Wix vs a web designer is a fair fight, and we will say upfront that Wix is sometimes the right answer - even though we are web designers. Wix is a capable builder with good templates, hosting included and a free plan to try it on. Plenty of small businesses have perfectly decent Wix sites.
The real question is not which is better in the abstract. It is whose time and skills go into the site, and what you need the site to do.
When Wix is the right answer
- You are starting out and cash is tight. A builder subscription is far cheaper upfront than any designer.
- You genuinely enjoy this sort of thing, and you have evenings free to do it.
- You mostly need somewhere to point people - a portfolio, opening hours, a contact form - rather than a site that has to rank and generate enquiries by itself.
- You want to test a new business idea before spending real money on it.
- You are happy writing your own copy and taking your own photos.
When a web designer is the better call
- Your time is worth more on the tools than at a laptop. Twenty to forty hours of building is a lot of lost billable work.
- You need the site to win work: clear calls to action, a tap-to-call button, service pages written for how customers search.
- You do not enjoy writing about your own business. Most people do not, and it shows in the copy.
- You want local search set up properly: page titles, Google Business Profile, Search Console.
- You want to message someone for a change rather than log in and do it yourself.
Wix vs web designer, side by side
| Wix (DIY) | Web designer | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Nothing, or a low subscription | A build fee, or a pay-monthly plan |
| Your time | Most of the work is yours | A briefing call and some feedback |
| Copywriting | You write it | Often included; check |
| Design quality | Good templates; the result depends on you | Depends on the designer; ask to see work |
| Local SEO setup | Tools provided; you do the setup | Usually part of the build |
| Changes later | You make them | Included or charged per change |
| Moving away | Site stays on Wix; domain can move | Depends on the contract and platform |
The lock-in question
One thing worth knowing before you start on Wix: Wix states that a site built in its editor has to be hosted and operated on Wix's servers and cannot be exported to another host. You can take your domain with you and reuse your text and images, but moving off Wix means rebuilding the site.
That is a reasonable trade-off for what Wix offers, and many designers' platforms have their own version of it. Just know it going in, and keep your domain registered in your name so the address is always yours.
What usually goes wrong with DIY sites
It is rarely the platform. The common problems are the same on every builder: a homepage that says who you are but not what you do or where; no phone number at the top on mobile; vague copy ("quality service at competitive prices") that could be anyone; and page titles left as "Home". Search engines and customers both need to know, within seconds, that you do this job in this town.
If you go the Wix route, those are the things to get right. They matter more than the template you pick.
The same is true in reverse, by the way. A designer-built site can have every one of those problems too. When you look at a designer's previous work, open it on your phone and check: can you tell in five seconds what the business does and where, and is there a button to ring them?
Five questions to settle it
If you are still undecided, answer these honestly. Mostly yes points to Wix; mostly no points to a designer.
- Can I realistically find 20 or more hours in the next month to build this properly?
- Am I comfortable writing clear, specific copy about what I do and where?
- Will I actually keep it updated - new photos, new services, changed hours - without being chased?
- Am I happy to learn the basics of page titles, Google Business Profile and Search Console?
- Is a simple online presence enough for now, rather than a site that has to generate enquiries on its own?
A middle route
You do not have to choose forever. Starting on a builder, proving the business, then paying a designer once enquiries matter is a perfectly sensible path. So is hiring someone to write the copy and set up the basics on a site you then maintain yourself.
If you would rather hand the whole thing over, Nerdsharks builds sites for businesses of any kind from £99 a month. But if you have the time and the appetite, a well-built Wix site beats a neglected designer site every time.