How to Choose Between Showit vs. WordPress in 2024

WordPress has longggg been the go-to solution for many wellness providers, because it’s so customizable and boasts tons of plugins (looking at you, dietitian recipe bloggers!). It’s a platform that offers incredible flexibility, allowing you to create virtually any type of website you can imagine. 

But… there’s a but. With this flexibility comes complexity and a significant investment of time and technical know-how, and as website builders have improved in user-friendliness, more wellness pros are exploring other options for their site.

For those who want a simpler, more intuitive option without sacrificing the ability to create a beautifully customized website – Showit’s your scene, hands down.

Here’s exactly how my clients choose between Showit vs. WordPress sites!

Showit vs. WordPress: What’s the Difference?

The main differences between Showit and WordPress are:

• Ease of customization (Showit is easier by far)
• Maintenance (Showit requires less maintenance, but you control a little less)
• Integrated features (WordPress has slightly more)

Both Showit and WordPress are powerful website design platforms, but they cater to different needs and preferences – so really, it’s about what you want and need in your site.

Showit vs. WordPress: Design & User Interface

Design Capabilities

Showit’s visual design tool offers unrivaled creative control – you can literally drag and drop to create your design! You also don't need any coding knowledge to create a site that’s uniquely yours, making it perfect for those who want to focus on aesthetics and user experience without diving into technical details.

WordPress offers extensive customization through themes and plugins. However, creating a distinctive design often requires knowledge of coding languages like HTML, CSS, and PHP. Customizing themes and managing plugins can be intricate and time-consuming, which means you’ll have to call in more professional support.

Showit vs. WordPress: Integrations and Features

Ease of Integrations

Showit integrates smoothly with various third-party tools, offering robust solutions for businesses. Whether it’s email marketing, client scheduling, or e-commerce (via platforms like ThriveCart), Showit ensures these integrations are hassle-free, allowing you to maintain focus on your business operations.

WordPress is renowned for its extensive plugin ecosystem, enabling almost any functionality you can imagine. This makes it highly adaptable but also introduces complexity, as plugins can conflict with each other and require regular updates to maintain site stability and security.

SEO Capabilities

Showit leverages WordPress for blogging, providing access to powerful SEO tools like Yoast SEO. This integration ensures that you get the best of both worlds: Showit’s design freedom combined with WordPress’s SEO prowess, making it easier to rank higher in search engine results.

WordPress is often the go-to for SEO enthusiasts, thanks to its wide array of SEO plugins and customization options. However, effectively using these tools requires a solid understanding of SEO practices and plugin management.

Showit vs. WordPress: Maintenance and Updates

Maintenance Complexity

Showit offers a streamlined experience by handling all technical aspects for you. With Showit, you don’t have to worry about hosting, updates, or security. This managed approach allows you to concentrate on your content and business growth, instead of your website 24/7.

Fun fact: Since I design on Showit, I actually don't offer maintenance plans – because my clients don't need them! It's allowed both them and me the peace of mind to move to as-needed design updates, instead of expending our energy just to keep the site up.

WordPress requires regular maintenance, including updates for the core software, themes, and plugins. These updates are crucial for security and functionality but can also cause compatibility issues. Managing these aspects often requires technical expertise or the help of a professional (meaning, you'll be paying someone each month on top of your various subscriptions).

Security Management

Showit provides a secure, managed hosting environment, significantly reducing the risk of common security issues. You can trust that your site is protected without needing to install and manage additional security plugins.

WordPress, while secure, is a frequent target for hackers due to its popularity. Ensuring your site remains secure involves regular updates, security plugins, and proactive monitoring, adding to the overall maintenance burden.

Showit vs. WordPress: Blogging

Showit integrates with WordPress for blogging, allowing you to take advantage of WordPress’s powerful content management system (CMS). This setup offers a seamless blogging experience within Showit’s flexible design framework, making it easy to manage and publish content. And because any non-blog pages don't rely on WordPress (they're designed in Showit!), it's a much smoother and easier design setup.

Click here for the full breakdown of how blogging with Showit and WordPress works!

Showit vs. WordPress: Pricing

Showit offers all-in-one pricing that covers the design platform, hosting, and customer support, starting at $228/year. This straightforward pricing model simplifies budgeting and minimizes unexpected costs, making it easier to manage expenses.

WordPress itself is free, but there are costs associated with premium themes, plugins, and hosting. Depending on your needs, these costs can quickly add up, potentially making WordPress more expensive in the long run.

You Should Choose Showit If…

• You value creative freedom and an intuitive design process without coding.
• You prefer a hassle-free solution where hosting, maintenance, and security are managed for you.
• You need the ability to design distinct desktop and mobile experiences effortlessly.
• You want to leverage WordPress’s powerful blogging tools within a more user-friendly design platform.

You Should Choose WordPress If…

• You need extensive flexibility and a wide range of customization options through plugins and themes.
• You are comfortable managing technical aspects like updates, security, and plugin conflicts.
• You require advanced e-commerce capabilities and are willing to invest time in setting up and maintaining your site.