Thinking about a website? Wix vs WordPress and what to consider first
A good website doesn't start with picking a template. It starts with knowing what you need the site to do for your business, and then choosing the right platform to do it.
Whether you're starting from scratch or your current site is starting to show its age, here's what we talk through with every client before a single page gets built. It covers what to have ready, Wix vs WordPress and the real difference between them, and what you should budget for.
Start with the why
Before you think about colours or fonts, get clear on three things.
What should the site achieve? More enquiries, online bookings, sales, or simply looking credible when someone Googles you. Pick the one that matters most.
Who is it for? Picture your ideal client. What are they searching for, what worries them, and what do they need to see before they get in touch?
What should visitors do next? Call, book, fill in a form or buy. Every page should point them towards that one action.
If you can answer those in a sentence each, you're already ahead of most website projects.
What to have ready
You don't need everything sorted before you start, but the more you have, the faster (and cheaper) your build will be.
A domain name. Ideally a .com.au that matches your business name. You'll need an ABN to register one, and you should own it in your own name, not your web designer's.
Your branding. Logo files (ideally a few versions for light and dark backgrounds), brand colours and fonts. No logo yet? Sort that first, as it shapes the whole look of the site.
Your words. Website copy is often the biggest hold-up. Decide whether you'll write it yourself, have a draft polished, or have it written for you.
Photos. Real photos of you, your team and your work always beat stock. Plan a shoot if you can, and fill gaps with good-quality library images.
A page list. Most small businesses need Home, About, Services, Contact and Privacy Policy. Add a blog, FAQs, portfolio or individual service pages if they help your clients decide.
Features. Contact forms, online bookings, a shop, payments, a members area or newsletter sign-ups all affect which platform and plan suits you.
A budget for both stages. There's the one-off build, and then the ongoing running costs for your platform, hosting and domain.
Who looks after it. Decide who will update content, keep things secure and fix issues once the site is live. This is a big factor in choosing your platform.
Wix vs WordPress: what's the difference?
Both can give you a beautiful, professional website. The real difference is who looks after the technical side once it's live.
Wix is an all-in-one website builder. You pay one subscription and Wix handles the hosting, security, backups and updates for you.
WordPress (we build with WordPress and Elementor) is open-source software you install on your own hosting. It's hugely flexible and fully portable, but you, or a care provider, are responsible for keeping it updated, backed up and secure.
Wix | WordPress + Elementor | |
How it works | All-in-one builder; hosting included | Software installed on hosting you choose |
Hosting, security and updates | Handled by Wix | Up to you or a care provider |
Ease of editing | Very easy drag-and-drop editor | Easy once set up, with a bit more to learn |
Flexibility | Plenty for most small businesses; limited to Wix's apps and features | Almost unlimited, with thousands of plugins and themes |
Portability | Your site stays on Wix; it can't be moved to another host | You can move it to any host at any time |
Bookings, shop and payments | Built in, on the right plan | Added with plugins |
Typical running costs | About $275 a year on Wix Light, or about $530 on Wix Core if you need online bookings (incl. a .com.au domain) | About $310 to $520 a year for hosting, an Elementor Pro licence and a .com.au domain, plus your time or a care plan for updates |
Best for | Owners who want to make simple updates and not think about the tech | Businesses that want full control, room to grow or a site they can move |
Running costs are approximate and include GST. Prices change, so always check the current plans before you sign up.
Which one suits you?
There's no wrong answer, just the right fit for how you run your business.
Choose Wix if:
You want to update your own text, photos and blog posts without help
You'd rather not deal with hosting, plugin updates or security
You need bookings, a small shop or forms that just work out of the box
You like one predictable yearly cost
Choose WordPress if:
You want full ownership and the freedom to move your site to any host
You need something more custom, like advanced integrations or a large content library
You have someone (in-house, or a care provider) to handle updates and backups
You expect your site to grow a lot over the next few years
Still not sure? For most small service businesses, Wix is the simpler, lower-maintenance choice. WordPress shines when flexibility and long-term control matter more than convenience.
What does a website cost?
Think of it in two parts: the one-off build, and the yearly cost of keeping the site online.
The build. The cost depends on how many pages you need, which features you want, and whether you need extras like copywriting, logo design or Google setup. Our website quote builder gives you an estimate in a couple of minutes.
Running costs. These are paid directly to your platform, host and domain provider, so you always own your site. Budget roughly $275 to $530 a year for Wix, or $310 to $520 a year for WordPress plus updates and backups.
Your time. Copy and photos are the most common reason a website project stalls. Getting them sorted early saves time and money.
Ready to get started?
We design websites for Perth small businesses on both Wix and WordPress, built in your own account so you own everything from day one. We'll help you pick the right platform, plan your pages and get your content sorted, then build a site that does the work for you.
Want a ballpark figure? Use our website quote builder to put together an estimate in a couple of minutes.
Prefer a chat? Send us an enquiry and we'll book a free discovery call.
Want the full picture? See all our services and pricing.
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