Webflow vs Wix (including Wix Studio): The Ultimate 2024 Comparison
Webflow is great, but so are many other Website building tools. So how do you decide which one’s right for you?
The answer - the tool that best fits your business’s needs.
Maybe you are looking for the easiest-to-use website builder or want more control over each element. Perhaps you just want to edit a template and get your website live, or maybe you like to build things from scratch.
These needs determine which website-building platform would be best for you.
In this blog, we’ll compare Webflow, Wix and Wix Studio across various aspects to help you make a better decision. By the end of this blog, you’ll have a clear understanding of their strengths and weaknesses and will be able to choose the platform that's best for you.
Let’s begin.
TL;DR: Quick Comparison Table
If you just want to see a quick overview of all 3 platforms and how they compare against each other, this TL;DR is for you.
Overview of Webflow, Wix, and Wix Studio
What is Webflow?
Webflow is a visual web design tool that lets you build websites without needing to write code. It combines the flexibility of a front-end development environment with a visual canvas. You can create custom layouts, animations, and interactions using a drag-and-drop interface. Webflow also includes a CMS (Content Management System) and e-commerce functionality, making it easier to manage and update your content as well as sell products online.
It is particularly popular among designers, small business owners, and even enterprises who want complete control over their site's design without relying on developers. It provides built-in hosting and security, making it a one-stop solution for many users.
What is Wix?
Wix is an easy-to-use website builder that allows you to create a website quickly using its drag-and-drop interface. It’s designed for users who don’t have a lot of technical skills but still want a professional-looking website. With Wix, you can choose from hundreds of templates and customize them to fit your brand. It’s ideal for small business owners, bloggers, and anyone who needs a simple, straightforward way to get a website online.
What is Wix Studio?
Wix Studio is an advanced version of Wix designed for agencies and enterprises. It offers more advanced design capabilities and tools to create complex, interactive digital experiences. While Wix is perfect for individuals and small businesses looking for ease of use, Wix Studio caters to larger projects requiring professional web development features. Wix Studio includes advanced SEO tools, integrated business solutions, and the ability to manage multiple sites efficiently, making it suitable for professional web developers and larger organizations.
Webflow Vs Wix Vs Wix Studios: Detailed Comparison
Now that you understand what each tool is, we’ll look at an in-depth comparison of all the functionalities and values you care about as a business.
Ease of Use
Webflow
Webflow is designed to be user-friendly, but it does come with a bit of a learning curve, especially for those who are new to web design. The platform offers a visual drag-and-drop interface that allows users to build and customize websites in real-time. This interface is great for visual learners and designers who want to see their changes as they make them.
- User Interface: The Webflow Designer is intuitive and powerful, allowing users to create complex layouts and animations without writing code. However, it may take some time to get used to the interface and understand all the available tools.
- Learning Resources: Webflow University provides a ton of tutorials, courses, and guides to help users learn how to use the platform effectively. These resources are very helpful for both beginners and advanced users.
Wix
Wix is known for its user-friendly interface and simplicity. The platform is designed to be easy for anyone to use, regardless of their technical skills. This makes it a great choice for beginners and those who want to get a website up and running quickly.
- User Interface: Wix offers a drag-and-drop editor that is extremely intuitive. Users can easily add, move, and customize elements on their website without any coding knowledge. Wix’s Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI) can even create a personalized website for you based on a few simple questions, making the process even easier.
- Learning Resources: Wix provides a comprehensive help center, with articles, tutorials, and videos to guide users through the process of building and customizing their websites. The platform also offers customer support via email and phone for additional assistance.
Wix Studio
Wix Studio is an advanced version of Wix, designed for professional web developers and agencies. While it offers more powerful tools and capabilities, it also comes with a steeper learning curve compared to the standard Wix platform.
- User Interface: Wix Studio provides advanced design tools and a more complex interface, catering to users who need greater control over their website’s design and functionality. The platform supports intricate design elements and interactive features, which may require more technical knowledge to utilize effectively.
- Learning Resources: Wix Studio includes access to premium support and a range of resources such as dedicated assistance, advanced tutorials, detailed documentation, and community forums.
Design and Customization
Webflow
Webflow offers a very high level of design flexibility and customization options. You can begin with a template and edit every single aspect of it, or build from scratch. The possibilities of what you can build with Webflow are endless.
- Design Control: Webflow’s visual editor allows you to design your sites with precision. You can create custom layouts, animations, and interactions directly on the canvas. This level of control is perfect for designers who want to bring their vision to life without limitations.
- Templates: Webflow offers a range of professionally designed templates that can be fully customized. Whether you start from scratch or use a template, every element can be tailored to fit your brand.
- Advanced Features: Webflow supports advanced design features like animations and interactions. You can create engaging, dynamic websites that stand out. The platform also allows for custom code integration, providing even more flexibility for those who have coding skills.
Wix
Wix provides a user-friendly approach to design and customization, making it accessible for users of all skill levels. While it may not offer the same level of advanced control as Webflow, it’s still a powerful tool for creating beautiful websites.
- Design Control: Wix’s drag-and-drop editor is intuitive and easy to use. Users can choose from hundreds of templates and customize them to match their brand. You can add, move, and modify elements with ease, even if you have no technical background.
- Templates: Wix offers a vast selection of templates across various categories, ensuring there’s something for every type of website. These templates are designed to be visually appealing and are fully customizable to suit your needs.
- Advanced Features: While Wix may not have the same depth of advanced design tools as Webflow, it still offers features like video backgrounds, parallax scrolling, and basic animations. These can help you create engaging websites without needing extensive design experience.
Wix Studio
Wix Studio takes the customization capabilities of Wix to the next level, providing tools and features designed for professional web developers and agencies which are on par with Webflow.
- Design Control: Wix Studio offers advanced design tools that give users greater control over their site’s appearance. This includes detailed styling options, custom code integration, and support for more complex design elements.
- Templates: Like Wix, Wix Studio provides a variety of templates, but it also allows for more extensive customization. Users can create highly tailored designs that meet the specific needs of their clients or projects.
- Advanced Features: Wix Studio includes all the advanced features available in Wix, plus additional tools for creating interactive and dynamic websites. This makes it suitable for larger projects that require professional-level design capabilities.
SEO Capabilities
Webflow
Webflow is built with SEO in mind, offering great tools to help your site rank well in search engines. Here’s what you can expect:
- Built-in SEO Tools: Webflow provides built-in features for customizing meta titles, descriptions, and alt text for images. You can also manage your URL structures and create 301 redirects easily.
- Custom Code: If you have advanced SEO needs, Webflow allows you to add custom code for more precise control. This is great for implementing custom tracking scripts or schema markup.
- Site Performance: Webflow’s clean, semantic code and fast loading times all help in an overall better SEO. Search engines favour sites that load quickly and provide a good user experience.
- Automatic Sitemaps: Webflow automatically generates and updates your sitemap, ensuring that search engines can index your pages efficiently.
- SSL Certificates: Webflow includes free SSL certificates for all websites, which is a ranking factor for search engines and helps build trust with your visitors.
Wix
Wix also offers a range of SEO tools that make it easy for users to optimize their websites, even if they have little to no SEO experience.
- Wix SEO Wiz: This step-by-step guide helps you set up your site’s SEO, from meta tags to keywords. It provides a personalized SEO plan based on your site’s needs.
- Built-in SEO Tools: Wix allows you to customize meta titles, descriptions, and alt text for images. You can also manage URL structures and set up 301 redirects directly in the platform.
- App Market: Wix’s App Market includes various SEO apps and tools that can further enhance your site’s optimization. These apps can help with everything from keyword research to advanced analytics.
- Site Performance: Wix has made significant improvements in its site speed and performance, which are crucial for SEO. While not as fast as Webflow, it still offers a competitive performance.
- SSL Certificates: Wix provides free SSL certificates for all websites, which is essential for both SEO and user trust.
Wix Studio
Wix Studio enhances the SEO capabilities of the standard Wix platform, offering more advanced tools for professional web developers and agencies.
- Advanced SEO Tools: Wix Studio includes all the SEO tools available in Wix, plus additional features for more granular control. This includes advanced schema markup options and deeper integration with SEO tools.
- Custom Code: Like Webflow, Wix Studio allows you to add custom code for advanced SEO needs. This is particularly useful for implementing complex tracking and optimization scripts.
- Site Performance: Wix Studio is optimized for better performance, ensuring faster load times and a better user experience, which are critical factors for SEO.
- Automatic Sitemaps and SSL Certificates: Wix Studio automatically generates sitemaps and includes SSL certificates for all sites, ensuring your website is secure and easily indexable by search engines.
E-commerce Features
Webflow
Webflow offers an integrated e-commerce solution, allowing you to create custom online stores just like you’d create a regular website. Here’s what you can expect:
- Product Management: Webflow allows you to add and manage products seamlessly. You can customize product pages to match your brand and create unique layouts for your store.
- Customizable Checkout: You can design the checkout experience to match the rest of your site, to ensure a consistent user experience.
- Payment Gateways: Webflow supports various payment gateways, including Stripe and PayPal, allowing you to offer multiple payment options to your customers.
- Shipping and Taxes: Webflow provides built-in tools to manage shipping and tax settings. You can configure shipping options based on location and set up tax rules to comply with local regulations.
- Subscription Products: Webflow supports subscription-based products, making it easy to offer recurring billing for your services or products.
- Analytics and Reports: Webflow includes e-commerce analytics and reports, helping you track sales performance, monitor inventory, and understand customer behaviour.
Another interesting way of building E-commerce sites with Webflow is using Shopyflow. You can build and manage your site on Webflow, while running your E-commerce with Shopify, giving you the best of both worlds.
Wix
Wix provides a user-friendly e-commerce platform that makes it easy to set up and manage an online store, even for those with no technical expertise.
- Product Management: Wix allows you to add, edit, and manage products easily. You can organize products into collections and customize product pages to highlight your offerings.
- Simple Checkout: The Checkout process is easy for customers to navigate. You can customize the checkout settings to include your branding and required fields.
- Payment Gateways: Wix supports a variety of payment options, including PayPal, Stripe, and Square.
- Shipping and Taxes: You can set up different shipping rates based on location and configure tax rules to ensure compliance.
- Subscription Products: While not as advanced as Webflow, Wix does offer basic subscription options for products, allowing you to set up recurring payments.
- Analytics and Reports: Wix includes built-in e-commerce analytics, providing insights into your store’s performance, sales data, and customer behaviour.
Wix Studio
Wix Studio takes e-commerce capabilities to a higher level, offering advanced features for professional web developers and larger businesses.
- Advanced Product Management: It offers enhanced product management tools, allowing for more complex inventory tracking, product variants, and detailed product descriptions.
- Customizable Checkout: You get advanced customization options for the checkout process, allowing you to create a highly tailored and professional shopping experience.
- Payment Gateways: Like Wix, Wix Studio supports multiple payment gateways, but with added features for managing payments more efficiently at scale.
- Shipping and Taxes: Wix Studio includes advanced shipping and tax management tools, suitable for businesses that ship internationally or need to handle complex tax rules.
- Subscription Products: You also get advanced subscription management, making it easier to offer and manage subscription-based products and services.
- Analytics and Reports: Wix Studio provides more detailed analytics and reporting tools, offering deeper insights into sales trends, customer behavior, and inventory management.
Integrations and Add-Ons
Webflow
Webflow offers a variety of integrations and add-ons to take your website’s functionality to a whole new level:
- Zapier/Make Integration: Webflow integrates seamlessly with tools like Zapier and Make.com, allowing you to connect your site with over 2,000 other apps. This enables you to automate tasks, such as email marketing, CRM updates, and social media posting.
- Custom Code: Webflow allows you to add custom HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to your site. This is a solid feature for advanced users who need specific functionalities that aren’t available out of the box.
- Third-Party Integrations: Webflow supports integrations with popular tools like Google Analytics, Mailchimp, and more. These integrations help you manage your marketing, analytics, and other website functions effectively.
- CMS API: Webflow’s CMS API allows for more advanced integrations and custom workflows, making it easier to manage your content and connect with other services.
Wix
Wix has a strong ecosystem of integrations and add-ons through its App Market:
- Wix App Market: The Wix App Market offers hundreds of apps to improve your website’s functionality. You can find apps for email marketing, social media, SEO, e-commerce, and more. This makes it easy to add new features to your site with just a few clicks.
- Built-In Integrations: Wix includes built-in integrations with popular tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, and more. These integrations help you track your site’s performance and engage with your audience.
- Custom Code: While Wix is primarily designed for ease of use, it does allow for some custom code integration. This is useful for adding specific features or third-party services that aren’t available in the App Market.
Wix Studio
Wix Studio builds on the integrations available in Wix, offering even more advanced options for professional users:
- Advanced Integrations: Wix Studio supports all the integrations available in the Wix App Market, plus additional integrations tailored for larger projects and professional needs. This includes deeper integrations with CRM systems, advanced analytics tools, and marketing automation platforms.
- Custom Code: Wix Studio offers more flexibility for custom code, allowing developers to add complex functionalities and third-party services. This is ideal for projects that require specific technical solutions.
- API Access: Wix Studio provides API access for more advanced customizations and integrations. This allows for greater control over your website’s data and functionality, making it easier to create custom workflows and connect with other systems.
Customer Support and Community
Webflow
Webflow has a very supportive and active community, that provides various resources to help users get the most out of the platform:
- Customer Support: Webflow provides customer support via email. They also offer a comprehensive help center with articles, tutorials, and guides to assist users with common issues and questions.
- Webflow University: Webflow University is an extensive resource for learning how to use Webflow. It includes video tutorials, courses, and documentation covering all aspects of the platform, from basic site-building to advanced interactions.
- Community Forum: Webflow has an active community forum where users can ask questions, share tips, and get advice from other Webflow users. This is a great place to find solutions to specific problems and connect with other designers and developers.
- Certified Experts: For those who need professional assistance, Webflow offers a directory of certified experts who can provide custom design and development services.
Wix
Wix is known for its excellent customer support and active user community:
- Customer Support: Wix provides multiple channels for customer support, including email, phone, and an online help center. The help center is filled with articles, tutorials, and FAQs that cover a wide range of topics.
- Wix Help Center: The help center includes step-by-step guides and video tutorials that make it easy for users to find answers to their questions and learn how to use the platform effectively.
- Community Forum: Wix has a community forum where users can ask questions, share experiences, and get advice from other Wix users. This forum is a valuable resource for troubleshooting and finding creative solutions.
- Wix Events and Webinars: Wix regularly hosts events and webinars to help users learn about new features and best practices. These events are a great way to stay updated and connect with other Wix users.
Wix Studio
Like Wix, Wix Studio also offers great support and community:
- Premium Support: Wix Studio provides premium customer support, including dedicated assistance for complex projects. This includes priority support via email and phone, ensuring that users get the help they need quickly.
- Professional Resources: Wix Studio includes access to professional resources, such as advanced tutorials, documentation, and best practices guides. These resources are designed to help users make the most of the platform’s advanced features.
- Community Engagement: Like Wix, Wix Studio has an active community of professional users. You can ask questions, share tips, and connect with other professional developers.
- Expert Services: Wix Studio offers access to a network of professional developers and designers who can provide custom services and support for more complex projects.
Security & Maintenance
Webflow
Webflow offers strong security features built directly into the platform, so there’s no need for additional plugins or 3rd party apps to ensure security. This also reduces the need for regular maintenance. Here are some key security features of Webflow:
- SSL Certificates: Webflow provides free SSL certificates for all sites, ensuring that data transmitted between the user's browser and the server is encrypted and secure.
- DDoS Protection: The platform includes built-in protection against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, helping to keep your site online and accessible even during malicious attacks.
- Backups and Versioning: Webflow provides automatic backups and versioning, allowing you to restore your site to a previous state if something goes wrong. This feature ensures that you can quickly recover from any issues.
- Secure Hosting: Webflow’s hosting is powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS), known for its high level of security and reliability.
- Data Privacy: Webflow adheres to industry standards for data protection and privacy, ensuring that user data is handled securely.
Wix
Wix also provides comprehensive security features without you needing to add any extensive configuration or additional plugins. Here are some key security features of Wix:
- SSL Certificates: Wix offers free SSL certificates for all websites, ensuring that data transmitted between your site and its visitors is encrypted and secure.
- DDoS Protection: Wix includes built-in protection against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, helping to maintain your site's availability during malicious attacks.
- Automatic Backups: Wix performs regular automatic backups and also allows you to create manual backups, providing a way to restore your site to a previous version if needed.
- Secure Hosting: Wix’s hosting infrastructure is designed to be secure and reliable, with constant monitoring and protection against various threats.
- Data Privacy: Wix complies with industry standards for data protection and privacy, ensuring that user data is handled securely and in accordance with legal requirements.
Wix Studio
Wix Studio goes a step further to improve the security features available in the standard Wix platform, offering additional protection and support. Here are some key security features of Wix Studio:
- SSL Certificates: Every site on Wix Studio includes free SSL certificates, ensuring that all data transmitted between the site and its visitors is encrypted and secure.
- Advanced DDoS Protection: Wix Studio offers advanced Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack protection, providing a higher level of defense against malicious attacks to ensure your site remains online and accessible.
- Automated and Manual Backups: Wix Studio provides both automated and manual backup options, allowing for easy restoration of your site to a previous state in case of issues.
- Secure Hosting: Wix Studio’s hosting infrastructure is built on advanced security protocols and constant monitoring, ensuring high levels of security and reliability for your site.
- Dedicated Support: Wix Studio offers dedicated support for security-related issues, providing professional assistance to quickly resolve any problems and ensure your site remains secure.
- Data Privacy: Wix Studio adheres to stringent industry standards for data protection and privacy, ensuring that all user data is handled securely and in compliance with legal requirements.
Pricing
Webflow
Webflow offers a variety of pricing plans to cater to different types of users, from hobbyists to large enterprises. The pricing is divided into two main categories: Site Plans and Workspace Plans.
Wix
Wix provides a range of pricing plans designed to accommodate different users, from individuals to businesses. The pricing is structured into Website Plans for general websites and Business & eCommerce Plans for online stores.
Wix Studio
Wix Studio offers premium pricing plans specifically designed for professional users and larger projects. These plans mainly cater to the needs of agencies and enterprises.
Pros and Cons
Now that you’ve seen what each platform has to offer, we’ll give you a quick overview of the pros and cons of each platform, so you can make an informed decision.
Webflow
Wix
Wix Studio
Conclusion
By now, you should have a clearer understanding of the differences between Webflow, Wix, and Wix Studio. Each platform has its unique strengths and limitations, catering to different needs and preferences.
Webflow is ideal for designers and businesses of all sizes who need high-level customization and design flexibility. Its robust CMS, SEO tools, and e-commerce capabilities make it perfect for those who want to create beautiful and highly functional websites without extensive coding knowledge. However, the learning curve and higher cost might be a consideration for some users. Learn more about why we choose Webflow over all platforms here.
Wix is perfect for beginners and small business owners who need a user-friendly platform to get their site up and running quickly. Wix provides a great balance of ease of use and functionality that would serve your basic website needs. While it may lack some of the advanced customization options of Webflow, it still offers plenty of features to create a professional-looking website.
Wix Studio caters to professional web developers and larger businesses that require advanced design capabilities and extensive integrations. With its premium support, advanced SEO and e-commerce features, and the ability to manage multiple sites efficiently, Wix Studio is a powerful tool for those with more complex needs. However, its more complex interface and higher pricing might be more than necessary for smaller projects.
Ultimately, the right choice depends on your specific requirements, budget, and level of expertise. Evaluate what matters most to you—whether it's design flexibility, ease of use, or advanced features—and choose the platform that best fits your goals.
