A few years back, it would have been easy for me to shout “WordPress!” in a heartbeat if you asked me to do a comparison involving Wix vs WordPress.
Yes, you read that right. But that’s not the case.
The current landscape is ever-evolving, and there are younger, more agile, and even more purpose-driven players on the field. What content are you looking to create?
Let me help you make a choice.
So, let’s do a Wix vs WordPress debate today. Choosing between these two big names is not easy, especially if you want to build a website for the first time.
But Check this out!
Wix is relatively new, although it has soared to the dizzy heights of international popularity over the recent years. It boasts tons of fans, including celebrities like Karlie Kloss. On the other hand, WordPress is a dominating name. It is safe to say it currently powers almost a third of all websites.
I plan to make it easier for you to choose between the two. Therefore, I’ll start by highlighting their fundamental differences, and then we can take a plunge into their pros and cons.
Let’s get started.
→Download Now: Free Blog Post Format Template
Key Difference Between Wix And WordPress
If you are a beginner and possibly a non-coder, you will find Wix to offer better solutions. It comes with everything in-built, so it’s easier for you to get started, even if you are not tech-savvy.
So, What about WordPress?
WordPress is self-hosted, and it allows you to build a site from scratch. You need to be well acquainted with some techy stuff for you to set up your website. For tech-savvy fellows, using WordPress is quite exciting, and it offers more room for creativity.
See the difference yet? Let me explain further.
Here’s an undeniable Wix vs WordPress truth; WordPress is more powerful than Wix. However, you need more technical knowhow to take full advantage of it and possibly create a complex website. If you want to enjoy complete flexibility, you must have some coding knowledge.
Wix simplifies everything for you. It even provides design assistance to ensure you can easily and quickly set up a professional-looking website.
Sounds Impressive. Right?
Users also benefit from a suitable range of in-house features, including pre-designed templates and in-built security.
A Guide For Choosing Between Wix And WordPress
Which is the better option, Wix, or WordPress? For you to have an easier time making your final decision, find out which category you fit into:
Newbie Building a Website | Wix |
Website Owner Who Wants To learn and be in control | WordPress |
Someone In Need Of a Blog | WordPress |
Someone In Need Of a Basic E-commerce Store | Wix And WordPress |
A Newbie Building A Website For The First Time
If you are new to building websites, it is best to stick to the most user-friendly platform. That would be Wix.
This platform allows you to set up your website within minutes. The steps involved are outlined clearly, and there are loads of useful features that will get you started without breaking a sweat.
A Website Owner Who Wants To Learn and Be In Control
Are you happy to get your hands dirty, master how websites work, and have a blast while at it? If your answer is yes, then WordPress will offer you the best solution.
Let’s dive right in.
WordPress gives you complete control over your website and provides a myriad of plugins that allow you to extend tons of features to your website without any limitations. There are thousands of excellent themes to choose from, and some are even modifiable.
But don’t get me wrong!
I think both Wix and WordPress are great, and I honestly don’t have a personal favorite. However, WordPress takes home the crown for having a massive community on numerous resources, including Twitter and official forums.
Someone In Need Of A Blog
Again, WordPress takes home the crown. Blogging on WordPress is a walk in the park. Compared to blogging on Wix, WordPress has better optimization for running blogs, and this gives it some serious bragging points.
Take it from me; the time and effort you spend on the setup will all be worth it.
Someone In Need Of a Basic E-commerce Store
WordPress should work perfectly for you but you’ll need to couple it with a plugin like WooCommerce.
Integrating WooCommerce into your WordPress website needs some skill so you will need to take into consideration the learning curve.
There are easier eCommerce website builders like Shopify that should take a shorter time to learn and integrate.
WordPress and Wix Pros And Cons
Let’s begin by analyzing the strengths of both Wix and Wordpress.
So stick with me here.
Wix Pros
- You can set up your website from start to finish on Wix.com
- Wix.com handles all the technical stuff
- A suitable range of features are available
- Integrated eCommerce available
- Drag-and-drop site building available
- It’s easy and fast to get started —it typically takes a few minutes
- Support available
WordPress Pros
- The WordPress software is free
- Thousands of themes and plugins available (much more than what Wix offers)
- More design options than Wix
- Popular CMS powers about a third of all websites
- Lively community and frequent updates
- Exemplary content management capabilities (better than what Wix can offer)
- Blogging on WordPress is easier and better than blogging on Wix thanks to their excellent blogging module
- WordPress is highly customizable—users are in full control of customizing their sites
It’s time to take a peek into the ugly side of both Wix and WordPress. Shall we?
Wix Cons
- Your level of control is limited, and Wix can pull down your site whenever they want, for whatever reason
- Some designs are neither unique nor aesthetically appealing
- It’s impossible to change your site’s design at a later date — you get stuck with the first design you choose
- Some designs are not SEO friendly
- Limited customization capabilities
- Compared to blogging on WordPress, blogging on Wix is a nightmare because of the somewhat wonky blogging module
WordPress Cons
- Domain and hosting are not free
- You have to do some serious technical heavy lifting, especially if your hosting company is not reliable
- Mastering all the different and unique themes is an uphill task
- Lots of plugins and learning how they work and interact with the user is not easy
- The intuitive interface for the admin dashboard is mediocre
- Only support forums, no actual WordPress support
The Bottom Line
There you have it, a detailed Wix vs. WordPress comparison. Does the old WordPress still have the edge over the newcomer Wix? Well, it all depends on why you need a website and how tech-savvy you are.
In a nutshell,
Think of it as choosing between MS Word and Google Docs. Both options have some serious pros and cons, so it all boils down to your needs and personal preferences.
Is Wix or WordPress better?
Wix is better suited for beginners while WordPress is more technical. WordPress is best where complex websites are needed. On the other hand, Wix is easier to use but it’s flexibility is limited as compared to WordPress.
Is Wix and WordPress the same?
Both are websites building sites but they all have different approaches. For example Wix is a website builder while WordPress is a content management system. WordPress is free to use and modify. However some tools like plugins and themes may cost money
Is Wix more expensive than WordPress?
The monthly pricing of Wix are simple hence it is easy to know how much that you are going to use in a month. For WordPress, it is hard to say but is is cheaper due to Wix’s flat monthly billing
Can you switch from Wix to WordPress?
There is no tool which can allow you to switch from one platform to the other.Although it is possible to use a plugin to import a static HTML files to WordPress. Wix does not allow you to export pages