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Developer Tools · head to head

PhpStorm vs Wix

PhpStorm logo

PhpStorm

Developer Tools

JetBrains IDE for PHP web development

From
$24/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Wix logo

Wix

Web Development

Drag-and-drop website builder with hosting, e-commerce and marketing bundled into one subscription

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Wix has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: PhpStorm requires an ongoing paid subscription with no free tier for commercial use.; Wix there is no site export, so moving to another host means rebuilding the site from scratch; the blog exports as WXR and products as CSV but the design and app configuration do not come with you.
  • They diverge on capability: PhpStorm covers PHP-aware coding assistance, Wix covers Visual editor.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PhpStorm and Wix actually diverge.

Attributes where PhpStorm and Wix differ
AttributePhpStormWix
Starting price$24/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer site per month
Free tierNoYes
Platformswindows, mac, linuxWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryDeveloper ToolsWeb Development
Founded2000Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in PhpStorm

  • PHP-aware coding assistance
  • Integrated debugger
  • Front-end tooling
  • Database tools
  • Version control integration
  • Docker and remote deployment

Only in Wix

  • Visual editor
  • Wix ADI
  • App Market
  • Velo
  • Wix Payments
  • Bookings and Restaurants
  • Marketing suite
  • Managed hosting

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

PhpStorm

  • Building PHP web applications with Laravel or Symfonynot Wix
  • Debugging PHP code with Xdebugnot Wix
  • Working across PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in one projectnot Wix
  • Managing databases alongside application codenot Wix

Wix

  • A restaurant that needs a menu, online ordering and reservations live before the weekend without a developernot PhpStorm
  • A tradesperson or consultant who wants a credible five-page brochure site and a contact form without ongoing maintenancenot PhpStorm
  • A photographer or designer publishing a portfolio where visual control matters more than markup qualitynot PhpStorm
  • An agency using Wix Studio to deliver low-budget client sites on a fixed fee with client-editable content areasnot PhpStorm

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

PhpStorm

  • Requires an ongoing paid subscription with no free tier for commercial use.
  • Heavier and slower to start than lightweight code editors.
  • Some advanced framework-specific tooling requires additional configuration or plugins.
  • Renewal pricing rises for lapsed subscriptions after the grace period.

Wix

  • There is no site export, so moving to another host means rebuilding the site from scratch; the blog exports as WXR and products as CSV but the design and app configuration do not come with you.
  • Advertised prices are annual-billing rates and monthly billing costs substantially more, so the 17 USD Light plan is really 24 USD if you are not willing to commit for a year.
  • Templates cannot be swapped after publishing; changing the look of an existing site means rebuilding it page by page on a new template.
  • The absolute-positioning editor produces heavy markup and Wix sites routinely score poorly on Core Web Vitals compared with a hand-built or static site, which matters if organic search is your main channel.
  • E-commerce is gated behind the 39 USD Business tier, so a shop paying 29 USD on Core discovers mid-project that abandoned-cart recovery, subscriptions and multi-currency all need an upgrade.

Pricing, plan by plan

PhpStorm

$24/month
  • Individual$24/month
    • Personal use license
    • Access to PhpStorm
    • Free for students and open-source maintainers
  • Organization$34/month
    • Business use license
    • Access to PhpStorm
    • Volume and renewal discounts

Wix

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Wix subdomain only
    • Wix branding on every page
    • 500MB storage
  • Light$17/month
    • Custom domain
    • No Wix ads
    • 2GB storage
  • Core$29/month
    • Accept payments
    • 50GB storage
    • Basic marketing suite
  • Business$39/month
    • Full e-commerce
    • 100GB storage
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose PhpStorm if

  • You need php-aware coding assistance.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux.
  • You also want integrated debugger.
PhpStorm review

Choose Wix if

  • You need visual editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want wix adi.
Wix review

Questions people ask

Is PhpStorm or Wix better?
Neither clearly leads. PhpStorm starts at $24/month and Wix at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PhpStorm or Wix?
Wix has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $24/month for PhpStorm and Free for Wix.
Does PhpStorm or Wix run on more platforms?
PhpStorm runs on windows, mac, linux. Wix runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Wix for free?
Yes. Wix has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PhpStorm starts at $24/month.
What is PhpStorm best used for?
PhpStorm is most often used for building php web applications with laravel or symfony, debugging php code with xdebug, working across php, html, css, and javascript in one project, managing databases alongside application code. Of those, building php web applications with laravel or symfony and debugging php code with xdebug are not what Wix is typically brought in for.
What can PhpStorm do that Wix cannot?
PhpStorm covers PHP-aware coding assistance, Integrated debugger, Front-end tooling, Database tools. Wix covers Visual editor, Wix ADI, App Market, Velo.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PhpStorm: How much does PhpStorm cost?

PhpStorm is sold via JetBrains Toolbox subscription starting around $24/month for individuals and $34/month for organizations, with free licenses for students and open-source maintainers.

Source
Wix: Can I move my Wix site to WordPress?

Not directly. You can export blog posts as WXR and products as CSV, but the pages, design and app settings have to be rebuilt.

PhpStorm: Is there a free trial?

JetBrains offers a free trial of PhpStorm so developers can test it before subscribing.

Source
Wix: Is the free plan usable for a business?

No. It shows Wix ads on every page and does not allow a custom domain.

PhpStorm: What platforms does PhpStorm support?

PhpStorm is a desktop IDE available on Windows, macOS, and Linux via JetBrains Toolbox.

Source
Wix: Does Wix charge transaction fees?

Wix itself does not add a commission on paid plans, but Wix Payments charges standard card processing fees per transaction.

Wix: What is the difference between Wix and Wix Studio?

Studio is the agency-oriented editor with responsive CSS-grid layout, reusable design systems and client handover; it targets people building sites for other people.

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