Why people look beyond Wix
Many UK small business owners explore Wix alternatives for a handful of limits Wix itself lists in its help centre and on its plans page. Wix sites must be hosted and operated on Wix servers, so a site cannot be moved intact to another host; you can take the domain, but the site must be rebuilt. Switching an existing site to a new template with its content, media and SEO settings is a feature request that isn’t currently possible. The free plan is intended for trial use: connecting a custom domain and removing Wix branding require a Premium plan. Displayed card prices on Wix’s plans page are for yearly subscriptions paid in full at purchase and do not include tax. A free domain included with most Premium plans is a one‑year voucher valid only for a new domain bought from Wix, not for renewing an existing domain.
Wix also has strengths: more than 2,000 templates, an AI builder that drafts a site from a single prompt, and 24/7 customer care on every plan. If those limits do not affect you, staying with Wix may still be the simplest option.
Wix alternatives at a glance
Here are the alternatives and the specific reasons a UK small business might pick each one, with the starting prices and key details given on the providers’ UK pages (checked on 8 November 2026).
– Squarespace — Pick it for design-led sites. Basic from £12 a month on an annual plan, £16 month-to-month (prices before VAT). Basic takes a 2% transaction fee on online sales; Core drops that fee. No permanent free plan; 14-day free trial with no card.
– WordPress — Pick it when you want to own the setup. The WordPress software is free, open-source (GPL) and portable: its built-in export tool saves posts and pages you can import elsewhere. You choose hosting and must keep WordPress, the theme and plugins updated. Hosted WordPress.com plans, including a free one, are available if you prefer not to manage hosting.
– Shopify — Pick it when you sell products and need shop features. Basic from £19 a month on a yearly plan or £25 month-to-month; card fees start at 2% plus 25p. New sign-ups were being offered three days free then three months at £1 a month when checked.
– Hostinger — Pick it if price is the main factor and you can commit. Its Premium builder plan on a Black Friday offer was £85.92 up front for 48 months (works out at £1.79 a month before VAT) and then renews at £10.99 a month before VAT; the offer price is not permanent. The plan covers up to three sites, includes the domain and two mailboxes per site for year one, and Hostinger offers a 30-day money-back period.
– GoDaddy (Airo) — Pick it for an AI-first draft and the option to download your site code. Start free with 50 AI credits a month and no card; annual paid plans include a free domain for the first year. GoDaddy says you can download your site’s code, unlike Wix.
– ContractorUK — Pick it if you want the site built for you. Describe the business in a few lines or upload your CV and ContractorUK builds a WordPress site with hosting and HTTPS, usually within ten minutes. The first year of a new .co.uk, .uk or .com is included and registered in your business name; entering a company number fills the legal footer from Companies House. The service is instructed not to add figures, client names or results you haven’t provided, though you must check every detail. Price: £49 a month including VAT, no setup charge or contract term. ContractorUK does not build online shops or supply mailboxes; first build is free for seven days, then £49 a month including VAT.
Provider snapshots
Squarespace: an all‑in‑one builder closest to Wix and strongest on design, suitable for photographers, designers and venues. Prices on the UK page are Basic £12 a month on annual plan or £16 monthly, and Core £17 or £24, all before VAT; Squarespace’s help centre says VAT is added on top.
WordPress: open-source GPL software you can run with almost any hosting company and change freely. Its built-in export tool lets you move posts, pages and other content to a new host. The trade-off is responsibility for hosting and updates. WordPress.com offers hosted plans if you prefer that route.
Shopify: focused on shops with products, stock and delivery. Basic at £19 a month on a yearly plan or £25 month to month; card fees start at 2% plus 25p. Promotional offers were available at the time of checking.
Hostinger: lowest headline price over a long term when you can accept the deal structure used in the checked offer: £85.92 up front for 48 months (£1.79 a month before VAT) then renewing at £10.99 a month before VAT. The plan covered up to three sites, included a domain and two mailboxes per site in year one, and offered a 30-day refund window.
GoDaddy (Airo): free starting tier with 50 AI credits a month and no card, annual paid plans include a free domain for the first year, and GoDaddy allows you to download your site’s code.
ContractorUK: a build-for-you service that delivers a WordPress site based on a short brief or CV, usually within ten minutes; first build free for seven days, then £49 a month including VAT, no setup fee or contract term. Does not create shops or provide email mailboxes.
Which alternative we’d choose
– Design-led templates in an all-in-one package: Squarespace.
– A site you can move, extend and control completely: WordPress.
– Selling products online: Shopify.
– Lowest long-term price with a four-year commitment: Hostinger (per the checked offer).
– An AI draft plus the option to take the code with you: GoDaddy (Airo).
– Prefer to describe the business and receive a finished site: ContractorUK.
And if none of Wix’s limits affects your business, staying with Wix avoids the real work of rebuilding a site and redirecting old addresses.
Common questions
Can I move my Wix site to another platform? Not as it stands. Wix’s help centre says a Wix site must be hosted on Wix servers because its technology doesn’t support outside hosting. You can keep or transfer your domain, but pages must be rebuilt on the new platform and old addresses redirected.
What is the cheapest alternative to Wix? Over a long term, the Hostinger Premium builder plan on the Black Friday offer checked: £85.92 paid up front for 48 months (£1.79 a month before VAT). After four years it renews at £10.99 a month before VAT; the offer price is not permanent. The WordPress software itself is free to download, though you will pay for hosting.
Is Squarespace better than Wix? Neither wins outright. Squarespace suits people who prioritise design-led templates and are prepared to pay from the start; Wix offers more than 2,000 templates and a free plan for learning. A direct comparison highlights differences in price and features.
Is there a Wix alternative that builds the site for me? Yes. ContractorUK builds a WordPress site from a short description of the business or from a CV, usually within ten minutes. The first build is free for seven days with no card required, then it is £49 a month including VAT.
