Wix vs a custom site.
Wix gives you more control over the layout than most builders, and its free tier means you can have something online today. A custom build trades that hands-on control for someone else doing the work. Here is how they actually compare, including what Wix does better.
I build the custom sites, so I have an obvious interest here. I have tried to write this so that someone who reads it and picks Wix still feels it was straight with them.
At a glance
| Wix | A WebByMaya build | |
|---|---|---|
| Who builds it | You do, in a drag-and-drop editor | Maya does, from a written questionnaire |
| Cost structure | Free tier with Wix branding, plus paid tiers — check Wix's pricing page for current rates | One-time build from $499, payment plans available. Hosting $149/yr for a small site. Optional care plans $149/yr or $349/yr. |
| Layout control | High — place elements freely; mobile view needs separate attention | Responsive by construction; layout decisions made for you |
| Changing templates later | Generally a rebuild rather than a restyle | Not applicable — nothing is template-locked |
| Extra functionality | App market; often additional subscriptions | Built into the site; one person to ask when it breaks |
| Ownership | Site lives on the platform; content and domain are yours | The built site is yours. It can move hosts or go to another developer. Your domain is registered in your name. |
| Local search setup | Tools available; the setup work is yours to do | Google Business Profile, schema and sitemap included |
Plans and prices change often and vary by region. Confirm Wix's current pricing on their own pricing page before you buy — do not take this page's word for it.
Two different kinds of control
Wix's editor lets you place elements where you want them, which is why people who have tried other builders often prefer it. That freedom is real, and it is also the most common way Wix sites go wrong: a layout dragged into shape on a laptop can come apart on a phone, and the mobile view is a separate thing you have to check and fix.
A custom build is responsive because it was built that way, not because someone remembered to tidy the mobile view. You give up the ability to nudge things around yourself, which is a genuine trade — some people want that control and should keep it.
What the plans cover
Wix has a free tier that shows Wix branding, and several paid tiers that remove it and add things like connecting your own domain, accepting payments and more storage. The tiers and their prices change regularly and differ by region, so check Wix's own pricing page before deciding rather than trusting a figure printed on somebody else's website — including this one.
A WebByMaya build is a one-time fee from $499 with payment plans available, hosting at $149 a year for a small site, and optional care plans at $149 or $349 a year. Bigger builds are quoted as a fixed scope before anything starts.
The template question
Wix has a large template library, and this is a real strength if you want to be live quickly. It is worth knowing that once you have picked a template and built on it, switching to a different one generally means rebuilding the content rather than restyling in place — so choose as though it is a decision, not a preview.
A custom build starts from what your business needs to say rather than from a layout someone else designed for a generic version of your industry. That takes longer up front, which is the point of paying for it.
Apps versus built-in
A lot of Wix functionality comes from its app market — booking, forms, payments, reviews. Many of those apps are good. The thing to watch is that each one is another subscription and another thing that can change or stop being supported, and a site assembled from six apps has six places to go wrong.
In a custom build, the things your site needs to do are built into it. Fewer moving parts, and one person to ask when something is not working.
Where Wix is the better answer
If you need something online this week with no budget, Wix's free tier is genuinely useful and a real site beats a planned one. If you are the kind of person who wants to tinker with your own layout on a Sunday, you will be happier with Wix than with any arrangement where changes go through someone else.
And if the business is still an experiment, do not commission anything. Put up a Wix page, find out whether the thing works, and hire a designer once you know it does.
Pick Wix when…
- You need something online this week and the budget is zero.
- You want to move things around the page yourself.
- You are testing whether the business works at all.
- You are comfortable checking and fixing the mobile view.
- A template gets you close enough to what you had in mind.
Hire me when…
- You have started a Wix site more than once and not finished it.
- Your site keeps looking wrong on phones and you are tired of fixing it.
- You are paying for several apps to make one site work.
- You want deposits, bookings or a portal built in rather than bolted on.
- You would rather answer ten minutes of questions than build anything.
Common questions
Is Wix good enough for a small business website?
Yes, for a lot of businesses. It is capable, and a finished Wix site beats an unfinished custom one every time. The question is whether you will be the person who finishes and maintains it.
How much does Wix cost compared to a custom site?
Wix has a free tier with Wix branding and several paid tiers; their prices change often and vary by region, so check Wix's own pricing page. A WebByMaya build is a one-time fee from $499 plus $149 a year for hosting a small site.
Why does my Wix site look wrong on phones?
Usually because the desktop layout was arranged freely and the mobile view is handled separately in Wix's editor. It is fixable — it just has to be done deliberately, and it is easy not to realise it needs doing.
Can I switch my Wix template without rebuilding?
Generally no. Once you have built on a template, moving to a different one means putting the content back together rather than restyling in place. Worth treating the first choice as a real decision.
Can I keep my domain if I move off Wix?
Yes. Your domain belongs to you and can be pointed anywhere. The built site is what does not transfer.
Want a number before you decide?
The questionnaire takes about ten minutes and gets you a fixed quote in writing. No call — everything happens over email or text. If Wix is genuinely the better fit for what you described, I will tell you that instead of taking the project.
Keep reading