Thinking about creating a website? If you’ve already done your research, you’ve probably come across Wix and WordPress. Two of the most popular website providers, they’re both great options, but which one to choose? Depending on the type of website you need and your technical skills, one may be a better option than another. If choosing between Wix and WordPress is getting you into a wobble, let’s find out the best choice for you.
Wix
Building a website on Wix couldn’t be easier. All you need to do is pick a theme and edit it to your needs by moving different elements around on the page – but pick wisely, as you won’t be able to change the theme once you’ve chosen it. However, for the web design rookies out there (and let’s face it, that’s most of us) the process is a breeze. If you’re looking for simplicity and functionality, then Wix is the web design tool for you. The best thing about Wix is that it’s free, although you can access advanced features by upgrading to premium packages.
Wix Benefits:
- Drag and drop style editor gives you complete freedom to move elements around on the page
- Basic package is free to access
- A variety of add-ons for all website types
Wix Drawbacks:
- You can’t change the template of your site once it’s been created, so the only alternative would be to start again from scratch
- Dragging around different elements on the site editor can be time consuming
- Lacks a variety of features on the blog section, making it more difficult to customise or implement SEO
WordPress
A whopping 50% of the internet is powered by WordPress, making it easier for onboarding new colleagues to work onto your site in comparison to other, less widely used web builders.
Whether it’s developers, designers or content creators, most people know how to use WordPress. Bloggers are the biggest users of WordPress, though tools such as WooCommerce make it easy to use for those with eCommerce websites too.
When it comes to building your WordPress site, there are thousands of themes available. And even better, if you want to change it, you can do so immediately without having to start your website again from scratch. However, as the only drag and drop feature is in Gutenberg (a blog text editor), you’ll need to have some technical know-how, or may need to hire someone who does.
WordPress Benefits
- The most popular CMS on the internet with thousands of themes available
- Regularly updated
- Sophisticated blog tool that gives more content displaying options
- Access to tools such as Yoast SEO and Google Analytics (unavailable on Wix)
WordPress Drawbacks
- If you use the free version (WordPress.org) you’ll need to purchase hosting
- Premium themes can be pricey
- Some technical knowledge is needed to manage plugins
- Not at easy to access customer support
To sum up
And there you have it, a short but sweet comparison of Wix and WordPress. In a nutshell, Wix lets you hit the ground running with easy visual editing. You can drag, drop and move elements without needing to know a single line of code.
However, you can’t change your template later down the line, so it’s important to choose something you’re happy with. If you also decide to move providers, you may also need to rebuild your website from scratch. But for anyone who lacks technical knowledge, Wix is an ideal option.
WordPress is the go-to for everyone, from bloggers to business owners. Its huge market share means you’ll find way more plugins and features than any other provider, though these aren’t always cheap. With WordPress, you have the freedom of choosing any theme and changing it at any time – providing complete flexibility as your website grows and evolves.
A web designer can change or custom build you an entirely new theme on WordPress. While WordPress is more tricky to navigate than Wix, it provides businesses more freedom and flexibility. It has far more tools for SEO and bloggers too.