If you are new to website builders and web design in general, you may have started looking at a few user-friendly platforms you could start with. And if you did, you probably heard the names Wix and WordPress thrown around. That’s because these are two of the most popular web design platforms out there. However, while they’re often mentioned together, they have some fundamental differences that could make one option better than the other. Let’s take a close look at both platforms and see which one would be the best for you.

What are the Main Differences Between Wix and WordPress?

While both these tools are often used for the same function, they are profoundly different at their core. Wix is a website builder solution, while WordPress is a CMS or content management system. WordPress was initially used for blogs and has been tweaked to allow for website building.

That doesn’t mean that it’s less capable than Wix; quite the contrary. You can do pretty much everything you can on WordPress as you would on Wix. The main difference is that you will need more expertise to be able to work with WordPress.

You’ll have more liberty with designs and coding, but less structure as well, and you might find yourself dealing with bugs you weren’t ready for. With Wix, virtually everything can be dragged and dropped, and the code is much more rigid but stable, so there are fewer chances of bugs and errors.

Wix is the Best Option for Novices

If you know little to nothing about web design then Wix is definitely the best option for you. The interface is very intuitive and easy to understand. You can configure everything through drag and drop. You can move modules around, create About Us and Contact pages, integrate payment options, etc, without knowing a lick of HTML. Creating product pages is also easier, and the Wix library counts over 800 templates, so you’re bound to find something that you’ll like.

WordPress is Better for Intermediary and Advanced Users

If you know a bit of HTML, however, or have significant experience, then the best choice is WordPress. WordPress allows you to customise your site down to the last detail. It’s a bit more complex, but the learning curve is gentle and it’s still a very user-friendly platform. You’ll need some knowledge of HTML, CSS, and FTP to be able to use WordPress to its fullest.

More liberty also means that there will be less assistance. If you run into a problem with Wix, you can contact their customer service. With WordPress, you’re pretty much left to your own devices, though it has a large and vibrant community that will be more than happy to help. It also has the benefit of being free whereas you’ll have to pay $14 per month for Wix’s most popular package.

Warnings Before Using Wix

Another very important thing to understand when using Wix is that you will not be hosting the website. Wix will host it on their servers. While you will be able to use your own domain name, you will not be able to export your site to another server under any circumstances. So, your site’s destiny will ultimately be in the hands of the company. You’ll also be stuck with all of Wix’s design limitations, which could make it harder to scale.

As you can see, both WordPress and Wix are different and cater to different audiences. We suggest that you assess your level of competence and look into both of these options in more detail to see which one would truly be the right fit.