Best drag-and-drop website builders I’ve tested in 2026
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Building a website today is easier than ever if you choose one of the best drag-and-drop website builders. These tools let you create professional, visually appealing sites simply by moving elements like text, images, and videos into place. This makes drag-and-drop builders especially great for beginners, small business owners, creatives, and anyone who wants to get a website up quickly without coding knowledge.
In this article, I share my top 8 drag-and-drop website builders – reviewed, rated, and ranked – along with my personal experiences using each one. In this 2026 update, I reviewed all the providers again and added Wix to the list of best builders. Whether you’re a beginner or just short on time, these platforms make creating a site simple, fast, and enjoyable.
Best drag-and-drop website builders in 2026: in short
- Wix ($11.75/month) – best overall drag-and-drop website builder with a free version
- Hostinger Website Builder ($2.69/month) – best drag-and-drop builder with AI features
- Squarespace ($16.00/month) – visually advanced drag-and-drop website builder
- IONOS ($1.00/month) – cheapest drag-and-drop website builder
- Elementor One ($4.99/month) – best drag-and-drop builder for WordPress customization
- Shopify ($29.00/month) – eCommerce-focused drag-and-drop website builder
- Network Solutions ($4.99/month) – drag-and-drop website builder for growing businesses
- SITE123 ($4.60/month) – beginner-focused drag-and-drop website builder
Our in-house research team and expert writers work hand in hand to regularly test website builders and provide accurate and fact-checked information. Discover the ins and outs of how we test and evaluate website builders.
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Drag-and-drop website builders let you create professional websites without coding, making them easy to use even if you’ve never built a site before
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Visual editors with real-time previews allow you to place text, images, and sections exactly where you want, which speeds up the entire building process
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AI features are now a core part of modern builders, helping with layouts, content writing, SEO, and initial site setup
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Pricing ranges from free to premium plans, and the best value comes from builders that offer useful features and good performance at a reasonable cost
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Drag-and-drop editors give you more control over design than section-based editors, but they can take a bit more time to fine-tune. In this guide, I include both true freeform drag-and-drop builders and guided grid/section editors that still feel drag-and-drop to beginners.
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Choosing the right builder comes down to your priorities, whether that’s design flexibility, speed, budget, or built-in selling tools
Best drag-and-drop web builders 2026: my detailed reviews of each
Below are my detailed summaries of the 8 best drag-and-drop website builders that made it onto my shortlist. In each review, I take a close look at key features, pros and cons, integrations, pricing, and ideal use cases to help you choose the right provider for your needs.
1. Wix – best all-purpose drag-and-drop website builder with a free plan
| Overall rating: | |
| Website templates: | 2700+ |
| Free custom domain: | ✅ Yes |
| Price: | From $11.75/month |
| Money-back guarantee: | ✅ 14 days |
| Current deal: | Get Wix with 50% OFF |
I recommend Wix if you want a highly flexible, beginner-friendly drag-and-drop website builder with plenty of guidance and AI tools. It’s perfect for users who want the freedom to design pixel-perfect layouts while also having access to ready-made templates and AI-generated content.
Wix is my top pick for a versatile drag-and-drop website builder. It’s a great choice for both beginners and more experienced users who want to make their own creative decisions. Wix combines an intuitive editor with AI tools, a massive template library, and helpful design guides, making website creation fast, flexible, and enjoyable.
My experience using Wix’s drag-and-drop editor: 4.9/5
I started with Wix by choosing how much help I wanted upfront: I could begin from a blank page, use a ready-made template, or let the AI generate a first draft. That flexibility made the setup feel natural rather than forced, especially if you already have a rough idea of what you want your site to look like.
Once I moved into the editor, placing elements was very intuitive. I could move things freely, while grids and alignment guides helped keep layouts clean. Pre-made sections and wireframes sped things up, and the AI assistant came in handy for generating text, images, and layout suggestions when I wanted to move faster.
After publishing, the site looked polished on both desktop and mobile without much extra work. Compared to builders like Hostinger, Wix offers noticeably more creative freedom and a much larger template library. It may feel a bit overwhelming if you prefer strict, step-by-step guidance, but for me, it balanced flexibility and usability well, making it easy to build a site that felt personal without unnecessary friction.
2. Hostinger Website Builder – AI-driven website builder
| Overall rating: | |
| Webite templates: | 300+ |
| Free custom domain: | ✅ Yes |
| Price: | From $2.69/month |
| Money-back guarantee: | ✅ 30 days |
| Current deal: | Get Hostinger Website Builder, 81% OFF + free months |
I recommend Hostinger Website Builder if you’re looking for an affordable, beginner-friendly option with all the essential features. Its AI tools make building a website simple, especially for small businesses, personal sites, or simple online stores.
Hostinger is a reliable drag-and-drop website builder. I’d say that it is a great choice for everyone, from beginners to experienced users looking to quickly create a professional-looking website. It provides easy-to-use AI web creation tools, a large variety of attractive templates, and a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor.
My experience using Hostinger's drag-and-drop editor: 4.8/5
Hostinger Website Builder’s drag-and-drop editor offers a clean, user-friendly interface that helps beginners quickly build a functional website. Its grid system suggests element alignments for neat layouts but allows you to freely move items if desired. I also tried its AI-powered section generation, which asked me to describe a specific part of the page, and it built the layout and content for me. The editor’s simplicity and intuitive navigation mean less time learning and more time creating.
My experience with Hostinger highlighted its strengths, including built-in SEO tools and responsive mobile design, which ensure your site performs well across various devices. However, the selection of templates is smaller than that of some competitors, though the available options are modern and customizable.
Compared to SITE123, which also targets beginners with its focus on ease of use, Hostinger’s editor feels less restrictive and offers more design freedom. SITE123’s approach is more structured, guiding users step-by-step, while Hostinger provides more open creative control through its drag-and-drop functionality. This makes Hostinger a better fit for users who want a balance between simplicity and customization.
Overall, Hostinger is ideal for small businesses or personal sites seeking straightforward design and solid performance without being overwhelmed by complexity.
3. IONOS – most affordable website builder
| Overall rating: | |
| Website templates: | 49+ |
| Free custom domain: | ✅ Yes |
| Price: | From $1.00/month |
| Money-back guarantee: | ✅ 30 days |
| Current deal: | Get up to 96% OFF IONOS website builder |
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly website builder, IONOS definitely provides a solid option. I’d recommend it for small businesses or personal projects that need a simple drag-and-drop builder at a very low starting price.
IONOS is a nice website builder that offers robust features suitable for both beginners and experienced users. It's most suitable for small businesses and blogs. However, more demanding users may find it lacking some essential features.
My experience using IONOS' drag-and-drop editor: 4.6/5
From my experience, the IONOS editor is really simple. When I started, an AI asked about my site and suggested templates based on my answers. I found this pretty helpful – it saves time when you just want something fast and clean.
You can then customize these suggestions further, adjusting fonts, color palettes, and section styles. However, customization feels limited — there are only about 40 templates, and these are locked into section-based designs, meaning you can’t fully rearrange or creatively position elements.
If you don’t care much about tweaking every detail, IONOS is straight to the point. The editor itself is simple to navigate, and I never felt slowed down or confused while building pages. It’s suitable for someone who wants their website up and running quickly, without fuss. For more creative freedom, though, Hostinger or Squarespace would be a better choice. Hostinger allowed me to place content almost anywhere and experiment with various settings. Squarespace, on the other hand, delivers through its highly polished templates and multimedia background layering.
One of IONOS’s strengths lies in its integrated features: built-in site analytics, business email hosting, and an eCommerce suite that works seamlessly with its builder. Because the most important features are built in, publishing was straightforward, and the site adapted well to mobile without requiring extra adjustments. Still, users seeking deep creative freedom may find that the visual rigidity outweighs these benefits.
Overall, IONOS feels more restrictive, but it is highly affordable and gets the job done – a great option if you're looking for something simple instead of super customizable.
4. Squarespace – best for stunning online stores
| Overall rating: | |
| Website templates: | 199 |
| Free custom domain: | ✅ Yes |
| Price: | From $16.00/month |
| Money-back guarantee: | ✅ 14 days |
| Current deal: | Get up to 36% OFF Squarespace |
I recommend Squarespace to website-building beginners who want to create a visually pleasing and functional website that’s easy to maintain and edit. It might feel limiting at times, but that’s because the service does all the challenging tasks for you.
Squarespace is a great website builder with beautiful templates and a solid array of marketing tools and features. It’s an excellent choice for artists and creative professionals looking to create stunning websites.
My experience using Squarespace's drag-and-drop editor: 4.5/5
Squarespace provides a powerful yet user-friendly drag-and-drop editor called Fluid Engine. In 2025, Squarespace also introduced several updates that make it feel more modern, including Blueprint AI for faster site setup and Beacon AI for content and SEO guidance. It also rolled out Finish Layer design tools, adding animations and advanced styling options.
The builder allowed me to move and customize elements anywhere on a grid with great precision, which meant no frustrating resizing issues common with older editors. I especially liked how you can layer text over images, create overlapping blocks, and drag elements right to the page edges for modern, polished layouts.
One feature that stood out to me during Squarespace testing was its mobile editing. It lets you design the mobile version of your website separately from the desktop layout. Unlike Hostinger, where I had to spend extra time adjusting layouts to look good on phones, Squarespace makes the mobile version almost ready once the desktop design is done.
Fluid Engine also speeds up workflow with features like block duplication, copying and pasting content across sections, and easy alignment tools that automatically resize blocks. While it’s packed with features, it remains intuitive for beginners while still providing pros with the controls they want.
Overall, Squarespace’s drag-and-drop editor struck a great balance between creative freedom and ease of use, making it perfect for those who want a sleek, responsive website without much hassle.
5. Elementor One – drag-and-drop builder with full WordPress control
| Overall rating: | |
| Website templates: | 330 |
| Free custom domain: | ✅ Yes |
| Price: | $4.99/month |
| Money-back guarantee: | ✅ 30 days |
| Current deal: | Get Elementor, starting at $4.99/month |
Elementor One is a good option if you want to control every part of your WordPress site without coding. It works well for freelancers, marketers, and small business owners who care about design and want lots of customization. If you’re a beginner who only needs a simple one-page site, it might be more than you need. Also, learning the advanced features can take some time if you want to get started quickly.
Elementor One is a strong drag-and-drop builder that lets you edit your WordPress site visually without any coding. It stands out because of its easy-to-use real-time editor, large template library, and flexible design options. You also get full access to everything WordPress offers.
My experience using Elementor One's drag-and-drop editor: 4/5
Elementor One made my list because its visual editor is easy to use and offers great design flexibility on WordPress. I liked how changes to layouts, colors, or images showed up right away, so I didn’t have to keep previewing my site. With over 330 templates and 90 widgets, I built a polished, custom site quickly without needing to code.
Elementor’s drag-and-drop editor was very easy for arranging sections, adding content, and adjusting details. I especially liked the responsive controls, which let me change how my site looked on mobile, tablet, and desktop. Tools like copy-paste for sections and undo or redo made it simple to try out new designs without worry.
The drag-and-drop editor is great for beginners, but Elementor One also includes helpful business tools. The Popup Builder lets you make lead capture forms and banners, and WooCommerce integration makes it simple to add product pages, carts, and checkout. If you want AI help, Elementor AI (with a separate subscription) gives you layout ideas, text generation, and an AI Site Planner for wireframes.
Unlike builders like Squarespace or Wix, Elementor gives you full access to the WordPress ecosystem. You can use thousands of plugins, themes, and integrations. This is great for anyone who wants creative freedom and the ability to grow their site.
One downside is that Elementor can slow down larger sites because it adds extra code. While it’s easy to use for basic tasks, learning the advanced features takes some time. If you want a fast, simple setup and don’t need WordPress, another builder might suit you better.
6. Shopify – top choice for full eCommerce sites
| Overall rating: | |
| Website templates: | 1050+ |
| Free custom domain: | ❌ No |
| Price: | From $29.00/month |
| Money-back guarantee: | ❌ No |
| Current deal: | Try Shopify free for 3 days + 3 months for $1 |
Shopify is a great choice if your goal is to run an online store with advanced capabilities. It’s best suited for medium to large online stores, as Shopify can feel a bit too complex and pricey for small shops with just a few products.
Shopify is an eCommerce builder that allows individuals and businesses to create online stores within seconds, due to its user-friendly building experience. Shopify makes it into the list due to its extremely easy, customizable, and straightforward website-building process.
My experience using Shopify's drag-and-drop editor: 4.4/5
Shopify earned its place on my list thanks to its powerful customization built around eCommerce. Shopify’s 2025 and 2026 updates, including Renaissance and Horizons, make it an AI-driven commerce platform rather than just a website builder. With Agentic Storefronts, Sidekick for automated tasks and design edits, reusable Horizon theme blocks, and support for 2,000+ product variants, it’s built for fast, scalable, and AI-powered online stores. It’s designed mainly for online stores but also supports appointments, digital subscriptions, and online menus, as highlighted in our Shopify review. This makes it a more versatile website builder than many think.
I found Shopify’s drag-and-drop editor easy to use for adding and arranging products, images, text blocks, and buttons, helping me build a clean, navigable online store quickly. What really caught my attention is Shopify Magic, the AI-powered assistant baked right into the platform. It helps generate product descriptions, marketing content, and even edit product photos, saving a ton of time. This way, Shopify lets you build a professional store quickly with AI-generated content tailored to your brand voice.
While the drag-and-drop editor itself is straightforward, Shopify shines by combining it with smart, automated tools. For example, Shopify Magic’s AI can write SEO-friendly product descriptions in seconds and create engaging blog posts and email campaigns for marketing. This makes Shopify perfect for entrepreneurs who want a site that not only looks great but also drives sales with less manual work.
Compared to Network Solutions, which offers simpler page building and fewer advanced features, Shopify’s AI significantly boosts productivity and content quality. However, Shopify is best if your focus is on eCommerce, as it also shines with its built-in sales analytics and item management dashboard, making it easy to track performance and manage inventory in one place.
On the downside, if you want pure website design without eCommerce, Shopify might feel a bit too focused on selling.
7. Network Solutions – ideal for small business websites
| Overall rating: | |
| Website templates: | 200+ |
| Free custom domain: | ✅ Yes |
| Price: | From $4.99/month |
| Money-back guarantee: | ✅ 30 days |
| Current deal: | Get Network Solutions builder, now 69% OFF |
Network Solutions is best for beginners and small business owners who want a simple way to get a website online quickly. It works well for basic business sites, personal projects, and small eCommerce stores where ease of use matters more than advanced features.
Network Solutions has carved a niche for itself as a straightforward web design editor for those who prefer simplicity over complexity. Whether you're looking to launch a small online store, a portfolio, or just a personal blog, Network Solutions offers all the essential tools wrapped in a user-friendly package.
My experience using Network Solutions' drag-and-drop editor: 4.3/5
Network Solutions makes my list because it's one of the most beginner-friendly website builders. In 2025, Network Solutions significantly modernized its builder, introducing AI-powered site generation and writing tools, along with a new Express Editor that makes drag-and-drop layouts cleaner and easier to manage.
Network Solutions is excellent for small eCommerce sites. It has all the basics, like product pages and secure checkouts, but doesn’t overwhelm you with too many features.
The editor allows you to place text, images, videos, forms, buttons, and even HTML snippets exactly where you want, without requiring coding skills. I found the drag-and-drop interface to be straightforward, making it great for users who want a smooth, no-fuss experience when building small businesses or eCommerce sites. The platform includes over 200 industry-specific templates. However, switching templates mid-build means starting over each time, so pick carefully.
Compared to IONOS, Network Solutions feels even simpler – less flexible in design but easier to handle when you’re new to building websites. While it lacks some advanced marketing features found in other builders, it covers all the basics, including secure checkouts and mobile responsiveness. The all-in-one nature – domain, hosting, email, and builder in one place – is a big plus if you want to avoid juggling multiple services.
Overall, Network Solutions is perfect for small businesses and personal sites that prioritize ease, reliability, and solid support over deep customization.
8. SITE123 – easiest website builder
| Overall rating: | |
| Website templates: | 180+ |
| Free custom domain: | ✅ Yes |
| Price: | Free version, paid plans start from $4.60/month |
| Money-back guarantee: | ✅ 14 days |
| Current deal: | Get SITE123 now 50% OFF |
SITE123 is best for beginners who want to build a website fast without dealing with design decisions. It works well for small business sites, personal projects, and simple online stores if you’re happy using preset layouts.
SITE123’s name reflects its philosophy: you can get a fully functional site up and running in a few simple steps. If you have your text and images ready, achieving this goal is entirely feasible – whether you’re creating an affiliate website, marketing your services, or starting to sell online. You can also use SITE123’s free images, videos, and icons to create a professional-looking website.
My experience using SITE123's drag-and-drop editor: 4.0/5
Instead of a traditional, freeform drag-and-drop interface, SITE123 offers a practical editor that relies on a section-based system where you add pre-designed blocks you can then customize. These include text, images, testimonials, contact forms, and layouts. I found this approach very user-friendly – it’s like building with LEGO pieces rather than creating from scratch.
SITE123 has also added AI-powered tools to generate custom images and website copy directly in the editor, plus mobile-specific upgrades like swipeable carousels and optimized media.
The editor organizes your site page by page with clear menus to manage design, settings, pages, and more. One nice touch is that you can edit the mobile and tablet versions of your site separately, which not all builders allow, helping ensure a polished look on every device.
However, the minimal freedom to move sections around means you can’t place elements exactly where you want, like you can with Hostinger or Squarespace. There are plenty of templates and layout options, but the overall customization is more structured and less flexible.
Compared to IONOS, SITE123 offers a smoother, more guided design experience for beginners, although it sacrifices some advanced features, such as pop-ups and detailed styling. Its simplicity also makes it faster to learn and use, especially if you want a clean, professional site without fuss.
Overall, SITE123 is perfect for users who want a hassle-free builder with solid core features, especially for small businesses or personal websites.
Best drag-and-drop website builders comparison
| Website builder | Drag-and-drop functionality | Starting price | Templates |
| Wix | ✅ Yes | $11.75/month | 2700+ |
| Hostinger website builder | ✅ Yes | $2.69/month | 300+ |
| IONOS | ✅ Yes | $1.00/month | 49+ |
| Squarespace | ✅ Yes | $16.00/month | 199+ |
| Elementor One | ✅ Yes | $4.99/month | 330+ |
| Shopify | ✅ Yes | $29.00/month | 1050+ |
| Network Solutions | ✅ Yes | $4.99/month | 200+ |
| SITE123 | ✅ Yes | $4.60/month | 160+ |
How we tested the best drag-and-drop web builders
When reviewing website builders at Cybernews, we use a comprehensive testing methodology. You can find out more by visiting our how we test website builders page.
When choosing the best drag-and-drop options, together with the dedicated research team, I looked into 37 providers. Throughout the review process, I focused on specific factors that determine a site builder's quality. First, I excluded providers that don't offer drag-and-drop options and then evaluated each provider based on these criteria:
- Drag-and-drop functionality (35%). I focused only on website builders that offer drag-and-drop functionality with their editors. Also, I examined how each provider's builder compares to others.
- Additional features (25%). In addition to the convenient drag-and-drop feature, it’s essential for a website builder to include tools that enable tracking and enhance site performance. As a result, my list has providers that offer a range of features, including SEO tools, marketing functionalities, eCommerce capabilities, and analytics. This ensures that a website's business and aesthetic aspects are effectively addressed.
- Ease of use (25%). How simple and intuitive a builder is makes a huge difference, especially for beginners. I assessed each platform by setting up fully functional websites and noting how easy it was to navigate the editor, customize templates, and complete common tasks without frustration.
- Value for money (15%). My list of the top drag-and-drop website builders comprises providers that offer a variety of pricing options. All of these providers offer comprehensive features, templates, and customization options, providing transparency in what you are paying for and ensuring you get the best value for your money.
I ranked these providers from 1 to 7 based on their performance in the mentioned categories, comparing them with competitors and considering pricing. This ensures you get comprehensive and trustworthy recommendations for your website requirements.
What is a drag-and-drop web builder?
A drag-and-drop web builder is a website creation tool that lets you design pages by clicking, dragging, and placing elements exactly where you want them – without writing any code. It’s designed to make building websites quick and accessible for everyone.
A drag-and-drop builder’s functionality should include:
- Visual editor for real-time design changes
- Easy placement of text, images, videos, and buttons
- Pre-designed templates for faster starts
- Ability to customize layouts with simple tools
- Instant preview of your site before publishing
- No requirements for technical or coding skills
This intuitive approach allows users to create beautiful, functional websites effortlessly, making web design accessible to all skill levels.
Drag-and-drop vs section-based editors
Two types of editors are common in website builders – drag-and-drop and section-based. In the table below, I’ve analyzed the main differences between them.
| Drag-and-drop website builders | Section-based website builders |
| Freedom to place elements anywhere on the page | Layout is often restricted to predesigned content blocks |
| More detailed customization options | Better design consistency and responsiveness throughout the website |
| May require more time to master and adjust | Often quicker to create a website |
| Often require extra code, which can slow down site speed | More optimized code, resulting in faster loading times |
| More long-term flexibility to grow your website | Some limitations as your needs or website grow |
Whether you choose a drag-and-drop or section-based website builder depends solely on your needs and experience. With a drag-and-drop builder, you have a steep learning curve, but you get more creative freedom and customization options.
On the other hand, section-based editors have some limitations. They restrict you to adding elements in specific areas, but this ensures your website is clean and well-structured.
Final thoughts
Selecting the optimal drag-and-drop website builder can be daunting due to the abundance of providers offering this functionality. However, not all website builders deliver a comprehensive range of features, templates, and outstanding performance that align with your desired value for money. Thus, we reviewed 37 providers, and I chose my top drag-and-drop website builder recommendations.
Wix offers the most complete balance of creative control, beginner-friendly guidance, AI-powered tools, and performance. Its editor provides true pixel-level drag-and-drop flexibility while still offering smart grids and alignment guides to keep designs polished. Combined with 2700+ templates, strong SEO tools, and built-in marketing features, Wix delivers the most versatile solution for users who want both freedom and structure.
That said, if budget is your main concern, Hostinger Website Builder remains an excellent value pick. It’s simpler, more affordable, and packed with useful AI tools, making it ideal for small businesses or personal websites that don’t require deep customization.
FAQ
Are drag-and-drop website builders good for beginners?
Yes, drag-and-drop website builders are perfect for beginners. They use simple, visual interfaces that let you design websites by dragging elements, such as text and images, into place – no coding required. They speed up the process and reduce the learning curve, making website creation accessible to everyone.
What are the best drag-and-drop eCommerce site builders?
The best drag-and-drop eCommerce site builders are Hostinger Website Builder and Shopify. Hostinger Website Builder is ideal for smaller online stores, and its visual editor makes designing product pages and layouts easy. Shopify is better suited for larger or scaling stores, offering more advanced sales, inventory, and multichannel selling tools while still providing visual editing for your store design.
What is the best drag-and-drop website builder for web apps?
Wix is the best option if you want to build simple web apps without heavy coding. With Velo by Wix, you can add databases, forms, user logins, and dynamic pages, making it suitable for lightweight apps rather than complex SaaS projects.
Do drag-and-drop builders affect website speed?
It depends on the builder, as some add extra code or heavy scripts, which may slow loading times. However, many modern builders optimize performance well. It’s smart to choose a builder known for fast, clean code to keep your site speedy and SEO-friendly.
How much do drag-and-drop website builders cost?
Prices vary depending on the provider, but usually start with free plans or trials. Paid plans range from just $1.00/month up to $29.00/month or more, often including hosting, templates, and additional features. Higher tiers offer advanced tools like eCommerce capabilities and marketing integrations.
What’s the difference between a drag-and-drop builder and a block editor?
A drag-and-drop builder allows you to freely move elements anywhere on the page, providing more creative control. A block editor uses fixed, section-based blocks that you add and edit, but can’t freely reposition. Drag-and-drop offers more flexibility, while block editors provide structured simplicity.
What are the disadvantages of drag-and-drop website builders?
Drag-and-drop website builders can sometimes limit deep customization options compared to coding-based approaches. This can restrict flexibility for more complex projects or unique functionalities.
Can you drag-and-drop WordPress?
Drag-and-drop function in WordPress is possible when you use a plugin like Elementor. It allows you to turn WordPress into a simple builder, letting you forget all the hardships that might come with using this content management system.
