Hostinger suits owners who want hosting for a few sites with a choice of an AI builder, WordPress or Node.js, because its Premium plan covers 3 websites. Wix suits owners who want one site built, hosted and managed in a single drag-and-drop editor, and it lets you start on a free plan. If you want WordPress, it's Hostinger. If you never want to think about hosting, it's Wix.
Both of these can get a small business online quickly, but they start from opposite ends. Hostinger is a web host that added an AI builder. Wix is a website builder that includes hosting. I read Hostinger's web hosting page and Wix's plans page, so every detail below comes from them.
Hostinger and Wix plans compared
| Hostinger | Wix | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Not listed on the hosting page | Yes, Free (site on a Wix URL) |
| What you're getting | Web hosting | Website builder with hosting |
| Websites per plan | 3 on Premium; unlimited on Unlimited | Not stated on the plans page |
| How you build | AI Builder, WordPress or Node.js | Drag and drop editor with thousands of templates |
| Storage | 20 GB SSD on Premium | 2 GB on Light; 50 GB on Core |
| Backups | Free weekly backups on Premium | Not covered on the plans page |
| Domain | Free for 1 year | Free for 1 year on upgraded plans |
| 2 mailboxes per website, free for 1 year | Not covered on the plans page | |
| Team access | Not covered on the hosting page | 2 site collaborators on Light, 5 on Core, 10 on Business |
Hostinger: hosting with a builder inside
Hostinger's Premium plan is described as great for creators and small brands. It covers 3 websites, a domain free for the first year, 20 GB of SSD storage, free weekly backups, ecommerce, a CDN and priority 24/7 support. You can build with Hostinger's AI Builder, WordPress or Node.js, and each website gets 2 mailboxes free for the first year.
Unlimited moves you to unlimited websites and mailboxes. Hostinger also offers a connector so Cursor, Claude or any MCP client can talk to your hosting, which is handy if you're building with AI tools.
Wix: build and host in one place
Wix lets you create a site for free and pick a plan when you're ready. The free plan includes hosting, the drag-and-drop editor, no-code design features and thousands of templates, but your site sits on a Wix address like username.wixsite.com until you connect your own domain. Upgraded plans add a custom domain, more storage, marketing tools and site collaborators: 2 on Light, 5 on Core and 10 on Business, with ecommerce and bookings from Core.
Every Wix upgraded plan lists AI creation tools and 24/7 customer care, and Business Elite raises collaborators to 100 with unlimited storage, which suits a growing team that shares one site.
The free plan question
Here's where they part ways for a brand-new business. Wix lets you build and publish for free, so you can get a site live and show it to people before you commit, as long as you're happy with a Wix web address for now. Hostinger doesn't list a free plan on its hosting page, but its Premium plan hosts 3 sites on your own domains with weekly backups. So Wix is the easier way to test an idea. Hostinger is the roomier home once you know you'll run more than one site, or you want WordPress.
Which owner each one suits
Hostinger suits owners who want WordPress, plan to run a few sites, or like the idea of building with AI and keeping full control. Wix suits owners who want one polished site with bookings or a shop, built in one editor with no hosting decisions. If you're weighing builders more widely, read my take on Wix vs WordPress for a small business website and my guide to choosing a hosting provider.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
My advice before you build
Decide whether you want WordPress. If you do, Hostinger is the natural fit, and its Premium plan gives you room for a second site later. If you don't, build your homepage on Wix's free plan first and see if the editor feels easy. Either way, register your domain name today, because the right name matters more than the platform underneath it.
Do you make website building or hosting software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
Frequently asked questions
Does Wix have a free plan?
Yes. Wix lets you create and publish a site for free on a Wix address, then upgrade to connect a custom domain.
Does Hostinger have a free plan?
Hostinger's web hosting page doesn't list a free plan. Its Premium plan hosts 3 websites with a domain free for the first year.
Can I use WordPress on Wix?
No. Wix uses its own editor. Hostinger lets you build with WordPress, its AI Builder or Node.js.
Does Hostinger include backups?
Yes. Hostinger's Premium plan lists free weekly backups.
