Wix is cheaper in cash: £9 to £25 a month for most small businesses, paid a year upfront, plus VAT. You build, write and promote the site yourself. A custom website built for you costs more, from £45 a month at Scalesites with no VAT, but someone else does the building, local SEO and changes.
The short answer
Wix is the better choice if you enjoy building things, have a few spare evenings and want the lowest possible bill. A custom website is the better choice if you would rather spend those evenings on paid work and want someone else to handle the site, the local SEO and the changes. Neither is wrong. They suit different people.
By "custom website" we mean a site built for your business by someone else, with your services, photos and areas written in, rather than a template you fill in yourself. That can come from a freelancer, an agency or a done-for-you monthly plan like ours.
What Wix costs in the UK
Wix's UK plans run from £9 to £119 a month, and most trades would only look at the bottom three. The prices on Wix's plans page are monthly figures for a yearly subscription, paid in full when you buy, and they do not include tax.
| Wix plan | Price shown | Paid for 12 months | With 20% VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| Light | £9/mo | £108 | £129.60 |
| Core | £16/mo | £192 | £230.40 |
| Business | £25/mo | £300 | £360 |
| Business Elite | £119/mo | £1,428 | £1,713.60 |
Source: wix.com/plans, UK (GBP) prices, checked live 27 September 2026. Wix states these are for yearly subscriptions paid in full at purchase, excluding tax, which is set by your billing address. The VAT column assumes the UK standard rate of 20%. Wix sometimes runs a 50% off offer on selected plans, so you may see a lower figure.
Paid plans include a free domain voucher for the first year, and Wix offers a 14-day money-back guarantee. The free plan lets you build a site, but connecting your own domain and removing Wix branding both need a paid plan.
What a custom website costs
A custom trade website usually costs more than Wix because you are paying for someone's time, not just software. Traditional agencies often charge a four-figure build fee upfront. Monthly done-for-you plans spread the cost instead.
At Scalesites, Scale Start is £45 a month and Scale Up is £79 a month, with £0 upfront and no VAT to add. Both run on a 12-month minimum term, then month to month. That term is what pays for the build with nothing upfront. Full detail is on our pricing page.
Side by side
The real difference is who does the work after you pay, not the monthly figure.
| Wix (Light to Business) | Custom website (Scalesites) | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | £9 to £25, plus VAT | £45 or £79, no VAT |
| How you pay | 12 months upfront for the prices shown | Monthly, £0 upfront |
| Commitment | Yearly for the prices shown, other periods available | 12-month minimum term, then month to month |
| Who builds it | You | We do |
| Who writes the words | You, or Wix's AI tools | We do, around your trade and area |
| Local SEO and Google Business Profile | Tools provided, you do the work | Included and managed |
| Changes after launch | You edit it yourself | Ask us, included |
| Time to live | However long you spend on it | Free preview within 48 hours, live within 2 weeks |
| Can the site move elsewhere? | No, Wix sites must stay on Wix's servers | You own the site, content and domain |
Wix details from wix.com/plans and the Wix Help Center, checked 27 September 2026. Scalesites details from our pricing page.
Where Wix wins
Wix wins on price and control. Year one on the Light plan costs about £130 with VAT, against £540 for a year of Scale Start. You can change anything you like at midnight without asking anyone. If you are just starting out, have more time than money and are comfortable with a drag-and-drop editor, Wix is a sensible choice.
Where a custom website wins
A custom website wins on time and on getting found. Building a good trade site on Wix still means writing every page, choosing and cropping photos, setting up local SEO and keeping your Google Business Profile active. It is easy to mean to do it and never quite get round to it.
A built-for-you site starts from what your customers look for. Our websites for electricians put your NICEIC registration, insurance and the towns you cover up front, while our websites for plumbers lead with emergency call-outs and a tap-to-call button. You check a preview, ask for changes and approve it. You don't build anything.
Who owns what
On Wix you own your words, photos and domain, but the site itself cannot be moved to another host: Wix's own Help Center says Wix sites need to run on Wix's servers. If you leave, you rebuild. With Scalesites, you own the site, the content and the domain.
The fair way to decide
Count your hours as well as the monthly price. If the site would take you 20 evenings and you would never touch the SEO, the cheaper option can cost you more in lost enquiries. If you would genuinely enjoy building it, Wix is good value.
In summary
Wix is the cheaper option in cash, at £9 to £25 a month plus VAT for a year paid upfront, and it suits trades who want to build and manage the site themselves. A custom website costs more, from £45 a month at Scalesites with no VAT and a 12-month minimum term, but it is built, written and kept found on Google for you. Choose on your time as well as the price.
Found this useful? Add Scalesites as a preferred source and Google shows you more of our guides when you search.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Wix cost in the UK?
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Wix's UK plans are £9 (Light), £16 (Core), £25 (Business) and £119 (Business Elite) a month, checked 27 September 2026. Those prices are for a yearly subscription paid in full at purchase and exclude tax, so most UK buyers add 20% VAT. There is also a free plan with Wix branding and no custom domain.
Is Wix good enough for a trade business?
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It can be. Wix has the tools to build a perfectly good trade website. The question is whether you will put in the hours to write the pages, add real job photos, set up local SEO and keep your Google Business Profile active. If you will, Wix is good value. If you won't, a built-for-you site is usually the better spend.
Can I move my Wix website to another company later?
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Not the site itself. Wix's Help Center says Wix sites must be hosted on Wix's servers, so leaving means rebuilding elsewhere. You can take your domain, your words and your photos with you.
Is a custom website worth the extra cost over Wix?
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It is worth it if the time you save and the enquiries you win cover the difference. At Scalesites the difference over a year is roughly £410 against Wix Light with VAT, or about £1.10 a day. Whether that pays back depends on what a typical job is worth in your trade and area.
Does a Scalesites website have a contract?
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Yes. Scale Start (£45/mo) and Scale Up (£79/mo) run on a 12-month minimum term, then month to month. That is what lets us build the site with nothing to pay upfront and no VAT to add. You see a free preview before you pay anything.
More insights
- Squarespace vs a custom website: which is right for your trade?Squarespace is £12 to £25 a month paid yearly, plus VAT, and you build it yourself. How it compares with a custom trade website built for you, with UK prices checked live.
- Best website builder for tradesmen (UK)What UK trade website builders actually cost and include in 2026, checked against each provider's own published pricing, not ranked by who paid for the spot.
- DIY vs done-for-you website: what's right for your trade?Build it yourself for £9 to £25 a month plus VAT, or have it built from £45 a month with no VAT. What each route really costs a UK trade in money and in time.