Software Alternatives & Startups

Forestry.io VS PRO Elements

Compare Forestry.io VS PRO Elements and see what are their differences

Forestry.io

A simple CMS for Jekyll and Hugo sites.

Forestry.io Landing page
Rating
0 reviews
PRO Elements

Free WordPress plugin that enables PRO features in Elementor

PRO Elements Landing page
Rating
0 reviews

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Forestry.io should be more popular than PRO Elements. It has been mentioned 36 times since March 2021.

social mentions
36 vs 8
CMS popularity
90% vs 10%
alternatives listed
130 vs 2

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Forestry.io
PRO
PRO Elements
Website forestry.io proelements.org
Pricing
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Forestry.io 7 features
PRO
PRO Elements 4 features
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Forestry.io offers an intuitive interface that is easy to navigate, making it accessible for both technical and non-technical users.
  • Git Integration
    Seamless integration with Git repositories allows for version control and collaboration, ensuring content consistency and traceability.
  • Static Site Generator Compatibility
    Supports a variety of static site generators such as Jekyll, Hugo, and Gatsby, providing flexibility in choosing the best framework for your needs.
  • Real-Time Preview
    Provides real-time previews of content changes, enabling users to see how updates will look before they are published.
  • Markdown Support
    Offers robust support for Markdown, making it easier to format and manage content.
  • Customizable
    Highly customizable, allowing users to define content models, fields, and custom workflows to fit their specific needs.
  • Collaborative Editing
    Supports collaborative editing, enabling multiple users to work on the same content simultaneously.

Possible disadvantages

  • Learning Curve for Non-Technical Users
    While the interface is user-friendly, non-technical users might initially struggle with concepts like Git and static site generators.
  • Dependency on External Tools
    Relies heavily on Git and static site generators, meaning you need to have these set up and integrated properly for optimal use.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users have reported performance issues, particularly with larger repositories or more complex site setups.
  • Limited Built-In Hosting
    Forestry.io focuses on content management and does not provide its own hosting solution, so you'll need a separate provider for deploying your site.
  • Pricing
    Might be considered expensive for smaller projects or individual users, especially when compared to other content management systems.
  • Support and Documentation
    While generally good, some users have found the available support and documentation lacking in certain areas, making it harder to troubleshoot issues.
  • Security
    As with any third-party service, there are inherent security risks. Ensuring the security of your Git repositories and sensitive data requires additional vigilance.
  • Extensive Features
    PRO Elements offers a wide range of features including advanced design capabilities, allowing for detailed customization of web design projects.
  • Seamless Integration
    The platform integrates smoothly with Elementor, enhancing the capabilities of one of the most popular WordPress page builders.
  • Regular Updates
    PRO Elements is regularly updated with new features, bug fixes, and security improvements, ensuring that users have access to the latest tools.
  • High-Quality Support
    Users have access to responsive and knowledgeable customer support, helping to resolve any issues quickly.

Possible disadvantages

  • Cost
    PRO Elements may have a higher price point than some competitors, which could be a barrier for small businesses or freelancers with limited budgets.
  • Learning Curve
    Because of its extensive features, new users might find it challenging to learn and may require time to get accustomed to all functionalities.
  • Dependency on Elementor
    Since it integrates with Elementor, users are dependent on having Elementor installed and updated, which could be a limitation for those using other page builders.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Forestry.io
PRO
PRO Elements

Overall verdict

  • Forestry.io is a solid choice for developers and content teams looking for a Git-based CMS that facilitates static site generation workflows. It streamlines the process of managing and pushing updates to static sites, particularly for those who appreciate working within a robust and flexible environment.

Why this product is good

  • Forestry.io is a content management system (CMS) that's particularly beneficial for static site generators, such as Jekyll, Hugo, and Gatsby. It provides a user-friendly interface, allowing developers and content creators to manage site content through an intuitive dashboard. The platform supports seamless integration with Git-based workflows, enabling version control, collaboration, and automated deployments. Moreover, it offers features like custom previews, front matter editing, and media management, making it easy to handle various content types.

Recommended for

  • Developers using static site generators
  • Content teams seeking a Git-based CMS workflow
  • Teams requiring easy set up and integration with popular static site tools
  • Those who prefer a friendly interface for non-technical users while maintaining a powerful backend.

Overall verdict

  • PRO Elements is a GPL-based repackaging of Elementor Pro that provides premium page-builder features for free, making it a budget-friendly option, though it comes with caveats around official support, updates, and security that make it less suitable for mission-critical or professional client projects.

Why this product is good

  • Offers Elementor Pro widgets and features (theme builder, forms, popups, WooCommerce elements) without the recurring subscription cost
  • Distributed under the GPL license, which legally permits redistribution of the code
  • Can be a low-cost way to learn and experiment with advanced page-building capabilities
  • No usage or site limits since it is not tied to a paid license key

Recommended for

  • Hobbyists and beginners experimenting with WordPress page building on a tight budget
  • Developers testing features before committing to an official Elementor Pro license
  • Personal or non-critical projects where lack of official support and updates is acceptable
  • Users comfortable manually managing plugin updates and accepting potential security risks

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Forestry.io
PRO
PRO Elements
90% 90%
CMS
10% 10%
91% 91%
9% 9%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%

User comments

Share your experience with using Forestry.io and PRO Elements. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

Log in or Post with

Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Forestry.io no reviews yet
PRO
PRO Elements no reviews yet
  • Best Headless CMS for 2020
    dev.to · May 2020

    Forestry.io is a Git-backed CMS for websites and web products built using static site generators. Forestry bridges the gap between developers and their teams, by making development fun and easy while providing...

We have no reviews of PRO Elements yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Forestry.io 36 mentions
PRO
PRO Elements 8 mentions
  • WordPress vs Hugo: Which Should You Self-Host?
    Not easily without additional tooling. Hugo has no admin panel — content is Markdown files in a Git repository. You can add a headless CMS like Decap CMS, Tina, or Forestry to provide a web-based editor backed by Git. This adds... - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Show HN: Self-hosted CMS on Cloudflare for podcast/blog/images/videos/docs/URLs
    Forestry has been on my radar for a long time but never had a need to use it https://forestry.io/ The big draw for me is it's just Hugo/Gatsby/Jekyll underneath, and the output files can be delivered anywhere that will host static files... - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • How would you build a website for someone who would like to update it often?
    I've done this before using Forestry.io, though I'm sure there's other similar solutions. Source: almost 4 years ago

View more

  • The WordPress Plugins licensing structure, is highly broken
    The people in this subreddit generally glorify the license because they’re the developers and defend it. I do agree with you, I always get downvoted for posting the https://proelements.org/ link lol. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Booting up new Elementor Website from scratch. Site is for a nonprofit - will mainly be used for general information, distribute forms, landing pages for events, and collecting emails, potentially a blog. For 2023, are there any need-to-have plugins for a basic site?
    Proelements is a must have if you don't need premium support and paid templates you get from Elementor Pro subscription. Source: over 3 years ago
  • ELementor Pro scam?
    Just search for "are gpl plugins legal wordpress" and read. All plugins for wordpress have to be licensed under GPL, even pro. But you pay for the service like kits and so on. There are plenty of pages selling "gpl plugins" for... Source: over 3 years ago

View more

Alternatives to Forestry.io and PRO Elements

When comparing Forestry.io and PRO Elements, you can also consider the following products.