Amella vs WedSites (2026): An Honest Comparison for Australian & NZ Couples

WedSites and Amella are the two wedding platforms most often shortlisted by couples in Australia and New Zealand who've decided against the free American builders. Both charge once, not monthly. Both take planning seriously. But they were built with very different ideas of what a wedding website is for.

WedSites treats the website as one tool in a planning toolkit. Amella treats it as the thing itself — a designed artifact your guests will actually remember — with the planning intelligence working quietly behind it.

Here's how they compare, honestly.

At a glance

Design: finished vs flexible

This is the clearest difference between the two.

WedSites gives you templates and a capable editor, and the result depends on your eye. If you enjoy adjusting layouts and have a feel for typography, you can build something good. Many couples do.

Amella's themes arrive finished — layout, typography, spacing and styling already resolved, the way a design studio would hand them over. You add your photos and words, tune the palette if you like, and stop. It's the difference between being given good ingredients and being given the finished dish. If you want a site that looks designed rather than assembled, and you'd rather not do the assembling, that's the entire point of Amella.

If you want deep structural control over every block of your site, WedSites gives you more levers to pull.

Planning: a toolkit vs an assistant

WedSites' Pro plan ($319 AUD) is a genuinely comprehensive planning suite — checklist, budget, vendor payment tracking, seating chart, timeline builder. It's well built, and if you enjoy running your wedding like a project, it will serve you well. The honest caveat: it's a set of tools you operate yourself.

Amella includes those planning fundamentals — guests, seating, timeline, budget — but adds an assistant that actually does work. Amella (the assistant) already knows your date, guests, style and budget, so she never asks twice. She finds vendors in your style by searching the open web (no one pays to be recommended), drafts your vendor emails, and keeps the timeline and budget watched. The vendor inbox keeps every quote and conversation in one place.

If your ideal planning experience is a well-organised dashboard you drive, WedSites delivers it. If it's having the searching, comparing and chasing taken off your plate, that's Amella.

Pricing: the honest maths

Both platforms avoid subscriptions, which puts them ahead of most of the category.

WedSites' full experience costs $319 AUD (Pro). Its $59 AUD Basic tier is cheaper than anything Amella charges, but covers core website features only — the planning suite and stationery live in higher tiers.

Amella's Wedding Pass at $99 AUD includes what most couples actually need for the day itself: unlimited guests, invitations and reminders, multiple events, vendor inbox, cash registry, and the assistant. Premium at $199 AUD adds a custom domain (included for two years), photo galleries, extended assistant access, and a two-year keepsake window. NZD is charged at parity, and both prices rise after 31 August 2026.

One structural difference worth noting: Amella is free until you're ready to invite your full guest list — you can build your entire site, publish it, and collect RSVPs from up to 15 guests without paying or entering a card. You fall in love with it first, then pay once. WedSites lets you design free but you pay to publish.

Who should choose WedSites

• You want the deepest DIY planning dashboard in the one-time-payment category
• You want a custom domain at the lowest possible price point
• You enjoy configuring and customising your tools

Who should choose Amella

• You want your wedding site to look designed, not templated — and you don't want to be the designer
• You'd rather have an assistant do the vendor searching and email drafting than do it from a checklist
• You want to build and publish first, free, and pay only when you invite everyone
• You want a cash registry where gifts go straight to you with nothing taken

Frequently asked questions

Are both really one-time payments? Yes. Neither WedSites nor Amella charges a subscription. WedSites is $59–$319 AUD depending on tier; Amella is $99 AUD (Wedding Pass) or $199 AUD (Premium), NZD at parity, rising after 31 August 2026.

Which is better for Australian and New Zealand couples? Both serve AU/NZ couples well — WedSites has Australian roots, and Amella is built in Auckland for AU/NZ couples specifically, including vendor discovery that surfaces local vendors in your style.

Can I try Amella before paying? Yes, with no card required. Build your full site, plan with the assistant, publish, and collect RSVPs from up to 15 guests — you only pay when you're ready to invite your whole list. There's also a 14-day full refund if you change your mind after paying.

Does WedSites have an AI assistant? No. WedSites offers planning tools you operate yourself. Amella includes a built-in assistant that finds vendors, drafts emails, and keeps your timeline and budget on track.

---

Amella is a wedding website and planning platform built in Auckland. Start your site free →