Last updated: 22 October 2026 · By Maurice, freeehouse team · About 3 minutes to read
The three routes in brief
Wix and Jimdo are website builders. You pick a template, change texts and images and publish. The provider takes care of technology, hosting and updates.
A website of your own is a set of files on a server of your choice. That can be a site you built yourself, a WordPress installation or a site an agency builds for you. The difference lies in ownership and the freedom to change provider.
Comparison in numbers and facts
The information comes from the providers' price and help pages, retrieved on 22 October 2026.
| Point | Wix | Jimdo | Own website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry plan | Light, €14 per month with yearly payment, plus tax | Start, €12 per month on 12 months, incl. VAT | depends on the host |
| Mid-range plan | Core, €25 per month | Grow, €20 per month | depends on the host |
| Domain | 1 year free | free for the first contract term | separate, any provider |
| no mailbox listed on the price page | connect and forwarding | with the domain or mail provider | |
| Export website | not possible according to the Wix help pages | content does not move with the domain according to the Jimdo help pages | yes, the files belong to you |
| Storage | Light 2 GB, Core 50 GB | Start 30 GB, Grow 50 GB | depends on the host |
| Subpages | not stated in the price overview | Start 10, Grow 50 | unlimited |
Strengths of website builders
You can start right away, without technical knowledge. Hosting, security certificate and updates are in the plan. At Jimdo, HTTPS, contact form and mobile optimisation are included in all premium plans according to the price page.
For a start with a small budget and plenty of your own time, a website builder is a solid choice. Many businesses are happy with one for years.
Weaknesses of website builders
The website belongs to the system. According to the Wix help pages, a Wix site has to run on Wix servers and cannot be exported. At Jimdo, neither content nor email accounts are transferred when a domain is moved, according to the help pages. In both cases a switch means a rebuild.
Then there is the design. Many sites are based on the same templates. If you want to stand out from the competition in your own city, you hit limits there. And the work stays with you: writing texts, choosing images, maintaining pages.
Strengths and weaknesses of your own website
A website of your own belongs to you. You can take it to any host, design it freely and build it so that search engines read the content directly in the HTML. For bots other than its own, Google explicitly recommends server-side rendering or pre-rendered pages, because not every bot runs JavaScript.
The downside: someone has to build and maintain it. If you do not do it yourself, you pay for it. With WordPress, watch who installs the updates, because without upkeep security holes appear.
Which solution suits which business
The decision depends on your time, your budget and your plans.
- You like to tinker and have time: website builder.
- You need an online shop with many payment methods: website builder with a shop function or a specialised shop provider.
- You want a website that belongs to you and no work of your own: own website, built by a service provider.
- You want to stand out in search in your region: own website with its own design and content in the HTML.
A middle way
Some providers build a website of your own and still give you an admin area where you change texts, images and appointments yourself. freeehouse builds this way, without a website builder template, and charges nothing for the build. You only pay for hosting, which is below your current plan price.
If you want to see how your site would look as a website of your own, you can request a free draft from freeehouse.
If you want your current website rebuilt without paying for the build: freeehouse builds it by hand, and you only pay for hosting with care, cheaper than today. Claim your spot on the waiting list
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Wix or Jimdo?
According to the price pages of 22 October 2026, Jimdo Start costs €12 per month including VAT on 12 months, Wix Light €14 per month with yearly payment plus tax. So Jimdo is cheaper to start with.
Can I switch from Wix to Jimdo and take everything with me?
No. According to its own help pages, Wix offers no export of the website. You can take the domain with you, but you have to rebuild the site.
Is a website of your own harder to maintain?
Not necessarily. With an admin area you change texts and images about as easily as in a website builder. Without one, you need someone to make the changes.
Do website builder sites rank worse on Google?
According to its own documentation, Google does not favour any technology. What counts is content, loading time and whether content can be read reliably.
Is my domain mine at Wix or Jimdo?
If you are listed as the owner, yes. At Jimdo, according to the help pages, you need an auth code from the domain settings for a move.
Sources
- Wix: Premiumpakete und Preise, accessed 22 October 2026
- Jimdo: Preise und Pakete für deine Webseite, accessed 22 October 2026
- Wix Help Center: Exporting or embedding your Wix site elsewhere, accessed 22 October 2026
- Jimdo Help: How do I transfer my domain to another host, accessed 22 October 2026
- Google Search Central: Grundlagen JavaScript-SEO, accessed 22 October 2026
Providers' prices and terms change often. What counts is what's in your customer account and your contract. Not legal advice.
Read more
Ready for a new website?
We're currently testing freeehouse with a first round of businesses. Claim your spot on the waiting list.