Wix vs. WordPress – Choosing the Right Platform for Your Website

In the growing digital era, according to a Forbes report around 71% of businesses have a website in 2023, an online presence is essential for businesses, bloggers, or individuals, and choosing the right platform is the key to outshining the competitive digital landscape.

Since your website serves as your brand’s digital face, selecting a platform that aligns with your specific goals and requirements is imperative.

Two prominent contenders in the world of website creation are Wix and WordPress, each with its own set of benefits, functionalities, and limitations. Wix is user-friendly with a simple drag-and-drop builder, ideal for beginners and smaller websites. WordPress offers extensive customisation, flexibility, and scalability, making it suitable for more complex and diverse website needs but with a steeper learning curve.

Since both these platforms are almost similar, finding the best option for your business can be challenging, and this is where experts of Creato, A Leading web design agency in Sydney will play a significant role. We at Creato have been designing websites for 5+ years, offering customised website design services for construction, healthcare, real estate, fitness, clothing, fashion, and many others.

Most website-building platforms provide ready-to-install templates. However, our team at Creato opts for customised Wix and WordPress templates, which enhance online conversions, build trust and credibility, and help gain a competitive edge over template-based solutions.

Let’s get into the intricacies of Wix and WordPress, exploring their key features and attributes to understand which platform best suits your unique needs. Scroll down to know more!

What is Wix?

Wix is a web-based platform that enables users to make a website without needing coding skills. It operates on a ‘software as a service’ model, requiring a monthly subscription rather than offering software ownership.

Established in 2006, Wix has grown significantly, with over 178,323 websites built (in Australia) using the platform, as reported by Builtwith. The company employs over 5,000 people and aims to provide an all-in-one website creation and maintenance solution, including a custom domain, hosting, templates, a content management system (CMS), e-commerce capabilities, and customer support.

Wix operates entirely online, eliminating the need for software installation or web hosting concerns. Users can access Wix through any web browser and internet connection, offering flexibility in where and how they manage their site. There are two primary ways to start building a website on Wix:

• The ‘Wix Editor’ method involves selecting a template and manually customising your site’s structure and content. 
• Alternatively, ‘Wix ADI’ (Artificial Design Intelligence) automatically generates a customisable website based on questions about your goals and automatically sourced public information about you or your business.

Although the results from Wix ADI can vary, editing your website afterward is straightforward, allowing for easy customisation and refinement of your initial site design.

What is WordPress? 

WordPress, launched in 2003 by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little, began as a blogging platform but has since transformed into a comprehensive tool to create a WordPress website. According to data from BuiltWith, it powers approximately 651,055 websites (used by businesses in Australia).

WordPress is available in two variants:

• Hosted WordPress (WordPress.com): This version of Hosted WordPress (WordPress.com) offers a convenient, all-in-one solution for building and managing websites without purchasing separate web hosting. It’s ideal for users seeking simplicity and extensive features within various subscription plans.
• Self-hosted WordPress (WordPress.org): This open-source self-hosted WordPress (WordPress.org) caters to those who require full control and customisation over their website. It allows for extensive modification through themes and plugins. It requires users to manage their hosting and domain, offering greater flexibility at the cost of additional setup tasks.

Both versions of WordPress cater to a wide range of website building and management needs, from simple blogs to complex e-commerce sites, with the self-hosted option offering greater customisation and control at the expense of a steeper learning curve and more setup responsibilities.

Wix vs WordPress – A Quick Glance 

Category	Wix	WordPress	Winner
Cost	$16/Month to $159/Month	$8/Month to $45/Month	WordPress
Drag and Drop Interface	Yes	Yes	Draw
Storage Space	3 GB to 50 GB	1 GB to 50 GB – Depends on host	Wix
Free Themes/Templates	Yes (800+ free templates)	Yes (provides around 11,675 free themes)	WordPress
Custom Domain	Yes, provided with a free plan.	Provides free domain for one year.	Wix
Free SSL Certificate	Yes	Yes	Draw
Ease of Use	Simple, with step-by-step instructions.	Dashboards with multiple plug-ins installed can be difficult. Core elements are easy to understand.	Wix
Page Builders	Laggy website builder makes swapping between elements slow.	Gutenberg blog editor is simple, and multiple third-party choices are available.	WordPress
Customisation	Elements can be tweaked, but adding CSS will cost additional fees.	Provide a plethora of plugins and themes to make customisation easy and the ability to add CSS for ultimate control.	WordPress
E-commerce	It allows adding products in the free version but demands a plan upgrade to collect payment.	The wooCommerce plugin is available for e-commerce.	Draw
Third-party Extensions	300+ free tools on the Wix App Market	59,000+ free plugins	WordPress
Blogging	Supports blog post templates and layouts	Flexible block editor, native commenting system	WordPress
SEO	Basic SEO tools, Wix SEO Wiz tool	Advanced SEO tools and SEO plugins option available for free.	WordPress
Customer Support	24/7 customer support team, Wix Help Center	Customer support from the hosting provider, forums and helpful documentation.	Wix
Security	Built-in updates and other security measures	Depending on the web hosting, many security plugins are available.	Dra
Monthly Pricing	Free to $58 AUD per month	.org: Free (plus hosting costs) .com: Free to $US70 ($106 AUD) per month	Depends on specific needs
Free Templates	Yes	Yes (Both .org and .com)	Tie
Open Source	No	.org: Yes .com: No	WordPress.org
Support	24/7 callback, knowledge base	.org: Community support and guides .com: Varies by the plan; includes email, chat, forum, and guides	Depends on plan/needs.
Plugins	Yes	.org: Yes .com: Available on some plans	WordPress.org
Free Domain for 1st Year	Yes	.org: Depends on the hosting provider .com: Available if billed annually	Depends on hosting/provider.
Key Features	Suitable for small businesses and online merchants, offering great e-commerce features, appointment schedulers, and an extensive app market for additional tools and functionalities.	Features largely extend through plugins, offering vast customisation for various needs such as SEO, social media integration, and ecommerce, though plugin quality can vary.	Wix for simplicity and WordPress for customisation and scalability.
Advanced Designing Tools	Offers leading design tools, including Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI) for automatically creating custom sites.	Many advanced design tools are accessible only through premium plans. No Artificial Design Intelligence tools are available.	Wix
Type of Platform	Website Builder.	Content Management System (CMS).
User Opinions	Generally positive, praised for the ease of use.	Varies, but usually positive due to flexibility.

WordPress Pros and Cons

Pros 

• WordPress offers unparalleled flexibility, allowing users to tailor their sites to their exact needs.
• Users have access to thousands of plugins and WooCommerce themes to enhance functionality and design.
• WordPress is free to use, though hosting and domain registration incur additional costs.
• Equipped with powerful features suitable for blogging, e-commerce, and other online projects.
• Boasts a vast, active community providing robust support, continuous updates, and evolving features.
• WordPress allows user to create custom WordPress website design

Cons 

• More challenging to navigate for beginners compared to platforms like Wix.
• Some technical expertise required for setup and maintenance.
• Over time, costs for hosting, premium plugins, and added functionalities can accumulate, potentially making WordPress pricier than other platforms.

Wix Pros and Cons 

Pros

• Wix features a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, simplifying website creation.
• No need for coding skills to build a Wix website.
• Includes managed hosting and domain, ensuring hassle-free website maintenance and uptime.
• Offers a wide selection of e-commerce templates catering to various design preferences.
• Ideal for constructing basic websites and blogs, with capabilities for effective email marketing.

Cons

• Less customisation flexibility compared to WordPress.
• Offers a limited selection of features and plugins in comparison to WordPress.
• Premium plans can be costlier than WordPress, especially considering the limitations.

Wix vs WordPress – Which is Better for Your Business? 

Choosing between Wix and WordPress for a business website boils down to specific needs and proficiency in technology. Here’s a comparison based on critical business factors:

• Customisation and Growth: WordPress offers unparalleled customisation and scalability due to its open-source nature and extensive plugin library. It’s ideal for businesses aiming for a website that evolves with their needs.
• User-Friendliness: For companies looking for ease of setup, Wix stands out with its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, making the design process straightforward.
• E-commerce Functionality: WordPress, with options like WooCommerce, provides comprehensive e-commerce capabilities. Wix offers a simpler, more integrated solution but may not be as extensive as WordPress.
• Sales Funnel Optimisation: Both platforms support efficient e-commerce funnel creation. The choice depends on the desired level of customisation and control.
• SEO Tools: WordPress enhances SEO efforts with powerful plugins like Yoast. Wix includes built-in SEO functionalities, but they may not be as exhaustive as WordPress’s offerings.
• Security Management: WordPress requires regular updates to maintain security, while Wix manages security updates automatically, offering a less hands-on approach.
• Cost-Effectiveness: Wix’s pricing is straightforward with its tiered plans. WordPress can be more economical over time, albeit with a greater need for active management.

Ultimately, the decision between Wix and WordPress for a business website will hinge on balancing ease of use with customization needs, e-commerce requirements, and budget considerations.

Additional Details about Wix and WordPress

User-Friendliness And Learning Curve 

Wix is beginner-friendly with its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, making it ideal for those without coding experience. It excels in straightforward content creation but has limitations for advanced customisation.

On the other hand, WordPress offers more flexibility and control but comes with a steeper learning curve. It suits users with some technical knowledge or a willingness to learn. WordPress requires selecting a hosting provider, while Wix integrates hosting.

WordPress offers more portability and control over domain and email hosting. Both platforms have backup options, but Wix’s free plan has more limitations than wordpress.com’s functional free tier.

Customisation and Design

• Themes and Templates: Exploring the WordPress theme and template, we find that WordPress offers many free and premium themes catering to diverse website styles. Wix has a smaller template collection but focuses on visually appealing designs.
• Template Customisation: WordPress themes often allow for extensive customisation of colours, fonts, website layouts, and widgets. Wix provides visual customisation within its structured editor.
• Custom Coding Flexibility: WordPress excels in custom coding, enabling complete control over design and functionality with custom CSS, JavaScript, and child themes. Wix has limited custom coding options.
• Direct HTML/CSS Modification: WordPress permits direct HTML/CSS editing, while Wix provides an HTML editor, though it’s less code-centric.
• Mobile Responsiveness: Both platforms prioritise mobile responsiveness.

SEO Capabilities

• Built-in Features: Wix offers basic SEO tools, while WordPress provides more built-in features. Wix has a guided setup with beginner-friendly features, while WordPress requires more manual configuration.
• Overall SEO Capabilities: WordPress leads with powerful SEO plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math, offering advanced tools for keyword research, content optimisation, and technical SEO. Wix lacks advanced features but suits beginners.
• E-commerce: Both platforms support e-commerce, but WordPress offers more flexibility with plugins like WooCommerce.
• Social Media Integration: Both allow social media integration, with WordPress having a slight edge due to its extensive plugin library.
• Blogging: WordPress excels in blogging with dedicated features and SEO optimisation tools. Wix has blogging capabilities but is less robust.
• Plugin Repository: WordPress boasts a vast plugin repository, while Wix’s App Market is more petite and focuses more on design elements.
• App/Plugin Quality Control: WordPress has a larger community and stricter plugin review, leading to higher quality plugins.
• Website Speed: Wix websites are generally faster due to optimised infrastructure. WordPress can be fast but may slow down with excessive plugins. Choose wisely for optimal speed.

Wix and WordPress Pricing Plans 

WIX
Plan Name	Monthly Cost on Annual Plan	Best For
Free	$0	Testing purpose
Light	$15	For personal site
Core	$30	Entrepreneurs and small businesses
Business	$44	SME’s planning to expand their site or web presence
Business Elite	$179	High-traffic content websites or businesses
Enterprise	Request a Call	Larger e-commerce businesses with significant sales volume

 

WORDPRESS
WordPress Plan Name	Monthly Cost on Annual Plan	Best For
Free	$0	Personal use
Personal	$4 Monthly, billed yearly	Personal use
Premium	$8 Monthly, billed yearly	Freelancers
Business	$25 Monthly, billed yearly	Small businesses
Commerce	$45 Monthly, billed yearly	Online stores

Expert’s Advice for Choosing the Right Platform  

The decision between WordPress and Wix is less of a personal choice and depends more on your business’s needs and preferences. Wix offers a user-friendly interface and a straightforward website-building experience, demanding no technical expertise. It comes with a pre-packaged website kit, ideal for small businesses and individuals looking for an easy and hassle-free way to establish their online presence. On the other hand, WordPress stands out as a highly customisable platform, providing tools to create a unique and tailored website.

It’s more like a blank canvas, which you can design a website according to your business needs but requires more effort and time to learn. Therefore, WordPress is an ideal platform if you want complete control over your website’s design and functionality. We at Creato opt for a holistic approach to website design, creating platforms for both businesses and target audiences.

We aim to provide a user-friendly website, keeping visitors in mind and making it easy for them to navigate, find information, and engage with the content or services offered by the business. Our websites are known for intuitive navigation, clear organisation and responsive design for various devices, ensuring maximum business conversions.

Connect with our team of experts now to know more!