It's a question our customers often ask us: which platform should they choose to create their website? At Les défricheurs agency, we've tried to be as objective as possible to help you make the best choice. When it comes to creating a website, there are many platforms to choose from. Two of the most popular are Wix and IONOS. Although these two site builders have similar features, they also have some notable differences. This article aims to explore these differences to help you choose the solution that best suits your needs.
Introducing the two publishers
The pitfall of choosing between two web publishersIntroducing the two publishers is to get caught up in their reputation. By taking a closer look at Wix or IONOS, you could discover more and form an objective opinion.
So let's start this Wix vs. IONOS comparison with an overview of the two CMS.
IONOS
IONOS has been operating as a CMS for some thirty years. Since its creation in 1988, the website publisher has positioned itself as a partner to entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized businesses and large corporations alike, offering tailor-made services. The company has made it its mission to support entrepreneurs in their need for visibility on the Internet. Although headquartered in Germany, over the years it has expanded throughout Europe, where it is now the leading hosting provider, as well as in North America.
Today, it boasts almost 8 million subscriptions for 12 million secure hostings. To achieve this, the company has a dozen datacenters in 5 countries around the world. In addition, 90,000 servers are in daily operation.
It's clear, then, that the German publisher places a premium on the quality of the hosting services it provides. But is this enough to make it better than its challenger? This Wix vs. IONOS comparison will tell.
Wix
It's only ten years old, yet in many respects, this CMS has already doubled or even tripled its competitor's output. A not inconsiderable detail for this Wix or IONOS comparison.
Indeed, from 2006 to date, it has recorded no fewer than 125 million subscriptions and currently boasts 90 million active users. This is quite impressive when compared with the 8 million customer contracts of its German challenger. Add to this the fact that the publisher is present in 190 countries worldwide. In all, the German publisher is present in 9 Western European countries and the USA. This is still a relatively small number, given the scale of its reputation.
Which CMS should you choose, Wix or IONOS?
Website editing
In this Wix or IONOS comparison, the quality of the website publishing service is an important point. It's one of the factors that determine whether you choose Wix or IONOS. Each editor offers services with many similar features, but also disparities that make them unique.
IONOS
If you're wondering which publisher to choose, you should know that this German-based CMS offers its customers a tailor-made website creation service. This service not only includes site creation, but also e-mail, domain name, secure web hosting, WordPress hosting and Cloud hosting. The nature of the service will essentially depend on the package you choose.
What might influence you when deciding which publisher to choose is that with IONOS, the domain is invoiced at €1 incl. VAT for the first year, rising to €12 incl. VAT per year in subsequent years. In return, you benefit from the assistance of a personal consultant. Which is not without consequence for the purpose of this comparison.
As far as themes are concerned, there are some 400 to choose from. All have been designed to meet your site creation needs, whatever your field of activity (crafts, gastronomy and tourism, commerce, automotive and transport, construction and real estate, beauty, well-being and health, etc.).
Wix
For the purposes of this comparison between Wix and IONOS, the former has made customized services its credo. In this, it is perfectly in line with the German publisher, since the Israeli company offers, in addition to website creation, secure hosting, data storage on secure servers and domain name allocation.
While these are also the services offered by its German competitor, it stands out for the cost of the service, which is offered completely free of charge. This is not the case with its German competitor. This gives it a good point in this Wix or IONOS comparison, and proves that it deserves its title of best website builder.
If these are all details that can tip the balance in favor of the former in this Wix or IONOS comparison, knowing that the Israeli publisher offers around 500 templates should help you decide which CMS to choose.
Performance of the two editing tools
Having a well-edited site also means having a high-performance site. To achieve this, it's important that the editor you choose provides you with powerful servers that guarantee fluid, secure traffic. This is an essential criterion for deciding which website editor to choose. That's why this Wix or IONOS comparison focuses on this issue.
IONOS
Before being a website publisher, it is first and foremost a secure hosting provider. With its 10 datacenters and 90,000 servers, it guarantees speed and availability close to 100%, thanks to redundant fiber optic connections to its datacenters.
This means the promise of 360 Gigabits per second connectivity. What's more, all our data centers are ISO IEC 27 001:2013 certified. In other words, it's the safest in Europe. So that's a very good point for this comparison between Wix and IONOS.
Wix
Wix is one of the world's leading web site publishers, with over one hundred million subscribers, precisely because it provides its customers with powerful tools to boost the performance of their websites.
If you're not sure which editor to choose, Wix recently launched Wix Turbo. This new tool guarantees unrivalled performance, thanks to the relocation of the publisher's datacenters around the world. The data centers have been distributed in such a way as to ensure instant relay, wherever you may be in the world.
With such comprehensive coverage, loading times are virtually non-existent, and images are displayed instantaneously in both computer and mobile/tablet browsers. This is an important point in the Wix vs. IONOS comparison.
In addition to the performance of the site itself, the notion of a responsive site is at the heart of the Israeli publisher's approach with its Wix Turbo tool, especially when you consider that the publisher marks its presence in nearly 190 countries. And it does this by maintaining the same level of performance in each of them.
Getting to grips with the site creation tool
If you're deciding which site editor to choose from Wix or IONOS, you'll want to consider how easy it is to get started.
IONOS
According to user feedback, the creation tool is very simple and easy to learn. The editor has adopted the drag-and-drop technique for both its site editing and online store services.
Likewise, a plurality of functionalities is available in each case to make the creation experience even more interesting. However, you still need to have a certain level of mastery of editing tools to be able to find your way around. Hosting an online store with Prestashop, for example, requires in-depth knowledge.
Wix
With this editor, you have nothing to complain about, as it offers a profusion of features. While it may seem difficult to get to grips with for a first-time user, there are plenty of tutorials available.
These explain the steps to follow at every stage, whether you're creating a website, a blog or an online store. This makes it much easier to get started, whatever service you choose.
Online store and blog creation
These services are inherent to most website publishers. So this is an important point in this Wix or IONOS comparison.
IONOS
The service offered by this German CMS is essentially dedicated to online store publishing. Subscribers can create their own online store, whatever their field of activity (ready-to-wear, jewelry, automotive, etc.).
With this editor, it's possible to create your own online store, with the option of selling your products on the largest Marketplace.
The German CMS also gives you the option of creating your store with one of the leading open source platforms, none other than Woo Commerce.
You can even host your e-commerce with Prestashop. Unfortunately, it's not possible to create a blog, for example. This is a detail that could sway your opinion when deciding which editor to choose between Wix and IONOS.
Wix
The publisher's strategy for creating online stores is essentially focused on the variety of its templates.
It also dispenses with coding, especially if you're not a computer expert, and offers 100% responsive sites accessible in mobile versions with the same advanced functionalities.
Best of all, whether you're creating or managing your store, the entire process is designed to take just 7 steps. And that's a big plus in terms of ease of use and simplicity, especially for people who know nothing about computer programming. On top of this, it offers a totally free blog creation service, again with the emphasis on simplicity.
Comparison table: Wix vs IONOS
Criteria | IONOS | Wix |
Good for | Business creators, VSEs, SMEs, large companies | Anyone looking to build and grow their online presence |
Year of creation | 1988 | 2006 |
Number of subscribers | 8 millions | 125 millions |
Number of active users | unspecified | 90 millions |
Number of countries covered | 9 countries in Western Europe, United States | 190 countries |
Number of datacenters | 10 | Global distribution (unspecified) |
Number of servors | 90 000 | Global distribution (unspecified) |
Number of templates | 400 | 500 |
Hosting and domain | €1 including tax for the first year, then €12 including tax/year | Free |
Getting started | Drag and drop, requires some knowledge | Drag and drop, many tutorials |
Creation of online store | Yes | Yes |
Blog creation | No | Yes |
Conclusion: which choice is right for you?
The choice between Wix and IONOS largely depends on your needs and preferences.
IONOS is ideal for start-ups, VSEs, SMEs and large corporations looking for customized service and personalized support. Its offer is robust in terms of secure hosting and domain management.
Wix is ideal for anyone looking to create and develop their online presence, whether you're a start-up, a small business or a large organization. Wix stands out for its free basic services and wide range of templates.
Whatever your choice, both platforms offer robust solutions for creating a professional website. Take the time to define your priorities and expectations before making your final choice.
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