You've decided your business needs a website. Now comes the confusing part: WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, or a custom-built site?
As a WordPress developer in Jamaica who's built everything from simple brochure sites to complex booking systems, I'll give you the honest truth about each option—including when I actually recommend NOT using WordPress.
Quick Comparison: All Your Options
| Platform | Best For | Cost Range | Skill Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress | Most businesses, blogs, e-commerce | $499-3,000+ | Medium |
| Wix | Simple sites, DIY on a budget | $168-540/year | Low |
| Squarespace | Portfolios, creatives | $192-576/year | Low |
| Shopify | E-commerce only | $348-2,300/year | Low-Medium |
| Custom Built | Complex apps, unique needs | $2,000-10,000+ | None (we build it) |
WordPress: The Most Popular Choice
WordPress powers 43% of all websites in the world—from small business sites to major news outlets. Here's why it dominates:
✅ Pros of WordPress
- You own it completely - Unlike Wix/Squarespace, you can move your site anywhere
- Unlimited flexibility - 60,000+ plugins for any feature you can imagine
- Great for SEO - Google loves WordPress sites when set up properly
- E-commerce ready - WooCommerce makes selling online easy
- Lower long-term cost - No monthly platform fees, just hosting
- Jamaican payment support - Plugins for Lynk, NCB, local gateways
❌ Cons of WordPress
- Needs maintenance - Updates, backups, security checks
- Learning curve - Not as intuitive as Wix/Squarespace
- Can be hacked - If not properly secured (we handle this)
- Plugin conflicts - Sometimes plugins don't play nice together
🏆 WordPress is Best For:
Restaurants, hotels, salons, tour operators, car rentals, real estate agents, professional services, e-commerce stores, blogs, and any business that wants to grow without platform limitations.
Wix: The Easy DIY Option
Wix is the "drag and drop" website builder you've seen advertised everywhere. It's tempting for its simplicity, but there are trade-offs.
✅ Pros of Wix
- Super easy - Anyone can build a basic site
- All-in-one - Hosting, domain, SSL included
- Nice templates - Looks decent out of the box
- No maintenance - Wix handles updates
❌ Cons of Wix
- You don't own it - Stop paying, lose everything
- Can't move it - Locked into Wix forever
- Limited features - Complex functionality is difficult
- SEO limitations - Harder to rank on Google
- No Jamaican payments - Can't integrate Lynk or local gateways easily
- Expensive long-term - $14-45/month adds up over years
Many businesses start with Wix, then outgrow it. Moving to WordPress later means rebuilding from scratch. You can't export a Wix site. If you think you'll grow, start with WordPress.
Squarespace: Pretty but Limited
Squarespace is known for beautiful templates, especially for photographers, artists, and portfolios. But it has similar limitations to Wix.
Best for:
- Photographers who need a stunning portfolio
- Artists and creatives showcasing work
- Simple one-page sites
Not ideal for:
- Businesses needing booking systems
- E-commerce with Jamaican payment gateways
- Sites that need to grow and add features
Custom-Built Websites
A fully custom website is built from scratch, specifically for your business. No WordPress, no templates—pure custom code.
When Custom Makes Sense:
- Complex applications - Loan management systems, multi-vendor marketplaces
- Unique functionality - Things no plugin can do
- High performance needs - Sites expecting massive traffic
- Integration requirements - Connecting to specific business systems
For most Jamaican small businesses, custom development is overkill. WordPress can do 95% of what you need at a fraction of the cost.
At Ezy Web Pro, we build most sites on WordPress because it gives our clients the best balance of features, cost, and ownership. But when a client truly needs custom software (like our Ezy Loan Manager or Ezy Car Rental systems), we build that too.
Cost Comparison Over 3 Years
Let's look at the real cost, not just the first year:
| Platform | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | 3-Year Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress (Pro setup) | $799 + $110 | $122 | $122 | $1,153 |
| Wix (Business plan) | $324 | $324 | $324 | $972 |
| Squarespace | $288 | $288 | $288 | $864 |
The numbers look similar, but consider: With WordPress, you own a professional site you can sell or transfer. With Wix/Squarespace, you're renting—stop paying and it disappears.
Which Platform for Which Business?
🍽️ Restaurant in Kingston
Recommendation: WordPress - You need online menus, maybe delivery ordering, reservation forms, and good local SEO. WordPress handles all of this with room to grow.
🏝️ Tour Operator in Montego Bay
Recommendation: WordPress + Booking Plugin - You need an online booking system that accepts deposits via Jamaican payment gateways. Our Ezy Travels Pro plugin does exactly this.
📸 Photographer in Ocho Rios
Recommendation: WordPress or Squarespace - Both work well for portfolios. WordPress if you want booking/scheduling built in; Squarespace if you only need a gallery.
🚗 Car Rental in Negril
Recommendation: WordPress + Custom Booking - You need vehicle availability, online reservations, and payment processing. Check out our Ezy Car Rental system.
💇 Salon in Mandeville
Recommendation: WordPress - Appointment booking, service menus, and staff profiles are easy with WordPress. Plus WhatsApp integration for quick bookings.
The Bottom Line
For most Jamaican businesses, WordPress is the best choice. It offers:
- ✓ Professional results without platform lock-in
- ✓ Support for Jamaican payment methods
- ✓ Better SEO for local searches
- ✓ Room to grow as your business grows
- ✓ True ownership of your website
Wix and Squarespace work for very simple sites where you want to DIY, but you'll likely outgrow them—and migration is painful.
Custom development makes sense only for complex applications that WordPress can't handle.
Need Help Deciding?
Not sure which platform is right for your business? Let's chat. We'll give you honest advice—even if the answer is "just use Wix."
Get Free Consultation WhatsApp UsFrequently Asked Questions
Is WordPress free?
The WordPress software is free. You pay for hosting ($100-150/year) and optionally for premium themes/plugins. Professional setup by a developer like us costs extra but saves you time and gets better results.
Can I switch from Wix to WordPress later?
Yes, but it means rebuilding your site from scratch. Wix doesn't allow you to export your site. This is why we recommend starting with WordPress if you plan to grow.
Is WordPress secure?
WordPress is secure when properly maintained. We implement security measures including firewalls, malware scanning, and regular updates. Hacks usually happen on abandoned or poorly-maintained sites.
Do you only build WordPress sites?
We primarily use WordPress because it's best for most clients, but we also build fully custom web applications when needed. See our custom software development services.