There are seemingly thousands of different ways to build a website now. Wix is one of the best-known brands in the website builder product type. They’ve been around for quite a while (circa 2006), and have built a large word-of-mouth brand. I recently had a small project, and a reason to try out several drag and drop website builders. I gave Wix a try to see how they fit. Here are my 6 pros and 6 cons and full Wix review.
See Wix’s Current Plans & Pricing here.
But first, a bit of an overview of general website builder considerations. There really are more than a thousand ways to get what you want in the end (aka someone to type in a website address and see your information in their browser). Technically to create a website, you just need a text editor to hand code an HTML file.
But most people choose a solution on a spectrum based on their skill, time, and goals. The spectrum ranges from all-inclusive (ie, “we do everything for you, but also control everything) to 100% DIY (ie, “you do everything, but it’s quite complicated”).
Whether you are building a simple personal website or running a business, the way you build your site has a lot of consequences.
In the long-term, it affects your versatility, functionality, and, of course, your brand. In the short term, it can certainly add/take away a lot of headaches. That said, just like choosing a physical house or office, there is no such thing as an absolute “best” or “top” choice. There’s only the right choice relative to your goals, experience, and circumstances.
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What Is Wix?
On the wide spectrum of website building solutions, Wix lives on the website builder end that is all-inclusive. You build your site on their software with their tools. Your website lives on their servers. You can only access your site via the Wix admin panel. It’s in contrast to solutions where you buy, install, and manage all the “pieces” of your website separately.
Like other website builders, using Wix is sort of like leasing and customizing an apartment in a gated development instead of buying and owning your own house. You’re still in control of decor, cleaning, and everything living-wise – but you leave the construction, plumbing, security, and infrastructure to the property owner. That point is key because there’s usually a direct tradeoff between convenience and control.
As far as direct competitors, Wix competes directly with all-inclusive website builders like Weebly, Squarespace, GoDaddy GoCentral, and WordPress.com.
Those all-inclusive options as a group compete with options like self-hosted WordPress (which provides the free software to build a website that you own & control on your own hosting – see my WordPress setup guide) all the way to options like typing actual HTML code into a text file.
Is Wix Safe?
Yes – Wix is safe to use. Wix is a publicly-traded company that operates globally with well-established legal, privacy, payments, and product standards. There are plenty of fly-by-night or amateur-ly run website builders. But Wix is not one of them. They have downsides, but a solid upside is their safety & reputation.
Is Wix Free?
Wix has a free plan, but only if you use a Wix subdomain (e.g., yourwebsite.wix.com). You also have to display Wix ads and have limited functionality. To use a custom domain and have full functionality, you have to pay for a premium plan. It’s great for a short-term or temporary project…or to simply try Wix out before upgrading.
If you are looking for a free website builder option, you could also explore these free website options. This review will explore Wix’s full product suite with a focus on anyone building a full, public-facing website.
Make sense? Awesome, let’s dive into the Wix review. [Read more…] about Wix Review: 6 Pros & 6 Cons of Using Wix For Websites
