From themes to editors. The two most popular site builders have crucial differences.
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#1 Introduction

Having doubts Wix vs WordPress?

I get you! It’s a choice many people have doubts about. And I’m here to help you understand the differences, so you can make the choice that’s best for you!

You found the right page. I’ve built and analyzed over 300 websites built with Wix and WordPress, and I’m here to share my experiences with you.

My work is supported by affiliate commissions. Learn more.

Ralph de Groot
My name is Ralph de Groot. I’m the founder and author at My Codeless Website. Wake me up for a great web design!
Pricing
Templates
Beginner friendly
Ecommerce ready
SEO ready
Customer support
Overall grade
Where to buy
Wix
$4.50 monthly for the most basic plan
800+
Very easy
Fully integrated ecommerce plans
Great for SEO
Great support
8.7
Try Wix
WordPress
Free
Thousands
With the right hosting, super easy.
Comprehensive ecommerce toolkit
Great for SEO
Little support
9
Try WordPress

Wix vs WordPress at a glance

1. Two most popular website builders

Wix and WordPress are the two top-rated website builders on the market. Combined, they have over 2 million websites up and running.

2. Aggressive feature releases

Both Wix and WordPress have been releasing new features at the speed of light. It’s clear that they’re going head to head to become the most popular website builder. That being said, when one of them releases a popular feature, it won’t be long until the other releases it as well.

3. Main difference between Wix and WordPress 

The main difference between Wix and WordPress is their technical approach. Wix has hosting and technical support for you to rely on. With WordPress, it’ll require you to do everything yourself, from setup to security.

4. Incredible templates

WordPress has 8,000+ free themes, while Wix has only 800. That being said, I’m sure you’ll find a beautiful one with both of them!

5. Disadvantages WordPress ❌

  • Requires technical knowledge to use 
  • Only offers limited SEO optimizing features 
  • It does not provide official support

6. Disadvantages Wix ❌

  • It’s impossible to get custom solutions from support
  • They don’t offer a one-time pricing
  • The customer support isn’t amazing

#2 How to install Wix or WordPress

Installing Wix or WordPress is actually super easy! Just follow my steps, and you’ll have everything set up in less than 5 minutes. Pinky promise!

I split it up into 2 phases. 

Phase 1 is for Wix, and Phase 2 is for WordPress. 

Phase 1 – How to Install Wix 

Step 1: Go to the website of Wix and click on start now.

Step 2: Sign up for a free account.

Step 3: Choose a template or let Wix build one for you

Choose your favorite template and build your site with our Editor or answer a few questions and let us create the perfect site for you.

Phase 2– How to Install WordPress

I recommend you to set up WordPress with the one-click install by Bluehost.

All you need to do is create a Bluehost account and click ‘install WordPress’.

It’s that easy. Let’s start!

Follow these 4 steps to set up your hosting account:

Step 1: Open the website of Bluehost and click ‘get started’.

I arranged a nice 50% discount for your entire hosting plan.

Step 2: Select your hosting plan.

Depending on how many websites you’re planning to host, you can select your plan. If you only need to build 1 website, you can select the cheapest one.

Step 3: Find an available domain name.

Here comes the fun part. Play around with the domain name checker and find one that’s available. Click ‘next’ if you found one.

Step 4: Enter your details and confirm the payment.

Now you’ve registered with Bluehost, it’s time to install WordPress. Luckily for you, this is the easiest part. Bluehost offers a one-click install for WordPress.

Here’s what you need to do:

In the control panel on your left side, click ‘My Sites’.

From here you can launch your WordPress website by clicking on ‘Create a site by WordPress.

That’s it. It’s dead easy.

#3 Templates

Wix Templates

Let’s start with some amazing Wix templates.

Wix users have access to hundreds of different templates to choose from. They are divided into numerous categories based on the niches or types of internet sites they are intended for. These categories are super-specific so choosing what is right for you should be easy.

Just replace the placeholder content with your own and that’s it, you got a website. You can adjust elements to make them just the way you like it.

In fact, click here if you want to see the other 800 Wix templates.

Wix template 1 – Johnson 

Wix template 2 – Vista 

Wix template 3 – Knox 

Things you should know about Wix Templates

A few important notes:

  • All templates are responsive. They will fit any browser on any device and are 100% mobile-friendly.
  • All templates can be customized to the maximum. There are no limitations. You can adjust any Wix template to whatever you like.

WordPress Templates

Let’s continue with some amazing WordPress examples. 

There’s a lot of misunderstanding when it comes to WordPress design language

If you ask me for a good template example, I’d think of it as a theme recommendation. Pretty confusing, right?! 

However, fear not. I’m here to make things clearer.

In WordPress terminology, a theme is the overall design of your website, whereas a template is used to determine the layout of a single page only. Overall, they both differ in the number of pages they affect. Nonetheless, here are a couple of WordPress theme examples for your reference: 

 

WordPress Theme 1 –  Neve 

WordPress Theme 2 – Hestia

WordPress Theme 3 – Colibri

Things you should know about WordPress Themes:

  • WordPress has thousands of appealing themes, allowing you to customize and adjust your work to your liking.
  • No need to worry yourself because WordPress themes are 100% responsive. 
  • Although most WordPress themes are free, it doesn’t mean that you can’t edit them the way you want. There are literally no limitations. You can customize the theme so that it precisely complements your content. 

Winner:

For me, WordPress wins this round. It provides a far greater selection of themes and design layouts than Wix.

#4 The Editor

It’s tough to compare the user interface of Wix and WordPress, as it’s highly dependent on personal preferences.

There will be tons of people who think that WordPress clearly has a better editor. But then again, others will say Wix wins.

I’ll start comparing the two for you to see the difference:

The Wix Editor compared to WordPress

Compared to WordPress, Wix has a drag-and-drop visual editor that works similarly to Powerpoint or Keynote. If you see something, you can alter it just by clicking on it. The webpage remains visible, and updates are made as you make them. Simple as that!

The WordPress Editor compared to Wix

The WordPress Editor revolutionizes the way you produce content by using blocks for all standard features like texts, headings, images, etc. Basically, it turns a single document into a group of separate elements with an explicit, straightforward structure.

If you’re not into advanced features, I recommend using Wix as it has strong and simple tools for creating your own website.

Winner:

It’s a close tie if you ask me. WordPress’s interface is more advanced with modern algorithms. On the other hand, Wix’s editing interface is excellent, but it’s lacking advanced capabilities.

#5 Ease of Use

Wix

Wix is a website builder geared for beginners. In fact, anyone can take charge of the construction process and develop a website of any sort from the ground up in their spare time. 

Furthermore, customers may choose a package that already includes a name and hosting, eliminating the need to independently maintain or purchase these items. 

One downside, however, once you choose a template and edit it to your liking, it’s not easy to change to a different template. In fact, it means you have to start over.

WordPress

WordPress is for the more experienced as it involves coding, plugins, and extensions. The software as a whole necessitates a small amount of technical understanding, or at the very least, the ability to follow basic tutorials. 

Winner:

A solid thumbs up for Wix. If you’re just a newbie, I recommend choosing Wix to avoid having difficulties with the creation process.

Although WordPress has relaunched its Editor with the Gutenberg update, it still has a long way of being as easy as Wix.

#6 Ecommerce

Can you use Wix or WordPress for eCommerce?

Yes, actually, they’re both perfect for it. Let me show you why.

Wix 

Wix is an excellent option for eCommerce. In fact, three of Wix’s eight premium plans include fully integrated eCommerce functionality. 

For as little as $25 a month, you can have all the tools you need to sell online, including the essentials like taking online payments and extras like automatic sales tax and currency conversion.

Wix’s eCommerce tools are relatively sophisticated. However, they fall short of the capabilities of rival specialized eCommerce website builders like Shopify. 

Wix’s eCommerce plans are mostly intended for customers who want a website that is capable of selling a few things here and there on the side. It is not advised for use in full-fledged internet businesses.

WordPress

WordPress provides you with all of the tools you need to publish content and sell things from the same platform. You can successfully create a profitable online store and add more plugins to assist you in customizing products, attracting clients, and increasing sales.

With WordPress eCommerce, you can establish a stunning store that matches your needs. Your imagination is the only limit.

Winner:

WordPress and WooCommerce provide far more versatility and options than Wix if you want to develop a professional online store to expand.

#7 Features

Both Wix and WordPress have a lot of features. Honestly, I can’t think of any features I would like to add to either one of them.

However, I can imagine you want to know more about what features are included. So here we go.

Wix

Wix is an all-in-one platform that offers three different methods to create websites: Wix Artificial Design Intelligence, Wix Editor, and Wix Velo.

  • Wix ADI/ Wix Artificial Design Intelligence

The ADI creates a customized website for you in real-time based on your responses to questions. This is a super cool feature that creates a website for you using AI. You get a couple of questions, and that’s it Wix’s AI builds you a website. Amazing right?

  • Wix’s Editor

The Editor is an intuitive drag-and-drop interface with various possibilities for each element, hundreds of templates (plus more from the community), video backdrops, parallax, and other features – all fully adjustable – are all included in the editor.

  • Wix Velo

Velo is a tool that allows users to create more complex websites. It is a more complex interface though, more for the tech-savvy crowd.

  • Full-Packed Features

All Wix sites are hosted on their servers and contain features such as security, backups, search engine optimization, domain names, and other features. Apps from the app store might help you to customize your website.

Among the many features available is the ability to edit photos and logos, create password-protected pages, embed HTML, utilize stock photos, manage your online store, monitor statistics, utilize financial tools, and receive your own private mailbox.

WordPress

Now let’s continue with WordPress.

  • Flexibility

You may use WordPress to build any style of website you desire. Themes and various plugins can be used to beautify and enhance your website. You can even create your own application.

  • Widget Accessibility Mode

WordPress also includes a widget accessibility option that is hidden by default. This accessibility option allows you to add widgets without having to drag and drop them.

  • Basic Image Editing Features

WordPress makes it simple to include images in your posts and pages with its basic image editing features.

  • Extraordinary Publishing Tools

WordPress simplifies the management of your content. Feel free to make drafts, schedule publishing, and review post-revisions without worries.

  • Intuitive Editor

WordPress’s editor is quick and easy to use, and it supports HTML and Markdown. They save your work every few seconds, ensuring that you never miss a word.

Winner:

Without a doubt, it’s WordPress. While Wix provides an easy website builder, WordPress allows you to accomplish far more with time.

#8 Pricing

Let’s talk about pricing. This might be the variable that could help you choose between Wix and WordPress.

Wix Pricing

Prices on Wix work a bit differently.

They have multiple tiers with each tier to offer more functionalities. You pick from a variety of different plans based on the project’s requirements.

The best part about the pricing of Wix? It all comes with a free domain and a free SSL certificate.

Here are the four baseline plans as of 2024. 

  • Connect Domain – $4.50 per month
  • Combo –  $8.50 per month
  • Unlimited – $12.50 per month
  • VIP –  $24.50 per month

WordPress Pricing

WordPress is an open-source that anyone can use for free. However, you may end up spending on domain names,  themes, plugins, and hosting.

Average price for the following: 

  • Domain name – $15+
  • Web Hosting – $2.95+ 
  • WordPress Theme – Free or $89+
  • Plugins – $70+

Winner:

WordPress outperforms Wix due to the numerous site hosting companies that offer customizable options. The fee is only determined by the number of resources used, as you are free to utilize your WordPress website in any way you see fit.

#9 SEO

I’m going to keep this short. Both of them are great for SEO. Everything just boils down to what you prioritize. 

If your SEO needs are minimal and you want a simple website builder, I’d recommend Wix. It can address some of the SEO fundamentals that both casual users and small organizations require.

On the other hand, if you operate a business where traffic volume is beyond important, you should go with WordPress. It can range from fundamental SEO efforts to more complicated operations like content structuring. 

Winner:

Wix vs WordPress? Can’t decide. Honestly, both are good. The answer really depends on your needs and demands. 

Divi SEO Review

#10 Domains & Emails

Wix

Wix provides an all-in-one solution for creating a complete, sophisticated online presence. Feel free to register your free Wix website domain and benefit from seamless integration with Wix products.

WordPress

WordPress helps you establish and develop your online presence with a custom domain and personalized email address.

To get started with the domain, sign up for a Bluehost account. This will allow you to do the one-click WordPress install, including your email.

If you need more help, you can contact their specialists via email or live chat for assistance. They will assist you with adding a site to your domain or updating your DNS data to make your vision a reality.

Winner:

Both are good for your domain and email needs. A close tie indeed!

#11 Examples

Definitely have a look at both these collections to get a better understanding of what’s possible with each site builder.

#12 Customer Support

Wix 

Wix’s customer support is something you’d like. Have a look at its Trust Pilot profile. It has 19,191 reviews with an average of 4.6. If you read the comments, you’ll see a repetition of people praising Wix’s support. 

WordPress

Simply put, there is no official support for WordPress. You can discover what you’re looking for on the community forum but anticipate the answers to be hit-or-miss and occasionally buried in a sea of comments.

Winner:

Obviously, it’s Wix. Although it has some bad comments, you can still receive assistance via phone or email.

#13 Conclusion

In the end, I recommend WordPress over Wix. Here’s why. 

  • WordPress vastly outperforms Wix as a web publishing tool for any type of website.
  • You can save more money with WordPress in the long run. 
  • Wix has fewer design options and third-party integrations.

#14 FAQ

Which is faster, Wix or WordPress?

WordPress easily outperforms Wix in this category. Wix’s websites use a lot of Javascript. As a result, their websites react rapidly, but they can take a long time to load fully.

Is Wix better than WordPress?

It depends on your priorities, but there’s no doubt that Wix is much easier to use than WordPress. 

Which is cheaper, WordPress or Wix?

To be honest, Wix is more expensive than WordPress in the long run, so I’d recommend WordPress to you. Why? Wix’s paid plans only start at $4.50 per month, but if you want to upgrade for more features, your costs will rise. With WordPress, you’d only require yourself a  hosting and domain name.