Wix vs WordPress
Last updated: 2026-07-09
Wix and WordPress represent two fundamentally different approaches to building a website. Wix is an all-in-one hosted platform with drag-and-drop simplicity — everything included, no setup required. WordPress is free, open-source software you install on your own hosting — maximum flexibility, but you handle the technical side. Your choice is between convenience and control.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | popular Wix | best WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $16/mo | $0 (self-hosted software is free) |
| Free trial | Free plan available (Wix-branded) | WordPress.com free plan available |
| Best for | Beginners who want an easy website builder | Full control and maximum flexibility |
| Free plan | Yes (Wix-branded, subdomain) | Yes (self-hosted, hosting costs apply) |
| Starting price | $16/mo (Light), $27/mo (Core) | $0 software + $3-$100+/mo hosting |
| Templates | 800+ templates | — |
| Page builder | Drag-and-drop (ADI available) | Via plugins (Elementor, etc.) |
| Hosting | Built-in | — |
| E-commerce | Core plan+ | Via WooCommerce |
| App market | 500+ apps | — |
| SSL | Included | Configure via hosting |
| Support | Email + phone + chat | Community + paid support |
| Customisation | Limited (no code access) | Unlimited (open source) |
| Themes | — | 10,000+ (free + paid) |
| Plugins | — | 60,000+ free plugins |
| SEO | — | Excellent (with plugins) |
Wix Pros & Cons
Pros
- Easiest website builder for beginners — true drag-and-drop
- 800+ professionally designed templates
- Built-in hosting — no setup required
- App Market with 500+ apps for extending functionality
- Good for portfolios, small business sites, and restaurants
- Free plan available (with limitations)
Cons
- Templates are not interchangeable — can't switch after publishing
- Not as flexible as WordPress (limited customisation)
- E-commerce features limited on lower tiers
- Free plan shows Wix ads and uses Wix subdomain
- Page load speeds slower than optimised WordPress
- Hard to migrate away (content lock-in)
WordPress Pros & Cons
Pros
- Free, open-source software — no monthly platform fee
- 60,000+ free plugins and 10,000+ themes
- Complete control over every aspect of your site
- No content lock-in — export everything anytime
- Massive community and support ecosystem
- SEO-friendly out of the box (with plugins like Yoast)
Cons
- Requires hosting setup and maintenance
- Security is your responsibility (updates, backups, hardening)
- Can be complex for beginners (steeper learning curve than Wix)
- Performance depends on hosting and plugin choices
- Premium themes and plugins can be expensive
- No built-in support (community + paid support)
Final Verdict
If you want the easiest possible website builder and don't need deep customisation, Wix is the fastest path to a professional-looking site. If you want full control over every aspect of your site, unlimited plugins and themes, and no content lock-in, WordPress is the better long-term choice. Most serious businesses outgrow Wix and end up on WordPress eventually.
Our pick: Wix (beginners) / WordPress (long-term)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wix or WordPress cheaper?
WordPress software is free, but you pay for hosting ($3-$100+/mo), themes ($0-$200), and plugins ($0-$500+/yr). Wix starts at $16/mo and includes hosting, SSL, and templates. For a simple site, Wix is cheaper. For a site you'll grow over time, WordPress is cheaper because you control hosting costs.
Can I move my site from Wix to WordPress?
It's possible but not easy. Wix doesn't offer a clean export, so you'll need to manually recreate pages or use a migration service. This is one of the biggest downsides of Wix — content lock-in. With WordPress, you can export everything as XML anytime.
Which is better for SEO: Wix or WordPress?
WordPress is better for SEO because of plugins like Yoast SEO, RankMath, and All in One SEO that give you granular control over meta tags, sitemaps, schema, and content analysis. Wix has improved its SEO features but still offers less control. For SEO-focused sites, WordPress wins.