Web design guide
The Best Wix Alternative for Canadian Small Businesses (Own It Instead of Renting)
If you're tired of paying Wix every month and worried you can never really leave, you're not alone. Here's a simpler way: pay once for a website whose files you keep, with no GetFavours subscription and no lock-in.
Why Canadian businesses look past Wix
The first reason is the bill that never ends. Wix runs $17 to $159 a month. That's every month, forever, just to keep your site online. Stop paying and the site goes away.
The second reason is harder to see until you try to leave. Wix is a closed platform. You can't export your site's design. You can pull out some content like your contact list or store data as a CSV, but the actual site you paid to build stays behind. After years of payments, you walk away with nothing to show for it.
For a lot of owners, that's the moment the search for a Wix alternative in Canada really begins.
Squarespace has the same problem
If you're weighing Squarespace as the next step, know that it's the same rent-forever model. It runs $16 to $99 a month, and the export is limited XML only. No images come with it, and Squarespace 7.1 doesn't support XML export at all.
So a Squarespace alternative isn't really an alternative if you're still renting and still locked in. The question isn't which platform to rent from. It's whether you should be renting at all.
What to actually look for in an alternative
Ownership comes first. When you pay, you should get the real files and keep your own domain. That's yours to walk away with.
Then editability. You should be able to make changes yourself without learning code or calling anyone. Hosting freedom matters too. Host it wherever you want, even on your own setup, and switch any time.
Last is cost that makes sense. A clear one-time price beats a monthly bill that runs as long as your business does.
GetFavours is the own-it alternative
We build you a custom website and hand it over. You get the finished site files and keep your own domain. We also include a plain-English PDF guide that walks you through editing it yourself, written for a business owner, not a developer.
Pricing is one-time and clear. Starter, a single page, is from $249. Business, multi-page with online booking or a quote form, is from $599. Custom builds start from $1,200. For comparison, freelancers elsewhere typically charge $500 to $5,000, and agencies $5,000 to $50,000 or more for a one-time build.
Host it anywhere you like. If you'd rather not deal with hosting, an optional care plan runs from $39 a month, but it's never required. The site files are yours either way.
Own it, don't rent it
The simple difference: rent a site from Wix or Squarespace and you pay forever, then leave with nothing. Buy one from GetFavours and you pay once, keep the finished files, and keep your domain.
Any business type, anywhere in Canada. One price, no subscription, no lock-in.
Frequently asked questions
Can I move my Wix site to GetFavours?
We build you a fresh custom site rather than moving the old one. Wix doesn't let you export your site's design, so it can't be lifted out cleanly. You can bring over content like text, images and your contact list, and we build the new site around it. You keep your domain.
Do I really own the website?
You get the finished site files and keep your own domain. The site is yours to host anywhere, edit yourself, and keep with no ongoing payment to us; you pay your domain and hosting directly. Section 8 of our Terms (getfavours.com/terms) sets out exactly what is handed over.
What does it cost compared to Wix?
GetFavours is one-time: Starter from $249, Business from $599, Custom from $1,200. Wix is $17 to $159 every month with no end. Over two or three years, the one-time price usually works out cheaper, and you keep the files.
Is GetFavours a good Squarespace alternative too?
Yes. Squarespace is the same rent-forever model at $16 to $99 a month with limited XML export and no images, and 7.1 doesn't support XML export at all. With GetFavours you pay once and keep the finished files instead of renting.
Can I edit the site myself after it's built?
Yes. Every build comes with a plain-English PDF guide that walks you through making changes, written for a non-technical owner. No code and no calls required.
Do I have to pay a monthly fee?
Not to GetFavours. There's no required subscription, and your domain and hosting are paid directly to those companies. You can host the site anywhere, even locally. If you'd like us to handle hosting and upkeep, there's an optional care plan from $39 a month, but it's entirely your choice.
Own your website — from $249
Pay once, keep the finished site files, and edit it yourself with a plain-English guide. Tell us what you need and we’ll build it — for any local business.