Comparison · Custom build vs template

Orchestrix vs Wix.

Wix is a template tool that you operate. Ours is a custom build that we operate for you. They overlap on price more than you might expect; they diverge sharply on design, ownership, and who actually does the work. This is the honest version of when each one wins.

Quick answer

Wix wins on time-to-ship and on raw monthly subscription cost. We win on custom design, ownership of the asset, and on having someone else do the work. Over 5 years Wix is roughly £1,020 to £2,100, our plan is £3,000. The difference buys a custom design (yours alone), our time on the build, and a clean export at the end if you ever want to leave.

Side by side

Nine dimensions, honestly.

What it is
Wix · Hosted no-code website builder. Drag-and-drop editor with templates and an AI prompt option.
Orchestrix · Custom-designed, custom-built 5-page static site. Lives on UK hosting we manage for you.
Up-front cost
Wix · £0. Subscription only.
Orchestrix · £0. No deposit, no setup fee.
Monthly cost
Wix · £17 to £35 per month depending on plan tier and add-ons.
Orchestrix · £50 per month flat. Build, hosting, edits, domain all included.
Design
Wix · Template-based. Recognisable to anyone who has seen another Wix site.
Orchestrix · Custom design from a blank canvas. Not reused for any other client.
Time to your site being usable
Wix · A weekend (or longer if you have opinions).
Orchestrix · Live in weeks. We do the work, you provide content and review.
Who builds it
Wix · You. Or a Wix-specialist freelancer at additional cost.
Orchestrix · Us. The same small team does the design, build, hosting, and edits.
Ownership
Wix · You rent. Cancel the subscription and the site goes away.
Orchestrix · You own the design and the domain is in your name. Free export whenever you ask.
Performance + SEO
Wix · Editor runtime drags Core Web Vitals. Rankable but not by default.
Orchestrix · Static build, Core Web Vitals in the green, structured data and metadata done properly.
Best for
Wix · DIY-friendly projects, placeholder sites, hobby builds, very tight cash position.
Orchestrix · Small businesses that want a custom site without the £3,000-to-£5,000 up-front agency quote.
When Wix wins

We’ll tell you to use it.

  • You have free weekends and don't mind the work

    Wix is a tool, you are the operator. If you enjoy fiddling with editors and have time, this is a perfectly valid path.

  • The site is a placeholder or a hobby

    If you're standing up something just to have a URL, or to test an idea before deciding on a real direction, Wix is faster than anything custom.

  • Cash flow is genuinely the blocker

    The Orchestrix plan is £50 a month, but Wix can be £17. If even £50 stretches the budget, Wix is the honest answer for now.

  • You don't mind looking like everyone else

    Wix templates are widely used. If your competitive position doesn't depend on the site looking distinctively yours, the template route is fine.

When we win

The cases where custom is the call.

  • You want someone else to do the work

    Wix charges for the tool. We charge for the work. If you don't want to learn an editor and lay out pages yourself, that's not a moral failing, it's just a value question.

  • Trust is part of how customers choose you

    People weighing up your business judge partly on how credible and cared-for the site feels. A tired template undersells good work; a custom design earns the first phone call.

  • You want to own the asset

    A custom static build belongs to you. A Wix site is a tenant on someone else's platform. If you ever want to migrate or change provider, ownership matters.

  • Performance and accessibility matter

    Your customers often browse on phones, sometimes with reduced vision. A fast, accessible static build reads cleanly for them and hits Core Web Vitals in the green by default.

  • You'd rather pay £50 a month and forget about it

    We handle edits, monitoring, backups, SSL, and the domain. With Wix, you remain the operator forever.

The full plan, and the custom build track for bookings, logins, and online tools, lives on the websites page.

Common questions

What people ask at the call.

Is Wix ever the right call?
Yes. Wix is genuinely fine if you have a few free weekends, a clear idea of what you want, no strong opinion on design, and a low expectation of conversion performance. For a hobby project, a CV-style site, or a placeholder while you figure out a business, Wix is faster to ship than anything custom.
What about Wix's AI website builder?
The AI builder produces a template with generic stock imagery and the same layout patterns as everyone else who clicked the same buttons. It is faster than scrolling through 800 templates manually, but the output is recognisable as AI-built and reads accordingly. We build from a brief, not a prompt.
How do the costs actually compare over 5 years?
Wix Premium plans for a small business run roughly £17 to £35 a month depending on tier, which is £1,020 to £2,100 over 5 years. The Orchestrix £50 a month plan is £3,000 over 5 years. Wix is cheaper as a subscription. The trade-off is that you own nothing at the end of 5 years on Wix, and you have a custom design and a free export on Orchestrix.
Can I export my Wix site if I want to leave?
No, not in any meaningful way. Wix locks the design and content into its proprietary editor. You can copy text and download images manually, but the design and layout do not export. Orchestrix sites export to a clean HTML/CSS bundle on request at any point, ready to host elsewhere.
What about page speed and SEO?
Wix sites carry the platform's editor runtime, which adds weight and drags Core Web Vitals. They can rank, but they have to fight the platform overhead. A custom static build hits Core Web Vitals in the green by default, which Google's algorithm rewards. We also write structured data and metadata for AI search citation. Whether that converts to ranking depends on your content and competition, but the foundations are sounder.
What about accessibility?
Plenty of your customers browse on small screens, in bright sunlight, or with reduced vision. We build to accessible standards (proper contrast, keyboard navigation, readable type) as a default. Wix output varies a lot depending on the template and the choices you make in the editor, and it is on you to get it right.

Done with the template feel?

A quick chat walks through the design, the 24-month plan, and the £50-a-month commitment. Costs nothing, no pitch, or ring us on 07754 218 688 any weekday.