Spectra Pro
Spectra Pro Performance Overview
Average Mobile Performance
Metrics
We expected Spectra to have decent mobile performance, but it has finally disappointed with a low score of 86.30. Notably, the FCP (First Contentful Paint) and LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) indicate slower loading time. Additionally, while the Total Blocking Time (TBT) is relatively low, the Speed Index (SI) of 4807 ms suggests a longer time for visual rendering compared to optimal standards. Overall, Spectra's PSI metrics for mobile is low.
For a comparison between Spectra and other page builders, you can check our WordPress Page Builders Speed Comparison page.
For detailed insights into our testing approach, refer to our WordPress page builder speed test methodology.
User Experience
Our Overall User experience
(4.2/5)
Ease of Customization
The admin page in Spectra is clean, with all the essential settings easily accessible. The Editor has numerous Gutenberg blocks, making it a comprehensive tool for building your website. Everything is well-organized, making it easy to understand and navigate through. Each block comes with all the necessary options, reducing the need for custom code.
Spectra is generally stable, with few bugs encountered during our testing. While it is feature-rich and user-friendly, there are some minor aspects that could enhance usability, such as visual shape dividers, custom CSS for individual blocks, borders for info boxes, and so on… Despite these minor observations, in terms of usability, Spectra is a good page builder that is easy to work with.
However, we did encounter a major limitation: the absence of a video popup block. Astra surprisingly lacks this frequently used block. Although there is a modal block that can be combined with an embedded video, we didn't use this to prevent any negative impact on performance, as this would result in the video loading automatically when the page loads. To ensure a fair comparison, we opted to use an additional plugin, the Video Popup Block by WPZoom.
Another issue is the inability to set tablet and mobile breakpoints directly in Astra settings. This could lead to compatibility issues with themes that have different default settings. Astra provides a workaround by editing the wp-config.php. While working, it may not be an ideal solution for all users.
Bugs And Limitations
- Container Paddings: The left and right paddings on a full-width container didn't show up on the front-end. We had to create a global CSS workaround to adjust them.
- Info Box: On smaller screens, the content is center-aligned but not the image.
- Shape Dividers: The width is limited to 100% (why??), and we had to use CSS to set it.
- Info Box: No border or shadow settings were available, fixed using CSS.
- Buttons: There's no control over padding.
- No Video Popup: Block not available, we had to install another Gutenberg plugin.
- Testimonial Block: The block didn't meet our needs, so we had to construct the section using other blocks.
- Responsive Breakpoints: Spectra lacks control over breakpoints. The fix suggested is to add 2 lines of code to the wp-config.php file for control, which, while not super user-friendly, does the job.
- Image Carousel: On tablets and mobiles, there's no control over the number of images to display. Spectra adjusts this automatically, but it may not always fit the need.
Do we recommend Spectra Page Builder?
**Spectra Pro: Caution Advised!**
Spectra provides a mixed experience. While the editor is well-organized and user-friendly, it suffers from performance issues and should be approached with caution.
Why We Advise Caution:
- Spectra is disappointing in terms of performance and we didn't expect it to be at that low level of speed.
Who Should Consider Spectra:
- Usability: If you don't prioritize performance, Spectra is user-friendly and feature-rich, and it might answer your need.
- Astra Users: If you are an Astra theme user, you may consider Spectra.
Who Should Not Consider Spectra:
- Performance Prioritizers: Users who prioritize performance should approach Spectra with caution.
