Divi 5 is the most significant update to the Divi theme in years. If you are building websites with WordPress, you need to understand what Divi 5 brings to the table — and whether it is the right choice for your next project.

In this complete Divi 5 review and tutorial, I walk you through every major change, the new editor experience, performance improvements, and a step-by-step guide to building your first page with Divi 5.

What Is Divi 5?

Divi 5 is the latest major version of the Divi theme and page builder by Elegant Themes. It is a complete rebuild of the Divi codebase, designed to be faster, more accessible, and better aligned with the native WordPress block editor (Gutenberg).

Unlike Divi 4, which ran on a legacy framework, Divi 5 is built on React and integrates deeply with the WordPress Site Editor. This means you get a more modern, visual-first building experience without sacrificing Divi’s drag-and-drop simplicity.

Divi 5 vs Divi 4: What Changed?

Here is a quick comparison of the most important changes between Divi 4 and Divi 5:

• Performance: Divi 5 generates cleaner, lighter HTML output. Pages load faster out of the box compared to Divi 4.
• Editor: The new Divi Visual Builder is rebuilt in React — faster, smoother, and more responsive on all screen sizes.
• Full Site Editing: Divi 5 embraces WordPress FSE, allowing you to edit headers, footers, and global templates visually.
• Global Styles: Typography, colors, and spacing can now be managed globally — change one setting and it updates across your entire site.
• Gutenberg Compatibility: Divi 5 blocks work natively inside the WordPress block editor, so you can mix and match Divi and native blocks.

How to Install Divi 5

Installing Divi 5 follows the same process as previous versions. Here is how to get started:

1. Log in to your Elegant Themes account at elegantthemes.com
2. Download the Divi theme ZIP file from your account dashboard
3. In WordPress, go to Appearance → Themes → Add New → Upload Theme
4. Upload the ZIP file and click Activate
5. Enter your Elegant Themes API key to unlock updates and premium features

If you are upgrading from Divi 4, it is recommended to test the upgrade on a staging site first. Some Divi 4 layouts may need adjustments due to the new rendering engine.

Need help getting your website set up? Check out my complete Divi Theme Tutorial for a full walkthrough.

Divi 5 Performance: Is It Really Faster?

One of the biggest criticisms of Divi 4 was its heavy output — bloated HTML, large CSS files, and slower load times without aggressive optimization.

Divi 5 addresses this directly. In independent tests, Divi 5 pages score significantly higher on Google PageSpeed Insights than equivalent Divi 4 pages, often without any additional caching or optimization plugins.

That said, performance still depends on your hosting, images, and the number of plugins you install. For the best results, combine Divi 5 with a fast hosting provider and a performance plugin. Read my guide on how to speed up your WordPress website for the full optimization checklist.

Building Your First Page with Divi 5

Here is a quick overview of how to build a page using the Divi 5 Visual Builder:

Step 1: Create a New Page

Go to Pages → Add New in WordPress. Click the Divi logo to launch the Divi Visual Builder.

Step 2: Choose a Starter Layout

Divi 5 includes hundreds of ready-made layouts in the layout library. Browse by category or industry, preview any layout, and click Use This Layout to load it onto your page.

Step 3: Edit with Drag and Drop

Click any element to select it. Drag and drop rows, columns, and modules to reorder them. Every element has a settings panel on the right side where you can change text, colors, spacing, and more.

Step 4: Set Global Styles

Open the Theme Customizer or Global Styles panel to set your brand colors and fonts. These apply across your entire site instantly — no need to edit each module individually.

Step 5: Save and Publish

Click Save to save your draft, or Publish to make the page live. You can always return to the Divi Builder to make changes at any time.

Is Divi 5 Worth It?

Divi 5 is a strong choice for anyone who wants to build professional WordPress websites without writing code. Here is a quick summary of the pros and cons:

Pros:

• Faster performance than Divi 4
• Modern, intuitive visual editor
• Excellent layout library with 1,000+ templates
• Full Site Editing support
• One lifetime license covers unlimited websites

Cons:

• Learning curve for users new to page builders
• Some Divi 4 layouts may need adjustments when upgrading
• Annual or lifetime cost — not free

If you are starting a new WordPress website and want full creative control without coding, Divi 5 is one of the best page builders available in 2026.

Getting Started with WordPress and Divi 5

Before you can install Divi 5, you need a WordPress hosting account. I recommend Hostinger for beginners — it is affordable, fast, and includes a free domain and one-click WordPress installation.

Once you have WordPress installed, follow this step-by-step WordPress guide to get your site ready before adding Divi 5.

Final Thoughts

Divi 5 represents a major step forward for one of the most popular WordPress themes in the world. The improved performance, modern editor, and full site editing support make it a compelling choice for both beginners and experienced web designers.

Whether you are building your first website or upgrading an existing Divi site, Divi 5 is worth exploring. Start with a clean install on a staging site, experiment with the new editor, and take advantage of the thousands of ready-made templates to speed up your workflow.

Have questions about Divi 5? Leave a comment below or check out my other WordPress tutorials for more in-depth guides.