This article is part of our complete Wix guide.
A Wix to WordPress migration is usually driven by growth: you want more control over code and hosting, a specific plugin, a bigger content operation or simply ownership of every file. The catch is that Wix does not offer a full-site export. You cannot download a Wix site and upload it to WordPress. Instead, you rebuild the design in WordPress, move the content piece by piece and redirect every old URL so Google follows you.
This guide explains how to move your website from Wix to WordPress safely, what you can export, how to handle the domain, and how to protect the rankings you already have.
Key takeaways
- Wix has no full export, so design is rebuilt in WordPress and content is moved in parts.
- Products and contacts can be exported from Wix as CSV files; blog posts can be partly pulled via the RSS feed or copied manually.
- Recreate or improve each page’s SEO title and description, and map every Wix URL to its new WordPress URL.
- Build WordPress on new hosting first, then switch DNS only when everything is tested.
- Do not cancel your Wix premium plan until redirects, email and the domain are fully sorted.
In this guide
- Why move from Wix to WordPress?
- What can you export from Wix?
- Planning the migration
- How to migrate from Wix to WordPress step by step
- Moving your domain and email
- Protecting your SEO
- What changes after you move
- Common mistakes
- Frequently asked questions
Why move from Wix to WordPress?
Wix is a strong platform for many businesses, and in a lot of cases the right answer is to improve the Wix site rather than leave it. Our honest comparison of Wix vs WordPress SEO shows that both can rank well when set up properly. People typically move to WordPress when they need:
- Full ownership and portability. WordPress files and the database can be moved to any host at any time.
- Specialist plugins. Advanced membership rules, multi-vendor marketplaces, learning management systems or niche integrations.
- Large content sites. Publishers with thousands of articles, complex taxonomies and editorial workflows.
- Developer freedom. Custom themes, server-side code and direct database access.
If your main frustration is speed, design or rankings, check whether a Wix redesign or a Wix SEO audit would solve it for less effort. If WordPress is clearly the better long-term home, read on. Our WordPress website guide covers hosting, themes and plugins in more depth.
What can you export from Wix?
Knowing what leaves Wix cleanly, and what does not, shapes the whole project.
| Wix content | Export option | Into WordPress via |
|---|---|---|
| Site design and layout | None | Rebuild with a theme or page builder |
| Pages | Copy manually | Paste into the block editor or a builder |
| Blog posts | RSS feed (may include only recent posts) or manual copy | WordPress RSS importer, then manual for the rest |
| Images | Download from Media Manager | Upload to the Media Library |
| Store products | CSV export from Wix Stores | WooCommerce product CSV importer |
| Contacts | CSV export from Contacts | CRM, newsletter tool or WooCommerce customers |
| CMS collections | CSV export per collection | Custom post types with an import plugin |
| Bookings, forms, automations | Not transferable | Recreate with WordPress plugins |
Because Wix features evolve, check the Wix Help Center for the current export options for each app before you start.
How to plan a Wix to WordPress migration
List every URL
Download your Wix sitemap (yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml) and its sub-sitemaps for pages, posts, products and dynamic pages. Put every URL in a spreadsheet.
Mark your most valuable pages
From Google Search Console, export pages by clicks and impressions. Flag anything that brings traffic, leads or sales. Those pages must keep their content and receive exact redirects.
Choose your hosting and theme
Pick reliable managed WordPress hosting, a lightweight theme and a short list of well-maintained plugins. Our list of the best free WordPress themes is a good starting point.
Decide your new URL structure
Wix uses path prefixes such as /post/ for blog posts and /product-page/ for products. In WordPress you can set permalinks to /%postname%/ and choose product base URLs. Cleaner URLs are fine, as long as every old URL redirects.
How to migrate from Wix to WordPress step by step
- Set up WordPress on a temporary address. Install WordPress on your new hosting using a staging or temporary domain so you can build privately.
- Install the essentials. Theme, SEO plugin (Rank Math or Yoast), a form plugin, a caching or performance plugin, a backup plugin and security hardening.
- Rebuild the design. Recreate the header, footer, colours, fonts and page layouts. This is a chance to fix mobile issues and speed.
- Move pages. Copy each page’s text, re-upload images with good file names and alt text, and rebuild sections with blocks or your page builder.
- Move blog posts. Use the WordPress RSS importer with your Wix blog feed for recent posts, then copy older posts manually. Re-assign categories, authors and featured images.
- Move products. Export products from Wix Stores as CSV, map columns to the WooCommerce importer (name, SKU, price, description, variations, images) and import. Check a few products thoroughly.
- Recreate functionality. Forms, bookings, memberships and payments all need WordPress plugins and fresh configuration.
- Add SEO data. Copy each page’s SEO title, meta description and schema. Our Wix structured data guide lists the schema types worth carrying over.
- Create 301 redirects. Use a redirect plugin or your SEO plugin’s redirect manager to send each Wix URL to its WordPress equivalent.
- Test everything. Links, forms, checkout, mobile layout, page speed and tracking codes.
- Switch DNS. Point the domain to your new hosting, confirm SSL, then submit the new sitemap in Search Console.
Want this handled end to end? We plan and run migrations in both directions; start with our Wix services page or our WordPress services.
How to move your domain and email from Wix
How you handle the domain depends on where it is registered.
- Domain bought through Wix: you can either keep it registered at Wix and change its DNS records to point at your new hosting, or transfer it to another registrar. Transfers can take several days, so do not combine a transfer with launch day.
- Domain registered elsewhere: simply update the A record and CNAME (or nameservers) at your registrar to point to your new host.
- Email: if you use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, copy all MX, SPF, DKIM and verification records before changing anything. Missing MX records are the most common cause of lost email after a migration.
Keep your Wix premium plan active until DNS has switched, redirects work and you have confirmed no traffic is still reaching Wix. Our guide on connecting a domain to Wix explains the records Wix uses, which helps when reversing them.
How to protect your SEO when leaving Wix
Search engines need clear signals that your pages have moved, not disappeared.
- Exact 301 redirects: map /post/my-article to /my-article/ and /product-page/blue-mug to /product/blue-mug/, one by one. See how redirects work in our Wix 301 redirects guide; the same principles apply in WordPress.
- Same or better content: keep headings, body copy and images that ranked.
- Internal links updated: search your posts for old Wix URLs and replace them.
- Sitemap and Search Console: submit the new sitemap, then watch the Pages report for 404s. Our Google indexing guide explains what each status means.
| Old Wix URL pattern | Typical new WordPress URL |
|---|---|
| /post/post-name | /post-name/ |
| /product-page/product-name | /product/product-name/ |
| /blog/categories/category-name | /category/category-name/ |
| /about-us | /about-us/ |
What changes after you move to WordPress?
On Wix, hosting, security patches and platform updates happen in the background. On WordPress, those jobs become yours (or your developer’s). Plan for them before launch so the new site stays fast and safe.
| Task | On Wix | On WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting and server | Included and managed by Wix | Chosen and paid for separately |
| Core and plugin updates | Automatic | Run regularly, ideally after testing on staging |
| Backups | Site History built in | Backup plugin or host backups, stored off-site |
| Security | Handled by the platform | Firewall, strong logins, two-factor authentication |
| Speed | Platform-level optimisation | Caching, image compression and good hosting |
A simple monthly routine covers most of it: update plugins and themes, confirm backups are restorable, check Search Console for errors and test your contact forms. Many owners prefer a small maintenance plan so nothing slips. If you are moving because you need custom features rather than because Wix is failing you, it is also worth comparing the cost of that ongoing upkeep with building the feature on Wix using Velo custom code or a custom Wix app. Sometimes staying and extending is the cheaper route.
Common Wix to WordPress migration mistakes
- Expecting an export button. Budget time for a rebuild; there is no automatic site transfer.
- Images still hosted on Wix. If you copy post HTML, images may still load from Wix servers and vanish later. Always re-upload.
- Too many plugins. Replacing every Wix app with a separate plugin slows the site and increases maintenance.
- No maintenance plan. WordPress needs updates, backups and security monitoring that Wix used to handle for you.
- Forgetting dynamic pages. Wix CMS dynamic pages often carry many indexed URLs; they need custom post types and redirects too.
Need help with a Wix to WordPress migration? Let MIVAQ do it for you
We work with Wix and WordPress every day, which means we know the quirks of both. For a Wix to WordPress migration, MIVAQ will:
- Audit your Wix site, export all available data and build a URL redirect map
- Set up fast WordPress hosting, a lightweight theme and only the plugins you need
- Rebuild your design and move pages, posts, images, products and CMS content
- Configure redirects, SEO titles, schema and Search Console
- Move your domain safely without interrupting email
Every project starts with a free consultation and a fixed-price quote. See our Wix services and web design services, then reach out:
- WhatsApp: message us
- Email: hello@mivaq.com
- Form: send your project details
Related Wix guides
- How to move your website from WordPress to Wix
- Wix vs Squarespace compared
- Is Wix good for small business?
- Wix CMS and dynamic pages explained
- Wix vs Shopify for online stores
- The complete Wix guide
Frequently asked questions
Can I export my Wix site to WordPress?
Not as a complete site. You can export products, contacts and CMS collections as CSV files and pull some blog posts via RSS, but the design must be rebuilt in WordPress.
Will moving from Wix to WordPress improve my SEO?
Not automatically. Rankings depend on content, links and technical setup. WordPress gives more control, but a well-optimised Wix site can rank just as well.
Can I keep my Wix domain if I move to WordPress?
Yes. You can keep it registered with Wix and point its DNS to your new host, or transfer it to another registrar.
How much does a Wix to WordPress migration cost?
It depends on the number of pages, posts and products and any custom features. A simple site is far cheaper than a store with hundreds of products, so ask for a fixed quote.
Can MIVAQ move my Wix site to WordPress?
Yes. We handle the full migration, from hosting and design to redirects and SEO, for a fixed price. Get a free consultation.
Conclusion
Leaving Wix for WordPress means rebuilding rather than exporting, so plan carefully: list every URL, export what you can, rebuild on staging, redirect everything and switch DNS last. With that approach you gain WordPress’s flexibility while keeping your traffic. If you want experienced hands on the project, send us your site details for a fixed-price migration plan.
