Wix vs DNN (Part 2)

Welcome back to the second part of our Wix versus DotNetNuke (DNN) comparison. In the first part of our Wix versus DNN comparison, I discussed the usability and interface of each platform (Part 1 https://equatekinteractive.com/Our-Blog/wix-vs-dnn). In this article, I will be discussing the major features and tools provided by Wix and DNN, and comparing those features and tools.

The features provided by a web platform truly can lead to the ultimate success or failure of a website. Both platforms provide a long list of features, many of which are similar, so we will only go over the major similarities of them, along with the different features each one offers.

Applications/Modules

The Wix App Market has a great selection of modules available to use. Wix creates all of the apps in the store, which is very different from DNN who offers an open source program, which means that anyone can create a module to offer for the platform. By allowing anyone to create an application for DNN, it means that the platform offers a larger selection of modules with different depths of customization and integration, which can have a big impact on your website. However, since there are so many applications available, it means you can be paying for one that is outdated or no longer works, which means you should do some research before downloading a module.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Wix does offer some great SEO tools, but they do falter compared to their competitors with similar branding strategies. DNN’s SEO tools have more depth than Wix’s tools do, however there are competitors with better SEO tools than each of these platforms. With that being said, the SEO tools of both platforms are more than enough to put your website on the front page of a Google search, as long as you use the right digital marketing techniques. Depending upon what the purpose of your website is, some features are more valuable than others, but pricing is always a factor in any decision.

Pricing

As mentioned in the first part of DNN versus Wix, when building a website, you need to have a budget in place for the website itself and anything else associated with maintaining and operating it. In this section we will discuss the price of owning a website with DNN and Wix, along with other costs that may be accumulated along the way.

To build a website with Wix is free, but provides almost nothing else other than forced Wix branding.  Wix offers a total of 8 subscription plans, 4 for traditional website creation and 4 for ecommerce websites.

• $14/Month - Combo Package: recommended by Wix for personal use, and provides a small number of tools and features.
• $18/month - Unlimited Plan: recommended by Wix for freelancers and entrepreneurs, and provides half of all of the tools and features available.
• $23/month - Pro Plan: Wix recommends it for those looking to do complete online branding, and this plan provides almost every tool and feature.
• $39/month - VIP Status: allows you access to all of the tools and features and gives the site owner priority service when contacting customer support.
• $23/month to $500/month - Wix ecommerce plans: Build upon ecommerce tools and features in a similar configuration as the plans mentioned prior.

Other costs associated with having a Wix website are the domain name ($14-$25/year), custom email addresses ($4/month per email address), Wix Ascend (SEO, videomaking, marketing integrations, live chat, email marketing, automation, and workflows)($0-$49/month depending on your service option), and any additional costs associated with purchasing modules in the Wix App Store, such as tracking and analytics ($0-$100’s).

DNN is free to use at its core, which includes all of the features and tools available, however, the main costs associated with it are the purchase of a domain name ($10-$20/month), and the purchase of any additional modules ($0-$100’s). Wix and DNN provide two very different pricing philosophies, which is a lot to comprehend.

What should you use?

We now ask ourselves the same question we asked in the first Wix versus DNN blog article; with all of this information presented to you, which website creation platform is best for you and your business, Wix or DNN?

For a business just starting out, a young business, or for mostly personal usage, Wix should be the platform you’re using. You are likely somebody who needs something low cost, simple to maintain, and that doesn’t offer unnecessary applications, features, and tools.

For those looking to grow their business or looking to build a second generation or higher website, then DNN is the software you need to be using. The tools, features, and customization will allow your website to really flourish and engage with new and returning customers. As previously mentioned DNN is a complex software, even for people who have built a website on a platform like Wix. To ensure that you’re not abusing your precious time, energy, resources, and capital on learning how to design the perfect website with DNN, we recommend you contact us. At equaTEK, Inc. we have been building websites for businesses for almost two decades, and can assist to you in growing your business with our knowledge and experience in web design, ecommerce, and digital marketing.