Wix markets itself as the website builder that does everything. 900+ templates, drag-and-drop editing, AI website generation, e-commerce, booking systems, and an app market with 500+ extensions. The feature list is impressive.
The reality is more nuanced. Wix offers genuine flexibility for non-technical users, but that flexibility comes with trade-offs you need to understand before committing.
What is Wix?
Wix is an all-in-one website platform that provides:
- Cloud-based website hosting
- Drag-and-drop visual editor
- 900+ customizable templates
- E-commerce functionality
- Wix App Market (500+ extensions)
- AI website builder
- Built-in SEO tools
- Email marketing (add-on)
Unlike WordPress, everything runs on Wix’s infrastructure. You’re trading control for convenience—no hosting to configure, no security patches, no technical complexity.
Pricing Breakdown
Free Plan - $0/month
- Wix ads displayed on your site
- Wix subdomain only (yoursite.wixsite.com)
- Limited storage (500MB)
- Basic features only
- Access to Wix AI tools
Best for: Testing the platform, hobby projects with no audience.
Light Plan - $17/month (annual)
- No Wix ads
- Custom domain connection
- 2GB storage
- 2 site collaborators
- Basic marketing tools
- No e-commerce functionality
Best for: Personal sites, simple portfolios, landing pages without sales.
Core Plan - $29/month (annual)
- 50GB storage
- 5 collaborators
- Essential e-commerce features
- Full marketing suite
- Accept online payments
- Branded invoices
Best for: Small businesses starting online sales, service providers.
Business Plan - $36/month (annual)
- 100GB storage
- 10 collaborators
- Advanced e-commerce tools
- Automated abandoned cart recovery
- Multi-currency support
- Advanced shipping
Best for: Growing online stores, businesses with substantial inventory.
Business Elite - $159/month (annual)
- Unlimited storage
- 15 collaborators
- Priority support
- VIP priority response
- Advanced analytics
- API access
Best for: High-volume stores needing premium support and unlimited resources.
Enterprise - Custom Pricing
- Starts around $500/month
- Custom solutions
- Dedicated account manager
- SLA guarantees
Monthly vs Annual Billing
Annual billing offers significant savings:
- Light: $17/month (annual) vs $23/month (monthly)
- Core: $29/month (annual) vs $39/month (monthly)
- Business: $36/month (annual) vs $48/month (monthly)
Paying annually saves 25-35% but requires upfront commitment.
Hidden Costs
Professional Email
Wix doesn’t include email accounts. Options:
- Google Workspace: $6/month per user
- Microsoft 365: $6/month per user
That’s $72+/year on top of your plan for basic business email.
Domain Name
- Free first year with annual premium plans
- $14.95+/year renewal for common TLDs
- Premium domains cost more
Wix Apps
The App Market contains free and paid apps:
- Many essential apps are free
- Premium apps: $5-20/month
- Analytics, advanced forms, booking systems often require paid apps
A typical business might add $10-30/month in app costs.
Payment Processing
If you sell products:
- 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (Wix Payments)
- PayPal, Stripe have similar rates
No additional Wix transaction fees on Core plan and above.
The Template Lock-In Problem
This is Wix’s most significant limitation:
Once you choose a template and publish your site, you cannot switch templates.
Changing templates means rebuilding your site from scratch. All content, settings, and customizations stay with your original template. This isn’t a technical quirk—it’s a fundamental architecture decision.
Before choosing Wix, be certain about your template choice. Build a complete draft before publishing. Switching directions later is painful.
Strengths
Design freedom: Wix offers more layout flexibility than Squarespace. Elements can be placed exactly where you want them. The visual editor allows pixel-perfect positioning.
Feature breadth: If a feature exists in website building, Wix probably offers it—either natively or through the App Market. Booking systems, restaurants, fitness studios, events—Wix has specialized solutions.
AI tools: Wix’s AI website builder generates complete sites from prompts. The AI text creator helps with content. These aren’t gimmicks—they genuinely accelerate setup.
Free plan: Unlike Squarespace, Wix offers a functional free tier. Test the platform without commitment.
Beginner friendly: No technical knowledge required. The interface is intuitive, with clear guidance throughout.
Limitations
Template lock-in: As discussed, you can’t switch templates. This is a dealbreaker if you might want to rebrand.
Blogging weakness: Wix handles basic blogs, but lacks the depth of WordPress or even Squarespace. Single-tier category structure, limited scheduling, basic content organization.
Design consistency: Maximum flexibility means maximum opportunity for messy designs. Squarespace’s constraints produce more consistently professional results.
Performance: Wix sites aren’t slow, but they’re not as fast as static sites or optimized platforms. The visual editor adds overhead.
SEO limitations: Basic SEO tools are included, but advanced technical SEO is limited compared to WordPress.
Scalability: Wix works for small to medium businesses. Large enterprises or complex sites often outgrow the platform.
Who Should Use Wix?
Ideal for:
- Small businesses wanting online presence quickly
- Service providers (salons, consultants, trainers)
- Restaurants and local businesses
- Event pages and portfolios
- Non-technical founders testing ideas
- Anyone who values flexibility over design constraints
Not ideal for:
- Content-heavy sites (blogs, publications)
- Large e-commerce operations (Shopify is better)
- Sites requiring frequent rebranding
- Developers who want code control
- Projects with tight budgets (costs add up)
- High-traffic sites prioritizing performance
Wix vs Squarespace
Both target the same market but with different philosophies:
| Aspect | Wix | Squarespace |
|---|---|---|
| Templates | 900+ | 100+ |
| Design freedom | Maximum | Constrained |
| Design consistency | Variable | Polished |
| Template switching | No | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| App ecosystem | 500+ apps | Limited extensions |
| E-commerce | Good | Good |
| Starting price | $17/month | $16/month |
Choose Wix if: You want maximum flexibility, plan to add many features via apps, or need a free tier to test.
Choose Squarespace if: Design quality matters most, you might rebrand later, or you prefer curated templates over unlimited options.
Wix vs WordPress
Different categories entirely:
| Aspect | Wix | WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Technical skill | None | Some required |
| Hosting | Included | Separate |
| Control | Limited | Complete |
| Plugin ecosystem | 500+ apps | 60,000+ plugins |
| SEO control | Basic | Advanced |
| Cost predictability | High | Variable |
| Maintenance | Zero | Ongoing |
Choose Wix if: You want zero technical complexity and predictable costs.
Choose WordPress if: You need full control, advanced SEO, or specific plugin functionality.
Realistic Annual Cost
Minimal (Light plan, basic use): $200-250/year Typical small business (Core + apps + email): $500-700/year Growing e-commerce (Business + apps + marketing): $800-1,200/year Premium (Business Elite + full stack): $2,500+/year
The Bottom Line
Wix delivers on its core promise: anyone can build a website without technical skills. The editor is intuitive, the template selection is vast, and the feature breadth handles most use cases.
The trade-offs are real, though. Template lock-in is significant—choose carefully. Hidden costs accumulate—budget beyond the base plan. Performance and SEO have limits—not ideal for competitive markets.
For small businesses, service providers, and non-technical founders wanting quick setup, Wix is a solid choice. It’s not the cheapest option and not the most powerful, but it occupies a useful middle ground between simple builders and complex platforms.
Know the limitations before committing. Test with the free plan. Choose your template deliberately. If those constraints work for your situation, Wix can serve you well.