Wix vs GoDaddy in 2023: Which Website Builder Is Better?
Comparing Wix vs GoDaddy can be challenging as both are well-known giants in the website builder space. Wix offers far more design flexibility and integrations and has more robust ecommerce features. GoDaddy is more beginner-friendly, a bit less expensive overall, and has native appointment booking tools, making it a better choice for service-based businesses.
Here’s a quick take on when to use the GoDaddy website builder vs Wix:
- Wix: Most design freedom to build a custom-looking site, the best ecommerce tools, and better for search engine optimization (SEO)
- GoDaddy: Most affordable plans and better for absolute beginners and service providers looking to increase appointments and bookings online
Wix vs GoDaddy Website Builders at a Glance
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Expert Score | 4.9 out of 5 | 4.2 out of 5 |
Free Plan | ✓ | ✓ |
Paid Plans From* | $16 | $11.99 |
Ecommerce From* | $27 | $24.99 |
Expertise Needed | Beginner to Intermediate | Beginner |
Website Design | Drag-and-drop editor, 900+ templates, image library, hundreds of premade content blocks and elements | Section-based page editor, artificial design intelligence (ADI)-built template, limited designs, GoDaddy studio for images |
Free Domain (Paid Plans) | ✓ | ✕ |
Appointment Booking | ✓ | ✓ |
Sell Physical & Digital Products | ✓ | ✓ |
Online Ordering for Pickup | ✓ | ✕ |
Social Selling | ✓ | ✓ |
*Billed annually; monthly plans are also available at a higher cost.
When to Use Wix vs GoDaddy
Most Capabilities & Features: Wix
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Pros Cons | Pros Cons |
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900+ free templates and hundreds of premade content blocks | Free themes and premade content blocks, but a template is chosen for you during setup |
Whether you choose a template or Wix’s AI builds one for you, you get full drag-and-drop editing to build your site | GoDaddy’s editor is section-based |
Changing templates means starting over | Change layouts any time without starting over |
Wix offers users a fully customizable, drag-and-drop editor that makes changing virtually any layout or design possible. Hundreds of premade content blocks provide guidance and inspiration for your site design. When coupled with more than 900 templates, this makes Wix nearly infinitely customizable.
While GoDaddy’s editor provides some design functionality, it is mostly limited to editing basic content blocks, changing fonts or colors, and adding your own images. The smaller number of available theme variations for each template further restricts design limitations.
Winner: Wix. Its true drag-and-drop editor is the most advanced among drag-and-drop website builders, allowing you to achieve unique web design without touching a line of code.
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SEO Wizard | ✓ | ✓ |
SEO Site Booster | ✓ | ✕ |
Auto-image Compression | ✓ | ✕ |
Schema Markup | ✓ | ✕ |
Embed Code | ✓ | ✕ |
Connect Google Analytics | ✓ | ✓ |
Connect Semrush | ✓ | ✕ |
Connect Google Business Profile | ✕ | ✓ |
Wix provides users with an SEO Wiz tool for beginners. It also has a step-by-step walk-through to help you get optimization right the first time. Additionally, Wix’s page builder incorporates image compression and schema markup, so your new site is Google-ready out of the gate. If you need further assistance, you can incorporate Semrush right into the Wix dashboard.
GoDaddy provides an SEO wizard to help with initial optimization. The dashboard also allows you to connect and manage your Google business page from the dashboard. However, some of the more advanced SEO features are locked behind paid versions of the page builder.
Winner: Wix. The built-in SEO features incorporated into the Wix page builder are superior to GoDaddy’s offerings. To achieve similar results in GoDaddy, upgrade to a paid plan or install and configure add-ons. Learn more in our review of the best website builders for SEO.
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First Ecommerce Plan | Business Basic | Commerce |
Starting Cost per Month | $27 | $16.99 (renews at $24.99) |
Transaction Fees | None (third-party fees still apply) | 2.3% + 30 cents / may vary based on payment processor |
Sell Physical & Digital Products | Unlimited | 5,000 |
Recurring Payments | ✓ | ✓ |
Social & Marketplace Selling | ✓ | ✓ |
Automatic Sales Tax | ✓ | ✕ |
Cart Abandonment Emails | ✓ | ✕ |
Dropshipping | Highest plan only | Manual integration required |
The Wix ecommerce plan starts at $27 and includes integration with several payment systems. Its ecommerce system supports several industry-specific features, including online ordering and reservations for restaurants, ticketing and events management, reservation and payment systems for hotels, and a fitness center solution for monthly memberships.
GoDaddy’s ecommerce package is $24.99 a month, but it lacks some of the key basic and niche features Wix builds in. You may find yourself searching for just the right add-on or worse—not finding the feature you need for your business. Plus, with no transaction fees, what you save with Wix could easily outweigh the additional cost when per-sale fees are tallied up with GoDaddy
Pro tip: Both GoDaddy and Wix include a dropshipping option for product sales. However, neither package was particularly impressive. If you need dropshipping incorporated into your site, Shopify may be your best option. Learn more in our Shopify review.
Winner: Wix. By far, Wix is the winner when it comes to ecommerce features. It’s slightly more expensive than GoDaddy, but the Business Ecommerce plan incorporates more robust tools and industry-specific features that make it ideal for virtually every small business. It also doesn’t charge a per-transaction fee for each sale you make, unlike GoDaddy. Learn more about ecommerce options with our review of the best ecommerce platforms for small business.
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Appointment Booking | Via app or ecommerce plan | Included in all plans |
Take Payments | Ecommerce plans only | Any plan (PayPal paylinks) and paid plans (GoDaddy Payments) |
Select Service & Provider (e.g., Specific Stylist or Service) | ✓ | ✓ |
Sell Tickets for Group Events | ✓ | ✓ |
Recurring Payments | ✓ | ✓ |
Gate Member-only Content | ✓ | ✓ |
Third-party Booking Apps | ✓ | ✕ |
We are giving the GoDaddy website builder the edge in this category for including native appointment booking tools with all plans, including the free one. This makes it the best choice for service and sales-oriented businesses wanting to easily add online booking capability to their site.
With the GoDaddy website builder, you can set up online appointments, but not online payments, on the lowest-priced plan from GoDaddy (or even the free one). You can, however, use Pay Links after an appointment is booked to collect payment online.
Otherwise, you’ll have to take payments in person, but you’ll save money on your monthly plan. To accept payments online with GoDaddy, you must upgrade to the Premium plan. Alternatively, you can also integrate third-party booking software with GoDaddy if you prefer.
Wix doesn’t offer native booking features in the lowest-tier plans, but you can add appointment booking through a third-party app, even on the free version. For native booking tools, go with one of Wix’s Business and Ecommerce plans. If you do, the good news is you get all of the appointment features Wix offers, including recurring payments and subscriptions, in the lowest-priced ecommerce plan.
Winner: GoDaddy wins when it comes to selling services online. Its built-in appointment booking tool is available with all plans, and it’s cheaper than Wix to accept payments online for online bookings.
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Number of Static Pages | 100 | 50 |
Number of Blog Posts | 4,000* | ✕ |
*Based on the number of blog posts Wix states can be imported from WordPress
Blogging is still a popular and powerful tool for building brand presence and getting a message out to potential customers. When it comes to blogging, Wix wins hands down.
GoDaddy supports blogging, but its page builder system caps the total number of pages your site can host at 50. This includes any blog posts, so blogging just once a week means your website runs out of space before the end of the first year.
With Wix, your site can host up to 100 static pages and an additional 4,000 blog posts. This should provide you with ample space to grow your site and blog as much as you want. Additionally, Wix has recently incorporated an artificial intelligence (AI) content assistant that will help improve your writing. Similar functionality isn’t available in GoDaddy at this time.
Winner: Wix tops GoDaddy when it comes to blogging. Wix supports bloggers with an ample number of blog post pages. This is why Wix is one of our best platforms for blogging.
When you compare Wix vs GoDaddy in terms of capabilities, Wix wins hands down thanks to robust plans for ecommerce and its vast app marketplace. Learn more about the features and tools available in the Wix website builder by reading our expert Wix review.
However, GoDaddy’s plans scale with most of the features a small business will need. The real choice, as with design, comes down to whether you want native features at your fingertips or you’re willing to integrate third-party apps to get the providers and tailored features you want. Our GoDaddy website builder review explains more.
Winner: Wix provides seemingly limitless customization, from the design flexibility of its drag-and-drop website builder to the large third-party app marketplace. This makes it the best option for companies wanting to build a strong brand presence with a professional looking website.
Most Affordable Overall: GoDaddy
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Affordability is one of the key concerns for small business owners weighing website builder options. Both GoDaddy and Wix offer affordable paid plans and ecommerce solutions, but which reigns as the most affordable?
GoDaddy Pricing Overview
GoDaddy’s affordability is legendary, from its low-cost introductory plans for the first year to its annual plans afterward. It’s no surprise that GoDaddy’s regular prices are cheaper than Wix’s for similar service tiers, including the basic ecommerce package, with an introductory price of $16.99 per month ($24.99 regular). But price isn’t everything—see what’s included in GoDaddy plans below.
Wix Pricing Overview
Starting at $27 a month, Wix’s ecommerce plans are more robust, offering room for more products and features than GoDaddy’s plans. Wix includes integrated shipping options, and payment setup is simple. A similar setup on GoDaddy requires additional apps and configurations.
Winner: GoDaddy offers more competitively priced entry-level plans. However, if you’re planning to build a relatively advanced online store, at $27 per month, Wix’s Business Ecommerce plans will likely be more affordable long term.
Best Free Plan: Wix for Design, GoDaddy for Functionality
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|---|---|---|
Expert Score | 4.9 | 4.2 |
Free Forever | ✓ | ✓ |
Ad-free | ✕ | ✕ |
Appointments | Via plugin | ✓ |
Accept Payments | ✕ | Via Pay Links |
Online Store | ✕ | ✕ |
SSL Certificate | ✓ | ✓ |
SEO | Advanced | Basic |
Unlimited Storage & Bandwidth | ✕ | ✕ |
Design | 900+ templates | Change layouts only |
Both Wix and GoDaddy offer ad-supported free-forever plans. While not ideal for small businesses (since they’re hosted on each platform’s subdomains and display ads), they’re the perfect way to test each one as a try-before-you-buy option. Here’s how they stack up.
On its free plan, Wix offers more than 900 templates, advanced search engine optimization (SEO), and the ability to custom-design pages to match your needs. You’ll have full access to Wix’s powerful drag-and-drop editor with no restrictions. GoDaddy templates, editing, and design are limited, and you’ll find yourself only able to make the most basic layout changes on the free plan. On the other hand, that also makes GoDaddy’s free site builder easier to use.
Wix offers hundreds of free and paid apps to add through a Marketplace for additional functionality. With GoDaddy, you’re limited to the features and tools offered by the platform.
Wix caps storage and bandwidth at 500MB, a significant restriction if you’re planning on building a larger, media-rich website. GoDaddy offers unlimited storage and bandwidth, even on its free plan, though all sites are limited to 50 total pages (including blog posts).
With GoDaddy’s free version, appointment booking is handled natively within the page builder, and you can use PayPal paylinks as a workaround for ecommerce. For the same functionality from Wix, you’ll either have to pay for one of the paid tiers or incorporate third-party appointment apps.
Winner: It’s a tie. If you’re looking for design and customizability, Wix is hands-down the winner. However, if you’re looking for functionality and the ability to take payments for appointments with the free plan, GoDaddy wins.
Most Beginner-friendly: GoDaddy
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Wix’s true drag-and-drop editor is intuitive, but it can be overwhelming for a beginner | Easy to change themes, fonts, and colors in the GoDaddy website builder's site editor |
Most small business owners aren’t web designers, and so it makes sense to consider which website builder is better for beginners. Both Wix and GoDaddy are relatively easy to use. Depending on your comfort level and willingness to learn about design, either Wix or GoDaddy could be right for you.
GoDaddy is by far the simplest of the page builders to use, but that’s largely because your choices are limited. GoDaddy chooses your template based on your answers to a series of questions. Once the template has populated a website, you can customize certain features, such as fonts, colors, and images. See how easy it is to build a website on GoDaddy in a few simple steps.
On the other hand, Wix’s drag-and-drop editor is intuitive and easy to use. It provides endless customization options, which could be a challenge for new users: Wix may be overwhelming for novice designers. However, Wix offers a design AI assistant that can choose your template and set up a site, which can fast-track your site’s design. Watch our video tutorial and follow along as you learn how to create a Wix website.
Winner: GoDaddy is best for absolute beginners, in part because design choices are limited. You don’t get to choose a template, but you can change out layouts, colors, and fonts easily. Wix is more feature-rich and customizable, but it has a learning curve that may be too steep for novice users.
Best Customer Support: Wix
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24/7 Support | ✓ | ✓ |
Support via Phone | ✓ | ✓ |
Support via Live Chat | ✓ | ✓ |
Support via Email or Tickets | ✓ | ✕ |
Community Forum | ||
Knowledge Base |
In the support category, GoDaddy vs Wix are pretty evenly matched. Both offer multiple channels to contact the company and ample offline support through pop-ups, online documentation, and community-based information portals. Notably, both offer telephone support as well.
Wix’s support begins with the tutorials during setup. Additional support is available via information bubbles to help you avoid a phone call or live chat. For those who prefer to avoid the phone, Wix also offers email support.
GoDaddy’s support also begins with setup tutorials. However, on-page support is sparse and doesn’t go much beyond descriptions of elements. An ever-present chat helper is your first line of support, and barring success with the chat, phone support is available 24/7.
Both Wix and GoDaddy provide ample support opportunities for users. In this match-up, Wix edges GoDaddy with the depth of its on-page support and the addition of email support. That being said, we’ve had great experiences with support teams from Wix and GoDaddy, so customer support shouldn’t be your deciding factor.
Winner: While it’s a close call as both offer 24/7 support via phone and live chat, Wix wins for offering slightly more support options and more in-depth, on-page support.
Editor’s Choice: Wix
We scored both Wix and GoDaddy on a bevy of factors, including free-forever plans, included features, bandwidth, cost, and more. Wix outscored GoDaddy, garnering 4.9 out of a possible 5 points. GoDaddy scored 4.2 on the same scale. The key differentiating factors between the two were value for the money, features, and built-in SEO tools. Wix bested GoDaddy hands down in these categories.
At the same time, based on years of experience building and managing websites, we chose Wix as the better website builder over GoDaddy. That’s because Wix provides users with design flexibility and the functionality small businesses need to be successful on the web. While GoDaddy provides a good experience and some of the functionality needed, its website builder is much simpler, and design choices are limited.
How We Evaluated Wix vs GoDaddy Website Builders
To help you decide whether Wix or GoDaddy offers the best site builder for your small business website, we compared the two based on several factors, from pricing and ease of use to features and design. We also added our own expert opinion based on a great deal of firsthand experience using both platforms to build and maintain professional websites.
Click the tabs for more info on our methodology.
30%
Price
20%
General Features
20%
Niche Features
10%
Support
20%
Expert Opinion
30% of Overall Score
We compared these website builders in terms of price and affordability. We not only identified the cheapest, but we also looked at the most function for your money. We examined the plans required to accomplish common tasks like selling online, accepting recurring payments, and building a membership site. We also considered if the two offer a free version, a free trial, or a money-back guarantee, which both Wix and GoDaddy offer.
20% of Overall Score
In addition to affordability, features provide real value for the price. We considered website basics, such as storage and bandwidth to freebies like a free domain and SSL, SEO tools, and built-in analytics. We also considered more specific features and capabilities, like the ability to process payments online, book appointments, and sell gift cards.
20% of Overall Score
Your industry will dictate the website tools and features you need for your business. So we looked at the capabilities of both platforms to see which best meets the needs of businesses in multiple industries, including everything from restaurants, photographers, and dental practices to those selling services or products online.
10% of Overall Score
While you may hope to never need support, quality support can make a big difference when needed. We looked at the availability of customer support from each provider, including its support channels (e.g., phone, live chat, email) and the hours support is available to determine which is better.
20% of Overall Score
We examined both systems and utilized them to build a website. This enabled us to use our own expertise to inform functionality and support options. We also included our thoughts on value for the price, quality of the features, ease of use, and popularity.
*Percentages of overall score
Best Alternatives to Wix or GoDaddy
If this comparison of Wix vs GoDaddy site builders hasn’t helped you choose, you may need a different solution. Several all-in-one website builders are excellent Wix alternatives. Here are some of the best alternatives to Wix and GoDaddy:
Best Alternatives |  |  |  |
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Free Plan | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
Domain & SSL With Paid Plans | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Starting Monthly Cost (Paid Plans) | $12 | $2.95* | $16 |
Starting Cost for Ecommerce | Free | $2.95* | $23 |
Key Features |
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*Renews at a higher cost after the first year
If you think WordPress might be the option that’s best for you (via Bluehost), read our Wix vs WordPress comparison before you make a decision. Alternatively, expand your options by reading our full list of the best website builders for small businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I use Wix with GoDaddy?
If you registered a domain with GoDaddy but want Wix for building a small business website, you can use Wix with GoDaddy. You’ll have to get the name servers from Wix and then update your GoDaddy account so that Wix is your DNS host.
If you don’t have a domain yet, learn more about how to register a domain name.
Is it better to get a domain through GoDaddy or Wix?
If you’re building a Wix website, getting your domain on Wix is better than getting it through GoDaddy. It will be automatically connected to your site vs having to manually add settings if you buy one somewhere else. If you’re not sure where you plan to build a website, getting it through GoDaddy could be better, as you’ll then be able to easily connect it to your chosen website builder.
Learn more about the best business domain name registration options.
What is better than Wix?
Which website builder is better than Wix depends on your needs since each has strengths that might make it right for your website project. For example, Weebly and Shopify are built for ecommerce, whereas Dorik is great for member-based websites, HubSpot CMS is geared for lead generation, and GoDaddy is best for service-based businesses. Get more options from our list of the best website builders for small businesses.
Bottom Line
In the battle of Wix vs GoDaddy, it’s a close call. Wix edges GoDaddy on support and the number of templates available, but GoDaddy wins with simplicity and affordability. Because the difference between Wix and GoDaddy is so small, we recommend trying out both free versions to see which one works best for your small business.
