Wix is the most popular DIY website builder in the world. It's cheap, fast to set up, and you don't need to know how to code. For a business that needs a website that actually wins customers from Google, it has significant limitations.
This is an honest comparison. Wix is the right tool for some situations. It is the wrong tool for UK businesses that need organic search traffic to generate leads. Here is why.
Wix vs custom web design: what actually matters
The right comparison is not "how does the site look" but "how does the site perform at the jobs a business website needs to do?"
A business website has three jobs: rank in Google, convert visitors into enquiries, and represent your brand credibly. Here is how Wix and custom web design compare on each.
Performance and PageSpeed
Google's Core Web Vitals - measurements of how fast and stable a page feels to a user - are a direct ranking factor. Slow sites rank lower. They also convert worse: a one-second delay in load time reduces conversion rates by around 7%.
Wix PageSpeed scores: Typically 30-55/100 on mobile (Google considers below 50 "poor"). The reasons are structural: Wix generates bloated HTML, loads JavaScript libraries the user's browser has to parse before rendering, and cannot be optimised in the way custom-built code can.
Custom-built PageSpeed scores: A well-built Next.js site (what Octelis builds on) consistently scores 90-97/100 on mobile. This is not a small difference - it is the difference between a "poor" and "good" rating on Google's own scale.
For a UK small business competing for local search terms, PageSpeed is a meaningful ranking differentiator.
SEO capabilities
What Wix supports:
- Title tags and meta descriptions per page
- Alt text on images
- Basic sitemap generation
- 301 redirects
- SSL (on paid plans)
What Wix cannot do adequately:
- JSON-LD structured data (Wix has limited schema support - you cannot fully implement FAQPage, LocalBusiness, Service schemas)
- Canonical URL management at scale
- Server-side rendering (Wix uses client-side rendering, which is slower for Google to crawl)
- Core Web Vitals optimisation (cannot be resolved without access to the codebase)
- Custom robots.txt
For a local business competing for "web design Birmingham" or "plumber near me", these limitations matter. Schema markup helps Google understand what your page is about and can trigger featured snippets. Without full schema control, you miss these opportunities.
Design quality and brand credibility
Wix: Template-based design. Wix has hundreds of templates, some of which are attractive. But:
- Templates are recognisable as Wix. UK businesses that use a Wix template look like UK businesses using a Wix template. In professional services, this signals "small" or "not invested."
- Templates constrain layout. Custom design choices are limited to the options the template allows.
- Multiple businesses in the same industry often use the same Wix template. Your website may look similar to a direct competitor's.
Custom web design: Every element is designed to your brief. Your brand identity, your colour palette, your content hierarchy. It looks like your business, not like a modified template. This matters for credibility in professional services, healthcare, and any sector where trust is a conversion factor.
Cost comparison
| Wix (Business Plan) | Custom subscription (Octelis) | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | £17-£36/month | From £80/month |
| Setup fee | £0 | £0 |
| Domain | Extra | Bring your own |
| Hosting | Included | Included |
| Custom design | Template only | Fully custom |
| PageSpeed score | 30-55/100 | 90-97/100 |
| Schema markup | Limited | Full |
| Monthly content updates | Self-managed | Included |
| Technical SEO | Basic | Full |
The monthly cost difference is £40-£65/month, or £480-£780 per year.
For a UK business that generates £1,000+ per client, one additional client per year from improved Google rankings more than covers the difference. For most UK service businesses, a custom site pays for itself within the first month of improved search visibility.
When Wix is the right choice
Wix is a sensible option when:
- You need a website up in a day with no budget at all
- Your website is a personal portfolio with no commercial pressure
- You are testing a business idea before committing to proper infrastructure
- Your business generates no customers from Google (though this is worth questioning)
It is not the right choice when:
- You are investing in Google as a lead source
- You are in a competitive local market
- You are in professional services where credibility matters
- You want a site that looks and functions distinctly from competitors
Moving from Wix to a custom site
If you are currently on Wix and want to move, the process is straightforward:
- Your domain can be transferred or pointed to a new host - Wix does not lock your domain
- Your content (text, images) is migrated to the new site
- 301 redirects are set up so existing search rankings transfer to the new URLs
- The new site is built on a proper technical foundation from day one
At Octelis, the subscription model means no large upfront cost for the migration. You move from Wix for £80/month with no setup fee and a first design draft within 48 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wix good for local SEO?
Wix supports the basics of local SEO - title tags, meta descriptions, Google My Business integration. But it cannot implement full LocalBusiness JSON-LD schema, achieves poor Core Web Vitals scores that affect local rankings, and the template-based design limits location-specific customisation. For competitive local UK markets, custom-built sites outperform Wix.
How do I know if my Wix site is hurting my Google rankings?
Run your Wix site through Google PageSpeed Insights (free tool). If your mobile score is below 70, your site's performance is likely limiting your rankings. Also check Google Search Console for Core Web Vitals issues - if you see "Poor" URL assessments, your site is underperforming on Google's own ranking criteria.
Can Wix rank on Google?
Yes, for less competitive terms. Wix sites can rank for long-tail searches with low competition. For competitive local searches - "web design agency Birmingham", "plumber Manchester" - the PageSpeed and schema disadvantages are significant enough that custom-built sites consistently outperform Wix.
What is the best alternative to Wix for UK small businesses?
A subscription web design service like Octelis gives you the ease of Wix (no technical management, predictable monthly cost) with the performance of a custom-built site (90+ PageSpeed, full schema markup, custom design). It costs more than Wix but generates measurable ROI through improved search rankings and conversion.
Still using Wix and not getting leads from Google? Talk to Octelis about migrating to a custom site - no large upfront cost, first draft in 48 hours.
Related reading:
- Squarespace vs Custom Web Design UK - the same comparison for Squarespace users
- WordPress vs Custom Web Design UK - when WordPress is the right choice
- How Much Does a Website Cost in the UK? - honest breakdown of every price range
- Web Design Subscription UK - how monthly web design pricing works
