Introduction
In this article, we’ll compare the two most popular platforms currently available for building websites: WordPress– the most widely used platform on the market today, powering about 40.4% of all websites worldwide (a total of around 455 million).
And the second platform - WIX– a platform that has gained significant traction in recent years as a user-friendly tool aiming to make website building accessible to everyone, with no need for professional help.
We’ll discuss the differences between the platforms, the pros and cons of each, and how to choose the one that’s right for your business.
It’s important to note that there is no right or wrong answer here – each business has its own specific needs and context. At our studio, we build websites using WordPress because we believe it provides a robust, comprehensive solution for most businesses. That said, Wix can certainly serve as a good option for certain businesses – particularly those just starting out.
The Main Difference Between WordPress and Wix
To truly understand the pros and cons of each platform, we need to understand their core structure.
Wix – is a closed-source platform. That means all the site’s code is written by Wix, and users have no access to it and cannot modify, update, or extend it.
WordPress, on the other hand, is an open-source platform, meaning the code is open and accessible to everyone – and can be edited freely without limitations.
What does that actually mean for business owners? In an open-source platform like WordPress, you have full flexibility and unlimited capability to build your website exactly as you envisioned it – functionally, visually, and strategically.
So if you’re a business owner looking to launch a simple, basic website and don’t have a lot of time or budget – Wix could be a solid solution for you.
On the other hand, if you need better control over your website and have more unique, specific needs – WordPress is likely the better choice.
Ease and Speed of Development
WIX offers a powerful and easy-to-use site builder. It features a user-friendly interface that allows people with no technical background to build their own websites. On the one hand, this enables quick and affordable site creation. On the other hand, the end result tends to be less professional, unique, and tailored in terms of design and user experience. You can, of course, hire a professional to build your Wix site – but it likely won’t affect the development speed significantly, since Wix is a closed platform with limited flexibility. As such, the building process remains fairly basic.
by contrast, With WordPress has a longer development process. This is mainly because it offers far more options, so it takes more time to plan and implement design and functionality requirements. You can still build a WordPress site on your own, without a developer, but unlike Wix – you should expect a steeper learning curve and a considerable time investment to get up to speed.
Template-Based Design
Both platforms allow you to start your design using a template.
Wix offers over 500 design templates – all fully responsive (mobile-friendly) and built using HTML5. You can easily select a template and customize it as you go.
The templates are categorized by site type (e.g., blog, store, portfolio, etc.) and industry, giving you a wide variety of options. However, a major drawback is that once you choose a template – you can’t switch it.
With WordPress on the other hand, offers tens of thousands of templates available across the web, some free and some paid. Paid templates often include support. Templates range from small, simple designs to full-fledged e-commerce stores with product pages, checkout, etc.
In WordPress, you can change your template at any time – with ease. This is in stark contrast to Wix, where changing templates is not an option once selected.
Hosting
The hosting server you choose for your website plays a critical role in your site’s speed and user experience (read more in our article on Website Speed Optimization).
One of the most crucial differences between Wix and WordPress is the hosting structure.
WIX is your all-in-one provider. That means Wix hosts your site (and also provides your domain name). The pros? Simplicity. If you don’t want to deal with hosting, it’s taken care of. The cons? You’re locked in. If you’re unhappy with Wix’s hosting, you can’t move your site elsewhere to get better performance or service.
With WordPress on the other hand, gives you full control. You can choose the hosting provider that best suits your needs, and switch at any time.
Plugins and Apps
Both platforms offer third-party extensions to add functionality that doesn’t come out-of-the-box. In Wix, these are called apps. In WordPress, they’re called plugins.
WIX offers around 200+ apps in its App Market, providing features like forms, image galleries, comments, social media integrations, and more.
Most apps are free, and many paid ones offer a free “lite” version. For premium features, you’ll usually need to pay a recurring monthly fee. Though Wix has a limited number of apps compared to WordPress, they generally cover the most commonly requested features for new websites.
by contrast, WordPress has a staggering 55,000+ plugins available. Chances are, if you need a feature – there’s a plugin for it.
Whether you’re building a shop, a portfolio, or adding post filters to a blog – there’s likely a plugin that can help you do it, with no coding skills required. In other words, with WordPress – almost anything is possible. Many plugins are free, but some are paid.
SEO – Search Engine Optimization
When it comes to basic SEO tasks, WIX does a decent job. But for more advanced SEO efforts (which are critical for long-term success), WordPress clearly offers more powerful and flexible tools.
WordPress is widely known as the most SEO-friendly CMS out there. Tools like the popular Yoast SEO plugin make the process intuitive and guide users through best practices.
Another important point is the efficiency and ease of performing SEO tasks. WordPress simply offers a more accessible and faster workflow for these tasks than Wix.
Security and Updates
With Wix, all maintenance and updates are handled by Wix itself. This includes security and version updates – which are built into your subscription. Also, because Wix is a closed-source platform, it’s less vulnerable to hacks and security breaches.
With WordPress the responsibility is on you – including updates and security. WordPress sites require ongoing maintenance. That’s why many professionals offer maintenance plans – to handle updates, plugin management, backups, and security tasks.
In Conclusion
As we mentioned at the start – there’s no single correct answer when it comes to choosing the best platform. It all depends on your business needs, your stage of growth, and the resources available to you.
WIX may be suitable for very small businesses at the beginning of their journey, looking for a quick, hassle-free solution without significant investment. But it’s important to understand the trade-offs – the site is not truly yours, it's limited in functionality and design, and it won’t scale with your business. When you grow and your needs evolve – you’ll likely need to start over from scratch.
WordPress on the other hand, is better suited for more established businesses looking to grow and maintain full control of their site. It does require more ongoing maintenance, whether by you or a professional.
If you ask us personally – there’s a reason we chose to build our studio around WordPress.We believe that for most businesses, it’s the superior platform – offering unparalleled flexibility and the ability to bring any strategic, design, or functional vision to life. We view your website as a core strategic asset in your business. That’s why having endless options is not just a nice-to-have – it’s essential for a business that wants to grow, adapt, and stay agile.
