Genesis Pro by StudioPress a Review

Genesis Pro by StudioPress is a yearly subscription package that includes…

• The Genesis Framework.
• 10 StudioPress made themes.
• Genesis Pro plugin.
• Genesis Custom Blocks plugin.

Your Genesis pro subscription includes StudioPress made themes. But it does NOT include the third-party themes listed on the StudioPress website. Genesis Pro also includes two new plugins, Genesis Page Builder (Genesis Pro) and Genesis Custom Blocks.

The first new plugin is a page builder plugin which includes a set of ready made page layouts. The second new plugin helps you make your own custom blocks but to use the custom blocks plugin you’ll need at least some coding skills

This Genesis Pro review hopes to clarify what Genesis Pro is…

Genesis Pro includes StudioPress made themes but NOT third-party themes

First you’ll want to see only themes included in Genesis Pro, so you need to filter out the third-party themes.

• Go to the themes page of the StudioPress site.
• From the all-themes drop down filter, choose StudioPress.
• You now see the themes available in the Genesis Pro subscription.
• Hover over the themes to view the demo sites.

To clarify, Genesis Pro does NOT include third-party themes. It only includes the themes MADE BY StudioPress.

Genesis Pro plugin

Genesis Pro plugin is a premium version of Atomic Blocks plugin. You get everything you get with Atomic Blocks, but you also get…

• More ready made full page layouts.
• More ready made page sections.
• Two extra blocks.

Ready made page layouts and page sections

You can use the full page layouts to build homepages, and landing pages, with one click. Likewise, you can build more customised pages, assemble your page from the individual page sections.

Tweak your layout

After adding a full-page layout or building a page from the ready made sections. You can then tweak the page’s colours, background colours, images, and text, to suit the overall design of your website.

Device mock-up and portfolio blocks

Genesis Pro includes two new blocks, device mock-up block, and portfolio block.

The Device Mock-up block

The device mock-up block is a graphic element that imitates the look of a phone or tablet. You can insert an image inside the mock-up by clicking the insert button. The mock-ups are not as realistic as a photo of an iPhone or iPad. But they are good looking and easy to use.

The Portfolio block

The portfolio block displays a grid of portfolio items in your page. Clicking an item in this grid opens that portfolio item, which is like a blog post. Using the portfolio block is like using the Atomic Blocks post and page grid block.

Genesis Pro does NOT include any…  

• Sliders
• Carousels or
• Other fancy effects

Genesis Pro is like a mini page builder

Genesis Pro reminds me of a page builder plugin such as Beaver Builder but with fewer options. However, the layouts Genesis Pro builds are block based. So, you can insert a ready made page section. Above or below any existing block-based content, in any page or post. On the other hand, using Beaver Builder to add an individual page section to an existing block-built page is not so easy. Because Beaver Builder takes over the entire page or post.

There are no online demo pages for Genesis Pro page layouts

StudioPress do not provide demo pages of the Genesis Pro page sections, or page layouts. This is a shame. Because the ready made layouts look good and viewing them would help you decide if you want to buy Genesis Pro.

Less powerful than Beaver Builder

Genesis Pro does not provide the same level of customization or styling options that a page builder provides. But then again, Beaver Builder does not include the 10 StudioPress made themes either.

Fast, easy to use, and professional looking

Although Genesis Pro is not as powerful as a page builder, the one click layouts do enable you to build professional pages fast. And you can tweak the colours, images, and text to suit your overall design, which is a real bonus for anyone who builds a lot of websites.

Documentation for Genesis Blocks Plugin

Genesis Custom Blocks

Genesis Custom Blocks plugin does some of the heavy lifting when you create your own custom blocks for the block editor. This is an advance feature.

Genesis Custom Blocks Documentation

Custom blocks need custom code

Genesis Custom Blocks plugin is an advanced feature, and you’ll need at least a basic understanding of code to use it. Give that, if you can write php, html, and CSS, and you want to build custom blocks, Genesis Custom Blocks plugin will really boost your productivity.

Genesis Custom Blocks plugin makes coding custom blocks easier. So, if you are learning to write code, you might find that it reduces your learning curve too.

Custom blocks are optional

Don’t worry if you don’t write code. Genesis Custom Blocks is just one part of the Genesis Pro package. Hence, you don’t have to use custom blocks if you don’t need them. In fact, I suspect many Genesis Pro subscribers will never build a custom block.

What if I’ve got a StudioPress Pro Plus account; do I need Genesis Pro?

Not in my opinion. The predecessor to Genesis Pro was the StudioPress Pro Plus account.

The StudioPress Pro Plus account is no longer available to buy. However, if you bought a Pro Plus account in the past, you still have access to StudioPress themes. But you do not have access to the two new plugins, Genesis Pro and Genesis Custom Blocks.

This means if you’re a Pro Plus account holder, and you buy a Genesis Pro subscription. The only extras you get are the two new plugins, Genesis Pro (page builder), and Genesis Custom Blocks (custom block builder).

If you are a StudioPress Pro Plus account holder, I don’t think the two plugins, on their own, are enough to justify the premium price tag of Genesis Pro.

Genesis Pro is ideal for a small web design business that does not have a StudioPress Pro Plus account

• If you own a small web design business.
• Your clients love StudioPress made themes (third party themes are not included).
• And you do NOT already have a StudioPress Pro Plus account.

Genesis Pro could be a great investment for you.

As I have said, if you have a lot of clients wanting a minimalist website based on a StudioPress made theme. Genesis Pro is a good product that will boost your productivity. But it’s a premium product and demands a premium price.

Weigh the pros and cons.

Work out…

• How many clients you have that…
• Want a website based on a StudioPress MADE theme.
• And how much you charge them.

Then decide if Genesis Pro will give you a good return on your investment.

My verdict, Genesis Pro is a great package, but it’s not cheap

I think Genesis Pro is a great package. But before you buy, make sure you have enough well-paying clients to generate the return on investment you need for a premium product like this.