Wooden blocks with letters, by Susan Holt

The 5.0 version of WordPress that was released on December 6, 2018 brought with it the block-based Gutenberg editor. With the new editor, every bit of content is a block. A paragraph, an image, a YouTube video, a table, etc, is a separate block. This new editing paradigm opens up new design possibilities for the creation of pages and entries, as Matt Mullenweg showed in WordCamp US 2018 (video minute: 9:50).

And if you’re still not familiar with the new editor, I recommend you read David Aguilera’s post: All you need to know about Gutenberg, the new WordPress editor. You’ll see how quickly you get the hang of it…

Gutenberg Blocks

By default, Gutenberg comes with a fairly complete set of blocks that we could categorize into: 

  • Text creation blocks for creating paragraphs, lists, headings, tables, and buttons.
  • Blocks for creating multimedia objects such as images, cover images, image galleries, audios, videos, embedded objects, and shortcodes.
  • Blocks for inserting quotations and verses.
  • Blocks for creating code and HTML.
  • Column format blocks and dividers.

Although Gutenberg organizes them using different categories. First it shows what it considers common blocks:

Common blocks of the Gutenberg editor.
Common blocks of the Gutenberg editor.

Then, the blocks that allow you to create different formatting:

Formatting blocks of the Gutenberg editor.
Formatting blocks of the Gutenberg editor.

And blocks for creating different layouts:

Layout elements blocks of the Guttenberg editor.
Layout elements blocks of the Gutenberg editor.

Blocks to add widgets:

Widgets blocks of the Guttenberg Editor.
Widgets blocks of the Gutenberg Editor.

And, finally, blocks to embed external objects:

Some of the blocks of the Gutenberg editor to embed third party elements.
Some of the blocks of the Gutenberg editor to embed third party elements.

Gutenberg comes with a lot of different block types, but you might still need some other blocks that aren’t included by default. That’s why you’ll find WordPress plugins that give you new blocks that make it easier to create posts and webs. Let’s take a look at some of them:

#1 Atomic Blocks

The Atomic Blocks plugin created by the Array Themes team gives you 11 additional blocks to the ones you already have by default. In the WordPress Plugin Directory you will find demos of how each one works.

Atomic blocks plugin
Additional blocks available at the Atomic blocks plugin.

So, for example, with the Testimonial Block, in a flash you’ve already created a testimonial on your page:

Adding a new testimonial.
Block to add a new testimonial .
Juanka Diaz testimonial.
With this block, creating a testimony on a page is as simple as filling in the different fields.

#2 Kadence Blocks

The Kadence blocks plugin gives you 6 design blocks in which you can create your own design, but it also includes a library of pre-built variants. 

Blocks provided by the Kadence Blocks plugin.
Blocks provided by the Kadence Blocks plugin.

So, for example if we take a look at the Row Layout you can define the row format you want to create:

Row Layout block.
Selecting the layout of a row or block.

But also you can go to the library of pre-built layouts and select the one you like best.

Prebuilt library of Kadence Blocks plugin.
Some of the prebuilt layouts available in the library of Kadence Blocks plugin.

#3 Advanced Gutenberg Blocks

The Advanced Gutenberg Blocks plugin has been developed by Maxime Bernard-Jacquet and includes 15 additional blocks. With the following video you will get a quick idea of the capabilities of each one.

#4 Block Gallery

The Block Gallery plugin gives you three new blocks with which you can create three different ways to view image galleries.

Block Gallery plugin.
Blocks available in the Block Gallery plugin.

Very easily (you only have to select the images) you can create a carousel gallery, or in Masonry format (optimally structured as when you are in Pinterest) or put the images stacked one below the other.

Mansory pictures.
Uploading images to the Masonry block of Gallery Blocks.

This plugin was the winner in the Best Solution category in the Automattic Design Awards at the WordCamp US 2018

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Native Tests for WordPress

Use your WordPress page editor to create variants and run powerful tests with just a few clicks. No coding skills required.

#5 Bokez

Bokez is a plugin developed by Delabon that provides you with 14 new blocks with which you can easily create a price table, easily show your latest entries, share on social networks, and so on.

Some of the blocks available at the Bokez Blocks plugin.
Some of the blocks available at the Bokez Blocks plugin.

#6 Advanced Gutenberg

The Advanced Gutenberg plugin, developed by JoomUnited includes more than 20 additional blocks to your editor. It also includes the possibility to control at user or user profile level which blocks can be accessed.

El plugin Advanced Gutenberg.

#7 CoBlocks

The CoBlocks plugin includes 10 new blocks in Gutenberg for market content professionals.

CoBlocks blocks.
CoBlocks blocks.

For example, the Author block allows you to quickly add a box with the author’s name, biography summary, a photo, and a button to follow him.

Author Block by CoBlocks
Bloque Author de CoBlocks.

#8 Stackable

The Stackable plugin developed by Gambit Technologies is probably the one that gives you the most extra blocks: 24 and they keep increasing it.

Stackable Blocks
Stackable Blocks.

And if you want to see a demo of a website built with its blocks, just visit their own website.

#9 Nelio Maps

If all you are looking for is a block to insert a beautiful Google map in your page or post, with the plugin Nelio Maps you already have it.

A Google Maps block by Nelio on Gutenberg
Nelio Maps.

I’m sure you’ll fall in love with its simplicity and efficiency.

#10 Ultimate Blocks

Istiak Rayhan contacted us that we couldn’t miss the great plugin that Matt Mullenweg had featured on his slides in WordCamp US: Ultimate Blocks. It comes with 16 blocks and there are more on the way.

Ultimate blocks plugin
Ultimate blocks.

Conclusion

As you can see, with Gutenberg and the whole set of blocks provided by these plugins, you can create much more impactful designs without writing a single line of code.

Gutenberg and all the developments that come from now on will surely bring us a new way of creating pages and posts very different from the one we knew.

Featured image by Susan Holt Simpson in Unsplash.

11 responses to “The Best 9+ Block Plugins For The WordPress Gutenberg Editor”

  1. Rich Tabor Avatar

    Hi Ruth! Great post, and thanks for including Block Gallery and CoBlocks! We actually just released a major update to CoBlocks this week, adding row/column layouts, typography controls and new responsive dimension controls — steering the project more in the direction of full on page building. I’d love your thoughts on it!

    1. Ruth Raventós Avatar

      Thanks, Rich, for the update!!

  2. Ryan Weni Avatar

    Good stuff Ruth; a thoughtful and well-rounded review of Gutenberg and it’s extensibility. I’d appreciate your thoughts on what we’re doing at CoBlocks (another block plugin I’m building).

    1. Ruth Raventós Avatar

      Thanks, Ryan for your kind comment and the blocks you’re creating!

    2. David Avatar
      David

      Agreed! Although I am having some trubble finding how to create [code] blocks in wordpress. I know others are doing it somehow. Is this a plugin?

      1. Ruth Raventós Avatar

        Hi Ryan,
        Gutenberg already includes the blocks code and custom HTML where you can include code in WordPress.
        And if you want to code your own block, please, take a look at the Resources to Master the Technologies Behind Gutenberg For WordPress by Antonio Villegas.
        Thanks for reading us!
        Ruth

  3. Istiak Rayhan Avatar

    Hi Ruth,

    You’ve compiled a great list. Loved the post.

    We have also launched a Gutenberg plugin named “Ultimate Blocks”. Matt Mullenweg has featured us on his slides in WordCamp US.

    It would be an honour if you could include us on this list.

    Regards
    Istiak Rayhan

    1. Ruth Raventós Avatar

      Thanks, Istiak for your recommendation!

      It’s a pleasure to include it,

      Best regards,
      Ruth

      1. Istiak Rayhan Avatar

        Thanks for inclusion. Really appreciate your support.

  4. Valerie Way Avatar
    Valerie Way

    Hello Ruth! I’m adding my voice to the chorus of thanks – the post is amazingly helpful, and I’d be truly grateful to know your opinion on yet more Gutenberg products. E.g., there’s a newly appeared Gutenberg blocks plugin called Getwid (by MotoPress) that I’ve been working with on my hospitality related blog for a couple of weeks already. I find the plugin quite decent but it would be still highly valuable for me to hear you thoughts on my choice. Thank you in advance!

    1. Ruth Raventós Avatar

      Thanks, Valerie, for your contribution.
      I’ll look at the plugin you’re talking about.

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