Wix vs. Weebly – Who Wins?

Having a presence on the web is important for everyone in modern society to have. Although having a web presence is important for everyone, knowing how to code a website isn’t. Fortunately, there are a few services you can use that make it so anyone can create a website regardless of the level of programming knowledge they have. Two of the most popular options for creating a website without programming knowledge are Wix and Weebly. Deciding between the two can vary depending on what is important to you. Let’s first focus on what makes a good website builder.

Ease of Use
Ease of use is important when selecting a website builder. Considering that most people who use website builders are not computer programers, making sure the interface and user experience is easy to use for all skill levels is important.

Resources
Resources in this situation actually refers to how much storage and bandwidth you are able to get with the provider. Storage refers to how many pages, images and how much overall content you can add to your website. Bandwidth refers to how many visitors you can have to your website without experiencing technical issues. The importance of this criteria is going to vary depending on what type of website you are building.

Templates
Templates are one of the most important things to consider when selecting a website builder. Different website builders will offer different options when it comes to templates, including both free and paid options in most cases. The template is the look and feel of the website that you will be building. Selecting a template that best fits the look you are trying to accomplish can make a huge difference in whether or not you get repeat visitors to your website.

Editor
Being able to edit your website on a regular basis is important for any website owner. As things change in your business or your personal situation, being able to easily go in and make changes to your website without starting from scratch will be extremely important.

Price
Price is important in all scenarios, regardless of how big or small your website operation will be. Selecting a website builder that fits within your budget and offers what you are looking for with the most amount of value is key.

Support
For those building websites for the first time or those building websites without programming knowledge, a helpful support system could make a huge difference in your website. Having a strong support center can significantly reduce the amount of stress and time spent building and working on your website.

Mobile
The trend in consumer demand continues to point towards mobile access. Many millennials and younger people only use their smartphone or tablet to access the internet and do their daily web browsing. Making sure that your website will operate properly on mobile devices will be extremely important.

Domains
A domain is your online “real estate”. Anytime you see a “.com” name, that is considered a domain. A website builder that allows you to add your own “.com” to the website will distinguish your website and make you appear more professional.

Newsletter
E-mail newsletters can be a great way to retain traffic, engaged your users and even sell your products if applicable. A website builder that makes it easy to create an online newsletter signup and allows you to send emails to your loyal followers can help generate money and returned users for your business.

Comparison

 

The details for each of the features will depend on personal preference, but generally speaking the ratings above can give you a good idea of which may work better for your situation. For those who are focused on the ease of use of the interface, both options offer a great drag and drop interface that make building pages in your website easy. Having said that, I find Wix to be more user friendly in this department.

In regards to templates, Wix has more responsive themes, which means that the theme can adopt to the screen size of the device viewing the website. This is particularly important for creators who expect their website visitors to be using mobile devices and tablets of varying screen sizes.

When it comes to editing, Weebly offers a mobile app editor that Wix does not. For those of you who may be more advanced, Wix doesn’t allow you to edit the CSS code, which Weebly does.

In terms of support I feel that Wix wins this category without a doubt. Although both offerings have support, Wix has forums, phone based support and a lot more. Weebly’s support page focuses around a FAQ to try and limit real human interaction and support as much as possible.

Advantages of Wix

• Create a website easily in a short time, including e-commerce sites

• Use your own domain name

• Search engine pptimization friendly

• Hundreds of HTML 5 templates

 

Advantages of Weebly

• Change themes easily for new looks without rebuilding website

• Use your own domain name

• Manage site with iPhone and Android apps

• Built in site analytics and the ability to use Google Adsense to monetize

 

The Verdict

The final verdict is that both website builders are very good. Which one is the best is going to depend what is important to you. Wix without a doubt offers more templates and more advanced looking website designs. Weebly offers more flexibility and better mobile usage for those who are very “mobile” and want their website visitors to be as well. For e-commerce websites where you may end up selling products or services, Wix will probably service you better. If you are looking to have a blog website where you will monetize based on advertisements, Weebly will be your better choice.

To make a final judgement, Wix offers more features overall. Simplistic and minimalist users will be more likely to enjoy Weebly. Personally, I prefer Wix.