Wix vs WordPress
Pick Wix for an all-in-one hosted site with nothing to maintain; pick WordPress if you want control, plugins and to choose your own host.
Pick Wix if…
You want one tool that handles hosting, design and business features, and you are happy to pay a yearly plan for a custom domain.
Pick WordPress if…
You want free software, a large plugin library and the freedom to pick and move hosts, and you can handle (or pay for) setup and upkeep.
Price
- Freemium
- Free
- Open source
Starting price
Free plan
Open source
Works on
| Feature | A hosted website builder with templates, a drag-and-drop editor, an AI builder and built-in business tools. | Free, open-source publishing software you install on your own hosting to build sites, blogs and stores. |
|---|---|---|
| Price |
|
|
| Starting price | $17 per month, billed yearly (Light plan) | — |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Works on | Web | Web, API |
| Try Wix (opens the Wix website in a new tab) | Try WordPress (opens the WordPress website in a new tab) |
Wix is a hosted builder with a free plan that publishes on a Wixsite subdomain. A custom domain, ad removal and selling online need a Premium plan, listed at $17, $29, $39 and $159 per month when billed annually on Wix's own blog. Wix's plans page shows prices vary by location, so check your local price.
WordPress, from wordpress.org, is free open-source software under the GPL (GPLv2 or later). The software costs nothing, but it needs hosting and a domain. wordpress.org lists recommended hosts such as Pressable, Bluehost and Hostinger without prices, so hosting is a separate cost that depends on the provider.
On features, Wix says online stores, scheduling, email marketing, SEO tools and analytics are built in with no plugins, plus an AI site builder. WordPress uses the Block Editor and themes, and you add stores, analytics and newsletters through plugins.
Wix suits people who want a single dashboard and no server to manage. WordPress suits people who want control over their hosting and software, and are comfortable with PHP and MySQL or MariaDB requirements, or a host that handles them.
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Last updated 16 October 2026. How we make money