Migrating from Wix to WordPress.org is the definitive step for creators, bloggers, and business owners who have outgrown Wix is proprietary ecosystem. While Wix offers an intuitive drag-and-drop builder with a low barrier to entry, its monthly pricing scales quickly—ranging from $17 to $159 per month—while locking you into a closed platform where you do not truly own your database or source code. Furthermore, Wix has notable SEO limitations, rigid blogging structures, and restricted plugin extensions that can stifle a growing digital enterprise.
By contrast, WordPress.org is a free, open-source content management system that grants you complete ownership of your data, files, and server environment. Moving to WordPress unlocks access to over 60,000 plugins, advanced e-commerce capabilities via WooCommerce, and limitless design customization through themes and page builders like Elementor or Gutenberg. If your Wix site is generating steady traffic, requiring deeper technical integration, or demanding lower long-term overhead, transitioning to a self-hosted WordPress site is the logical next step.
For a 50-person team that's a significant annual saving.
🗺️ Migration Steps
Because WordPress.org is self-hosted, you must first purchase a web hosting plan from providers like SiteGround, Bluehost, or WP Engine and install the core WordPress software. Next, point your domain name from your current registrar or transfer it so that it resolves to your new WordPress server rather than your old Wix servers.
Wix does not provide a direct export tool for your entire website design, but you can export your blog posts as an XML file via the Wix blog settings dashboard. Open your Wix dashboard, navigate to Blog, click Settings, and locate the Export to WordPress option to download your raw text and post data.
Log into your new WordPress admin dashboard, navigate to Tools, and install the WordPress Importer plugin to upload your Wix XML file. Because Wix uses a proprietary layout engine, you will need to manually rebuild your pages, menus, and styling using a WordPress page builder like Gutenberg or Elementor.
Transition your content creators and editors from the Wix dashboard to the WordPress user management system by assigning appropriate user roles such as Administrator, Editor, or Author. Provide your team with brief training on the WordPress block editor or page builder interface to ensure a smooth editorial workflow.
To prevent broken links and loss of search traffic, map out your old Wix URL structure and set up 301 redirects in your WordPress .htaccess file or via a plugin like Redirection. Once your redirects are verified and your design is finalized, update your DNS records to officially point live traffic to your new WordPress site.
⚠️ Common Challenges & How to Avoid Them
You must manually copy and paste text, download images, and rebuild your page layouts and product catalogs from scratch inside WordPress.
Carefully document your existing Wix URL paths and implement strict 301 redirects to the corresponding WordPress pages using a redirection plugin.
Choose a managed WordPress hosting provider that handles automated core updates and daily backups, or install reliable plugins like UpdraftPlus and Wordfence.
🔗 Get Started
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
No, automated migration tools for Wix to WordPress design layouts do not exist due to Wix is proprietary, closed-source framework. You can export blog posts via XML, but static pages, headers, footers, and custom graphics must be manually rebuilt on WordPress.
It can temporarily impact your rankings if you change your URL structure or leave broken links behind. However, if you carefully map your old Wix URLs to your new WordPress URLs using 301 redirects, you will preserve your SEO authority over time.
While WordPress.org software is completely free, you will need to pay for web hosting and a domain name, which typically costs between $3 and $15 per month. This is often significantly cheaper than higher-tier Wix plans while offering vastly superior performance and freedom.
Want a full feature and pricing comparison before you switch?
Read the Full Wix vs WordPress.org Comparison →