Our attempt to settle the debate: when it comes to creating a website, there are plenty of website builders to choose from, but two of the most popular options are Editor X vs WordPress. Which one is better?
My name is Andrei Stoica, I am the Founder and Creative Director at AST & Partners. We have now built over 100 projects in Wix and Editor X, so one of the questions we get most frequently asked is “What’s the difference between Wordpress and Editor X, and is Wordpress better?” So in this article, let’s take a closer look at both and help you decide which one is right for you.
Editor X: The Pros
Responsive design: The key feature of Editor X is the ability for us designers to work with a responsive layout. This means that your website will look great on any screen size. We use advanced grid technology to position elements in a layout that stays optimised at every breakpoint: desktop computer, tablet, or mobile phone. We can also take advantage to design on the full canvas, giving more flexibility for unique, non-traditional designs.
Visual design: as a no-code platform, Editor X has a unique interface that allows you to see the design in real time. This means experts can design and develop simultaneously, eliminating the process of traditional design (usually in Figma or Adobe XD), development (usually with code) and deployment. In Editor X this happens all at the same time, saving time and resources on every project. In conclusion, it’s quicker and more affordable to build, while maintaining an excellent level of quality.
Speed: Editor X websites are optimised for speed automatically. Images or media loaded in the design are automatically compressed to give the best load speed for every website visitor and still maintain the original media quality. This is important for user experience and search engine rankings (SEO).
Integration with Wix: Editor X is the next level technology using the Wix platform, which means you'll have access to all of the features and tools that come with Wix. This includes the Wix Dashboard with features like Email Marketing, Analytics, CRM, Contacts Databases, Advanced Collections and more. It also includes a vast selection of apps and integrations that allow you to build advanced functionality for your MVP: booking services, e-commerce, hotel reservations and more.
E-commerce capabilities: Editor X has a built-in e-commerce platform that installs natively to your website. This means you can convert your website into an e-commerce platform much more efficiently.
WordPress: The Pros
Flexibility: This is the biggest advantage of WordPress and we hear it over and over again. Wordpress is an open-source platform, meaning you can customise pretty much everything you need. Developers have easier access to create plugins and themes, allowing you to create unique features and functions with the help of third party plugins.
SEO: WordPress is known for its SEO capabilities. Although other technologies have come a very long way, with the right plugins and optimisations, Wordpress can help you improve your visibility on search engines.
Choose your own server: another feature attributed to Wordpress’ flexibility is the ability to host your website on any server you wish. Compared to other website building platforms where you pay a small subscription to get your website live, in Wordpress your website can be hosted on a third party server.
Community: WordPress, probably the most popular website building platform, has a large and active community of developers and users. This means there are plenty of resources available if you need help or support.
Customisation: WordPress is highly customisable, which means you can create a website that's unique to your brand. You have access to a larger pool of animations and interactions. There are also many more integrations available off the shelf (vs building it with code).
Editor X: The Cons
Learning curve: Editor X has a bit of a learning curve, especially if you're not familiar with the Wix platform. As an advanced website building platform, designing is not as easy as drag and drop. Every element needs to be set up in such way that it responds and communicates with the other elements on the page.
Limited third-party integrations: While Editor X has a wide selection of built-in features, it doesn't have as many third-party integrations as other website builders. This on one hand is good, because you can always be sure that your apps and native plug ins are maintained and up to date by Wix - you don’t depend on third party developers. On the other hand, if you need a feature that is not currently available or supported, you would need to hire a developer and have it built with code - which can be expensive.
Limited theme selection: Editor X has a limited selection of themes compared to other website builders. The database of themes is restricted to those published by Editor X team, unlike Wordpress. It’s best to work with a professional if you wish to go down the Editor X route and wish to have something totally unique.
Cost: Editor X is a premium website builder, which means it can be more expensive than other options. Annual plans start from approximately £300/year (just for hosting and platform maintenance alone) and can go much higher than this depending on extra functions you require
You can only host on proprietary servers: if you wish to move your website to another server - you won’t be able to do it in Editor X. By using Editor X, you must host your website on Wix servers by purchasing a premium plan. This can also be seen as an advantage, as you can rely on fast, large servers that have a very high uptime.
WordPress: The Cons
Security: WordPress is a popular platform, which makes it a target for hackers. The use of many third party plug ins means increased vulnerability and dependency on third party developers. It's important to take extra security measures to protect your website.
Maintenance: WordPress websites require regular maintenance, such as updates and backups. As your website will likely be using various third party plugins, updates and maintenance is distributed across various developers that may or may not keep everything up to date.
Customisation: WordPress being such a highly customisable platforms, it may be overwhelming for beginners to design or edit their website. It may also be harder to make minor updates to your website such as updating text or swapping images - you may consider hiring a Wordpress expert for small tasks which can be expensive in the long run.
Your website can go down without you knowing - it can be down to many reasons and if you don’t navigate to your website frequently, you may find out that your website has been down for hours or days. The risk of this happening is increased by how your website uses plugins or additional features, which are often developed by third parties so you depend on them making sure the plugins you are using are functioning well and are up to date.
Being open source means WordPress can become overwhelmed with plugins and features. If you add these to your website, it can slow it down and create vulnerability.
In conclusion, both Editor X and WordPress are powerful website builders with their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Ultimately, the choice comes down to your specific needs and preferences. If you value responsive design, speed, and e-commerce capabilities, we recommend using Editor X.
Get in contact with team AST & Partners if you would like to learn more about how you could build an amazing new website in Editor X and help launch / grow your business online. We don’t just design the website for you, we also support with strategy decisions related to your user experience and interface, as well as best practices to increase conversion and engagement. Book a call with us today and start with an initial no-obligation conversation with AST & Partners.
Written by Andrei Stoica, Founder and Creative Director at AST & Partners. Friday 24th February 2023.