The Best Wix Alternatives in 2023

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The Best Wix Alternatives in 2023

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Wix is a well-known website builder that has been around since 2006, and many businesses have come to rely on its ease of use and drag-and-drop functionality. However, as with any platform, it may not be the right fit for everyone.

In this article, we will be exploring some of the best alternatives to Wix in 2023. Each of these solutions offers similar features to Wix while also providing unique benefits to those looking to migrate away from the platform.

So, let’s get into it, and talk about the best options to consider over Wix.

Let's look at a few refreshing alternatives to Wix
Let’s look at a few refreshing alternatives to Wix, including WordPress, Webflow, Squarespace, CraftCMS, and Ghost CMS.

WordPress

WordPress Logo in white letters on black background - used here to symbolize the topic (WordPress) and graphically represent the WordPress topic

WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems in use today – and with good reason! It’s open source software, and today, this little tool powers over 40% percent of all websites on the internet.

Developed back in 2003 by Matt Mullenweg & Mike Little as blogging software, WordPress has grown into something much more. The platform enables you tremendous flexibility when building your site, and different approaches through themes or plugins, custom coding, or using a visual drag and drop builder, without requiring much coding knowledge at all, while still allowing WordPress developers complete control.

WordPress is perhaps the most widely known website builder and content management system out there, and for good reason. It provides a robust platform that offers unmatched flexibility for businesses at any stage of growth.

Top features of WordPress over Wix:

  1. Flexibility: WordPress provides greater flexibility than Wix by offering a wide variety of themes and customizable designs that can easily be changed or updated as needed.
  2. Plugins and Widgets: WordPress offers an extensive library of plugins and widgets that allow you to easily add features to your website such as multimedia content, contact forms, social media integration, etc., while Wix is limited in this area.
  3. Cost: WordPress is free while Wix has a monthly fee associated with its use.

Webflow

Webflow is another powerful alternative to Wix.

Webflow has really been gaining popularity since its launch in 2013! It’s an all-in-one web design platform that allows designers and developers alike build custom websites without any coding knowledge required while offering full customization capabilities- a great benefit when needing more specialization on site architecture, when working from existing designs in Sketch or Figma.

What sets Webflow apart from other platforms? For one thing, the standard and very intuitive drag-and-drop UI. Whereas WordPress, mentioned above, would need a page builder plugin to achieve this, it’s built into Webflow’s model.

WebFlow goes further by providing the ability to easily create animations within page designs themselves offer an excellent opportunity for digital marketers looking into creating engaging visuals throughout visitors’ experiences – no extra software needed!

The best features of Webflow vs Wix:

  1. Advanced Design Tools: Webflow has more advanced design tools than Wix, allowing you to create complex layouts, interactions and animations with ease.
  2. CMS Flexibility: Webflow’s CMS is more flexible and allows you to customize the data model and content structure as much as you need.
  3. Custom Code: Webflow provides the ability to write custom code, which is not available on Wix.

Squarespace

Squarespace and Wix are both popular website builders, and they each offer solutions to create a website without any coding knowledge. Both platforms have their own strengths and weaknesses, making them suitable for different types of users.

Wix is often marketed towards beginner users who want an easy-to-use platform that provides everything they need in one place. It’s known for its highly customizable templates and drag-and-drop editor which make it simple to create a beautiful website quickly.

Squarespace, on the other hand, offers sleek-looking templates designed with creativity in mind which are perfect if you’re looking to showcase your brand or portfolio. There’s not as much emphasis on customization – developers can’t add custom CSS or HTML code easily unless they have extensive experience working with Squarespace’s feature-rich development interface.

When it comes to e-commerce capabilities, both platforms offer similar options such as product listings, payment processing options etc., although Squarespace outperforms Wix in Ecommerce, primarily due to its superior sales reporting suite and overall better catalogue management system, which can help businesses scale up more effectively than Wix would allow.

For small business owners who require significant flexibility over layout design, all while being able handle some basic coding (where necessary), adaptability is key.

Squarespace adapts, and is generally more flexible than Wix, thanks to its centralized content management.

Leading features of Squarespace vs Wix:

  1. Customizable templates: Squarespace offers more customization options than Wix, with dozens of ready-made themes that you can customize to your needs.
  2. Ecommerce integrations: Squarespace integrates with popular ecommerce solutions including Shopify, Stripe, and PayPal, making it easier for you to start selling products or services on your website.
  3. Fully Responsive Web Design: Squarespace automatically configures your website to look great on any device, unlike Wix whose mobile websites have to be manually configured.

Although both Squarespace and Wix are powerful content management systems, it is clear that Squarespace comes out on top in terms of customization, design quality, scalability and support options.

The platform offers superior templates, that are responsive to mobile devices, while still providing developers full control over their site’s HTML/CSS structure. We think it is far superior to Wix.

CraftCMS

Logo for Craft CMS

CraftCMS is a unique content management system that has been gaining popularity among web designers and businesses alike. Launched in 2013 by Pixel & Tonic, its development team has managed to build an impressive platform with exceptional capabilities for customization and flexibility.

CraftCMS and Wix are two very different content management systems with distinct approaches to web design. While both platforms offer solutions for small- to medium-sized businesses, their similarities end there.

Unlike many other CMS platforms, Craft was built from the ground up with an emphasis on usability, scalability and security. It’s open source software, allowing developers to create plugins that extend functionality beyond what comes out of the box.

Wix is an all-in-one website builder that uses drag-and-drop tools and templates for designing websites. It’s marketed as a simple solution for entrepreneurs or individuals without any coding experience who want to create a functional website quickly.

CraftCMS provides a powerful backend experience combined with easy-to-use templates that allow you to express your brand’s personality or design aesthetic without any coding knowledge. Its sleek UI is intuitive yet sophisticated enough for experienced devs who can customize every little aspect of their website using Twig (templating language) which enables complete control over the HTML/CSS structure – making it great for creating bespoke sites tailored specifically to user needs.

CraftCMS, on the other hand, was developed specifically with web developers in mind. Instead of relying on pre-built templates, Craft provides an open structure allowing developers complete control over each element of their site

Websites made with Craft CMS

Best features of CraftCMS vs Wix:

  1. Greater Control: Craft CMS provides a more granular level of control over the design and development process, enabling developers to create more unique content and features than is possible with Wix.
  2. Enhanced Security: Craft CMS allows for better security settings than Wix, including user-level access control and additional authentication levels. This means less risk of hackers taking advantage of your website’s vulnerability and attacks on your data.
  3. Intuitive User Interface: The intuitive admin panel in Craft CMS simplifies the creation and management of content, making it easier for users to create attractive websites without having to learn HTML or other coding languages.
Clients using CraftCMS

Overall while Wix may be cheaper in terms of price point initially, its limitations become more apparent as business needs evolve over time.

While Wix is a beginner-friendly platform, that provides an all-in-one website building solution with drag-and-drop tools and templates, CraftCMS is built for flexibility, scalability and customization. It’s tailored towards experienced web developers rather than beginners who are after an easy-to-use website builder solution.

If you need a website up and running quickly, Wix may be the best option. But if you want to create a functional and custom-made site that can evolve as your business grows, CraftCMS is an excellent choice.

Ghost CMS

Ghost CMS and Wix are two very different content management systems designed for separate audiences and purposes.

Ghost is a publishing platform geared towards bloggers, writers, journalists and publishers looking to build clean and fast blogs while minimizing their time spent managing site infrastructure.

Essentially, the platform allows people to focus on great storytelling, without distractingly ornate design fixtures. Meanwhile, it feels like Wix is an ideal choice for small businesses or individuals who need an all-in-one website building package with drag-and-drop features suited towards creating custom web pages at ease.

One major advantage that Ghost has, in our mind, over Wix, is its superior interface. Ghost CMS is optimized for writing long-form blog posts or articles.

Top features of Ghost CMS vs Wix:

  1. Minimalist Approach: Unlike Wix, Ghost CMS provides a streamlined, minimalist approach to website building and design. With less distractions and fewer elements to manage, Ghost allows you to create the exact look and feel for your site quickly and easily.
  2. Flexibility: Ghost gives you greater flexibility when it comes to customizing your website. With an open source platform and multiple themes available, developers can use the tools supplied by Ghost CMS to quickly create a beautiful website that stands out from the crowd.
  3. Content Priority: Ghost prioritizes content over design, and allows you to create a website that focuses on your words instead of flashy visuals. This makes it ideal for blogs and other written digital media.

Ultimately, if you’re looking for an all-in-one solution that doesn’t require any technical knowledge or coding skills but allows you to quickly create custom pages with lots of design options – then Wix may suit your needs better than Ghost. However, if blogging or writing is your primary goal (with minimalism as an added bonus), then Ghost would likely work best for you.

Websites made with Ghost CMS

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About the Author

Katrina Pfitzner

Katrina Pfitzner

Katrina is a developer, designer, author, and thought leader on topics including Wix. For more from Katrina, find her on twitter and follow her on medium.

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