TL;DR: WordPress and Wix both leave the building to you. If you’d rather not, WebZum builds a multi-page site for you for $19/mo, paid month to month, and you can see it free before you pay. If you do want to build it, WordPress gives you the most control and the freedom to move hosts, but you handle (or pay someone to handle) updates and plugins; Wix hosts, secures and updates everything, but costs more and you stay on Wix. Know which WordPress you mean: WordPress.org is free software you install on a host you pay for; WordPress.com is a hosted service with plans from $4/mo billed yearly. Wix starts at $17/mo billed yearly.
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Disclosure: WebZum publishes this blog and makes a competing website builder. WordPress, Wix and hosting prices and rules below come from those companies’ own pricing and help pages, linked inline.
Verified October 27, 2026. Prices are US list prices shown that day and can change.
Is WordPress or Wix better for a small business?
WordPress is better if you want control and low cost; Wix is better if you want someone else to handle the technical side.
They’re different kinds of thing. WordPress is open-source software that runs 39.6% of all websites; Wix is a hosted builder that runs 4.2%, according to W3Techs on October 27, 2026 (W3Techs). Anyone can install WordPress anywhere. Wix only runs on Wix.
We judged them for a local business owner (a plumber, a salon, a bakery), not a developer:
- What it costs to run on your own domain.
- Who does the upkeep: updates, security, backups.
- What happens if you change your mind (refunds, redesigns, leaving).
- How much building you do yourself.
What’s the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com?
Same software, different setup. This is the part most people mix up.
WordPress.com’s own help page puts it simply: “the main difference is hosting. WordPress.com includes managed hosting, while WordPress.org requires you to find and manage your own” (WordPress.com Support).
- WordPress.org (self-hosted). You download WordPress free (version 7.1.3 today, WordPress.org) and install it on a web host that runs PHP 8.3 or newer, MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.11 or newer, and HTTPS (WordPress.org). WordPress.com describes this route as needing “intermediate technical knowledge” and notes there’s “no dedicated support,” just forums and your host (WordPress.com Support).
- WordPress.com (hosted). Automattic runs the hosting, security and core updates. Every paid plan can install plugins, “over 60,000” of them (WordPress.com pricing).
Most “WordPress vs Wix” advice means self-hosted WordPress. If you don’t want to manage a host, WordPress.com is the fairer comparison.
How much do WordPress and Wix cost in 2026?
WordPress is cheaper on paper at every level. Wix costs more but includes the hosting and upkeep in one bill.
Self-hosted WordPress costs whatever your host and domain cost. As one example, DreamHost’s WordPress Hosting Launch plan was on sale for $1.99/mo for the first 4 years, auto-renewing at $7.99/mo after that, and “the full term plus taxes are charged at checkout” (DreamHost). It includes a free domain for one year; DreamHost’s domain page lists a .com renewal at $21.99/yr (DreamHost domains). Email is a three-month trial, then extra, and so are premium themes and plugins.
WordPress.com lists four main plans. Billed yearly: Personal $4/mo, Premium $8/mo, Business $25/mo, Commerce $45/mo. Month to month: $9, $18, $40 and $70 (WordPress.com pricing). There’s also a free plan, but it uses a yoursite.wordpress.com address, shows WordPress.com ads to visitors, and can’t install plugins. Monthly plans don’t include the free first-year domain.
Wix lists Light $17/mo, Core $29/mo, Business $39/mo and Business Elite $159/mo, and its footnote says “displayed prices are for yearly subscriptions, paid in full at the time of purchase” (Wix plans). Wix has a free plan too, but you need a paid plan to connect your own domain and remove Wix branding. Online booking (“Scheduling and services”) starts at Core.
WordPress.com’s own help page has a fair warning about the cheap-host route: “Many hosts display their lowest ‘on sale’ price, with the fine print revealing that it’s only valid for one billing cycle” (WordPress.com Support). Read the renewal line before you pay.
What does each one cost over 36 months?
Plain math at today’s list prices, on your own domain. WebZum Basic is the one row on a WebZum address; it’s there as the no-DIY option. It leaves out taxes, paid themes, plugins and email, so treat it as a floor.
| Option | Listed price | Cost over 36 months | Refund window | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐ No-DIY pick: WebZum Basic (we build it for you, WebZum address) | $19/mo, month to month | $684 | 30 days, every plan | WebZum |
| WebZum Professional (your own domain) | $34/mo, month to month | $1,224 | 30 days, every plan | WebZum |
| WordPress.org on DreamHost Launch | $1.99/mo, 4 years paid up front | $95.52 up front (covers 48 months) + $43.98 for two .com renewals = about $140 | 30 days | DreamHost |
| WordPress.com Personal | $4/mo yearly or $9/mo monthly | $144 yearly / $324 monthly, plus domain renewals | 14 days yearly, 7 days monthly | WordPress.com |
| WordPress.com Business | $25/mo yearly or $40/mo monthly | $900 yearly / $1,440 monthly | 14 days yearly, 7 days monthly | WordPress.com |
| Wix Light | $17/mo, billed yearly | $612 | 14 days, first upgrade | Wix |
| Wix Core (adds bookings) | $29/mo, billed yearly | $1,044 | 14 days, first upgrade | Wix |
To be fair: if you’ll build it yourself, self-hosted WordPress and WordPress.com Personal have lower sticker prices, as long as your own time is free. WebZum Basic is $19/mo on a WebZum address. What you pay WebZum for is that it writes and builds the site for you, there’s nothing to update, and you can leave any month.
On refunds: DreamHost lists a 30-day money-back guarantee (DreamHost). WordPress.com refunds yearly plans within 14 days, monthly within 7, and domains only within 96 hours (WordPress.com Support). Wix’s 14-day refund “applies to the initial upgrade to a Premium plan,” so renewals aren’t covered (Wix plans).
Is WordPress harder to keep safe than Wix?
Self-hosted WordPress needs more upkeep, mostly because of plugins. Wix and WordPress.com handle it for you.
Patchstack, a WordPress security company, counted 11,334 new vulnerabilities in the WordPress ecosystem in 2025, up 42% from 2024. In its report, 91% were in plugins, 9% in themes, and only 6 in WordPress core, and 46% didn’t have a fix from the developer by the time they were made public (Patchstack, State of WordPress Security in 2026). That’s Patchstack’s own data, and it counts reported flaws, not hacked sites. Still, every plugin you add is one more thing to keep updated.
WordPress can update plugins for you, but on a self-hosted site you have to switch it on, plugin by plugin; auto-updates were added in WordPress 5.5 and run twice a day once enabled (WordPress.org). WordPress.com says every plan includes malware scanning, a firewall and automated core updates (WordPress.com pricing). On Wix there are no plugins to manage; Wix says it “performs software updates and releases new features for you automatically” (Wix Help).
Can I change my design or leave later?
WordPress wins this one clearly.
On WordPress you can switch themes from the Appearance menu whenever you like (WordPress.org), and you can move a WordPress site to or from WordPress.com or any other host (WordPress.com Support).
Wix is stickier. “It is not currently possible to change your site’s template, even if you haven’t added any content or elements” (Wix Help). And you can’t take a Wix site to another host: “your site must run on Wix’s servers” (Wix Help). You can move your domain, but the site stays. Going the other way is easier: WordPress.com says its import tool supports moving from Wix (WordPress.com pricing).
Which is easier to use?
Wix, for most first-timers: drag things where you want them and publish. WordPress has more moving parts: a host, a theme, plugins and a busy dashboard.
Both offer AI to get started. Wix lists “AI creation tools” on every plan (Wix plans); WordPress.com has a guided AI builder with usage limits (WordPress.com pricing). After the first draft, you’re editing pages yourself either way.
What’s the third option if I don’t want to build or maintain it?
WordPress hands you a toolbox; Wix hands you a template. WebZum writes and builds the pages from a description of your business, then you change things by typing. There are no plugins and nothing to update.
Here’s what that looked like on our own demo sites (screen recordings, October 2026):
- Adding a second language. On our Copper Thimble salon demo, we typed “add a spanish version of the site.” It asked whether we wanted the whole site in Spanish or a language option in the header. We said the header option, clicked Update Languages, and a language menu appeared about 15 seconds later. On WordPress that’s usually a translation plugin to install and set up.
- Adding a page. On our Blue Mesa Auto Repair demo, we typed “we fix car ac too, can u add a page for that.” It offered an Add Page button, and about a minute later there was an AC Repair page in the menu, written to match the other service pages. No theme, no page builder.
When is WebZum the better pick?
- You don’t want to build or design the site yourself. WebZum writes the pages, picks the photos and builds the menu.
- You’d rather change things by typing (“add a page for AC repair”) than learn an editor.
- You don’t want to manage a host, theme or plugins. There’s nothing to install or update.
- You want to leave any month. Plans are month to month ($19 or $34), with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- You want to see it before paying. The preview is free for 30 days.
When should I stick with WordPress or Wix?
- You want the cheapest possible site and don’t mind the work. Self-hosted WordPress or WordPress.com Personal costs much less.
- You want a real online store or built-in booking. WooCommerce on WordPress, or Wix Core and up, do that; WebZum connects outside booking or payment tools instead.
- You want custom code or the freedom to move hosts. That’s what self-hosted WordPress is for.
How do I get a WebZum site?
- Go to webzum.com/free-website and type your business name and what you do.
- WebZum asks a few questions, then writes and builds a multi-page site in about five minutes.
- Look it over and change anything by typing it, like you’d text someone.
- It stays on a free 30-day preview while you decide. Basic is $19/mo; Professional, with your own domain, is $34/mo. Both are month to month with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Still weighing the big names? See our Wix vs Squarespace comparison, our best website builder for small business guide, and our small business website cost breakdown. If drag-and-drop is what you’re trying to avoid, here’s how editing a website by chat works. Side by side: WebZum vs WordPress.
FAQ
WordPress vs Wix: which is better?
WordPress is better if you want low cost, full control and the freedom to change designs or hosts. Wix is better if you want one company to host and update everything and you don’t want to deal with plugins. Self-hosted WordPress can run under $5/mo on a sale-priced host; Wix starts at $17/mo billed yearly (DreamHost, Wix). The same split mostly holds for WordPress vs Squarespace.
Is WordPress free?
The software is. WordPress.org lets you download it free, but you pay for hosting and a domain (WordPress.com Support). WordPress.com has a free plan, but it uses a wordpress.com address, shows ads and can’t install plugins; paid plans start at $4/mo billed yearly (WordPress.com pricing).
Can I move my site from Wix to WordPress?
Your content, yes; the Wix site itself, no. Wix says sites must run on Wix’s servers (Wix Help). WordPress.com says its import tool supports Wix, and you can move your domain (WordPress.com pricing). Expect to rebuild the design.
Is WordPress less secure than Wix?
WordPress core is rarely the problem; plugins are. Patchstack’s 2026 report found 91% of new WordPress vulnerabilities in 2025 were in plugins and only 6 in core (Patchstack). Keep plugins few and updated, or use a managed option (WordPress.com, Wix) that handles updates for you.
Want a site without picking a platform, a host or a plugin? Get your free WebZum preview. It takes about five minutes.