--- title: Classic and Site Builder url: "https://flatsome.com/classic-vs-site-builder" lastUpdated: 2026-10-15 --- Classic and Site Builder # Classic or Site Builder? See what is different. Flatsome Classic (Flatsome 3) is the theme and UX Builder that 270,000+ customers know. Site Builder (Flatsome 4) is the new Flatsome product, built on WordPress blocks. [How to move from Classic](https://flatsome.com/moving-from-classic.md) A live canvas with layers and Global Styles. Pages are saved in the standard WordPress block format. The same hero in UX Builder, built with Classic’s own elements and saved as Flatsome shortcodes. At a glance ## Compare them side by side. Flatsome Classic $59 once on ThemeForest [Classic on ThemeForest](https://themeforest.net/item/flatsome-multipurpose-responsive-woocommerce-theme/5484319) Flatsome Site Builder From $89 on flatsome.com [Join early access](https://flatsome.com/pricing.md) UX Builder Drag-and-drop page builder Site Builder Live canvas with layers Shortcodes Pages saved in Flatsome’s own format WordPress blocks Pages also open in the block editor Header Builder Set up in the Customizer Template parts Header and footer on the canvas Design the product page Shop, cart and checkout set in theme options Design every shop page Product, shop, cart, checkout and account Customizer Plus the Advanced panel Global Styles One panel for the whole site 74 elements Plus Flatsome Studio layouts 100+ blocks 150+ patterns in 22 categories 17 homepages On one shared demo 16 full sites Pages, products and styles included Not built in Flatsome MCP Claude, ChatGPT or any MCP client Catalog Mode, Cookie Notice Forms and SEO need plugins 9 modules Switch on only what you need 6.0 s* Home page on a phone 3.2 s* Same store, same server Lifetime updates 6 months of support A year of updates Priority support, renewal optional PHP 7.4, WordPress 6.4 Or later PHP 8.2, WordPress 7.1 Or later Classic details from ThemeForest and Flatsome 3.20.11. Site Builder details from flatsome.com and version 1.0.0-beta.5. *Speed: time until the first slide of the store’s home page slider shows. Lighthouse mobile lab test of one store before and after the migration. Flatsome Site Builder ## What is better with Site Builder. Pages made of flexible blocks. Switch Classic off and its pages turn into shortcode text. Site Builder saves standard WordPress blocks: pages open in the block editor, and your headings, text and buttons stay readable even without Flatsome. Design the whole store. Header, footer, product, shop, cart, checkout and account pages are templates on the same canvas as your pages. Set your style once. Colors, fonts, spacing, buttons and block defaults live in one Global Styles panel, and every block follows them. Start from a whole site. Each of the 16 starter sites comes with its own pages, products, header, footer and styles. Classic’s wizard swaps homepage styles over one shared demo. Build with your AI. Flatsome MCP lets Claude, ChatGPT or any MCP client work on your site. Every connection starts read-only until you allow more. Design control ## Fine-tune every block. On every device. The same card, built in both. UX Builder gets you close. Site Builder adds the details that make a design feel finished. - **Letter spacing** on headings, text and buttons - **Radius per corner** on images and buttons - **Gradients** on backgrounds and text - **Hover styles** in your own colors and shadows - **Scroll animations** with staggered timing - **Custom CSS** on every block **75 style options** you can set per device Global Styles ## Site-wide styles, right in the Builder. Classic keeps site-wide styles in the WordPress Customizer, a separate screen from UX Builder. Site Builder puts Global Styles in the Builder, next to the page you are designing. - **Color presets** linked from every picker - **Block defaults** for type, color and spacing - **Style variations** to reuse on any block - **Presets** for sizes, spacing and shadows Speed ## Same store. On screen sooner. We moved one WooCommerce store from Classic to Site Builder and timed its home page. 1.9× faster home page on a phone* than Classic Classic 6.0 s Site Builder 3.2 s 2.0× faster home page on desktop* than Classic Classic 1.7 s Site Builder 0.9 s *Time until the first slide of the home page slider shows on a cold load. Lighthouse 13 lab tests, median of 7 runs. One store before and after the migration, with the same content, fonts, plugins and server, and no caching plugins. October 2026. Modules ## More built in, fewer plugins. Leave a module off and it never loads: no scripts, no settings screens, no blocks. Only in Site Builder 5 Flatsome MCP Let Claude, ChatGPT or any MCP client build and edit your site, with access you set per connection. Dynamic Pricing Run sales, quantity discounts and buy X get Y deals that apply in the cart. Estimated Delivery Show estimated delivery dates on product pages, with an order cut-off time. Quantity Rules Set minimum, maximum and step quantities for products. Age Gate Ask visitors to confirm their age before they enter the site. No extra plugin needed 2 Forms Build forms from blocks, with an entries inbox and email notifications. Classic uses Contact Form 7 SEO Titles, descriptions, social sharing and structured data. Steps aside for Yoast or Rank Math. Classic uses an SEO plugin Also in Classic 2 Catalog Mode Switch off purchases and hide prices, with roles that can still buy. Cookie Notice Show a notice that tells visitors the site uses cookies. Feature board ## You asked. Site Builder has it. Some of the most voted requests on the Flatsome feature board, and how Site Builder answers them. 253 Tabbed Dropdown Tabs that switch on hover can sit inside a mega menu panel, with any blocks in each tab. [Read the docs](https://flatsome.com/docs/mega-menu.md) 164 Flatsome Pop Up The Popover block opens on a timer or after the visitor scrolls part of the page. [Read the docs](https://flatsome.com/docs/popup.md) 148 Different headers on different pages Make as many header template parts as you like and pick one in each page template. [Read the docs](https://flatsome.com/docs/edit-header.md) 136 Remove unused CSS Each block loads its styles only on pages that use it, so every page ships less CSS. [Read the docs](https://flatsome.com/docs/speed-up-your-site.md) 135 Special product filters in UX Builder The Products block filters by category, tag, featured, on sale and stock. [Read the docs](https://flatsome.com/docs/products-block.md) 104 Custom layout for the thank you page The order confirmation page is a template you design in the Builder, with your own header, footer and blocks around the order details. Votes from the Flatsome feature board at uxthemes.canny.io, October 14, 2026. Honest comparison ## Where Classic is still ahead. Site Builder is new, and a few Classic features are not in it today. If your store depends on one of them, Classic is the better fit for now, and it keeps getting updates. Classic Site Builder Variation swatches Built in Coming in the next beta Portfolio Built in Not today Header and footer scripts setting Built in Not today, use a plugin Product layouts per category Built in Per product, not per category Sticky add to cart bar Built in Sticky columns, no bar Infinite scroll on shop pages Built in Not today Pricing model One payment, lifetime updates Yearly, renewal optional Your choice ## Which one is right for your site? Stay with Classic if - Your site works well and you would rather not rebuild it. - You rely on a portfolio or product layouts per category. - You need variation swatches or infinite scroll today. - You want to pay once for one site. [Flatsome Classic on ThemeForest](https://themeforest.net/item/flatsome-multipurpose-responsive-woocommerce-theme/5484319) Choose Site Builder if - You are starting a new site or a redesign. - You want to design the header, product pages and checkout yourself. - You want your pages saved as standard WordPress blocks. - You want to build with an AI assistant, or run several sites on one plan. [Join early access](https://flatsome.com/pricing.md) Flatsome Migrator ## Moving is optional, and reversible. When you are ready, the migrator converts your pages, products, UX Blocks, header, footer, menus and theme settings into blocks. Converted pages wait as drafts while you review them, and you can roll back after you apply. [How moving from Classic works](https://flatsome.com/moving-from-classic.md) ## Questions, answered. Still deciding? The team that builds Flatsome answers support email. [Contact support](https://flatsome.com/support-policy.md) ### Is Site Builder Flatsome 4? Yes. While we built it, you may have seen it called Flatsome 4 or v4, and Flatsome Classic is Flatsome 3. Site Builder became a separate product instead of an update to Classic, so your Classic sites keep working exactly as they are. ### Does my Classic license work with Site Builder? No, they are separate products with separate licenses, and your Classic license stays valid for Classic. Classic customers get 50% off their first year of Site Builder until November 2. ### Will Classic keep getting updates? Yes. Classic keeps getting updates for new versions of WordPress and WooCommerce, including security fixes. There is no end date planned. ### Do I have to move my Classic sites? No. Moving is optional and there is no deadline. When you want to, the Flatsome Migrator converts your pages, UX Blocks and theme settings, and you review every page before anything changes. ### Can I use Classic and Site Builder on the same site? Not today. A site runs one or the other. You can keep your Classic sites as they are and build new ones with Site Builder. ### What gets installed, and what happens to my child theme? Site Builder is the Flatsome Site Builder plugin with Flatsome Block Theme. Your Classic theme and child theme stay installed, and rolling back the migration switches them on again. A Classic child theme does not load on Site Builder, and code written for Classic’s hooks will not run, so test custom code on a staging copy first. ### Is Site Builder just the WordPress block editor? No. Site Builder has its own editor, the Builder, with a live canvas, layers and Global Styles, and Flatsome adds 100+ blocks. Pages are saved as standard WordPress blocks, so you can still open them in the block editor or Site Editor. ### Is Site Builder a subscription? A subscription is optional. A license includes a year of updates and support. After that, you can renew at $45 per site per year, or keep using the version you have. ### Will Site Builder run on my host? Site Builder needs PHP 8.2 and WordPress 7.1 or newer. Classic still runs on PHP 7.4 and WordPress 6.4, but those PHP versions no longer get security updates, so a current version is the safer choice for either. Most hosts let you switch PHP versions in a click from their control panel. ### Is Site Builder ready for my live store? It is in beta, with version 1.0 planned for November 2. For an established store, try it on a staging copy first. Each live site includes a free staging site. ## Build your next site on blocks. Try Site Builder on a staging copy and see your site on blocks. Every license comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. [Join early access](https://flatsome.com/pricing.md) [See pricing](https://flatsome.com/pricing.md) Classic customers go first. 50% off your first year until November 2.