When it comes to website builders, two big names stand out from the rest: Wix and Weebly.
Both platforms offer users a quality way to create a website without needing coding knowledge.
However, each comes with its unique features and benefits.
In this article, we will compare Wix and Weebly in detail and help you decide which platform is right for you.
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Wix vs. Weebly Overview
Wix and Weebly are both drag-and-drop website builders.
Using each, you can add, remove, and rearrange elements on your website simply by dragging and dropping them into place.
Both platforms also offer a wide range of templates (or themes).
Use them to give your website a professional look without spending a lot of money on a custom design.
What Is Wix?
Wix is a website builder that enables you to create a website without any coding knowledge.
Wix offers you the ability to customize all website elements by dragging and dropping them into place.
You’ll discover hundreds of website templates to choose from.
What Is Weebly?
Weebly is another website builder that enables you to create a website without requiring coding skills.
Like Wix, Weebly offers users a drag-and-drop editor.
Again, similar to Wix, you’ll find a variety of templates to use with Weebly.
Wix vs. Weebly User Experience
Now that we’ve explained a bit about each platform, let’s take a look at how they compare in terms of user experience.
Wix User Experience
The Wix platform works well for anyone needing an easy-to-use website builder.
The drag-and-drop editor is intuitive and easy to use.
You’re given two options when building sites with Wix.
Wix Editor
Wix ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence)
From a user experience perspective, either option provides a solid way to build a website.
Photographers, online stores, bloggers, and small businesses can typically get their websites up and running in a few hours using the simple Wix Editor.
If you’re extremely busy, you can try the Wix ADI interface.
It uses AI marketing technology to create your site for you.
You lose a little flexibility with this option.
However, the user experience is solid as you watch your website unfold quickly.
Weebly User Experience
If you’re like most Weebly customers, you should enjoy the user experience.
You don’t need to understand website coding to use Weebly.
Simply log in and use the drag-and-drop Weebly editor.
Is Weebly or Wix Easier To Use?
Wix wins out over Weebly in this area.
The Wix drag-and-drop builder offers more flexibility than Weebly’s website builder does.
Weebly gives you more structured templates to use.
If you’re newer to the website creation process, then you might like this structured approach.
On the other hand, Wix lets you place any element anywhere you want it on your website pages.
It doesn’t restrict your creative process as much as Weebly’s structured templates do.
Wix vs. Weebly Features
Both Wix and Weebly offer features that should cover most website needs.
However, there are some key differences that you’ll want to be aware of as you decide which platform is right for you.
Wix Features
- Over 800 available templates
- Free hosting included
- Mobile optimization available
- eCommerce functionality
- Blogging features
- Email marketing features
- Social media graphics
With 800 templates, any business can use Wix.
The website builder provides templates that work for coaching, real estate, finance, health and wellness, beauty, travel, and restaurant niches.
Creative people like musicians and photographers will find a template that fits.
There’s no website hosting installation required.
Wix sets it up automatically for you once you publish your website.
Wix offers 99.9% hosting uptime.
Out of the box, a Wix website looks good on desktops, laptops, and any mobile device.
Online store owners can build out an eCommerce business in niches such as crafts, sports, or pets.
The platform gives you over 500 online store templates to choose from.
If you’re looking to start an online eCommerce store, Wix helps you accomplish it in these seven steps.
- Log in to your account
- Select your favorite template
- Customize the design for your store
- Add your products to the store area
- Connect your favorite payment portal and set up the shipping costs
- Select your custom domain name
- Publish the online store and begin marketing it
Wix offers quality blogging features.
You can use these features to share your story, build an audience, or even make money blogging.
Using Ascend by Wix, you can send email marketing campaigns inside your Wix interface.
Wix gives you an email editor.
Use to create your email design or use one of the provided email marketing templates.
It lets you select any font, color, or background that best fits your branding.
With the Wix email marketing system, you can set up timed campaigns that go out to subscribers at the perfect frequency.
The Wix Ascend feature also lets you design graphics to use on your social media platforms.
What Are the Limitations of Wix?
You can’t transfer your website content from one template over to another.
Make sure to select your favorite template from the start.
You need to pay for a plan to avoid Wix branding.
Its free plan places the Wix logo on your pages.
You also need a paid plan to connect analytics and tracking.
An inability to transfer your website to another platform is the biggest Wix limitation.
You’re using the Wix proprietary technology.
It means that transferring to another website builder down the road will require extra work.
Weebly Features
Weebly has a lot of features that make it an excellent platform for business websites.
Here’s a quick overview of the key Weebly features:
- A wide range of templates
- Free hosting with every account
- Free SSL certificate included
- Weebly app market
- eCommerce functionality
- Search engine optimization
Weebly has a wide range of templates for business websites.
As with Wix, you get free Weebly website hosting with every Weebly account.
You also get a free SSL certificate to protect visitors’ information.
The Weebly app center is one of its most generous features.
The app features offer add-ons that extend the functionality of your website.
For example, you can use apps to create online appointment scheduling or live chat features for your website visitors.
You can also use Weebly apps to build your website on Android, iPad, and iPhone devices.
As well, the apps let you check your analytics from your mobile devices.
Weebly offers solid eCommerce features.
You can set up a fully-integrated shopping cart and track inventory.
Other nice features include the ability to create photo galleries, perform search engine optimization, and build a blog.
Using the search engine optimization features, Weebly helps you rank your website in the search engines.
The site builder makes it easy to create a sitemap, responsive design, and meta descriptions that improve your SEO results.
You can also use the SEO tool to include the correct settings for page-specific descriptions and image alt tags.
If you’re unfamiliar with SEO, Weebly gives you an easy-to-follow SEO guide.
What Are the Limitations of Weebly?
Weebly doesn’t have as many templates as Wix.
You’re also more restricted in where you can place elements on your pages.
Although you can create a blog, it’s a more limited interface than when using WordPress.
Like Wix, Weebly will place its branding on your website if you’re using the free plan.
Wix vs. Weebly Pricing
Now that we’ve looked at the key features of Wix and Weebly, let’s compare pricing.
Wix Pricing
Wix has a free plan that lets you create a website with Wix branding.
The free plan is only suitable for very basic websites.
You’ll need to upgrade to one of their paid plans to get rid of Wix branding, use your domain name, or take advantage of eCommerce features.
Combo Plan
The Wix Combo plan is $16 per month and includes a free domain name for one year.
It works best for personal use.
You get a free SSL certificate, 2 GB of storage, a custom domain, removal of Wix ads, and 30 minutes of video
Unlimited Plan
The Wix Unlimited plan is $22 per month.
The plan is best for freelancers and entrepreneurs needing more storage than the Combo Plan offers.
You get 5 GB of storage, one hour of video, a free SSL certificate, and the removal of Wix ads.
It also adds in these features that you don’t get with the Combo Plan.
- Visitor analytics
- $300 ad vouchers
- Site Booster app (to help get found on Google and in directories)
Pro Plan
The Wix Pro Plan is $27 per month.
It’s the best plan for a small business.
You get everything in the Unlimited Plan.
The Pro Plan gives you two hours of video and 50 GB of storage space.
You also get these three features added in.
- Professional logo design
- Events calendar
- Social media logo files
VIP Plan
The Wix VIP Plan is $45 per month.
The Wix top-tier plan is for businesses that need priority support.
You get everything in the Pro Plan, plus 100 GB of storage and five hours of video.
Weebly Pricing
Like Wix, you can choose from a free plan and various paid plans.
Free Plan
Weebly has a free plan that includes free SSL security, a Weebly.com subdomain, a shopping cart, lead capture features, and Weebly ads on your site.
You’ll need to upgrade to one of their paid plans to use your domain name.
Personal Plan
The Weebly Personal Plan is $6 per month (billed annually) or $9 on a month-to-month basis.
You get a custom domain name on the Personal Plan.
Here are the features that this plan adds over the Free Plan.
- Digital goods
- Shipping calculator
- Shipping labels
- Pop-up notifications
Professional Plan
The Weebly Professional Plan is $12 per month (billed annually) or $16 on a month-to-month basis. You get everything in the Personal Plan along with these additional features.
- Free domain
- Advanced site stats
- Password protection
- Remove Square ads
- Phone support
Performance Plan
The Weebly Performance Plan is $26 per month (billed annually) or $29 on a month-to-month basis.
The top-tier plan gives you everything in the Professional Plan and adds these features.
- Item reviews
- Accept PayPal payments
- Abandoned cart emails
- Advanced eCommerce insights
- Priority support
Is Wix Cheaper Than Weebly?
Now that we’ve looked at the pricing plans for Wix and Weebly, you might wonder which is cheaper.
In general, Weebly is the cheaper option.
Compare the Wix Pro Plan ($27 per month) and the Weebly Professional Plan ($16 per month when paying month-to-month).
You get similar features when comparing the two options, with Weebly coming in at a bit less cost overall.
Conclusion: Is Weebly Better or Wix?
Weebly and Wix are two of the most popular website builders on the market.
They’re both easy to use, have a variety of features, and don’t require any coding knowledge.
So, which is the best website builder?
It depends on your needs and preferences.
If you’re looking for the most features, then Wix is the better option.
If you need a cheaper plan, then Weebly is the better option.
From a design flexibility standpoint, Wix wins out over Weebly.
The Wix drag-and-drop builder provides more flexibility than Weebly’s does.
If you’re a new business owner, however, you may find that the abundance of Wix design options can confuse you.
In that case, you might like Weebly’s structured template approach better.
Weebly provides a slightly better customer support experience than Wix.
Consider this when considering how much hand-holding you may require while building out your website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here’s a common question that people ask when looking into Weebly.
Is Weebly Owned by Google?
For some reason, this is a common misconception.
Weebly is not owned by Google.
The two companies are not affiliated with each other in any way.
Square acquired Weebly in 2018.
Google has never had any ownership stake in Weebly.
Wrapping Up
Both Wix and Weebly offer solid options for building your next website.
Each comes with a free plan that you can use to test things out.
So, try out both options and see which one you prefer.
You can’t go wrong with either choice.
