"Wix or WordPress?" is often the first question a tradesperson or shop owner asks when they want a website. The right answer depends less on the tool than on three questions: who will build the site, who will keep it alive afterwards, and what happens the day you want to change providers.
I compare the three options here with the public figures I could check. For general website price benchmarks, see how much a business website costs. Further down, I explain what I build myself, so you know where I stand.
What is the difference between Wix, WordPress and a custom website?
- Wix is an online website builder: you pick a template, edit blocks, and Wix hosts everything. You pay a subscription.
- WordPress comes in two versions. WordPress.com is a hosted service that works much like Wix, with paid plans. The WordPress software (WordPress.org) is open source under the GPL license: you install it with the host of your choice and manage the theme, plugins and updates.
- A custom-coded site is written for you by a developer, with no imposed platform. The files can be hosted almost anywhere and taken over by another developer.
And Shopify? It is a platform built for selling online: catalog, payments, stock, shipping. It mostly comes into the picture when you sell products.
Wix vs WordPress vs custom: how do they compare for a small business?
| Criterion | Wix | WordPress (self-installed) | Custom-coded site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who builds it | You, or a provider | A provider, or you if you are comfortable | A developer |
| Upfront cost | Lowest | Medium | Usually highest |
| Running costs | Platform subscription | Hosting, domain, paid plugins, maintenance | Hosting, domain, light maintenance |
| Maintenance | Handled by Wix | Essential: core, theme and plugin updates | Low if the site has no dependencies to update |
| Editing copy yourself | Yes, easily | Yes, from the admin area | Yes if an editing tool is set up, otherwise through the developer |
| Leaving with your site | No: the site stays on Wix, the domain can move | Yes, to another host | Yes, if the code was assigned to you |
| Selling online | Possible with the right plans | Possible with WooCommerce | Often connected to Shopify rather than coded from scratch |
The "leaving with your site" row comes from the Wix help center: the site must run on Wix's servers and external hosting is not supported, even though the content you build belongs to you (Wix help page, accessed October 17, 2026). On WordPress maintenance, La Fabrique du Net's barometer is blunt: on WordPress, this item is not optional, because a plugin left without updates exposes the site to known vulnerabilities.
How much does a Wix, WordPress or custom website cost?
Built by an agency
La Fabrique du Net's 2026 barometer (July 2026 edition, accessed October 17, 2026) gives medians by technology, from real budgets of projects handled by agencies in France. Amounts are in euros:
| Technology | Low (25th percentile) | Median | High (75th percentile) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | €1,500 | €2,500 | €3,500 |
| WordPress | €2,500 | €5,000 | €10,000 |
| Shopify | €5,000 | €15,000 | €30,000 |
| Custom development | €6,000 | €18,000 | €45,000 |
A caveat on the last row: in this barometer, "custom" groups development without an off-the-shelf tool, often applications or complex platforms. It does not separate a small coded brochure site from a client portal. I found no reliable public median for a simple coded brochure site: be wary of anyone who quotes one without a source.
Built by you
Prices read on the official French pricing pages on October 17, 2026:
- WordPress.com: Personal at €4 a month excluding VAT with annual billing (€9 monthly), Premium at €8 a month annually (€18 monthly), Business at €25 a month annually (€40 monthly). A free domain for one year is listed on these plans.
- Shopify: Basic plan at €27 a month with annual billing, €36 with monthly billing, plus 1.5% + €0.25 per standard online card payment through Shopify Payments.
- Wix: prices are published on Wix's plans page, but I could not read them reliably at the time of writing. Check it directly, and look at the renewal price.
- Self-installed WordPress: no license fee, but you need hosting (for example €5.99 a month excluding VAT at renewal for OVHcloud's Perso plan) and a domain.
What should a tradesperson choose?
- You are starting out, have time and a small budget: a builder such as Wix or WordPress.com. Keep it simple: home, one page per service, service area, contact.
- You want a site that brings in quote requests and lasts several years: a site built for you. WordPress if you want to edit everything yourself and maintenance is planned; a coded site if you want a fast site that needs almost no upkeep.
- You already have a Wix site that works: don't switch for the sake of it. Improve the copy and pages before changing tools.
Price benchmarks for trades are in how much a tradesman website costs, and what I offer trade businesses is on the tradespeople page.
What should a shop choose?
- You don't sell online (restaurant, hair salon, neighborhood store): a brochure site is enough, with hours, menu or services, and booking if needed. The same rules as for trades apply. I list what a restaurant site needs in restaurant website features.
- You sell a few products: Shopify with a well-chosen theme is usually simpler and safer than a store patched onto a brochure tool.
- You sell many products, with in-store stock: Shopify or a larger project, to scope carefully. The catalog and integrations then matter more than the design.
I go into what shops and restaurants need on a dedicated page.
What do I build, and why?
To be transparent: I don't build on Wix or WordPress. I code brochure sites, and I use Shopify when a client sells products online. It is not a verdict on the other tools; it is what I do best: a fast site, with no plugins to update, that any developer can take over. The code is yours once the invoice is paid: source code, access, files and documentation.
If Wix or WordPress suits you better, I will tell you during the free 30-minute call. My method is on the website design page.
What are the limits of each option?
- Wix: you stay on the platform. If you ever want to leave, the site has to be rebuilt elsewhere. The subscription runs for as long as the site exists.
- WordPress: without maintenance, it ages badly. Each plugin you add is one more update to follow, and sometimes one more yearly license.
- Custom-coded site: more expensive upfront, and changing the site's structure goes through a developer. It makes no sense if you want to redo everything yourself every week.
- Shopify: subscription and transaction fees come on top of each sale. For a site that sells nothing online, you pay for features you don't use.
Whatever the option, check who holds the domain and the access. If you are offered a site for a monthly fee, I did the math in pay monthly website or buy one.
Sources
- La Fabrique du Net, website pricing barometer, July 2026 edition: lafabriquedunet.fr (accessed October 17, 2026, in French).
- Wix help center, external hosting: support.wix.com (accessed October 17, 2026).
- WordPress.com, pricing page (French version, euros): wordpress.com/fr/pricing (accessed October 17, 2026).
- WordPress.org, About page (open source, GPL license): wordpress.org/about (accessed October 17, 2026).
- Shopify, pricing page (French version, euros): shopify.com/fr/tarifs (accessed October 17, 2026).
- OVHcloud, web hosting: ovhcloud.com (accessed October 17, 2026).
FAQ
Wix or WordPress for a small trade business?
Wix if you build the site yourself and accept staying on the platform. WordPress if a provider builds it and handles maintenance. In both cases, the content (one page per service, your area, your photos) matters more than the tool.
Can you move from Wix to WordPress?
Yes, by rebuilding the site: Wix states that the site must run on its servers. You can transfer the domain and reuse your copy and photos, but the pages have to be rebuilt.
Is WordPress free?
The WordPress software is open source under the GPL license, so there is no license to pay. Hosting, the domain, some themes and plugins, and maintenance do cost money. WordPress.com, the hosted service, has its own paid plans.
Do I need Shopify to sell online?
It is not mandatory, but it is often the simplest for a small store: payments, stock and shipping are already handled. Budget for the subscription and per-payment fees listed on Shopify's pricing page.
Is a custom website always more expensive?
Upfront, usually yes. But it needs little maintenance if it has no plugins to update, and it does not tie you to a platform subscription. Over several years, the gap can narrow.