Wix vs WordPress for Business Website
– Which is Better?

Most of the articles comparing WordPress and Wix are APPLES-to-ORANGES comparisons as they compare a SELF-HOSTED website solution with a HOSTED one. As a result, people who make a decision based on such articles are NOT making a truly informed decision!

The purpose of this article is to cut through the wall of MISINFORMATION so that those who wish to make a decision based on FACTS can do so with ease and confidence. These facts have been gathered from their primary sources, namely the websites of the respective companies.

It is NOT my aim nor desire to sway you one way or another but to present the relevant information in an easy-to-understand format so that YOU can arrive at an INFORMED DECISION that is best for your unique circumstances!

Now, for a true apples-to-apples comparison, we will discuss the similarities and differences between the two HOSTED website solutions known as Wix and WordPress.com

DISCLAIMER: prices quoted below for various plans were current as of 1 January, 2018.

You can scroll down or use the Table of Content below to jump to your desired section.

TABLE of CONTENT

• WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org
• HOSTED WordPress vs. Wix
• Wix vs. WordPress.com: FREE Plan
• Wix vs. WP.com: PAID Plan for Personal Use
• Wix vs. WP.com: PAID Plan for Entrepreneurs and Freelancers
• Wix vs. WP.com: PAID Plan for Small Businesses including Retailers
• Wix vs. WP.com: Supporting Documentation
• Wix vs. WP.com: Additional Resources

PRO TIP: if you jump to a section via the links in the Table of Content, you can get back here by simply clicking your browser's BACK button.

Most of the infographics and/or articles which compare the two brands of WordPress are OUTDATED and consequently INACCURATE in some respects.

When comparing hosted WordPress with self-hosted WordPress, there is also a bit of BIAS in the way that some of them have been written. Most are clearly directed at bloggers, affiliate marketers and/or DIY tech-savvy individuals. They are often NOT written with the average business owner in mind.

The AVERAGE business owner:

• is NOT web-technically inclined
• does NOT want to worry about updating their website software
• would PREFER to leave website management in the hands of experts
• has ZERO desire/need to get under the hood of their website via FTP Access
• has ZERO desire/intent to add 3rd-party advertising to their website
• has ZERO desire/intent to create a membership website

Now, I would have preferred to use an already available infographic that compares WordPress.com with WordPress.org to save myself some time in writing this article BUT I could NOT find a FULLY accurate and unbiased one. So, I've had to create the following comparative table myself.

Supporting Documentation:

• WordPress' Comparison of its Platforms: https://en.support.wordpress.com/com-vs-org/
• WordPress.com Plans/Pricing: https://wordpress.com/pricing/
• WordPress.com Business Plan: https://en.support.wordpress.com/business-plan/
• FTP Access and File Uploads: https://en.support.wordpress.com/ftp-access/
• Jetpack Features: https://jetpack.com/support/features/
• HTTPS and SSL: https://en.support.wordpress.com/https-ssl/
• Website Stats: https://en.support.wordpress.com/stats/
• Monetise Your Site: https://en.support.wordpress.com/monetize-your-site/
• eCommerce Options: https://en.support.wordpress.com/ecommerce/
• Simple Payments: https://en.support.wordpress.com/simple-payments/
• Content Migration: https://en.support.wordpress.com/export/

Additional Resources:

• 5 Best WordPress Ecommerce Plugins Compared – 2018: http://www.wpbeginner.com/plugins/best-wordpress-ecommerce-plugins-compared/
• A Detailed Introduction to the Best WordPress eCommerce Plugins (2017): https://winningwp.com/best-wordpress-ecommerce-plugins/
• WordPress – Not Just for Bloggers Any More: http://www.sitesell.com/blog/2016/07/wordpress-not-just-bloggers.html

NOTES:

• Plans / Pricing for WP.com: https://wordpress.com/pricing/
• Plans / Pricing for Wix.com: https://www.wix.com/upgrade/premium-plans

The prices shown on the pricing page of each website are listed as per month but there are a couple things to be aware of...

1. WP.com only bills YEARLY (as clearly stated) below the pricing. So the actual cost of a paid plan is the amount you see times 12.
2. Wix.com currently has 4 billing options - monthly, yearly, every 2 years or every 3 years. You save by purchasing longer periods. HOWEVER, Wix is NOT transparent about costs on their pricing page. What you see there is actually the YEARLY cost of each plan divided by 12. Each paid plan's MONTHLY cost is a few dollars more per month. Click on the Select button of any plan to see all billing options.

Both hosted platforms, Wix and WordPress.com, have a forever FREE plan. In this section, you'll find an in-depth comparison between these plans and their various features.

Browse the table below for a detailed look at their differences and similarities. You'll find a list of links to supporting documentation and additional resources towards the end of this article.

Both Wix and WordPress.com have a plan which they consider to be best for personal use. In this section, you'll find an in-depth comparison between these plans and their various features.

Browse the table below for a detailed look at their differences and similarities. You'll find a list of links to supporting documentation and additional resources towards the end of this article.

Both hosted platforms, Wix and WordPress,com, have a paid plan which they consider to be best for small businesses. In this section, you'll find an in-depth comparison between these plans and their various features.

Browse the table below for a detailed look at their differences and similarities. You'll find a list of links to supporting documentation and additional resources towards the end of this article.

The information compiled above was gathered from the websites of WordPress.com and Wix.com. Here are just SOME of the pages on various points of interest.

• Apps / Plugins
  WP.com: https://en.support.wordpress.com/plugins/
  Wix.com: https://support.wix.com/en/article/about-the-wix-app-market
  
  
• Content Export / Site Migration
  WP.com: https://en.support.wordpress.com/export/
  WP.com: https://move.wordpress.com/
  Wix.com: https://support.wix.com/en/article/exporting-or-embedding-your-wix-site-elsewhere
  
  
• Custom HTML
  WP.com: https://en.support.wordpress.com/widgets/custom-html-widget/
  Wix.com: https://support.wix.com/en/article/adding-html-code
  
  
• Custom Themes
  WP.com: https://en.support.wordpress.com/themes/adding-new-themes/
  
  
• Domain Registration
  You can use any domain registrar to register your desired domain name. If you choose to register via WP.com or Wix, please bear in mind that they do NOT support all TLDs (extensions).
  
  WP.com: https://en.support.wordpress.com/domains/domain-pricing-and-available-tlds/
  Wix.com: https://support.wix.com/en/article/domain-extensions-available-with-the-wix-free-domain-voucher
  
  
• eCommerce Options
  WP.com: https://en.support.wordpress.com/ecommerce/
  Wix.com: https://support.wix.com/en/article/wix-ecommerce-premium-plan
  
  
• FREE Domain Credit / Voucher
  WP.com: https://en.support.wordpress.com/domains/
  Wix.com: https://support.wix.com/en/article/claiming-your-free-1-year-domain-from-wix-7872286
  
  
• Google Analytics Integration
  WP.com: https://en.support.wordpress.com/google-analytics/
  Wix.com: https://support.wix.com/en/article/google-analytics-8399675
  
  
• HTTPS and SSL
  WP.com: https://en.support.wordpress.com/https-ssl/
  Wix.com: https://support.wix.com/en/article/about-ssl-and-https
  
  
• Platform Ads / Branding
  WP.com: https://en.support.wordpress.com/footer-credits/
  Wix.com: https://support.wix.com/en/article/removing-wix-banners-and-ads
  
  
• Search Engine Optimisation - Basic SEO
  WP.com: https://en.support.wordpress.com/seo/
  Wix.com: https://seoguide.wix.com/
  
  
• Search Engine Optimisation - Advanced SEO
  Wix.com: https://support.wix.com/en/article/wix-seo-wiz-an-overview-9491897
  
  
• Technical Support
  WP.com: https://en.support.wordpress.com/concierge-support/
  Wix.com: https://support.wix.com/en/article/receiving-premium-support
  
  
• Theme / Template Library
  WP.com: https://wordpress.com/themes
  Wix.com: https://www.wix.com/website/templates/
  
  
• Theme / Template Switching
  WP.com: https://en.support.wordpress.com/themes/#switch-themes
  Wix.com: https://support.wix.com/en/article/wix-template-pricing
  
  
• Website Monetization
  WP.com: https://en.support.wordpress.com/monetize-your-site/
  Wix.com: https://support.wix.com/en/article/adding-advertisements-to-your-wix-site
  
  
• XML Sitemap Submission
  WP.com: https://en.support.wordpress.com/sitemaps/
  Wix.com: https://support.wix.com/en/article/submitting-your-sitemap-directly-to-google

Here is some extra reading material to help in your research.

Reviews & Writeups

• Review - The Flexible Website Builder: https://www.websitetooltester.com/en/reviews/wix-review/
• The Truth About Why WordPress is Better than Wix or SquareSpace: https://www.piccianeri.com/wordpress-is-better-than-wix-or-squarespace/
• Wix Review 2017: https://www.websitebuilderexpert.com/wix-review/
• Wix eCommerce Review 2017: https://www.websitebuilderexpert.com/wix-ecommerce-review/
• Wix Vs WordPress - Using Wix To Build My Website Was A Big Mistake: http://www.workhardtravelwell.com/2017/04/06/wix-vs-wordpress/

Wix.com

• Why Wix is a Whole Lot More than a "Website Builder": https://www.wix.com/blog/2014/09/why-wix-is-a-whole-lot-more-than-a-website-builder/

WordPress.com

• Akismet (included): https://akismet.com/how/
• Jetpack (included): https://jetpack.com/support/
• VaultPress (included): https://vaultpress.com/features/
• VideoPress (available): https://en.support.wordpress.com/videopress/
• WooCommerce (available): https://woocommerce.com/store-owners/
• Third-Party Themes / Plugins: https://en.blog.wordpress.com/2017/08/07/wordpress-com-business-now-supports-plugins-and-third-party-themes/

As I stated in the introductory section of this article: "It is NOT my aim nor desire to sway you one way or another but to present the relevant information in an easy-to-understand format so that YOU can arrive at an INFORMED DECISION that is best for your unique circumstances!"

FULL DISCLOSURE
We use NEITHER WordPress.com nor Wix. We use the self-hosted version of WordPress in building websites for ourselves and for our clients. Our clients are primarily local service-based business who do NOT want to be bothered with creating their website themselves. They prefer to stick to their areas of expertise and to let us use our expertise in building them a beautiful, worry-free marketing website that gets results!

Feel free to check out Our Portfolio.