Websites play an integral role in our lives today and they help the internet fulfil its mandate as a place to get information about individuals, companies, and governments.
Since the internet launched to the public on 30 April 1993, businesses and individuals have scrambled to have a web presence. Many have been more successful than others in maintaining that presence.
Not everyone has the technical knowledge to design or build their own website. However, there are easy to use website builders that anyone can use to build very attractive and professional sites with very minimal effort.
We are going to take a look at two of the most popular platforms, WordPress and Wix. From someone who has used both WordPress and Wix let’s jump straight to their differences and what they both can do.
Ease of use
WordPress has many benefits and this is the reason why over 60% of websites on the internet are built with WordPress. Wix on the other hand is a full-service website builder for anyone interested in building a website. Wix prides itself on having over 500+ professional templates that any non-techy can use to create a stunning website in minutes. Basically with Wix, you simply drag and drop to create a website of your choice.
Again, Wix developers can maintain control over all available tools and applications and this is because Wix is a hosted platform and users cannot import tools from outside sources. With Wix when you opt for a template you are stuck with that template throughout the entire project. Wix has a great looking user interface but the bad side is that templates cannot be quickly changed as a website identity evolves. Wix was made with the non-techy in mind, and because of this, it provides troubleshooting and support all around the clock.
For a user using WordPress, there are many more functions available to them. Users get access to a dashboard for self-hosted WordPress websites. It is under the administrative dashboard that a user gets access to tools needed to install themes, download and enable plugins, create pages, posts, and any other features needed to create the website.
Unlike Wix, WordPress users need to familiarise themselves with the WordPress dashboard, the menu, plugins, etc. Hence users need some knowledge to be able to use WordPress. Support is only available through forums and tutorials.
Website design and layout
The design and layout of a website directly affect the result. That said it is not always about how good looking you want the website to be but also it is about how easy the interface is for its users.
All of the Wix 500+ templates are customisable and fully responsive. The design is written in HTML5. When building a website with Wix a user can rearrange items change the layout and customise the design to suit their needs. Although Wix can handle large sites, the editor becomes rather slow when you have quite some pages on the site. Wix is more suitable for website style portfolios.
WordPress themes can equally be used for personal websites and business websites or eCommerce websites. Their themes come with built-in customisation and a user can further customise the design and layout with plugins.
WordPress is quite extensive in the sense that a user can choose to use downloaded themes from wordpress.org directories. Again, users have the option of choosing a free or paid theme depending on their budget and needs. Developers can implement and use their skills to build a custom theme on WordPress, unlike Wix.
Cost of running website
Every website comes with its own cost and these costs are bound to change as the website evolves. Without forgetting that Wix is a website builder and hosting platform, their costs are based on a series of tiered monthly plans or subscriptions. This includes domain name, site storage, bandwidth, and access to add-ons and apps.
Wix comes with a basic website builder which is free. The downside is that there will be advertisements displayed at the top and beneath your website. Another thing to know about the free basic builder on Wix is that you cannot use your domain name on the website so it will have .wix.com extension. As the site evolves you have the option of scaling up to a higher monthly subscription that will support your needs.
Because Wix provides all of its services in fixed-monthly subscriptions, users are not expected to spend money on additional expenses such as recruiting developer services or purchasing products from outside sources. Such one-stop shopping makes it especially attractive for new users looking for an easy and relatively economic way to build a website, even if it restricts customisation options and specialised functions.
WordPress itself can be downloaded and installed free of charge-and an entire website can be set up almost free of charge using a standard hosting kit and free themes and plugins from official WordPress directories. However, the actual cost of installing and operating a WordPress site can vary significantly depending on the functions and features of a particular site. These costs include the purchase and registration of a domain name and can include the purchasing of any premium themes and plugins needed to ensure the correct look and functionality for the website.
Final verdict
Wix is a superb website builder, simple to use, with very attractive templates to choose from. Wix is more suitable for website style portfolios. It is not advisable to build a large site because the editor tends to be slow with too many pages. WordPress allows you to create sites that are much larger but requires more technical knowledge.
While all Wix packages include hosting and technology support, WordPress is an open-source platform and requires some knowledge to handle. The main difference between Wix and WordPress is its technical approach. WordPress provides its users complete control and flexibility allowing users a reliable alternative should they decide to scale later.
After all comparisons, WordPress carries the day. WordPress offers the sort of control that any website designer needs on their platform. Moreover, there are several online forums and sites for support. You can’t go wrong with WordPress.
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