Strikingly vs. Wix: Best Business Website Builder Review
Wix and Strikingly are both easy-to-use, drag-and-drop website-building platforms. While these platforms have some basic similarities, there are a few key differences. Keep these in mind before making your decision on which one will best suit the needs of your small business.
In this article, we will offer a side-by-side comparison of each builder to help you decide which one is right for your business website.
Recommended: Be sure to use our Best Website Builder Review to learn more about what type of platform will be best for building your professional site.
Wix vs. Strikingly
If you’re reading this article, chances are you’re not an experienced web designer, and you probably have little interest in spending time, effort, and money learning computer coding or a complex new program. That’s why finding software that’s easy to use at a beginner level is so important for many small business owners. Neither Wix nor Strikingly disappoints in this department.
Wix
Ease of Use
Wix wrote the book on simplicity. Since the platform first came on the market, it has been a cornerstone for beginners to web design looking to easily create a website for their small business without spending large amounts of time and money. It achieved this with an intuitive, visual editor that uses drag-and-drop functionality to enable users to easily add and remove elements to tailor their website to their needs.
One thing that stands out as a drawback— you are unable to change your template once you’ve made your choice. If you realize you chose the wrong template during the sign-up process, you’ll have to spend additional time modifying it so it suits your needs. Because of this, it’s important to choose wisely.
Although it’s true that a tutorial is scarcely needed because of how simple the Wix website builder is, you may still benefit from perusing our How to Make a Wix Website and How to Use Wix articles— our step-by-step guides on all of the platform’s features.
Pricing
In addition to a free plan that includes ads, Wix offers three pricing strategies. The first tier is Website. This covers all website buildign basics, but does not include ecommerce functionality.
The second is Business & eCommerce and the third is Enterprise, which is priced by the quote and is primarily for customers looking for a more full-service option. Though the ecommerce plans provide all of the functions of the equivalent tier for website building, the reverse does not hold true.
Pros
- Simple, drag-and-drop technology
- Affordable pricing
- Free version available
- Hundreds of beautifully designed, fully customizable templates
- Ecommerce plans are available for small business owners
Cons
- Ecommerce plans may be limited for larger companies
- Would benefit from a more extensive app library
Ecommerce
Wix offers three ecommerce plans including Business Basic, Business Unlimited, and Business VIP. There are a couple of handy features available with the Business Basic plan, like the ability to take payments in-house or through third-party gateways, unlimited products, and abandoned cart recovery for those in retail. Wix also offers online booking and ticket and event management for service-based professionals.
These features are expanded with the Business Unlimited and Business VIP plans to include integrations with third-party marketplaces, subscriptions, advanced shipping, and more. But, as far as ecommerce goes, the Business Basic plan has a lot to offer at an affordable price point.
Templates and Themes
Wix’s pre-made templates are some of the most beautiful in the arena of website-building platforms. With hundreds to choose from, conveniently sorted by industry, you’ll have no problem finding a template that will meet your needs. Once you have made your choice, you can easily customize this template to be consistent with your brand personality using Wix’s responsive, visual editor.
Apps and Plugins
Wix offers hundreds of apps to choose from to attach to your website. These include industry-best marketing and financial tools that can be integrated with your website to promote your brand and attract business. Other apps include social media buttons, forms, and more. Many of these are free, while others require a monthly subscription. Though not as wide an app library as some website-building platforms, Wix still offers many powerful tools to help small business owners grow their brands.
Make sure Wix is the best choice for you by reading our full Wix Review. Then, when you're ready, get started with Wix for free.
Strikingly
Ease of Use
Strikingly is one of a growing number of drag-and-drop platforms that promises users the ability to create a website in under an hour. It certainly delivers on this promise with its single-page format and feature-light website editor, which does not require even a modicum of experience in coding or website design to navigate. Users can easily go from concept to final product in less than an hour.
The downside here is that websites made with Strikingly can come across as a little one-dimensional, and they can also be difficult to customize to be consistent with your company’s branding. If your main objective is to use this site as a portfolio and want something quick and easy, Strikingly could be a solid option. If you own a retail business and are looking to build a digital storefront, you may be left wanting more in terms of features.
A standout feature that works in Strikingly’s favor is that all websites are automatically optimized for mobile and tend to display beautifully across all devices.
Pricing
Strikingly does offer a free plan for users who are willing to compromise on a custom domain and put up with Strikingly advertisements. For users looking to upgrade their service, Strikingly offers a range of options ranging from ultra-affordable to moderately priced. These include Limited, Pro, and VIP plans, each with features that scale with every tier.
Pros
- High marks for ease of use
- Templates are beautifully designed
- Affordable pricing
- Free plan available
- Mobile-friendly
Cons
- Somewhat limited template selection
- Single-page focus can hinder SEO efforts
- Limited apps and plug-ins
Ecommerce
Strikingly offers users the ability to create what the platform refers to as a “basic store” using this software. Small business owners can take payments using third-party gateways like Stripe and Apple Pay, as well as add up to 500 products complete with images and product descriptions. Beyond that, there isn’t much to work with.
That being said, Strikingly encourages users looking for ecommerce functionality to integrate with Ecwid, a third-party ecommerce platform. While you will need an account with Ecwid at an additional cost, Strikingly promises seamless integration with the service.
Templates and Themes
Strikingly offers 29 templates sorted by industry at the time this article is being written. Strikingly’s focus is on one-page templates. This means that rather than offering content across multiple different web pages, Strikingly templates focus on a single page with content delivered via panels as the visitor scrolls.
Some people will find this layout helpful and innovative, while others may find it disorienting and as though it leaves their website feeling cluttered. It can also put a damper on your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts, as it can be difficult to include all of your keywords on a single page without registering as spam. Despite these factors, this type of layout is a much more mobile-friendly option.
Regardless of your opinion on one-page layouts, there’s no denying that Strikingly templates are beautifully designed and that your final product will certainly look visually stunning.
Apps and Plugins
Strikingly offers a few bare-bones widgets through its internal app store. These include social media integrations and calendars, as well as some music and email plug-ins. Strikingly does discourage users from adding too many widgets to their website, saying that overloading your site with widgets can cause it to run slowly.
While Strikingly certainly doesn’t have a vast app selection, like WordPress or even Wix, it definitely compares favorably with many other affordable platforms that do not incorporate apps and plug-ins whatsoever.
Our Pick for Best Website Builder: Wix
Despite their similarities, Wix is simply a more expandable platform. Strikingly’s single-page focus can often feel too simple, and the website building editor leaves a lot to be desired in terms of customization.
Despite the fact they are both easy to use, Wix is our choice for beginners looking to build a website for their small business.
Begin Building With Wix
We think Wix has most everything a small business owner needs to get a professional site up and running. Get started with Wix for free by clicking the button below.
