Jimdo vs. Wix

Jimdo and Wix are two leading online website builders nowadays, each contender having a massive array of faithful users. But do they offer the same level of functionality and ease of use? And which is more appropriate for no coders?

From one side, Wix is a robust all-in-one platform with a broad selection of tools and customization options, making it a perfect variant for businesses of all sizes and niches. It stands out with its exceptional ease and user-friendly interface.

On the other hand, Jimdo is famous for its high-end AI-based tool for designing top-quality sites with no coding and practice. These qualities make it a more appropriate choice for beginners and those who don’t have any coding knowledge but need a site in no time.

However, both platforms have unique strengths and typical weaknesses, making one more preferable depending on your search. This expert comparison will highlight essential features of both site-building solutions, their usability, pricing, and other core qualities. Ultimately, you will possess all the necessary information to make a thoughtful selection to find a site with a breeze.

Key Similarities

Wix and Jimdo are widely known names in the industry of website building. They share a series of similarities but have distinct differences, as well. Understanding both sites is highly crucial for everyone who encounters the dilemma of choosing Wix or Jimdo, as you can make the right choice only when you are deeply informed about the possibilities of both companies.

So, the key similarities between Wix and Jimdo are as follows:

• Both site-building solutions are straightforward to use. They don’t demand coding knowledge or prior expertise and are perfectly catered to first-time users.
• Despite the differences in the customization and functionality level, editors of both companies are of the drag-and-drop type.
• Free templates can be found on both platforms. Surely, these site builders also offer paid variants, but you can start without paying a penny for a template.
• All templates are mobile-responsive by default. This means you don’t have to customize your site to make it mobile-friendly manually. Whatever website you create will be perfectly adapted to all sizes of screens.
• Aside from offering third-party apps, both solutions have their brand app markets of integrations. Those are Jimdo Smart Apps and Wix Fonts/Stores/etc.

Key Differences

Before we indulge in the comprehensive comparison review of Wix (read my review) and Jimdo site builders, let’s find out what key differences there are between the two companies:

• Wix design capabilities are drastically richer than those of Jimdo. As a result, your chances of coming up with a site that perfectly depicts your brand’s style are higher with Wix than with Jimdo.
• Wix features more and better-styled templates than Jimdo. That’s why Wix sites look more professional and attractive than Jimdo sites.
• Jimdo offers more affordable plans than Wix. Its introductory plan comes at only $9/mo, and a free plan is available, too. In comparison, Wix offers its products starting at $16/mo.
• Wix has developed more software and applications than Jimdo. Besides, they are more effective, too.

What Is Easier to Use?

Wix defines simplicity when it comes to site-building platforms. Its responsive editor stands for easy customization of any suggested template to meet the requirements of the user’s business without applying a single code. The editor is of the already traditional drag-and-drop type; hence, adding and removing elements is simply a breeze. Meanwhile, the intuitive layout makes all Wix features accessible, so you are not overwhelmed with buttons when navigating the site’s editing tools.

All these qualities make Wix the perfect software for first-time users and beginners with no coding expertise. However, the solution has one potential drawback, which may repeal novice users – you can’t change the chosen template after the site goes live. You will have to re-submit the whole information. This, in turn, will add time and effort to establishing a new site with a new template.

Just like Wix, Jimdo relies on its drag-and-drop functionality when it comes to creating a site. It doesn’t demand coding knowledge; users don’t have to step into site building with prior expertise. Also, the solution offers two options for signing up for Jimdo.

These include the Artificial Intelligence website designer to establish a website from scratch in minutes and the traditional editor for building a site from the ground yourself. The first option provides an in-depth questionnaire to help a new user sort out the feel and style of a site you intend to build.

Many Jimdo users complain the website builder is restrictive when you want to adjust elements. You may find it hard to break away from the pre-made template to customize a site to make it consistent with your branding. This fact helps Wix score more than Jimdo regarding the ease of use.

Design Options Comparison

Wix online site builder has a robust portfolio of design capabilities right out of the box, so you can launch any project without needing a third-party app. This includes tools for creating portfolios, landing pages, and online shops. As for the diversity of templates, it’s definitely one of the most impressive in the market. Wix offers hundreds of sophisticated templates broken down into categories by business niche. Furthermore, Wix users can completely alter the chosen template’s content.

So, get some facts about Wix design customization possibilities:

• There are over 500 fully customizable templates separated into multiple categories like online stores, business, photography, etc.;
• All templates support drag-and-drop editing;
• Wix features user-friendly UI for non-techies;
• Advanced design features are available, like parallax scrolling, animations, maps, interactive slideshows, video backgrounds, etc.;
• Blank templates are offered for creating unique designs;
• Wix ADI sets templates based on users’ needs.

However, note that your template choice is final. This means you can modify it as much as you find necessary to render your brand’s style. But you can’t change the template, or you will have to submit the site content manually.

Wix introduces several editors to fit every user’s skills and expertise. Each allows site customization to a different extent and features a different approach. Those are Wix Editor, Wix Artificial Design Intelligence, Velo by Wix, Editor X, and Wix Studio.

Read also: What’s the Difference Between Wix and Wix Editor X?

When it comes to Jimdo’s design capabilities, there’s a full range of built-in options at users’ disposal, too. They are definitely sufficient for launching an online project, ranging from personal sites to elaborate storefronts. Irrespective of the niche for which you are scheming a website, these systems will provide an exceptional collection of tools and capabilities to satisfy any design requirements.

The website building solution offers around a hundred pre-made templates, classified into industries, so you can find an appropriate one for business across all possible sectors. All templates look clean and professional, yet they lack the uniqueness to make your website stand out. Furthermore, Jimdo’s templates are not even close to those of Wix regarding customization.

Overall, Jimdo’s templates have the following qualities:

• Professional and moderately customizable nature;
• SEO friendliness for boosted visibility;
• Mobile responsiveness for a seamless look across all devices;
• Pre-designed blocks for more straightforward page layouts.

Also, Wix provides a possibility to create a broader range of websites. You can use his site builder to establish sites for business consulting, portfolio showcases, interior design, tech gadgets, etc. The significantly more extensive array of customization capabilities helps Wix win over Jimdo.

Website Functionality Comparison

The vast majority of site owners intend to monetize their brainchild. Accordingly, the eCommerce functionality of a site-building solution is a must today. For this, Wix introduces three eCommerce plans packed with a couple of necessary tools to earn money through the site.

They include receiving payments in-house or via third-party services, abandoned cart recovery, unlimited products, etc. Furthermore, especially for service-based professionals, the solution has event and ticket management, online booking, subscriptions, integrations with third-party marketplaces, advanced shipping, etc.

Surely, Wix is primarily a site builder and not an eCommerce solution; hence, it has certain limitations. To create a virtual store, you must obtain a Business and E-commerce subscription.

Read also: What Is the Best Website Builder for Small Business?.

The same goes for Jimdo. Although it has some eCommerce capabilities, they are rather limited and better fitted for small businesses with little web presence. Jimdo’s users can accept payments via third-party services like StripeTM and PayPal, showcase unlimited products, etc., only as long as they are Business plan owners.

Search Engine Optimization is crucial for enhancing a website’s visibility for major search engines like Google, Bing, etc. Wix enables users to independently set SEO criteria for the site and its pages, which means all Wix websites are SEO-friendly. The site builder allows altering the URLs of sites to fit the user’s demands and niche requirements. Also, you can add meta descriptions and titles to pages and Alt tags to images. Meanwhile, the Wix SEO Wizard tool provides ready-to-use instructions to optimize a site most effectively.

Jimdo sites are SEO-friendly, too, by default. The website builder users can add and update meta tags and set up web page URLs to improve a project’s search engine rating.

Since Wix and Jimdo have limited features, especially if you aim to run an online business, you can’t but resort to third-party apps, integrations, and plugins. Both companies have a good range of options when it comes to integrations, with that of Wix exceeding. There are around 250 apps to help you add various features to your site, like booking systems, live chat, social media, etc. Particularly, let’s clarify the most essential integrations available for Wix users:

• Wix Booking incorporates booking management, calendar integration, scheduling tools, and payment options.
• Wix Stores allows you to transform your site into an online store with features like a shopping cart, inventory management, secure checkout, etc.
• Wix Forms are designed to help users create custom forms for any purpose, like surveys, contact forms, event registrations, etc.
• Wix SEO Wiz improves your site’s search engine optimization by enriching the site content with keywords, meta tags, etc.
• Wix Events is for those users who plan to create and promote events on their sites. Particularly, you can let visitors RSVP, buy tickets, stay updated on the event details, etc.

Meanwhile, Jimdo’s rather modest collection of apps and integrations counts around 20 options. And still, they cover the essentials like online booking and SEO pretty effectively. Like Wix, Jimdo has its brand line of apps named Jimdo Smart Apps. Check the main offers:

• Jimdo Apps are developed by the brand and offered for free to its users. They cover social media integration analytics and contact forms.
• Social Media Integration apps let users integrate their social media accounts into their websites to keep visitors up-to-date with all updates and the latest news.
• eCommerce plugins like product catalog, payment processor, and shopping cart can let Jimdo users sell online through their site.
• Lead Generation plugin helps users collect leads from the site and grow their email list.
• The Analytics app will enable users to track the traffic to their Jimdo site and check the visitors’ demographic and which pages get the most visits.

As you can see, Jimdo’s app market stands nowhere near Wix.

Pricing Opportunities

Wix offers five pricing plans, starting at $16/mo. The most inexpensive Light plan offers two collaborations, 2 GB storage space, the marketing suite Light, and a free domain for one year. Other Wix plans include Core, Business, Business Elite, and Enterprise tiers, with the last coming at a custom price. It incorporates unlimited collaborators, multi-site management, SSO, a dedicated success manager, custom templates, centralized billing, and custom integrations. If you are ready to pay over $159/mo (that’s the price of the Business Elite plan) for the Enterprise plan, you will get huge possibilities.

As for Jimdo pricing, here we have two sections, Website and Online Store, each with their own plans. The introductory Start plan comes at $9/mo. It ensures ad-free personal sites and includes a free domain. The Grow plan, intended for business sites, is priced at $14/mo. Meanwhile, Online Store plans are Business and VIP priced at $18/mo and $24/mo, respectively. Anyway, if you are just starting and unsure if Jimdo is the right option for your project, the website-building solution offers a free plan, too.

So, Jimdo is relatively economical compared to other solutions on the market. Although its plans are highly limited in terms of functionality when compared to those by Wix, the starting plan of which is almost twice more expensive, users on a tight budget will definitely appreciate the possibility of creating a personal site at only $9/mo or even completely free! Accordingly, in this section, Jimdo wins over Wix.

Verdict

Before we concenter the results of our in-depth comparison between Wix and Jimdo, let’s pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of both solutions, starting with Wix:

Pros:

• User-friendly interface with a drag-and-drop functionality to be accessible for no coders;
• Selection of five editors (Wix Editor, Wix ADI, Velo by Wix, Editor X, and Wix Studio) per any user’s skills and purposes;
• Mobile responsiveness;
• Extended app market;
• Huge array of fully customizable templates;
• eCommerce capabilities;
• Multimedia integration;
• Regular updates;
• Reliable hosting.

Cons:

• No template switching is possible without losing the content;
• More expensive than Jimdo.

As for Jimdo’s pros and cons, those go as follows:

Pros:

• Highly easy to use thanks to its drag-and-drop technology;
• Mobile-friendliness;
• Free and affordable site design plans are available;
• Mobile app for managing a site from a smartphone or tablet;
• Premium site speed.

Cons:

• Scanty app market;
• Limited customization options for templates;
• Clean but simple templates;
• Basic SEO only.

So, as you can conclude, Wix is the clear winner in this comparison review. It’s an industry veteran and knows well what an average user with no coding expertise but big plans on enhancing their website needs. Throughout recent years, the company has excelled in delivering top-notch quality templates that perfectly balance the competitive pricing structure. With Wix, you can build any website regardless of your target niche or business size. Your site is guaranteed to look professional and perfectly render your brand identity.

Jimdo can outcome Wix in the pricing category, but the trade-offs in the functionality and customization segments make it a losing proposition against Wix. However, those who need to build a portfolio or a personal site and can suffice with bare-bones features will definitely find Jimdo attractive because of its price tag.