A web designer is only as good as their software, and a designer’s chosen software is like a musician’s instrument. It suits their needs, they speak through it, and once they master it, they can make it sing.
Here at 6Ninety9, like many of the best designers today, our instrument is WordPress. WordPress goes back a few years and predates some of the more recent favorites like Wix, but we still think it’s the best option for all your web development needs.
Why do we go for WordPress over Wix? Here’s a short list of reasons.
#1: It’s a CMS
WordPress (at least wordpress.org) is a CMS (Content Management System), whereas Wix is a Website Builder. Both are basically softwares that enable users to build websites without having to write code, but they work a little differently. WordPress has to be set up on a web host, and it’s open-source, making it free to use and modify. Other differences between the two systems will be elaborated upon throughout this article.
At the end of the day, a CMS is a bit more complex, but highly versatile. You can do basically anything a programmer can do using WordPress.
#2: The Editor
Wix uses a drag-and-drop editor, much like PowerPoint or Keynote. It’s a visual method that allows you to move elements around on the page.
WordPress uses a block-based editor called Gutenberg. This allows you to complete fields in the same way you would an online form and create edits with a live preview. Different blocks edit text, headings, buttons, background images, galleries, and more.
Both the ease of use and precision of this method are powerful advantages to an enterprising designer. It offers organization of form and coordination when you’re working with a team. Also, the added complexity of the interface reflects the greater sophistication of the program. That’s why whereas Wix may suffice for amateurs, WordPress is a great way to go if you’re an aspiring professional.
#3: Features
The versatility of WordPress is shown by the features it includes. It allows users to build site elements using more unconventional techniques, such as horizontal scrolling. This is thanks to its vast array of themes and plugins, which are equipped to meet most any user’s needs. This variability far surpasses Wix, which is really only equipped for the most basic website.
#4: Themes
When it comes to their themes, Wix absolutely pales in comparison to WordPress. Whereas Wix has 500+ themes, which is pretty good for a website builder, WordPress boasts over 11,000. This proliferation of themes empowers you to create virtually any website you have in mind, although you sometimes may have to do some work to make them compatible.
#5: Plugins
There are currently over 58,000 free plugins available on wordpress.org’s plugin directory alone. Compared to Wix’s 200-odd apps, the winner is clear. Such a wide selection of plugins enables WordPress users to bring to life practically any site design or feature that they can envision.
This is thanks to the “ecosystem” of plugins generated by WordPress’s open-source format, versus Wix’s closed format, which limits it to the basic apps included in their platform.
#6: SEO
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of making your website appear higher on search technologies like Google in order to be more accessible to visitors. Most SEO professionals hold that WordPress is better for SEO. Again, the reason why lies in its plugins. WordPress SEO plugins like RankMath are some of the highest quality of their kind available today. Especially for advanced SEO, they easily outshine Wix in this category.
In the final analysis, WordPress is our choice because it’s the choice of professionals. It demands a higher level of expertise, but it rewards that commitment with a much greater set of tools to command. If you’re just a novice seeking to create a basic personal site, Wix is more than serviceable. But if you’re operating on a higher level, especially at a professional level, WordPress is your Stradivarius.
