Wix vs. Shopify – Which Website Builder is Best for Small Businesses

In today’s digital landscape, having a professional website is no longer optional for small businesses—it’s essential. Whether you're a local bakery, a growing online retailer, or a service-based entrepreneur, a well-designed website can boost credibility, attract customers, and drive sales. But with so many website builders available, how do you choose the right one?

Two of the most popular options are Wix and Shopify, both offering powerful tools to help small business owners build and manage their online presence. Wix is known for its drag-and-drop ease of use and design flexibility, while Shopify is a leading eCommerce platform built specifically for selling products online. But when it comes to Wix vs Shopify for small business owners, which one is the best fit?

This article provides a detailed comparison of Wix vs Shopify, evaluating their pricing, features, ease of use, eCommerce capabilities, SEO tools, and more. Whether you need a simple website for your brand or a fully functional online store, this guide will help you decide which website builder is best for your business needs.

Wix Website Builder General Overview

Wix is a user-friendly website builder designed for small businesses, freelancers, and creatives who want a professional online presence without needing advanced technical skills. It’s known for its drag-and-drop editor, making it one of the easiest platforms for beginners to create a website from scratch.

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Wix

• Trusted by 200M+ users
• 900+ designer-made templates

Top rated in website creation

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Key Features of Wix

• Drag-and-Drop Website Builder – No coding required; users can customize layouts, colors, fonts, and more.
• 800+ Customizable Templates – Pre-designed templates for different industries, from portfolios to business sites.
• Wix ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) – Wix can automatically create a site based on a few questions about your business.
• Built-in SEO & Marketing Tools – Wix includes SEO tools, email marketing features, and social media integrations.
• Wix eCommerce (Wix Stores) – Wix allows users to sell products online, but it is not as advanced as Shopify for large-scale eCommerce.

Who Wix is Best For

Wix is ideal for:

• Small business owners who need a simple, professional website
• Freelancers and creatives looking for portfolios or personal branding sites
• Service-based businesses that don’t rely heavily on product sales
• Beginners who want a website without coding or technical expertise

If you need a versatile website with minimal setup and an intuitive interface, Wix is a great option. However, if your main goal is to sell products at scale, Shopify may be a better fit.

Shopify Website Builder General Overview

Shopify is a dedicated eCommerce platform designed specifically for selling products online. Unlike Wix, which is a general website builder with optional eCommerce features, Shopify is built from the ground up for online stores, offering powerful sales tools, inventory management, and payment processing options.

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Shopify

• Fast online stores & checkouts
• Trusted by millions of brands

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Key Features of Shopify

• Full eCommerce Functionality – Shopify is optimized for selling online, from product management to secure checkout.
• Multi-Channel Selling – Businesses can sell not only on their Shopify store but also on Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, and in-person with Shopify POS.
• Inventory & Order Management – Built-in tools for tracking stock levels, handling refunds, and automating shipping.
• Payment Processing & Secure Checkout – Shopify supports multiple payment gateways, including Shopify Payments, PayPal, Stripe, and more.
• SEO & Marketing Features – Shopify offers blogging tools, email marketing, and integrations with Google Analytics and Facebook Ads.

Who Should Use Shopify?

Shopify is ideal for:

• E-commerce businesses focused on selling products online
• Retailers and entrepreneurs looking to scale their online store
• Dropshipping businesses that need seamless supplier integration
• Businesses needing advanced sales tools like abandoned cart recovery, customer segmentation, and discount codes

If your main priority is selling products online and managing an eCommerce business, Shopify is the better choice.

Feature Comparison: Wix vs. Shopify

Now that we have a clear understanding of what Wix and Shopify offer, let’s compare them across key features that matter most to small business owners.

1. Ease of Use

Wix: Beginner-Friendly and Intuitive

Wix is widely regarded as one of the easiest website builders to use. Its drag-and-drop editor allows users to design a website without coding, making it perfect for beginners. Additionally, Wix offers Wix ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence), which can automatically create a website based on a few business-related questions.

• No coding required
• Simple drag-and-drop customization
• Pre-designed templates for quick setup

Shopify: Structured but Requires Learning

Shopify is also user-friendly but more structured than Wix. Instead of free-form customization, Shopify offers a pre-set layout system optimized for eCommerce. While beginners can still navigate Shopify easily, it requires more time to learn—especially when setting up payment gateways, product listings, and inventory management.

• Designed for eCommerce from the start
• Guided setup for online stores
• More complex than Wix but highly scalable

Conclusion: Wix is more suitable for those seeking a straightforward website-building experience, while Shopify offers a robust platform tailored for eCommerce, albeit with a steeper learning curve.

2. Design & Customization

Wix: Highly Customizable with Templates

Wix provides over 900 customizable templates across different industries, from restaurants and portfolios to online stores. Users have full drag-and-drop flexibility, allowing them to place elements anywhere on the page.

• Completely customizable templates
• Drag-and-drop design freedom
• Ideal for businesses that prioritize branding and visual appeal

Shopify: Structured but Professionally Designed Themes

Shopify offers a range of themes, most of which are designed specifically for eCommerce. However, Shopify’s customization is more restricted, as users must work within a predefined grid system. To customize layouts beyond basic edits, users may need HTML/CSS coding or Shopify apps.

• Professional, conversion-optimized themes
• Mobile-responsive by default
• Customization requires some coding for advanced changes

Conclusion: Wix offers greater creative control for general website design, while Shopify provides structured, professional themes optimized for online sales.

3. Pricing & Plans

Both platforms offer tiered pricing based on business needs. Below is a pricing comparison:

Wix Pricing Plans:

• Combo Plan: $16/month – Suitable for personal use; includes a free domain for 1 year, removes Wix ads, provides 2 GB bandwidth, and 3 GB storage.
• Unlimited Plan: $22/month – Ideal for entrepreneurs and freelancers; offers unlimited bandwidth, 10 GB storage, and additional features like a site booster app.
• Pro Plan: $27/month – Best for complete online branding; includes 20 GB storage, a free logo maker, and social media logo files.
• VIP Plan: $45/month – Provides priority support, 35 GB storage, and all features from the Pro plan.
• Business Basic: $27/month – Entry-level eCommerce plan; allows online payments, offers 20 GB storage, and includes abandoned cart recovery.
• Business Unlimited: $32/month – Suitable for growing businesses; provides 35 GB storage, subscriptions, and multiple currencies.
• Business VIP: $59/month – For established businesses; offers 50 GB storage, priority support, and all features from Business Unlimited.

Note: Prices are based on annual subscriptions and may vary by region. Monthly billing options are available at higher rates. Prices are subject to change; please refer to Wix's official pricing page for the most current information.

Shopify Pricing Plans:

• Starter Plan: $5/month – Designed for selling products through social media and messaging apps; does not include a full online store.
• Basic Shopify: $39/month – Suitable for new eCommerce businesses; includes an online store with 2 staff accounts, unlimited products, and basic reports.
• Shopify Plan: $105/month – For growing businesses; offers 5 staff accounts, professional reports, and standard eCommerce features.
• Advanced Shopify: $399/month – Tailored for scaling businesses; provides 15 staff accounts, advanced report builder, and third-party calculated shipping rates.
• Shopify Plus: Starting at $2,300/month – Enterprise-level solution with advanced customization, higher-level support, and additional features.

Note: Prices are based on annual billing. Shopify also offers a $1 trial for the first month on select plans. Prices are subject to change; please refer to Shopify's official pricing page for the most current information.

Key Considerations:

• Transaction Fees: Shopify charges transaction fees ranging from 0.5% to 2% on sales made through third-party payment gateways. These fees are waived if you use Shopify Payments, Shopify’s in-house payment processor. Wix does not charge additional transaction fees beyond standard payment processor fees.
• Additional Costs: Both platforms may require extra expenses for premium apps, advanced eCommerce features, third-party integrations, and design enhancements.
• Best Value: Wix is more affordable for general websites, while Shopify’s pricing reflects its dedicated eCommerce tools.

Conclusion: Wix is the better choice for small businesses needing a cost-effective website, while Shopify is ideal for businesses that prioritize eCommerce and need advanced selling tools.

4. E-Commerce Capabilities

Wix: Basic Online Store Features

Wix allows users to sell products, but its eCommerce tools are limited compared to Shopify. It’s best suited for small-scale stores that sell a handful of products or digital goods.

• Simple product listings
• Basic inventory management
• Supports online payments (PayPal, Stripe, Wix Payments)

Shopify: Built for Online Sales

Shopify is the best option for businesses focused on eCommerce. It supports:

• Unlimited products
• Advanced inventory management
• Multi-channel selling (Amazon, Instagram, Facebook, etc.)
• Built-in abandoned cart recovery
• Dropshipping integrations (Oberlo, Printful, etc.)

Conclusion: For serious online retail operations, Shopify offers a comprehensive suite of eCommerce tools, whereas Wix is suitable for smaller-scale online selling.

5. SEO & Marketing Tools

Wix: Strong SEO Features for Local Businesses

Wix offers built-in SEO tools like customizable meta tags, URL structures, and mobile optimization. It’s a great choice for service-based businesses that rely on Google search visibility.

• SEO Wiz tool for step-by-step optimization
• Customizable meta titles, descriptions, and URLs
• Mobile optimization and fast-loading templates
• Basic blogging tools for content marketing
• Email marketing and social media integrations

Shopify: Advanced SEO for Online Stores

Shopify is optimized for eCommerce SEO, offering features tailored to online stores. It provides faster site speeds and better technical SEO capabilities than Wix, making it ideal for scaling businesses.

• Automatic generation of SEO-friendly URLs and sitemaps
• Faster page loading speeds for better search rankings
• Integration with Google Shopping, Facebook Ads, and other marketing platforms
• More advanced blogging tools compared to Wix
• Abandoned cart recovery for improved conversion rates

Conclusion: Wix is better for small business SEO, offering easy-to-use SEO tools and content marketing features, while Shopify is better for eCommerce SEO, with faster page speeds and multi-channel marketing integrations.

6. Customer Support

Wix: General Website Support

Wix provides a range of support options for users who need assistance with website creation and management.

• 24/7 customer support via live chat and email
• Phone support available in select regions
• Help Center with tutorials and guides
• Community forums for peer-to-peer assistance

Shopify: Dedicated E-Commerce Support

Shopify offers specialized support tailored to eCommerce businesses, ensuring store owners receive assistance with sales, payment processing, and technical issues.

• 24/7 customer support via live chat, email, and phone
• Comprehensive Help Center with eCommerce-specific resources
• Dedicated support for Shopify Payments and third-party apps
• Shopify Experts marketplace for hiring developers and designers

Conclusion: Both Wix and Shopify offer 24/7 support, but Shopify provides more specialized assistance for eCommerce-related issues, making it the better option for online store owners.

7. Pros & Cons Summary

A side-by-side comparison of Wix and Shopify makes it easier to determine which platform best fits different business needs.

Wix: Pros & Cons

Pros:

• User-friendly drag-and-drop editor for easy website creation
• Affordable pricing with no additional transaction fees
• 800+ customizable templates for various industries
• Built-in SEO and marketing tools for small businesses
• Ideal for service-based businesses, freelancers, and portfolios

Cons:

• Limited eCommerce capabilities compared to Shopify
• Lacks advanced inventory and multi-channel selling features
• Not as scalable for large online stores

Shopify: Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Best-in-class eCommerce features for selling online
• Unlimited product listings with advanced inventory management
• Multi-channel selling on Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, and more
• Abandoned cart recovery and other conversion-boosting tools
• Highly scalable for businesses looking to grow

Cons:

• Higher pricing, especially for advanced plans
• Transaction fees if not using Shopify Payments
• Limited design flexibility compared to Wix

Conclusion

Wix is the best choice for small businesses needing a simple, affordable website, while Shopify is the better option for businesses focused on eCommerce and scaling online sales.

Wix vs. Shopify: Side-by-Side Comparison

Below is a comparison table highlighting the key differences between Wix and Shopify to help small business owners choose the right platform.

Key Takeaways

• Choose Wix if you need an affordable, easy-to-use website builder for a service-based business, personal brand, or small online store.

• Choose Shopify if your goal is to run a full-scale eCommerce business with advanced sales, inventory, and marketing tools.

Why a Website is Crucial for Small Businesses

In today’s digital world, having a professional website is essential for small businesses. A website acts as a virtual storefront, helping businesses build credibility, attract customers, and increase revenue.

Key Benefits of a Small Business Website

Establishes Credibility & Trust

• A well-designed website makes a business appear professional and legitimate.
• It serves as a central hub for business information, contact details, and customer testimonials.

Increases Visibility & Customer Reach

• Over 80% of consumers research a business online before making a purchase.
• A website allows businesses to be found through search engines, social media, and online directories.

24/7 Accessibility & Customer Convenience

• Unlike a physical store, a website allows businesses to operate 24/7.
• Customers can browse products, book services, or make purchases anytime.

Boosts Sales & Revenue

• Even service-based businesses benefit from features like online booking systems and quote requests.
• E-commerce websites powered by Wix or Shopify can generate revenue beyond a local customer base.

Cost-Effective & Scalable

• Running a website is more affordable than renting a physical store.
• Platforms like Wix and Shopify allow businesses to scale operations as they grow.

Having a functional, SEO-optimized website is no longer optional—it’s a necessity for small business success. Choosing the right website builder ensures a strong online presence and sustainable business growth.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right website builder depends on your business goals. Both Wix and Shopify offer valuable features, but they cater to different needs.

• Wix is the better choice for small businesses, freelancers, and service-based businesses that need a simple, affordable, and customizable website. It offers a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor, built-in SEO tools, and basic eCommerce capabilities.
• Shopify is the superior option for businesses focused on online sales. It provides powerful eCommerce tools, multi-channel selling, and scalable inventory management, making it ideal for businesses looking to grow and expand their online presence.

Before making a decision, consider your business type, budget, and long-term growth plans.

Want to explore more? Check out the full reviews of Wix and Shopify to get an in-depth look at their features, pricing, and performance.