Rating: 5 stars
This plugin is really the gateway to a broader framework you can use with the Pagelines themes and extensions in order to develop a WordPress site really fast.
It won’t design the site for you like some fixed theme templates, so you still have to be creative. But it gives you a blank slate that you can very quickly fill with header/footer and body content. This also isn’t a WYSIWYG visual editor like Wix (if you’re on WordPress you should abhor Wix anyway!) or even quite like the WP visual editor, but better in my opinion.
The two best things about it, and why we frequently come back to using it for WordPress builds, is that everything we add on the front end previews and saves via AJAX (i.e. you don’t have to hard refresh it to see your changes live, like a lot of visual editors out there) which is very useful in low bandwidth international/traveling scenarios (still a lot of digital nomads on WordPress these days I hope?) and the fact that the CSS/LESS editor is live preview as you enter the CSS into it. We’ve had new staff come into our agency who worked in web design for years and somehow never knew how much help a live CSS previewer on WordPress could be. If you know some basic CSS this feature can help you do almost anything your design needs on the WordPress theme you are building off of Pagelines. The page template feature is very handy too, once you make a good page design in one spot, you can save all the elements to quickly load in another similar page, then just swap out graphic elements/text as needed.
Our agency has been using Pageline frameworks since their pre-DMS days back in 2012 and have always been satisfied with the tools they offer. I’m not writing this because of any relationship our agency has with Pagelines (we don’t, they probably have no clue who we even are and we’ve never published a plugin for their framework even) but because I hate to see a good product and useful tool maligned in the WP community by reviewers who probably don’t know how to even use the tool properly. It’s like seeing a 16 year old kid who just learned to drive a car climb on the back of a Ducati and ask where the brake pedals are…
I can’t speak to their staffing size or future (like some reviewers seem to be doing!) but I know in the past we would suggest bug fixes (you have to include your code too guys, if you are developers you know you can’t just complain about it, show them the line and issue) and we’d see our updated code pushed live in their next framework version. Made us feel like they were listening, which I’m pretty sure they were! What makes the open source WordPress community great is that those in it help make each others work better, and not just sit waiting for hand outs and code freebies. If you have an issue with the PL5 tool set why not join their dev community and help make it better.
]]>Rating: 1 star
No more support from staffs.
I asked Pagelines to cancel their unauthorized transaction 25 days ago by multiple emails. But they even sent me a reply.
Never use this ugly plugin.
]]>Rating: 1 star
been using this for a while. Don’t use this, and don’t pay for the pro version. Lots of small issues makes this a bad choice, and it’s no longer properly maintained.
]]>Rating: 1 star
As someone who’s used PageLines for over 5 years now; I can honestly say that I cannot recommend their framework.
Their support is non-existent… they have one or two people who answer forum posts… but they delete any post questioning their future.
]]>Rating: 3 stars
Please note that this is meant to be a constructive review of the plugin based on my own testing. Some of what I mention may seem harsh to the developer, but it is meant to spur them on to create something better. Hope it is viewed as such.
I have tested PageLines and found it a very good system overall. There are many thoughtful components to it and only a few that I personally would change.
Note: I am mentioning other page builders in this comment, not to advertise them but to provide a clear comparison to back up my comments.
I found text editing awkward to use in some ways in PageLines compared to other front end page editors – and the absence of on-page drag and drop functionality was mostly frustrating.
Editing the text modules off the page in a special modal field slows things down, even though it often shows the results live on the page (I say often because sometimes my changes didn’t show up on the page until after I saved and turned off the builder).
This is a text editing disconnect that is slower than other systems out there and, frankly, unnecessary given that there are several front end page builders that let you edit text right on the page, including one completely free one called Live Composer (also available in the WordPress Plugin Directory), Page Builder Sandwich (not free), Thrive (not free), and others.
Re: drag and drop – The reason I found this mostly less effective in PageLines is that having to move around the various modules using only the old backend page building style kind of makes no sense, even if it is in a window right next to the on-page layout.
I desperately wanted to drag and drop rows and modules on the page, such as can be done by other front end page editors like Live Composer, Beaver Builder, Motopress, Page Builder Sandwich and the like.
Combining the current method in PageLines with on-page drag and drop positioning would be tremendous, however. The PageLines method is particularly good a locating and targeting elements on a busy page overall. I liked that!
Worth a three to four star rating for being reasonably simple to use right out of the box, and for the included full layouts and features that can be just dropped into the layout.
Get that drag and drop thing figured out and the text editing right (imo) and it would be pretty cool to work in.
My suggestion for all developers of page building plugins is to fully examine the competition to see what is already out there, and create something better. What is the point of creating something worse or more complicated compared to something else that already exists?
]]>Rating: 1 star
I am blown away by the clunky nature of this visual editor. This has got to be the single most terrible plugin to happen to web site development. My head already hurts knowing that I have no other choice for this emergency project I have just been brought in on.
#booooooooooooooooo
]]>Rating: 3 stars
After a day of extensive testing I can say that PageLines is a very ambitious project that is not quite ready for prime time.
The reason for developing something like this is to make building pages and inserting content simpler for non WP-literate users. Unfortunately this mission seems to have been abandoned somewhere mid project. Instead of making it easier PageLines makes everything even more complicated since you now have to move back and forth between WP back end and the PL Page Editor.
Also, about 2 out of 10 changes just doesnt stick for no apparent reason. And the handling of WP menus is just awkward.
Use it for composing pages (and not posts) and thats about it. Anything else gets annoying very soon.
]]>Rating: 5 stars
There are many front end page builders on the market, however, with this plugin PageLines have raised the bar… significantly higher.
This is a super fast page builder that does not get in the way of the web designer or developer. It’s super fast to execute designs and super fast to load.
So far it has worked well with all the themes I have tried.
The free version is phenomenal, maybe PageLines have been too generous with what’s included, but don’t tell them ??
]]>Rating: 5 stars
I have been a PageLines user for about 4 years. I have come to trust PageLines and their products to the point that I use them exclusively in every project. Platform 5 is so versatile that you can literally bring your vision to life with simple and elegant design elements.
The speed of Platform 5 is simply amazing.
With quick load times and elegance built into the design Platform 5 is truly something special.
]]>Rating: 5 stars
I am a pro web developer and have been using the Pagelines systems for about 4 years now. I started using their systems and loved them. When they went to the design Management System (DMS) I was really impressed but this takes a Pro developer to a new level. It installs a s a plugin, then set yourself a child theme to add any css customs…(you don’t have to but its good practice) Then it will work as a stand alone theme framework for you to develop using the sections. BUT and this is where it is really cool, it also works with any theme! so if a client comes to you with a site already created and is fairly happy…use Pagelines Platform 5 to add any new functions…It makes my workflow so so much faster. I can change any area of the site without any major hassle. I would say it is the plugin to add to your web design tool kit! It makes your site super fast too…with lightweight code its a must ! try it…It is a Pro system though so remember to get the most out of it you will need to know your way around a site with some coding to get the most out of it.BUT saying that out of the box it has some cool features….
]]>Rating: 5 stars
I am Pagelines customer since about 4 years now – going all the road from ?pagelines framework“ over to ?DMS“ and finally ?DMS2“. DMS2 has been quite a great & flexible solution – although sometimes a “bit slow“.
I have joined the beta program for PLATFORM5 (PL5) in October 2015. Since that time I have already build some pages based on PL5. I can only tell: I′ve never seen before any solution that is so FAST for building, FLEXIBLE in variations, great in STYLE and FUTURE oriented. Congratulation to the team, that brought this baby to live + recommendation for try & pruchase of PL5-Pro, adding another level of pleasure for WEB developers (and Non Developers:) that want to live an easier life.
]]>Rating: 5 stars
I have used PageLines for almost 4 years. What I have found is that PageLines has always been on the cutting edge of WordPress development. And so it is with Platform 5…it is a sweet tool that allows a developer to quickly & efficiently create a website for clients…while at the same time providing a client the ability to make simple edits to their site.
I should also note that the support that PageLines provides is at the top of the class. With it’s outstanding support…Platform 5 is a beast and I think the WordPress community will see it for the game changer it is!
]]>Rating: 5 stars
I have been a PageLines user for over 3 years, and have used many of their builders and themes in the past. Platform 5 is the best bridge out there between a professional developer who likes to write and build sections and hooks, and the end user who needs to make simple edits. This product is a game changer for the WordPress development community. Looking for a way to add more stars to this code!
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