WordPress vs WIX vs Squarespace vs Weebly: What to Build Your Website In?
If you own a business, having a website is a must. You want your business to be where your customers are, and by now we know everyone is on the Internet. Building a website is the first step to online marketing and the first step in your sales funnel. So, when you’re ready to build your site, where do you start?
There are a variety of options when it comes to building a website. You could spend a good amount of time learning everything you need to know to build your own, hire a developer and go through the good ol’ requirements, design and development process, or go for a platform that will render a professional-looking website. There are many platforms out there with WIX, Squarespace, Weebly and WordPress being some of the most popular. Here are some of the main differences between them.
WIX
WIX is a website builder that works for those whose website needs are elementary. Whoever would like to do all the website work themselves could use this tool, pick a template and work off it. It’s simple to use and offers about 200+ apps to add different functionalities to your site, including eCommerce with limited payment processing options for your store. The free option includes WIX adverts.
Squarespace
This is another website builder. It offers a very limited number of templates and features to customize your site. eCommerce is also limited to this platform and it only offers one payment processing option, known as Stripe, which is not available everywhere. On the plus side, one of their higher cost plans offers abandoned checkout auto-recovery, as well as real-time carrier shipping. This article highlights some key differences between Squarespace and WordPress.
Weebly
Here’s the third member of the website builder family. Weebly is a hosted platform, meaning that your website will be on their server, so as a user, you are obligated to comply with their terms of service. It comes with a nice selection of basic tools built into their platform, but if there’s anything else you’d like to include, you can’t do it as it is not allowed on the platform. Weebly offers basic features to create your own store, but it’s not very customizable and there is an additional transaction fee involved.
WordPress
Unlike WIX, Squarespace, and Weebly, WordPress is not a website builder, it’s a content management system. This makes it a more robust platform and more appropriate for those looking for a long-term solution that renders professional results. WordPress can be installed on a dedicated server, so you won’t need to abide by anyone else’s rules. There’s a free option that offers limited features and storage, as well as a “.wordpress.com” website address, which works for beginner bloggers or someone who’s website needs, are very basic. For small businesses, it’s best to go for the business package, which includes SEO tools, Google Analytics, unlimited storage, and gets rid of the WordPress branding on your site.
WordPress has endless amounts of plugins for different purposes, including WooCommerce to turn your informational site into an eCommerce site. Another plus is that it offers thousands of free and paid themes to choose from so that your site looks exactly like you want it to.
At the end of the day is all a matter of preference and needs. Impressions Agency creates your website using WordPress because we believe it is a complete solution that will provide the best results for your business. Interested? Request a quote today.
