Wix ADI vs Wix Editor: Which Should You Use to Build Your Website?
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If you’ve chosen Wix as your website builder of choice, then you may be wondering if it’s best to use the traditional Wix Editor or the newer Wix ADI. On the surface, they sound pretty similar, but when you dig into comparing these website builders, you start to see some key differences:
Wix Editor is the traditional drag-and-drop website builder that uses hundreds of pre-made templates to get you started.
Wix ADI meanwhile is the platform’s artificial intelligence tool that allows you to build a website by answering just a few simple questions.
But which Wix tool should you choose for your website build? To help you reach a decision we’ve pitted them against each other in this Wix ADI vs Wix Editor ultimate contest.
✔️ We recommend Wix ADI for… | ❌ We recommend Wix Editor for… |
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…websites that are simple and need little customization or bespoke features. | …larger websites that need a more bespoke design and customized features. |
…people who are short on time and want a website built fast. | …those who want to add custom code to their Wix website. |
…beginners with no knowledge of how to use a website builder or what features to add to a site. | …websites that are targeting highly competitive search terms. |
Heads Up! We’re talking about Wix ADI – Wix’s new AI chatbot site generator. This is different from the old “Wix ADI” which still exists for existing customers, but no longer functions for new signups. This article compares the traditional Wix Editor with its current ADI builder.
Quick Comparison: Wix ADI or Wix Editor?
Wix is one of our top-rated website builders and there are multiple ways you can build a website, from Wix Studio, to picking a template, or using the ADI chatbot to create a site for you. In this article we’re focusing on two popular methods.
Wix Editor uses the traditional drag-and-drop system and is the Wix OG. You start by choosing a template you can then customize, giving you full control over how your website looks.
With Wix ADI, you enter an AI chat where you get asked a series of questions, and the tool will use your answers to design your website for you. While you can still customize and edit the website the ADI tool creates, you’re more limited in the actions you can undertake compared with the Editor tool.
Both Wix ADI and Wix Editor support ecommerce websites and have in-built SEO features. If you’re wondering about Wix pricing then you may be interested to know that both tools cost the same.
Wix’s cheapest plan costs $17 per month, no matter if you wish to use Wix Editor or Wix ADI. You can also build with either option on Wix’s free plan!
To help you understand more of the key differences between Wix Editor and Wix ADI, we’ve listed some of the key features of both in this handy table:
Features | Wix Editor | Wix ADI |
---|---|---|
Design | Total design freedom to add features and customize your chosen template. | The website design is created for you and you’ll have limited control over what it looks like but you can request changes. |
App Marketplace | Full access to the Wix app market, packed full of hundreds of apps to add to your website. | Full access to the Wix app market, packed full of hundreds of apps to add to your website. |
Support | 24/7 phone and live chat support and online help center packed full of resources. | 24/7 phone and live chat support but limited resources on the online help center. |
Ease of Use | With so many features and unlimited design options, it can be tricky to get started and overwhelming to beginners. | Easy to use, simply answer a few questions and your website is built for you. |
SEO | Full SEO package including the ability to add meta descriptions and manage specific URL pages. | Great SEO features but you can’t manage specific URL pages. |
Who Is It For? | Perfect for those who need a fully bespoke website, who have more time and budget to spend, and who have more experience with website builders. | Perfect for those with limited to no experience building websites, who just want a simple website and are short on time. |
Best for Set Up: Wix Editor
When it comes to setting up your website building tool of choice you want something quick and simple.
With Wix Editor, this is exactly what you get. Once you’ve chosen your Wix plan, set up your account, and logged in, you’re good to go. You simply hit Manage Site > Edit Site within your main dashboard and the floor is yours. The longest part of setting up is deciding which template you want to use!
With Wix ADI, however, the setup time is a little longer. Given the whole premise of Wix ADI is that you need to answer questions in order to get your website built, it’s no surprise.
Once you’ve selected the Wix ADI tool, you’ll have to answer the questions presented before you can begin customizing your website.
Some of the questions you can expect Wix ADI to ask you include your basic business information such as your company name and logo (so be sure to have a version of this ready to upload), as well as your font and color preferences.
In testing, answering the Wix ADI questions only took a few minutes – we had to answer around six in total, and at the end, the ADI chatbot directed us back to the dashboard to begin building:
Although the whole process was super easy, it still meant the setup time was longer and more complicated than that of Wix Editor.
The Winner
Wix Editor is quicker to set up than Wix ADI.
It’s much quicker to set up and there are fewer steps standing between you and the ability to edit your website.
Best for Ease of Use: Wix ADI
One of Wix’s big selling points is its ease of use and how beginner-friendly it is, so it’s no surprise that neither Wix Editor nor Wix ADI require extensive web design skills or training.
With Wix Editor, you have complete control over customizing your website and can use the simple drag-and-drop editor to move things around the page and alter the layout of your site.
While it’s certainly not hard to use, one problem that does arise with Wix Editor is the sheer amount of choice on offer.
With so many features and customization options available to users, it can be an overwhelming experience to determine exactly what you need to do to get the website you want.
Wix ADI meanwhile aims to keep things simple. The tool takes over huge chunks of the web design process, it’s almost like waving a magic wand over your computer and magicking up a website in minutes.
The setup questions are simple and easy to answer – it even comes with “Rephrase question” and “Help me answer” options, as well as a skip button.
And, of course, the best part is it creates a fully designed website tailored to your specific needs, goals, and brand personality!
The Winner
Wix ADI is easier to use than Wix Editor.
The whole point of Wix ADI is to make the web design process even simpler so it’s no surprise that it’s our winner when it comes to ease of use.
Best for Design: Wix Editor
One of the most important factors in designing a website is being able to actually design. Shocking, we know!
When we’re comparing Wix ADI vs Wix Editor, it’s only right to look at just how much design freedom and choices each offers users.
With Wix Editor, you’ll have over 900 templates to choose from, all of which can be customized to suit your design preferences, allowing you to change aspects such as colors, fonts, and layouts.
Plus, a great bonus of Wix Editor is that if you don’t like any of the templates on offer, you can use a blank template and design your website from scratch.
The thing that really makes Wix Editor stand out though is the app marketplace (more on that in a moment), but it offers users the chance to add almost anything to their website, creating a totally bespoke design.
Wix ADI, meanwhile, offers a more streamlined and simple approach to design. The tool will design your website for you based on your answers to its questions. You can be confident that Wix ADI will include all of the features your business needs, however you don’t get much choice over the design style.
Once the ADI tool has designed your website you will be able to customize it, but you’ll need to either use the editor or request the changes in the chatroom.
Even though your design control seems more limited with Wix ADI, it’s worth remembering that the tool has been created to produce visually great designs, so chances are you won’t want to change much anyway.
The Winner
Wix Editor provides more design control than Wix ADI.
You’ll have much more control over the overall design of your website with Wix Editor, allowing you to create a bespoke website that aligns with your brand.
Best for App Market: Wix Editor
One of the biggest selling points of Wix is its app marketplace. Wix has one of the largest and best app marketplaces out of any of the most popular website builders.
The app marketplace is packed full of hundreds of apps that you can add to your Wix website to enhance its design and performance. There are apps for everything from live chats and appointment booking to website analytics.
But can you use the app marketplace with Wix Editor and Wix ADI? The good news is the answer is yes!
Previously Wix ADI users were only able to access the apps on the marketplace that Wix thought you would need, however now whether you use AI or do it yourself, you can add any app you want to your website.
Wix opens up the whole app marketplace to users. You’ll be like a kid in a candy store with endless choices for what apps you want to add to your website.
While we think this is a huge benefit of Wix, we do admit that if you’re after a super simple and streamlined approach, then having too much choice may be overwhelming.
The Winner
It’s a draw! The app experience is the same for both Wix Editor and Wix ADI.
You’ll have full access to the hundreds of apps on the Wix app marketplace to enhance the design and performance of your website.
Best for Help & Support: Wix Editor
Hopefully, nothing will go wrong during your website build but sometimes issues arise and if they do, you need to be able to access helpful support to sort out the problem.
Both Wix Editor and Wix ADI sit under the wider Wix umbrella which means there aren’t dedicated support channels for each tool, instead you’ll access support in the same way for both.
Wix users get access to 24/7 phone and live chat support, along with social media support and community forums. All of which can help with questions relating to both Wix Editor and Wix ADI.
There’s also an on-site help center full of useful resources, videos, and answers to common questions. It’s here that Wix Editor takes the lead from Wix ADI in this battle, as we found far more resources dedicated to Wix Editor than Wix ADI.
Wix ADI is a much newer tool though so this is to be expected and we’re sure there will be plenty more published soon.
Another great aspect of Wix Editor’s support is that you can get useful tips directly in the editor dashboard. You’ll notice question mark icons at various points in the editor, and hovering over these will present you with questions and answers and step-by-steps for adding certain features to your website. We love this!
The Winner
Wix Editor has more help and support articles than ADI.
Wix Editor takes the top spot for help and support, offering guidance and assistance every step of the way.
Best for SEO: Wix Editor
Choosing a website builder that has great SEO features is important, and when we compared Wix ADI vs Wix Editor, we were pleased to see there wasn’t much difference between the two for SEO.
You can undertake key SEO tasks with both tools including adding meta descriptions, changing URLs, and adding alt text to images.
Both Wix ADI and Wix Editor create responsive websites meaning your site will look great and perform well on mobile devices, essential now that Google is a “mobile-first” search engine.
Wix has also added a Semrush integration to its feature bank, helping you to find the keywords you should be targeting on your website.
The only real difference we could find for SEO between the two tools was that with Wix ADI you can’t manage specific URL pages, but you can with Wix Editor.
This isn’t a huge problem, but if you really need your website to perform well, for example, if you’re targeting highly competitive search terms, then this may let you down.
If SEO is a big concern for you and your website, check out our full Wix SEO review to find out everything the website builder offers to help you climb the rankings.
The Winner
Wix Editor only just beats Wix ADI for SEO.
Wix Editor just scrapes the win for SEO thanks to the ability to manage specific URL pages, something that isn’t available with Wix ADI.
Our Testing Methodology
Our experts conduct new and independent research into every website builder we feature, in order to provide first-hand insights to help you make the right choice.
We understand just how important a website is to a business in 2024 and therefore we take recommending website builders and tools seriously.
During our extensive research process, we look at key areas including ease of use, features, value for money, design functionalities, and help and support.
You can find out more about the Website Builder Guide testing process on our dedicated page.
Wix ADI vs Wix Editor: Summary
So, Wix ADI or Wix Editor? The answer seems obvious – overall, Wix Editor offers a more satisfying building experience, offering greater control and scalability for your web design.
Wix Editor comes out on top in our testing, winning in five out of six categories including design, SEO, and help and support. Impressive!
Wix Editor gives you the opportunity to design truly creative, engaging, and bespoke websites that not only look great but perform well too. With Wix Editor you’ll have full creative control over the process.
We recommend Wix Editor for users with a clear brand image, such as businesses who need consistent branding across multiple channels.
Wix ADI may have only come out tops for one category, but that doesn’t mean you should overlook it completely. If you’re looking for a super simple and quick way to build a website, and aren’t concerned with fancy features or bespoke design styles then a Wix ADI website may well have everything you need.
We recommend Wix ADI for total beginners who feel overwhelmed by design choices and want a fast, hands-off building experience.
If you want to learn even more about Wix, why not check out our full Wix review taking you through everything there is to know about the website builder?
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