Top 10 Wix Alternatives

Wix is often touted as being the best website builder for novices, as well as a very solid option for experienced webmasters. The platform is extremely intuitive and easy to understand while still being flexible enough to allow skilled users to create unique-looking websites. At first glance, Wix seems like the perfect site builder but appearances can be deceiving.

Even though Wix is a very good site builder – and one of our personal favorites -, it’s certainly not perfect. Wix is essentially a closed ecosystem that offers many benefits but also comes with a fair number of limitations. In addition, the builder doesn’t include certain features and tools that some users may consider absolutely essential. With that in mind, we decided to take a look at some of the other website builders out there in order to find good Wix alternatives for users who might be looking for something a bit different.

Before we begin, it’s worth noting that some of the platforms on this list are more similar to Wix than others. We took into account the fact that certain users may want to build specialized websites so we wanted to compile a list that contains a little something for everyone. Here’s a quick look of what we believe to be the best Wix alternatives in 2024:

• Weebly – The Best Wix alternative for the average user. Better eCommerce functionality and more apps.
• WordPress – The most popular CMS in the world. Extremely flexible but not the most user-friendly.
• Squarespace – A bit expensive but offers some of the best-looking templates on the market.
• Shopify – Hands down the best Wix alternative for users interested in creating online stores.
• Site123 – Extremely easy to use and offers a lot of guidance for inexperienced users.
• GoDaddy – Great for businesses. No free plan, but you can use it for free for up to 1 month.
• Webnode – Not recommended for blogs or online stores but otherwise a good alternative.
• Strikingly – The best free plan out there. Excellent for building single-page sites quickly.
• Gator – Essentially, a cheaper and more toned-down version of Wix.
• Bluehost – Solid hosting provider that offers easy integrations with WordPress and Weebly

If you’re a novice with little to no experience when it comes to site building, we recommend considering all-purpose builders (like Wix) because they will make your life a lot easier. We’ll go over some of the main reasons why Wix may not be the perfect choice for you, later on, so make sure to read until the end. Without further ado, let’s take an in-depth look at our top Wix alternatives for 2024.

1. Weebly

Weebly is a fantastic choice for users looking for a site builder that functions very similar to Wix but does a few things differently. In our recent Wix vs Weebly comparison, we found the two platforms to be extremely evenly matched and even though Wix did take the cake overall, we found Weebly to actually be a better option for some people.

While Wix’s free-form site editor allows for more flexibility, Weebly’s structured editor provides more guidance and fewer opportunities to mess things up, which is very important for inexperienced users. The builder also has a better backup & restore system that allows you to download and store the contents of your website externally. Weebly doesn’t have quite as many templates to choose from compared to Wix but it does allow you to upload custom templates from third-party sources. Weebly performed better than Wix both in terms of speed and uptime during our testing, however, don’t expect massive differences between the two in this department.

Similar to Wix, Weebly offers a free plan along with several premium packages. The free plan comes with all the restrictions you would expect, including limited storage, branded ads, and the inability to link a custom domain. It’s certainly nice to be able to build a website for free in spite of the limitations but we recommend going for one of the premium plans if possible. The premium packages start at $5 per month, which is just a bit more expensive than Wix’s entry point of $4.5 per month. Both platforms offer more or less the same features and tools at every tier. That said, Weebly gets extra points because it includes unlimited storage with most plans while Wix doesn’t.

Best All-Purpose Builder for Online Stores

Weebly is arguably the best Wix alternative for users in need of an all-purpose site builder that comes with solid eCommerce functionality. One of Weebly’s biggest selling points is the fact that most of its plans include a shopping cart, a feature that most other site builders lock away until the final tier. Weebly doesn’t take a cut of your transactions if you upgrade to the Business plan (or better) and offers plenty of useful features like abandoned cart recovery, shipping labels, inventory management, automatic tax calculator, and more.

Weebly has a number of shortcomings in its base form but many of them can be easily fixed by installing a few apps. The Weebly app center contains over 350 apps ranging from small ones like cookie notices and rating widgets to more complex ones like chatbots and form builders. Users can take advantage of these apps to enhance their websites with additional functionality and attract new visitors or customers in the process. Just like Wix, Weebly offers a combination of free and premium apps.

2. WordPress

If you have a very specific vision in mind for your website, WordPress is generally the way to go. This is one of the best Wix alternatives out there regardless of whether you want to build a very complex website or just a simple blog. WordPress has a steeper learning curve than Wix but it offers a much higher degree of flexibility in return.

WordPress is estimated to power around 35% of all websites on the internet, making it by far the most popular CMS (Content Management System) on the market. The platform achieved this very impressive level of popularity thanks in no small part to the fact that it is completely free. With site builders like Wix, you can expect a lot of limitations by opting for the free plan but that’s not the case here at all. You do, however, need to purchase a hosting plan and domain name separately.

Some users might be annoyed by that notion but the reality is that it doesn’t take more than a few minutes to buy a hosting package that comes complete with a domain name and install a basic version of WordPress. Major hosting providers like Bluehost, SiteGround or DreamHost offer special packages designed specifically for WordPress sites. These packages come with easy 1-click installs and other useful features that are not available at Wix, such as database access, free domain emails, manual backup systems, and more. To top it all off, these plans are very affordable, with prices usually starting at less than $5 per month.

The King of Customization

As mentioned in our Wix vs WordPress comparison, the open-source platform offers unrivaled customization opportunities. The editor itself is very powerful right out of the box and supports four scripting languages, which makes it an excellent option for coders. If you’re not a very tech-savvy user, you can still enhance your website in countless ways by simply using plugins instead. Installing too many plugins can slow your site or cause compatibility issues so you do need to pay attention to what you’re doing. Wix’s selection of 200+ apps is pretty impressive for a website builder but it absolutely pales in comparison to WordPress’ 55.000+ plugins.

If you don’t know your way around scripting languages and don’t feel comfortable messing around with plugins, there’s a third option that will allow you to build and customize a WordPress site with ease. I’m talking of course about themes. Premium themes, to be more specific. Many modern WordPress themes come with pre-configured demos that work much like the templates offered by Wix. You simply import the demo you like the most, make a few adjustments to it if you want your site to stand out from the crowd and you’re all done. Premium themes can get fairly expensive but they’re a one-time purchase and generally worth the asking price.

3. Squarespace

Squarespace is a site builder that needs very little introduction at this point. The platform launched several years before Wix and has a very dedicated fan base. Squarespace is known for its stylish templates that lend themselves perfectly to artists, musicians, photographers, and other creatives. The prices are a bit higher compared to Wix but you definitely get what you pay for.

The builder comes with an intuitive drag-and-drop editor and loads of interesting customization options. Squarespace can take some getting used to if you’re just starting out because there are many hidden options and buttons that are easy to miss when using the editor for the first time. Once you do get a sense of where everything is and how the editor works, you’ll find that building a website with Squarespace can be extremely fun.

Unlike Wix, Squarespace is a bit more specialized and doesn’t play well with just any type of website. The platform excels at creating beautiful blogs, portfolios, and online stores. The eCommerce features aren’t quite as impressive as what you can find at Shopify but they are far superior to those of Wix. Meanwhile, the blogging tools are almost as solid at those offered by WordPress, albeit with less emphasis on SEO.

As far as the pricing is concerned, Squarespace will set you back at least $12 per month and there is no free plan. Unlike Wix, Squarespace includes unlimited bandwidth and storage with all plans. eCommerce functionality is unlocked starting with the $18/mo tier. Meanwhile, Wix allows you to accept online payments starting with the $17/mo tier. In other words, Squarespace is a perfect Wix alternative for building better online stores at a very similar price. If you want to build other types of websites, you may want to check out our top 10 best Squarespace alternatives article for more options.

Amazing Templates

We discussed in our Squarespace review about how the platform is perfect for fans of specialized templates. That’s because Squarespace is better than most companies at creating templates that come with relevant features for the specific type of website you’re looking to build. As long as you pick one of the recommended templates for your website’s niche (a fashion blog, for example), you can expect it to include all the features and tools needed to get started on the right foot. In our Wix vs Squarespace comparison, we talked about how Wix outshines Squarespace in terms of template variety. When it comes to overall quality, however, Squarespace wins hands down.

Another major selling point of Squarespace is that you can use its pre-configured templates without having to customize them to any significant degree. The platform features a useful system that finds the perfect template for your future site based on your exact specifications. Once you find a good template, you can simply replace the placeholder images and text blocks with your own content and you’re pretty much good to go. Naturally, you can also jump in for some additional fine-tuning if you want your site to look more unique. And if you’re a tech-savvy user, you can go one step further and completely customize any template using CSS or JavaScript.

4. Shopify

Shopify follows many of the same basic principles as Wix in the sense that it’s an all-in-one package that comes with a site builder, domain name, various templates, and web hosting, among other things. But while Wix can be used to build almost any type of website, Shopify specializes exclusively in the creation of online stores.

Shopify is a lot easier to use than most other eCommerce-specific platforms and even some all-purpose site builders. Signing up with Shopify will give you access to a limited selection of free templates along with a basic storefront structure that you can customize as you see fit. The free templates are fairly decent and feature different styles, but we recommend going with one of the premium templates if you want more functionality and a better design for your website.

The platform features a similar level of customization as Wix and a simple drag-and-drop editor that lets you add, modify or remove elements with ease. Custom editing is also available either by adding HTML blocks or by injecting CSS code directly into the template. Shopify’s premium themes are quite expensive so learning how to modify code in order to customize a free one could save you a lot of money.

Shopify is definitely not the cheapest Wix alternative out there but that’s not really surprising given that this is a very specialized platform that helps users generate money via their online stores. Therefore, it makes sense that you need to spend some money in order to use it. Namely, prices range anywhere between $29 and $299 per month, depending on which package you choose. There’s also a $9/mo Lite plan available but you won’t be able to use it to build a new online store. Instead, Lite is an add-on that can be used to enhance an existing website with eCommerce functionality.

The Best Choice for eCommerce

Shopify is not just better than Wix at eCommerce, it’s better than pretty much any other platform on the market. This is thanks in part to its ease of use but, and more importantly, to its very impressive arsenal of tools and features. You can sell unlimited products with any of Shopify’s plans and the platform supports both physical and digital goods and services. Shopify is miles ahead of Wix when it comes to worldwide shipping and gives users access to over 100 different payment gateways. Granted, you’ll want to stick to the company’s own gateway whenever possible because Shopify takes a cut of up to 2% from transactions made using third-party gateways.

In addition to making it easier to sell products and services, Shopify also provides more opportunities for promoting online stores. Shopify sites can integrate with big marketplace like Amazon and eBay as well as various social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Shopify also provides good email marketing tools along with a broad selection of apps that can help you reach more customers and sell more products. These apps aren’t free but, as it’s often the case, you need to spend money to make money.

5. Site123

Site123 is an often overlooked Wix alternative because it doesn’t look as flashy, nor is it as popular, as most of the other high-profile site builders on the market. That shouldn’t dissuade you from checking it out, though, because Site123 is a very competent and easy to use builder. Besides, you can use it for free so what’s not to love?

Site123 offers around 200 fully-customizable templates that work just as good on mobile devices as they do on desktop. Moreover, switching between the two versions is an absolute breeze. The backend user interface looks a bit more outdated compared to the one used by Wix but the websites you can create with the builder look quite nice.

The app variety is a bit lacking – only 75 to choose from – but you still get most of the app types you might expect, such as analytics tools, marketing tools, social media integrations, and more. In spite of its simplicity, Site123 offers surprisingly powerful eCommerce tools that allow users to build very robust online stores. Among other things, these tools allow you to sell unlimited products in 80 different currencies and accept payments via PayPal and a handful of other similar services.

Site123’s pricing model is very similar to the one used by Wix. Namely, there’s a free plan that you can use for an unlimited amount of time if you don’t mind the restrictions along with several premium packages. The cheapest premium plan will only set you back $5.45 per month while the most expensive one costs just $16.45 if you go with a long-term contract, that is. The price difference between plans is very small, which makes it easy to upgrade to the next tier whenever you need more resources or additional features.

Remarkable Ease of Use and Support

Wix is famous for its ease of use but we think the builder has some stiff competition in this department from Site123. Signing up for a free account with Site123 is very straightforward and doesn’t require a credit card or any other sensitive information. You simply click the “Start Here” button and then select the type of website you want to build. Once your site has been set up, the platform guides you through a step-by-step tutorial that explains what each component of the UI does. Every section of the tutorial is accompanied by a short video that provides even more in-depth explanations of what you’re looking at.

If you’re still struggling to understand certain aspects of the site-building process, you can click the big “Need Help?” button at any time for technical assistance. Unlike other builders that simply direct you to a knowledge base in situations like these, Site123 puts you in touch with a support agent that guides you through the process via live chat. This feature isn’t available with the free plan but that’s not very surprising. Wix has a very helpful on-page support system of its own, however, the company doesn’t offer live chat like Site123.

6. GoDaddy

Most people know GoDaddy as a domain registrar and hosting provider, but the company offers quite a few other products and services as well, including a site builder. While some of GoDaddy’s hosting plans leave a lot to be desired, the site builder developed by the company is surprisingly robust and a very good Wix alternative.

GoDaddy designed its website builder with mobile devices in mind. Not only are all available templates mobile-responsive but the builder also includes a great mobile editor. Building a website using just the mobile editor can be a bit tricky so it’s probably best to do most of the work from a desktop computer and make changes on the go when needed. That said, the choice is entirely up to you.

GoDaddy’s template selection is smaller compared to Wix but the templates look very modern and are easy to customize. Most templates seem to be aimed at businesses but you’ll also find designs that work well for bloggers, artists, and online stores. GoDaddy certainly isn’t the best option for eCommerce but the builder does allow you to create a basic store where you can manage discounts and promotions, set up shipping options, edit product lists, and more.

Unlike Wix, GoDaddy doesn’t offer a free plan but you can check out the builder for free for up to 1 month. Once the trial expires, you’ll need to choose one of the four available packages in order to continue using the services. Plans range in price between $10 and $25 per month, so the entry point is higher compared to Wix but the eCommerce tier is a lot cheaper.

Online Appointments and SEO Tracking

GoDaddy’s website builder comes with a number of interesting features, many of which are not available at Wix. For example, you can add a booking form to your website that clients can use to schedule online appointments for meetings or events. This feature is particularly useful for companies but can also come in handy if you’re an artist or a musician. The booking form can be configured to accept online payments and includes a few other useful features, such as the ability to send SMS or email alerts to your clients or charge cancellation fees.

SEO tracking is one of the other features we really liked. Just as its name suggests, this feature is primarily used to monitor user engagement and website rankings. In addition, the tool also gives you hints and recommendations on how to improve the SEO of your website. Wix has its own set of SEO tools but they are very basic compared to what you can find at GoDaddy. The only caveat is that SEO tracking isn’t available with the basic plan so you’ll need to upgrade to the $15/mo package or better in order to take advantage of the feature.

7. Webnode

In spite of its relatively young age, Webnode managed to gain a lot of traction over the years thanks to the company’s willingness to continuously improve the platform. The current iteration of Webnode still has a few issues here and there but it’s a lot better than previous versions and a very good alternative to Wix.

Webnode offers a simple drag-and-drop builder complete with hosting and a domain name, all in one package. There are only around 100 templates to choose from so not the most varied selection, but still pretty good. You’re bound to find at least a couple of nice designs regardless of your niche. Webnode doesn’t have any premium templates so you don’t have to worry about paying extra for any of the designs.  The builder isn’t ideal for blogging or online stores due to a number of missing features but the platform is great for small businesses, musicians, and artists.

Signing up with Webnode will set you back between $3.95 and $19.95 per month, depending on which plan you choose. The basic package doesn’t include a domain name but it does allow you to connect an existing domain, just like Wix. eCommerce functionality is unlocked starting with the $11.95/mo tier while the final tier gives you unlimited bandwidth along with some other useful features. Webnode also offers a free plan that can be used to build simple websites but lacks many of the essential features found in the premium packages.

Some Good and Some Bad

Webnode can be hit or miss for some people because of its lacking features. For example, you can’t add a comments section to your Webnode blog and the platform doesn’t come with any social media widgets. Meanwhile, the eCommerce features are very basic and there’s no marketplace for apps at the moment, so there’s clearly some room for improvement here. Having said that, Webnode does have a lot of good features as well, some of which you won’t be able to find at Wix.

For starters, the platform has a proper backup & restore system and offers domain emails with most of its plans. Just like GoDaddy, Webnode offers a mobile editor that allows you to manage your sites from your smartphone. Another important feature to note is the great support for multilingual websites. Wix has a similar feature but we think Webnode’s system works a little better. Also worth mentioning is that Webnode is excellent for SEO and offers multiple tools that can help your site get better visibility on search engines.

8. Strikingly

Strikingly has only been around for a few years so this is still a pretty young builder. The platform was primarily aimed at bloggers when it initially hit the market but nowadays it can easily accommodate almost all types of websites. Strikingly is just as easy to use as Wix and its prices aren’t too shabby either.

Strikingly is a minimalistic site builder that you can use to create good looking websites in just a few minutes. You have around 60 different templates at your disposal and a simple editor with WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get) functionality. Strikingly’s focus on beginners is obvious right off the bat as the platform features a useful tutorial tour that guides you through all the different sections of the editor and gives you a brief explanation of what everything does. The tutorial isn’t as in-depth as the on-page help system offered by Wix but it doesn’t have to be because there aren’t as many tools and options to worry about here.

Similar to many of the other website builders on this list, Strikingly can be used for free for as long as you want. However, you’ll want to upgrade to one of the three premium plans if you want to get the most out of the platform. The entry point is $8 per month, which is a bit high compared to Wix, however, the basic plan comes with (limited) eCommerce functionality. The best value package will set you back $16 per month while the final tier costs $49 per month. The VIP package isn’t particularly appealing given the high price but the second tier is certainly worth looking into.

Quite a Few Limitations

Strikingly has a lot to offer but also comes with some limitations that make it unsuitable for complex websites. For instance, the basic plan only allows you to build single-page websites. The Pro plan lets you build multipage sites but you’re limited to only 20 pages. There is no plan that allows you to publish as many websites as you want or list as many products as you want in your store, albeit you can list up to 500. The site editor is quite limited as well and doesn’t give you many customization options to work with. That’s actually not a bad thing for users who want to build a simple website, but it significantly limits creative freedom nonetheless.

Even though Strikingly has its downsides, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better builder out there that offers such a generous free plan. Strikingly has 24/7 support for free plan users and gives them the opportunity of setting up a simple online store. You can only sell 1 product on a free store but the fact that this feature is available at all is very impressive. Not just that but you also get 10 GB of monthly bandwidth to work with. By comparison, Wix’s free plan only comes with 500 MB of bandwidth, no support, and you’ll need to pay at least $17/mo in order to set up an online store.

9. HostGator

Just like GoDaddy, HostGator is primarily known for its hosting services but also offers other products and services on the side, including a website builder. The Gator builder is less impressive than Wix in some respects but it makes up for its shortcomings thanks to its better performance and a very robust set of features.

From a purely visual standpoint, Gator’s editor looks remarkably similar to Wix so you should have no trouble getting used to the builder if you’re thinking about switching over. The template variety is pretty good, with over 200 designs to choose from, all of which are mobile-friendly. Some of the templates offered by Gator aren’t as good looking as what you would find at Wix but they can be made to look better with a bit of customization. Gator doesn’t have the best support for blogs and online stores so we can’t really recommend it for those types of websites.

The main selling point for a lot of people will be the performance this provider offers. Since HostGator is primarily a hosting provider, you can expect the company’s servers to be able to handle large amounts of traffic with relative ease. That’s likely why Gator is able to include unlimited storage and bandwidth with all plans while Wix isn’t. Wix doesn’t offer unlimited storage with any of its plans and unlimited bandwidth is only available starting with the $12.50/mo tier.

A Cheaper Wix

There’s no doubt that HostGator took a lot of inspiration from Wix when developing its website builder. Not only do the two platforms look similar but they also include many of the same features. One of the most obvious examples is the Site History feature, which allows users to easily revert back to previous versions of their websites. In terms of functionality, Wix is undoubtedly more robust but Gator performs better and is overall cheaper, with prices starting at only $3.84 per month for a basic plan.

Gator also offers more customer support options than Wix. You can reach agents either via email, live chat or phone and there’s even a toll-free number you can use if you’re located within the US. It’s also worth noting that you only have to pay $9.22 per month to set up an online store with Gator. The eCommerce functionality is indeed pretty limited but this is a much cheaper option than Wix, which charges $17 or more for its eCommerce packages.

10. Bluehost

Last but least we have Bluehost, a somewhat odd choice perhaps but one that shouldn’t be overlooked. Bluehost is a hosting provider that doesn’t have its own site builder but offers excellent integration with Weebly and WordPress, our top two Wix alternatives. Hence, we wanted to mention it because it has a lot of advantages over Wix, especially when paired with WordPress.

Setting up a website with the help of Bluehost requires a few extra steps since this isn’t an all-in-one platform. Generally speaking, you’ll first need to buy a domain name, sign up for a hosting plan, and then decide whether you want to use WordPress, Weebly or a different platform to start building the actual website. One advantage of Bluehost over Wix is that you can use any builder you want.

If you’re looking to avoid most of the hassle, we recommend signing up for a WordPress hosting plan, which comes with a free domain for 1 year, automatic installation of the CMS, and of course web hosting. That way, you don’t have to worry about purchasing everything separately and you also get some useful features like a WordPress staging environment and automatic WordPress updates. Moreover, there’s a fully managed version of this plan that makes it even easier to create and manage a website using the CMS.

Bluehost has some of the most affordable prices on the market, with plans starting at just $2.75 per month. The managed WordPress packages are quite a bit more expensive at $19.95 per month but you get absolutely amazing value in return. If you’re looking to build an online store, on the other hand, you can find special WooCommerce-based packages priced between $6.95 and $12.95 per month. Much cheaper when compared to Wix.

Great Features and Scalability

Bluehost offers many features that you won’t be able to find at Wix or most other all-purpose site builders for that matter. Just a few examples include malware detection and removal, daily scheduled backups, a proper backup & restore system, unlimited SSD storage, 24/7 customer support via live chat (and other channels), spam protection, domain emails, and so much more. Bluehost is also far superior to Wix when it comes to performance thanks to the use of technologies like multi-layer caching and CDN, which serve to greatly improve page loading speeds.

As we discussed in our Bluehost vs Wix comparison, the site builder can’t hold a candle to the hosting provider when it comes to scalability. Not only does Bluehost offer a very cheap entry point, but you also get plenty of good options for when you need to upgrade. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money right off the bat you can start with a shared hosting plan and then gradually upgrade to a VPS or even a dedicated server if needed. As previously mentioned, you can also choose between managed or unmanaged shared hosting and Bluehost even offers eCommerce-based plans. In other words, there’s something for everybody at Bluehost.

Bonus: Appy Pie Website Builder

Appy Pie’s website builder is a user-friendly alternative to Wix for users seeking a no-code website builder with results similar to traditional web development platforms. Appy Pie’s website builder allows anyone to create functional websites without writing a single line of code. The best part is that you also get free web hosting and a domain for your website. 

Appy Pie’s drag-and-drop interface makes website development accessible to everyone by offering easy-to-add features like online store, social media, food court, coupons, etc. The no-code development platform also boasts a vast library of pre-built website templates, allowing users to get started quickly and customize them to fit their specific needs.

While some development platforms might offer more granular control, Appy Pie’s website builder customization capabilities are worth trying. What’s more interesting, all the websites built on Appy Pie have offline capabilities, consume low data, and can be updated in real-time. Appy Pie also provides an excellent team of experts ready to help users with queries related to development, installation, publishing, and more. 

Appy Pie’s affordability unlocks more functionalities and capabilities for users looking for budget-friendly development tools. Traditional development requires a significant upfront investment, but Appy Pie’s affordable options allow website makers to focus on their creative vision and build websites without the burden of high development costs.

Best for Beginners & Budget-Conscious Developers

Appy Pie’s website builder is a good choice for those starting in web development or who are working with few resources. You don’t need to spend a lot on hiring expensive developers, just build your website using a drag-and-drop interface, and keep the cost down. Also, Appy Pie’s cost-effectiveness makes it a reliable option for customers who want to create a website on a budget. This flexibility saves you from paying for the services you are not using right now.

Appy Pie is loaded with educational resources that help you learn through video tutorials and documentation. This holistic system enables everyone, even those who have just begun, to move easily through the platform and make a fully functional website with confidence.

A Few Reasons for Looking Into Wix Alternatives

Wix may seem pretty cheap but you’ll need to pay at least $8.50 per month if you want to build a serious website because the basic package comes with many limitations. If the price is your main concern, we recommend looking into Webnode, Gator or even Bluehost. Alternatively, if you’re not afraid of the steeper learning curve, WordPress is an amazing Wix alternative that you can use for free.

One of the most annoying things about Wix is the fact that you can’t change the template of your site without losing all the content. You’ll either have to start again from scratch if you decide to switch the template or create a duplicate of your current site and then manually copy the content to the new version. This basically dissuades you from experimenting with different designs, which is a bit odd considering that one of Wix’s main selling points is its massive selection of templates.

Another aspect you may want to consider before signing up with Wix is eCommerce. While the builder does allow you to set up an online store, the eCommerce features on offer are quite unimpressive. You can get away with building a small online store with Wix, but if you plan on selling a lot of products worldwide, we recommend looking into a more specialized platform like Shopify instead.

This won’t be a major drawback for everybody but it’s worth remembering that Wix doesn’t have a live chat system. Agents are usually pretty quick to reply to emails and can also be contacted via phone, however, a lot of users view live chat as their preferred method of contacting support. The fact that Wix doesn’t offer this channel is a serious oversight as far as we’re concerned.

The last and possibly most important reason for looking into Wix alternatives is related to the features. Don’t get me wrong, Wix does have some pretty good features but there is still plenty of room for improvement in this department. For instance, there’s no proper backup system that lets you download the contents of your site and store them locally or on a third-party platform. There are also no free domain emails or database access and the storage is limited even with the most expensive plan.

Moreover, the changes you make to the desktop version of your site don’t translate to the mobile version. Add to that the fact that you can’t easily switch between templates and it’s easy to see how modifying a Wix website can take a lot of unnecessary busywork.

Final Thoughts

Wix is one of our favorite site builders but we’ll be the first to admit that while it gets a lot of things right, it also has certain drawbacks that you can avoid by switching to one of its competitors. Each of the platforms on this list can serve as good Wix alternatives and most of them offer free plans or trial so there’s no reason not to test them out. Just in case you want to see what else is out there.

If you’re looking for a builder that’s similar to Wix you can’t go wrong with Weebly or even Gator, provided you’re okay with losing some functionality in exchange for a cheaper price point. Webnode and GoDaddy are still works in progress but they can already offer good value for your money and are certain to get better and better as time progresses. Meanwhile, Site123 is a very well-rounded Wix alternative while Strikingly is by far the best option if you need a builder that offers a very solid free plan.

If you’re in the market for more specialized options, on the other hand, there are quite a few to choose from. Squarespace is an excellent choice for creatives who want to get their hands on some of the best-looking templates on the market. Shopify is the natural choice for users who want to access incredibly powerful eCommerce features and WordPress is an absolute powerhouse that can easily accommodate any type of website. It does require a bit of technical know-how but you can sign up for one of Bluehost’s WordPress plans to make things easier for yourself.

Winner – You can’t go wrong with any of the platforms on this list but it’s clear that some are more specialized than others. That’s why we have to go with Weebly as the best all-purpose alternative to Wix. The builder is similar in terms of price but offers better eCommerce features and a more extensive app marketplace. The fact that the site editor is structured as opposed to free-form can also be seen as an advantage because it offers more guidance for newcomers.