{"id":31335,"date":"2020-06-25T12:55:56","date_gmt":"2020-06-25T10:55:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpkraken.io\/?p=31335"},"modified":"2021-05-13T10:25:00","modified_gmt":"2021-05-13T10:25:00","slug":"wordpress-vs-wix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpkraken.io\/blog\/wordpress-vs-wix\/","title":{"rendered":"WordPress vs. Wix: The Ultimate Battle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The times could not be better for people who want to create a modern & beautiful website with little to absolutely no knowledge of web development<\/strong>. WordPress and Wix offer excellent solutions, a nearly unlimited number of different designs, millions of features, and a room for customization. Founded respectively in 2003 and 2006, they\u2019re the biggest players in the land of website building<\/strong>. Which one should you choose? In this article, we\u2019ll cover WordPress vs. Wix differences and show you the pros and cons of both tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Background Check: WordPress vs. Wix<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before we head into comparing these two platforms, let\u2019s take a step back and see how they were created.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WordPress started as a tool to build and host blogs, but the creators didn\u2019t want to stop evolving it. For years, they\u2019ve been pushing their product forward, working in an open-source model, and allowing thousands of contributors to pitch in. It\u2019s grown to become the most popular solution for building any website<\/strong>, including eCommerce, business websites, portfolios, social networks, and more. In 2020, WordPress powers nearly 40%<\/a> of all the sites on the Internet, with giants like Microsoft, The Rolling Stones, and the official White House website among its clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Wix<\/a> was established merely to create websites without experience in coding or design. However, it wasn\u2019t what the founders had in mind at first. In the middle of constructing a website for another start-up idea, Wix\u2019s creators realized how difficult and frustrating this process could be<\/strong>, so they\u2019ve decided to help millions of people by simplifying it. Wix was born out of a genuine need. Today, it has over 180 million users and grows every day to provide the latest technology available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"WordPress<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Self-Hosting WordPress vs. Wix\u2019s Premium Plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The cost is undoubtedly one of the crucial concerns when choosing the best website building platform. Especially if you\u2019re just starting and working on a small or nonexistent budget. Both WordPress and Wix are great (and cheaper!) alternatives to outsourcing the creation of your website to a professional web development company. Still, like everything in life – they don\u2019t come for free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your budget plans for building, hosting, and maintaining your website will differ<\/strong> depending on your decision. So, it\u2019s time for Round One: The Cost! Let\u2019s clash WordPress vs. Wix on the boxing ring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WordPress Is Free\u2026 But Where\u2019s The Catch?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

WordPress is open-source software that requires no fee<\/strong>. Installing it on your website is entirely free of charge, but-<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You knew there\u2019s a \u2018but\u2019 coming, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"WordPress<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While WordPress itself is indeed free, you need to put it somewhere<\/em>. It\u2019s kind of like a free cable TV: you\u2019ll need a TV to enjoy it. WordPress assumes you provide your own domain name and web hosting<\/strong>. Finding the right provider can take time, not to mention that it\u2019s an extra task on your list and makes you dependent on some third-party company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wondering what the price of a web hosting service is? Basic plans can cost you as little as $3 per month. Premium, managed services can come up to $29. There\u2019s arguably a room for flexibility here, so how much you pay will significantly depend on how much you actually need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s more, if you want to customize your website further or use specific, third-party plugins and themes, your bill will get even higher. Luckily, there are also tons of them available for free, so there\u2019s definitely an option to balance your spendings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wix: A Home For Everyone?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Wix advertises itself as a great, free tool to showcase your business, create logos, and build an online store. However, a lot of functionalities are locked behind a paywall<\/strong>, and the costless option has two major downsides. It won\u2019t give you the ability to use a custom domain name – you\u2019ll have to stick with username.wix.com\/sitename – and it\u2019ll show Wix ads on the top and bottom of your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To top that, free Wix doesn\u2019t include necessary add-ons such as eCommerce or Google Analytics. To enhance your experience of the website and give your users an ad-free product, you\u2019ll need to upgrade your Wix account and buy a premium plan. There\u2019s plenty to choose from, ranging from $4.50 to $24.50 per month, depending on your requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wix has one more paid feature – hiring a Wix expert to assist you<\/strong>. The range of service impacts the price, but if you plan smart, chances are you\u2019ll reap the benefits for a long time. Actually, I\u2019ll elaborate on the paid customization in a bit so make sure to read on and find out the details of this service!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Wix<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Visual Editor of WordPress vs. Wix ADI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

WordPress and Wix are good places to start if you want to build a website, but you have no experience with web design & development. They both offer instinctive solutions that make you feel confident with each step<\/strong> and every decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WordPress\u2019s Customization Tools<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of WordPress\u2019s best features is a WYSIWYG environment. The acronym meaning \u2018What You See Is What You Get\u2019 literally stands for the tool working like Microsoft Word or other text editors – you don\u2019t need to insert any code into your post to edit it. A visual editor lets you customize your text in a comfortable, intuitive way<\/strong>. The same goes for theme customizer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Visual Editor is just a part of WordPress\u2019s tools you need to get familiar with. To get full control of your site\u2019s appearance, you\u2019ll have to learn how to understand navigation menus and operate multiple mechanisms<\/strong>. By default, the platform doesn\u2019t include a built-in drag & drop page builder, but this doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t get one from a third-party provider!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news is that plenty of themes and plugins actually make customization easier<\/strong>! You may spend some time tracking the best ones for your product but have no fear – the WordPress community is large enough to provide you with all the help you need. Tutorials, beginner guides, and forums are there to help you get the expected result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wix\u2019s Lego-like Website Builder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once you establish your Wix website, customizing it is a piece of cake. Its powerful drag & drop interface lets you add sections to each page, and the range of options available meets plenty of business needs. ECommerce users can include a separate pricing section, booking, trip routes, and multiple types of forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"If<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Adding and customizing the content is arguably more natural and requires absolutely no knowledge; there\u2019s also zero learning curve for total beginners<\/strong> so that you can establish your website within minutes<\/strong>. But, if you really are in a rush – or don\u2019t like working with white canvas – Wix offers a real treat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ADI tool lets you build a website by answering a short questionnaire about your business benchmarks and goals. After you\u2019re done, you\u2019ll get a design based on your inquiries in moments – however, its features will be limited compared to a traditional Editor tool.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plugins & Themes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Both WordPress and Wix are strong players when it comes to plugins and themes. The platforms act as a canvas for hundreds of extra features that can elevate your website<\/strong> and take it to the next level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WordPress Has No Boundaries<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

WordPress has been known to offer a nearly unlimited number of themes and plugins<\/a>, mostly thanks to its open-source concept. Third-party companies present you with a sky full of opportunities – I think I won\u2019t exaggerate if I say there\u2019s a theme and a plugin for everyone out there. WordPress\u2019s code is flexible and open for customization<\/strong>, so it really is possible to get a product genuinely tailored to your needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"No<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, searching for a perfect solution can take a long time, perhaps even some trial & error. The deeper you dig, the higher the chance of putting your website at risk – WordPress community is full of outdated, faulty plugins that are a gateway for hackers. Not to mention that some products were created with the intention of malware from the very start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Got Your Mind Set on Wix?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Wix also comes with over 200 apps (both free and paid) that add functionalities to your website. Some of them are created by third-party developers as well. While the choice is limited, it covers the most coveted features. Users also have access to premium content, usually to be paid in a monthly subscription model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aside from Wix\u2019s limited plugins and themes library, this platform has one major downside when it comes to themes: once you set on one of them, you can\u2019t go back. The built-in tools allow for customization, but the user has to stay within the selected framework<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Going Beyond WordPress & Wix<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

WordPress, as well as Wix, is a high starting point, but as I\u2019ve mentioned already, the world of matching content goes way beyond these platforms. It probably won\u2019t be long before you decide to look out for premium, curated, tailored content, and professional help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once again – the WordPress community is enormous<\/strong>. On top of contributors building WordPress\u2019s own content, there\u2019s an abundance of third-party companies offering their services either free of charge or for a price. Over the years, the team has produced an entire army of WordPress professionals experienced with developing custom solutions<\/a>. In 2020, it\u2019s not hard to find experts to assist you or create the whole product from scratch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"WordPress<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Like I said in the cost section, Wix offers a service called Wix Pro help<\/strong>, in which you can ask for a no-commitment quote for improving selected features and hire a freelance, experienced designer that meets your expectations and your budget. They\u2019ll help you create a unique website and save you the time of clicking through the options yourself. You can also hire a third-party expert from other sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stepping Aside Your Mother Platform<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There can be a time when you\u2019ll feel like your current service provider – let it be WordPress or Wix – is not enough anymore. Perhaps a new player will show up on the ring soon, tempting you to migrate your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s where Wix\u2019s biggest drawback lies – if you ever decide to move away from the platform, you\u2019ll have to go through a complicated process<\/strong> that\u2019ll eat up some time and can lead to bugs<\/strong> or even bigger disasters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WordPress vs. Wix: Which One Should I Choose?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Time for the referee\u2019s final whistle! Unlike a real boxing match, this one doesn\u2019t end with a knockout. Both Wix and WordPress offer great solutions to those interested in showcasing their business without learning how to code or design. However, it seems that they meet different expectations<\/strong>, and each of these platforms suits a particular type of client<\/strong> better than the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we were to sum up all this and quickly compare both services in all categories mentioned, it\u2019s clear that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n