When it comes to choosing an online site builder, there are many options.
Even when you compare a Wix website versus a Weebly one, there is a lot of debate about which platform is better. Some people prefer one's functionalities while others prefer the other's look and feel.
In this post, I will give you a breakdown of what makes each platform successful. I will also compare the two platforms on a variety of factors so that you can make the final decision on which one is the right choice for your business needs.
Let's get right into it.
Wix Vs. Weebly: The Main Factors
The following are the most important factors to consider when deciding which platform to go with.
Ease Of use
Both companies advertise themselves as being easy to get started - and they're both right. It only takes minutes to sign up and get started on your project. You'll have access to the whole set of functionality offered by inputting your name and email address, allowing you to get started using their website builders.
The great thing about both platforms is that their website builders offer a drag and drop builder. Whether you use the Wix builder (or Wix ADI) to build your site or Weebly's website builder, you will be able to use your mouse to move stuff around and customize it exactly as you want.
This means that there isn't that much difference for a starter website or store at the initial building stages. Both Wix and Weebly offer the right tools for their customers to get started.
Flexibility
If you're looking for a completely flexible solution, Wix might be the better answer. With complete control over the web design and the final look of your site, Wix allows you to get the precise look that you're after. There are also other things that Wix supports. For example, you can add pictures and video animations in the background. You can even have a template based on your specific industry, which means you will spend less time trying to customize and more time marketing and selling your services. With a technique Wix calls Pixel Perfect, this platform allows you to position everything in a specific location.
If you decide to go down this level of detail, it makes sense to have a good design background, as this will allow you to have an overall professional look - one that both you and your customers will love using.
When it comes to having a Weebly website, something quite similar is available. However, there isn't the level of detail that Wix offers included. While you can still arrange elements on the screen, there is less flexibility and more structure, which might be precisely what some people are after. When it comes to theme design, Weebly offers more than 70 different ones.
You can also go with more options if you choose older themes, but most of these are not truly responsive. With more and more people using their phones to access the internet, a non-responsive theme is not something that I would recommend.
Wix has more than 500 themes available for use in terms of quantity.
Even though you might be surprised (and happy) at the sheer number of templates available, some of them are not as impressive as Weebly's ones. However, within that range of themes, there are still a lot of choices that might make sense for your use case.
One negative about Wix is that once your site has gone live, a change in template means that you will lose all the content currently on the site. This also means that it's tough to use more than one theme because not many people would want to start from scratch. That said, there is a lot of customization that Wix allows on its themes.
This is excellent news for those who want to change small elements while still keeping the overall theme and design. However, if you're going to change many things, you might run into issues. While there is the ability to change colors and fonts, Weebly insists on applying any changes that you make to the whole website. This might seem restrictive for some people - unless they want to dive into the site code. Even if you're a coder (or hire one), there are still some elements that one cannot edit.
Backup And Restore Options
No one wants to think about any worst-case situations regarding their site. However, the reality is that these things can happen. Weebly offers the option to download a copy of your website manually at any point you want. However, there is not much point to it.
You can download your site and store it offline, on your computer, or even on separate cloud storage. However, if something were to happen to your site, there is no way for you to upload this file. In other words, restoring your site to the previous version cannot occur.
Even if you want to rebuild your site from scratch, some of the elements will not function if you upload your site to an FTP server, thinking this would give you something to work along with. This makes restoring your site to a previous version somewhat of a nightmare.
When it comes to Wix, their solution is much more elegant. They have a site history functionality that allows you to track any changes you make. Each time, your site will be saved as different versions.
You can then restore your site to a previous copy (that was once live) at the click of a button. This means that you don't have to make copies at different intervals manually. Secondly (and maybe more importantly), you can go back to a previous version if you don't like something about your current site or if something goes wrong.
Pricing
Both sites offer a free plan in terms of their website builder when it comes to pricing. However, you will get Wix ads or Weebly ads if you push your site life on this version. Weebly has an option called Personal, which allows you to add your custom domain name, but this still has ads plastered all over. Wix has something similar called Connect Domain.
All the available plans are as follows:
For those that want to focus on eCommerce, there are also specific plans that cater towards this need:
Weebly offers you a 30-day money-back guarantee to test out the software and decide if it is right for you. When it comes to Wix, they offer you 14 days to get a full refund if their solution isn't for you. When it comes to their domain name and email account functionality, these platforms require you to pay for these additional items.
Their website pricing is as follows:
One strange feature is that the ‘online stores’ plans are shown when outside the U.S. but not when inside.
When it comes to having a Wix website, their mobile themes are responsive out of the box. The great thing about these themes is that you can customize specific elements regarding how they will show on a smartphone. Sometimes, you still need to rearrange specific aspects when they don't appear perfectly on the live mobile version.
One thing that Wix might update in the future is the font size on smartphones. Sometimes, the fonts on mobile phones are simply too small, with no way to change this.
Another feature that might leave something to be desired is their navigation, which only offers one sub-level and might not be enough for those with a complex menu structure. When it comes to sublevels, Weebly provides an unlimited amount, which is excellent if you want to create a complex menu system for your website visitors.
eCommerce
Wix is an excellent platform for those that run an eCommerce business since you'll be able to sell digital goods, physical ones, and anything in between. All the products can also be SEO optimized. When it comes to payment providers, this platform accepts all the major ones. These include PayPal, credit cards, Stripe, or even offline payments.
The visual presentation of your products is also pretty robust, allowing you to add as many images as you want and have different effects. You can also add videos to help sell your products online. Furthermore, there's an import-export option for one's product catalog.
When it comes to Weebly, their solution is quite similar. While in the beginning, Wix was the better option in the eCommerce category, Weebly has come a long way since then. With Weebly recently being acquired by Square, its focus on eCommerce tools seems to be on the rise.
One thing that this platform needs to get better at is its brand messaging. Since their acquisition by Square, one can see both the Square and Weebly branding advertised on various pages. This is confusing for someone who doesn't know about this recent takeover.
When it comes to eCommerce product import, you can do so automatically or start from scratch. As with Wix, you can sell various types of products, both physical and digital. They also offer Search Engine Optimization options and SSL encryption with their business or performance plans.
There are also a few advanced functionalities, such as an automatic sales tax calculator for people in the U.S. and even a shipping cost calculator.
Weebly leaves a little to be desired when it comes to payment options. Compared with Wix, they don't offer the ability to have offline payments. If your business delivers to a physical address, and customers are used to paying in cash, using Weebly could be a turn-off for your business. Weebly is also slightly more expensive when running its eCommerce online store.
Search Engine Optimization
Both platforms have come a long way in terms of general SEO. Both support the existence of a blog, which is an excellent feature to have for SEO websites. However, the Wix editor is not integrated into the site builder. It comes and acts as an external window for you to add text, images, videos, etc.
While this extra screen might not be something you look forward to, it offers an outstanding editing experience, allowing you to schedule posts as needed, add various authors, and much more. When it comes to Weebly, their blog editor lets you create more complicated layouts and add any of the common elements one expects in a blog. This includes text, images, contact forms, etc.
Both platforms have options dedicated to various SEO aspects, such as setting up your URL structure, having 301 redirects, and even setting up your meta descriptions and titles. One thing to mention is that Wix changes all SEO image file names into something obscure. This is not ideal if you want to rank your websites successfully and get the most out of your SEO efforts.
On the flip side, another consideration is the Wix SEO Wiz. If you want a complete site SEO system, Wix offers a tool that covers all the basics.
Despite both platforms having come a long way in this area, you might consider other platforms if your business revolves around getting your pages to show up in the search engines. These could include Squarespace or even WordPress as the best website builder for your needs, since they are easier to work with and integrate with better third-party software.
Customer Support
Both platforms offer top-notch customer support. Wix and Weebly have good tutorials available for their users, active online forums, live chat, and even phone support. Both also provide social media support on Facebook or Twitter. You can typically get an answer right there and then.
Weebly also has information on their site that includes their support email address and phone number for easy access.
With Wix, you have to jump through a few hoops to get to their live support. You have to go through an FAQ, speak to a chatbot, and then get the human help you might need.
App Markets
These platforms offer external app stores, where you can add and integrate various third-party software based on your specific business needs. While there is a wide range of products available for businesses to choose from, not all of them are of a high standard.
When it comes to the Wix App Market, this is also more comprehensive than Weebly. Wix also develops its own internal apps for bookings, restaurants, and hotels.
Enter your text here...Typically, these are an excellent choice if you want to ensure high quality when choosing and using third-party apps. When it comes to the Weebly app center, they don't typically add many apps to their store, so this is something to consider if third-party apps and integrations are essential for your business.
Conclusion
The Wix Weebly debate will likely rage on for many more years. Both Wix and Weebly are great website builders with a wide range of features. Based on the general functionality available, you can go with either option if you are interested in building an informational website for a broad target audience.
However, when it comes to the specific areas, I would advise you to look at the different pros and cons mentioned above if you want to choose the better website builder. These specific areas will make your decision easier when choosing the better platform for your business out of the two.
Finally, don't forget that both platforms offer a money-back guarantee for at least two weeks, so it would be great to take this chance to test out each platform and see which one you are more comfortable with.
