Which theme is better: Astra or Divi?

24 Jun 2023 | web design

jochem oomen | astra of divi | Foto: Sander de Wilde

If you are going to build a WordPress website, you need a theme in addition to a builder. Astra Pro and Divi are now one of the most popular themes. Logical, since both of them are also just plain rock solid. But which of the two do you actually need? In this article, we’ll go over the similarities and differences so you can choose between Astra or Divi.

Spoiler alert: neither is best, as the choice of Astra or Divi depends on the purpose of your website and your personal preferences as a website owner.

Glad that you are interested in building a website in WordPress, this facilitates and speeds up the building process, because without or with little knowledge of code you can get a long way.

By the way, before you get started: in addition to WordPress itself, you also need a builder and a theme. With a theme you can create a particular design, the builder makes sure you can put everything in place quickly and easily. Tip: invest in a builder and a theme you have to pay for, you can really do much more with it!

Want to know more about WordPress? Then find out here
how to build your own WordPress website
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Astra or Divi: the companies

The company behind Astra is Brainstorm Force, they operate out of India. It is a fairly new theme; it was only launched in 2017. In doing so, it is hugely successful: by 2023, Astra already had more than 1.6 million active installations.

Divi, on the other hand, was worked out on the other side of the earth: by Elegant Themes from California in the US. It is a bit older than Astra because it has been around since 2013. Divi is also quite successful: Elegant Themes today has about 1 million customers.

Astra or Divi: the comparison

The chart below compares Astra and Divi by topic. It’s up to you as a user to see what you work best with.

1. Astra or Divi: the weight

Astra is a featherweight theme: it weighs about 50 kb. That’s because the free basic version is somewhat limited. Adding addons to it does make the theme a bit heavier, but it still performs quickly.

Divi, on the other hand, is a pretty tough guy, but there’s a reason: in most cases, Divi is both a builder and theme in one, which, by the way, offers unprecedented possibilities.

2. Astra or Divi: the speed

Since Astra is light as a feather, this theme is also super fast. Ideal for large webshops that list hundreds of products.

Divi can be a little slower, especially if you have a robust webshop. Still, you can make a Divi website fast with some simple interventions, for example, by using a good cache plugin.

Need more tips on keeping a website fast? Read here how to make a website load within three seconds!

3. Astra or Divi: which is more durable?

Astra is featherweight, giving it an edge over Divi when it comes to sustainability. It is relatively easy to build a fast and durable web site in Astra.

With Divi you can get the same result, but you have to put more effort into optimization. However, Divi does have more features than Astra. If you care about sustainability, it is advisable to research carefully which theme suits you best.

4. Astra or Divi: the backend

You can customize the Astra theme using the customizer or the system customizer in the WordPress dashboard. Otherwise, the interface depends on the builder you use.

Divi, on the other hand, has a very private backend, especially if you also work with the Divi builder. Unlike Astra, Divi takes quite a few things from the standard WordPress interface over. This may take some getting used to at first.

5. Astra or Divi: usability

Both themes are wyiswyg or what you see is what you get. So great if you are visually inclined. If you’re getting started with Astra or Divi for the first time, chances are you’ll find your way around Astra faster. This is because Astra follows the standard WordPress user experience.

Divi is quite stubborn with his own environment. Especially if you use the Divi builder, it’s really hard to find where what is in the beginning. But once you know, it can suddenly go a lot faster. In other words: Astra is easier at first and Divi has a steeper learning curve.

6. Astra or Divi: responsiveness

A responsive website is a site that adapts to the device: the design changes on phone, tablet or computer. This really is a must! Good news, by the way: both themes are super responsive.

Only, as already described, the learning curve in Divi is a little steeper than with Astra.

Are you going to make a website in Divi responsive? Then follow here the step-by-step plan to build a mobile website in Divi!

7. Astra or Divi: integration with builders

Astra is unprecedentedly popular because it works well with other WordPress builders. Even with WordPress’ default editor, you can build a very nice website. Want to further customize your design? If so, it’s best to choose a paid builder like Elementor or Beaver Builder. For challenge lovers, you can even put the Divi builder on Astra.

In turn, Divi runs best with the Divi builder. Actually, Divi comes out best when you use both the builder and the theme together. After all, then you have the capabilities to create truly fantastic web design.

Divi or still prefer Elementor? Find out here whether Divi or Elementor is a better fit for you.

8. Astra or Divi: the possibilities

Because Astra is a lightweight theme, it has slightly fewer features than Divi. That in itself is not a bad thing because you can use addons and plugins (pieces of software) to expand the capabilities.

Divi, being a heavy theme and builder, comes straight to you with a lot of options. Actually, the combinations and variations regarding web design in Divi are simply endless.

9. Astra or Divi: the templates

Those who purchase Astra Pro get instant access to an immense library of templates. By using those, you can speed up the workflow.

Divi also has these, but to a slightly more limited extent. By purchasing a Divi license, you can choose from more than 370 layouts that you do have unlimited customization.

Looking for more reasons to choose Divi theme and builder? Discover 10 reasons to choose Divi here!

10. Astra or Divi: the price

Both themes work with subscription formulas. In doing so, Astra works freemium: you have a free theme with limited features. You can upgrade to Astra Pro, which then gives you dozens of addons. We are talking about $47 per year or $227 for lifetime access. Please note: this is always about use for one website.

Divi seems to be a better deal: it costs $89 per year or $249 lifetime, with unlimited website use! For web designers, who build dozens to hundreds of sites, this can be a very interesting investment!

Astra and Divi are two of my favorite tools. Curious about more? Discover my favorite tools for both web design and photography here.

Astra or Divi: the final verdict

Are you looking for a theme that is lightning fast? Then you can go for Astra. Rather, are you looking for a theme with unlimited design possibilities? Then consider Divi.

Are you planning to build multiple sites? Then you can consider investing in Divi theme and builder. You get it out in no time!

Do you care about sustainability? Then know that Astra has a slight ecological edge, but you can achieve the same goal with Divi.

Which WordPress theme do you prefer? Astra, Divi or something else?

This article contains multiple affiliate links. Look here for more information.

Article updated December 21, 2024.

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