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Astra Essential Toolkit7.6/10Essential Blocks8.7/10

Astra Essential Toolkit vs Essential Blocks

Essential Blocks wins 3 of the 3 points we can measure. Here's how they compare on price, features, ratings and deals.

At a glance

FeatureAstra Essential ToolkitEssential Blocks
Our score7.6/108.7/10 (better)
Starts at$199/year$39/year (better)
Free versionNoYes (better)
Refund window14 days14 days
BillingSubscriptionSubscription
Active installs–100K+
Last Black Friday14% off–
CategoryBlocksBlocks
VendorBrainstorm ForceEssential Blocks
Black Friday 2026Not announcedNot announced

Which should you choose?

Choose Astra Essential Toolkit if…

  • Freelancers building client sites
  • Users who want Astra Pro and Spectra Pro in one plan
Astra Essential Toolkit reviewVisit Astra Essential Toolkit (opens in a new tab)

Choose Essential Blocks if…

  • Sites built with the WordPress block editor
  • Agencies building client sites on Gutenberg
  • You want to start free
  • You want the lower starting price
Essential Blocks reviewVisit Essential Blocks (opens in a new tab)

Features

Astra Essential Toolkit

  • Astra Pro and Spectra Pro
  • Ultimate Addons for Elementor
  • Premium starter templates
  • AI site generation
  • Hosted website and domain
  • Priority support

Essential Blocks

  • 70+ advanced blocks
  • Ready templates
  • WooCommerce blocks
  • Global block styling
  • Modular control
  • Dynamic tags and ACF support
  • WPML compatibility

Pros and cons

Astra Essential Toolkit

  • Includes Astra Pro and Spectra Pro in one plan
  • Lifetime option available at 549 with no renewal
  • 10 websites covered on the entry plan
  • 14-day money-back guarantee
  • Renewal price is higher than the first year: 299 per year after the first year on the entry plan
  • Entry plan includes only 2 hosted websites
  • No free trial is listed

Essential Blocks

  • Free version is listed on WordPress.org
  • Blocks can be switched off individually to keep pages light
  • Pro plans cover multiple sites, including 100-site plans
  • 14-day money-back guarantee on Pro plans
  • Pro blocks need a paid plan and the free plugin must stay active
  • Updates and premium support stop when a license expires
  • Some WordPress.org support threads report difficulty changing colors across blocks

Pricing plans

Astra Essential Toolkit

  • Essential Toolkit + AIStarts here

    $199/year

    10 websites sites

    • Astra Pro and Spectra Pro included
    • Ultimate Addons for Elementor included
    • 2 hosted websites

  • Essential Toolkit + AI

    $549 lifetime

    10 websites sites

    • No recurring cost
    • Astra Pro and Spectra Pro included
    • 2 hosted websites

  • Business Toolkit + AI

    $279/year

    Unlimited sites

    • Adds SureForms Agency
    • 5 hosted websites
    • Astra Pro and Spectra Pro included

Essential Blocks

  • StarterStarts here

    $39/year

    1 site

    • 70+ advanced blocks
    • 6000+ ready templates
    • 1 month of updates and support

  • Innovator

    $112/year

    5 sites

    • Premium and dynamic blocks
    • WooCommerce blocks
    • 3 months of updates and support

  • Visionary

    $244/year

    100 sites

    • All Pro blocks
    • Dynamic tags and ACF support
    • 6 months of updates and support

Astra Essential Toolkit vs Essential Blocks questions

Is Astra Essential Toolkit better than Essential Blocks?

On our comparison Essential Blocks comes out ahead on 3 of 3 measurable points. The right pick still depends on what you build.

Which is cheaper, Astra Essential Toolkit or Essential Blocks?

Astra Essential Toolkit starts at $199/year and Essential Blocks starts at $39/year.

Can I get Astra Essential Toolkit or Essential Blocks cheaper on Black Friday?

Both are on our Black Friday tracker. Astra Essential Toolkit was 14% off last year.

Both products

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