How Much Does Wix Cost in 2024: Is It Really Free?

Wix is a leading cloud-based website builder that allows average, non-technical people to easily design and create stunning websites for various purposes.

It is easy to use, but this doesn’t mean Wix sites are dull and with very limited features and possibilities. In fact, Wix’s simple drag-and-drop platform lets users create impressive, highly interactive, professional-looking websites within just a few hours or so, without much preparation or any training at all.

And having a compelling website is critical to growing your business. An Econsultancy study pointed out that “95% of users indicated that a positive user experience is the most important factor when they visit a website.” Similarly, a Forrester study posited that for every dollar you invest in UX you get an ROI of $10 to $100. If you need further insights about website builders, you can read more about them here.

UX Design is More Than Just Having a Website Builder

Wix allows you to build a visually appealing website, but underlining it is your project strategy on how to accomplish it, pointed here with clarity by Pascal Raabe.

The likes of Wix makes it now feasible for small businesses to partake of good UX benefits. Yet perhaps the best thing about many website builders today is that they’re totally free, Wix, for instance.

If you’d like to try out this solution on your own you can easily sign up for Wix free trial.

Indeed, virtually anyone can use Wix to make awesome, interactive online pages without spending a single penny. There are, of course, those who want to go beyond the already exceptional offerings of the free service and get the premium, paid Wix features.

In this guide you’ll get to take a close look at Wix free and paid features, as well as the myriad payment options. You’ll also get an overview of business-specific Wix apps that may come handy to your product or service.

Wix uses drag-and-drop, widgets and simple embeds that don’t require coding knowledge.

Benefits of Wix as your Website Builder

Wix offers small businesses some of the compelling website-building options. As an online website builder, there’s no need to download and install any program or file. You must only have a web browser like Chrome or Firefox and an internet connection, hence giving you the flexibility of working from anywhere and using any device.

Being a drag-and-drop website builder, you can directly choose and place pictures, videos, text, and other components as you create your website. With Wix, what you see is what you’ll get, so whatever way or style you design or include in your website, it will look exactly as it is, before and after publishing it.

Users also have ready access to Wix’s 500 designer templates—created for almost any conceivable purpose or function—thereby giving the needed competitive edge especially for the small business owner who needs to create a positive impression to target customers.

Along with its automated web development technology, Wix offers a wide array of great features. It provides users with extensive design flexibility, top-notch SEO efficiency, automatic mobile optimization, access to numerous powerful third-party apps, sophisticated design elements, unlimited fonts, as well as media galleries and scroll effects.

You can edit images right inside the Wix interface.

Free Wix Features

As mentioned above, using Wix costs nothing at all. Users can easily build their websites using drag-and-drop technology, stunning design templates, and other great features. However, the free version of Wix inevitably has certain limitations to distinguish the premium plans.

Features:

1. Has an assigned domain name
2. Has ads on every page, which is rather distracting especially for business clients.
3. Storage is only up to 500MB
4. Maximum of 500MB bandwidth
5. Has customer support
6. Does not include online payments and Google analytics features

Premium Features

There are indeed Wix users that want to avail of website features beyond those offered in the free account so there are different premium Wix plans. Paid accounts are provided a host of premium add-on features in their websites. Wix offers five different paid plans, which are rather low-priced but do provide superior value that brings an upscale feel to site users.

You can try out all Key paid features at no cost with a great free trial plan offered by Wix.

All premium accounts provide:

1. Free website hosting
2. Free setup
3. Premium support
4. Google analytics
5. Domain connection
6. More than 500MB storage and bandwidth

Select premium Wix plans also include:

1. Use of own domain name
2. Wix ads removal
3. Personal favicon (that small icon related to the user’s website seen in a browser’s address bar)
4. High-level support
5. ecommerce support

Wix also offers add-on services not covered in any monthly subscription but can be availed of in certain plans, such as:

1. Free domain
2. Form builder app ($48)
3. Site booster app ($60)

The most obvious benefit of paid plans is the removal of ads.

Premium Payment Terms

There are three payment models for Wix premium plans.

1. One is by monthly subscription where users are charged automatically every month.
2. Users can also choose a yearly subscription, which provides substantial savings.
3. Premium users who want to be charged just once for an entire two year period can avail of the two-year subscription, which offers the highest possible savings.

Subscribers are informed that all premium plans are automatically renewed to allow continuous service and avoid any downtime. For premium plan users who don’t want this option, they can turn it off before the renewal date comes. Likewise, when a user decides to discontinue a plan can avail of the 14-day refund period, a money-back guarantee feature where Wix reimburses the cost of the plan.

Premium subscribers also have the freedom to upgrade plans, with the existing funds to be credited in the new plan. Whenever a subscriber is about to exceed his or her current plan, Wix always informs the subscriber in advance.

Here are the Wix pricing plans broken down with inclusions:

Connect Domain: $4.50 per month

Its name comes from its key feature—it allows users to “connect” their own “domain” names with their Wix website. Compared to the 500MB bandwidth of the free plan, Connect Domain subscribers can enjoy a faster 1GB bandwidth. However, it’s the same as the free plan in terms of storage (still at 500MB) and presence of Wix ads, which is not ideal for business users.

Combo Plan: $$8.50 per month

Ideal for personal use, this plan comes with a free domain name for the first year (additional cost for succeeding years). Ads are removed starting with this plan onward to higher plans. Compared to the basic premium, Combo’s bandwidth is faster at 2G and storage is larger at 3G. It also allows users to connect their domain names, but does not offer an online store option.

Unlimited Plan: $12.50 per month

Designed especially for entrepreneurs and freelancers, it offers unlimited bandwidth (where it got its name), 10GB storage, and a customized favicon. Subscribers can also opt to have the other premium apps, namely, form builder and site booster.

eCommerce Plan: $16.50 per month

This is designed for businesses or individual entrepreneurs planning to open online stores. What’s great about Wix’s online store platform is that you can first test it in all the plans, including the free Wix, giving subscribers the freedom and ample time to try this premium feature before deciding to get it or not. The plan is relatively lower compared to other online store platforms.

Wix VIP: $24.50 per month

The most expensive plan is the Wix VIP. It has the same features as the eCommerce but subscribers get ten newsletter campaigns and a professional website review.

Wix Add-ons

Aside from subscriptions to premium plans, Wix offers add-ons that enhance the web experience. You are charged separately for these apps, so it’s important to keep tab of the total cost (pricing plan and add-on fees).

Domain name

Wix users can also subscribe to domain names and email accounts. The domain name offerings bundled in the paid plans are good for the first year only, and it is also the same for email accounts. This is not a welcome deal especially for businesses that extensively use emails like in marketing and logistics. As a workaround, subscribers need to find a viable third party for email hosting service. You can also have email accounts bundled when you buy a domain name.

Wix Hotels

Wix also offers innovative apps that cater directly to certain business types. For instance, there’s Wix Hotels, designed to make complicated tasks like bookings and reservations easier to handle and more efficient to manage. This app can be added to any Wix website. It also includes other useful functions like multiple-language support, integration with some TripAdvisor services, and running Google ad campaigns.

Hotels and resorts get their dedicated Wix platform.

Wix Music

For independent music artists and bands looking for ways to conveniently manage, market and sell their music online, there’s Wix Music platform. With this app, indie artists are given a set of tools necessary in making a name in today’s competitive and technology-intensive music industry. Already optimized for mobile access, WixMusic comprises a user-friendly management system, monitoring tools, music-themed templates, and a music player.

Wix Music features industry-specific tools like custom players and playlists.

Wix Restaurant

Finally, Wix offers a Restaurant app that resto owners and foodies can add to their Wix site that can help transform an ordinary food website into a deliciously-engaging one. It has several helpful features such as visual menus, online reservation service, and a delivery and pickup tool. For a more efficient social media presence, Wix Restaurant has Instagram feed and Yelp Reviews and Ratings.

The Wix Restaurant interface.

What SEO tools does Wix offer for website optimization?

Wix provides a range of SEO tools to help users optimize their websites for search engines and improve visibility. These features are designed to assist both beginners and advanced users in enhancing their site’s search engine performance. Here are some key SEO tools that Wix offers:

• Wix SEO Wiz: An interactive, step-by-step guide that helps users create a personalized SEO plan. It provides a checklist of tasks, such as optimizing meta tags, headings, and keywords, which can improve a website’s search engine ranking.
• Customizable Meta Tags: Users can easily edit title tags, meta descriptions, and alt text for images, ensuring that each page is optimized for search engine crawlers. This customization helps search engines understand the content on the website better.
• Structured Data Markup: Wix enables users to add structured data (schema markup) to their websites, which can help search engines display rich snippets in search results, enhancing click-through rates.
• Automated Sitemap: Wix automatically generates an XML sitemap and submits it to search engines. This helps search engines crawl and index the site more effectively, ensuring all pages are considered in search results.
• SEO Patterns: For large websites with multiple pages, Wix allows users to apply bulk SEO changes through SEO Patterns. This feature helps in setting up consistent meta tags for groups of pages, saving time and effort.
• URL Customization: Users can customize URLs to make them more SEO-friendly by including relevant keywords and making them easy to read.
• Mobile Optimization: Wix ensures that websites are mobile-friendly, an important factor for SEO, as search engines prioritize mobile-optimized content.
• 301 Redirects: Users can set up 301 redirects to manage URL changes and avoid broken links, helping maintain search engine rankings.
• SEO Monitoring Tools: Wix provides built-in analytics and integrations with third-party tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console, allowing users to monitor their website’s SEO performance and make data-driven improvements.

Conclusion

Wix is hands down among the top free online website builder in the market today, packed with numerous useful features and is very easy to use that even non-techies can create their own website in a flash. If you plan to upgrade to a premium plan but want to be very sure of your investment, it’s safe to try one first because all paid services have a two-week money-back guarantee—with no questions asked whatsoever, in case you change your mind or business direction. In today’s market, the Wix paid plans are not really that expensive. And with its many subscriber-friendly payment schemes, Wix is indeed worth a try.

If you’d like to see Wix in action and try out all the key features on your own then the best course of action is to sign up for Wix free trial.

Key Insights

• User-Friendly Platform: Wix is a cloud-based website builder designed for non-technical users, allowing the creation of professional-looking websites through a simple drag-and-drop interface.
• Wide Range of Features: Offers extensive design flexibility, SEO efficiency, automatic mobile optimization, access to numerous third-party apps, unlimited fonts, media galleries, and scroll effects.
• Free and Premium Plans: The free version provides essential features, while premium plans offer additional benefits such as removing ads, custom domain names, and ecommerce support.
• Cost-Effective Solutions: Premium plans are competitively priced with various subscription options (monthly, yearly, two-year) offering substantial savings and a 14-day money-back guarantee.
• Specialized Add-Ons: Wix provides business-specific applications like Wix Hotels, Wix Music, and Wix Restaurant to cater to niche industries, enhancing their operational efficiency and user engagement.

FAQ

1. What is Wix? Wix is a cloud-based website builder that allows users to create professional-looking websites using a drag-and-drop interface without needing technical skills.
2. What are the main features of the free Wix plan? The free plan includes an assigned domain name, 500MB storage, 500MB bandwidth, customer support, and ads on every page.
3. What additional features do premium Wix plans offer? Premium plans provide benefits such as removing Wix ads, custom domain names, increased storage and bandwidth, ecommerce support, and advanced customer support.
4. How much does a premium Wix plan cost? Premium plans start at $4.50 per month for the Connect Domain plan, with other options like Combo ($8.50/month), Unlimited ($12.50/month), eCommerce ($16.50/month), and VIP ($24.50/month).
5. Can I try Wix premium features before committing to a paid plan? Yes, Wix offers a free trial for premium features, and all paid plans come with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
6. Are there any additional costs associated with Wix add-ons? Yes, some features and applications like domain names, form builder app, and site booster app come with additional costs not covered by the standard premium plans.
7. What makes Wix suitable for small businesses? Wix offers flexibility, ease of use, affordable premium plans, and specialized apps like Wix Hotels, Wix Music, and Wix Restaurant, which cater to specific business needs.
8. How does Wix handle domain names and email accounts? Wix provides a free domain name for the first year with premium plans, but email accounts may need to be managed through third-party providers after the first year.
9. What payment options are available for Wix premium plans? Wix offers monthly, yearly, and two-year subscription options, with automatic renewal for continuous service and substantial savings for longer commitments.
10. Is Wix suitable for ecommerce? Yes, Wix offers ecommerce support in its premium plans, allowing businesses to set up online stores, manage products, and process payments.

By Allan Jay

Allan Jay is FinancesOnline’s resident B2B expert with over a decade of experience in the SaaS space. He has worked with vendors primarily as a consultant in the UX analysis and design stages, lending to his reviews a strong user-centric angle. A management professional by training, he adds the business perspective to software development. He likes validating a product against workflows and business goals, two metrics, he believes, by which software is ultimately measured.