Editor X is a new drag-and-drop website builder from Wix that offers more flexibility for designers and agencies. It’s a whole lot more complex than the original Wix editor, but Editor X is unparalleled for designers who want complete control over their website.
In fact, Editor X is one of the most advanced website builders we’ve tested yet, with features like a built-in development environment, simultaneous editing, and database support. It's definitely a step up from the original Wix, but if you're up for jumping into the world of web building, this is a fantastic platform to launch off. Be sure to see our page on Editor X vs Squarespace, too.
In our Editor X review, we’ll cover the potential of the platform, but if you want further details on the other best website builder (opens in new tab), we've got you covered.
Editor X's key features
Editor X does everything you’d expect a website builder to do and offers dozens of content elements to help you build your site. We’ll focus on some of the key features that make Editor X stand out from other website builders.
Collaboration is something that very few website builders offer, but it’s an essential feature for design teams.
With Editor X, simultaneous editing is supported. That means that you can see where other designers are working on a page, and all changes are instantly visible to everyone. In addition, the platform makes it possible to leave comments on individual content elements and to tag collaborators.
You also have the option to set up user roles and define permissions for every person on your team. This feature is especially suitable for design agencies that build sites for clients. You can enable clients to make content changes, but restrict access to more fundamental design features or a site’s theme styles.
Editor X gives you full access to your site’s code and the ability to add your own custom HTML or CSS. You can also run custom Javascript code, which is typically used for creating dynamic content that changes based on who is viewing your site. A built-in integrated development environment (IDE)—essentially, an interactive code editor—makes it easy to modify code as you build your site.
The platform also offers support for custom databases, which are useful for managing large amounts of content. You can import and export data from a CSV file. That’s especially helpful if you’re migrating from an existing site built on a content management system like WordPress.
Editor X uses content collections to speed up site design and make it easier to organise large projects. A collection is essentially a database that can be deployed instantly across your website.
To give an example of how this works, Editor X includes a pre-made collection called Teams. The database includes information about each of your organisation’s employees, such as their names, positions, contact information, headshots, and any other custom content you want to include.
You can use this database to create a standalone about page on your website, complete with information about each of your employees. Since the collection is a database, for this example, it would be easy to update information in bulk as your staff grew and turned over.
Editor X has access to more than 250 free and paid apps in the Wix App Market. These apps can help with marketing, product shipping, merchandising, and blogging.
You have access to all of the same apps available in Wix, but the catch is that not every app works with Editor X just yet. The platform is working on this, but for now it’s impossible to know which Wix apps will work with Editor X and which won’t without just trying them.
While this can be frustrating, we’re excited to see that Editor X offers plenty of room for expansion, particularly when it comes to marketing and ecommerce.
Editor X: pricing
Editor X offers six plans. For sites that don’t need e-commerce, there are the Essential, Extra, and Ultra plans. For e-commerce sites, there are the Launch, Boost, and Scale plans. All e-commerce plans include unlimited products and abandoned cart recovery.
All plans include 24/7 customer service and enable you to add your own custom domain. Note that storage space and video hours are limited for all plans, which can be problematic for videographers or those who are using their sites to host large files.
All Editor X plans are paid monthly. You can try out any plan free for 14 days.
| Plan type/feature | Essential | Extra | Ultra | Launch | Boost | Scale | Wix-Combo | Squarespace - Personal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per month | $22 | $35 | $49 | $29 | $69 | $219 | $14 | $16 |
| Cost per year | $264 | $420 | $588 | $348 | $828 | $2,628 | $168 | $144 (Save 25%) |
| Storage | 10GB | 20GB | 35GB | 20GB | 35GB | 50GB | 2GB | Unlimited |
| E-commerce | X | X | X | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | X |
| Sell subscriptions | X | X | X | X | ✓ | ✓ | X | X |
| Custom reporting | X | X | X | X | X | ✓ | X | X |
Editor X: what’s new?
Editor X was just released in February 2021, so nearly everything about the platform is new. Still, the team behind Editor X has been hard at work making improvements.
Over the past year, Editor X has gone from having only 8 templates to 28. More are promised to be on the way.
Perhaps the best change in the past year is the introduction of Academy X, an online library of video tutorials and hands-on exercises to teach you the ins and outs of the Editor X platform. There are currently 23 videos, and we expect to see more tutorials added to Academy X over time.
Editor X’s competitors
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Editor X | Wix | Squarespace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | 3.5/5 |
| Pros | - Extremely flexible site editor - Supports simultaneous editing | - More than 800 templates - Expansive app marketplace | - Affordable e-commerce plans - Beautiful templates |
| Cons | - Steep learning curve - Not all Wix apps are compatible yet | - Time-consuming to build a site - Cannot change templates | - Site editor isn’t always intuitive - No free plan |
| Verdict | Editor X is an advanced website builder that caters to web developers and design agencies. It offers more control and flexibility than any other website builder we’ve tested, but the learning curve is steep. | Wix is a highly flexible drag-and-drop website builder that’s still friendly to beginners. It’s a little expensive, but the app market makes it a great choice for growing online stores. | Squarespace offers beautifully designed templates and affordable plan options, particularly for e-commerce websites. However, the drag-and-drop editor isn’t as straightforward or as customizable as we’d like. |
| View deals | Visit site | Visit site | Visit site |
Editor X: the test
We put Editor X to the test by creating a new website. Along the way, we tested out all of the platform’s key features and evaluated how easy the platform is to use.
How does Editor X’s site editor work?
Editor X’s drag-and-drop site editor is one of the most unique we’ve tested. It offers a wide range of design tools that give you extensive control over every aspect of your site.
For example, when building a new site, we were able to split each section of a page into a grid. To expand or contract each cell, all we had to do was click on its boundaries and drag. That made it possible to control the layout of our site to an extent that isn’t possible with any other website builder we’ve tested.
Even better, Editor X enabled us to organise our content elements into layers. That enabled us to position elements so that they’re overlapping. It also made it easier to keep track of content elements on complex pages.
One thing that’s important to note is that Editor X templates are responsive for mobile devices, but the wealth of customisation options meant that they did not always respond in the way we expected. We could edit our tablet and mobile website directly, and the platform gave us plenty of control over how content elements are resized and where section breakpoints are located as visitors scroll. However, redesigning a site for mobile can take a lot of time.
How responsive is Editor X’s customer service?
Editor X’s customer support team is available by phone and email 24/7. To get in touch by phone, we first needed to describe our request to a chatbot. Then we could request a callback immediately or schedule a call for any time in the next five days.
When we tried to reach support, the chatbot reported a 36-minute wait, so we opted for a callback the next day. The representative we spoke with was knowledgeable about Editor X, which is reassuring, since the support team is shared between Editor X and Wix.
It’s also worth noting that Editor X’s online support resources are extensive. An online help centre includes dozens of tutorials for basic editing tasks, while the Academy X module offers interactive lessons and videos to show some of the platform’s more advanced capabilities.
Editor X also has an online user forum that’s fairly active. Based on a survey of past posts, Editor X’s support team typically answers questions in the forum within a day.
Alternatives to Editor X
It’s worth considering how Editor X stacks up against popular site builders like Wix and Squarespace.
Wix is the parent company behind both Wix and Editor X, so it’s especially interesting to consider how these two platforms differ. Wix is a beginner-friendly website builder that offers a fair number of customisation options. You can drag and drop content elements anywhere on the page, including in overlapping positions. You also have the ability to directly edit your mobile website, just like you can in Editor X.
One major difference between Wix and Editor X is that Wix has more than 800 templates, while Editor X only has 28. Some of the templates in Wix are specialised for e-commerce sites, while none of the Editor X templates are.
We think the choice between Editor X and Wix comes down to whether or not Wix’s customisation options are enough for you. If they are, then Wix is easier to use, doesn’t require any coding, and costs less. You might prefer Editor X if simultaneous editing is important to you or if you want to add Javascript to your site. Check out our full Wix review (opens in new tab) for more details.
Squarespace doesn’t offer as much flexibility as either Wix or Editor X. However, its template selection is hard to beat, especially for photographers, artists, and other creatives in need of a portfolio or online store. Another benefit to Squarespace is that all plans come with unlimited storage, which isn’t available for either Wix or Editor X.
Editor X and Squarespace cater to very different users. If you want total control over your site and the ability to dive into your site’s code, then Editor X is by far the better choice. If you prefer a simple drag-and-drop editor with beautiful pre-made templates, then you’ll likely prefer Squarespace. Check out our full Squarespace review (opens in new tab) for more information.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Editor X | Wix | Squarespace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Templates | 28 | 800 | 110 |
| Simultaneous editing | Yes | No | No |
| Support | 24/7 chat and email | 24/7 chat and email | 24/7 chat and email |
| Basic plan | $22/mo | $14/mo | $16/mo |
Editor X is one of the most powerful website builders we’ve tested. It offers far more flexibility than competing site builders like Wix and Squarespace, especially if you’re comfortable diving into your site’s code. In addition, Editor X offers several features that we haven’t seen anywhere else, such as support for simultaneous editing, custom databases, and a built-in IDE.
All of these capabilities make Editor X an incredibly powerful platform for website developers and creative agencies. It’s especially good for collaborative teams that can work in tandem to design a site, build databases, and create dynamic pages with custom code.
That said, Editor X isn’t a great choice for everyday website creators, especially first-time web designers. Its advanced feature set makes it difficult to get started with. You also lose out on basics like a wide range of template options and simple mobile responsiveness. If you want a lot of flexibility to design a website but don’t want to do any coding, Wix or Squarespace may be better options.
Overall, we think Editor X is a great addition to the website builder landscape. It combines the capabilities of a content management system with the fluidity of a drag-and-drop website builder. We’re excited to see where Wix will take Editor X as the platform continues to grow.
Want to explore some other alternatives to Editor X? Check out our guides to the best website builders for artists (opens in new tab) and the best website builders for small business (opens in new tab). We’ve also covered how to choose the best website builder (opens in new tab) for you.
- Read more: Wix vs Shopify
