Shopify vs Wix

Shopify vs Wix: Find your perfect platform match

Shopify and Wix are both popular all-in-one website builder platforms, celebrated for simplifying the process of creating a website or eCommerce store and making it accessible to everyone.

While Shopify and Wix share many similarities, they are actually more different than you may first realise. If you’re thinking about launching a brand new business website or online store,  choosing the right platform is crucial to your project’s success.

We’ve pitted these two popular platforms head to head and then dissected their differences. From themes to apps and SEO to product inventories, we’ve examined the differences between Shopify and Wix and summarised them below. We hope that the information in this article will help you to make an informed decision about which platform can best meet your business needs. Need further help or advice choosing between Shopify and Wix? Don’t hesitate to reach out to a member of our team here at Create8.

What is Shopify?

Shopify is the most popular eCommerce platform in the world. It makes building and launching an online store fast and hassle-free. Shopify is an all-in-one solution that includes hosting and security. The platform is renowned for its user-friendly and intuitive interface and drag-and-drop editor, which make it easy to build an attractive online store without coding knowledge. While setting up the basics is relatively simple, Shopify also offers a huge number of more advanced features and apps which can be integrated as your store grows, offering excellent scalability.

What is Wix?

Wix is best known as a website creator rather than an eCommerce platform. It first came onto the market as a website-building platform in 2006, but the Wix eCommerce solution didn’t become popular until 2020. Now, Wix offers all the features and functionality required to launch and manage a basic online store. However, this isn’t where its strengths lie. First and foremost, Wix offers users the tools to build beautiful websites and blogs and publish dynamic content online easily.

What are the pros and cons of Shopify and Wix for small businesses?

Before we discuss each platform’s key features and provide a detailed eCommerce features comparison, let’s have a quick overview of their pros and cons.

Shopify Pros

• Hosting and security included
• User-friendly drag-and-drop interface
• Comprehensive eCommerce features and functionality
• Developer tools for custom functionality
• Supports multichannel selling
• Over 100 mobile-responsive themes available
• Over 8,000 apps are available in the Shopify app store
• Built-in SEO tools
• Built-in email marketing tools
• Supports over 100 payment gateways
• 24/7 live support via email, chat, or telephone

Shopify Cons

• Recurring monthly cost
• Transaction fees
• Cost of apps
• Limited customisation
• Limited blogging tools

Wix Pros

• Hosting and security included
• Supports eCommerce
• User-friendly drag-and-drop editor
• Affordable pricing plans, including a free plan
• Over 900 free and customisable website templates
• Over 300 apps available
• Developer tools for custom functionality
• Built-in SEO tools
• Powerful blogging tools
• Built-in email marketing 
• Supports over 50 payment gateways

Wix Cons

• Recurring monthly cost
• Limited eCommerce features and functionality
• Templates are not always mobile-responsive
• Limited apps available
• Limited customisation

Why choose Shopify over Wix?

Shopify and Wix both have plenty going for them. They’re hugely popular platforms for good reason. However, chances are that one of them is more suited to your business needs than the other. To figure out which one that is, you must be clear about the differences between the two and the unique benefits that each can offer. 

In this section, we’ll explore what sets Shopify apart from Wix and some of the reasons why many businesses choose to build their online store using Shopify.

eCommerce experts

When it comes to eCommerce – Shopify are the pros. Shopify is a specialist eCommerce platform rather than a website builder that has expanded into eCommerce, so, as you’d expect, they offer plenty of specialist eCommerce features that Wix does not. Shopify has its own fulfilment network to take care of fulfilment and returns for you. It also supports over 100 payment gateways versus Wix’s 50-odd, allowing you to offer customers more payment options and convenience. The Shopify platform is also constantly being updated with new and exciting features and tools.

Over 8,000 apps

In addition to having an excellent selection of integrated features and functionality, the Shopify app store offers over 8,000 eCommerce-oriented apps versus Wix’s 300 (of which, not all are eCommerce-related). These apps can be used to scale your business and enhance its performance, with plenty of the apps focused on conversion optimisation for boosting sales.

Scalability

Shopify is also the more future-proof option. While there’s a risk your eCommerce store could outgrow the Wix platform, Shopify offers excellent scalability. Shopify allows stores to sell an unlimited number of products and build an unlimited number of website pages, versus Wix’s limit of 100 pages. Shopify stores also have the option to upgrade to Shopify Plus, the platform’s premium plan for large enterprises or stores with very complex needs. Shopify Plus offers more tools for selling to international markets and the option to add up to nine expansion stores.

Sell internationally

Shopify is an excellent choice for eCommerce stores that sell globally. It offers advanced multilingual support, end-to-end multi-currency payments, and advanced international shipping. In comparison, Wix offers limited multilingual and international shipping options.

POS system

Shopify’s POS system can be used in any country, and the Lite edition is free with any plan. The Wix POS, on the other hand, can only be used by certain types of businesses and only in the US. It’s also quite pricey compared to Shopify.

Bear in mind that once you begin adding additional functionality and apps to your store and expanding into multichannel and international selling, your needs become more complex. At this point, if you are not already making use of the services of a Shopify partner like Create8, you may need to partner with a Shopify agency to optimise your store’s performance.

Why choose Wix over Shopify?

While Shopify may be the best choice for most eCommerce businesses, Wix can have the edge in web design, content creation, and blogging. So, if you manage a non-eCommerce business or a creative business with a small inventory, you may find Wix to be the more cost-effective solution for meeting your needs.

Let’s find out what sets Wix apart from Shopify and learn the reasons why some businesses may find Wix the better option.

Over 900 free themes

Next, let’s compare Shopify and Wix template options. This is where Wix really stands out, with its huge selection of free themes. Wix has over 900 free themes available to choose from, versus Shopify’s 120 (of which only 11 are free). If you run a creative business where design and style are everything, then Wix offers plenty of choices for making your website design your own and helping your business stand out. However, it’s worth noting that although Wix wins hands down when it comes to quantity, the themes may not be as polished and ready to go as Shopify’s. Shopify’s selection may be small, but it’s perfectly formed, with each theme already fully responsive, enhancing mobile responsiveness on Shopify. In comparison, many of Wix’s themes need to be manually optimised for mobile.

Built-in SEO tools

While both Shopify and Wix offer similar SEO tools, Wix has a partnership with Semrush, which allows users to view Semrush keyword data within the Wix dashboard. This helpful tool provides valuable SEO insights directly within the Wix interface.

Blogging tools

If your marketing strategy revolves heavily around content creation and SEO, then Wix beats Shopify in this area. It features powerful and user-friendly blogging tools, including an intuitive editor with features like categories, tags, and scheduling to make content marketing easier and more efficient.

What type of business is each platform best suited to?

So, learning more about the differences between the two platforms and each one’s advantages and drawbacks helps us build a clearer picture of the types of businesses they’re best suited to.

Wix is generally a cost-effective solution for more small-scale businesses and creative businesses, those where design and content creation are key. If you’re a creative business with a small number of products to sell, then Wix should have everything you need to launch and manage your online store affordably.

If your business is an eCommerce business first and foremost, or you have a large product inventory, then Shopify is your best bet. Shopify offers plenty of opportunities for eCommerce businesses to scale and grow and is constantly adding to and improving its already huge range of eCommerce tools, apps, and functionality. Shopify is particularly well suited to eCommerce businesses with medium to large inventories, an international customer base, or complex requirements.

Wix Payments vs Shopify Payments

How your website handles customer transactions is very important. Making a payment should be simple, secure, and convenient for customers. Your website’s checkout process and payment options can have a huge impact on conversion rates and your business’s overall performance and growth.

Wix Payments and Shopify Payments are the two platforms’ integrated payment solutions. They allow businesses using the platforms to accept online payments seamlessly through their websites. Let’s see how the two payment solutions compare.

• Accessibility – Shopify Payments is available in 22 countries, while Wix Payments is only available in 15.
• Supported payment methods – Shopify payments supports over 100 payment methods, while Wix supports over 50. 
• Transaction fees – Wix Payments fees vary by region, but in the UK, they are 2.1% + 20p. Shopify transaction fees vary depending on which plan you’re on – they cost 2.9% + 30p at the most and 1.5% + 25p at the least.
• Multi-currency support – Wix stores can only support transactions in the store’s default currency. Shopify stores allow customers to pay in their local currency.

It’s also important to note that Shopify also charges an additional fee for transactions that are made outside of Shopify Payments. 

Shopify vs Wix pricing comparison

If you’re running a small business, budget may play a key part in every business decision you make. While it’s important to choose a platform that can meet your needs and help your business to scale and grow – you will also need to make sure it’s within your budget!

Luckily, both Wix and Shopify offer a range of plans to choose from, allowing you to choose a plan that suits your business needs now and then upgrade as your business grows.

Wix pricing plans 

• Light (£9/month) (no eCommerce feature)
• Core (£16/month)
• Business (£25/month)
• Business Elite (£119/month) 

Shopify pricing plans

• Basic (£25/month)
• Shopify (£65/month)
• Advanced (£344/month)
• Shopify Plus (custom pricing)

If you pay annually rather than monthly, you can save 25% off these prices.

Shopfiy also offers a 14-day free trial and currently has a promotion where new customers can receive the first month for just £1.

Shopify offers a vast array of features, functionality, and apps to enhance the user experience, optimise your website for conversions, and personalise your online store. With its extensive eCommerce expertise, Shopify equips users with the tools they need to build high-performance, scalable online stores. However, it comes with a price tag to match. So, if your needs are more basic and you’re not planning to sell a huge inventory of products, then Wix may offer a more cost-effective solution to meet your needs.

How to migrate from Wix to Shopify?

If you’ve built your website using Wix but now realise Shopify is a more suitable platform, you can switch from one to the other, but it’s not a job you should attempt without help from an expert.

Website migrations can be complex and risky if you’re not experienced at performing them. The job involves transferring all of your website’s data, inventory, customers, orders and settings from one platform to another. Once all the data has been successfully moved across, you will need a developer to make adjustments to ensure your store’s design, functionality, and SEO are all functioning properly.

Do you need help or advice migrating a website from Wix to Shopify? Create8 is a Shopify agency and partner. Speak to our team to learn more about our website migration services.

Partner with Create8 to build a high-performance website or eCommerce store

Still unsure which platform best suits your business needs? From Magento to WooCommerce and Shopify to Wix, we’ve worked with them all here at Create8. We’ve helped countless businesses build successful websites and online stores and gain brand visibility and awareness online. Tell us a bit about your business, and we’ll point you in the direction of a platform that will meet both your business needs and budget.