In this article, I compare Wix vs Shopify – their ease of use, features, and performance to determine which website building platform would suit your business better.
Wix and Shopify are very different builders that include features and functions for eCommerce, but the type of business you run will probably determine which option is better for you.
To help you decide, I have conducted an in-depth comparison of Wix vs Spotify, highlighting what each builder does well and what it struggles with.
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Wix vs Shopify Comparison
Wix and Shopify are major website builders with a wide range of business functions and significant WooCommerce competitors. They feature hundreds of different design templates, and both are noted for their easy-to-use interfaces that make them relatively beginner-friendly.
That said, Wix stands out for being very flexible – a feature that Shopify cannot claim. Wix’s drag-and-drop site editor has no grid restrictions and allows its users complete freedom. Meanwhile, Shopify can only offer code access which is useful for more advanced users.
Shopify differs from Wix because it is more exclusively geared towards online retail. For example, you wouldn’t use Shopify if you wanted to make a blog about fashion reviews, but it might be right for you if you were trying to sell designer clothes.
The eCommerce features of both builders are robust. However, not equal. Perhaps because online retail is the sole focus of Shopify, it ends up being much better for bigger businesses. So online entrepreneurs might use Shopify if they have hundreds of products to sell or if they anticipate that level of volume in the future.
On the other hand, Wix does better with smaller stores than with bigger ones. Wix includes fewer shipment and payment options than Shopify, and bandwidth is also limited with most plans. For smaller online shops, these limitations may not impact businesses much. However, it is possible that these restrictions could damage scaling for bigger stores.
Retail friendliness aside, however, Wix is the easier to use of the two builders. Thanks to preconfigured templates and AI technology, you can do in minutes on Wix what might take hours to accomplish on Shopify.
Wix also wins out in the pricing department, featuring entry-level plans that are less expensive than those offered by Shopify. The actual price of each will depend on the features you need, but in any case, Wix is usually more affordable than Shopify when it comes to eCommerce.
However, none is to say that one builder is better than the other. Each has different strengths. For more in-depth showcase of Shopify features, you can check Shopify review.
NOTE: Be sure to also check Shopify vs Volusion, Shopify vs Squarespace, Shopify vs BigCommerce, Shopify vs WooCommerce, Shopify vs WordPress, Wix vs Elementor, Wix vs HostGator, Wix vs WordPress, Wix vs Squarespace, Wix vs Weebly, Wix vs Jimdo and Wix vs Webs comparison.
Ease Of Use
Both Wix and Shopify have features that will help even users with limited knowledge to get started. Wix’s biggest advantage is its intuitive design interface powered by its drag-and-drop editor. Meanwhile, Shopify benefits from a vast array of educational resources needed to use this platform’s site editor to the full capacity.
In short, Wix editor is a lot more beginner-friendly than Shopify. When building a website – you don’t have to touch the code to customize most of the elements. However, since Wix’s site editor is so flexible and allows placing any element on top of the other without restrictions – it can get messy when creating a cohesive design throughout the pages of your online store.
Shopify is way more complex than Wix in terms of ease of use. This platform manages to offer tons of information that may help you ease the online store building process.
Shopify’s tutorial library is impressive and includes dozens of guides and videos covering everything from organizing your store to performing more specific tasks – such as creating custom landing pages. Even without the tutorials, navigation is relatively intuitive.
You can get started with minimal effort by choosing from Shopify’s free themes and then acquiring additional features as you go. Using Shopify editor and setting up your store to completion may take hours, but each step of the process is fairly straightforward.
Wix is still easier to use. This is largely thanks to its famous user-friendly drag-and-drop interface. And, like Shopify, Wix also features dozens of tutorial videos and blog posts to help you out.
However, when it comes to user-friendliness, Wix’s best feature is its ADI mode. Wix ADI (artificial design intelligence) uses algorithms to create a custom site in a matter of minutes. Of course, in pursuing this option, you forfeit control over the design process, but it is still a lightning-fast way to get started with a website.
No matter what, setting up an online store will always be a time investment. Even with AI and automation features, you still have to upload products, set prices, and write descriptions. These things take time.
WINNER: Both Wix and Shopify are fairly good at fitting the needs of the beginner. Thanks to Wix’s drag-and-drop interface, educational materials, and ADI mode, this platform is slightly easier to navigate. However, complete newbies should use either option without too much frustration.
Templates
When it comes to premade templates, Wix is well equipped. The Wix has 500+ templates with different options for all types of websites, including eCommerce. And of course, as an eCommerce store builder, Shopify doesn’t back down so easily.
Wix’s eCommerce templates are organized to suit the anticipated needs of specific businesses. For example, if you browse its template store, you might find niche templates designed for flower shops or cosmetic stores.
Of course, you don’t have to be the type of store described by the template’s name to use it. Wix is simply assuming that the layout and the color motifs of each of its templates will suit a particular type of shop.
Still, the precise options may make it easier to find something right for your store. It’s also worth keeping in mind that much of the Wix template library is free, which means users of every budget should be able to acquire a beautiful layout.
The themes look great on the desktop and are responsive to look good on mobile products as well.
Now let’s check what Shopify has to offer. The only real obstacle with Shopify templates is that they cost money.
Though the template store prices vary, you can expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $200 (one-time fee) for your template. There are ten free templates to choose from, but they are fairly bland.
If you are looking for something elaborate, you will probably have to pay for it. In contrast, Wix provides about 60 free templates to choose from. And this is where I found a serious difference when comparing Shopify vs Wix.
Shopify templates are primarily better for advanced people that demand flexibility. With some HTML or CSS knowledge, you can essentially tweak their templates endlessly, helping you to achieve the perfect interface for your online store.
Ironically, both platforms boast that they are flexible options to build an online store. However, both are adjustable in different ways. Wix targets beginners with its drag-and-drop site editor that has no restrictions. On the other hand, Shopify provides code access to tweak storefronts for more advanced users.
WINNER: In the end, both Wix and Shopify manage to offer flexible templates that are responsive and fit for eCommerce. However, Wix offers a wider variety of themes for free. Meanwhile, Shopify expects users to pay for a template to look good.
Business Features
No matter which one you pick, Wix or Shopify, both have many business-oriented features. Remember, of course, that different businesses have different needs. If you are running an online store, Shopify has a clear advantage because it is a powerful eCommerce platform. However, if you own a physical business and want to promote it online, Wix may be a better option.
For example, Wix is really great when creating landing pages or blog spaces – both features that businesses may take advantage of.
On the other hand, Shopify is fully packed with practical eCommerce features since it’s one of the most popular eCommerce platforms. Below you will find a more in-depth comparative look at business-critical features!
Analytics
Analytic tools give you a rundown of how your website is doing. They can be extremely precise, providing information on who uses your site and how they are using it. Both Wix and Shopify provide users with robust analytic tools.
Reports help you zero in on what is working well and what isn’t capturing your customers’ attention. The nice thing about Shopify’s analytics is that they are completely focused on eCommerce.
Wix also features analytic tools that provide a broad overview of your site performance.
With Wix, you can use a third-party app from its marketplace that gives insight into your website’s traffic, bounce rates, and other useful information that will benefit its users on how to optimize your online presence.
So both Wix and Shopify offer decent analytic tools to have a closer look at how your online business is ranking on search engines.
SEO
Shopify and Wix take slightly different approaches to search engine optimization. Shopify uses plugins for SEO. This allows you to choose the resource you think is best for your needs, but it may increase the cost of your store.
Most of Shopify’s SEO applications provide feedback on your keyword performance, as well as other factors such as your content’s readability.
With Wix, the SEO tools are built directly into the dashboard, and Wix SEO Wiz is completely free and available to all users. This tool quickly analyzes the performance of your page and creates customized recommendations for how you can rank better on Google.
However, with the built-in tool, you lose the ability to custom select an optimal SEO strategy for your store.
Additionally, both builders include other in-built important SEO functions. For example, with both Wix and Shopify, you can input meta descriptions to help bring traffic to your site.
Neither platform’s approach to SEO is necessarily better than the other, though each will favor a different type of user. Some may prefer the built-in capabilities of Wix, while others might like to choose for themselves with Shopify.
eCommerce
Shopify does better with eCommerce because that is the sole purpose of the builder. If you have a lot of products to sell and you anticipate continuous growth, the eCommerce package of Shopify will suit you better.
Shopify is packed with eCommerce features. The unlimited bandwidth and the general flexibility of the builder make Shopify really great at eCommerce. If you want to maximize your eCommerce options, Shopify is the way to go.
Wix also comes with many eCommerce features and can be more affordable due to its lack of commission fees.
Shipping is a factor that can have a big impact on the effectiveness of your eCommerce store. Both Wix and Shopify provide a range of shipping options. The good news is that you get all of the standard shipping features with either builder.
For example, if you are looking for free shipping, weight-based shipping, or flat rate shipping, either builder will work.
However, Shopify has a wider range of shipping options to choose from. With Shopify, you can buy and print your own labels, provide real-time package tracking, and cooperate with dropshipping carriers. These features don’t make or break a business, but they definitely give you enhanced flexibility.
Payment Options
Both Wix and Shopify allow you to accept payments via various methods. In either case, you will be able to accept most of the major types of payment (credit, debit, PayPal, etc.). However, Shopify includes more options.
Most notably, Wix does not allow you to use Apple Pay or other emerging payment methods provided by social media channels such as Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter.
Mobile Friendly
With Wix, any website you create is automatically formatted to look good on mobile. You can then change up the mobile settings on the builder using the mobile editor feature.
If you are using an ADI site, you can even edit the mobile and desktop version of the site directly from a phone or tablet application.
Shopify is also fairly mobile-friendly. All of Shopify’s themes are automatically ready for online checkout. However, you may find that optimizing your web content for mobile may take a little bit more effort with Shopify than it does with Wix.
Because everything you do on Wix is automatically mobile formatted, it is a little bit more smartphone-friendly to start with. However, both builders are well prepared to capitalize on the ever-important mobile web traffic market.
Membership Pages
Some websites prefer to require shoppers to become “members” of their store before making a purchase. Establishing a membership pool can be good for business because it allows you to effortlessly build up an email list.
Both Shopify and Wix allow you to set up a customer login page.
Shopify has a little bit more in the way of options for this feature. However, the difference is fairly arbitrary. Important though this feature may be, one user login page is not that different from another. Still, if you want as much flexibility as you can get, Shopify has more to offer.
Apps
Like most website builders, Shopify and Wix both feature a massive library of applications you can use to enhance and customize your website. Both application stores feature thousands of different resources, making it very hard to declare or to compare them in terms of that.
Wix App Market has tools for various purposes. The big difference is that, true to Shopify’s nature, all of Shopify apps are specific to the needs of an eCommerce shop. To that end, it may be a little bit more useful. However, either option will connect you with handy resources.
WINNER: Both Wix and Shopify manage to offer a variety of business-related features. However, if you’re thinking of selling online, Shopify wins here.
Pricing
Wix is more affordable than Shopify – but depending on the features you need, your results may differ.
Wix has pricing plans intended for personal and eCommerce. Wix eCommerce plans start at $17 a month and go up to $35 per month. For users who want a custom solution for their online business and no plan matches their needs, there’s a fourth option that offers a call with Wix to get a custom plan.
The basic Shopify plan is slightly more expensive, starting at $29 a month. And while the plans for Wix increase in price gradually – the hike in Shopify is a bit more severe. However, the basic Shopify plan is available at a reasonable $29 a month. The next one up costs $79/month.
However, price and value are not the same, and the value offering of either option will depend on your needs. For example, both entry-level eCommerce plans for Shopify and Wix feature unlimited bandwidth.
The $29 Shopify plan also has most of the major tools needed for running an online store. This includes a limitless catalog, various shipping possibilities, discounts, and payment options, as well as round-the-clock customer support.
With Wix, you will need to look into various plugins and tools just to get many of the features that are naturally integrated into the entry-level Shopify plan. As a result, it will be difficult to estimate precisely how much you will pay.
Unfortunately, Shopify features “hidden fees” that might come as a nasty surprise. These are the transactional fees they take out of every sale you make. How much you pay depends on the plan you select. The entry-level plan starts at 2%, but you are charged less with the bigger packages, and advanced Shopify users pay just 0.5% in transaction fees.
Additionally, you can get free trials with both builders. Shopify allows you to start without choosing a plan or providing payment information.
With Wix, though, you select a plan first. Then you have two weeks to decide if it’s right for your needs. Wix also has an entirely free mode, but it doesn’t have eCommerce features.
Though Shopify doesn’t have a permanently free mode, it does offer an option called “Shopify Lite.” Shopify Lite costs just $9 a month, but it is very limited in what it allows you to do. You can create a product list and sell your merchandise on social media as well as various other web outlets.
WINNER: If we look at the pricing only, then that determines Wix as a winner. However, from a different perspective, Shopify has better value for money with its eCommerce features.
Wix & Shopify Alternatives
Wix and Shopify are both great, but they aren’t the only game in town either. There are many other options that provide capabilities similar to what I have highlighted in this guide.
Here are a few other website builders that are good for businesses but you can also check best Shopify competitors article and Wix alternatives where I discuss features of other eCommerce platforms in comparison to Shopify and Wix.
WordPress
WordPress is one of the most popular builders around. It’s great for various businesses because it features thousands of different themes and plugins to choose from. There is also lots of room to get creative through coding.
WordPress doesn’t have built-in eCommerce features, but it provides plugins like WooCommerce for that. So if Wix and Shopify are not what you need, WordPress offers plenthora of options.
GoDaddy Website Builder
GoDaddy has been in the web hosting game for a long time, and they’ve expanded into the builder niche. When it comes to business and online commerce, they have two primary options. You can build an online store with the WordPress + WooCommerce system or have it done directly through GoDaddy.
The WooCommerce system provides lots of flexibility, while the GoDaddy format is simpler and more user-friendly.
Squarespace
Like Wix, Squarespace is known for being easy to use. The builder features a drag-and-drop system that makes building beautiful sites fairly simple. Squarespace sites aren’t very flexible, but they are straightforward.
Shopify vs Wix Conclusion
When it comes to pure eCommerce, Shopify comes out on top. All of its templates are designed for eCommerce use. So are all of its instructional materials and apps. Shopify also features unlimited bandwidth, giving you the ability to expand your inventory indefinitely without worrying about upgrading your subscription plan.
Shopify also wins out in other eCommerce categories, including shipping and payment options, as well as customer membership interfaces. Shopify indeed tends to take longer to get used to than Wix (especially due to Wix’s ADI mode), but the result is a beautiful online shop with an abundance of resources.
However, Wix can be an excellent option for business owners that need more than just an awesome online store. They have more premade themes and applications that might give you enhanced flexibility as you highlight other aspects of your business.
So, in the end, when comparing Wix vs Shopify, Shopify is a winner when it comes to eCommerce building. However, online businesses aren’t only about online stores. Wix is a great option if you wish to promote a physical business with a landing page or a blog. Overall, your option between Shopify or Wix might go down entirely to what kind of business you are running.
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