So you’re thinking of getting into web development—specifically WordPress. That’s a great start. WordPress powers over 40% of the web, and it’s beginner-friendly, especially when paired with a visual builder like Elementor.
Elementor makes designing websites super easy. It works with drag-and-drop, so you don’t need to touch any code at the start. The catch? The most useful features are in Elementor Pro, which is a paid plugin. It costs around $49 per year. Not too bad—but if you’re just getting your feet wet and testing things out, you might not want to spend right away.
Here’s what I usually recommend if you’re new and just want to practice: use ProElements. It’s a free alternative that unlocks many of Elementor Pro’s widgets and features. You can install it on your test sites while learning. Once you’re confident and ready to work on a client’s actual website, that’s the time to switch to the official Elementor Pro.
To be clear, ProElements is not meant for production or commercial use—just for training and prototyping. It helps you learn the ins and outs of how Elementor Pro works without paying upfront. I used this exact setup when I started, and it made the transition easier when I moved to real projects.
If you’re serious about getting into WordPress development, this setup is perfect:
- Start with a free local server like LocalWP or XAMPP
- Install WordPress
- Add Elementor and ProElements
- Start playing around and building pages from scratch
- When you’re ready to go live for a client, move to Elementor Pro
It’s a clean, low-risk way to learn.
Got questions about setting it up? Drop a comment or message—I’ve been through it and can help.
