Both Wix and WordPress are tools for building a website. It is not an easy decision regarding which one to choose, especially if the user is new to developing a website.
WordPress is a content management system, and Wix is a website builder. The user needs to understand their difference before deciding what to choose.
In this blog, we will compare Wix vs WordPress based on six parameters, to help users in determining which platform is best for them.
Wix vs WordPress – A Detailed Comparison
1) Costs and Pricing
The first thing the user needs to determine is the cost of developing a website. Cost and pricing play an essential role in choosing the platform. It depends entirely on the user’s budget. In this section, we will determine which platform is cost-effective.
WordPress:
WordPress is free to use platform due to being open-source. Users will need their web hosting and domain name for installation. There are also many web hosting providers for the user, and it depends on their budget.
In case the user decides to go for premium WordPress themes or plugins, the cost will increase. Although they have the option to reduce costs by going for free WordPress plugins and themes. It allows users to add features without having to upgrade their hosting plan.
Read: Complete Step-by-Step Guide on How to Crete a Website on WordPress.com
Wix:
The basic version of the website builder is given for free by Wix. But there are two disadvantages to the basic version. The first one is that the custom domain name is not allowed, the website address is going to be username.wix.com/sitename, and the second one is that there is a brand advertisement on the bottom and top of the website.
Necessary add-ons are also not provided in the basic version. There are several premium plans, and each one gives different storage and bandwidth limitations.
All these costs don’t include apps that the user buys from the Wix app market.
Conclusion:
WordPress wins in terms of Costs and pricing because it gives the user the freedom to use it in any way he/she wants. Several web hosting companies provide flexible plans, and the cost depends on the resources the user has.
2) Layout and Design
A website’s success depends on layout and design. The design needs to be attractive and user-friendly. In this section, we will determine which platform provides the best design and layout.
WordPress:
Users have the option to choose from thousands of paid and free themes in WordPress.
Free themes have limited support, although they go through a thorough review process. On the other hand, paid ones have premium support options and more features.
WordPress themes have built-in customization options. Users can customize these WordPress themes with the help of styling plugins.
Free themes are available to download from WordPress.org. Users can purchase paid ones from shops such as CSSIgniter, Themify, and StudioPress.
Check out the best WordPress themes for bloggers in 2024.
Wix:
It has around 500 templates for users to pick from in Wix. Their design is written in HTML 5 and is fully responsive. Users can customize the design of the website with the help of built-in tools. They can rearrange items and change the layout.
The designs are available for any type of website. There are five categories of templates, for example, eCommerce, personal, hobbies, art & craft, and business.
Templates cannot be changed once they are selected. Users can use the built-in tools to customize and modify it but cannot change it to a different one. It is a significant disadvantage of Wix.
Conclusion:
WordPress has more variety of design layouts and themes in comparison to Wix. There are no restrictions for users in customization or switching themes in WordPress.
3) Which is a better platform for blogging?
Users can use both Wix and WordPress for blogging. Often when starting a blog, they look for an accessible platform to begin their blogging. In this section, we will compare which platform is better for blogging.
WordPress:
43% of websites nowadays are running on WordPress. Formerly it started as a blogging platform, but slowly it evolved into a complete website builder.
WordPress has all the required features for blogging, including advanced features. Users can use the Gutenberg block editor in creating attractive layouts for their blogs. It has a native commenting system.
Users can extend their blogs with any plugins or add any feature that they would like in their blog posts.
Wix:
Wix comes with all the necessary features required for blogging, for example, categories, videos and photos, tags, archives, etc.
It does not have a native commenting system, unlike in WordPress. Wix utilizes Facebook comments, and these comments aren’t portable.
There is also a lack of features such as backdating posts, featured images, and many more. For blog posts, the writing interface is not the same as in the Wix website builder. It uses a plain text editor, and it is limited in terms of formatting options.
Conclusion:
WordPress surpasses Wix as a blogging platform. Wix is too basic and lacks many essential features.
4) Data Portability
Data Portability gives users the freedom to move their content away if they want to do it. In this section, we will compare data portability in WordPress and Wix.
WordPress:
It is easy for WordPress users to export their content. With just one click, users can download their content in XML format. As WordPress is a self-hosted platform, users have the option to create backups, download their media files, and manually export their WordPress data.
If users are not satisfied with their current host company, they can quickly move their WordPress website to a new web host.
Wix:
There are limited options in Wix to move the content to another platform. Users can export their blog posts if it is in the XML format, and they need to manually download pages, images, videos, and other content. Wix hosts the entire content on its servers, and users cannot export it elsewhere.
Conclusion:
In terms of data portability, WordPress is much better at moving data.
5) The Ease of use
When starting a blogging website, beginners prefer to create it without having to code or hire a website designer. Users can create their websites in Wix and WordPress without having to code. In this section, we will compare which platform is easy to use.
WordPress:
Users can use the visual editor to write the content. WordPress has a theme customizer if the user wants to edit the properties of themes they use on their website.
Although WordPress doesn’t have a built-in drag and drop page builder, users will have to get a general idea of the different sections such as customizer, navigation menus, visual post editor, etc. There is a small learning curve, but the availability of thousands of themes makes customization easy for the website.
Wix:
Users get simple to-use and the best tools to build their website in Wix. It comes with a drag and drops interface, and users can drag and drop items anywhere on their website. They can rearrange sections on their web page, write content, and add media in a user-friendly environment. It is excellent for beginners who do not know how to code.
Conclusion:
Wix is the definite winner. Users aren’t required to invest time in learning the platform or installing any plugins to create the website. WordPress has a bit of a learning curve and requires the installation of necessary plugins to develop the website.
6) Apps and Plugins
Third-party extensions such as apps and plugins can add additional features to the website. In this section, we will compare the plugins and apps on both platforms.
WordPress:
Around 55,000+ free plugins are available in the WordPress.org plugins. It also has premium plugins. Users can do nearly anything from the plugins available on WordPress. There is a plugin available for everything.
Wix:
It has around 200+ apps, and these apps provide a wide range of features. There are free or lite versions, and some apps require monthly payments or vary in price. Wix has a limited collection of apps, but it covers all the necessary requested features.
Conclusion:
WordPress is a clear winner in this area. Users have a large pool of WordPress plugins and apps to choose from, and although, Wix’s app library is increasing, it is still limited in comparison to what WordPress offers.
7) eCommerce Comparison
Let’s see how Wix and WordPress compare in eCommerce because selling things online is an essential feature that most users are looking for when choosing a platform.
WordPress:
42% of eCommerce sites run on WordPress. With the help of WooCommerce, WordPress makes it a seamless process to create an online store. There is a large variety of eCommerce plugins that users can utilize in the selling of their digital or physical goods, subscriptions, events, and more.
The eCommerce plugins even have their add-on plugins and dedicated themes.
Wix:
The eCommerce comes with paid plans in Wix. Free plan users cannot use the eCommerce store on Wix. They will have to upgrade to a paid plan. WixStores allows only Authorize.net and Paypal as payment gateway.
Users can use third-party apps for selling, but it would cost money because these apps have monthly fees.
Conclusion:
WordPress + WooCommerce provides freedom, flexibility, and choices in comparison to Wix. It is a perfect choice for creating an online store that can grow in the future.
Wrapping up
As a web publishing platform for websites, WordPress is far better in comparison to Wix. Users can accomplish many things with WordPress in the long run.
We hope that reading this blog helped you in choosing the right platform for you.
Author Bio:
Prinsa Prajapati is a technical content writer who loves to write about WordPress web development and also shares knowledge about the latest advancements in the world of web design with a Siliconithub. She also likes to share ideas about CMS, various software, programming languages, and technologies.
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✌🏻great information brother!
Amazing Comparison between both. Thank you For Useful Information!
WordPress is better than Wix.
WordPress is easy to handle than others.
Yes, quite WordPress is easy then Wix, in WordPress we can optimize website as per SEO standards.
WordPress is easy to handle than others.
WordPress is easier and user friendly. WordPress is best
WordPress is far superior to Wix as a web publishing platform for any kind of website.
WordPress is far superior to Wix as a web publishing platform for any kind of website. While Wix offers an easy-to-use website builder, you can accomplish a lot more with WordPress over the long run. See our guide on how to make a website using WordPress for step by step instructions.