Skip to content

Is Gutenberg Finally Winning Users Over? We Analyzed 340+ Opinions to Find Out

Over the past few months, I’ve been diving deep into what people really think about WordPress’ block editor – Gutenberg.

I thought this was going to be a fun project.

I analyzed over 340 opinions from platforms like Reddit, Twitter, YouTube, and WordPress.org. I also spoke with developers, colleagues, and other professionals in the WordPress community to get a well-rounded perspective.

The goal was to understand how people feel about the block editor in 2024. When it first launched at WordCamp Europe in 2017, the initial reaction was curiosity, which quickly turned into disappointment. That reputation has been hard to shake ever since. However, I’m noticing a slight shift.

For instance, take this chart:

Gutenberg 1-star vs 5-star reviews

What it shows is the ratio of 1-star to 5-star reviews over time for the standalone Gutenberg plugin.

As you can see, we were really close – really close(!) – to a tipping point, but negative reviews have started creeping up again.

So, is the block editor actually improving, or are users starting to get frustrated again?

Depending on how deep you want to go, I have two choices for you:

💪 “I’m interested in the whole thing! I want to see all the opinions, plus the potential implications for the WordPress ecosystem as we know it.” → Go to the main post on Themeisle

🤩 “I just want a compilation of some interesting/ridiculous/insightful/surprising comments.” → Keep reading

Now, the chart I showed above tells just part of the story. While the percentage ratio of negative to positive opinions is what it is, it’s also important to note that Gutenberg has been getting significantly fewer reviews each year. In 2024, for example, only 37 reviews have been added so far (eight months into the year at the time of writing).

Given that early reviews came in much larger numbers, it’s difficult to say with confidence whether the WordPress community has been enjoying Gutenberg more (or less) over time. What we can say for sure, though, is that people aren’t any less passionate about it.

🤩 Here are some of the most interesting opinions I found (according to my subjective assessment).

Gutenberg negative opinion
Gutenberg opinion
Gutenberg negative opinion 2
Gutenberg opinion
Gutenberg negative opinion 3
Gutenberg negative opinion 4
Gutenberg negative opinion 5
Gutenberg opinion
Gutenberg opinion
Gutenberg opinion
Gutenberg opinion from a writer
Gutenberg opinion
Gutenberg positive opinion
Gutenberg positive opinion 2
Gutenberg opinion
Gutenberg positive opinion 3
Gutenberg positive opinion 4
Gutenberg opinion
Gutenberg positive opinion 5
Gutenberg opinion
Gutenberg opinion
Gutenberg opinion

Other details about the research findings:

  • Among the opinions I gathered, there was a near 50/50 split in user sentiment, with 159 positive, 139 negative, and 50 mixed opinions.
  • There have been contrasting views on usability – some praise Gutenberg’s flexibility, while others struggle with its complexity.
  • Bloggers and new WordPress users tend to adapt well, while some developers and those transitioning from other editors face a steeper learning curve.
  • There’s a growing preference for Gutenberg over other page builders among certain user groups.
  • We’re seeing more block themes (FSE) being released.

👉 For a deep dive into the methodology, detailed findings, and implications for the WordPress ecosystem, read the full article here.

Also, what do you think of the opinions above? Do any of them resonate with you or reflect your own thoughts?

Don’t forget to join our crash course on speeding up your WordPress site. Learn more below:

Yay! 🎉 You made it to the end of the article!
Karol K
Share:

3 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Toro
February 2, 2025 12:00 pm

2025 and it still sucks!! The classic editor is the most popular plugin with over 9 million downloads. Should say enough and show gutenberg and the blockbuilder is an absolute disaster!

I still build with astro pro and elementor, much easier than that crap above.

Angelica Costa
September 23, 2024 8:20 pm

I still actively hate Gutenberg. It takes some of the usability of old WP.

Dave
September 4, 2024 12:18 pm

Thanks for doing a bit of research. I loved reading the comments list – from both sides.

My two cents worth is that Gutenberg was absolute garbage when it launched and should never have been forced on the WordPress community in that state. Thankfully, it has gotten loads better! I’ve converted my sites from their various page builder builds into Gutenberg, and they all run smoother, are easier to edit, and have zero ongoing update issues. The biggest problem that remains with it is the hidden UI – you have no idea where things will appear on screen (despite it being easy to move them after).

Or start the conversation in our Facebook group for WordPress professionals. Find answers, share tips, and get help from other WordPress experts. Join now (it’s free)!