Wix or a custom website: which should a small business choose?
The short answer
Choose Wix if you want to build and edit the site yourself, need it live this week, and are happy to pay a subscription for as long as the site exists. Choose a custom website if you want to own the code, need something a template can't do, or don't want your website tied to one company's servers.
The real choice: renting or owning
With Wix, the words and photos you add are yours, but the website itself only works on Wix. In Wix's own words, your site has to be hosted and run on Wix's servers, and it can't be moved to another host because it depends on Wix's own technology. If you leave, you take your content and rebuild the site somewhere else.
A custom website is a set of files you hold. You can host it with any provider, hand it to a different developer, or move it in an afternoon if your hosting company lets you down.
One thing you can keep either way is your domain. Wix lets you buy and manage your domain with another provider and connect it to your Wix site, which is worth doing: it means your web address stays in your hands whatever you decide later.
What each costs over three years
Wix's four premium plans run from $17 to $159 a month, billed annually. On the cheapest plan that is about $612 over three years, before tax, and the bill continues for as long as the site is live.
A custom site costs more on day one and much less afterwards. Build prices for a small business site in India usually range from ₹10,000 to ₹50,000 with a freelancer, and the yearly running cost is a domain and hosting, typically ₹3,000 to ₹8,000 a year combined. Our full price guide breaks this down by type of site.
| Wix | Custom website | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Little or none | ₹10,000–₹50,000 for a small site |
| Ongoing cost | $17–$159 a month | ₹3,000–₹8,000 a year |
| Where it runs | Only on Wix's servers | Any host you choose |
| If you leave | Keep your content, rebuild the site | Move the files as they are |
| Who builds it | Usually you | A developer or studio |
| Best for | Testing an idea, very simple sites | Businesses that plan to grow online |
When Wix is the right call
- You enjoy doing it yourself and have a few evenings to spend on it.
- You're testing an idea and might change direction in six months.
- The site is simple: a few pages, a contact form, maybe a booking widget Wix already offers.
When a custom site is worth it
- You want to own it outright, with no platform you can't leave.
- You need something specific: a booking flow that matches how your business works, an integration, a design that doesn't look like a template.
- Speed and search matter to you, and you want full control over how every page is built.
- You'd rather someone else handled it and simply gave you an easy way to change text and photos.
A middle path
"Custom" doesn't have to mean you can't edit it. A custom site can include a simple editor for the pages you change often, so you get ownership and speed without sending every small change to a developer. Ask for it up front, because it affects the quote.
Frequently asked questions
Can I move my Wix site to another host later?
No. Wix says sites built on it must run on Wix's servers. Your content belongs to you, so you can take your text and images with you, but the site itself has to be rebuilt elsewhere.
Can I use my own domain with Wix?
Yes. You can buy and manage a domain with another provider and connect it to your Wix site, which needs a premium plan. Keeping the domain separate makes leaving Wix later much easier.
Is Wix cheaper than a custom website?
In the first year, usually. Over several years it often isn't, because Wix's plans run from $17 to $159 a month for as long as the site is live, while a custom site's ongoing cost is mainly a domain and hosting.
Do I need to know how to code for a custom website?
No. The developer builds it, and a good one will set up a simple way for you to update text and photos yourself.
Where Codemark fits
If you're weighing Wix against a custom site, we'll tell you honestly which suits your business, even when the answer is Wix.
Sources
- Wix Help Center, Exporting or embedding your Wix site elsewhere (hosting on Wix's servers, content ownership, external domains)
- Website Builder Expert, Wix pricing 2026 (plan prices)
- Hostinger India, How much does a website cost in India in 2026? (domain and hosting costs)
- Fuzen, Website development cost in India 2026 (freelancer build prices)