What is better Wix or Wordpress for a template website?
Many of our customers will ask is what platform we will use to make their website on or if the site will be coded from scratch. There are a few answers we provide and they are that it depends on the what functions the website needs, the budget the client has to spend, their level of technical ability , if they have a web guy on their team or if they plan on having monthly maintenance on the site.
To help determine what is best for your business we have compiled a quick side by side of the 2 platforms we tend to stick to for small to medium sized businesses.
Summary Wix or WordPress
Flexibility
Wix
Limited customizability, but all their features and functions are closely controlled, monitored and tested to ensure they are working properly.
Wordpress
Very flexible & customizable but could be very problematic if your custom tools or plugins breakdown.
SummaryWixWordPress
Ease of Use
Wix
A very user-friendly website builder. You don’t need to know how too much computer languages / coding.
Wordpress
Steep learning curve when using wordpress.org (not beginner friendly). It is best if you know how to code at least HTML5 OR CSS3 and that you are technically savvy, or hire someone who is.
SummaryWixWordPress
User Support
A dedicated support team with organized tutorials. You can also get help through the phone or email.
Wordpress
A large community forum full of discussions, but not well organized and getting a timely response is inconsistent. Most users end up paying developers for help.
SummaryWixWordPress
Ongoing Maintenance
Wix
Since Wix doesn’t open its platform to external developers, they control all aspects of the platform so they manage all the updates and maintenance work for you.
Wordpress
Requires frequent maintenance and monitoring especially if there are updates to the platform, theme or plugins. You are responsible for maintaining your website.
Summary WixWordPress
Pricing
Wix
5 premium plans, ranging from $4.50 per month to $24.50 per month (based on annual plans). You can also use Wix for free, but with certain limitations.
Wordpress
Could range from $200 – $15,000, depending on various factors (hosting, themes, plugins, hiring help, etc.)
Conclusion
My opinion is that if you are a one person team or don’t have dedicated technical resources to help you build, maintain or troubleshoot a website, I recommend using the Wix platform.
If you are technical or have someone that’s technical on your team after the site is created and published, and you want to create a website that goes beyond what Wix has to offer, then using WordPress is the more flexible way go.
Just be aware that time and resources are the key considerations here:
Wix – less maintenance and lower cost over the long term
WordPress – more flexibility, but more maintenance, higher learning curve, and costs more over the long run
