The block editor, still widely called Gutenberg after the project that built it, has been the default WordPress editor since version 5.0 and in WordPress 6.8 it extends to the whole site: templates, headers, footers and navigation are all blocks edited in the Site Editor. Out of the box it covers paragraphs, headings, images, columns, groups, buttons, queries and a few dozen other blocks. That is enough for articles but not for a full marketing page, which is where block plugins come in.
Block plugins add new block types, or extend the native ones with extra controls, while keeping you in the standard editor rather than replacing it with a separate page builder. The result is usually lighter markup and one less dependency to worry about. The directory lists hundreds of them; below are the ten we consider worth installing in 2026, grouped by what they are good at.
Last updated: 2026. Plugin names checked against current wordpress.org listings; several entries from the original list have been renamed or discontinued and are replaced here.
10 Best Gutenberg Plugins
One principle before the list: pick a single general-purpose block library (entries 1, 3, 4, 5 or 8 below) and add the specialised plugins only for needs the library does not meet. Every library loads its own CSS and editor scripts, and running two of them side by side means duplicated styles and a slower editor for no benefit.
1. Spectra (formerly Ultimate Addons for Gutenberg)
Brainstorm Force renamed Ultimate Addons for Gutenberg to Spectra, and it remains one of the most complete free block libraries. It adds containers with flexbox controls, advanced headings, info boxes, call-to-action blocks, icon lists, tabs, testimonials, a post grid and carousel, forms, tables of contents and a FAQ block with schema output. It also ships a large library of ready-made patterns and full page templates you can insert and edit. Spectra works with any theme, though it is developed alongside the Astra theme and integrates most tightly there.
2. WooCommerce Blocks
If you run a shop, the blocks you need are already installed. The separate WooCommerce Blocks plugin was merged into WooCommerce itself, so every store now gets product grids (featured, on sale, top rated, by category or tag, hand-picked), product filters by attribute and price, reviews, a mini cart, and block-based Cart and Checkout pages that you edit in the Site Editor like any other template. There is nothing extra to install; look under the WooCommerce category in the block inserter. If you still have the old standalone Blocks plugin active, deactivate and delete it.
3. Kadence Blocks
Atomic Blocks, which held this slot in the original list, was absorbed into Genesis Blocks and is no longer the recommendation. Kadence Blocks fills the same role with a more current toolkit: a row layout block with responsive column control, an advanced gallery, accordion, tabs, icon lists, countdown, table of contents, a form block, a posts block and a design library of patterns. Its strength is fine-grained responsive control, with separate settings for desktop, tablet and mobile on nearly every block, while still generating reasonably compact CSS.
4. GenerateBlocks
GenerateBlocks takes the opposite approach to a large library. It provides a handful of primitive blocks (Container, Grid, Headline, Button, Image, Query Loop, Shape) with deep styling controls, and lets you build everything else from those. Because it adds only the CSS you actually use, pages stay light, and because the primitives are generic, the layouts are not tied to a particular look. It is a good fit for developers and for anyone who finds a 40-block inserter cluttered. The paid version adds a pattern library, global styles and dynamic data. It replaces Gutenberg Manager from the original list, which is no longer maintained.
5. Stackable
Stackable is still going and still aimed at people who want polished marketing sections quickly. Its free version includes around 40 blocks such as feature grids, pricing boxes, team members, testimonials, notifications, cards and hero sections, plus a design library of pre-styled block layouts you can drop in and recolour. Version 3 rebuilt the blocks so that each is composed of inner native blocks, which means your content survives if you ever deactivate Stackable. Its dynamic content, conditional display and motion effects are in the premium tier.
6. Advanced Editor Tools (formerly TinyMCE Advanced)
TinyMCE Advanced was renamed Advanced Editor Tools and now targets the block editor. It adds formatting options to the native Paragraph and Heading blocks (underline, superscript, text background, font size and family), a Classic Paragraph block for those who prefer a toolbar-driven writing flow, list controls, and table editing. If your writers keep asking for a formatting button that the core toolbar lacks, this is the plugin that provides it without pulling in a full block library.
7. Otter Blocks
Advanced Rich Text, listed here originally, has been discontinued; much of what it offered (text colours and highlights) is now in core. Otter Blocks by ThemeIsle takes the slot as a mid-sized library with a different emphasis: alongside the usual section, tabs, accordion, pricing and countdown blocks, it adds a form block with email and integration options, a popup block, sticky positioning, conditional visibility rules and per-block animations and custom CSS. It is a reasonable option when you want interactive extras without a heavyweight library.
8. CoBlocks
Block Gallery, the standalone gallery plugin from the original list, was merged into CoBlocks, which is maintained by GoDaddy and remains free. Its gallery blocks (masonry, carousel, stacked, offset, collage) are still the main draw for photography and portfolio sites, and the plugin adds an accordion, alert, author, click-to-tweet, dynamic separator, events, food menu, form, map, pricing table and typography controls. It is a good choice when images are the priority and you want a modest set of everything else.
9. The Events Calendar
The Events Calendar is not a block library but a full events system with a block-based event editor. Events are a custom post type with date, time, venue and organiser fields, displayed in month, list, day and photo views. In the editor, each event’s details (date/time, price, website, venue, organiser) are individual blocks you can rearrange, and the plugin ships a block to embed an event list anywhere. The free version handles most community and business calendars; recurring events and ticketing are paid add-ons.
10. PublishPress Blocks (formerly Advanced Gutenberg)
Advanced Gutenberg became PublishPress Blocks under the PublishPress team. Its distinctive feature is block access control: you can decide per user role which blocks appear in the inserter, which is useful on multi-author sites where you want editors to use approved blocks only. Beyond that it adds an advanced table, contact form, login/register form, tabs, accordion, image slider, map, count-up, columns manager and content display blocks, along with per-block custom styles.
Which Canyon theme fits
Block plugins do their best work with a theme that respects the editor’s styles and does not fight them with its own. Our themes register editor styles, support wide and full alignment and ship with theme.json colour and spacing presets, so blocks from Spectra, Kadence or GenerateBlocks pick up your palette automatically. For an article-driven site pair Bloge with a light library or just Advanced Editor Tools; for a landing-page heavy business site, Business Way plus one full library covers most layouts.
Conclusion
The block editor in 2026 needs far less help than it did when this list was first written, and several plugins from the original list disappeared because core caught up. What remains useful falls into three groups: one general library for layouts and marketing sections, small utilities that extend the native blocks, and specialised plugins for shops, events and editorial control. Choose from each group deliberately, keep the total small, and check the last-updated date on wordpress.org before you install anything.