Wix and WordPress are the two names most small business owners hear first when they need a website. They solve the same problem in very different ways. Wix is a hosted builder: you pick a plan, drag things onto a page, and Wix runs the servers, security and updates. WordPress is software you install on hosting you choose: you get full control, and full responsibility.
Neither is better for everyone. Here's an honest comparison to help you pick the one that fits your business now and in three years.
The Short Version
What it is
- Wix
- Hosted drag-and-drop builder
- WordPress
- Open-source software on your own hosting
Best for
- Wix
- Owners who want to build and edit themselves
- WordPress
- Businesses that need custom features or lots of content
Who maintains it
- Wix
- Wix
- WordPress
- You, your developer, or a maintenance plan
Ownership
- Wix
- Site lives on your Wix account and plan
- WordPress
- You own the files and can move hosts
Add-ons
- Wix
- Wix App Market
- WordPress
- Tens of thousands of plugins
Learning curve
- Wix
- Easy to start
- WordPress
- Steeper, especially without a developer
| Wix | WordPress | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Hosted drag-and-drop builder | Open-source software on your own hosting |
| Best for | Owners who want to build and edit themselves | Businesses that need custom features or lots of content |
| Who maintains it | Wix | You, your developer, or a maintenance plan |
| Ownership | Site lives on your Wix account and plan | You own the files and can move hosts |
| Add-ons | Wix App Market | Tens of thousands of plugins |
| Learning curve | Easy to start | Steeper, especially without a developer |
Ease of Use: Wix Wins the First Week
Wix's editor lets you place text, images and buttons almost anywhere and see the result instantly. Hosting, a free SSL certificate and security updates are included, so there's nothing to install. For a café, salon, photographer or consultant who wants to launch quickly and make their own edits, that's a real advantage.
WordPress has a block editor that's friendly once it's set up, but getting there means choosing hosting, a theme and plugins. Most businesses have a developer handle that first setup.
Pick your Wix template carefully
Wix's help center says you can't switch the template on an existing site. Changing designs means starting a new site from another template and moving your content over. Choose a template that suits where the business is headed, not just how it looks today.
Flexibility: WordPress Wins the Long Run
WordPress powers everything from small brochure sites to large publishers and stores. With plugins and custom development, it can handle membership areas, complex booking systems, multilingual sites, custom calculators, directories and integrations with almost any CRM or tool.
Wix covers a lot through its App Market and built-in features, and its developer platform allows custom code. But you're always working inside Wix's system and plans. If your plans include features no app provides, WordPress gives you far more room.
SEO: Closer Than People Think
Both platforms cover the basics Google needs:
- Editable page titles, meta descriptions and URLs
- Image alt text
- Automatic sitemaps and mobile-friendly layouts
- 301 redirects when a URL changes
- Google Search Console connection
For a local service business, the platform won't decide your rankings. A page for each service, clear service areas, real photos, reviews and a complete Google Business Profile will. WordPress pulls ahead for large content sites and stores, where control over site structure, structured data and speed tuning matters more.
Speed and Upkeep
Wix manages hosting and performance for you, which keeps things simple but limits what you can tune. A WordPress site can be very fast with good hosting, a lean theme and few plugins, or very slow with cheap hosting and a pile of add-ons. The difference is entirely in how it's built and kept up.
WordPress upkeep you'll need to cover
- Core, theme and plugin updates, ideally every month
- Off-site backups before every round of updates
- Security monitoring and malware scans
- Uptime checks so you know when the site goes down
- Speed checks after new plugins or content
If nobody on your team will do this, budget for a maintenance plan. An out-of-date WordPress site is one of the most common ways small business sites get hacked.
Not sure which platform fits?
Tell us your goals and send your current site. We'll recommend Wix, WordPress or something else, and explain what it would take.
Ecommerce
Both can run an online store. On Wix, accepting payments starts on the Core plan, and the store is built into the editor. On WordPress, most stores use WooCommerce, a free plugin that's highly customizable but adds to what needs updating and securing. For a handful of products, Wix is simpler. For a large catalog or unusual product setups, WooCommerce (or Shopify) gives you more control.
What Moving From Wix to WordPress Involves
Many businesses start on Wix and outgrow it. Plan for that move as a small rebuild, not a quick switch:
- 1
Inventory every page and URL
List every page, blog post and product on the Wix site, along with its URL and any pages that rank or get traffic.
- 2
Rebuild the design
Wix designs don't transfer. The new WordPress theme or custom build recreates the layout, ideally improved.
- 3
Move the content
Blog posts can sometimes come over through an RSS feed or migration tool. Pages and products are usually moved by hand.
- 4
Redirect every old URL
Wix and WordPress use different URL patterns, so set up 301 redirects from each old address to protect your rankings.
- 5
Test, then switch the domain
Check forms, mobile layouts and speed on the new site before pointing your domain at it.
How to Choose
Pick Wix if you...
- Want to build and edit the site yourself
- Need a simple service, portfolio or small store site
- Don't want to think about hosting, updates or security
Pick WordPress if you...
- Plan to publish lots of content or grow a large store
- Need custom features, integrations or a members area
- Want full ownership and the freedom to change hosts
- Have a developer or maintenance plan for upkeep
The Bottom Line
Wix is the easier start and the lower-maintenance choice. WordPress is the more flexible, more ownable platform, as long as someone keeps it updated. Choose for where your business will be in a few years, since switching later means a rebuild. We build on both: see our WordPress development and Wix and Squarespace design services, or compare every option on our website development page. Weighing Squarespace too? Read our Squarespace vs WordPress comparison. Already on WordPress and need upkeep? Our website maintenance plans cover updates, backups and fixes.
