Let's start with something unpopular: Wix is good.
Huge app market. Shops, bookings, events. AI tools that build you a site from a chat. Almost twenty years of building. If Wix works for you, close this tab and go live your life.
Still here? Then something's itching. Usually it's one of these:
- "My site looks like a Wix site." Clean, fine, like many others.
- "I can't change my template." On Wix, once your site is live, you can't switch to a different template. You rebuild, or you live with it.
- "I can't take my site with me." A Wix site stays on Wix. You can move your domain, not the site itself.
- "There are too many menus." All that power comes with a lot of buttons.
A personal note from Aliya, Big Cat's founder (my experience, October 2026): Wix was my first builder. For me it was too clunky and way too expensive, and every time I moved something, it went back. That's my story, not a test of today's Wix. Try it yourself.
If one of those sounds like you, here are the alternatives worth your time.
1. Squarespace: if you want polished and calm
Fewer options than Wix, and that's the point. Beautiful templates, built-in shop, and a structure that keeps you from making a mess.
Better than Wix at: looking elegant with little effort. Not as good at: freedom. You move things on a grid inside sections. For: portfolios, small shops, service businesses that want "clean and done".
2. Showit: if you want total design freedom
Drag anything anywhere. Design your phone version separately. Blog on WordPress. Creatives and photographers swear by it.
Better than Wix at: editorial, magazine-like design. Not as good at: speed. Every page is a little design project. For: people who love designing, or have a designer.
Read more: Showit vs Squarespace.
3. Framer: if you're a designer
A design tool that publishes websites. Gorgeous motion, total control, AI that can start a page from a prompt.
Better than Wix at: modern, animated, designer-level sites. Not as good at: being easy. A blank canvas is beautiful if you know what to put on it. For: designers and startups with a designer.
4. WordPress: if you want to own everything
The open-source giant. Endless themes and plugins, and you can move your site anywhere.
Better than Wix at: freedom to leave, blogging, plugins for everything. Not as good at: simplicity. Updates, plugins, security: someone has to look after it. For: big blogs and people who want full ownership (or have a tech-friendly helper).
5. Hostinger: if budget comes first
Hosting, domain, email and a quick AI website builder in one place, with a low starting price.
Better than Wix at: the first bill. Not as good at: design. The generated sites are simple. And check the renewal price, not just the first year. For: getting something online fast and cheap.
6. Big Cat: if you want a site that looks like you
Full disclosure: ours. Judge it harder.
Big Cat is the authentic AI website builder. It doesn't start from a template or a one-line prompt. It starts from a design you love: a website, a screenshot, your Pinterest board. It reads its “feeling” (proportions, type, space, mood), never its words, photos or logo, and builds your site in minutes, with your words.
Better than Wix at:
- Not looking like everyone else. Your starting point is your taste, not a shared template.
- Changing your mind, without menus. Ask the cat for a new direction by voice or text, or move things yourself.
- A brand strategist inside. It writes your words in your tone and adds the legal pages.
- Privacy. Your words never go to an AI without your OK. No cookie tracking on your site. EU servers.
Not as good at (honest):
- Apps. Wix has twenty years of them. We're new.
- Big shops. One site, up to 10 pages, on the first plan.
Price: €12 a month, or €60 every 6 months (€10 a month). 7-day free trial, no card. Your own domain.
Try it: paste a site you love →
Quick pick
| If you want… | Choose |
|---|---|
| Polished and easy | Squarespace |
| Total design freedom | Showit |
| Designer-level motion | Framer |
| To own everything | WordPress |
| The lowest first bill | Hostinger |
| A site that looks like you, from a design you love | Big Cat |
Before you leave Wix: three tips
- Save everything first. Copy your texts, download your photos, list your pages. Your Wix site won't come with you, so your content needs to.
- Move your domain, not just your site. If you bought your domain through Wix, you can transfer it. Your address stays the same, so people still find you.
- Don't rebuild the old site. You're leaving for a reason. Use the move to make it look like who you are now.
Keep reading
- The best AI website builders in 2026, ranked
- The best website builders in 2026, with prices for one site
- Why I left Wix
- Squarespace alternatives
Questions people ask
What is the best alternative to Wix?
It depends on why you're leaving. Squarespace for polish, Showit for design freedom, WordPress for ownership, Hostinger for price, and Big Cat if you want a site that looks like you, built from a design you love.
Can I move my Wix site to another builder?
Not the site itself. Wix sites stay on Wix. You can keep your domain and your content (texts, photos) and rebuild on the new builder. With Big Cat, that rebuild takes minutes.
Can I change my Wix template after publishing?
No, Wix doesn't let you switch templates on a live site. You'd start a new site with the new template.
Is Squarespace better than Wix?
Squarespace is more polished and calmer to use. Wix has more apps and more freedom. Neither starts from your own taste: both start from their templates.