Wix alternatives: five options and who each one suits

Wix is a drag-and-drop website builder with a large app market, and it has a free version that shows Wix branding and uses a Wix address. It does a lot, and for some sites it is the right choice. But it is not the only way to build a website, and depending on what you need, another tool can fit better.

One thing up front: frascati, the first alternative on this list, is our product. We describe every tool by what it does well and leave out prices, which change often. Check each tool's website for current plans.

Reasons to look at alternatives

• You would rather describe your site than arrange it: an AI builder such as frascati writes the pages and the copy from a description.
• You want files you can take with you: Wix hosts every Wix site on its own platform. If you may want to move your site to another host one day, choose a tool that lets you download it.
• You want more design control: Webflow gives you control down to the CSS.
• Motion matters to you: Framer is a design tool that publishes websites and is strong at motion.
• You want open source: WordPress is open source, with a huge ecosystem of plugins and themes.
• You want polished templates and built-in commerce: Squarespace.

Five alternatives to Wix

1. frascati: describe your business, get a website

frascati is an AI website builder for small businesses. You describe what you do in a chat, or paste the address of your current website so frascati can use the text of that page. It writes a multi-page website with real copy, fitting photos and a working contact form, and you change it by writing in the chat. It never invents facts: where it does not know your prices or opening hours, it leaves a visible [placeholder].

You own the result, and with Pro and Business you can download its full source code. One click publishes the site at a frascati address, or on your own domain with Pro and Business. frascati is a paid product: plans start at $12 a month, each with a free 3-day trial with 20 credits. It has online booking and takes payments through your own Stripe account. What it does not have: no member areas, no app market, and no stock levels or product variants in its shop.

2. Squarespace: design templates and built-in commerce

Squarespace is known for its design templates and has commerce built in. It offers a free trial rather than a free version. It suits portfolios, small businesses and shops that want a well-designed template and are happy to work within it.

3. Webflow: visual control and a CMS

Webflow is a visual editor with CSS-level control and a CMS. Designers get precise control over layout and style, which takes time to learn. The CMS makes it strong for sites with a lot of structured content.

4. WordPress: open source with a huge ecosystem

WordPress is open source, with a huge ecosystem of plugins and themes. You can use it hosted on WordPress.com or install it on your own hosting. It suits blogs, content-heavy sites and projects that need a particular plugin. On your own hosting, you look after updates, plugins and backups yourself.

5. Framer: design and motion

Framer is a design tool that publishes websites, and it is strong at motion and interaction. It suits designers and teams whose site relies on movement and detail.

Comparison: Wix and the alternatives

Which alternative should you choose?

• Choose frascati if you want to describe your business and get a finished website with real copy, without learning an editor.
• Choose Squarespace if you want polished templates and a built-in shop.
• Choose Webflow if you are a designer who wants CSS-level control and a CMS.
• Choose WordPress if you want open source and plugins for specific needs.
• Choose Framer if motion and interaction are central to your site.
• Stay with Wix if you rely on its app market, for example for a large store, or if you need a site that costs nothing.

Can I move my Wix site to frascati?

There is no import from Wix. But you can paste the address of your current website: frascati reads the text of that page and uses your real services and details for the new site. Check the result, fill in the [placeholders] and publish.

Is frascati free?

No. frascati is a paid product: plans start at $12 a month. Every plan starts with a free 3-day trial with 20 credits; a card is required, and if you cancel before the trial ends, nothing is charged. If you need a site that costs nothing, Wix's free version, with Wix branding and a Wix address, may suit you better.

Can I keep my domain?

With frascati's Pro and Business plans you connect your own domain: frascati shows the DNS records to set at your domain provider. Starter sites are published at a frascati address.

What can Wix do that frascati cannot?

Quite a lot. Wix has a drag-and-drop editor and an app market that adds things such as stores and bookings. frascati has online booking and a small shop paid through your own Stripe account, but no member areas, stock levels or product variants. For those, a frascati site links to an external tool.