Wix, WordPress or a done-for-you site? Look at the five-year bill.

“I’ll just do it myself on Wix, it’s free.” We hear it every week. And every time we ask the same thing: have you looked at what it costs in year three?

None of the three options is bad. But each one has a different bill — in money, in your time, and in the answer to one question: whose site is it when you stop paying?

1. Wix and similar builders: do it yourself, with a subscription

Pick a template, drop in text and photos, publish. Building is “free”, but for your own domain and no Wix ads you need a paid plan. Wix’s plans in 2026 start at roughly $17 to $39 a month with annual billing.

• Over five years: at around €20 a month, about €1,200. On a pricier plan, double that.
• Your time: weekends of arranging, writing and moving boxes around.
• Whose it is: the domain is yours, the site isn’t. Stop paying and it disappears. You can’t move it.

2. WordPress: free, until somebody has to maintain it

WordPress is free software that runs a large part of the web. But on its own it isn’t a site: you need hosting, a theme, plugins — and someone to keep all of it updated.

• Over five years: the build (if someone does it for you) + hosting at roughly €50–200 a year + paid themes and plugins + maintenance. Easily over €1,500–3,000.
• Your time: updates, backups, “why won’t the site load”.
• Whose it is: yours, if hosting and domain are in your name. But an unmaintained WordPress site is a frequent target for attacks.

3. A done-for-you site with no subscription

Someone builds it for you — text, layout, photos — and hands it over. No software to update, no monthly subscription. That’s how we work too: simple, static sites that load instantly and have nothing to go out of date.

• Over five years: a one-off build + the domain at roughly €10–15 a year. Nothing else.
• Your time: answer about ten questions and send some photos.
• Whose it is: yours. The domain in your name, the files yours — if you leave, you take it with you.
• Limit: if you want to change it yourself every day, this isn’t the tool for that.

How to choose

• Wix — if you enjoy building the site yourself, change it often and don’t mind subscribing forever.
• WordPress — if you publish a lot (news, a blog) and have someone to maintain it.
• Done for you — if you want people to find you and call, and don’t want to deal with a website.

Most tradespeople and small companies are in the third group. A plumber doesn’t need a blog. They need someone to find them on a Sunday evening and call. What that third option costs on the market is broken down inWhat does a website cost in Croatia.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Wix cost?

Wix’s paid plans in 2026 start at roughly $17 to $39 a month with annual billing; monthly billing costs more. Euro prices depend on the country, so check Wix’s own price list for the exact figure.

Isn’t WordPress free?

WordPress itself is. But you need hosting, a domain, often a paid theme or plugins — and someone to update it regularly. An un-updated WordPress site is one of the most common targets of attacks on small sites.

Can I move from Wix to another site later?

You can transfer the domain. The site itself — design and layout — can’t be moved anywhere else; it stays on Wix and disappears when you stop paying. You can copy the text and photos by hand.

When is Wix the right choice after all?

When you enjoy building the site yourself, when you change it every week, or when you need a simple web shop and don’t mind a monthly subscription.