How Much Does a Wix Website Cost in 2026? A Straight-Talking Guide

A Wix website costs nothing to build on the free plan, but a professional business site needs a paid Wix plan, which is billed monthly or yearly and includes hosting and SSL. On top of that, budget for your domain after the first year, any premium apps, business email and, if you want it done properly, professional design. A DIY site can cost a few hundred pounds a year. A professionally built one starts from a one-off design fee plus the same running costs.

This guide breaks down every part of that bill, so you can see where the money goes, what's optional, and where people get caught out at renewal time.

Disclosure: this post contains an affiliate link. If you sign up through it we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. If you've already decided Wix is right for you, you can start building on Wix for free here and try the editor before you commit.

What you're actually paying for with Wix

Before the numbers, it helps to know what Wix includes. Wix is a cloud-based, all-in-one website platform. Hosting, security, templates, a built-in CMS and support all come in the one subscription. There are no servers to manage and no plugins to update. Wix reports over 200 million users worldwide, from photographers to online shops.

In 2026 there are three main ways to build on Wix:

Not sure which applies to you? Our explainer on what Wix Harmony is and whether it affects you covers the newest option. The editor you choose doesn't change the plan price, but it does affect how much design time a professional build takes.

How Wix compares to other website builders

Wix's big selling point is that it's all in one bill. You get hosting, security, templates and support in one place, and the editor is genuinely easy to use. You can start simple and add features as you grow.

The honest trade-offs: you can't download your site's source files, and moving a Wix site to another platform means rebuilding it. For most small businesses that's not a problem. For a few, it's a dealbreaker. Our honest breakdown of Wix website pros and cons will help you decide.

Wix pricing plans explained

Free vs paid: what do you really get?

The free plan gives you the drag-and-drop builder, templates and hosting. But there are catches:

• Your site sits on a Wix-branded address (username.wixsite.com).
• Wix ads appear on every page.
• Storage and bandwidth are capped.
• You can't connect your own domain or sell properly online.

The free plan is fine for testing ideas, student portfolios or personal projects. If you want your business to look credible, you need a paid plan. Paid plans remove ads, let you connect a custom domain, increase storage and open up extra features.

Website plans vs business and ecommerce plans

Wix's paid plans fall into two broad groups:

• Entry-level plans for brochure sites, portfolios and blogs. These remove ads, connect your domain and give you more storage.
• Business and ecommerce plans for anyone taking payments, selling products, taking bookings or running subscriptions. These add checkout features, more storage and higher limits, with priority support on the top tiers.

Wix updates its plan names, features and prices from time to time, and prices vary by country, so we don't list them here. Always check the current UK figures on the Wix plans page before you buy.

Monthly vs annual billing

You can pay monthly or yearly. Annual billing works out cheaper overall, and Wix often runs first-year discounts. Monthly gives you flexibility but costs more per month. Just check the renewal price, not only the introductory one.

What's included in every paid plan

• A free custom domain for the first year (on yearly plans)
• SSL security, the padlock that builds trust and helps SEO
• Web hosting, with no extra hosting fees
• Access to all templates
• Removal of Wix ads
• Customer support, with priority support on higher tiers

These inclusions matter when comparing costs. With other platforms, you'd often pay separately for hosting and SSL.

Essential and optional Wix website costs

Domain names, hosting and SSL

Your first year's domain is usually free with a yearly paid plan. After that, a standard domain typically costs £10 to £30 a year. Premium or ultra-short domains can cost hundreds, but most businesses don't need one.

Hosting and SSL are included in every Wix plan. You don't pay extra or install anything.

Templates, design and branding

Wix gives you hundreds of free templates. Your options are:

• Use a free template and tweak it yourself (cheapest, but takes your time).
• Use the Wix Logo Maker for a basic logo, or pay extra for high-res files and social media kits.
• Hire a professional designer. Prices range from around £500 for a simple refresh to £10,000+ for a large bespoke site.

Design is where costs vary most. Our post on what you really get for £750 vs £5,000 explains what changes as the price goes up.

Apps and integrations

The Wix App Market adds features like forms, analytics, live chat, site search and push notifications. Many apps have a free version. Premium apps usually cost around £4 to £20 each per month, and a growing site often ends up paying £20 to £30 a month across 3 or 4 premium apps.

Check what Wix already does natively first. Forms, bookings, blogs and chat are built in, so you may not need a third-party app at all.

Business email and marketing

A professional email address (you@yourbusiness.co.uk) comes through Google Workspace, which Wix integrates with. That's a per-user monthly fee paid to Google. Basic marketing tools are included in many Wix plans, but larger email campaigns, SEO and paid ads cost extra.

Hidden and ongoing costs

These are the ones that catch people out:

• Renewals: your plan, domain and premium apps all renew, and the domain stops being free after year one.
• Upgrades: as your site grows you may need more storage or features.
• Payment processing: online shops pay a fee on each transaction.
• Maintenance: either your time, or paying someone to keep content, SEO and features up to date.

How to budget for your Wix website in 5 steps

1. Define the purpose. Blog, portfolio, service site, booking platform or shop? List your must-have features, how many pages you need and the traffic you expect.
2. Choose the right plan. A simple service site can sit on an entry-level plan. Anything that takes payments or bookings needs a business plan. Pay annually if you can.
3. Add up the extras. Domain renewal (£10 to £30 a year), premium apps (often £20 to £30 a month if you use several), email and branding.
4. Plan for ongoing costs. Renewals, transaction fees, upgrades and any help with SEO or content.
5. Work out your yearly and monthly total. Then compare it with the value one extra customer or enquiry brings you.

Typical cost profiles

Wix vs WordPress, Squarespace and Shopify on cost

• Wix: all-in-one, simple pricing, quick to launch. Less access to code and you can't export the site.
• WordPress: hugely flexible, but costs add up and you handle updates and security yourself. See Wix costs compared to WordPress.
• Squarespace: stylish and easy, but less flexible than WordPress.
• Shopify: strong for large ecommerce, but app costs and fees stack up fast.

Is Wix worth it in 2026?

For most small businesses, yes. The price you see is close to the price you pay, which isn't always true elsewhere. You get hosting, security and support bundled in, and there's very little technical upkeep.

If you need total control of your code, unusual hosting or very complex integrations, WordPress or a bespoke build might suit you better. For very large online stores, Shopify still has the edge on some advanced features, but the running costs can spiral.

What a professionally built Wix website costs with us

We're a Wix-only agency and a Wix Legend Partner, with 500+ Wix sites built. Our Wix website packages start from £849 + VAT, or £85 a month for 12 months. That's design and build. Your Wix plan and domain are paid to Wix directly, so you always own your site.

We'll tell you which plan you actually need, which apps you can skip and what you'll pay each year, before you commit to anything. Get in touch and we'll give you a straight answer.

Real example: The cheapest quote is not always the cheapest website. The owner of Maths Flex, a private maths tuition business, first went with a cheaper website. Between the build and an independent review that confirmed it was not working, £800 had gone before the site was doing its job. After a streamlined Wix Studio rebuild, trial lessons went from barely one a month to five in the first three weeks. See the Maths Flex case study.

Frequently asked questions

Is Wix free to use?

Yes, you can build and publish a Wix site for free. But the free plan shows Wix ads on every page, uses a wixsite.com address instead of your own domain and has limited storage. It's fine for testing or personal projects. For a business, you'll want a paid plan so your site looks professional and can use your own domain.

How much does a Wix website cost per month?

It depends on the plan. Entry-level plans for brochure sites cost less than business and ecommerce plans, and paying yearly works out cheaper than monthly. Wix prices vary by country and change from time to time, so check the current UK figures on wix.com/plans. Then add any premium apps, business email and domain renewal.

Are there hidden costs with Wix?

Not hidden as such, but easy to forget. Your domain is free for the first year only, premium apps are charged monthly, business email is a separate per-user fee and online shops pay transaction fees. Your plan also renews at the standard price after any first-year discount. Budget for these and there are no surprises.

How much does it cost to have a Wix website professionally designed?

Professional Wix design varies from around £500 for a simple refresh to £10,000 or more for a large bespoke build. At The Wix Guys, our website packages start from £849 + VAT, or £85 a month for 12 months. You still pay your Wix plan and domain directly to Wix, so you own the site.

Is Wix cheaper than WordPress?

Often, once you count everything. WordPress software is free, but you pay separately for hosting, premium themes and plugins, and someone has to keep it updated and secure. Wix bundles hosting, SSL and security into one subscription. For most small businesses, Wix is cheaper to run and needs far less maintenance time.

Do I need a business plan to sell on Wix?

Yes. To take payments, sell products, take paid bookings or run subscriptions, you need one of Wix's business or ecommerce plans. The entry-level website plans are designed for brochure sites, portfolios and blogs. If you're unsure which you need, list what your site has to do and match it to the features on the Wix plans page.