Should You Use a Free Website Builder?
Establishing an online presence is imperative for most businesses. Thanks to the advent of no-code web building platforms, you no longer need to be a programmer or designer in order to DIY your own website.
If you are just starting out, have a limited budget to hire a web designer or simply need a basic site to get your business online, by all means consider using a free website builder and improve upon it when your business grows or after you learn more about web building on more sophisticated platforms.
Once you decide to go down this path, the next question is – which of these platforms should you use? In this article, we compare the pros and cons of two popular platforms – Canva and Wix. Note that we are looking only at the free tiers for both.
Pros and Cons Comparison: Canva vs. Wix
Pros:
Canva | Wix |
Ease of use | Ease of use |
Suitable for novice web builders and non-designers to get started quickly with a one-page website | Good compromise between basic web design and professional level platforms |
Ability to link to payment options (e.g. PayPal) | Has most of the features needed to build a multi-page website |
Cons:
Canva | Wix |
Lacks sophisticated mobile display customization | Insights & analytics integration with Google tools (e.g. Google Analytics) not available for free plans |
Does not have blogging and appointment scheduler functions (will need to create it elsewhere and link if needed) | Simplifies the process of building a website but still requires time to make a presentable site |
No ability to add a form (e.g. for email newsletter, contact form) | Once you have chosen a template, you cannot switch to a new template when a site is live, unless you create a new site with the desired theme and reassign your domain to it (and Premium plan if any) |
Limited SEO ability | Less customisable than professional web builders like Wordpress |
Making the Right Choice
Canva and Wix cater to slightly different user needs and preferences. Consider the following when making your decision:
Choose Canva If:
You prioritize simplicity and speed in getting a basic website online.
You need a one-page website to introduce your business and sell a limited range of products
Choose Wix If:
You require slightly more detailed features like blogging and mobile view customisation while remaining in a free tier
You value a good balance between simplicity and functionality.
Finding all these decisions too time-consuming and complicated?
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