What is Wix.com?
Wix.com is a popular cloud-based website builder platform that allows users to create and host websites without requiring coding knowledge. Founded in 2006, it provides a drag-and-drop interface and a variety of customisable templates, making it particularly attractive for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals looking to establish an online presence quickly. The platform offers an all-in-one solution that includes hosting, domain registration, and website building tools, with both free and premium subscription plans available.
Using artificial intelligence and advanced design capabilities, Wix enables users to create professional-looking websites through their ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) system or traditional editor. The platform includes features for e-commerce, blogging, booking systems, and various other business tools, all managed through a centralised dashboard.
Why would you consider moving?
Are you looking to move from Wix.com? This is the blog post for you. There might be several reasons why you want to move. It might be the fact that you don’t like editing in the website editor, you’re not a fan of a closed system, and you have to pay every single month. You might not like other things, but equally, you might love different aspects. So let’s take a few seconds to go through the pros and cons of why you would potentially look at moving.
One of the primary reasons people consider migrating from Wix is the desire for greater control and flexibility over their website’s design and functionality. While Wix’s drag-and-drop interface is user-friendly, it can feel limiting for those who want to implement more complex features or create truly unique designs. While convenient for beginners, the platform’s template-based approach may eventually feel restrictive as your website grows and your needs become more sophisticated.
Cost considerations also play a significant role in the decision to migrate. Although Wix’s all-in-one pricing model seems convenient at first, the monthly subscription fees can add up over time, especially for premium features. Additionally, some users are frustrated with the platform’s performance limitations, such as slower loading times or restrictions on custom code implementation. These technical constraints, combined with the inability to fully optimise for search engines in the way more flexible platforms allow, often lead website owners to explore alternatives like WordPress.
Benefits of WordPress vs. Wix
WordPress offers several significant advantages over Wix that make it an attractive option for website owners. Firstly, WordPress provides complete control over your website’s hosting and data, allowing you to choose your hosting provider and maintain full ownership of your content. This flexibility means you can optimise costs and performance according to your specific needs. Additionally, WordPress’s open-source nature gives you access to thousands of themes and plugins, many of which are free or reasonably priced, enabling extensive customisation options.
Another major benefit of WordPress is its scalability and SEO capabilities. Whilst Wix offers basic SEO features, WordPress provides more comprehensive tools and plugins like Yoast SEO that give you granular control over your site’s search engine optimisation. Furthermore, WordPress powers approximately 43% of all websites on the internet, which means you’ll have access to a vast community of developers, designers, and users for support and resources. This extensive ecosystem makes it easier to find solutions to problems, hire skilled professionals, and continuously improve your website as your needs evolve.
WordPress Pros | WordPress Cons |
|---|---|
Complete control over hosting
| Steeper learning curve |
Full data ownership | Regular maintenance required |
Extensive plugin ecosystem | Security responsibilities |
Superior SEO capabilities | Updates need manual management |
Highly customisable | Can be overwhelming for beginners |
Large community support | Hosting costs vary |
Wix Pros | Wix Cons |
|---|---|
User-friendly interface | Limited data control |
All-in-one solution | Less flexibility |
Included hosting | Higher long-term costs |
Built-in security | Limited customisation options |
No maintenance needed | Basic SEO features only |
24/7 customer support | Limited export capabilities |
Wix's closed ecosystem: understanding the Lock-in Effect
What do I mean by this? When you sign up with Wix, you pay a monthly fee and become locked into their system. Your website is hosted on their servers, and you’re committed to paying for their service every month. While this is fine in theory, my main concern is what happens if the company goes bankrupt, changes direction, or no longer aligns with your needs. At that point, your options are limited—you either stay with them or leave. And leaving isn’t easy once you’ve built a substantial business website on their platform. Though it’s unlikely Wix will change course or go under since they’re such a large company, stranger things have happened.
With WordPress, you truly own your website. It’s not a platform demanding monthly payments—though you do need hosting, you can change providers anytime. You have complete control over your website, can download it as a zip file, and even run it locally on your computer. To me, this is one of WordPress’s greatest advantages: the website is entirely yours, and you have the freedom to do whatever you want with it.
What about apps and plugins, who wins Wix or WordPress?
When it comes to apps and plugins, WordPress is the clear winner with its vast ecosystem of over 59,000 free plugins available in the official WordPress repository, plus thousands more premium options from third-party developers. This extensive collection covers everything from e-commerce and SEO to security and performance optimisation. While Wix does offer a respectable App Market with around 250 applications, it’s significantly more limited in scope and customisation options. WordPress plugins tend to be more feature-rich and offer deeper integration possibilities, though they require more technical knowledge to implement properly. The open-source nature of WordPress means that developers can create solutions for virtually any functionality you might need, whereas with Wix, you’re limited to the apps that Wix has approved and made available through their marketplace.
The migration process: what to expect
Moving from Wix to WordPress requires careful planning and execution. The process typically involves several key steps that need to be managed to ensure a smooth transition. Here’s what you need to consider:
- Content Export and Import: While Wix doesn’t provide a direct export to WordPress option, you’ll need to manually transfer your content or use third-party tools to help with the migration.
- Design and Layout: Choose a WordPress theme that matches your current design aesthetic or take the opportunity to refresh your site’s look.
- SEO Considerations: Ensure all your URLs are properly redirected to maintain SEO value and prevent broken links.
- Testing and Quality Assurance: Thoroughly test your new WordPress site before making the switch.
Cost comparison: long-term financial Implications
While Wix’s pricing might seem straightforward with its all-inclusive packages, WordPress often proves more cost-effective in the long run. Let’s break down the typical annual costs:
Expense Type | WordPress (Basic) | Wix (Business) |
|---|---|---|
Hosting | $60-120/year | Included |
Domain | $12-15/year | $12-15/year |
Platform Cost | Free | $240-300/year |
Basic Plugins | $0-100/year | Included |
WordPress’s cost advantage becomes more apparent as your website grows, especially when considering the flexibility to choose cost-effective hosting solutions and free plugins for additional functionality.
5 reasons to stay with Wix
While WordPress offers many advantages, here are compelling reasons to stay with Wix:
- User-Friendly Interface: If you’re not technically inclined, Wix’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor and visual interface make website management significantly easier than WordPress’s more complex system.
- All-in-One Solution: Wix handles hosting, security, backups, and updates automatically, eliminating the need to manage multiple services or perform regular maintenance tasks.
- Reliable Customer Support: With 24/7 dedicated customer support, you have direct access to help when needed, unlike WordPress where support often depends on community forums or hired developers.
- Built-in Design Consistency: Wix templates are professionally designed and maintain their look across all devices, while WordPress may require additional work to ensure consistent appearance.
- Time and Resource Efficiency: For small businesses or individuals who value time over customisation, Wix’s managed platform eliminates the learning curve and ongoing maintenance requirements of WordPress.
Making the final decision
The decision to migrate from Wix to WordPress should be based on your specific needs, technical comfort level, and long-term goals. WordPress is particularly suitable if you:
- Need complete control over your website’s functionality and appearance
- Want to optimize costs in the long run
- Plan to scale your website significantly
- Require advanced SEO and marketing capabilities
- Want to build a unique, custom website solution
However, if you prefer a more hands-off approach and don’t mind the monthly subscription model, Wix might still be the better choice for your needs.
We can migrate your website from Wix to WordPress + Elementor from £299+VAT
We can migrate your website from Wix to WordPress + Elementor from £299+VAT*. Our team can take your current design in Wix and seamlessly transfer it to Elementor and WordPress, providing you with a platform that offers far more flexibility and room for growth. With WordPress, you’ll have access to thousands of plugins and customisation options that can help your business scale effectively.
*This price is subject to change, and the complexity of the website needs to migrate.
Contact us today to discuss how we can help transform your website into a more powerful and flexible platform while maintaining your existing design and functionality.
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