WordPress is the most popular platform for creating your own website. This platform has been around for years and has gone through many changes. 

But these changes weren’t as big as the change that happened to the platform recently. WordPress unveiled its brand new Block Editor (also called Gutenberg). And this new editor is the direction WordPress is heading now. 

Gutenberg is a block editor similar to what page builders are. Whereas the old WordPress classic editor is very simple. (Read: Gutenberg Vs Page Builders)

Ever since Gutenberg was released, WordPress users have mixed feelings about it. Some are loving it while others not. 

So, I think it’s about time that we settle the debate. 

In this article, we’ll go in-depth about both the WordPress editors and find out which one is better. 

By the end of this comparison, you’ll have a clear answer to what to choose: Gutenberg or the Classic editor. 

Let’s get started. 

Block Editor vs Classic Editor 

Let’s address the elephant in the room: 

Should you choose the block editor or the Classic Editor? 

To reach a conclusion, we first need to understand both the editors and how similar or different they are from each other. 

And this comparison begins by examining the interface of both the editors. 

Editor Interface 

Let’s first take a look at the editor interface of Gutenberg. 

Block Editor Interface

This is what the block editor looks like: 

As you can see from the image above, the editor is very different from the Classic Editor that WordPress had for several years. 

The block editor has a more modern interface compared to its counterpart. In this editor, you can add the title and start writing your content right away! 

There is a button to add blocks to your content (the plus (+) icon). Clicking on this button will open a drop-down menu where you can see all the Gutenberg blocks. The blocks added by third-party add-on plugins are also visible under this block menu. 

Alternatively, you can add blocks more quickly to your content by adding a slash (/) followed by the name of the block. Gutenberg automatically detects the block based on the words so you don’t even have to type the entire name of the block. 

Editing blocks is a piece of cake as well. To edit any block, all you have to do is to click on the block and the block settings will appear on the right sidebar. Different blocks have different customization and styling options. 

Apart from the editor interface, you can find the document settings in the right sidebar.

The post/page status, permalink, categories, featured image, and other settings are under the Document tab. 

So that was all about Gutenberg’s editor interface. 

Let’s take a look at the Classic Editor’s interface. 

Classic Editor Interface

This is what the Classic Editor looks like: 

I’m sure you’re familiar with this interface if you’ve ever used WordPress before. 

This is a simple text editor with formatting options at the top of the editor. Unlike Gutenberg where blocks can help you add special design elements to your content, the Classic Editor only features formatting options that are very basic. 

And since the content in the editor is not in the form of blocks, there isn’t much you can do to individual content elements. 

The document settings are also placed at the right sidebar in the Classic Editor. But the permalink setting is right below the post/page title. 

In conclusion, the interface of Gutenberg is structured very similarly to the Classic Editor but the way you interact with it is different.

Also, not to mention the blocks in Gutenberg which are completely different and new. 

Performance 

A lot of WordPress users debate about the performance of the new block editor and the classic editor. 

When WordPress was initially rolling out Gutenberg, many people had concerns that the visual editor will cause lag and affect the workflow or creating content. 

But Gutenberg has been released for a while now and it works buttery smooth and with no performance issues. 

I’ve never experienced any lag when using the block editor. Even with a lot of tabs open on my browser, the editor works perfectly and never crashed the page. 

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the Classic Editor. 

I’ve been using WordPress for years now and many times I’ve come across a slight freeze or lag when working on huge posts and guides in the classic editor. 

So, it’s safe to say that WordPress upped their performance game with the new Gutenberg editor. 

Ease Of Use 

Usability is another important factor that comes into play when you’re comparing Gutenberg and the Classic Editor. 

Here’s what I think about the usability of both the WordPress editors. 

Block Editor’s Ease of Use 

Gutenberg came around a time when many WordPress users were already switching to page builders.

Even outside WordPress, many website builders and platforms had a visual drag-and-drop builder interface. 

So, the concept of the blocks and a drag-and-drop editor was not foreign for anyone who runs an online business. 

This means that users can easily learn and get acquainted with the idea of the block editor. 

And WordPress has made Gutenberg very simple so that everyone can use it without facing any problems. 

Adding blocks and editing them is child’s play. You can easily find blocks, move them, delete them, or do whatever you want without any hassles. 

If you’ve used the Classic Editor for years, you’d need some time to get adjusted to the new editor. But I can assure you that this happens very swiftly. 

Classic Editor’s Ease of Use

Though the Classic Editor has been replaced with a newer and better solution, this doesn’t negate the fact that the Classic Editor is also very easy to use. 

With a limited number of options, you can get around the editor very quickly to do what you want.

The simple layout of the editor makes it very easy to write content or add visual elements such as images, galleries, or videos.

In the end, I’d give this one to Gutenberg as it is more simple than the Classic Editor. 

The reason behind this is that Gutenberg is easy to use when it comes to adding multimedia or other elements such as buttons to your content. 

However, with the Classic Editor, you’d first have to rely on third-party plugins to add such elements. And to edit them is another pain itself. 

Which One Should You Use?

After using both the editors, I can confidently say that you should use Block as its simpler, easy to use, and most importantly fast. 

Gutenberg checks all the boxes for a perfect editor for me and so will it for you once you start using it. 

The best part about all this is that Gutenberg has now become the default WordPress editor and developers have already started making add-on plugins that add new blocks to the editor. 

Gutenberg primarily excels at media-rich content which is very common these days. 

But if your goal is to add only text-based content, then the Classic Editor works fine for you. Also, you can use the Classic Editor inside Gutenberg itself. Our guide to Gutenberg explains it all very well. 

If you have any questions regarding Gutenberg, feel free to ask them in the comment section below. I’d be happy to help you out.