If you’re building a new website for your business, the platform you choose matters. Website builders like Wix and Squarespace offer fast, beginner-friendly options – but they come with limitations. A custom WordPress site offers long-term flexibility and scalability. But how do you know which one is right for your company? In this article, we’ll explore the top 10 reasons why opting for a custom WordPress over Wix or Squarespace is a smarter investment for your online presence.
What’s the Difference Between a CMS and a Website Builder
Before we dive into the pros and cons of the different platforms, it’s important to understand the difference between a content management system (CMS) and a website builder.
A CMS is a platform that allows you to create, manage, and modify content on your website without needing to code every page manually. Plus, systems like WordPress also give developers the flexibility to customize the site so it meets your functionality needs. One of the most important advantages is that when you use an Open Source CMS, you own your website, your data, and your hosting setup. WordPress is the world’s most popular Open Source CMS, powering over 40% of all websites.
A website builder, on the other hand, is an all-in-one platform with drag-and-drop functionality designed for non-technical users. While it’s easier to start, you don’t actually own the site; you’re paying for access. Platforms like Wix and Squarespace fall into this category.
“Sometimes, small business owners have mentioned they are considering building a website with Wix,” says Greg Whitehead, Senior Programmer and Chief Technology Officer here at inConcert. “In my professional opinion, that’s a huge mistake. If you’re paying for a website, you should fully own it so that you have the flexibility to scale it or move it in the future.”
10 Reasons Custom WordPress Sites Outperform Wix and Squarespace
1: Flexibility and Control
A custom WordPress site gives you complete control over design, features, content, and code. Want a unique layout? You can make it happen. Need specific functionality? No problem. You also get hosting freedom, meaning you can choose any hosting company you’d like to host your website and move it at anytime. Platforms like Wix and Squarespace lock you into their hosting platforms, giving you less control over your hosting options.
2: Scalability
As your business grows, WordPress can grow with it. You can add new pages, features, and tools without rebuilding your site. Plus, WordPress can easily accommodate growth through plugins and endless customizations, while website builders can quickly become limiting due to fewer customization options, limited integrations with third-party tools, and restricted functionality.
3: Customization
Thanks to its open-source General Public License, WordPress allows complete customization. With Wix or Squarespace, you’re often limited to cookie-cutter templates or forced to upgrade to get access to more templates and functionalities.
4: Impressive Plugin Library
WordPress boasts a vast repository of plugins that can enhance your site's functionality. With over 70,000 WordPress plugins available, you can easily integrate e-commerce, SEO, analytics, and much more. While other platforms have plugins, there is a drastic difference in the number of options on the market, meaning with WordPress, you’re less likely to need a developer to create a new one from scratch. On the flip side, if you need something custom, a developer can work with you to create a custom WordPress plugin for your needs.
5: SEO-Friendly
WordPress is inherently SEO-friendly, with clean code and numerous SEO plugins available to help you optimize your site for search engines. While Wix and Squarespace have SEO tools, they often lack the advanced optimization needed to compete today.
6: Ownership and Portability
When you build a custom WordPress site, you own your content and data. With website builders, your content is often locked into their platform, making it hard to move to a different host or CMS without completely rebuilding your site.
7: Security
WordPress has a dedicated security team of over 50 experts, including lead developers and security researchers. This team consults with well-known security researchers and hosting companies to ensure security for all users. The core software is constantly evaluated against the most common and most critical security threats. There are also other companies like WordFence that are constantly scanning for security issues and bringing them to the attention of the authors. By comparison, Wix and Squarespace also invest heavily in security, offering features like SSL encryption, DDoS protection, and PCI compliance. However, as proprietary platforms, they typically provide less public transparency around their internal security processes and documentation compared to the open-source WordPress ecosystem.
8: Community Support
With millions of users and developers worldwide, WordPress has a massive support community. Whether you’re troubleshooting issues or looking for best practices, chances are someone has already solved it and shared it. In contrast, platforms like Squarespace offer support only through higher-tier plans or limited ticketing systems and are not willing to customize their system to meet your needs.
9: Cost-Efficiency
Website builders often have monthly subscription fees based on access to certain functionalities, but WordPress is open-source and free to use regardless of how much you customize it. You’ll also have more control over your hosting, meaning you can choose the option that best fits your needs and budget. While platforms like Wix and Squarespace have budget-friendly plans, the lower pricing options severely limit your ability to customize and may require you to keep their branding and advertising unless you upgrade.
10: Long-Term Viability
WordPress was released in 2003 and continues to evolve, making it a reliable choice for the long term. Website builders can come and go, leaving your website vulnerable.
Build for the Future with WordPress
Website builders like Wix and Squarespace may seem convenient at first, but they come with trade-offs that limit your site’s growth and SEO performance. A custom WordPress website gives you the control, customization, reliability, and SEO tools you need to compete today.
If you’re ready to build a future-proof website that grows with your business, we can help. At inConcert Web Solutions, we’ve been building custom WordPress sites for over 20 years. Explore our portfolio and let’s talk about how we can bring your vision to life.
