Is Wix better than WordPress?
It comes down to two simple questions. Are you a beginner with limited technical abilities? If that's the case, choose Wix.
Do you have technical knowledge? This means that you can install WordPress with a hosting provider.
Do you also know how to use the WordPress backend to publish and edit pages/posts? If that's the case, get a hosting account at Bluehost and create a WordPress blog.
Whichever option you choose, both are great for creating a website. In addition, you can import articles from WordPress to Wix.
Wix charges a monthly fee. If you decide to use WordPress, once installed, there are no monthly fees. Only hosting and a WordPress theme are required. Here is a list of best web hosts to help you.
Wix pricing
Wix offers eight options. If you are just starting out, All you need to do is go for the most basic plan, which costs $14 per month.
- Combo: $14/month
- Unlimited: $18/month
- Pro plan: $23/month
- VIP plan: $39/month
- Base business: $23/month
- Business Unlimited: $27/month.
- Business VIP: $49/month
- Business: Custom price
Advantages and disadvantages of Wix and WordPress
Benefits of Wix and WordPress
Benefits of Wix
- An all-in-one management platform
- Integrated e-commerce option
- Drag-and-drop site creation
- A supportive and responsive team to help you
Advantages of WordPress
- WordPress is free
- Frequent updates and a large community of adopters.
- Intuitive content management capabilities
- Extensive repository of themes and plugins
- The most popular website and blogging platform
Disadvantages of Wix and WordPress
Disadvantages of Wix
- Third-party ads are displayed on your site for the free version.
- You can't change the design of your site after choosing one.
- Monthly fees, minimum charge of $14 per month.
- A lot of the models are disappointing.
Disadvantages of WordPress
- The too many theme options slow down the time it takes to create the site.
- Some plugins may cause issues with specific theme options.
- No direct support, but support forums exist on WordPress.org.
- The learning curve of customizing your site layout can be steep.
If you are considering adding a blog to your site, regardless of the platform you choose, I recommend that you read my guides on writing a blog post that converts And on the monetizing a blog.
Additionally, to make sure your site appears in Google search results, read my guide on SEO will also be of great use to you.
Do you want a tool to monitor your SEO? Consult my List of the best SEO tools and software for your website.
Prerequisites for creating a website
- Domain name (for example, www.yoursite.com)
- Web site hosting (free for Wix users)
- WordPress.org installation (requires web hosting)
Now that you've got a quick overview of the pros and cons of Wix compared to WordPress, let's dive into the details if you're still hesitant.
The real cost of each platform
While both Wix and WordPress offer a free version of their platform, it's highly likely that you want to make a few upgrades to get your blog.
Wix pricing
Wix's basic website builder is free for you, but it comes at a (visual) cost for your readers; in fact, they'll have to watch ads for the entire time they're reading your blog.
Wix automatically installs an ad at the top of your blog when you use the free version of the platform.
The free version of Wix requires you to keep “Wix” in your URL, so you won't be able to create a custom domain name.
This is what your domain name will look like for the completely free option: your domain name. Wix.com
You also won't have access to all the features you may or may not need with the free version of Wix.
If you are just starting out, that's great. But When you are ready to give your blog a professional image, you will need to subscribe to a paid plan.
I recommend starting with an annual plan if you're going to stay with Wix for at least a year; that way, you'll get around a 20% discount.
If you buy an annual premium plan, Wix gives you a free domain name for one year and several hundred dollars in ad vouchers to use for Google Adwords.
WordPress pricing
WordPress is free to use. But the articles you create on WordPress will never see the light of day unless you have web hosting and a domain name.
You will need to buy both. But it is not a high cost. Des websites like BlueHost offer hosting and domain names for only a few dollars a month.
I suggest that you go with BlueHost. It's approved by WordPress and will give you a ton of additional benefits, like one-click WordPress installation and 24/7 WordPress support.
Other costs of a free WordPress account are plugins and themes. There are a large number of WordPress plugins you can choose from to improve the look and functionality of your WordPress site.
The price of WordPress plugins varies considerably: from a few euros to a few hundred. Luckily, there are also plenty that are free, so you don't have to spend extra money if you don't want to.
Is Wix a better choice than WordPress for the same cost?
Both Wix and WordPress are technically “free,” but Paying for upgrades is more or less mandatory for a successful site.
If you're making your decision based solely on price (which I don't suggest), then Wix is the best value.
But it's much more important to choose a website builder that will suit your needs, even if that means investing a bit more money.
Website design with Wix or WordPress
Your website may be full of the best information in the world, but if it's not visually appealing, not many people will read it. So let's dive into how design works on Wix and WordPress.
Website creation with Wix
Another reason Wix is a great choice if you don't want to tinker with your website too much: it comes with hundreds of pre-designed templates in a multitude of categories like personal, arts and crafts, and, of course, business.
Unfortunately, as I mentioned above, many of these models are far from great, and it's important to know that you're stuck with the model you're choosing.
But the good news is that there is several excellent models to choose from among the less good, and if you like most of a template but not all of its features, Wix provides a few tools for editing the template and moving its elements around.
If choosing and editing a template seems too time-consuming or too daunting, there's Wix ADI, a tool that asks you a few questions and then designs your website for you.
Website creation with WordPress
If a large number of design theme options are important to you, then WordPress will be your best bet. If Wix is a paint by numbers, WordPress is a giant white canvas.
WordPress has a lot more design themes than Wix, some of which are free and some of which are paid.
Like Wix, you can choose a WordPress theme that is designed for personal use, for a business, and for everything in between.
If you are wondering why you should use a paid WordPress theme when there are free ones, the answer comes down to features and support. You usually get more of both when your theme isn't free.
A third option with WordPress is work with a developer to create a theme completely unique for your website and your business.
Which one is the best for design?
When it comes to designing your site, everything depends on your definition of “best.” If, for you, “better” means that the design should be completed as quickly and with as little effort as possible, Wix is the ideal solution.
If personalization reigns supreme for you, choose WordPress instead. Start designing your WordPress website today.
Create a blog with Wix or WordPress
Chances are you want to use Wix or WordPress for your blog. So here are some key things to keep in mind about blogging with each platform.
Start a blog with Wix
I recommend using Wix if you're new to blogging and need something very basic.
While the blogging features that Wix has (archives, photos and videos, tags, and categories) are easy to use, that's all you'll need to get work done.
Wix doesn't have many of the “core” features that you might be used to if you've spent time blogging, like the ability to add featured images, native comments, or the ability to backdate posts.
Wix also uses a plain text editor that you may find frustrating if you've worked with platforms that have richer formatting options. That said, Wix offers a free image library, which WordPress does not.
Create a blog with WordPress
Most blogging veterans will tell you that WordPress is the best choice, especially since it was created as a blogging platform.
It has all the features missing from Wix, like featured images and native comments, as well as the Gutenberg block editor, which allows text to be formatted transparently.
All of this is standard with WordPress blogging. There is an unlimited amount of plugins that you can add to customize the blogging experience to suit your needs or those of your business.
Which is better for blogging: Wix or WordPress?
If blogging isn't a critical part of your website strategy, Wix is perfect. But if that matters, choose WordPress for blogging.
Create web pages with Wix or WordPress
Chances are you'll be using the platform you choose for a large portion of the day, so it has to be something you enjoy using, and it's an area where Wix is clearly winning the crown. Let's take a look at how easy Wix is to use compared to WordPress.
Create web pages with Wix
Even if you're not new to blogging, chances are you'll find creating pages and posts with Wix more enjoyable.
The creation of a page or an article is very visual; Simply drag and drop your favorite elements where you want them on your page.
You can reorder and resize items as needed. And it is not necessary to know how to code to design a page on Wix.
Create web pages with WordPress
While navigating WordPress is still easy, it's not as easy as Wix's drag and drop system. Instead, you'll need to use navigation menus to personalize your page.
That said, you can still use WordPress without much coding knowledge - the visual editor makes things easier.
Unlike Wix, you won't see your changes in “real time.” You'll need to save them and then generate a preview of your page. It's easy to do, but it's an extra step.
There are ways to make WordPress as easy to use as Wix, but you'll need to install a plugin.
If you want to take advantage of Wix's drag and drop functionality, I recommend downloading the beaver builder plugin for WordPress.
What is the best way to create articles and pages: Wix or WordPress?
When it comes to ease of use, Wix is the best choice. But if you want to have more control over the look and functionality of your site, you'll need to go the extra mile with WordPress.
Start creating posts and pages with Wix today.
Plugins under Wix and WordPress
Wixs uses “applications” but if you use WordPress, third-party extensions will be called “plugins”. Plugins are features that you can add to the platform of your choice to make your site more robust, easier to use, or, if possible, both.
Here's what you can expect from adding third-party applications on each platform:
Wix Plugins
The name of the game with Wix is simple and streamlined, which in this case means that they have far fewer app choices than WordPress — only a few hundred.
That said, the included apps offer almost everything you need to add to your site: think of the basics like social media buttons and contact forms.
Most apps are free. (Although there are a few paid options.) And even third-party apps are reviewed and verified by Wix.
Like I said about other Wix features, it's a good option if you're just starting out and need the bare essentials.
WordPress Plugins
WordPress is a real treasure trove of plugins; there are tens of thousands of options and more are being created all the time.
Add to that plugins sold by other markets, and you have an almost endless choice when it comes to installing analytics software or just about anything you can imagine.
Like with Wix, some of these options are free and others are chargeable. If you are looking to build a robust site with numerous features, or to engage in more complex activities (like an online course for example), you will probably need the multitude of WordPress plugin options.
Which is better for 3rd party extensions: Wix or WordPress?
Because of the amount of plugin options available, I highly recommend WordPress. Get started with WordPress today.
Exporting content to Wix and WordPress
There may be times when you need to export content from your site, which can be extremely frustrating if the platform you're working with makes the process difficult.
So let's take a look at how easy it is to export content from Wix and WordPress.
Exporting content from Wix
I'll get right to the point: if you think you're exporting content from your site for any reason, don't choose Wix.
Wix is bluntly telling you that your content isn't meant to be exported and that it is hosted exclusively on its servers.
That doesn't mean you can't move your content around if you really need to, but the process will be a bit painful. You'll need to download everything manually, including all of your images and videos.
Exporting WordPress content
In comparison, exporting content from WordPress is a dream. With one click you can download all your content in XML format and transfer it as you see fit.
Which is better for exporting content: Wix or WordPress?
There is no competition here. WordPress makes exporting your content much easier than Wix.
E-commerce under Wix vs WordPress
If you're using your website to sell a product or service, it's critical to know which platform will best help you make sales.
If you don't know how to start an e-commerce business, I recommend that you read this article on creation of an e-commerce business.
E-commerce with Wix
The first thing you need to know is that you won't be able to do e-commerce if you haven't paid for Wix ; their free plan doesn't offer this feature.
If you have switched to a paid plan, you can use WixStores. Three of Wix's plans already include it.
It works smoothly and has useful features such as currency conversion and automatic sales tax, but it's important to note that You will only be able to accept payments using Authorize.net or PayPal.
There are additional paid apps that you can add to your Wix Ecommerce suite, but I don't recommend them for the price.
E-commerce under WordPress
WordPress uses woocommerce, an extremely popular platform in the e-commerce world.
Not only is WooCommerce more user-friendly, it's also much more flexible and customizable, allowing your business to grow along with your customer base.
Remember that you'll need to pay for the costs associated with WooCommerce, like hosting and the theme. And just like with Wix, you can also use third-party plugins to improve the experience.
Is Wix better than WordPress for e-commerce?
You should only use Wix for e-commerce if you're selling a casual item., like a limited-run T-shirt line.
If I had to choose between Wix and WordPress, I would have to go with WordPress.
However, Shopify would be my top choice for e-commerce outside of Wix and WordPress options.
I have written a guide on creating a Shopify store that I recommend that you read. Shopify is considered to be one of the best e-commerce platforms in the world.
Learn more about Shopify
Support when using Wix and WordPress
Murphy's Law usually shows up the moment you're about to launch a new product or publish an important article, and when that happens, it's good to have expert help.
Wix stays true to its reputation as the best site for beginners, generally offering much more help to people in trouble than WordPress.
Wix Customer Support
First of all, the chances of you having trouble using Wix are minimal. As I mentioned before, it is very easy to use. But if you run into a problem, there are a number of ways you can get help.
Wix has plenty of online tutorials that can help you get out of a sticky situation. You can also call them for support Monday through Thursday from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. (ET).
If you call outside of these hours, you can leave a request for them to call you back.
WordPress customer support
Perhaps because WordPress is often used by those who are a bit more experienced in the online sphere, the platform team offers less support.
The best way to solve a WordPress problem will be to read articles written by other users, rather than speaking directly to the WordPress team.
You will probably find the answer there, but you may need to sift through lackluster texts.
Who has better customer support: Wix or WordPress?
If you are new to the world of websites, Wix will seem much more user-friendly thanks to its real and easily accessible human assistance.
SEO by Wix vs WordPress
Both Wix and WordPress offer extensions that facilitate SEO. Let's see which are the best.
SEO under Wix
There are several SEO apps you can use with Wix, but the most popular one is called Site Booster, which is free to use with the Wix unlimited plan. If you're using a lower-tier Wix plan, you can still use Site Booster; it'll just cost you a few dollars each month.
This app allows you to do all the important things you need to do for SEO, like targeting keywords and tracking performance.
SEO under WordPress
If you've used WordPress before, you already know Yoast or the all-in-one SEO pack. Both are by far the most used SEO plugins on the platform. Both will help you with essential SEO tasks.
While there is a free version of Yoast, its features are minimal. So you'll probably want to upgrade to the paid version, which costs around 70 dollars.
I recommend using the All in One SEO package to save money if you're on a budget. Both are practically the same product, but the All in One SEO package costs less, $49 compared to $70 for Yoast..
Which is better for SEO: Wix or WordPress?
Both Wix and WordPress have great SEO plugins, so you don't necessarily risk hurting your rankings if you choose one over the other.
But WordPress offers more SEO options, making it the best choice if you want to be more rigorous in your SEO strategy.
Start creating a WordPress site
Wix vs WordPress maintenance
Like anything else in your business, the website builder you choose will require some maintenance.
But since you have a lot of things to do, I recommend that you choose a platform that automates its own maintenance as much as possible.
Wix maintenance
Updates are fully automated with Wix, so you don't have to do any work on your own to maintain the health of your site.
Plus, Wix is always offering new applications to add to your existing model, an important feature since, as mentioned above, once you've chosen a template, you can't change it.
WordPress maintenance
With WordPress, you need to put a little (very minimal) work into updates. Several times a year, you will receive a message telling you that it is time to install one.
It is necessary to do this, otherwise some elements of your site (such as applications) may have problems.
Some hosting platforms, themes, and plugins update automatically for you. So be sure to check what you need to do for each component on your site.
Which is better for maintenance: Wix or WordPress?
With Wix, updating and maintaining your website requires no intervention on your part, while WordPress requires a bit of work, but it's minimal.
If you were already leaning towards WordPress, don't change your decision now.
Final opinion
The best website builder for you and your business depends on your goals.
If you're looking to build a website as quickly and with as little effort as possible and are willing to sacrifice some customization to get there, I recommend Wix.
If you want to have (much) more control over the look and functionality of your website and/or if you use it primarily for blogging or e-commerce, I recommend WordPress.
I would like you to tell me which option is best for you and why? What difficulties do you face in choosing between the two options?
