The Freaky Blog
Astra Essential Toolkit7.6/10Magazine Blocks8.2/10

Astra Essential Toolkit vs Magazine Blocks

Magazine 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 ToolkitMagazine Blocks
Our score7.6/108.2/10 (better)
Starts at$199/year$40/year (better)
Free versionNoYes (better)
Refund window14 days14 days
BillingSubscriptionFree + paid plans
Active installs–6K+
Last Black Friday14% off–
CategoryBlocksBlocks
VendorBrainstorm ForceBlockArt
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 Magazine Blocks if…

  • Bloggers building magazine-style homepages
  • Sites that use the WordPress block editor
  • You want to start free
  • You want the lower starting price
Magazine Blocks reviewVisit Magazine 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

Magazine Blocks

  • Magazine post blocks
  • Free core plugin
  • Premium blocks
  • Block templates
  • Updates and support

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

Magazine Blocks

  • Free version on WordPress.org
  • Lifetime option for one site at 129 USD
  • 14-day money-back guarantee
  • Unlimited-site plan costs 99 USD per year
  • Renewals are charged at full price after introductory pricing
  • Pricing page shows 8 user reviews, so the rating sample is small

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

Magazine Blocks

  • Single siteStarts here

    $40/year

    1 site

    • Access to all Premium Blocks
    • Block templates
    • Priority support

  • Unlimited sites

    $99/year

    Unlimited sites

    • Access to all Premium Blocks
    • Block templates
    • Priority support

  • Single site lifetime

    $129 lifetime

    1 site

    • Access to all Premium Blocks
    • Basic updates
    • Priority support

Astra Essential Toolkit vs Magazine Blocks questions

Is Astra Essential Toolkit better than Magazine Blocks?

On our comparison Magazine 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 Magazine Blocks?

Astra Essential Toolkit starts at $199/year and Magazine Blocks starts at $40/year.

Can I get Astra Essential Toolkit or Magazine 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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