Wix or WordPress, which is better? If you’re planning on building yourself a new website, you may have asked yourself, or others, this question lately.
With so many website builders and content management systems out there, it can be challenging to choose. And a simple question comes with a not so simple answer - it depends!
Wix and WordPress are two of the leading website platforms out there, and for good reason. They both have their pros and cons, so it’s important to understand the differences so that you can decide which platform is right for you.
Here are some of the key differences between these two platforms, and the important things to consider when deciding which website builder to use for your business.
WordPress
WordPress is the number 1 content management system in the world, and for good reason! It might be for you if you’re a little more tech-savvy, and you want a site that is powerful and flexible. Costs vary to develop, depending on if you are using a theme or building from scratch.
Wix
Unlike WordPress, Wix is a website builder. It might be for you if you don’t have a lot of technical experience in managing websites and want an easy-to-use platform with no coding required to make updates. Wix requires a monthly subscription and a premium plan in order to connect your own custom domain.
Similar to Wix, Squarespace is a website builder designed to be user-friendly and a breeze to update. It uses a similar drag and drop feature to build and manage the site, but it has slightly fewer functionality options when compared to Wix. The basic considerations outlined below for Wix websites will also apply to Squarespace.
Considerations to Keep In Mind
At face value, Wix and WordPress might seem like they are fairly similar, but there are some important distinctions. Here are some important considerations to keep in mind when planning for your new website.
Technical Expertise
This is a big one, because managing a website can easily turn into a full-time job. If you are a solopreneur or small business owner without a lot of team member support, consider how much time and effort you are willing to dedicate to your site as well as your technical expertise.
In general, WordPress takes more technical expertise and know-how to both build and manage. You may need some knowledge of basic HTML, although there are many templates and plugins you can purchase that often get around the need for that.
Wix on the other hand is designed to be extremely user-friendly to make updates a breeze. This comes with a downside (see below), but it might be for you if you don’t want to or can’t dedicate the time to manage a WordPress website.
Capabilities and Customization
WordPress wins out in this category, as it’s possible to create a fully customized site. If you need specific functionality not found in the box, you might want to consider a custom WordPress website to get exactly the design and functionality you need.
You can still customize Wix sites to look and feel the way you want them to as long as it functions within the overarching structure of the Wix platform.
Start-up Costs
How much can you invest in your new site? Fully custom sites usually come with larger start-up costs to design and develop, but that may not always be the case. WordPress is essentially free to create a website with, but you must purchase a domain and hosting to send your site live. The actual cost will depend on whether you build the site yourself or outsource it to a developer. Costs can also add up if you choose to purchase a theme or specific plugins to add new functionality to your site.
Wix has a basic free plan for when you are just starting out, but you’ll need to upgrade in order to connect your own custom domain and access additional features.
Ongoing Costs
Wix requires an ongoing, monthly plan to keep your site live and functioning. Costs vary, but you can expect to pay between $14 - $49 a month. This includes hosting.
With WordPress, the only ongoing costs are for hosting, which is typically around $10 a month.
Maintenance
Don’t you wish websites were a “set it and forget it” marketing strategy? Sadly, every good website requires frequent maintenance and updates to keep it functioning at its best. With a website builder like Wix, your monthly membership cost goes towards maintaining the Wix servers and keeping your site functioning smoothly. With WordPress, your site is independent and the regular maintenance falls on you. You should check your site at least bi-weekly for needed plugin updates and backups, or pay a website manager to do it for you.
eCommerce
The last key functionality to consider when choosing between Wix and WordPress is whether your site will have eCommerce features. Wix has been making strides in this arena as of late, but their features are still best suited for a very small eCommerce store. WordPress on the other hand can handle a wide range of eCommerce needs utilizing third-party plugins like Woocommerce. Depending on the exact functionality you are looking for, WordPress win’s out on the eCommerce front.
We've summarized the key considerations to factor in when deciding between WordPress and Wix websites in the graphic below.
What website platform does your business use? Why did you choose that one? Tell us in the comments below!
