Web hosting with an AI website builder and the Horizons AI app/site builder (now part of Hostinger AI Builder).
Wix vs WordPress.com
Features, pricing, strengths and trade-offs — and which one fits your situation.
The verdict
Summary
Wix is best for small businesses wanting an easy all-in-one builder with lots of templates and built-in business apps, while WordPress.com is best for bloggers and publishers who want managed WordPress with room to grow. Only WordPress.com offers code / content export. Wix has a low learning curve, compared with medium for WordPress.com. Both Wix and WordPress.com offer a free plan, so you can try each before paying.
Which should you choose?
Choose Wix if…
- You need small businesses wanting an easy all-in-one builder with lots of templates and built-in business apps
- You're one of: small business owners, service providers taking bookings, creators and freelancers
- You want something quicker to learn
- Large template library across most industries
Choose WordPress.com if…
- You need bloggers and publishers who want managed WordPress with room to grow
- Code / content export matters to you
- You're one of: bloggers and writers, publishers and content sites, small businesses wanting wordpress
- Content can be exported and moved to any WordPress host
At a glance
| Wix | WordPress.com | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Small businesses wanting an easy all-in-one builder with lots of templates and built-in business apps | Bloggers and publishers who want managed WordPress with room to grow |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | From $17/mo | From $4/mo |
| Learning curve | Low | Medium |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android, API |
| Ideal for | Small business owners, Service providers taking bookings, Creators and freelancers, Agencies using Wix Studio | Bloggers and writers, Publishers and content sites, Small businesses wanting WordPress, Users planning to scale to self-hosted WordPress |
Feature comparison
| Wix | WordPress.com | |
|---|---|---|
| AI site generation | Yes | Yes |
| E-commerce | Paid plans only | Higher plans only |
| Blog / CMS | Yes | Yes |
| Hosting included | Yes | Yes |
| Custom domain | Paid plans only | Paid plans only |
| Code / content export | No | Yes |
| SEO tools | Yes | Yes |
| App / plugin marketplace | Yes | Paid plans only |
| Design freedom | High | High |
IncludedLimited / higher plansNot available— Not confirmed
Security & enterprise
| Wix | WordPress.com | |
|---|---|---|
| Business / enterprise plan | Yes | Yes |
| SSO (SAML / OIDC) | Enterprise (OIDC) | WordPress VIP (SAML) |
| SCIM user provisioning | — | — |
| SOC 2 | Type II | Type II (WordPress VIP) |
| ISO 27001 | Yes | — |
| HIPAA (BAA available) | — | — |
| GDPR DPA | — | — |
| Data residency options | — | — |
| No training on your data | — | — |
| Audit logs | — | — |
| Admin controls | Yes | Yes |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud (managed) |
From each vendor's security documentation. "—" = not confirmed. What to ask vendors · Compare all tools
What each tool does
Wix
Wix is a hosted website builder offering several ways to build: the classic drag-and-drop Wix Editor, Wix Studio for agencies, and Wix Harmony, launched in January 2026, which combines AI prompt-based generation with manual editing. Plans include hosting, e-commerce, bookings, blogging and marketing tools, plus a large App Market. It is aimed at small businesses, creators and freelancers who want everything managed in one place.
Key features- Wix Harmony AI builder with natural-language editing
- Drag-and-drop Wix Editor and Wix Studio for agencies
- Online stores, bookings, events and restaurant tools
- Blog with SEO settings
- Wix App Market for added functionality
- Velo for custom JavaScript and databases
WordPress.com
WordPress.com is Automattic's managed hosting service for WordPress, handling updates, security and backups while giving access to WordPress themes and the block editor. Paid plans allow installing plugins, using custom domains and running WooCommerce stores, and higher tiers add SFTP, SSH and staging. An AI website builder and AI assistant help generate sites and content.
Key features- Managed WordPress hosting with security and backups
- Block editor and theme library
- Plugin installation on all paid plans
- AI website builder and built-in AI assistant
- WooCommerce stores on higher tiers
- SFTP, SSH, database access and staging on top plans
Pricing
Wix
Free plan (Wix ads + subdomain); Light from $17/mo billed annually
WordPress.com
Free plan: yes. Paid from ~$4/mo billed annually (Personal)
Prices last checked September 2026. Plans change often — confirm on each vendor's site.
Pros and cons
Wix
Strengths- Large template library across most industries
- Many business features built in, such as bookings and events
- Free plan for building and testing a site
- Mobile app for managing the site and business
- Sites cannot be exported or moved to another platform
- Free plan shows Wix ads and uses a Wix subdomain
- Some existing apps and widgets are not yet compatible with Harmony
- Heavily customised sites can load slower than leaner builders
Not ideal for: Anyone who wants to own their site's code or move hosts later should choose WordPress or Webflow instead.
WordPress.com
Strengths- Content can be exported and moved to any WordPress host
- Strong blogging and publishing tools
- Access to the wider WordPress plugin and theme ecosystem
- Free plan available to start
- Free plan has no custom domain or plugins and carries WordPress.com branding
- Developer features such as SFTP and staging need the top plans
- Block editor and plugin setup take more learning than Wix or Squarespace
- Full e-commerce requires the most expensive plans
Not ideal for: People who want the simplest drag-and-drop editing with minimal setup may prefer Wix or Squarespace.
Integrations
Wix
WordPress.com
FAQ
What is the main difference between Wix and WordPress.com?
Wix is built for small businesses wanting an easy all-in-one builder with lots of templates and built-in business apps; WordPress.com is built for bloggers and publishers who want managed WordPress with room to grow. Key differences: WordPress.com offers code / content export.
Is Wix or WordPress.com cheaper?
Wix starts from $17/mo and WordPress.com starts from $4/mo (as of September 2026). On entry price, WordPress.com is cheaper — but compare what each plan includes, since limits differ. Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site.
Do Wix and WordPress.com have free plans?
Both Wix and WordPress.com offer a free plan, so you can try each before paying.
Which is easier to use, Wix or WordPress.com?
Wix is generally quicker to learn (Wix: low, WordPress.com: medium learning curve).
What are good alternatives to Wix and WordPress.com?
Other website builders tools worth comparing include Hostinger, Squarespace and Framer.
