Bricks vs Oxygen Builder (2026): Which Is Better for WordPress Agencies?
Last updated: June 2026 · By Ruben Borillo, Sr. WordPress Developer
Affiliate disclosure: Some links below (including to Oxygen Builder) are affiliate links. If you buy through them I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I actually build with.
Short answer: For most agencies in 2026, Oxygen Builder is the better long-term bet — it’s faster out of the box, cheaper over the life of your business thanks to true lifetime/unlimited-site licensing, and the Oxygen 6 rebuild put it on a modern engine, so the “Oxygen is dead” worry is outdated. Choose Bricks if you want the most polished editor, a built-in form builder, and the largest, most active community right now. Below is the full side-by-side so you can match the builder to your workflow.
If you just want to try the one I lean toward: explore Oxygen Builder here.
Quick comparison table
| Oxygen Builder | Bricks Builder | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Plugin (works with any theme) | Theme + builder (replaces your theme) |
| Engine | Rebuilt on modern engine in Oxygen 6 | Mature, actively developed |
| Raw performance | Excellent — minimal markup/bloat | Excellent — very close |
| Editor experience | Powerful, steeper at first | Polished, friendliest of the two |
| Built-in form builder | Via add-ons / Oxygen 6 features | ✅ Native |
| WooCommerce | Full support | Full support, slightly more refined UI |
| Pricing model | One-time, unlimited sites | Tiered (annual + lifetime options) |
| Community size | Established, loyal | Largest & fastest-growing |
| Best for | Agencies optimizing for speed + cost-per-site | Teams wanting the smoothest editor + ecosystem |
Verify current pricing on each official site before publishing — both vendors change tiers.
Overview: two developer-first builders
Both Oxygen and Bricks reject the bloat of mainstream builders and give you near-clean HTML output, real CSS control, and dynamic data for custom WordPress builds. The headline difference in architecture:
- Oxygen is a plugin that takes over template rendering, so it works alongside your stack and is theme-independent. The Oxygen 6 release rebuilt it from the ground up on the same modern foundation Soflyy uses for Breakdance — a major modernization, not a sunset.
- Bricks is a theme (so it is your theme), with an editor many developers consider the most refined in this category, plus a native form builder and a huge template/community ecosystem.
Neither is a “drag any box anywhere” toy. Both reward people who understand HTML, CSS, and WordPress templating — which is exactly the agency audience.
Is Oxygen Builder dead in 2026? (The Oxygen 6 rebuild)
This is the question scaring people off Oxygen, so let’s kill it directly: no, Oxygen isn’t dead. Soflyy rebuilt Oxygen as Oxygen 6, moving it onto a modern engine and editor rather than patching the legacy codebase. That means:
- Active development and a clear forward roadmap.
- A more modern editing experience than the classic Oxygen many reviews still describe.
- Continuity of Oxygen’s core promise: clean output, deep control, and unlimited-site licensing.
If your only hesitation about Oxygen was “is it abandoned?” — that objection is gone. (If you tried classic Oxygen years ago and bounced, Oxygen 6 is worth a fresh look.)
→ See the current Oxygen Builder for yourself
Performance: which builds faster sites?
In real-world testing the two are close enough that either will outperform Elementor or Divi on Core Web Vitals. Both emit lean markup and let you avoid render-blocking bloat. Practical takeaways:
- Oxygen has long been the reference point for minimal output and is frequently cited for strong mobile PageSpeed scores.
- Bricks is right there with it and adds a snappier in-editor feel.
For an agency, the deciding factor usually isn’t a 2-point Lighthouse difference — it’s how disciplined you are with assets. Both give you a clean enough foundation to hit green Core Web Vitals. (Run your own before/after on a real template and cite the numbers here rather than quoting someone else’s benchmark.)
Ease of use and learning curve
Be honest with your team here:
- Bricks is the easier on-ramp. The editor is cohesive, the structure panel is clear, and a developer is productive within a day.
- Oxygen is more powerful but historically had a steeper, more “engineer-y” curve. Oxygen 6 narrows that gap, but if you’re onboarding junior staff, Bricks still wins the first week.
The flip side: once a senior dev internalizes Oxygen’s model, the speed of building is excellent — and that’s the seat most agencies optimize for.
Pricing and licensing (the agency math)
This is where the pro-agency case for Oxygen is strongest. Oxygen sells a one-time license with unlimited sites — you pay once and deploy on every client build forever. Across dozens of sites a year, that cost-per-site approaches zero.
Bricks offers tiered plans (including lifetime/unlimited options), but you’ll want to compare the current tier that matches your site volume.
Agency takeaway: if you ship a high volume of client sites, Oxygen’s unlimited one-time model usually wins the total-cost-of-ownership math. Check Oxygen’s current pricing. (Confirm both vendors’ live prices before publishing — do not quote a number you haven’t checked this month.)
Design flexibility and features
- Bricks ships more out-of-the-box elements, a native form builder, strong global classes, and excellent template/community resources — less reaching for add-ons.
- Oxygen gives deep, low-level control and a clean component model; some features lean on its add-on ecosystem, though Oxygen 6 brings more in-house.
If you want maximum batteries-included, Bricks edges it. If you want a minimal, controllable foundation you bend to your spec, Oxygen fits.
WooCommerce integration
Both build fully custom WooCommerce stores with dynamic product data, custom carts, and conditional layouts. Bricks’ WooCommerce UI is a touch more refined for newer users; Oxygen gives you the same capability with its clean-output advantage on heavier store pages. For performance-sensitive shops, Oxygen’s lean markup is a real plus on PLP/PDP templates.
Migrating from Oxygen to Bricks (or staying put)
A common 2026 search is whether to jump ship. Reality check: migration is a full rebuild, not a one-click import — templates, classes, and dynamic data all have to be reconstructed. Given that Oxygen 6 removed the “abandonment” reason to leave, many agencies are better off staying and adopting Oxygen 6 than absorbing a migration’s cost. Only switch if your team specifically needs Bricks’ editor or community, not out of fear about Oxygen’s future.
Agency perspective: which I reach for
For my own client work the calculus is: performance + unlimited licensing + a now-modern editor = Oxygen for the bulk of builds, with Bricks as the pick when a project (or a junior-heavy team) benefits from the smoother editor and native forms. Both are professional-grade; there’s no wrong answer, only a wrong fit.
Which should you choose?
- Choose Oxygen if: you run a high volume of client sites, you optimize hard for speed and cost-per-site, and you want a modern builder with unlimited licensing. Start with Oxygen →
- Choose Bricks if: you want the most polished editor today, a built-in form builder, and the biggest community, and per-site cost matters less than onboarding speed.
Try the one I’d back for agencies
Oxygen 6 is modern, fast, and one-time/unlimited. Explore Oxygen Builder →
FAQ
Is Oxygen Builder dead in 2026?
No. Soflyy rebuilt it as Oxygen 6 on a modern engine, with active development and a forward roadmap. The “abandoned” reputation predates that rebuild.
Which builder produces faster websites?
Both are excellent and far leaner than mainstream builders. Oxygen is the long-standing reference for minimal output; Bricks is essentially tied. Your asset discipline matters more than the gap between them.
Is Bricks or Oxygen easier to use?
Bricks has the friendlier learning curve, especially for junior team members. Oxygen is more powerful and Oxygen 6 narrows the gap, but Bricks still wins the first week.
Which is better for WooCommerce?
Both build fully custom stores. Bricks’ WooCommerce UI is slightly more refined; Oxygen’s lean output is an advantage on heavy store templates.
What about pricing and licensing?
Oxygen is one-time with unlimited sites, which usually wins the cost-per-site math for high-volume agencies. Bricks is tiered with lifetime options. Check current prices before deciding.
Which do you recommend?
For most agencies, Oxygen — for performance, unlimited licensing, and the modern Oxygen 6 editor. Pick Bricks when editor polish, native forms, or community size matter most to your team.