Key facts
- Wix UK plans run from Light at £9 to Business Elite at £119 a month billed yearly, per ExpertSure's July 2026 check of Wix's UK pricing page.
- Wix's Light plan cannot take online payments; Core is the cheapest Wix plan that can sell (ExpertSure, 2026).
- Wix's Help Center says a Wix site cannot be moved to another host, and you cannot switch an existing site to a different template.
- WordPress is free, open-source software and runs 39.6% of all websites (W3Techs, 18 October 2026); Wix runs 4.2%.
- Wix includes hosting, SSL and security updates in the plan price; WordPress needs separate hosting and regular updates.
- You can connect a domain bought elsewhere to Wix, so your domain stays portable even if the site does not.
The short answer
Wix is a hosted website builder. You pay a monthly plan, and Wix handles the servers, the security and the software. WordPress is software you install on hosting you choose, which gives you full control and full responsibility.
For a sole trader who wants a tidy five-page site and would rather never think about updates, Wix is a reasonable pick. For a business that expects to add service pages, articles and features over the next five years, or that wants the option to change developer or host without rebuilding, WordPress is the safer long-term base.
WordPress and Wix compared
| WordPress | Wix | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Self-hosted, open-source CMS | Hosted website builder |
| Software cost | Free | Light £9, Core £16, Business £25, Business Elite £119 a month billed yearly (ExpertSure, from Wix UK pricing, July 2026) |
| Hosting | Bought separately | Included |
| Selling online | WooCommerce or other plugins | Core plan and above |
| Changing the design | Change or rebuild the theme any time; content stays | Template is fixed once chosen, per Wix's Help Center; a new look means a new site |
| Moving host | Yes, files and database move anywhere | No, Wix sites run only on Wix |
| Editing | Block editor; structured, less freeform | Drag-and-drop; very freeform |
| Upkeep | Updates and backups needed | Handled by Wix |
| Custom code | Full access to PHP, HTML and CSS | Custom code through Wix's own tools; no access to the site's HTML |
The trade-off: convenience against ownership
Wix's selling point is that nothing breaks because of an update you forgot to run. That is real value for a busy owner. The cost is lock-in. Wix's own support article on exporting says a Wix site cannot be hosted elsewhere because it depends on Wix's proprietary technology. If prices rise or you outgrow it, you rebuild.
Wix also fixes your template once you start editing. Its Help Center says switching an existing site to a different template is not possible; you create a new site and move content across by hand. On WordPress you can redesign the whole front end and keep every page, post and URL.
WordPress's weak spot is the opposite. Freedom means you can install 40 plugins, skip updates and end up with a slow, hacked site. That is a maintenance problem, not a platform flaw, and it is why we recommend a care plan (from £25 a month + VAT at dijitulsupport.co.uk) or a clear routine if you look after it yourself.
When the other option is better
We usually lean towards WordPress for growing service businesses. Wix is the better call when:
- You want to make frequent visual changes yourself, such as moving sections and swapping images, without any developer involvement.
- The site is small and will stay small, for example a five-page site for a mobile beautician or a holiday let.
- Nobody will run updates, and you would rather pay a predictable monthly fee than risk an unpatched site.
- You already have a Wix site that brings in work and simply needs a better design and clearer calls to action.
And WordPress wins clearly when you need a large number of service or location pages, detailed schema markup, integrations with booking or CRM software, or the freedom to move host and developer without starting again.
Speed and search
Both can rank. Wix has improved its page speed and SEO settings a great deal, and you can edit titles, descriptions, canonical tags and redirects. WordPress gives deeper control, such as custom templates per page type and fine-grained structured data. In our experience the deciding factors for local businesses are a well-written page per service, a properly set up Google Business Profile, fast mobile pages that meet Core Web Vitals, and a clear phone number. Those are the same on either platform.
What we build
On Wix, we design and build a custom layout rather than lightly editing a stock template, set up SEO settings and forms, and show you how to edit it. On WordPress, we build a lean theme with the block editor configured for your content, and keep plugins to a minimum. See Wix website design and WordPress web design, or get in touch with a rough brief and we will recommend one.
Frequently asked questions
Can I move my Wix site to WordPress?
Not automatically. Wix does not export a site you can host elsewhere, so the move is a rebuild. Text and images can be copied across, blog posts can sometimes be pulled from Wix's RSS feed, and every old URL needs a 301 redirect to its new address so you keep your search rankings.
Is Wix bad for SEO?
No. That reputation comes from older versions. Current Wix lets you edit page titles, meta descriptions, URLs, redirects and structured data, and Wix sites rank for local searches. WordPress still gives more control for large or content-heavy sites, but for a small local business the content matters more than the platform.
Is WordPress free?
The WordPress software is free and open source. You still pay for hosting, a domain and any premium plugins or themes. WordPress.com is a separate hosted service with its own paid plans; when web designers say WordPress, they usually mean the self-hosted version from WordPress.org.
Which is easier to edit, Wix or WordPress?
Wix is easier for layout changes because you can drag anything anywhere. WordPress is easier for keeping things consistent, because content sits inside a designed structure and is harder to break. Most owners who mainly update text, photos and blog posts find both straightforward after a short training session.
Do I own my Wix website?
You own your content and your domain, but the site only runs on Wix and cannot be moved to another host, per Wix's support article on exporting. With WordPress you own and can move everything, including the files and database. With us, you own your domain on either platform.
How much does a Wix or WordPress site cost with dijitul?
Our custom-designed sites start from £250 + VAT for up to five pages, on either platform. Your Wix plan or WordPress hosting is a separate running cost. Hosting with us starts from £1 a day + VAT. You get a fixed quote before work starts.
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