10 of the Best Plugins for Extending the Block Editor

The Block Editor has made online publishing easier for WordPress users of all skill levels. However, it only includes the most basic elements need to create posts and pages.

Fortunately, several new block plugins have emerged. These handy little tools can open new doors for users who want to create more complex features and layouts right from the default WordPress editor.

In this post, we’ve collected ten of the best plugins you can use to extend the Block Editor. Let’s get started!

1. Gutenberg Blocks – Ultimate Addons for Gutenberg

The Gutenberg Ultimate Addons plugin.

From the developers that brought you the amazing Astra theme, Ultimate Addons for Gutenberg is the most highly rated of the block plugins on this list. It seeks to provide a page-builder-like experience in the Block Editor.

When you download Ultimate Addons for Gutenberg, you gain access to several blocks including:

Table of Contents
Advanced Columns
Call to Action buttons
Content Timelines
Info Boxes
Post Layouts
Price Lists

This plugin is completely free to download and use, with no strings attached. Support for Ultimate Addons for Gutenberg via documentation and a ticketing system is available on its official website.

2. Stackable – Gutenberg Blocks

The Stackable Gutenberg plugin.

In addition to several advanced blocks that make drafting custom layouts a breeze, Stackable comes with advanced effects for taking your site design to the next level. Hover animations, background gradients, and more can help spruce up your pages.

This plugin’s blocks include:

Container
Separator
Accordion
Image Box
Video Popup
Notification
Expand/Show More

You can use all of the above for free. However, there’s also a premium version. It offers more than 50 layouts, additional effects, and a CSS Customizer for styling individual blocks. Pricing starts at $29 per year.

3. Kadence Blocks – Gutenberg Page Builder Toolkit

The Kadence block plugin.

Kadence Blocks prioritizes the creation of layouts with rows and columns. It even enables you to adjust their padding, add backgrounds and overlays, and modify their vertical alignment so everything looks just right.

Some of the blocks included are:

Row Layout
Advanced Gallery
Tabs
Accordion
Testimonial
Info Box
Icon List

In addition to the free version, you may want to consider Kadence Blocks Pro. It includes additional blocks such as Image Overlays and Split Content. You’ll also gain entry to a library of pre-built sections and layouts. Licenses start at $45 per year.

4. Block Lab

The Block Lad plugin.

Block Lab is designed with developers in mind. It enables you to create block templates using HTML and a variety of fields. If you need a specific type of reusable content for your site or a client’s, this tool can help you build it quickly and easily.

Available block fields include:

Image
Title
Text
Button text
Button URL

While that doesn’t give you a ton to work with, Block Lab Pro offers more options including user and taxonomy fields as well as post type conditions. A single site license is $99 per year.

5. Lazy Blocks

The Lazy Blocks plugin. Created to help developers build their own custom blocks, Lazy Blocks is an alternative to Block Lab and requires some coding knowledge. It combines drag-and-drop editor controls and custom HTML to build your own pre-defined content elements.

Lazy Blocks includes the following controls:

Repeater
Textarea
Code Editor
Rich Text
Inner Blocks
Color Picker
Date and Time Picker

This plugin is free to download and use. Compared to Block Lab, it’s slightly more affordable as it includes more options than the other plugin’s free version. However, it’s not as extensive as Block Lab Pro.

6. Gutenberg Blocks and Template Library by Otter

The Gutenberg Blocks and Template Library by Otter.

In addition to several blocks, this plugin includes nine customizable page templates. You can modify their existing elements or add new ones to tweak the format and make it work for you.

Gutenberg Blocks and Template Library includes the following blocks, among others:

Section
Service
Button group
Pricing
Testimonial
Google Map
About the Author

Like many on this list, this plugin is 100 percent free to use.

7. Gutenberg Blocks Plugin – Ultimate Blocks

The Ultimate Blocks plugin.

Designed with bloggers and marketers in mind, Ultimate Blocks is geared towards making content that converts. It’s also optimized for speed and search engines to keep your site running smoothly.

Ultimate Blocks includes a handful of unique elements that may prove useful. Some of them include:

Image Slider
Content Filter
Click to Tweet
Countdown
Progress Bar
Star Rating
Styled List

This is another free plugin, so there’s no need to worry about your budget. With no real drawbacks, Ultimate Blocks is an easy way to take your content up a notch and increase engagement.

8. Advanced Gutenberg Blocks – Qubely

The Advanced Gutenberg Blocks plugin by Qubely.

This Block Editor “toolkit” contains a wide range of features for improving your editing experience. On top of the custom blocks it offers, Qubely provides pre-built sections and layout packs.

Its blocks include:

Rows
Counters
Button groups
Contact Forms
Teams
Timelines
Post Grids

Although the possibility of a premium version is mentioned on this plugin’s Directory page, for now, there’s just the free one.

9. Page Builder Gutenberg Blocks – CoBlocks

The CoBlocks plugin.

CoBlocks is a lightweight plugin with a hefty list of additions for the block editor. One of the more extensive options for enhancing your editing capabilities, it has more than two dozen ready-made elements for your posts and pages. It also enables layout and design functionality to mimic that of a page builder.

Some blocks of note include:

Author Profile
Carousel Gallery
Food & Drink (for restaurant menus)
GIF
Hero Content
Logos & Badges
Social profiles

Despite its impressive list of content options, CoBlocks is completely free.

10. Atomic Blocks – Gutenberg Blocks Collection

The Atomic Blocks plugin.

Our final pick of the available block plugins is Atomic Blocks. In addition to some content types you won’t find in other options listed in this post, it has a corresponding theme. Built for Block Editor compatibility and customization, the Atomic Blocks theme integrates neatly with the unique elements the plugin provides.

Custom blocks include:

Section & Layout
Newsletter
Container
Inline notice
Accordion
Spacer & Divider
Drop cap

Both Atomic Blocks and its theme are completely free. If you’re launching a new WordPress site and are looking for affordable options for building your site quickly and easily, these tools might make the perfect combo.

Conclusion

The Block Editor has provided new opportunities for WordPress developers, and many of them have jumped at the chance to create new blocks. Their extensions have made it easier than ever to publish high-quality web content.

There are many block plugins you might consider adding to your WordPress installation. Developers can discover new possibilities with Block Lab, CoBlocks brings new content options to users of all levels, and Gutenberg Blocks and Template Library even includes entire page templates.

Do you have any questions about extending the Block Editor? Let us know in the comments section below!

Featured Image Credit: Magda Ehlers.

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