of the affected content. Some cleanup will be required, whether or not you decide to use a different plugin.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s an especially difficult scenario for large, content-heavy websites. Having to go through multiple posts to account for a block you&#8217;re no longer using can be time-consuming.<\/p>\n<p>To some degree, you&#8217;ll be locked into any block plugin you choose. The more you utilize it, the more effort is required to leave it behind.<\/p>\n<p>This reinforces the importance of choosing plugins with a solid track record. While there are no guarantees of longevity, you can at least gain some peace of mind.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/speckyboy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/choosing-wp-block-plugins-03.jpg?resize=900%2C400&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"If you uninstall a block plugin, your content may not display as expected\" width=\"900\" height=\"400\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Add WordPress Blocks Thoughtfully<\/h2>\n<p>Blocks represent the present and future of WordPress. The flexibility they provide, along with their ability to house custom solutions, can help to transform any website. And they can do so with minimal effort from us.<\/p>\n<p>Even so, it&#8217;s important to have a thoughtful approach to installing third-party blocks. Just as with traditional WordPress plugins, quality can vary greatly from one product to another.<\/p>\n<p>In the end, it&#8217;s about choosing blocks that can fulfill your needs both now and in the future. We hope that this guide helps to make the process a little easier!<\/p>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/speckyboy.com\/choosing-the-right-wordpress-block-plugins\/\">A Guide to Choosing the Right WordPress Block Plugins<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/speckyboy.com\">Speckyboy Design Magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Source: Specky Boy<\/p>\n<p id=\"kc_opp\"><small>Republished by  <a href=\"http:\/\/www.blogtrafficexchange.com\/\">Blog Post Promoter<\/a><\/small><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Among the top features of the WordPress Gutenberg block editor is the ability to add new blocks at any time. This allows us &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":93139,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[128],"class_list":["post-93138","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-affiliate-marketing","tag-advantage"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/choosing-wp-block-plugins-01.jpg?fit=900%2C400&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3k0YU-oee","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":92054,"url":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/10-free-plugins-to-help-improve-wordpress-content-creation.html","url_meta":{"origin":93138,"position":0},"title":"10 Free Plugins to Help Improve WordPress Content Creation","author":"admin","date":"April 16, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"WordPress offers plenty of content creation capabilities out-of-the-box. The Gutenberg block editor is a big help when it comes to layouts, but still lacks some more advanced items. That\u2019s where the vast library of available plugins comes to the rescue. No matter what type of site you\u2019re running, there\u2019s bound\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Affiliate Marketing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Affiliate Marketing","link":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/category\/affiliate-marketing"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/wordpress-visual-editor-01.jpg?fit=900%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/wordpress-visual-editor-01.jpg?fit=900%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/wordpress-visual-editor-01.jpg?fit=900%2C400&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/wordpress-visual-editor-01.jpg?fit=900%2C400&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":92052,"url":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/weekly-news-for-designers-%e2%84%96-628.html","url_meta":{"origin":93138,"position":1},"title":"Weekly News for Designers \u2116 628","author":"admin","date":"April 21, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Git Cheat Sheet (50 commands + Free PDF and poster) \u2013 This handy reference contains plenty of common Git commands spanning a variety of categories. Spatial Web Browsing \u2013 A look at browsing apps that arrange objects in space to create groupings, indicate relationships, and build hierarchies. Animate Anything Along\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Affiliate Marketing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Affiliate Marketing","link":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/category\/affiliate-marketing"},"img":{"alt_text":"Envato Elements","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/speckyboy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/envato-elements-weekly-news.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":92748,"url":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/10-free-add-ons-for-the-elementor-wordpress-page-builder.html","url_meta":{"origin":93138,"position":2},"title":"10 Free Add-Ons for the Elementor WordPress Page Builder","author":"admin","date":"April 26, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Elementor is one of the rare WordPress plugins that has spawned its own ecosystem. How did it happen? Well, the page builder is in use on millions of websites and is often bundled with themes. And it\u2019s also built with extensibility in mind. Put it all together, and it\u2019s no\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Affiliate Marketing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Affiliate Marketing","link":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/category\/affiliate-marketing"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/wp-elementor-addons-01.jpg?fit=900%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/wp-elementor-addons-01.jpg?fit=900%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/wp-elementor-addons-01.jpg?fit=900%2C400&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/wp-elementor-addons-01.jpg?fit=900%2C400&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":92213,"url":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/weekly-news-for-designers-%e2%84%96-631.html","url_meta":{"origin":93138,"position":3},"title":"Weekly News for Designers \u2116 631","author":"admin","date":"April 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"An Early Look at the WordPress Photo Directory \u2013 How this free photo site could be a game-changer for content creators. Figment \u2013 Export your Figma designs to a hosted website in short order with this tool. The Complete Guide to Full Stack Web3 Development \u2013 Learn the tools, protocols,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Affiliate Marketing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Affiliate Marketing","link":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/category\/affiliate-marketing"},"img":{"alt_text":"Envato Elements","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/speckyboy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/envato-elements-weekly-news.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":92953,"url":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/03\/essential-plugins-to-build-better-wordpress-sites-for-clients.html","url_meta":{"origin":93138,"position":4},"title":"Essential plugins to build better WordPress sites for clients\u00a0","author":"admin","date":"March 31, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"With over 55,000 known plugins available for WordPress, it can get just a little confusing \u2014 to say the least \u2014 knowing the essential plugins for a WordPress site. There are plugins for functionality, SEO, security, and more. While there is no end-all-be-all plugin or plugin array, certain plugins one\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;E-business &amp; E-marketing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"E-business &amp; E-marketing","link":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/category\/ebusiness-emarketing"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/wordpress-ga87cc388a_12801-300x200-1.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":92208,"url":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/04\/10-free-wordpress-plugins-to-help-with-legal-compliance.html","url_meta":{"origin":93138,"position":5},"title":"10 Free WordPress Plugins to Help with Legal Compliance","author":"admin","date":"April 26, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"These days, part of doing business on the web is ensuring that you comply with local, national, and international law. While laws can vary from place to place and by what type of website you\u2019re running, WordPress plugins help you with those responsibilities. While nothing here should be substituted for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Affiliate Marketing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Affiliate Marketing","link":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/category\/affiliate-marketing"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/wp-legal-compliance-01.jpg?fit=900%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/wp-legal-compliance-01.jpg?fit=900%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/wp-legal-compliance-01.jpg?fit=900%2C300&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/wp-legal-compliance-01.jpg?fit=900%2C300&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93138","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93138"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93138\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":93199,"href":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93138\/revisions\/93199"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/93139"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93138"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=93138"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bricktowntom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=93138"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}