This comparison is aimed at more technically minded readers. If you have never heard of selector panels, PHP function bindings or component libraries, Elementor or Divi are probably the better starting point — I have written other comparisons for those. Oxygen Builder and Bricks Builder are both deliberately built for developers and technically confident power users: lean output, full structural control, very little visual sugar. Anyone weighing up the two has usually already left Elementor or WPBakery behind and is looking for genuine proximity to code. Here is my sober assessment for 2026.
The short answer
Bricks Builder is ahead in 2026 if you are deciding between the two from scratch today: more active development, a larger and growing community, a noticeably friendlier UI — with similarly clean code output. Oxygen Builder nevertheless remains a legitimate choice for developers who value the one-off lifetime payment with no subscription commitment more highly than a more modern interface, and for whom a steeper learning curve is no obstacle.
The detailed answer
Both tools pursue the same basic idea: away from the “div soup” output of classic page builders, towards HTML/CSS that stays readable and maintainable even without the builder context. Both build structurally rather than in a playful drag-and-drop way, both rely on classes instead of inline styles, both aim for performance. The difference lies less in the underlying technical principle than in the pace of development, the maturity of the UI and the size of the ecosystem — and that is exactly what has shifted noticeably in recent years.
For years Oxygen was the insider tip among experienced WordPress developers: Soflyy, the company behind the plugin, served a loyal niche with its radically code-centric approach. In 2022 the launch of Breakdance — founded by a previously prominent figure from the Oxygen scene — briefly created uncertainty about the project's future. With the complete rebuild into Oxygen 6, Soflyy has since clearly reaffirmed its commitment to further development, but that episode is part of the tool's honest history and should be kept in mind in a long-term decision. Bricks Builder is younger, but since 2023/24 it has moved noticeably faster towards broader adoption — with shorter release cycles and a visibly growing community.
For pure website performance this makes hardly any difference in practice: both tools produce markedly leaner markup than classic page builders such as Elementor or Divi, and both typically land close to each other on load time and Lighthouse scores when tested with comparable layouts. So the real difference is not decided at the front end, but in three other places: how quickly you and your team become productive, how well you will still find spare parts in five years — add-ons, templates, developers with experience — on the market, and how your cost calculation looks across the licence period.
Comparison at a glance
| Criterion | Oxygen Builder | Bricks Builder |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | One-off, from around $99 (Basic) to $179 (Ultimate) — lifetime, unlimited sites, no renewal fee | Annually from $79 (1 site) to $249 (Agency, unlimited), or alternatively a one-off $599 lifetime licence |
| Code cleanliness | Very close to hand-written HTML/CSS, minimal overhead — regarded as the benchmark for lean output | Likewise very clean and performant, marginally more wrapper structure in standard elements |
| Learning curve | Steep — its own concept with a selector panel and structure tree, getting up to speed takes time | Noticeably flatter — more modern, tidier UI, closer to familiar page builder conventions |
| Community activity / ecosystem growth | Loyal, but smaller; rebuilding again with Oxygen 6 after the uncertainty around 2022 | Clearly growing since 2023/24, active Discord community, increasingly many third-party add-ons |
| Update frequency | Regular again since the Oxygen 6 relaunch, but historically with phases of noticeably less momentum | Very active, short release cycles, publicly visible roadmap |
| Template marketplace | Small, mostly community-shared presets rather than an official marketplace | Larger and growing, more ready-made templates and component libraries from third parties |
Oxygen Builder — strengths and weaknesses
Strengths: The one-off payment with no ongoing subscription commitment is the decisive argument for many developers — especially with a large portfolio of client sites, where renewal costs otherwise add up. The output is extremely close to code, with minimal builder ballast. The community is small, but experienced and technically deep.
Weaknesses: The learning curve remains steep, and the UI feels more austere and less intuitive than more modern tools. Templates and third-party add-ons are limited. And the episode around 2022 — when a previously central figure from the Oxygen scene launched Breakdance as a competing product and briefly created uncertainty about the project's future — has visibly been overcome with Oxygen 6, but still echoes with some more cautious developers.
Bricks Builder — strengths and weaknesses
Strengths: A markedly more modern, tidier UI noticeably lowers the barrier to entry without compromising on performance or code cleanliness. Development is currently visibly faster paced, the community is growing, and the ecosystem of templates, component libraries and third-party add-ons keeps expanding.
Weaknesses: Without the lifetime option you keep paying every year — calculated over several years and several sites, potentially more expensive than Oxygen's one-off payment. The project is younger and accordingly has less “battle-tested” history with very old, complex, organically grown projects than Oxygen.
Migration and existing projects: the underrated factor
One point that often gets too little attention in feature comparisons: you rarely decide on a greenfield site. Anyone already working with Oxygen has probably invested years in custom selectors, reusable classes and their own PHP function bindings — switching to Bricks means no import, but a structural rebuild of the affected templates. The same applies in reverse for existing Bricks projects. The two tools are too similar in their basic philosophy to “understand” each other, but too different in their concrete implementation to be converted automatically.
For new projects this means: the decision you make in 2026 effectively ties you in for years. That is one of the reasons why I take the question of community size and update pace just as seriously as the pure feature comparison — a tool that is still being actively developed in three years and for which you can still find developers on the market is worth more in the long run than one with two extra niche features today.
Are you currently evaluating a code-centric builder for your agency or development team? In my online course and in remote training sessions I show teams how a move from classic page builders to structure-based tools like Bricks or Oxygen plays out in practice — including the migration pitfalls. → To the online course
Who is each tool right for?
The freelancer who wants to build without a subscription for years: If you look after many sites yourself long term and want to keep ongoing licence costs as low as possible, Oxygen's one-off payment is hard to beat — provided the steeper learning curve does not put you off.
The agency or development team starting fresh in 2026: Anyone deciding today without legacy baggage and needing to onboard a team benefits from Bricks' friendlier UI, the more active development and the growing marketplace of ready-made components. That noticeably reduces the onboarding time for each new colleague.
The experienced Elementor developer who wants to move to a code-centric builder: The jump from Elementor to a structure-based tool is a change of mindset in any case. Bricks makes that transition somewhat gentler than Oxygen thanks to its more familiar UI logic — an argument that should count in the decision.
The long-standing Oxygen customer who has been happy for years: If you are already working productively with Oxygen, have no acute problems and appreciate the one-off payment, then in my view there is no compelling reason to switch. Changing tools without a concrete trigger costs above all time — time you are better off putting into client projects.
My conclusion
If I had to advise someone today, in 2026, with no history in either tool, I would recommend Bricks Builder: more momentum, a growing community, a noticeably more accessible interface — with practically equivalent performance and code advantages over classic page builders. That currently makes Bricks the safer choice for most developers deciding afresh.
Oxygen Builder is by no means a dead end, though. For developers who clearly prioritise the one-off price with no renewal fee and who get on well with a somewhat more technical, less polished workflow, it remains an honest option — especially since the Oxygen 6 relaunch, with visible development pace again. I just would not expect it to catch up with Bricks on ecosystem growth any time soon.
If you want to move your team or yourself over to one of these builders in a structured way, my online course is the practical route — including the migration questions that often get lost in theory. → To the online course
Frequently asked questions
Is Oxygen Builder still a safe investment in 2026?
Yes, with one caveat: with Oxygen 6, Soflyy has clearly reaffirmed its commitment to further development and is shipping regularly again. The uncertainty around 2022 has been overcome, but it is worth knowing as part of the history when making a very long-term decision.
Do I need Elementor experience to get started with Bricks Builder?
No, but it helps. Anyone who has already worked with classic page builders finds their way around Bricks' UI faster than around Oxygen's more idiosyncratic concept.
Can I switch from Oxygen to Bricks or vice versa?
There is no official one-to-one importer between the two. In practice, switching means a structural rebuild of the affected templates — plan it as a project in its own right, not as a migration on the side.
Which is cheaper over five years?
For a single site and without the Bricks lifetime licence, Oxygen is usually ahead thanks to the one-off payment. If you buy the lifetime option with Bricks straight away, the difference evens out in the long run — and then the UI and ecosystem matter more than the price.
Do I still need a classic WordPress theme for Oxygen or Bricks?
No. Both tools handle the entire front-end rendering themselves and effectively replace a classic theme completely.
If you are still undecided between several builders, it is also worth looking at my comparisons Bricks vs Elementor vs Breakdance and Divi vs Bricks Builder — as well as the overview of all WordPress tool comparisons.
And where does Elementor fit in?
Oxygen and Bricks both address people who want to stay close to HTML and CSS. Anyone who does not bring that background — and that is the majority — is better served by Elementor: a gentler learning curve, German-language tutorials, and it is easier to find someone later who can take the site over.
In detail: Elementor vs. Oxygen and Elementor vs. Bricks.
Elementor Pro: Theme Builder, forms and popups — that is, what Oxygen brings from the ground up — sit in Elementor’s Pro licence. View Elementor Pro
Image source for featured & inline images: illustrations created in-house in the pletzenauer design (no stock photos).
Tags