Comparing WordPress and Wix | Which is the Better for Your Website?

Choosing the right platform for your website is important for any website owner.

WordPress and Wix are two of the most popular website platforms available today. 

But which one is the best choice for you will depend on what you need out of a website and what your priorities are for your business. 

These are things that only you know. 

In this blog post, we’ll be exploring the differences between WordPress and Wix. Including their features, ease of use, cost, and more, to help you determine the best platform for your website.

Wix vs WordPress

When it comes to building a website, one of the most common questions is whether to choose WordPress or Wix.

On the surface, they both offer website creation services, but each comes with different features, functionality, and capabilities. 

WordPress is an open source content management system (CMS) that’s been around since 2003. It has a vast community of users and developers and is the leading platform for powering websites on the web.

On the other hand, Wix is a website builder that enables you to create a website quickly and easily without any technical knowledge or experience.

WordPress and Wix are extremely popular and offer some excellent features. Let’s compare them side-by-side to help determine which is best for your website needs.

Ease of Use

There are merits to both Wix and WordPress regarding ease of use.

Wix is known for its drag-and-drop editor and intuitive user interface. This allows users to create and launch a website in a matter of minutes.  

WordPress has advantages in this department too.

While it doesn’t have a drag-and-drop editor by default, it has an intuitive interface that makes creating a website simple and straightforward.

And frameworks like Kadence make it easier to build out the site. Especially when using a theme from a reputable theme designer like Restored 316.

Plugins and themes allow you to customize your site to fit your needs.

WordPress may be the better choice for people who want more control over their website without compromising user-friendliness.

But if you’re looking for an easy platform to create a basic website with minimal customization, Wix is a great choice.

However, if you want more advanced features and customization, and to be able to optimize your site for SEO, then WordPress is likely your best option.

Features

When it comes to features, both Wix and WordPress have a lot to offer.

WordPress has been around for over 20 years. And it has evolved to become one of the most feature-rich content management systems.

It provides a range of options, from simple blog posts to complex eCommerce stores.

Wix has also kept up with the times, offering an impressive range of features that make it suitable for many website needs.

In terms of content ownership, WordPress gives you complete control of your site and its content. 

This means you have the flexibility to host it on any server you prefer, allowing you to switch servers at any time.

If you use Wix to create your website, your content is stored on their servers.

This means that if you ever want to switch to a different platform, it can be a lot of work and may require a significant investment if you choose to hire someone to help you with the process.

This is important if you want complete control over your website or plan on using it as a business or eCommerce site.   

WordPress allows you to choose whatever plugins, themes, and other features you want. 

With Wix, you are restricted to the features that Wix offers. Meaning that you don’t have full control over your content or the option of customizing or adding additional features to your site.

Ultimately, when it comes to features, both WordPress and Wix offer a lot of great options.

The difference between them comes down to content ownership.

WordPress offers more flexibility due to storing content on different servers. So if you’re looking for full control over your website, WordPress is the way to go.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy platform to start, then Wix might be a better fit.

Flexibility

WordPress is an open-source platform that can be used for almost any purpose. In addition, you can use plugins and themes to customize your website to your exact specifications.

Wix is not as flexible as WordPress. While Wix offers some customization options, they are limited compared to WordPress.

This means that it is impossible to completely customize your website’s look and feel in the same way as WordPress. 

Additionally, it is important to note that WordPress powers more than 55% of the internet, making it the most popular website builder in the world.

This means there is access to integrations and other tools, as well as a community of users and developers with WordPress, that may not be available for Wix.

This is important when you want your website to integrate with other tools you use. Think email marketing platforms, client management tools, and more.

When it comes to flexibility, WordPress is clearly the superior option of the two.

While both platforms offer some level of customization, WordPress is more robust and can be customized in much more detail than Wix.

Additionally, with WordPress being the most popular website builder in the world, it has access to more integrations and tools than Wix.  Making it a more powerful option when building a website.

Support

When it comes to support, both WordPress and Wix have advantages.

Because WordPress is open source software, there are hundreds of resources for help if you have questions.

WordPress also has a large community of developers and users available to assist.

In addition, most web hosting companies offer additional support for WordPress websites.

Wix also offers good support.

The company has an extensive knowledge base with plenty of articles and videos to help you get started.

Furthermore, they provide live chat support so that you can get your questions answered quickly.

They also offer a forum where you can ask questions and get feedback from other Wix users.

In addition, Wix also provides phone support for more complex issues for some plan tiers. 

If you prefer to be able to pick up the phone or reach out for support via chat, Wix may be the better option.

But if you are good with gaining support from online resources such as forums and blogs, then WordPress could be an excellent platform for you as there are many helpful online communities assisting fellow WordPress users.

Pricing

Regarding pricing, both Wix and WordPress offer a range of options. For starters, Wix offers five different plans with varying levels of features.

The most basic plan is free but has quite a few limitations.

If you want more features, such as additional storage or access to a custom domain name, you’ll need to upgrade to one of the paid plans. 

WordPress is free to use but does require hosting, which can vary in price depending on your needs.

Additionally, plugins and themes are available that may require a fee to install. So there are some potential cost involved if you’re looking to customize your site. 

Ultimately, when it comes to pricing, both WordPress and Wix offer options to suit most budgets.

Security

When it comes to website security, there are some major differences between WordPress and Wix.

With WordPress, you have full control over the security of your website. This means you can install security plugins and choose which version of the software you want to run.

WordPress also keeps itself up-to-date with the latest security patches, so you don’t have to worry about keeping up with them yourself.

Wix, on the other hand, handles security for you.

All the updates, patches, and other security measures are handled by Wix’s servers, so you don’t have to worry about any of it.

Overall, both WordPress and Wix offer secure platforms for building websites.

If you’re looking for more control over your website’s security, WordPress is the better choice, as it is pretty secure out of the box but allows you to manage it further yourself.

On the other hand, if you don’t have a lot of experience with website security, Wix may be a better choice, as all the security measures are managed by Wix’s servers.

The downside to that is that you are limited to whatever the platform deems necessary for keeping your site secure. And that’s it.

eCommerce

Let’s talk eCommerce.

With Wix, you get access to their dedicated eCommerce plan.  Which gives you powerful features such as product and inventory management, tax calculation, and automatic shipping calculations.

Plus, you get a built-in shopping cart, secure checkout, discount coupons, abandoned cart recovery, and more. 

WordPress has some great options for eCommerce, including the popular WooCommerce plugin.

This plugin gives you powerful features such as product management, inventory control, marketing tools, tax calculation, and more.

You also have access to an extensive range of extensions and add-ons, so you can easily customize your store to fit your needs, allowing you to offer subscriptions, memberships, and variable products.

Overall, both Wix and WordPress offer great eCommerce solutions.

If you want more customization and control over your online store, then WordPress may be the better choice for you. With integrations, you can enhance the capabilities of getting the word out about your product offerings.

However, if you’re just starting out and only need a few features, then Wix may be a better option for you.

Blogging

When it comes to blogging, WordPress has a clear advantage over Wix. And small business websites can truly benefit from having a blog.

WordPress is well known for its blogging capabilities and allows users to post content to their websites easily.

With WordPress, you can create unlimited posts and pages, allowing you to customize your blog layout easily.

You can also use widgets to add extra functionality to your blog, such as image galleries, contact forms, and social media feeds.

Additionally, you have access to thousands of themes and plugins that will help you extend the functionality of your blog even further.

In contrast, Wix does not offer nearly as many features for bloggers. It offers some basic features like categories and tags.

Still, it does not provide any built-in support for blogging as WordPress does.

Additionally, the customization options for your blog are limited compared to WordPress.

When it comes to blogging, WordPress is the clear winner. Hands down!

It offers users a wide range of features and customization options to help them create a compelling and attractive website.

SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is optimizing your website’s content, structure, and code to make it easier for search engines to find and understand your content.

SEO helps ensure that when someone searches for a term related to your website, they can find it in the search results. When done correctly, SEO can help you get more traffic and conversions from your website, which translates into more potential customers and clients.

When comparing WordPress and Wix in terms of SEO, there are a few key differences that you should consider.

WordPress is known as one of the most SEO-friendly website building platforms.

This is because WordPress includes several features that make it easy to optimize your website for search engines.

These features include built-in tools for creating sitemaps, setting up redirects, creating meta descriptions, optimizing titles and headings, and setting up keyword research tools. 

Wix also offers some SEO tools, such as creating meta descriptions, editing page titles and URLs, adding alt tags to images, and integrating Google Analytics and Search Console.

However, Wix’s built-in SEO tools are not as comprehensive as WordPress’s and are not as easy to use. 

When it comes to SEO, WordPress is the clear winner over Wix.

WordPress offers more features, flexibility, and options for optimizing your website for search engines.

In addition, with WordPress’s vast library of plugins, you can extend its functionality further.

Design & Customization

Everything we have discussed so far is essential. But let’s not act like the ability to design and customize your site to your liking is also not significant.

WordPress offers a comprehensive collection of free and premium themes you can choose from, making it easy to create a unique website with minimal effort.

Furthermore, thousands of plugins are available that make customizing your website even more effortless. 

However, if you’re using WordPress, having some technical coding knowledge to customize every detail of your website comes in handy.

With Wix, on the other hand, you can easily create beautiful, professional-looking websites in no time with its drag-and-drop editor.

This makes it much easier for anyone to create a website quickly, even for those who don’t have any coding knowledge at all.

It’s also worth noting that, unlike WordPress, most of Wix’s features come at no extra cost — they’re included in the base package price. This means that you won’t need to pay extra money for different features or customization options. 

So if you’re looking for an affordable solution that will allow you to build an aesthetically pleasing website without much fuss quickly, then Wix might be right up your alley.

But both platforms have their pros and cons. Depending on your needs and requirements, either one could be suitable for you — it all comes down to personal preference.

The winner between WordPress Vs Wix

When it comes down to it, the winner between WordPress versus Wix depends on your needs. If you need an easy to use platform with drag-and-drop capabilities, then Wix might be a better choice for you. However, if you need more features and customization options, then WordPress might be better.

If you’re creating an eCommerce website, then WordPress is the clear winner with its wide range of plugins that allow you to manage your inventory and accept payments easily.

WordPress also has a large support community that can help you if you ever encounter any issues. 

For blogging, WordPress is also the top choice.

It has a variety of plugins that allow you to optimize your blog posts for search engine optimization (SEO), which can help boost your search rankings and visibility. WordPress also has a broader selection of themes and customization options than Wix.  

Comparing WordPress vs. Wix ultimately depends on what you need from your website.

While Wix offers an easier way to build a website, WordPress provides more features and customization options.

At Studio117, we build all websites using WordPress because we truly believe it to be the best choice for small business websites.

Whether you are using the standard block editor or a drag and drop plugin like Elementor, the capabilities are really endless.

The ;TLDR

If you’re looking for the simplest solution for creating a website, Wix is the clear winner with its drag-and-drop editor and array of features.

If you’re looking for a website platform that offers more flexibility and control, then WordPress is a better choice for you.

It allows you to customize your site according to your preferences and gives you the freedom to select your own servers for hosting your content.

This feature is crucial for ensuring security and overall control of your website. Additionally, WordPress supports a wide range of plugins and is generally considered to be more SEO-friendly.

Ultimately, the best platform for you depends on your needs and budget. Whichever one you choose, both WordPress and Wix are excellent choices for creating a website.