If you are researching getting a new website for your business, you have almost certainly come across both WordPress and Wix. Wix promises a quick, low-cost way to get online. WordPress powers over 40% of all websites on the internet. So which one should a Welsh small business actually use? Here is an honest comparison — without the sales spin.

The Core Difference

Wix is a hosted website builder — you sign up, choose a template, drag and drop content, and pay a monthly fee. It is designed to be as simple as possible. WordPress is an open-source content management system that gives you far more control, but requires either technical knowledge or a developer to set it up properly. For a business owner who wants to build a site themselves this weekend with no budget, Wix is easier. For a business that wants a professional result with strong SEO and long-term flexibility, WordPress wins consistently.

SEO: WordPress Has a Clear Advantage

This is where the choice matters most for lead generation. WordPress gives you full control over every technical SEO element — page titles, meta descriptions, URL structure, schema markup, site speed optimisation, and more. Wix has improved its SEO capabilities in recent years, but it still lags behind in several areas, particularly page speed and the flexibility to structure content the way Google rewards.

If your goal is to rank for searches like “web designer Bridgend” or “accountant Cardiff” — searches where real local customers are looking for exactly what you do — a well-built WordPress site will outrank a Wix site of similar quality almost every time.

Cost: Wix Is Cheaper Up Front, WordPress Wins Long Term

Wix plans run from around £10 to £30 per month for a business website. That sounds cheap until you factor in three years of fees — you have spent £1,000 and you own nothing. WordPress hosting costs around £5–£20 per month, but you own the website outright. You can move hosts, hand it over to a developer, or sell your business with the site as an asset. With Wix, if you stop paying, your site disappears.

A professionally built WordPress site also typically costs more upfront than a DIY Wix site, but the long-term economics almost always favour WordPress for a business taking its online presence seriously.

Design and Flexibility

Wix templates look good out of the box, but customisation has limits. WordPress can be built to look and behave like absolutely anything — from a simple brochure site to a complex booking system or membership portal. If your business has specific requirements, or if you want a site that genuinely stands out from competitors using the same Wix templates, WordPress gives you that room.

Maintenance and Ownership

WordPress requires regular updates — core software, themes, and plugins all need keeping current for security reasons. That is either something you manage yourself or pay a developer or maintenance plan to handle. Wix handles all of that for you automatically. If you have zero interest in the technical side and just want something that works without any attention, that is a genuine point in Wix’s favour. For most businesses, a basic WordPress maintenance plan solves this for a modest monthly fee.

Which Should a Welsh Business Choose?

If you are a sole trader who just needs a basic online presence and has no plans to grow your web traffic, Wix does the job at low cost and low effort. If you are a business that wants to rank on Google, bring in leads from search, and have a website that grows with you, WordPress is the right choice — and the investment in having it built properly pays back quickly in new customers.

We build WordPress websites for Welsh businesses of all sizes, from Bridgend and Cardiff to Brecon and Builth Wells. Get in touch for a free, no-obligation conversation about what would work best for your business.