Wix vs WordPress: Real 2026 Costs for Small Business

Wix vs WordPress comes down to who does the work. Wix is a hosted builder. WordPress is free software you (or someone you pay) have to run.

Wix in 2026

Useful if you want drag-and-drop and one login. Annual plans for a proper site with a custom domain usually land in the high teens to mid-thirties a month depending on commerce. Transaction fees on cheaper plans are the surprise. Ads on the free tier make it a non-starter for a real business.

WordPress in 2026

You pick hosting, SSL, a theme, forms, backups, and updates. A $5 host is not a full cost. Add a page builder, a form plugin, and the afternoon you lose when PHP updates break a theme. Agencies quote thousands because they are selling that ongoing care.

How to choose

If you will not log in except to change a phone number, do not pick WordPress unless someone else maintains it. If you need a unique app-like site, WordPress (or a custom stack) still wins. For a standard small-business site — services, contact, a few photos — Wix or a done-for-you option like Volnyn will get you live faster, and the monthly fee is the maintenance.