WordPress vs Wix for small business websites

Part of our guide on small business website cost

An honest, figure-backed comparison to help your small business pick the right website platform.

The differences at a glance

WordPress is an open-source content management system requiring separate web hosting, offering extensive customization. Wix is a closed platform that includes hosting and templates with drag-and-drop editing.

WordPress requires some technical involvement but allows full control over your site design, plugins, and advanced functions. Wix is user-friendly, focusing on simplicity with fewer options to customize beyond provided templates.

WordPress and Wix also differ in their update management and security approaches, which are important for small businesses handling customer data. WordPress requires manual updates for its core, themes, and plugins to maintain security, placing responsibility on the site owner or developer. Wix handles all updates automatically behind the scenes, providing a more hands-off approach that reduces technical maintenance but limits control over timing and features.

Another notable contrast is the ownership and portability of your content. With WordPress, you have full ownership of your website data and can migrate it freely between hosts. Conversely, Wix stores your content within its proprietary platform, making it challenging to export your site completely if you decide to switch providers later. This lock-in factor can influence long-term flexibility for growing businesses. It helps to understand seo for small business before going further.

Cost considerations for small business websites

WordPress hosting costs vary from about $5 to $30+ per month depending on provider and traffic, plus domain registration and premium plugins or themes if needed. This flexibility means you can start low and scale expenses as your needs grow.

Wix charges a fixed monthly subscription from basic to advanced plans including hosting, but premium features, such as e-commerce or extra storage, require higher tiers. You won’t pay separately for hosting but may be locked into Wix’s pricing model.

Choosing WordPress involves upfront time to select hosting and configurations but can offer better long-term value when your business requires custom features. Wix simplifies budgeting with predictable monthly fees but can become costly when upgrading. We cover register your business domain in its own article.

Which wins cost depends on your current and future website needs, technical skills, and willingness to manage updates and maintenance.

Ease of use and setup for non-technical users

Wix wins hands down if you want a website up quickly without technical knowledge. Its drag-and-drop editor and ready-made templates let non-experts design and publish without learning coding or complex configuration.

WordPress requires installing on a web host, picking a theme, managing plugins, and occasional troubleshooting. This can overwhelm if you have no technical background or time to learn. Before you commit to anything, it is worth looking at how to clean an email list.

Wix’s simplicity comes with trade-offs in flexibility and control but suits owners focusing on business rather than website management.

For users willing to invest time learning or hire help, WordPress’s learning curve pays off with customizability and ownership.

For small business owners with no prior web experience, Wix’s step-by-step guided setup includes helpful prompts for adding business information, contact forms, and social media links, making the process approachable. In contrast, WordPress’s flexibility means setup steps vary widely depending on chosen themes and plugins, which can be confusing without tutorials or external help.

However, WordPress has made strides in usability with modern block editors and page builders that offer drag-and-drop capabilities similar to Wix. These tools can flatten the learning curve, allowing non-technical users to create visually appealing pages after some initial familiarization. The trade-off is investing time to learn these plugins or hiring professionals.

Additionally, Wix provides customer support via live chat and phone for premium users, giving immediate assistance during setup issues. WordPress support is community-driven, relying on forums, tutorials, and documentation, which can be slower and less personalized but vast in scope. This difference affects how quickly non-technical users can resolve problems and get their site live.

Flexibility and customization for business growth

WordPress offers thousands of themes and plugins enabling you to add features like booking systems, memberships, forums, or advanced SEO tools as your business grows. It supports any level of custom development.

Wix’s customization is limited to built-in apps and templates. It supports e-commerce and basic business tools but doesn’t allow direct code changes or complex customizations.

If you expect your website to need unique features or integration with other tools, WordPress is the clear winner, giving you control over design and functionality.

Wix suits firms whose website needs remain standard and simple without scaling complexity.

WordPress’s open-source nature means you can leverage custom coding or hire developers to build unique plugins or themes tailored precisely to your business model. For example, a restaurant could integrate a custom reservation system or a membership-based business could implement tiered access controls not available in Wix.

Wix’s app marketplace offers over 250 apps to extend site functions, covering essentials like live chat, marketing tools, and booking systems. However, the depth and integration of these apps are limited compared to WordPress plugins, which number over 58,000 and range from simple widgets to complex e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce.

If your small business anticipates rapid growth or demands feature-rich experiences—such as multi-language support, advanced SEO configurations, or CRM integration—WordPress’s flexibility better accommodates these needs. Wix is more suitable if your growth is steady and your website requirements remain relatively straightforward.

Which should you choose: WordPress vs Wix for small business websites

Your specific priorities decide the winner between WordPress and Wix. WordPress excels if you want full control, scalability, and don’t mind some technical effort or cost variability.

Wix fits those who want fast, easy setup and prefer a bundled subscription without managing hosting, accepting limited customization and scalability.

Budget-conscious startups with simple needs often pick Wix. Businesses planning growth, unique branding, or custom functions will lean toward WordPress.

Assess your technical skills, time availability, and long-term website goals before deciding.

• Choose WordPress if you need deep customization and growth potential.
• Pick Wix if you want a simple, ready-made website fast with low maintenance.
• Avoid Wix if you expect to heavily customize or expand functionality.
• Avoid WordPress if you lack time or resources to maintain a self-hosted site.

How to get started with your chosen platform

To start with WordPress, select a reliable hosting provider with one-click WordPress installation, register your domain, and choose a theme aligned with your brand. Install essential plugins cautiously to avoid bloat.

For Wix, sign up on their platform, pick a template, and use the drag-and-drop editor to build pages. Upgrade your subscription plan according to business needs like e-commerce or additional storage.

Regularly back up your WordPress site and keep plugins updated. Wix handles updates automatically but monitor your subscription and feature usage to avoid surprises.

A well-planned start prevents costly redesigns and downtime later.

1. WordPress: Choose hosting and register domain.
2. WordPress: Install WordPress and select theme.
3. WordPress: Add plugins for desired features.
4. Wix: Create account and pick template.
5. Wix: Customize pages with drag-and-drop editor.
6. Wix: Upgrade plan if advanced features needed.

Questions people still ask

I've built and managed websites on both WordPress and Wix for small businesses and understand the trade-offs firsthand.