In this blog post, we will look at Wix vs Google Sites and compare to find out which is the better website builder.
These two web design platforms are very different from one another, but they both have their pros and cons.
We will briefly discuss the features of each platform before going over a few key points that set them apart.
Intro to Wix
Wix is a website builder that allows users to create their own sites without any coding knowledge.
They provide over 500 templates, which can be customized with Wix’s drag and drop editor.
This platform also offers many free stock photos for your site along with premium images you can purchase from the design studio.
Intro to Google Sites
Google Sites provides users with an easy way to build simple pages while working on school or work projects.
It is one of the fastest ways to make websites because there are no ads, pop-ups, banners, etc…
Users won’t have access to all of the features available at other platforms like Wix; however, it’s perfect for anyone who just wants a quick online presence they don’t have to pay for.
Wix main features
Wix has a drag and drop editor that allows users to add pages, images, videos, forms, maps, social media widgets, and much more.
The platform also provides professional assistance from their trained staff if you ever get stuck on anything.
Google Sites main features
Google Sites provides users with a simple and clean interface to design their webpage.
This platform also has an easy link option that will add all of your other Google products such as Docs, Drive, and Calendar directly into the website itself.
Before we look at the pros and cons of Wix vs Google Sites, let us compare the two based on three crucial components of using website builders to create a website.
See, when building a website using a tool, there are three things that determine how your process is going to be;
- Templates – without the templates, your project will be messy and less inviting
- Ease of use – the reason why people go for website builders is that we want to run away from touching the code. A tool like Wix and Google Sites should therefore deliver this promise.
- Apps or add-ons – once your website is up and running, you will need to add some extra functionality. For example, you may decide to start building an email list. And when that happens, your chosen tool should be able to support that and even provide additional features.
Wix vs Google Sites: Comparison based on three crucial metrics
Let us look at how these two builders compare based on;
a). Templates
Google Sites has the least amount of templates, but there are over 100+ to choose from.
Wix provides users with an extensive list that is constantly growing along with new updates on a regular basis.
In fact, Wix gives you access to over 900 templates ranging from online stores, blogs, to any type of website you can think of
b). Ease of use
Google Sites is the easier of both platforms to use.
Users can get started right away without having any prior experience or knowledge on how to build a website.
Wix has an easy editor that allows anyone with basic computer skills to create high-quality websites in just minutes.
Then there is the Wix editor and Wix ADI. You can decide to use either, and still get the job done.
c). Apps/Addons
Wix vs Goggle Sites: Both companies have a variety of apps that can be used for different purposes.
Wix has more to choose from, but they are limited in their usefulness compared to Google sites which offer many useful tools specifically designed by professionals who understand what’s needed when building websites.
Let us look at other metrics;
e). Target audience
Both web design companies are great for users who don’t have extensive coding experience, but they target different types of people depending on what feature set they offer and which platform they choose.
Wix was designed for beginners looking for simple site creation while adding advanced features later down the road if needed.
Google Sites is mainly used by students or professionals at work since it is free and very intuitive when using other products available through Google account logins such as Google docs or Google calendar.
f). Mobile platform compatibility
Almost all templates created by both platforms offer mobile responsiveness and look great on any device including tablets, laptops, or smartphones.
The only difficulty you might experience is if you are using an older web design company template that requires some special coding knowledge.
If this is the case then it would probably be easier to find another one that will work better with your phone rather than trying to make changes at this point.
g). Marketing options
There isn’t much difference between both platforms; Wix vs Goggle Sites.
Wix allows users to create photo galleries, blog posts, or countdown timers directly within the website design itself which helps attract more visitors.
Google sites do not offer any marketing options but it can be connected with other apps that do such as MailChimp and SurveyMonkey among others.
h). Account types
The free version of Wix is great for anyone who wants a simple site without spending money each month on hosting fees.
There are no ads either since this web designing company offers everything you need in one place at no cost unless you upgrade your account type.
Google Sites has only three different plans: Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, and Enterprise based on their needs. It’s completely free to use until they reach 20GB of storage
i). Customization
Google Sites offers more customization features than any other platform out there including fonts, colors, and layouts.
They also have many “themes” available for free download which can be edited easily using HTML or CSS code know-how.
j). SEO Optimized Content
Both platforms offer built-in optimization options to make your webpage easier to find on all major search engines online such as Google, Yahoo! & Bing, etc…
However, Google Sites stand above because it allows users to add their own meta titles and descriptions while Wix does not.
Key similarities between Wix vs Google sites:
- Both platforms are free
- Easy to use for nondevelopers or beginners
Key differences between Wix vs Google sites:
- Google Sites is free but limited whereas Wix costs $18/month but offers unlimited websites and storage space;
- With Google Sites, there is an ad at the top of the page but Wix doesn’t allow ads on your website;
- Wix’s drag and drop editor makes it easier to build websites, whereas Google Sites is more suitable for people with little or no web design knowledge.
Overall, both Wix and Google Sites are great options to consider when you need a website builder; they each have their own benefits that make them stand out from one another.
While Google Sites is more of a free tool with limited features, it is still an excellent option if you only need very basic elements on your site like text pages without any bells or whistles.
On the other hand, Wix offers many customizable templates along with premium images that can be purchased through its design studio which makes it perfect for those who want something sleek and modern looking online.
Wix vs Goggle Sites: Which is the Better Website Builder
Wix – There is a premium option that allows you to add extra features, but it also comes with ads. The platform does not allow users to create eCommerce websites and blogs.
They do however have a pro plan available which gives users access to unlimited bandwidth and storage space along with support from their team of experts.
This web design company supports over 20 languages including English, French, Spanish, Italiano, etc… . It offers some templates in Chinese as well. Wix has millions of customers worldwide who rely on them daily for their website needs.
Google Sites – is the perfect solution if your school or work has a Google Account and you’d like to have your own site.
The platform is very simple but powerful, which makes it perfect for users of all skill levels including beginners looking for an easy way to create something quickly without having any prior experience. It offers support from their team as well as many other perks such as analytics tools and RSS feeds.
Wix vs Google Sites: Wix pros and cons
Wix Pros:
a) Free version available
Wix offers a free site-building platform with all the necessary features such as adding photos, blog posts, and countdown timers.
The only downside is you don’t get access to any paid add-ons until upgrading your account.
b). Paid upgrade options starting at $4.50/mo for hosting fees
You can purchase monthly or yearly plans which vary in price depending on how much storage space and data transfer are needed to run their website smoothly.
With Wix, it is recommended not to go over 20GB of disk space since they offer many useful tools that need bandwidth daily.
There are no ads either but if you choose another plan then expect them to be there unless you make changes yourself using HTML or CSS coding.
c) Photo albums
Wix offers a unique feature that can be very useful for users who want to share photos with their friends and family.
You don’t have to use another photo-sharing platform such as Flickr, Imgur (Imgur), Photobucket, etc… since Wix allows you to add them directly into your website design allowing visitors to view all images in one place without having to search for them elsewhere online.
The only downside is the site builder does not allow customizing this area of the webpage so it’s stuck looking like every other photo gallery on different websites built using free templates from this company.
d). Design customization features
Users get access to over 300 themes when building a new website either by using their free account or paid version.
This includes changing layouts, backgrounds and fonts however there are no layout options for pages which means you must choose a theme that has the design elements already included on each page of your website.
e). Video tutorials
Wix offers plenty of educational videos to help users learn how to use this platform more easily.
These resources can be found by logging into your Wix dashboard then click “help” in the top toolbar menu option…
Next scroll down until you see three different colored buttons with text written underneath them saying: “watch intro”, “learn basics” & “recent training”.
Clicking any one of these will take you directly to a playlist including dozens if not of helpful video guides depending on what version of the platform you have.
Wix cons:
Wix vs Goggle Sites: Which is the Better Website Builder; let us look at Wix’s disadvantages.
a) Learning curve
If you are not tech-savvy then it might be a good idea to take some time learning how this website building company works since it is very different than other free options such as wordpress or blogger.
You must sign up for an account first before seeing anything on their dashboard which is where all web pages are built and edited using different tools available in each section (home, pages, blogs, etc…).
It may seem overwhelming at first but after watching several tutorial videos online then I’m sure anyone will get used to their system quickly.
b) Lack of customizations
Wix offers plenty of themes covering every niche however there aren’t any layout options available to customize pages which means that if you want a certain design then it must be included with the theme already.
c) Only three-page templates
Wix only offers three different layout options for web pages which include: blog, portfolio & a basic webpage.
If you are looking for something outside of this range such as an eCommerce store or class schedule/calendar then Wix might not be the best option since all other features come extra and are found in their paid platform (starting at $17/mo).
Google pros and cons:
Google Pros
a) Free version available
Google Sites stand above because they offer users free website building services without having to pay monthly fees like other companies offering similar tools online.
This includes hosting, no ads, and a generous amount of storage for your files.
b) Customization options
Google Sites is very flexible when it comes to customizing the overall website design with layout elements such as background images & colors, font styles/sizes, and many more.
You don’t have hundreds of themes covering every niche but you can easily use HTML or CSS coding available in their free version to edit any color element of each page on your site however you like without needing special training or software programs.
c). No ads
One downside I have noticed among competitor services online offering similar tools is that most include some form of advertising somewhere on the webpage unless you upgrade which means users will see an ad banner at least once during their use.
Google Sites allows 100% customization to your website without including any ads at all which is a perfect solution for those looking to build their own brand online with no distractions.
d). Customizable templates
One of the best features about google sites (in my opinion) is the ability to select from over 100 customizable themes when building new web pages using this service.
This includes; blog, portfolio, and basic webpage layouts along with other niche options such as an eCommerce store or event calendar/schedule, etc…
e). Extensive help resources
There are plenty of tutorials available on how to use Google’s services which include: YouTube videos, helpful articles, and even live chat support through Gmail if you have trouble finding answers by yourself!
Wix vs Goggle Sites: Google Sites cons
1) Lack of hosting
Google doesn’t include free hosting with their services which means you’ll need to either upgrade or buy a domain name in order for your website to be live online.
Most companies offering similar tools such as Wix offer full web hosting options included at no extra cost so this might limit their audience slightly since many are looking for all-in-one solutions when getting started online.
2). Limited file storage space
This is another downside compared to other website builders which offer unlimited storage space on top of the ability to host websites without ads!
You may run into some problems uploading videos, images, etc… if they exceed Google’s page size requirements.
If you are not tech-savvy then it would probably be helpful to learn how different file types such as audio, video, and image can be used within google sites without causing any problems.
3). No eCommerce features
Another downside is that they don’t offer anything for those looking to build online stores or sell items which means you’ll need to use another tool like Shopify if this is the case.
If your website only needs simple pages with basic information then it’s not a problem however most users would prefer hosting their entire site on one platform instead of having to sign up elsewhere.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, there isn’t just one platform everyone should use because what will work best really depends on the user’s specific needs.
Wix is a fantastic option for those who want an easy way to build fun and modern websites, but Google Sites may be the better choice if you only need text pages that are free of ads or pop-ups.
Thank you for reading this blog post! I hope it has helped answer your questions about which website builder would work best for your individual project(s).
If there is anything else I can help with please reach out to me at my personal email listed below, info (at) olitt (dot) com.