WordPress vs Wix. Which one should you choose and why

Marius Vetrici PhD
CEO wpriders
Date
May 21, 2020

Wearing the right dress for the right occasion

Let me ask you this: how would you feel if you had to run a marathon while wearing a two-piece suit or a dress? It’s quite likely you’d be annoyed at the unfairness of the situation because even if you are a good runner, you would still be at a disadvantage.

Now you might be asking yourself, what does all this have to do with either WordPress or Wix?

Well, the thing is, WordPress and Wix aren’t really that different. The main difference between the two is that while you get to own the WordPress website, Wix is only a service that you access and pay for.

So how do you choose one or the other?

Let’s back up for a moment. Obviously, you can’t run long distances in fancy clothes. There is a time and a place for every piece of clothing, just like there is a website for every activity you want to perform online. And today we are going to see which one is better based on what you want to use it for.

WP vs WIX for Blogging

A blog is perfect for many things. Maybe you want to establish yourself as a writer, or you just want to educate your customers on your business’ field. But no matter what you use it for, you must make sure you have the right platform for your blog.

Now, if you’re just starting out, then Wix might be the one for you. Unlike WordPress, it’s very easy to install and use and it does not require any technical skills, but of course, this comes with a few drawbacks. Because it is so accessible and ready for use, the features that it presents are more on the basic side (you get things like categories, tags, photos, videos).

On the other hand, WordPress was created for blogging. No, seriously, it started as a blogging platform but because of its exceptional growth, it became a powerful CSM. And although Wix is easier to use, WordPress is quick to catch up with its Gutenberg block editor, which allows you to easily arrange the elements in your blog posts.

So if you want the ease of use, then it would be better for you to go with Wix, but in case you want to have plenty of editing options on hand and you’re not afraid to go the extra mile for your blog, then WordPress is what you need to choose.

WP vs WIX For Business Websites

Of course, your business needs a website. It’s one of the very first things that you should think about when working on your business plan. But then again, you will need a good, secure platform that won’t let you down.

Honestly, both Wix and WordPress have pretty great features, but of course, they excel in different departments. Wix always impresses with ease of use. Once you log in, you can start working on your website. It’s as easy as that.

With WordPress, things can be more difficult, considering the sheer number of themes, plugins, and widgets, but once you watch some tutorials and get the hang of it, nothing can stop you. You can make use of everything WordPress has to offer in order to create the best website for your business.

WP vs WIX For SEO

Of course, it’s not enough to have a website. In fact, anybody can have a website. What’s truly important is for people to find your website.

For SEO, Wix uses the Wix SEO Wiz, which can create a custom SEO plan and you also can use some of the apps that Wix has, such as Site Booster and Visitor Analytics, to improve your SEO game.

But then comes WordPress, whose many plugins can help you optimize and promote your content, but that’s not all! The plugins will also help make your page run faster, which will decrease the loading time and create a better page landing experience.

All in all, although Wix has a good SEO strategy, WordPress wins the race by dint of the huge amount of diverse plugins that it offers.

WP vs WIX For Ecommerce

Here’s another good reason to have an online website: online shopping. Nowadays, most people shop online, and why shouldn’t they? It’s comfortable, fast and it saves you a lot of hassle.

So if you have a product that you want to sell, then you need a platform that is good for E-commerce as well, and fortunately, both Wix and WordPress do quite well in this department. With Wix, you have the option to display and manage your products on any page of your website, without having to install anything else on the side. Once more, Wix impresses the audience with its user-friendly features.

In contrast, the default website for WordPress doesn’t come ready for eCommerce. Instead, you will have to install certain plugins – such as WooCommerce – that will give you the option to list products on your website and sell them. But with each plugin that you install, you will be able to get more features that you can play with, which ultimately offers the possibility to customize and build your website just the way you want it.

Extensibility

Let’s take a look at extensibility too. Although Wix pretty much comes with a lot of features, you can always spice up your website by installing some apps from the marketplace. But Wix’s marketplace doesn’t even come close to the number of plugins and widgets that WordPress has to offer.

Also, the fact that WordPress is more on the technical side is seen by many as a con, but if you have the capital to invest in a developer, then you’ll just see your website come to life before your eyes.

Costs

And finally, let’s talk about the costs. To get started, both require an investment to start with, and even though Wix offers a basic website builder for free, the website that you’ll get will have ads and will not be able to accept add-ons. So if you’d like to have a more appealing website, you would have to go for one of their premium plans, which ranges from 4.5$ to 24.5$ per month.

While the software for WordPress is free, you will need a web host, which can cost quite a bit, depending on what you’re going for. And also, we shouldn’t forget the plugins and apps, some of which can get pretty pricey for both Wix and WordPress. All in all, you’ll need to invest in your website either way, but it’s totally up to you how much to invest.

Bottom Line

Both Wix and WordPress are great choices, but it all depends on what you’re looking for. If you are new to this and you want something easy to manage, then you should go with Wix, but in case you want something a bit more complex and flexible, then you’ll definitely choose WordPress. And in case you go with WordPress, we’re always here to help you.

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