Three options dominate the website market. Each has real pros and cons. None is right for everyone — it depends on your goal, budget, and how much you want to grow.
Wix (and similar: Squarespace, Jimdo)
Pros: fast to set up, simple interface, hosting included in the plan. Cons: poor optimization for being found on Google, limited customization, total lock-in.
If you stop paying the Wix subscription, the site disappears. You can't export the code elsewhere. You're renting your online presence, not building it.
Performance is the other critical point: Wix sites tend to load slowly, and load speed is one of the factors Google considers for ranking.
When it makes sense: quick prototype, very small business, budget close to zero, when you don't yet need to appear on Google.
WordPress
WordPress powers about 40% of sites worldwide. That's no accident.
Pros: flexible, thousands of plugins available, large community, no real lock-in. Cons: requires constant maintenance (updates, security), can become slow if loaded with too many plugins, requires skill to configure and maintain properly.
The most underestimated risk of WordPress is security: it's the most attacked platform in the world precisely because it's the most widespread. An unupdated site is a vulnerable site.
When it makes sense: blog or content-heavy site, medium budget with flexibility needs, when you have someone who knows how to manage it over time.
Custom code (Next.js, Astro, and similar)
A site built from scratch on modern frameworks — the approach Lima Studio uses for projects where performance and control are priorities.
Pros: maximum load speed, full code control, optimized for Google from the start, the code is yours, scalable over time without the weight of accumulated plugins. Cons: higher initial cost, requires a developer for structural changes.
This is also where AI automation advantages come in: on custom code we can integrate tools like chatbots or smart search in a targeted way — like an OpenAI-powered assistant that answers visitor questions — without the unpredictable runtime costs typical of plug-and-play solutions.
When it makes sense: when the site is central to the business, when you want concrete Google results, when you want a site that grows with you without starting from scratch every year.
Direct comparison
| | Wix | WordPress | Custom | |---|---|---|---| | Launch speed | High | Medium | Low | | Google optimization | Limited | Good | Excellent | | Initial cost | Low | Medium | High | | Ongoing cost | Fixed subscription | Variable | Low | | Code ownership | No | Yes | Yes | | Flexibility | Low | High | Total |
The right question
Before choosing the tool, ask yourself: what does the site need to do for my business?
If the answer is "bring clients from Google" and "grow over time without starting from scratch," the optimal choice is almost always different from DIY on Wix or a poorly configured WordPress.
If you want to understand which solution makes sense for your specific situation, book a free call with Lima Studio: no sales pitch, just a direct conversation.