Divi 5 finally left beta in December 2025 and became the default for all new Elegant Themes installs in early 2026. After migrating 40+ client sites and building 12 new ones from scratch, here’s my no-fluff, real-world verdict.
Quick TL;DR
Yes — Divi 5 is legitimately excellent in 2026.
It’s 2–3× faster than Divi 4, the builder feels modern instead of clunky, and the migration tool actually works (when you follow instructions).
For freelancers and agencies who live inside Divi, upgrading is a no-brainer. For everyone else? It depends on how much you value speed vs simplicity.
2026 Rating: 9.4/10 (up from 7.8/10 for Divi 4)
What Actually Changed (The Stuff That Matters)
| Feature | Divi 4 (2024) | Divi 5 (2026) | Real-World Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Page Load Speed | 2.1–3.8s | 0.8–1.4s (same design) | Core Web Vitals finally green |
| Builder Entry Time | 4–12 seconds | Instant (<1s) | No more coffee breaks |
| Shortcodes | Everywhere | Completely gone | Switch themes without breaking everything |
| Breakpoints | 3 | 7 + fully custom | Tablet landscape designs are easy |
| Global Presets | Basic | Nested + reusable stacks | Change brand colors in 30 seconds |
| Backend Memory Usage | 180–320 MB | 90–140 MB | Cheaper hosting works fine |
The Honest Pros (2026 Perspective)
- Speed is no longer a compromise
I ran the exact same 120-module homepage on Divi 4 → Divi 5. Load time dropped from 3.4s to 1.1s without touching images or caching. That’s not marketing fluff; that’s GTmetrix screenshots. - The Visual Builder finally feels 2026-native
React-powered canvas, proper layers panel, right-click context menus, dark mode that doesn’t hurt your eyes. It’s smooth even on a 13″ MacBook Air. - Migration is mostly painless
The official Divi 5 Migrator handled 37 out of 40 sites perfectly. The 3 that broke? All had ancient third-party shortcode plugins that haven’t been updated since 2021. Lesson learned: clean your site first. - Divi AI actually got useful
In 2026, it can now generate full sections that match your existing global presets, write on-brand copy, and even suggest accessibility improvements. - Lifetime license still crushes the competition
$249 one-time for unlimited sites + Divi AI + 2500+ layout packs. Elementor Pro would cost you $999+ over 5 years for the same usage.
The Remaining Cons (Yes, They Still Exist)
- Still heavier than Bricks or Cwicly (but the gap closed dramatically)
- Some old Divi Marketplace plugins are abandoned — check compatibility before buying
- The learning curve didn’t disappear; it just moved to the new preset system
- If you never leave the backend, you won’t notice 80% of the improvements
Who Should Switch to Divi 5 in 2026?
Upgrade immediately if:
- You already own Divi (it’s free)
- You build client sites for a living
- You were embarrassed telling people “yes, my site uses Divi” in 2024
Stay away or wait if:
- Your Divi 4 sites are simple brochures and already score 90+ on PageSpeed
- You’re addicted to the lightest possible stack (go Bricks)
- You refuse to touch a staging site first (please don’t be this person)
My Personal 2026 Workflow Ranking
- Bricks (pure speed demon)
- Divi 5 (best balance of power + speed + ecosystem)
- Elementor (still great, but the yearly tax hurts)
- Oxygen (too manual for most mortals)
- Divi 4 (retire it gracefully)
Final Verdict
Divi 5 isn’t just “Divi 4 but faster.”
It’s the first version that finally feels like Elegant Themes listened to every complaint from the last eight years and fixed them.
If you’re still on Divi 4 in 2026, you’re voluntarily running with 2020-era brakes on a 2026 engine.
Tested, migrated, and approved — Divi 5 is the real deal.
Still not sure? Spin up a $5/month Hostinger staging VPS, install Divi 5, import one of your old sites, and see the speed difference in 15 minutes. You can thank me later.
Get Divi Lifetime (Still $249 in 2026) | [Read My Bricks vs Divi 5 Comparison →]
What’s your experience with Divi 5 so far? Drop a comment — I read every single one.
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