Why building a website on Wix isn't right for everyone

When a Wix website actually is a good fit

Let's start fair: Wix is an excellent tool for a large share of businesses. If you need a simple brand website, on a low budget, that you can maintain yourself - Wix gives you independence, hosting, a domain and convenient drag-and-drop tools, without touching code. For starting out or a basic presence, it's a perfectly reasonable starting point.

The Wix limits worth knowing

But Wix is built as a template platform - and that comes with a ceiling. The main limits:

• SEO and speed - limited control over code and performance; site speed, which is critical for Google ranking, is usually worse than a custom site.
• Integrations and functionality - connecting to business systems, custom logic or unique features - limited or impossible.
• Customization and differentiation - it's easy to get stuck with a templated look that resembles many other sites.
• Scaling and lock-in - hard to expand, and hard to leave the platform later.
• Security and control - less control over the environment and over data security.

Wix vs. a custom-built website - what's the difference

The fundamental difference: on Wix you adapt the business to the platform; with custom development the platform is adapted to the business. A custom site gives full control over performance, SEO, design, integrations and security - and is built precisely around your need and messaging.

When to choose custom development

It's worth moving to custom development when the website is a core business asset and not just a business card: when you need unique functionality or integrations; when SEO and speed are critical; when you want a site that converts customers and sets you apart, not another template; and when there's sensitive data that requires real security from the ground up (a background I bring from the cyber world).

So what's right for you?

The question isn't "is Wix good or bad" - it's "what's right for your business, now and going forward." If you're not sure, it's worth spec'ing the need before you commit. Talk to me and we'll figure out together what the right solution is for you.