Wix Website Builder Review

Wix is a universal website builder – one of the most widely used solutions for building websites from ready-made blocks. It’s among the top five most popular platforms for creating websites, along with Drupal, WordPress, Shopify, and Joomla. Wix is handy for both novice webmasters and experienced developers. Beginners will appreciate its simplicity and wide range of templates. Experts will note the power of a visual editor and advanced tools for working with code.

On Wix, plenty of attention is paid to the site’s look: the adaptability of themes, and the convenience of the interface. There aren’t just passable templates in its library, added solely for the sake of quantity. Thanks to this, even inexperienced users create sites that are pleasant to use. Should you join them and launch a personal or business website on Wix? Let’s look at the functionality, capabilities, advantages, and disadvantages of Wix to help you answer this question.

Pros and Cons

Wix has the greatest total functionality among all the WYSIWYG systems known to us. Yes, this makes it a little more complicated than the others, but the user can do interesting, diverse things with it. It is an engine for creating both standard and unique websites in terms of structure, design, and even functionality. Let’s look at the pros and cons of the service.

Wix is a good builder in general terms, although not without its quirks. Let’s go through the main engine specializations (business card, blog, store,) and highlight the key points individually for each of them.

What is it Good For?

Wix is a super-popular builder that was designed for creating various kinds of business card websites – complex from a design and functional point of view: portfolio, business website, promo page, or landing page. Blogs are very successful – they are easy to make, and convenient to maintain. The eCommerce component is also improved, especially taking into account applications and proprietary know-how like EditorX

The scope of Wix can be characterized by three factors:

• Sites with quite a small number of pages since the design of each one needs to be formed manually. Blogs, forums, shop windows, and other dynamically expanding types of pages do not complicate the work on the website in any way.
• The need for fine-tuning of the design, as well as the introduction of a large number of minor functional elements.
• The Wix App Store contains a broad assortment of additional functionality. Several categories of useful applications (over 250 names in total) will help to achieve almost any reasonable goal.

Ideal for creating small and medium-sized websites with complex design and functionality. This builder can be simple and superficial if necessary: we took a ready-made template on the platform, replaced the demo content, then corrected the colors, and got a website.

With the same success, Wix can be used to construct arbitrarily complex web pages with a bunch of details: effects, animations, forms for collecting information, interactive elements, pop-up authorization windows of various stages of access to data, all sorts of surveys, tabs, columns, and others.

This is a good first for a designer as well as a good tool to help an experienced one. The system is built in such a way that it makes it easy to increase design capabilities. You can even create your own, which are not in stock delivery. Wix is available for an average PC user to master.

Who can benefit from Wix?

• artists, musicians, makeup artists, designers, stylists;
• entrepreneurs of small and medium-sized businesses;
• bloggers, writers, journalists, fashion designers;
• users whose work activities are related to creativity.

The service is able to inspire with its appearance, to help implement ideas that are tricky from a technical and/or design point of view. This is a basic rich builder with extensive extra features for scaling the functionality in breadth and depth.

Ease of Use

The visual WYSIWYG editor “what you see is what you get” supports the drag-n-drop function. By narrowing or expanding the dotted lines on the borders of objects, you can change their size with the mouse. When you select any element or block on the page, icons will appear leading to settings and quick actions on the object. Usually, it is about setting up a design, connecting a database, choosing a layout, displaying elements, and their parameters. Everything is in context, always logical and appropriate.

Email is used to register on Wix. You can also log in via Facebook or Google accounts. After that, the system will prompt you to create a website.

The first step is choosing the type of site. Specify the appropriate type: business, shop, hotels, restaurants, blog, and so on.

The second step is choosing a way to create a website. There are two options:

• Wix ADI – automatic website creation using artificial intelligence.
• Selecting a template from the Wix library. This is a standard method that is used by all site builders.

In both cases, after creating the site, you will be taken to the visual editor. However, a good result after working with Wix ADI is not guaranteed, so sometimes it is faster to set up a template from scratch than to fix the flaws behind artificial intelligence.

Attaching a domain name, creating pages, search engine optimization of the site – you will do all this later. The main task at the start is to select or generate a template based on which you will develop the interface of your site.

Website Publication

Before publishing a website, you need to do at least two things.

See what the desktop and mobile versions of the site look like. To do this, you need to switch to the preview mode: choose between desktop and smartphone.

1. Check page optimization and complete site optimization using the built-in wizard.
2. To work with SEO, the designer suggests using the built-in wizard. It will help you to configure the most important parameters step by step.
1. The name of the website or business that will be displayed in search engines.
2. The actual address of the business location (if any).
3. Three key phrases that describe the activity – for example, freelance photographer, photo walks.
3. After adding this information, the system will create a personal SEO guide. It will contain recommendations for optimization with links to the relevant sections with settings and tools.
4. The crucial point is the attachment of the domain. This feature is only available on Wix paid plans. You can publish a website on a free package using a third-level domain.

The list of actions placed in the dashboard helps not to miss anything. It is divided into several parts. The site is published through a visual editor – there is a special button on the top panel for this. After the publication, you will be able to edit its pages further. To apply the changes, it is enough to publish the site again.

For professional developers, there is a separate advanced editor that combines additional features for the visual design of pages and Velo functionality. We are talking about Editor X. It’s a mix of visual and code editors. It is well suited for developing web applications, building complex links within the site, and creating a unique design for each element.

The basic functionality of the builder is significantly expanded by applications from the Wix App Market. They offer a different set of features: some solve only narrow tasks like adding social network buttons, others are whole modules with a lot of settings.

Finally, the presence of applications makes Wix a truly universal builder. All new applications will also be added to the control panel for quick and easy access in the manner of those sections listed above.

This structure makes it easy to navigate the extensive functional flow of Wix. Most applications are designed and submitted similarly to the interface of the builder – stylistically and in terms of usability.

Owing to the Wix interface, you can safely install an arbitrarily large number of applications without the risk of getting confused. Even if they are serious in nature and capabilities, they will be no more difficult to understand than the rest of the interface. Adding new features will not complicate the work on the site, which is important.

Features & Flexibility

When you choose a website builder, you need to make sure that it has everything you need to create, manage and scale your website. The Wix builder gives users a lot of freedom. At first, this can be a problem – there are so many editing tools that you do not immediately understand what to grab in the first place.

However, it is not necessary to use all the features of the builder. To get an acceptable result, you can do with a minimum of functions – in comparison with the popular WordPress CMS, Wix is friendly to beginners and does not force users to spend a lot of time on training.

Wix is praised by everyone for its external attractiveness, which makes working with the builder enjoyable. Yet, these are not all the advantages of the service. You can also note these perks among Wix’s main features:

• Logo maker. Built-in logo maker, photo and video editors, and stock media materials for free placement on websites are included. Besides, you can add HTML code to pages.
• Adaptability. The user-friendly interface of the visual editor, which even a beginner can quickly understand. The templates are adaptable.
• Velo platform. It is used for developing custom applications, managing scripts, and site databases to create dynamically changing pages.
• SEO, and Blogging. The builder has a powerful blog module, suitable for long-term work with large article sites. There is also a high-quality SEO module and good performance of ready-made sites.
• Free mobile apps. They can be used for managing all types of created sites – adding articles, products, media content, editing the structure of pages, and other things. The app store contains more than 350 items for all occasions. The mobile app for Android and iOS allows you to communicate with customers, and add products, photos, and materials to the blog.
• Online store control panel. It allows for tracking orders, receiving payments, and managing the delivery. You can view complete statistics on the site – the number of page views, traffic sources, position in search results, etc.
• Wix ADI. This is artificial intelligence capable of independently assembling page layouts based on input data. The web builder will help you create a website based on the information provided by the user, and it suggests a layout. The resulting layout can be edited like any other template.
• Wix Ascend. This is an efficient embedded business process management platform.
• Editor X. This is an alternative, advanced editor for professional developers. The editor combines additional features for the visual design of pages and Velo functionality. It’s a mix of visual and code editors. It is well suited for developing web applications, building complex links within the site, and creating a unique design for each element.
• Teamwork support. You can add new users via email and grant them access rights. This will help to distribute responsibilities more efficiently between different employees if, for example, you are making a large online store.
• Simple visual editor. The best description for it is “intuitive.” This means that no preparation is required to master the editor. All elements are easily added, edited, and deleted with the mouse. This tool is the reason why Wix is widely distributed among users. There is also a developed ecosystem of certified developers, you can order any work related to the project.
• Versatility. You can create a business card, blog, online store, etc. on Wix. To help users, there is a huge knowledge base that makes it easy to understand the interface of the builder.
• Optimization for mobile devices. Templates look equally good on different platforms. If we return to the external component of the builder, we can note that there are a lot of templates on Wix. They are competently divided by categories and types of sites, plus keyword search and filters “New,” “Popular,” and “Empty” are supported.
• A markup grid. It allows you to constantly see the interface area that will be displayed in the mobile version of the site. Layers in the editor can be added, hidden, and swapped.
• Security and Privacy. There is a free connection of the SSL certificate to the domain. Besides, password protection of individual pages of the site or hiding them from public access. This is useful if, for example, you are creating a subscription model for accessing content.

The basic functionality of the builder is significantly expanded by applications from the Wix App Market. They offer a different set of features: some solve only narrow tasks like adding social network buttons, while others are whole modules with a lot of settings. The presence of applications makes Wix a truly universal builder. With their help, you can create a landing page with forms for collecting user data, a hotel website with the possibility of online recording, a store with a powerful recommendation system, etc.

E-Commerce

The Wix platform is an effective solution both for entrepreneurs creating their first online store and for already successfully operating brands. The advanced features and capabilities of the Wix designer allow you to launch, develop and scale an online store for any business.

Online stores on Wix can be used for small storefronts, and the sale of digital goods – relevant for musicians, illustrators, graphic designers, and many others (see Wix store examples). The extremely adequate volume of the showcase is up to 500 items. An optimal number is up to 100, although the service does not set any restrictions. Stores, like all normal Wix sites, turn out to be beautiful. The basic necessary things are present in full-product categories, payment/delivery methods, shopping carts, etc.

Let’s put it this way: among WYSIWYG services, Wix has one of the best stores. Applications like Wix Engage (branded CRM), ShoutOut (mailing lists), Wix Music/Video (audio/video sales), integration of functionality of third-party marketing services, etc. make this builder a serious machine for generating revenue. The simplicity of setting up everything, the spectacular design, and a lot of possibilities allow us to talk about the expediency of creating a store in Wix.

• Wix presents more than 60 variants of online store designs. You can choose one of the ready-made templates of a suitable theme, or assemble your layout according to your taste.
• The Wix e-marketing tool has an intuitive editor that will help you easily write emails that are convenient for mobile devices. Moreover, this tool allows you to set up automatic email newsletters and track their progress in real-time using an integrated data analysis tool.

Blogging

A blog on Wix is a good idea: beautiful templates, a convenient, pleasant–to-use editor, and there is a possibility of the delayed publication of posts. The blog is designed as a separate application with distinct features and a wide range of tools for customizing the news feed. It is suitable both for creating a company blog as a satellite to a business card and for designing a separate thematic resource with a news feed on the main page.

Wix will make a good personal blog for a writer, journalist, celebrity, or designer (see Wix blog examples). You can even launch a news site for a small town. But you should not count on an extensive volume of topics inside the blog – headings management is not quite convenient. The narrower the profile, the better the result. The number of publications does not matter – at least a million.

Wix offers more than 50 variants of blog designs. You can choose one of the ready-made templates for a suitable subject, or assemble your blog layout to your liking.

Ascend by Wix

Wix e-marketing tool is part of Wix Ascend is a built-in set of tools for marketing and customer management. Ascend has all tools for conducting business, a whole range of applications, including specialized ones for conducting marketing campaigns, statistics, communicating with customers, increasing sales, working with the audience in social networks, search engine optimization, cost management, and much more.

A full-fledged personal account of an entrepreneur with everything necessary for business development on the Web. By sending regular updates and announcements about special promotions, you remind your friends that you are here and have a lot to offer. This is an amazing feature that every business needs because it helps you create and send effective email marketing campaigns to attract the target audience and increase site traffic.

However, each Wix Premium plan comes with a pre-installed Ascend limited plan. To make the most of Wix’s e-marketing capabilities, you need to: upgrade your Ascend plan.

Integration Options

The provider offers Wix Stores that allows its users to create, design, and manage an online store through which they may sell their products online and process payments using an integrated shopping cart app.

• Wix Bookings. This is an online appointment booking solution.
• Wix Hotels. This is a website for hotels, B&Bs, and vacation rentals.
• Wix Music. Here is the advanced music player solution that Wiz offers.
• Wix Restaurants. It provides various solutions for restaurateurs, including Wix Restaurants menus, orders, and reservations.

Additionally, the company provides Wix Photography, a solution for photographers looking to create their portfolio and manage their business online; Wix Video which allows its customers to showcase, promote, and sell videos on their Wix Website; and customer support and services.

Design and Templates

Templates are the pride of Wix. More than 500 layouts for different types of websites made by professionals, video inserts on the page background, 3D effects, own photo bank, and image editor. The only drawback is that the template cannot be replaced while working on the site, so you need to choose the theme carefully. This contributes to a full-fledged preview mode, which allows you to evaluate the layout from all sides before deciding to create a website based on it.

All templates are available for free, and their database is constantly updated. There are no problems with adaptability to different devices: the site is displayed equally well on a widescreen screen and a mobile phone display (see the best Wix website examples). The mobile version of the site is configured separately from the desktop version. You can use automatic optimization or pin elements to the page manually. You can also monitor how the content will be displayed on the mobile device screen when editing the desktop version: the screen borders are highlighted with dotted lines.

The design can be changed beyond recognition by adding widgets, horizontal bars with any content, inserting HTML code, and fixing useful elements on the page. A lot of attention has been paid to customizing the appearance of the site, so in addition to standard features such as changing the color scheme or background, you will also find advanced options on Wix:

• Connect your fonts if the standard set is not enough.
• Customize animations and effects.
• Page layout — control of element borders, margins, and content positioning.

Another feature of the Wix editor is the addition of cinemagraphs. These are photos with one or more elements moving – a mix of a static image and a video. Wix has its library of such elements. You can add them as separate images or put them as the background of the page.

Each element on the page has its settings that allow you to make its display individual. All this is implemented through an easy-to-understand interface, which does not require programming skills to manage. What is done on CMS through code editing and is tied to knowledge of HTML, CSS and JavaScript is done on Wix using sliders and selectors. There are even hotkeys for popular functions. In general, if you have worked with graphic editors like Photoshop, you will immediately appreciate the convenience and power of the Wix visual editor. The designer also offers a built-in logo editor that allows you to quickly create an attractive logo.

If you feel that there are not enough skills to create a unique appearance yet, and there is no time to study, you can contact the designers through the WixArena platform. This community is organized based on the WixExpert service, whose task is to select performers to work on projects in the Wix environment. You can choose designers based on their portfolio and contact them with a job offer or fill out a questionnaire based on which the system will automatically select suitable performers.

Wix ADI

Wix ADI – is automatic website creation using artificial intelligence. The builder will help you create a website using the Wix ADI intelligent system. Based on the information provided by the user, it suggests a layout. You only need to answer a few questions and confirm the correctness of the information that artificial intelligence will detect on its own. The resulting layout can be edited like any other template. The difference is that it will initially be created for your company, that is, the number of changes that need to be made will greatly decrease.

• The system will ask a few questions about the field of activity for which you are making a website, ask for contact details and links to groups in social networks, and then generate several pages already filled with content. A good result after working with Wix ADI is not always guaranteed, so sometimes it is faster to set up a template from scratch than to fix the flaws behind artificial intelligence.

Attaching a domain name, creating pages, search engine optimization of the site – you will do all this later. The main task at the start is to select or generate a template based on which you will develop the interface of your site.

Wix Velo

If Wix ADI is a tool to simplify development, then Wix Velo will make the site more functional due to programming skills. After activating Velo, an arrow will appear in the editor, clicking on which opens a list of pages. The last three items in the list allow you to add JavaScript code and databases to the site. JavaScript can be used to create your applications; databases can be used to collect user data and generate dynamic pages.

Databases can be applied to any element. Without going into technical details: this will allow, for example, to conduct surveys, create dynamic galleries with random image output, display different data on the page depending on conditions, adjust the schedule, etc.

Editor X

If you’re a Wix fan, you probably already know that over a year ago the company launched its new adaptive website creation platform, Editor X.With its sophisticated design and layout capabilities, it is a fantastic platform for those who want to create a modern website design. it looks amazing on a smartphone screen, it may not look so good on a laptop.

Not only that, with the rise of indexing on Google mobile devices, responsive design is not only the key to improving the user experience, but it is becoming increasingly important for Search Engine Optimization (SEO). It boasts the same intuitive drag and drop builder Wix is known for allowing you to create fully responsive and more complex web designs without requiring any CSS know-how.

This platform is ideal for experienced users who can handle more complex features from their website builder, which is great news for those who already have experience in web design or development and prefer traditional workflows with the freedom necessary to bring your vision to life.

Customer Support

Using Wix, sooner or later you may encounter a technical problem. When that happens, you need to be sure that you can rely on Wix Customer Support to get you back to work.

• You can reach the operators via various channels, including email, user forums, and social media support.
• Phone support is also available, and there is a dedicated online support center that will help you solve common questions and problems.
• Currently, Wix does not offer live chat support. However, this is a function they are studying.

One great service feature Wix offers is its knowledge base in the editor. You can access important information and guides directly from the editor. If you click on an item you’re not sure about, the question mark button in the corner will take you straight to the relevant information. This will save you a lot of time since you do not need to search for the necessary resources in the help center yourself. Wix does a fantastic job of integrating user support into your workflows from the very beginning, ensuring a hassle-free adaptation process.

Wix SEO

Wix doesn’t stop improving in web design; it also simplifies search engine optimization. Wix SEO provides you with a built-in SEO strategy. Here you have everything you need to do to improve the SEO of the page.

• You can edit meta descriptions and meta tags, and Wix SEO offers to choose the appropriate titles. It allows you to define keywords as well as edit the title of each image to improve SEO efficiency.
• The Wix builder allows you to create sites that are initially perceived as quite friendly by search engines. But to achieve high positions, you need to work a little: set meta tags, check the adaptability of the template, and add unique texts.

A novice webmaster can easily get confused by the abundance of requirements that search engines impose, but Wix seems to have solved this problem. In the control panel of the designer, there is a tool for configuring the SEO parameters of the site, which is presented in the form of a step-by-step wizard. To get recommendations for on-site optimization, you need to go through 3 steps:

1. Enter the name of the brand for which the site is being created.
2. Choose the type of business — with a physical address (you will be asked to specify it) or only online.
3. Add up to 5 phrases or keywords that define the direction of the activity.

After a short check of the site, the wizard will issue a checklist that will indicate what needs to be done to optimize the project. There are only 3 steps in the list: add a website to Google, optimize its pages, and continue to improve SEO. Each of the steps contains several points. Here is an approximate list of what you will have to do to optimize the site:

1. Update the page titles and descriptions.
2. Add unique texts.
3. Attach a second-level domain.
4. Connect the site to the Google Search Console.
5. Update contact information and links to social media pages.

You can go to the appropriate settings directly from the checklist, which is very convenient. SEO page settings are also available from the visual editor interface. In the “Menu and Pages” section, each section has an SEO item, when you click on it you get to the tab with parameters. Here you can add a title, description, upload a photo that will be displayed on the preview when the link is published on social networks, as well as add additional meta tags.

For further advancement, use the tips from the knowledge base or hire a specialist. You can also optimize yourself – the recommendations for Wix are the same as for other services and CMS:

1. Create unique and useful content.
2. Use applications to integrate the site with social networks.
3. Operate with an SSL certificate.

In the Wix app store, you will find a large number of applications for analytics, organization of mailings, placement of an online consultant, and a callback order button. All these tools help to increase the engagement of visitors and ultimately increase the conversion rate and the position of the site in the search results. Note that Wix, after your domain is linked, provides an SSL certificate automatically., which is convenient.

Wix Pricing Policy

Wix has a permanent free plan, but you probably won’t want to use it for a long time — there are too many restrictions.

Premium rates are divided into two lines — “Website” and “Business and e-commerce.” The first one offers four plans for creating simple websites: business cards, landing pages, and blogs.

• “Combo” (from $22/month) — the plan for personal use provides 2GB bandwidth, 3 GB storage space, removes designer ads, and 30 minutes of video hours. When paying for a year – there is a free domain, a place on the server to store videos for 30 minutes, and a bonus for advertising in Google Ads.
• “Unlimited” (from $27/month) — unlimited bandwidth, 50 GB disk storage video, 2-hour bonuses for advertising in Google Ads, applications for increasing productivity and analyzing visitors.
• “VIP” (from $45/month) — unlimited package options plus an additional 100 GB on disk, unlimited video, unmetered bandwidth, priority support, and logo maker.

In the line of plans “Business and e-commerce” there are three plans for creating online stores:

• “Business Basic” (from $27/ month) – acceptance of online payments, unlimited bandwidth, 50 GB on disk, 5 hours of video, free domain when purchased for a year, analytics tools, and productivity increases.
• “Business Unlimited” (from $32/ month) — all the features of the basic kit, but already 100 GB on disk, 10 hours of video plus a logo maker.
• “Business VIP” (from $59/ month) — all the possibilities of an unlimited plan, unlimited disk space, and unlimited video duration plus priority support.

An additional budget may be needed to purchase applications from the Wix App Market. Some of them come as a gift when paying for yearly plans. Some modules are distributed by subscription.

With such prices and potential, Wix is an excellent choice. It stands apart, getting better and increasing the gap from the nearest competitors. Besides, Wix can often afford to introduce discounts of up to 50%. For almost all holidays, they drop prices – a good time to pay in advance the plan of interest for a penny. In order not to miss the promotion, register in the system under your email, and notifications will start coming, among which you will soon see the possibility of paying with a discount.

Moneyback and Refund Policy

Wix has the option of using a trial period of 14 days for its plans. This period applies only to packages and does not apply to domain or mail purchases, App Market app updates, or premium plans for marketing mailing. Funds for updating applications in the App Market are non-refundable.

• If you decide to cancel the paid plan, your site will return to the free version with the Wix logo and standard address (name.wixsite.com). At the same time, the site and its contents are not deleted,\ but continue to work.
• You can make a refund of any plan only within the first 14 days from the date of payment. Refunds take up to 20 business days.
• You can transfer the payment of packages between your Wix sites yourself through your account.

Wix Alternatives and Competitors

The inability to edit code and switch templates and other downsides may drive you towards a more flexible website builder. If you’ve tried Wix and didn’t managed with it, or want something different, you can take a look to the Wix alternatives – the main competitors among all website builders.

If mentioned above is not enough, here are some more alternatives to Wix:

Are these any better than Wix? Well, it all depends on how in-depth you want to customize your site and switch templates, among other aspects.

Wix Website Examples

After we have highlighted all of the features and capabilities delivered by Wix, let’s have a look at several website examples to see how the platform’s functionality can be implemented with a ready-to-go live project.

Animal Music – sound and music studio

Wendy Ju – communication designer

Ravin AI – vehicle monitoring system producer

Mane – ethical hairdressing

Poke Bowlz – restaurant

Sonja van Duelmen – creative art direction and design

Wix FAQ

Here we collected the most common frequently asking questions about Wix that may be helpful for you:

Have you any other questions about Wix? Drop us a message via comments or feedback form and we’ll try to find an answer regarding to your issue.

Verdict

Overall, Wix is the best and most promising website builder in the niche of solutions with a visual editor from technical and designing points of view. With this builder, you can create attractive websites with modern design and an interactive interface. It offers users several work modes that can be changed depending on what skills the webmaster has. Beginners can create a website using the Wix ADI intelligent system, slightly change it in a visual editor and publish it. More experienced users choose a template and configure it from scratch using the tools of the same visual editor.

Thanks to high-quality applications and a flexible editor, the functional framework is very wide, and taking into account the potential of Wix tools, they practically disappear. Using HTML and JavaScript is possible, but completely optional. A moderately simple, bright builder, with a bunch of useful, and sometimes even amazing by the standards of the niche features. In direct comparison, it has no analogs in terms of functionality.

The designer is suitable for anyone who needs a business card website of any subject, a portfolio, a landing or promo page, a blog, or a store for selling digital goods, some craft, piece items, branded clothing, wristwatches, and others. The service is perfect for the role of the first site designer. Even if you have not yet decided to create a website, we recommend that you get acquainted with Wix in the first place. It will live up to expectations.

Summary

Reviewer

Howard Steele

Review Date

2022-04-25

Reviewed Item

wix.com

Author Rating

5