Zola vs WithJoy: Which Wedding Website Builder Wins in 2025?

Last Updated on June 2, 2025 by Joy Editors

Your choice between Zola and WithJoy for your wedding website can substantially affect your planning journey. The last thing you need is more stress from picking the wrong digital platform while planning your big day.

Our comparison of WithJoy and Zola shows some key differences. Zola stands out as a detailed wedding planning solution. Their platform combines registry options, website tools, and planning features in one place. Couples can access products, cash funds, and experiences easily. Joy takes a different approach with its efficient and accessible platform that many couples prefer.

Zola’s modern website templates and responsive customer service make it stand out. Their post-wedding discounts on unpurchased registry items give newlyweds extra value. All the same, Joy’s easy-to-use interface creates a better experience for couples throughout their wedding planning journey.

This detailed comparison will help you understand how these platforms match up in 2025. We’ll look at design options, registry features, guest management tools, and user experience. You’ll know exactly which wedding website builder fits your needs best by the time you finish reading.

Website Design and Customization Options

Your wedding website’s look creates the first impression for guests. Both Zola and WithJoy take different approaches to design and customization that show their unique style priorities.

Template Variety: Zola’s Modern vs WithJoy’s Minimalist Esthetic

WithJoy comes with an amazing 601 design themes, which is a big deal as it means that Zola’s 148 professional templates. WithJoy’s style options range from bright florals to elegant minimalist designs. Couples can find exactly what matches their vision.

WithJoy templates put photos front and center, making engagement pictures look stunning. These designs blend great looks with practical features. The result feels personal yet professional. Zola sticks to traditional designs, while WithJoy brings a fresh, modern feel that strikes a chord with today’s couples.

The bottom line? Zola keeps things polished and modern, but WithJoy gives you more choices. Their clean, minimalist look appeals to couples who want something unique yet elegant.

How Each Platform Works on Phones

Your wedding website needs to work perfectly on smartphones. WithJoy shines here – their templates look great on any screen size. Your guests will have a smooth experience whatever device they use.

WithJoy also has its own app for iOS and Android. Couples can update their sites on the go. The platform sends alerts about RSVPs and other key updates. You’ll know what’s happening without checking email.

Zola has an app too, but it’s mostly for planning tasks rather than making things easier for guests on mobile devices. WithJoy thinks about both – making things simple for couples and guests alike.

Making It Your Own: Fonts, Colors, and Layouts

WithJoy gives you more room to customize with two layout options: a cool horizontal single-page design and a classic vertical multi-page layout with tabs. You can pick the style that tells your story best.

WithJoy lets you control:

• Colors down to the exact hex code
• Lots of fonts you can sort through
• Art backgrounds from subtle to bold
• CSS tweaks for single-page layouts

Zola keeps things more limited. One review mentions you “can select your theme but cannot change fonts or colors to reflect your personality”. You can adjust some colors, but there’s not much room to make the site truly yours.

WithJoy also lets you add videos next to pictures, which makes storytelling more interesting than Zola’s picture-only approach. Couples who want their personality to shine through will find WithJoy offers more ways to customize.

The best part? WithJoy stays user-friendly even with all these options. You don’t need to be tech-savvy to create something beautiful. This mix of powerful features and easy use makes WithJoy stand out for couples who want both freedom and simplicity in their wedding website design.

Registry Features and Integration

Managing a wedding registry can feel overwhelming. The right platform makes this task much easier. Zola and Joy take different approaches to registry management that match different couples’ priorities.

Cash Funds and Gifts: Zola’s Store vs WithJoy’s Flexibility

Zola’s all-in-one registry stands out with 500+ brands and 50,000+ gifts. Couples can browse through many options and store items until they need them shipped. This creates a convenient shopping experience.

Joy really shines with its zero-fee cash registry system. Many couples love this feature more than Zola’s offerings. Joy gives you several payment choices:

• Direct integration with Venmo, PayPal, and CashApp
• Credit card contributions via Stripe with minimal processing fees
• Price matching options you won’t find on Zola

Keep in mind that Joy gets 100% positive feedback for its fee-free structure on cash gifts. Zola adds processing fees for credit card transactions.

Third-Party Integration: Amazon, Target, and More

These platforms handle external registry integration differently. Zola brings in items from other registries and updates prices and availability every 24 hours. Guests can see everything in one place but buy items on the external site.

Joy blends naturally with major retailers like Crate & Barrel, Amazon, Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, West Elm, Target, Macy’s, and even Zola. You’ll see all gifts in one place, including items added through Joy.

The biggest difference shows up in Joy’s third-party integration. Joy focuses on making gift management easier rather than putting all checkouts in one place.

Post-Wedding Discounts: Zola’s Perks vs WithJoy’s Simplicity

Zola gives couples a nice 20% completion discount on remaining registry items for six months after the wedding. You’ll need to set your wedding date, create the registry at least 30 days before the wedding, and receive one gift through your registry.

Joy takes a more relaxed approach to registry management. Rather than offering post-wedding discounts, Joy focuses on zero-fee cash transfers and easier thank-you note management. Many couples find these features more valuable in the long run.

Your choice between Zola and Joy might come down to what matters most to you – getting discounts on physical gifts or avoiding fees on cash gifts throughout your registry experience.

Guest Management and RSVP Tools

Guest management can make or break your wedding planning experience, especially when you have RSVPs coming in. Zola and WithJoy each take their own unique approach to managing this vital part of wedding preparation.

RSVP Tracking: Manual vs Automated Options

Joy stands out with its detailed RSVP management system that syncs responses with your guest list database automatically. You can see who got invitations, who opened them, and who still needs to respond. Joy also sends automated RSVP reminders to follow up with late guests, so you don’t have to send those awkward check-in texts.

Zola’s RSVP system updates your guest list with up-to-the-minute data analysis and sends email notifications for guest responses. Notwithstanding that, you’ll need to send reminders yourself to guests as the RSVP deadline approaches since Zola doesn’t have automated reminders.

Joy’s automation features save significant time during the busy planning period if you want to reduce administrative tasks.

Guest Messaging and Announcements

Joy’s up-to-the-minute notification system makes guest communication simple. You can send quick updates about transportation changes, weather alerts, or dress code reminders right through the platform.

Both platforms let guests add custom information beyond just saying if they’re coming. You can collect their meal priorities, dietary restrictions, song requests, and travel details.

Joy really shines with its messaging options:

• Digital guestbook where guests leave personal notes
• Knowing how to control which guests see certain events prevents awkward situations
• Group messaging helps coordinate communications

Zola’s messaging system isn’t a match for Joy’s sophisticated privacy controls and grouping options, offering just simple functionality.

Event Scheduling and Calendar Sync

Joy lets you create different schedules for different guest groups with multiple event privacy options. This helps manage pre-wedding events like rehearsal dinners or post-wedding brunches where you want limited guest lists.

Calendar integration comes with both platforms, but Joy goes further. Guests can access schedules and even use rideshare apps directly through your website. Out-of-town guests find this helpful when navigating unfamiliar areas.

Joy’s accessible interface keeps everything in one place with its dashboard. This creates a smooth RSVP experience that handles travel plans and hotel requests without overwhelming your guests.

Joy delivers more user-friendly and detailed tools throughout the guest management process compared to Zola’s simpler functionality.

Planning Tools and User Experience

Good wedding planning tools are the secret behind every successful wedding. Let’s look at how these platforms handle wedding management differently.

Checklist and Timeline Tools: Zola’s Planner vs WithJoy’s Dashboard

Zola’s planning system works around a customizable checklist that creates timelines based on your wedding date. You just need to enter your date once, and Zola sets up a personal schedule with deadlines that line up with typical planning milestones. The system even works with cultural and religious traditions, so you won’t miss anything important.

Joy takes planning a step further with its complete dashboard that works like a command center for all wedding preparations. The dashboard brings together guest list management with a smart tagging system, RSVP tracking that has custom questions, and event scheduling that lets you control who sees what. Joy’s centralized approach makes it much better at keeping everything organized and running smoothly.

Vendor Access: Zola’s Marketplace vs WithJoy’s External Linking

Zola has a large marketplace where couples can find service providers based on where they are, what they can spend, and when they’re free. You’ll find venues, photographers, caterers, and more—with reviews and portfolios right there on the platform.

Joy takes a different path by making it easier to manage vendors you’ve already picked, mostly through external linking. While you won’t find as many new vendors this way, couples like the freedom to work with their preferred vendors outside the platform.

Ease of Use: Setup Time and Learning Curve

Joy stands out with its quick setup process and accessible interface. Users say Joy’s wedding websites are “very easy to create and use—a major bonus for those of us that don’t have a Ph.D. in web design.” You can change any design element whenever you want without limits, which works great for couples who want flexibility without complications.

Zola’s more complete system can take longer to learn. While it’s powerful, some users need more time to get comfortable with all its features.

Joy offers a more user-friendly experience without losing any key planning features, which makes it perfect for couples who want both simplicity and functionality.

Customer Support and Community Feedback

Support resources show how valuable a platform truly is when you face questions or problems. Zola and WithJoy take very different approaches to helping their customers.

Help Center and Live Chat Availability

WithJoy makes accessibility a top priority through their real-time Chat Support. Couples get immediate help as they set up their websites. Their detailed Help Center guides users through technical steps and design choices.

Zola’s team claims they’re “always here to support you”. The details about their response times and availability remain unclear. Their support resources lack the focused approach that WithJoy offers.

User Reviews: What 2025 Brides Are Saying

Couples love WithJoy’s professional look and easy-to-use interface. “I tried both and WithJoy was way better! I also felt the website looked more professional once everything was set up,” shared one user. Many others point out how WithJoy helped them “super easy even when I had to change dates”.

WithJoy’s community stands out with their active Facebook group “Wedding Planning with Joy.” Couples connect here to ask questions and share advice. This peer network adds extra value beyond their standard help resources.

Social Media Sentiment: TikTok and Reddit Insights

Reddit users strongly favor WithJoy. “My SIL got married the year before and told me not to use Zola,” one bride warned. Another bride highlighted WithJoy’s practical features: “I like that you can connect your PayPal or Venmo for cash funds“.

TikTok users share mixed feelings about Zola. Technical problems frustrate many users. A 2025 bride posted: “UPDATE: make sure you add a password and provide it to your guests. While ours was still having this issue with a password, it could help you! @Zola u need to get it together”.

These real-life stories from other couples give you the best insights to choose between these platforms.

Comparison Table

Conclusion

Final Verdict: Joy Stands Out as the Clear Choice

Our detailed comparison of Zola and Joy shows a clear winner for couples planning their 2025 weddings. Joy beats Zola in almost every important aspect and gives users an easy-to-use platform that doesn’t compromise on features.

Joy’s design flexibility is its biggest strength. The platform offers 601 templates while Zola has only 148. This gives couples a better chance to find their perfect look. On top of that, it lets you change fonts, colors, and layouts to match your style. You can choose between a horizontal single-page or classic vertical multi-page layout to tell your wedding story your way.

The registry system sets Joy apart even more. Couples save money with zero-fee cash registries, unlike Zola’s processing fees. The smooth connection with Venmo, PayPal, and CashApp makes gift-giving simple for everyone involved.

Guest management shows the biggest difference between these platforms. Joy tracks RSVPs automatically and sends smart reminders that save hours of work. Smart privacy settings help you manage different guest groups without any awkward mix-ups.

We put both platforms through their paces. Joy’s interface is much easier to use even though it packs more features. You can build a professional website in minutes instead of hours – a real time-saver during wedding planning.

Great customer support makes Joy shine even brighter. Quick chat support answers your questions right away, and their Facebook community shares helpful tips from other couples. Zola’s support is basic and doesn’t match Joy’s helpful approach.

Your specific needs matter in making the final choice. But our testing shows Joy is the better wedding website builder for 2025. From its many design options to free registry tools and smart guest management, Joy gives you a complete, easy-to-use platform that makes wedding planning smoother.

FAQs

Q1. Which wedding website builder offers more design flexibility? WithJoy provides significantly more design options with 601 templates compared to Zola’s 148. WithJoy also offers extensive customization for fonts, colors, layouts, and even CSS editing for single-page layouts, giving couples more control over their website’s appearance.

Q2. How do Zola and WithJoy differ in their registry features? WithJoy offers a zero-fee cash registry system with integration for Venmo, PayPal, and CashApp, while Zola charges processing fees for credit card transactions. WithJoy also provides seamless integration with major retailers, whereas Zola has a 24-hour sync delay for third-party registries.

Q3. What are the key differences in guest management tools between the two platforms? WithJoy excels with automated RSVP tracking and reminders, advanced privacy controls for different events, and group messaging capabilities. Zola offers basic guest management features but requires more manual tracking and lacks the sophisticated privacy options provided by WithJoy.

Q4. How user-friendly are Zola and WithJoy for couples new to website building? WithJoy is known for its intuitive interface and quick setup process, making it easier for first-time website builders to create professional-looking sites quickly. Zola, while offering comprehensive features, tends to have a steeper learning curve and may require more time to navigate its system.

Q5. What kind of customer support do these platforms offer? WithJoy provides real-time chat support and has an active Facebook community where couples can share advice and ask questions. Zola offers customer support, but details about their availability and response times are limited. Users generally report higher satisfaction with WithJoy’s support system.