In this Shopify Vs Wix comparison, we are going to be taking a look at the pros and cons of two of the biggest and most popular ecommerce solutions. The aim of this article is to give you a better insight into each platform and to help you decide which one will work best for your business. At first glance, the two platforms look very similar, but upon further inspection, there are some key differences to consider.
Shopify
Shopify is a specifically designed ecommerce software created to make it possible for almost anyone to set up an online store. Traditionally, all of Shopify’s features have been focussed on selling. It has flexible payment plans to suit the size and budget of your business with the option to upgrade accordingly as your business grows.
Wix
Wix on the other hand was initially created as a solution for building content focussed websites. Examples of a content-based website is a blog, brochure site, photography portfolio or a news site. Since then, Wix now comes with many more selling features making it a strong contender for the best ecommerce solution.
Shopify Vs Wix: Pros and Cons
What better way to get started than with the pros and cons of Shopify Vs Wix? Both websites provide a great ecommerce solution for merchants looking to create an online store. This comparison is here to help you work out which platform is best suited for your online business.
Shopify Pros
- Quick and easy to set up
- Simple to use
- Customisable themes
- 24/7 customer support available
- Payment processing
- Marketing tools
- Scalable
- Different payment plans available
Shopify Cons
- Can be complex adding extra apps
- Not all of the templates are free
- There is a fee for transactions on top of subscription cost
Wix Pros
- Simple editing interface
- Different payment plans available
- Useful plugins and apps available
- Customisable with drag and drop design functionality
Wix Cons
- Starter plan doesn’t remove ads from your website
- Drag and drop can limit your creativity
- Not scalable without having to pay for third party apps
- Cannot easily switch templates without starting from scratch
Shopify Vs Wix: Feature comparison
Store functionality
The first feature to consider when comparing Shopify Vs Wix, or any ecommerce platform for that matter, is the store functionality. Significantly, 45% of consumers claimed to use their mobile device to shop online. This means having a responsive ecommerce store is more important than ever. Fortunately, both Shopify and Wix have responsive themes, however, customers have reported Wix to have a slower load time than Shopify overall. This suggests that Shopify has better store functionality.
Payment system
Shopify is one of the top contenders out of all ecommerce platforms when it comes to available payment gateways. Shopify has over 100 different payment gateways, Wix on the other hand only supports more traditional online payment options like PayPal and Stripe. Currently, Wix doesn’t support digital wallet payments such as Apple Pay. This gives Wix a big disadvantage when competing to be one of the best ecommerce solutions.
Apps and add ons
Both of these ecommerce platforms have an app store, however, whilst Wix’s app store only offers around 50 apps, Shopify’s app store boasts more than 6,000 apps and add ons.
Customisation
Shopify Vs Wix both offer customisable website designs each in their own way. Shopify provides a range of customisable templates created by Shopify Partners whereas Wix offers a drag and drop website design allowing you more freedom to be creative. You don’t necessarily need any coding knowledge to create a store on either of these platforms, this makes them easy to set up for even beginners.
Blogging
When it comes to blogging, it’s safe to say that Wix is one of the best platforms available, this is mainly because of the fact that it was initially created as a content-based website solution. Shopify also makes it possible for you to easily create a blog and publish regular blog posts with a built-in blog available with your website. Having a blog is crucial for any online store, but an element often overlooked because people do not realise the SEO benefits of utilising a blog.
Shopify Vs Wix: Ease of use
A key element you might want to consider when selecting an ecommerce platform for your online business is its ease of use. If you are prepared to pay a developer to build a site for you, this element may not matter. If you are looking for a platform that makes it possible for you to do as much as you can yourself, Shopify and Wix are both a great option for you. But which platform is easier to use?
Shopify has an easy to navigate interface and customisable templates, however, to get the best results, you may still need the help of a developer. Wix on the other hand makes it possible for you to build a unique website with its drag and drop features. We always recommend having a play around with both platforms to work out which one you find easier to use, after all, everyone is different and has different preferences.
Shopify Vs Wix: Cost
Another crucial element you will be considering is the cost of the ecommerce platform you end up going with. This includes subscription costs, payment fees and any other hidden or unexpected costs you may not be aware of like website hosting and the domain name.
Shopify cost
Shopify offers three main subscription plans you can choose from. The larger your store, the more you will pay. This makes it an affordable option for all, regardless of the size of your business. Plus, it gives you the option to upgrade your plan as your store grows.
Basic Shopify- $29, best for small businesses / start-ups
Shopify- $79, best for growing stores who offer both in store and online sale
Advanced Shopify- $299, best for scaling businesses who require advanced analytic reports
It’s important to note that Shopify offers a 14 day free trial which allows you to test out the platform, its functionality and features before paying a penny. After 14 days you can choose a subscription plan. Also, on top of the monthly subscription fee, Shopify also takes a small cut from every sale that you make.
Wix cost
Similarly to Shopify’s subscription based payment plans, Wix has different payment options available to suit the size and needs of your website. Something worth considering is that although overall, Wix is cheaper than Shopify, it does not offer unlimited storage for any of its subscriptions which means your store may be limited.
Connect domain– £3.50, this plan is the most basic and more or less does what it says on the tin. This plan also displays wix ads
Combo– £6.50, this plan is recommended for personal use.
Unlimited– £9.50, this plan is best for entrepreneurs and freelancers.
VIP– £19, best for those who require first priority support, larger storage space and analytics.
Similarly to Shopify, Wix offers a 14 day trial period for premium plans, however you have to pay for a plan first, and if you are not happy, you are able to cancel your plan within those first 14 days and receive a full refund. Also, Wix too takes a percentage of each sale made which is an important element to consider when choosing which platform to go for.
Summary of Shopify Vs Wix
We hope this article has gave you a better insight into two popular ecommerce platforms. If you are still unsure if these platforms are right for your business, head over to our previous article Shopify Vs Magento. As Shopify Partners, we love to share our expert knowledge on Shopify and other ecommerce platforms to allow you to get the most from your online store.
Shopify Vs Wix FAQs
Technically, Wix is cheaper as it offers a plan for £3.50, however if you are wanting to build an ecommerce website, you would have to subscribe to a more expensive Wix payment plan. This makes Shopify the cheapest option offering a ‘Shopify Lite’ plan for $9 per month. This plan however only provides you with the ability to embed your products on other sites, if you want to create a whole online store, the cheapest plan Shopify has available costs $29.
When it comes to any online store, search engine optimisation (SEO) is a key consideration you must make because it makes a huge difference to your business results. Shopify beats Wix from an SEO perspective because it has a much more responsive design which is an important factor that Google’s vital standards consider when ranking a site in Google search results.
It is possible to use Shopify with Wix, you can embed products from a Shopify store into a Wix website using the Shopify ‘Buy Button’ feature. To do this, you will need to add some Shopify code to your wix site. After you’ve done this, your Wix site will display products from your Shopify store.