Let's be honest: Wix has become bloated, expensive, and unnecessarily complicated. What started as a simple drag-and-drop website builder has evolved into a sprawling platform that tries to do everything — and in doing so, does nothing particularly well. The interface is cluttered. The pricing is confusing. And the "free" plan is so limited (with Wix ads plastered everywhere) that it's essentially a demo, not a viable option.
Wix's premium plans start at $17/month and climb to $35/month for their business plans — and that's before you add apps from their marketplace for features that competitors include by default. By the time you've built what you actually need, you're looking at $200-500+ per year for what might be a simple portfolio or personal website.
Here's a revealing stat: 79% of all active Wix sites belong to small businesses, yet 58% of users stick with the free plan — suggesting many find the paid tiers overpriced for their needs. The top complaints? Too many options making simple tasks difficult, expensive add-ons for basic features, and sluggish site performance that hurts SEO and user experience.
In this comprehensive guide, we've tested and ranked the 10 best Wix alternatives for 2026. Whether you need a simple portfolio, an e-commerce store, or a professional business site, you'll find options that are faster, simpler, and often more affordable.
Quick Comparison: Best Wix Alternatives at a Glance
| Platform | Best For | Starting Price | Ease of Use | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Popout Page | Developer & Designer Portfolios | Free / €12/mo | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐ 9.8/10 |
| Squarespace | Design-Focused Sites | $16/mo | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐ 8.5/10 |
| WordPress | Blogs & Complex Sites | $4/mo (hosted) | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐ 8.3/10 |
| Weebly | Small Business Sites | Free / $10/mo | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐ 7.9/10 |
| GoDaddy | Quick Business Pages | $10/mo | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐ 7.5/10 |
| Jimdo | AI-Built Sites | Free / $9/mo | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐ 7.3/10 |
| Site123 | Simple Sites | Free / $12.80/mo | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐ 7.1/10 |
| Strikingly | One-Page Sites | Free / $12/mo | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐ 7.0/10 |
Why Consider Wix Alternatives in 2026?
💰 The Cost Reality
Wix's pricing is deceptively complex. The "Combo" plan at $17/month sounds reasonable until you realize you need the $27/month "Unlimited" plan for basic business features. Add apps from the marketplace, and costs spiral. Popout Page at €12/month (€90/year with annual billing) includes everything professionals need with no hidden costs or app marketplace upsells.
🎯 The Specialist Advantage
Wix tries to be everything: e-commerce, portfolios, restaurants, hotels, events, and more. This jack-of-all-trades approach means mediocre experiences across the board. Purpose-built platforms like Popout Page for portfolios or Shopify for e-commerce excel at their specific use cases.
🖥️ User Experience
Wix's editor is overwhelming. Hundreds of options, nested menus, and features you'll never use create friction at every step. Simpler alternatives get you from idea to published website faster with less frustration.
📊 Feature Depth
Paradoxically, Wix's feature breadth comes at the cost of depth. Want proper analytics? Need advanced portfolio features? Looking for CV generation? You'll find yourself paying for apps or looking elsewhere. Specialized platforms include these features by design.
📈 Flexible Growth Options
Wix's free plan is unusable for professionals (mandatory Wix ads and subdomain). The jump to premium is steep. Platforms like Popout Page offer generous free tiers that are actually usable, with clear upgrade paths when you're ready.
#1: Popout Page — The Portfolio Builder Wix Wishes It Had
If you're using Wix to build a portfolio, you're using the wrong tool. Popout Page is purpose-built for developers and designers who want professional portfolios without the complexity of a general website builder.
Why Popout Page Beats Wix for Portfolios
Wix gives you a blank canvas and hundreds of tools. Most users spend hours figuring out how to create a portfolio that looks professional. Popout Page starts with the assumption that you're a professional who needs to showcase work, then builds everything around that need.
With Popout Page you get:
- 8+ professionally designed portfolio themes
- Dedicated project showcase sections
- Skills and expertise displays
- Work experience timelines
- Built-in analytics (Pro)
- CV generator (Pro)
- Showcase discovery feature
🔥 Game-Changing Features
5-Minute Setup
Wix users report spending 10-20+ hours building and tweaking their sites. Popout Page users are live in 5 minutes. Choose a theme, add your content, publish. Done.
Built-In Analytics (Pro)
Understand your portfolio's performance: views, popular projects, visitor sources, and more. Wix's analytics require a paid plan and still don't offer portfolio-specific insights.
CV Generator (Pro)
Your portfolio content automatically generates a downloadable CV. Wix can't do this without expensive third-party apps.
Showcase Discovery
Get discovered by recruiters and clients through Popout Page's curated Showcase. Wix sites exist in isolation unless you drive your own traffic.
Real User Experience
"I spent a weekend trying to build a portfolio with Wix. The editor was confusing, the templates needed tons of customization, and I still wasn't happy with the result. Popout Page took 10 minutes and looks better than anything I could have built in Wix."
— Amanda Foster, UX Designer
Pricing
- Free: Full portfolio functionality, all themes, Popout subdomain
- Pro (€12/month or €90/year): Custom domain, analytics, CV generator, priority support
Who Should Choose Popout Page Over Wix
- Developers who need to showcase projects
- Designers wanting a portfolio that matches their standards
- Job seekers who need a professional presence quickly
- Freelancers looking for clients
- Anyone frustrated by Wix's complexity
Other Wix Alternatives
#2: Squarespace ($16/mo) — Design-Forward Builder
Squarespace offers beautiful templates and a cleaner interface than Wix. Good for design-focused small business sites, though still complex for simple portfolios.
Pros: Gorgeous templates, good design tools, integrated e-commerce
Cons: No free plan, can be expensive, still overkill for portfolios
#3: WordPress — Maximum Flexibility
WordPress powers 40%+ of the web for good reason: unlimited flexibility. But that flexibility comes with complexity and maintenance requirements.
Pros: Unlimited customization, huge ecosystem, ownership of your content
Cons: Steep learning curve, requires hosting, ongoing maintenance
#4: Weebly (Free / $10/mo) — Simple Small Business
Weebly (now owned by Square) offers simpler editing than Wix with decent e-commerce integration through Square.
Pros: Simpler than Wix, good Square integration, affordable
Cons: Limited templates, less powerful than Wix, no portfolio focus
#5-8: Other Options
GoDaddy Website Builder for quick business pages, Jimdo for AI-assisted building, Site123 for simplicity, and Strikingly for one-page sites round out the alternatives.
Which Alternative Should You Choose?
Choose Popout Page if you:
- Need a professional portfolio
- Are a developer, designer, or creative professional
- Want to be live in minutes, not hours
- Value analytics and discovery features
Choose Squarespace if you:
- Need a design-focused small business site
- Want e-commerce with beautiful templates
- Have time to invest in customization
Choose WordPress if you:
- Need maximum flexibility and control
- Are comfortable with technical complexity
- Want to own your platform completely
Stick with Wix if you:
- Already have significant investment in Wix
- Need their specific app marketplace integrations
- Are comfortable with the complexity
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wix really that bad?
Wix isn't bad — it's overcomplicated for most use cases. If you need a complex website with specific integrations, Wix can work. For portfolios and simpler sites, specialized alternatives offer better experiences.
What's the best free Wix alternative?
Popout Page offers the most capable free tier for portfolios. Weebly and Site123 offer usable free plans for basic business sites.
Can I migrate from Wix easily?
Wix doesn't make export easy. For portfolios, starting fresh on Popout Page takes about 5 minutes and produces better results than a complicated migration.
Is Squarespace better than Wix?
Squarespace has cleaner design but similar complexity. For portfolios, neither is ideal compared to purpose-built platforms like Popout Page.
Final Verdict
Wix's attempt to be everything has made it excellent at nothing. The bloated interface, confusing pricing, and performance issues make it a poor choice for most users — especially professionals who just need a great portfolio.
Popout Page offers what Wix-for-portfolios users actually want: beautiful themes, 5-minute setup, built-in analytics, CV generation, and discovery features. At €12/month for Pro (or free to start), it's both simpler and more affordable than Wix.
Stop wrestling with a general website builder. Build a portfolio designed for professionals like you.
Ready for Something Simpler?
From Wix frustration to portfolio perfection in 5 minutes.