Wedding Websites Comparison

Written By Genny Li

Zola, With Joy, or The Knot?

Differences, features, and which wedding planning website is best for you

Having all wedding information stored in one online site while having the flexibility to make changes & updates is extremely convenient for you and your guests. With all the different our there, it’s hard to choose between them all. As a planner, I documented what I’ve seen works best for couples below. This article compares the functionality of Zola, WithJoy, and The Knot which are the top 3 options among them all. Continue reading to see how each site offers functionality around RSVP & guest management, limiting access of the site, managing different events, and other features.

Feature Comparison

Zola

Pros:

  • Easy user interface with drag and drop functionality to add new or hide pages. Simple and clean templates to choose from.

  • Ability to Group guests based on relation to the couple. Makes it easier for inviting groups to different events.

  • Password protection available for the entire website.

  • Registry options for external sites & the ability to link your Venmo for cash funds. No fees!

  • Reliable & low levels of glitching reported by users (couples & guests)

Cons:

  • Messaging guests is a little clunky. It’s not very intuitive when you want to send a message or email to a specific group of users. Slightly manual.

  • Customizability of pre-selected templates is a little challenging. You are limited to the available Sections provided & may not be able to add new pages.

With Joy

Pros

  • Has the best Guest Management functionality where you can add Tags to each guest based on relationship, location, event, etc. Makes it easy to Filter & Sort based on various categories. See below screenshot for the example.

  • Also has a simple and clean user interface with the ability to customize on top of pre-selected templates

  • Ability to link a cash registry through Venmo or Paypal.

Cons

  • Users have reported glitches when using WithJoy as a couple and as guests.

  • Requires couples to download the mobile app in order to make edits on your phone.

The Knot

Pros

  • Large vendor marketplace if you are still searching for key vendors. Keep in mind these vendors do pay quite a bit to be advertised on The Knot.

  • Simple site, very easy to use. Has a useful planning checklist for couples who may be planning their own wedding.

Cons

  • Low level of customization with pre-selected templates. May not be able to add specific types of pages.

  • Users have reported glitchy behavior.

  • Users have reported challenges when importing guest addresses that are outside of the US and don’t follow the US address format.

Overall, I would recommend choosing between Zola or WithJoy for creating your wedding website.

Your decision can come down to how much customization you want on your website, how many unique events you are planning for guests, and personal preference on site usability. Zola may be better for couples who lean towards simplicity & ease of use. For couples who are planning elaborate, multi-event or multi-day weddings with guests of all different friend groups, With Joy may be better for granular categorization of each friend group.

I recommend creating an account on each website and play around with the features before committing to one platform for your wedding website. Create a test guest list to upload, browse the templates available, and see if you find one site easier to use than the other.

Tell me in the comments below which site you used for your wedding and what you loved or didn’t love about your experiences!

Genny Li
Next

5 Dripping Springs Rehearsal Dinner Venues