Spectra Blocks Review: A Complete Discussion

The Gutenberg block editor was first released by WordPress in 2018. It introduced a block-based editor replacing the traditional text editor. Gutenberg allows you to add, arrange, and customize various elements, like text, images, videos, and buttons on your website.

While the Gutenberg block editor provides a solid foundation for content creation, it lacks robust customization features. Using a block plugin like Spectra Blocks can significantly enhance the editor by adding numerous custom blocks to its block library.

In this article, I will cover a detailed review of the Spectra Blocks plugin, explaining how it can transform your Gutenberg experience into something truly exceptional! Keep reading.

What Is the Spectra Gutenberg Blocks Plugin?

Spectra Blocks is a powerful and versatile Gutenberg block plugin. It is developed and maintained by the renowned Brainstorm Force, who are behind the development of the popular Astra theme. Spectra Blocks currently has 900,000+ active users and 1350+ positive ratings.

The plugin comes with a rich library of custom blocks that help improve the content creation process on WordPress. These blocks are meticulously crafted to be highly customizable, allowing users to easily manipulate styles, layouts, and settings to match their specific branding and design preferences.

In addition to its extensive block library, Spectra Blocks emphasizes user-friendliness and performance. The plugin is built with a focus on speed and efficiency, ensuring that your website remains lightweight and fast-loading even with multiple custom blocks in use.

Pros and Cons of Spectra Blocks

Before diving deep, I think showcasing some pros and cons of the plugin can help you get a quick overview of the plugin. Let’s skim through it.

All Custom Blocks of the Spectra Gutenberg Blocks Plugin

Spectra Gutenberg Blocks currently has 39 custom blocks. They are constantly trying to come up with more new blocks to enrich their block library. Below, I have listed the blocks of the plugin so you can have a quick idea of them.

Custom Blocks of the Spectra Blocks Plugin:

Container
Heading
Image
Icon
Buttons
Info Box
Call To Action
Countdown
Blockquote
Content Timeline
Counter
FAQ
Form
Google Maps
How To
Icon List
Image Gallery
Inline Notice
Instagram Feed
Login Form
Loop Builder
Lottie Animation
Marketing Button
Modal
Post Carousel
Post Grid
Post Timeline
Price List
Registration Form
Review
Separator
Slider
Social Share
Star Ratings
Table of Contents
Tabs
Taxonomy List
Team
Testimonials

Extensions of the Spectra Blocks Plugin:

In addition to the custom blocks, the Spectra Blocks plugin offers several extensions that enhance the customization power of the block. Below, I have listed the extensions the plugin offers.

Animations
Display Conditions
Dynamic Content
Global Block Style
Masonry Gallery
Responsive Conditions

Template Library of the Spectra Blocks Plugin

Spectra Blocks has a huge template library. You’ll find 280+ readymade block and single-page templates in its library of various categories. You can import any template to the block editor with just a few clicks.

After that, you can tweak the template by customizing the blocks used on it before finally publishing the template. If necessary, you can even add additional blocks to the template to present additional content and information.

Thus, you can save a huge amount of time that would require you whenever create a brand-new web page, block, or section from scratch. I can classify the templates in the Spectra Blocks template library into 13 categories. They are:

Business & Services
eCommerce
Health & Wellness
Portfolio & Personal Branding
Education & Learning
Non-Profit & Charity
Entertainment & Events
Real Estate & Hospitality
Technology & Digital
Travel & Tourism
Lifestyle & Blogs
Creative & Art
Home & Living

Key Features of the Spectra Blocks Plugin

Now, in this section, we’ll discuss all the key features of the Spectra Blocks plugin. This will help you decide whether you should go with the plugin or not. Keep reading.

1. Intuitive Dashboard

Spectra Blocks features an intuitive dashboard that is simple to use both for beginners and experienced users. After the plugin is installed, you’ll be greeted with a clean and organized dashboard interface where all the options are properly categorized into different menus.

They can easily navigate to the options/menus, like blocks/extensions, AI features, settings, and knowledge base. You can see these in the image attached below. The block option lets you quickly locate the exact block you want.

You can disable the blocks that aren’t necessary or still unused on your site. Thus, by keeping only the useful blocks activated, you can save your site speed from being overwhelmed. Each block is accompanied by a brief description.

From the Settings tab, you can configure your editor enhancements, version control, performance optimization, integrations, site visibility, and theme fonts.

2. Popup Builder

Spectra Blocks has a popup builder with many powerful features. It is designed to help you create engaging and visually appealing popups for your website. It can serve various purposes, like capturing email addresses, promoting special offers, or sharing important announcements.

The popup builder also comes with an intuitive interface and a great collection of customizable templates so you can start your popup immediately without building it from scratch. The flexibility of the builder allows you to add images, text, buttons, and other elements.

Take a look at the key features of the Popup builder of the plugin:

• Design stunning info bars
• Intuitive trigger options
• Add popups to specific pages
• Create instant flash sale popups
• Precise display options
• Flexible customizations

3. Exciting Blocks

Spectra Blocks offers a variety of exciting blocks that significantly enhance the Gutenberg editor’s functionalities. Some most exciting blocks of the plugin are Container, Form, Google Maps, Lottie Animation, Modal, Post Carousel, Registration Form, and Slider.

You will hardly find these blocks in other custom block plugins. The Google Maps block simplifies the process of embedding maps into pages. It comes with built-in API support, allowing you to easily add locations without the hassle of managing API keys.

The Form block lets you design interactive forms with personalized success messages and reCAPTCHA integration to prevent spam. The Counter block is perfect for displaying statistics or milestones in an engaging way.

4. Robust Customization Options

In addition, the plugin has six powerful extensions as mentioned above. They are Animations, Display Conditions, Dynamic Content, Global Block Style, Masonry Gallery, and Responsive Conditions.

• The Animations extension allows users to add engaging transitions and effects to blocks, making content more dynamic and interactive.

• The Display Conditions extension provides granular control over when and where blocks appear, enabling users to target specific audiences or contexts effectively.

• The Dynamic Content extension allows for the integration of dynamic data, making it possible to display personalized content based on user interactions.

• The Global Block Style extension streamlines the styling process by enabling users to set consistent design styles across multiple blocks, saving time and ensuring uniformity.

• The Masonry Gallery extension enhances visual storytelling through customizable galleries that adapt to various screen sizes and orientations.

• The Responsive Conditions extension ensures that all blocks look great on any device by allowing users to set different styles for desktop and mobile views.

Collectively, these robust customization options and extensions make the Spectra Blocks plugin an invaluable tool for creating tailored and impactful web experiences.

5. Loop Builder

A loop is a way to show the same type of content multiple times on a website. For example, if you want to show several blog posts or images one after another, a loop helps you do that easily. Instead of adding each post or image by hand, the loop allows you to do this automatically.

The Loop Builder in Spectra Blocks is a tool that helps you create these loops. With the Loop Builder, you can configure conditions for how you want your content to look, how many posts to show, what order they should appear in, and what information to include.

This makes it simple to display lots of content on your site without much effort. You set it up once, and the Loop Builder will keep everything updated automatically as you add new content.

Key features of the Loop Builder of Spectra Blocks:

• Seamless integration with ACF, custom fields, and many other toolsets
• Four pre-defined layouts
• Multiple customization options
• Enhanced content presentation

6. Responsive Design

All the blocks of the Spectra Blocks plugin are highly responsive. You can set different breakpoints for all your blocks so they look great on all devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones. This feature ensures that the layout and content automatically adjust to fit different screen sizes, providing a better experience for visitors no matter how they access the site.

Additionally, the plugin includes a feature called Responsive Conditions. It allows you to show or hide specific content based on the device being used. This means that you can customize what different users see, ensuring that your website is optimized for each type of device.

7. Super Fast

The Spectra Blocks plugin is highly optimized for fast loading speeds. This is essential for a smooth user experience on websites. One of the main reasons for its lightweight speed is that it uses optimized assets and minimal code. It loads only the necessary files and resources, reducing the overall size of the page and speeding up load times.

Spectra uses the Just-In-Time (JIT) markup compiler that loads assets dynamically. This feature ensures that only the blocks being used on a specific page are loaded. This minimizes unnecessary data and speeds up the loading process.

To check how lightweight the plugin is, I have created a demo web page using several blocks of the plugin. Then, tasted the page on GTmatrix and Google Pagespeed Insights. Let’s see what I have got.

Spectra Blocs’ Performance on GTmatrix:

The GTmetrix shows outstanding performance, with a score of 100%. The Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is an impressive 430ms, indicating that the main content loads quickly. A Total Blocking Time (TBT) of 0ms means there are no delays in user interaction.

A Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) of 0 demonstrates that the layout remains stable during loading. These metrics highlight the efficiency and speed of Spectra Blocks in creating fast, responsive web pages that enhance user experience.

Spectra Blocs’ Performance on Google Pagespeed Insights:

Google Page Speed Insights shows a performance score 100 for the demo web page. Also, it scores 100 for Accessibility and 100 for Best Practices. The SEO score of 83 indicates that while the page is well-optimized, there may be some areas for improvement in search engine optimization.

Overall, these scores reflect that the Spectra Blocks plugin not only delivers a fast-loading site but also adheres to high standards of user accessibility and best web practices.

8. Comprehensive Documentation

Spectra Blocks covers comprehensive documentation for each of its blocks and extensions. This includes detailed descriptions, usage examples, and customization options, making it easy for beginners and experienced users to understand how to use the plugin effectively.

Step-by-step instructions and visual aids ensure that you quickly find the information you need to create and manage their web pages without confusion. Additionally, the documentation addresses common questions and troubleshooting tips, enhancing the overall user experience.

Explore the documentation page of the Spectra Blocks plugin.

9. Customer Support

Spectra Blocks offers a variety of support options. They are Premium Support, Pre-sales Queries, Free Users Support, Partnerships Support, and VIP Support.

• Premium customers benefit from premium support. They get access to dedicated support channels, quicker response times, and assistance with more complex issues related to the plugin.

• Pre-sale support is dedicated to prospective customers, answering queries and providing information to help users make informed purchasing decisions.

• Support for free users includes access to community forums and basic troubleshooting guidance.

• Partnership users receive specialized support designed to facilitate collaboration and integration with other services, ensuring that partners can leverage the full potential of Spectra Blocks in their offerings.

• VIP customers get the fastest response and most personalized assistance. They receive top-tier service, addressing their concerns promptly and effectively.

To become a VIP customer, users typically need to subscribe to the highest tier of the Spectra Blocks service or purchase specific VIP packages that provide enhanced benefits.

Pricing of the Spectra Blocks Plugin

There are two main pricing options for the plugin: Annual and Lifetime. Under each main option comes three sub-options: Spectra Pro, Essential Tookit, and Business Tookit. Below, I have listed the pricing for Spectra Blocks for one single website.

Annual Pricing for One Website:

• Spectra Pro – $49
• Essential Toolkit – $79
• Business Toolkit – $149

Lifetime Pricing for One Website:

• Spectra Pro – $199
• Essential Toolkit – $399
• Business Toolkit – $599

Check the pricing page of the Spectra Blocks plugin.

You can ask for a refund within 14 days of purchasing the plugin. Get the plugin, whether free or premium version, by clicking the respective button from below.

Final Words

Spectra Blocks is one of the few prominent Gutenberg block plugins on the market so far. Its huge user base and over a thousand positive reviews signal that you can safely use this plugin.

Not just blog posts or documentation, you will also find numerous video tutorials on this plugin on YouTube.

Hope my today’s review will help you make the right decision on whether to select the plugin or not. Check a complete review of the Ultimate Blocks plugin.

Also, check a robust review of the Kadence Blocks plugin.