Quick Summary (TL;DR)
Elementor AI is a built-in AI assistant exclusively for Elementor users that generates layouts, copy, and images directly inside the page builder. Respira for WordPress is a safety-first bridge that connects ANY AI coding assistant (Cursor, Claude Code, Codex) to ANY page builder (Elementor, Divi, Gutenberg, Bricks, etc.) with a duplicate-before-edit workflow that never touches your live pages until you approve changes.
The core difference: Elementor AI is convenience. Respira is safety + flexibility.
What is Elementor AI?
Elementor AI is an artificial intelligence assistant built directly into the Elementor page builder. Launched in 2023 and continuously improved through 2025, it represents Elementor’s push into AI-powered website creation.
Key Features:
- Text Generation: Write headlines, copy, product descriptions inside Elementor widgets
- Image Creation: Generate AI images directly in the Image widget
- Layout Suggestions: Get AI-powered design recommendations
- Code Generation: Create custom CSS and HTML snippets
- “Angie” Assistant: Agentic AI that can perform multi-step tasks across your site
- Translation: Translate content into multiple languages
- Tone Adjustment: Rewrite content in different tones (professional, casual, persuasive)
How It Works:
- Open any page in Elementor
- Click the AI button in any text widget
- Describe what you want
- AI generates content directly in your page
- Edit or regenerate as needed
Pricing:
- Included with Elementor Pro subscriptions (~$59+/year)
- Or add-on for Essential/Advanced users (~$36-120/year depending on tier)
The Catch:
- Elementor-only: Only works with Elementor pages
- Live edits: Changes go directly to your pages (no safety workflow)
- Single AI tool: You can’t use external AI assistants like Cursor or Claude Code
- Per-site licensing: Each site needs its own subscription
What is Respira for WordPress?
Respira for WordPress is a safety layer that bridges the gap between professional AI coding assistants (Cursor, Claude Code, Codex CLI) and your WordPress site. Instead of being an AI itself, Respira acts as the translator and safety net that allows ANY AI tool to safely edit your WordPress pages across ANY page builder.
Key Features:
- 11+ Page Builder Support: Works with Elementor, Divi, Gutenberg, Bricks, Oxygen, WPBakery, Beaver Builder, Brizy, Visual Composer, Thrive Architect, Breakdance
- Duplicate-Before-Edit: AI never touches live pages - always creates safe copies first
- Page Builder Intelligence: Teaches AI the correct syntax for each page builder (200+ Divi modules, all Elementor widgets, etc.)
- MCP Integration: Works with any MCP-compatible AI tool (Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf, Cline)
- Approval Workflow: Review all changes in WordPress admin before publishing
- Complete Audit Logs: Track every AI change with full history
- One-Click Rollback: Restore any previous version instantly
- Works on Any Hosting: No SSH access required (even shared hosting)
How It Works:
- Install Respira plugin on your WordPress site
- Connect to your AI tool (Cursor, Claude Code, etc.) via MCP
- Tell AI what you want in plain English: “Update all hero sections with the new CTA”
- AI creates duplicate pages and makes changes
- You review duplicates in WordPress admin
- Approve when ready - originals never touched
Pricing:
- Starter: €19/year (1 site)
- Agency: €199/year (20 sites)
- 7-day free trial, no credit card required
- One license works across multiple page builders
The Advantage:
- Multi-builder: Switch builders anytime, Respira keeps working
- Safety-first: Your live site is never at risk
- Use ANY AI: Cursor, Claude Code, ChatGPT, whatever you prefer
- Agency-friendly: One license for 20 sites vs per-site pricing
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | Elementor AI | Respira for WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Page Builders Supported | Elementor only | 11+ builders (Elementor, Divi, Gutenberg, Bricks, Oxygen, WPBakery, Beaver Builder, Brizy, Visual Composer, Thrive Architect, Breakdance) |
| AI Tools Available | Built-in only | ANY AI (Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, ChatGPT via MCP, Windsurf, Cline, etc.) |
| Safety Workflow | ✗ Edits live pages directly | ✓ Duplicate-before-edit (never touches live until approved) |
| Multi-Site Management | Per-site license ($60+ per site/year) | 1 license = unlimited sites (Agency: €199/year for 20 sites) |
| Approval Before Publishing | ✗ No - changes are immediate | ✓ Yes - review in WordPress admin first |
| Audit Logs | ✗ No change history | ✓ Complete history of all AI changes |
| Rollback Capability | ✗ Manual restore from backup | ✓ One-click rollback to any version |
| Works Without Builder Open | ✗ No - must be in Elementor editor | ✓ Yes - AI edits via API/MCP |
| Hosting Requirements | Any WordPress hosting | Any WordPress hosting (even shared, no SSH needed) |
| Builder Lock-In | ✓ Yes - committed to Elementor | ✗ No - switch builders anytime |
| Price (1 site) | ~$60-120/year | €19/year (~$21) |
| Price (10 sites) | ~$600-1,200/year | |
| Price (20 sites) | ~$1,200-2,400/year | €199/year (~$215) |
When to Choose Elementor AI
Choose Elementor AI if:
- ✓ You ONLY use Elementor - and you’re committed to staying with Elementor long-term
- ✓ You want AI inside the visual builder - you prefer clicking around inside Elementor rather than using code editors
- ✓ You’re okay with live edits - you don’t need a safety net or approval workflow
- ✓ You don’t need audit logs - change history and rollback aren’t important to you
- ✓ You work on a single site - or you’re okay with per-site subscription pricing
- ✓ You prefer all-in-one solutions - you like having everything built into one tool
- ✓ Quick content generation is your main use case - headlines, descriptions, image generation
Best Elementor AI use cases:
- Writing hero section copy on the fly
- Generating product descriptions
- Creating placeholder images
- Quick tone adjustments (make it more professional, more casual)
- Translation into other languages
- Single-page quick edits
When to Choose Respira for WordPress
Choose Respira if:
- ✓ You use multiple page builders - or you might switch builders in the future
- ✓ You want to use external AI tools - Cursor, Claude Code, Codex CLI, or other professional coding assistants
- ✓ Safety is critical - you need duplicate-before-edit workflow and can’t risk breaking live pages
- ✓ You manage multiple sites - agency, freelancer, or maintain client sites
- ✓ You want complete audit logs - track every AI change with full history
- ✓ You need approval workflows - review changes before they go live
- ✓ You’re on shared hosting - Respira works anywhere, no special requirements
- ✓ You want builder flexibility - not locked into any single page builder
Best Respira use cases:
- Updating 50 pages across different page builders in one workflow
- Client work where you need approval before publishing
- Safety-critical sites where mistakes are costly
- Multi-site management (agencies, freelancers)
- Working with external AI coding tools like Cursor
- Complex multi-page edits that need careful review
The Safety Difference (Why This Matters)
This is the most important distinction between the two tools.
Elementor AI: Direct Live Edits
When you use Elementor AI:
- You open a page in Elementor
- AI generates or modifies content
- Changes appear immediately in your page
- If AI makes a mistake, your live page is affected
- You need to manually fix errors or restore from backup
Real-world scenario: You ask Elementor AI to “update all button colors to match the new brand guidelines.” AI changes 15 buttons. You save. Visitors see the changes immediately. Later you realize AI chose the wrong shade and now all your buttons have poor contrast. You need to manually fix all 15 buttons or restore from backup (if you have one).
Respira: Duplicate-Before-Edit Workflow
When you use Respira:
- You tell AI: “Update all button colors to match the new brand guidelines”
- AI creates duplicate pages for every page being modified
- AI makes changes to the duplicates only
- You review the duplicates in WordPress admin
- You see exactly what changed (side-by-side comparison available)
- You approve the changes you like
- Original pages are never touched until you explicitly approve
Same scenario with Respira: AI creates 15 duplicate pages. You review them. You notice the contrast issue BEFORE anything goes live. You reject the changes, refine your prompt, and try again. Your live site was never affected.
This is the difference between “move fast and break things” vs “move fast safely.”
For personal projects, the risk might be acceptable. For client work or production sites, the duplicate-before-edit workflow is the difference between professional and amateur.
Real-World Use Case Comparisons
Scenario 1: Update Contact Information Across 50 Pages
With Elementor AI:
- Open each page manually in Elementor (50 pages)
- Use AI to update contact info on each page
- Changes go live immediately
- If AI makes a mistake, it’s on 50 live pages
- Total time: 2-3 hours (opening pages, AI generation, checking)
- Risk: High (50 pages edited live)
With Respira:
- Tell AI: “Update phone number on all pages with contact forms to (555) 123-4567”
- AI scans all pages, creates duplicates for the 50 affected pages
- Review duplicates (or spot-check a few)
- Approve all changes at once
- Total time: 10-15 minutes
- Risk: Zero (duplicates only, review before publish)
Winner: Respira (10x faster, infinitely safer)
Scenario 2: Client Wants to See Changes Before Publishing
With Elementor AI:
- Make changes in Elementor
- Changes go live immediately
- Show client the live site
- If client wants revisions, edit live site again
- Multiple iterations = multiple live edits
- Solution: Use staging site (if you have one)
With Respira:
- AI creates duplicates with changes
- Send client links to duplicate pages (not live)
- Client reviews and approves
- Publish only approved changes
- Live site never touched during review process
Winner: Respira (built-in client approval workflow)
Scenario 3: Working Across Multiple Page Builders
With Elementor AI:
- Can’t do it
- Only works with Elementor pages
- If you have Gutenberg pages, Divi pages, or other builders: manual work
With Respira:
- Works with all 11+ page builders
- One AI command: “Update all hero CTAs to ‘Get Started’”
- AI handles Elementor pages, Divi pages, Gutenberg pages, all in one workflow
- Each builder gets correct syntax automatically
Winner: Respira (Elementor AI can’t compete here)
Scenario 4: You Want to Use Cursor for AI-Assisted Coding
With Elementor AI:
- Not compatible
- Elementor AI only works inside Elementor builder
- Can’t use external AI coding tools
With Respira:
- Built specifically for this use case
- Connect Cursor to WordPress via Respira’s MCP integration
- Use Cursor’s inline AI coding, composer, chat - all work with WordPress
- Same with Claude Code, Codex CLI, Windsurf, Cline, etc.
Winner: Respira (Elementor AI isn’t designed for this)
Scenario 5: Quick Text Edit on a Single Page
With Elementor AI:
- Open page in Elementor
- Click AI button in text widget
- Type what you want
- AI generates text
- Save page
- Total time: 2 minutes
With Respira:
- Tell AI: “Change the hero headline on homepage to [new headline]”
- AI creates duplicate with change
- Review and approve
- Total time: 2 minutes
Winner: Tie (both work well for simple single-page edits)
Pricing Breakdown: Total Cost of Ownership
Let’s compare the real cost for different scenarios.
Personal Site (1 site)
Elementor AI:
- Elementor Pro: $59/year (includes AI)
- Or AI add-on: $36/year (if you have Essential)
- Total: $36-59/year
Respira:
- Starter plan: €19/year (~$21/year)
- Total: ~$21/year
Savings with Respira: $15-38/year
But remember: Elementor AI only works with Elementor. Respira works with 11+ builders.
Small Agency (10 sites)
Elementor AI:
- Must buy Elementor Pro or AI add-on for each site
- 10 sites × $59/year = $590/year
- Or 10 sites × $36/year = $360/year (AI add-on only)
- Total: $360-590/year
Respira:
- Agency plan covers up to 20 sites
- €199/year = ~$215/year
- Total: ~$215/year for all 10 sites
Savings with Respira: $145-375/year
Medium Agency (20 sites)
Elementor AI:
- 20 sites × $59/year = $1,180/year
- Or 20 sites × $36/year = $720/year (AI add-on only)
- Total: $720-1,180/year
Respira:
- Agency plan: €199/year (~$215/year)
- Total: ~$215/year for all 20 sites
Savings with Respira: $505-965/year
Large Agency (50 sites)
Elementor AI:
- 50 sites × $59/year = $2,950/year
- Or 50 sites × $36/year = $1,800/year (AI add-on only)
- Total: $1,800-2,950/year
Respira:
- 3× Agency licenses (20 sites each) = €597/year (~$645/year)
- Or negotiate custom pricing
- Total: ~$645/year
Savings with Respira: $1,155-2,305/year
Can You Use Both Together?
Yes, and many users do!
Elementor AI and Respira complement each other because they solve different problems:
Use Elementor AI for:
- Quick visual tweaks inside the builder
- On-the-fly content generation while designing
- Image generation for mockups
- Single-page quick edits
- When you’re already in Elementor and need something fast
Use Respira for:
- Multi-page edits across your entire site
- Safety-critical changes that need review
- Working with external AI tools (Cursor, Claude Code)
- Editing pages built with other builders (Divi, Gutenberg, etc.)
- Client work that needs approval workflows
- Agency sites where mistakes are costly
Real-world workflow:
- Design pages in Elementor (use Elementor AI for quick content)
- When you need to update 20 pages: use Respira for safe batch editing
- Client requests changes: use Respira for duplicate-before-edit review
- Quick single-page tweak: use Elementor AI directly in builder
Think of Elementor AI as your quick-edit tool and Respira as your safety-critical production tool.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Elementor AI if:
- You only use Elementor and plan to forever
- You work mainly on single-page edits
- You’re comfortable with live edits (no safety net needed)
- You don’t use external AI coding tools
- You prefer working inside the visual builder
- Budget isn’t a concern for multi-site licenses
Choose Respira if:
- You use multiple page builders (or might switch)
- Safety is critical - you need duplicate-before-edit
- You manage client sites that need approval workflows
- You want to use professional AI tools (Cursor, Claude Code)
- You work on 3+ sites (better ROI)
- You need audit logs and rollback capability
- You’re on shared hosting with no SSH access
Choose Both if:
- You’re a professional agency or freelancer
- Budget allows for both tools (~$250-300/year)
- You want convenience (Elementor AI) AND safety (Respira)
- You do both quick single-page edits and complex multi-page workflows
Bottom Line
Elementor AI is an excellent built-in assistant for Elementor users who want quick AI-powered content generation directly inside the page builder. It’s convenient, integrated, and works well for single-page edits.
Respira is a professional safety layer designed for agencies, freelancers, and anyone who needs to safely edit WordPress pages across multiple builders using external AI tools like Cursor or Claude Code. The duplicate-before-edit workflow prevents costly mistakes.
The core question isn’t “which is better” - it’s “which solves YOUR problem?”
- Need convenience for Elementor-only quick edits? → Elementor AI
- Need safety for multi-builder production workflows? → Respira
- Want both? → Use both together
For most professional WordPress developers and agencies, Respira’s safety workflow and multi-builder support make it essential, regardless of whether you also use Elementor AI for quick tweaks.
Start Your Free Trial
Try Respira free for 7 days - no credit card required.
Works with Elementor, Divi, Gutenberg, Bricks, and 7 more page builders. Connect to Cursor, Claude Code, or any MCP-compatible AI tool. Your live site stays safe with duplicate-before-edit workflow.
Compare Respira with Other AI WordPress Tools
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- Respira vs WordPress Native AI & MCP - Compare with official WordPress AI tools and MCP Adapter
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