Wix vs. Shopify: The Last Guide You’ll Ever Need

Welcome to the definitive showdown between Wix vs. Shopify. These platforms are popular if you want to build an ecommerce website. Both let you design, edit, and manage online stores without having to mess with complicated coding. However, each option caters to different needs.

Wix is a website builder first and an ecommerce platform second. It’s ideal for side hustles, small shops, and non-technical users who want a simple, stylish storefront up and running fast.

Shopify, on the other hand, was built more for shopping. It offers more customizable features and performance that’s powerful enough for companies of all sizes.

We’re not saying that one is better than the other in our comparison. Whether you use Wix for ecommerce or Shopify, both are capable of helping you create a stellar website. That said, picking the option that suits you best can help you avoid switching to the other platform if your original choice doesn’t work out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wix a good platform for ecommerce websites?

Yes, Wix¹ is suitable for small stores, side hustles, or businesses that want to get started quickly with minimal setup time and effort. However, it isn’t ideal for companies planning to scale or those that want deep customization, but it gets the job done for side hustles and companies with limited inventory.

Is Shopify a great choice for ecommerce?

Yes, as its name implies, Shopify² was built for shopping. Whether you plan to sell ten products or 10,000, Shopify is scalable, secure, and packed with helpful features for sellers and digital marketers.

Is it better to use Wix or Shopify?

It depends on your goals. When comparing Wix vs. Shopify, one isn’t better than the other. Wix is easier for beginners to start using and growing with (to a point). If ecommerce is the foundation of your business, it’s probably best to start with Shopify from day one.

Wix vs. Shopify: Ease of Use

Wix is the poster child for drag-and-drop simplicity. Whether you’re on a tight budget, want to be in total control, or both, it’s hard to go wrong with Wix for a beginner-friendly website-building experience.

Shopify isn’t exactly difficult, but it can be intimidating if you’re brand new to ecommerce. It takes a bit more time to learn the ropes, especially if you want to customize beyond the default themes or integrate certain third-party tools. However, this not-so-steep learning curve pays off in clean website performance and an online business platform that grows with you.

When it comes to Wix vs. Shopify for usability, Wix wins the “quick launch” category. But Shopify has features³ that help your business grow over time once you start getting sales. It might take a few evenings or a weekend to learn, but it could really be worth it in six months.

Our Take: Is your ecommerce store more of a side hustle than a fully-formed corporation? If so, Wix likely has everything you need right now. But if you want in-depth analytics, design freedom, and maximum performance for a more medium-to-large scale venture? Choose Shopify.

Wix Ecommerce vs. Shopify: Ecommerce Features

No discussion of these powerhouse platforms would be complete without mentioning their features.

• While not originally designed as an ecommerce powerhouse like Shopify, Wix has added some impressive ecommerce tools over the past several years, including:
• Manage inventory and products
• Offer subscriptions
• Accept multiple payment types
• Automate sales tax

However, Shopify is still miles ahead of Wix when it comes to ecommerce features. Shopify gives you access to the following features:

• Built-in analytics that actually matter
• Abandoned cart recovery out of the box
• International selling tools (Shopify Markets)
• Shopify Shipping for easier shipping solutions

Want nothing but the best for your biz, with all the bells and whistles? Check out Shopify Plus⁴, this platform’s enterprise-level solution is used by brands like Dollar Shave Club, Gymshark, Mattel, and many others.

Shopify is ecommerce-first. Wix is ecommerce-also.

Wix Ecommerce vs. Shopify: Apps and Integrations

Just because you’re researching Wix vs. Shopify, it doesn’t mean these are likely the only two platforms your business will use. You’re in luck. Both Shopify and Wix offer numerous apps and integrations.

The Wix App Market boasts over 800 apps, including those designed for popular services and platforms, such as QuickBooks, WhatsApp, and Google Ads. Wix also includes extensive in-house apps for website basics, including its ecommerce app, Wix Stores.

The Shopify App Store says, “Hey, Wix, hold my beer.” It boasts an impressive 10,000 apps, including business must-haves, such as Klaviyo, Yotpo, and Instagram. Considering the stronghold Shopify has in the world of ecommerce, most third-party platforms and developers build apps for Shopify first over others.

Wix Ecommerce vs. Shopify: Themes and Templates

Wix offers over 2,000 templates, including options for various business types, communities, blogs, and ecommerce stores. The Shopify Theme Store offers a blend of over 100 free and premium templates, each one expertly built to support a diverse set of ecommerce capabilities.

So, Wix wins this one, right? Well, almost. 

• Shopify doesn’t match the number of apps Wix offers. But Shopify’s themes are:
• Automatically optimized for ecommerce
• Fully responsive
• Built to convert

Wix Ecommerce vs. Shopify: SEO Capabilities

Wix checks all the boxes for basic SEO. And it has made significant progress in the past few years. However, if Wix is in the race for SEO-friendly ecommerce platforms, Shopify’s already across the finish line and spraying the bottle of victory champagne.

Shopify and SEO go hand-in-hand because Shopify’s platform is clean and fast. For instance, Shopify’s lean yet fully featured themes offer faster page load times compared to Wix’s slightly slower ones.  You can name any basic SEO feature (like custom URLs or structured data), and you’ll find it on both Shopify or Wix. But with Wix, you usually have to look around a bit more (and maybe use one or two plugins) to make it work well for SEO.

Wix Ecommerce vs. Shopify: Security and Protection

No matter what industry your online business operates in, protection against digital threats and safeguarding vital data are must-have features. Luckily, Shopify and Wix both do a good job with that.

Wix is fully hosted, which means that security features modern ecommerce companies depend on are all here, including data encryption and SSL certificates. They’re also both GDPR-compliant. From an ecommerce standpoint, Shopify gains a slight advantage due to its fraud detection tools.

Wix vs. Shopify: Pricing

If you need a website and aren’t concerned with ecommerce aspects, Wix is a budget-friendly website-building solution. While Shopify is more expensive, it also offers more features compared to Wix, especially from an ecommerce and scalability-focused standpoint.

Wix and Shopify both offer tiered pricing. Shopify offers yearly and monthly pricing options, which typically include discounts for annual plans. As the image below shows, there are additional costs to factor in when choosing Shopify. These are card rates, which vary based on whether purchases happen online vs. in-store and other factors.

You can get started with Wix’s Light plan for $17 per month, giving you:

• A free domain for one year
• Multi-cloud hosting
• Access to marketing tools

Shopify’s entry-level Basic plan is $39 per month ($29 per month if you pay yearly). It offers:

• Attractive card rates
• A shipping discount of up to 77%
• 10 inventory locations

Get Your Free Consultation for a High-Performing Online Business

Can’t decide when choosing between Wix vs. Shopify? Contact us. We’re happy to offer personalized guidance to help ensure you make the right choice. Coalition Technologies has helped hundreds of brands design, optimize, and grow their Wix websites and Shopify stores. From advanced app integrations to SEO that actually works, we’re miles ahead of any other digital marketing agency.

References:

1. https://www.wix.com/
2. https://www.shopify.com/
3. https://bdow.com/stories/shopify-tutorial-for-beginners/
4. https://www.shopify.com/plus