Wix vs. WordPress: Top 5 Differences You Should Be Aware Of

By Edward Bishop

Wix vs. WordPress has become a widespread debate subject today. Of the two, WordPress is the most popular, powering over 30% of the websites. However, Wix has evolved to become a worthy challenger in website building.

But how do Wix’s features stack up against the popular WordPress?

Wix vs WordPress image for article - 444444Ease of use

Although it’s powerful and flexible, WordPress has a steeper learning curve. On the other hand, Wix prioritizes user-friendliness, and you don’t even need coding skills to create your website. It has a simple drag-and-drop editor that even the basic user can master.

WordPress is easy to install. You won’t need any technical skills whatsoever. Setting your blog up is as simple as logging into your account, without the need to download anything.

Once your account is set up, you can then proceed with creating your content. It’s very easy and straightforward to use, even if you’re one of those who aren’t really well-versed with technology-related matters.

Here are some tips that can come in handy when using WordPress, or how to start a blog in general:

  • Your titles should be relevant. These should tell your readers what they’d expect to find in your blog posts. Keywords should also be strategically placed because search engines tend to place much weight on content based around keywords.
  • If you’re using a template for your blog, you should also change the theme of your template. This will make your blog look much more professional and will help you draw in traffic. You can even change the header of your page, which will attract people to come and see what you have to say. If you feel uncomfortable about making your own template, there are plenty of easy ones that you can use on WordPress.

If you keep these tips in mind, you’ll be able to start your own WordPress blog very soon. There are plenty of resources on the web to help you through the process. Just be sure that you keep up with the changes that are happening in the WordPress. There are lots of great plug-ins that you can use to customize your blog and make it much more exciting. Soon, you’ll find yourself building a huge following of WordPress users all over the world.

Apps and plug-ins

Both platforms allow you to use external extensions to increase functionality. WordPress labels them as plug-ins, whereas Wix refers to them as apps.

As for Wix, you get to choose from over 300 apps. While some are free, most of these apps come at a price, with either a one-time fee or an ongoing subscription attached. Similarly, WordPress provides free and paid plug-ins. Since WordPress in an open-source platform, it wins this section with over 60,000 plug-ins to choose from.

It is important to note that not every plug-in will work with your theme. Also, you have an option to add custom codes to your site, which is not available in Wix.

E-commerce & Blogging

Wix has a built-in commerce option filled up with useful sales features. It also provides users with over 100 templates to create an online store. All you have to do is subscribe to any of the dedicated commerce plans.

For e-commerce with WordPress, you will need e-commerce plug-ins such as WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and MemberPress.

When it comes to blogging, both offer comprehensive tools. Wix provides you with basic blogging features, a built-in media library, and throws in a Wix Blog app. WordPress provides the same and adds even more.

You get an option to add images on top of a blog post or set your post invisible to readers. However, the lack of a free library of media in WordPress is a big drawback.

Whether you’re going to use Wix or WordPress, here are some tips you can apply when starting a blog:

  • Choose a topic that interests you.
  • Consider your readers and how well informed they are.
  • Find out what their questions are and address them in your blog. If you provide useful information, you’ll keep your readers interested in your content. This can help you build relationships with your readers, which can lead to repeat customers and referrals in the future.

In addition to writing posts, you may want to set up a blog feed that automatically sends updates to all your followers every time you post a new blog entry. This will give you more visibility to those who follow you, and more credibility as well. These settings are well available on WordPress and Wix.

SEO

For Wix, you can choose from a long list of apps such as Site Booster and Rabbit SEO. The equivalent of those apps in WordPress is Rank Math and Yoast SEO. The apps are available at different prices and come with various SEO features.

Although both platforms provide extensions to ensure the success of your website, most bloggers find WordPress the better choice in terms of SEO.

Content migration

Just like we move in and out of apartments, you may need to move your website from one host to another. The movement could either be a simple content transfer or site migration as a whole. Either way, you need content portability.

On account of being self-hosted, the process of moving content is a little bit hard in Wix. You have to do it manually, which can take longer if you have a lot of content. Sadly, Wix doesn’t provide an option to export your site.

WordPress has a simple content migration process. You need to back-up your content and then use plug-ins like All in One WP Migration or Updrafts. There’s also an option to export your site.

Verdict

If you know your way around website building and don’t mind the learning curve, WordPress is the way to go. However, if you want a more straightforward path creating a site, Wix is your platform.

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Interesting related article: “What is the Web?“