Shopify vs Wix eCommerce Comparison: Which One Should Be Your Choice?

The comparison between Shopify vs Wix, the two of the most popular site builders for eCommerce stores, has always been attractive for eCommerce businesses. Why? Because it’s challenging to pick one over the other.

Shopify is excellent for big sales and larger companies, while Wix is fantastic for small businesses. However, choosing a site builder or an eCommerce platform for your products isn’t just about which one is the best in general; it’s often about which one is more suitable for your business. 

That’s why here we will compare some critical Wix vs Shopify aspects such as pricing, SEO, templates, and others to make your choice process much easier and faster. 

Let’s begin our Wix vs Shopify for eCommerce comparison.

Shopify vs Wix: Ease of Use and Accessibility

The first criteria in choosing the right eCommerce platform is the convenience, ease of use, and accessibility. Also, user-friendliness should be considered as a main factor when making decisions. Here’s how to do that:

How Easy and Accessible is Shopify?

Shopify is probably one of the easiest online store builders, with an interface that is easy for beginners. With drag-and-drop design features, as well as customization options, the core store functionalities are present for each business. And you can do all these things either from your computer or a mobile device.

Wix Ease of Use and Accessibility Features

Wix is an intuitive and user-friendly online store builder. It’s great for eCommerce business owners who have no coding experience but still want a convenient website. Accessibility is well-supported, with features like screen reader compatibility and keyboard navigation. Still, customization is limited compared to Shopify – which can be a good thing for those who want a straightforward eCommerce solution.

How Do the SEO Features Compare Between Shopify and Wix?

One of the crucial aspects of choosing a Shopify or Wix store is addressing both platforms’ SEO options. The reason is simple – there’s no success in today’s modern world without search engine optimization, no matter which eCommerce platform you choose.

This is how things stand regarding eCommerce SEO for Shopify vs Wix.

Shopify SEO Built-In Features

Shopify SEO features cover a large part of the optimization. For example, you can consider technical SEO features like choosing the preferred domain to rank with, then a logical store structure, etc.

When it comes to on-page SEO, Shopify lets you optimize meta titles and descriptions through the “Search engine preview” section. Surely, you can implement a heading hierarchy for your blog or product category or description.

Image optimization is possible as long as you use descriptive file names and edit the alt text through the “Add alt text” feature.

Wix SEO Tools and Features

Wix SEO includes many features like structured data markup, server-side rendering, and robots.txt editor to easily tell Google what pages to crawl. URL customization is available, as well as editing the default canonical tags to tell search engines what pages to index.

When it comes to optimization, you can edit and customize the meta tags directly from the editor, review the text, and add a heading hierarchy.

When it comes to technical SEO features, you can create XML sitemaps, access analytics reports, and even perform bulk 301 redirects when needed. The integrated Wix analytics may give you a basic insight into how your SEO strategy performs in a given period.

Huge Wix SEO Advantage: Keyword research has never been easier as you can integrate Semrush with your website. Semrush is one of the most popular SEO tools around that help businesses choose the right keywords to target.

Shopify vs Wix eCommerce Features Comparison

Since you’ll be using one of these platforms for eCommerce, i.e., online store, it’s important to take a closer look at the features. From shipping and payments to stock management, here’s what you need to know about Wix and Shopify differences:

Shopify’s eCommerce Advantages

Shopify is a dedicated eCommerce platform, which means you’re getting a robust system for online stores that features:

• Product management, i.e., updating your product list, adding descriptions, and using quality images
• Inventory management to track the stock levels
• Built-in payment methods like credit cards, wallets, and alternative gateways
• Shipping management and integration with various carriers
• Abandoned cart recovery, discount codes, and additional marketing tools (besides SEO) to boost sales

Wix: The Perfect eCommerce Builder for Beginners

Wix is a user-friendly eCommerce solution with simple features compared to Shopify. Still, it’s enough to kickstart your project knowing these features:

• Product listings to manage your products, their descriptions, and illustrative images
• Payment processing gateways like PayPal and Stripe
• Basic inventory management so you can have control over the stock levels
• Limited customization, but still enough for new and small businesses

Overall, Shopify is the clear winner in terms of comprehensive eCommerce features and scalability. However, Wix offers a user-friendly and affordable option for those starting with a small online store.

Wix Pricing vs Shopify eCommerce Plans

One of the first things every eCommerce business owner should consider when choosing between Shopify or Wix is their pricing offers. 

So, let’s see which are the options.

Shopify Pricing

Regarding Shopify vs Wix pricing, even if we consider other platforms as well, “cheap” wouldn’t be the word one would use to describe Shopify’s pricing.

Shopify has a 3-day free trial and an exclusive time-limited offer of “$1 for one month”, but its pricing plans are somewhat different:

• Basic Shopify – This one is $24 per month, and it’s similar to Wix since it’s suitable for merchants who desire a simple store or are just starting out because they get all the fundamental eCommerce functions.

• Shopify Plan – It’s $69 per month and provides you with everything you need to grow your business. You get all the things from the Basic plan plus global selling support; pro sales report features, etc.

• Advanced Shopify – Advanced with features, but also costs a lot. This plan is $299 per month, but you will get full advanced features that help medium-to-large businesses grow fast.

Wix Pricing

When it comes to Wix pricing vs Shopify, Wix has a more direct offer since it has three pricing plans:

• Business Basic – You will pay $17 per month, and it’s best for beginners since you’ll get a set of features to sell online. Some of them include report and sales analytics, unlimited bandwidth with a year-free domain, and so on.

• Business Unlimited – It’s $25 per month with everything from the previous one but has a professional logo, pro eCommerce features, and more storage. You also get multiple currencies, dropshipping, tax calculators, etc.

• Business VIP – This one is $35 per month, and you get all the features from Business Unlimited plus priority support. Also, you get reports to help you get insights and make data-driven decisions. All your questions on the answer page will appear at the front of the line.

This is the Wix eCommerce pricing vs Shopify, and the easiest way to decide which one is better for you is by asking yourself how much you tend to invest according to what you get.

Shopify vs Wix Security: How to Choose the Most Secure Option?

Another critical aspect in today’s online world is security, and the comparison of security regarding Shopify vs Wix shows that both platforms will help you do all the necessary work.

Shopify Security

Shopify takes care entirely of security problems and updates in the background because of its platform’s hosted nature. It will provide you with SOC, which stands for Service Organization Control reports and also Transparency reports as an assessment of info systems by third parties.

Furthermore, this platform runs on a Level 1 PCI-compliant server that is obligatory to accept debit or credit card information. And don’t worry; your shoppers’ data will also be safe since Shopify uses SSL encryption for each store.

Wix Security

If you choose Wix, you will gain the shoppers’ trust since you will have SSL web security that will keep connections private and secure over the HTTPS. Because of this, customers and visitors will rest assured that your Wix eCommerce store is of high quality regarding security.

Furthermore, Wix has TLS 1.2, which stands for Transport Layer Security, and a Level 1 PCI Compliant, which means that your site keeps your customers’ transactions safe and provides them with a high standard of security for payment.

With DDoS Protection, a reliable web hosting, Wix has done extensive hacker testing to make sure that your store site is always effective.

Wix vs Shopify: What Types of Customer Support they Offer?

Customer support is essential for eCommerce stores, and regarding this Shopify vs Wix eCommerce aspect, it’s fair to say that both platforms have help centers that are always kept up to date. You will get assistance from experts and users worldwide by joining their forums.

Shopify Support

The Shopify support team is available 24/7 via phone and email, but what makes this platform better, or at least different, is that it also provides a live chat. This advantage is highly beneficial since each time your waiting time is down, or there is an issue, a solution will be available quickly, so your eCommerce store will soon be able to be a steady source of income once again.

Furthermore, you won’t have any severe problems since you can get help from experts or exchange experiences via the Shopify Community with numerous other merchants from all over the globe.

Wix Support

Wix is also robust when it comes to customer support since it’s popular for various lively instruction videos. The only thing you need to do is to hover your mouse over the editor’s question marks, and small bubbles will show up that will provide you with answers fast.

In addition, for languages such as Italian, French, German, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Japanese the line is available only during business hours, but an English support line is constantly available. Also, regarding live support, you can submit tickets and request a callback.

Wix vs Shopify eCommerce Templates and Their Customizability

We all know visual appeal is essential when converting website visitors into buyers. It’s like a storefront that captures attention and invites the visitors to explore in depth.

Both Shopify and Wix offer a wide range of beautiful and responsive templates to fit any customer preferences. So, let’s see how these platforms differ in this aspect.

Shopify Themes

Shopify has only a few free and over 100 paid themes designed for online stores, and the price usually ranges from $140 to $180. As with the pricing plans, themes are also generally expensive, but each paid theme is significantly cost-effective since it’s artistically tremendous and highly functional.

Also, you can use Shopify Liquid, which is excellent for modifying the underlying code if you want to add elements and if you have an idea for a new feature you think would make everything look much better.

Wix Templates

Unlike Shopify, there are more than 800 free Wix templates available for you to choose from and cover various aspects of your store and modify them to make more sales. Of course, choosing the best one with this massive number of templates is challenging, but remember to look for something that will represent your business and is eye-catching simultaneously.

If you don’t have time to create, this platform offers built-in design tools to help you design your Wix ADI, storefront, Wix Editor X, etc. 

Still, there is one negative side regarding Wix templates, and that’s the fact that their design flexibility has a limitation since Wix templates aren’t changeable. This disadvantage can be problematic since what you choose at the beginning stays till the end, so rebranding your eCommerce store would be extremely challenging.

So, the Shopify vs Wix for eCommerce comparison in this section clearly shows that even though Shopify is much more expensive, Wix’s limitations can be a potential issue.

Payment Methods: Wix and Shopify Comparison

Shopify and Wix are seen as platforms with excellent payment methods according to many eCommerce merchants, but here are the facts to help you choose which one is more suitable for your business.

Shopify Payments

This platform has its own solution for payments called Shopify Payments and helps you get transaction fees off your mind. There are different credit card rates according to the chosen plan. If you choose Basic, you will have to pay $2.9 + 30 cents per transaction, $2.6 + 30 cents for Shopify Plan, and 2.4$ + 30 cents for Advanced.

If you don’t use Shopify Payments, there’s an additional fee per transaction – 2% for Basic, 1% for Plan, and 0.5% for Advanced.

Wix Payments

With Wix Payments, you will get these advantages:

• Safe online payments
• Easy and free set-up
• 24-hour customer service support
• Unified dashboard for refunds, chargebacks, and payouts
• Usage of iDeal, debit/credit cards, and buy now, pay later options such as Sezzle, Affirm, etc.
• You won’t need a third-party payment gateway

In addition, this platform supports all traditional payment options like Stripe, PayPal, and others with strict standards and online encryption. Furthermore, the buy now, pay later option is excellent for shoppers since it provides them with financial freedom, and there are no additional integration costs.

Before we wrap up, it’s valuable to mention that you shouldn’t rush with your decision, so check other comparisons like Shopify vs WooCommerce or any other to make an in-depth analysis and pick the perfect eCommerce platform.

Wix vs Shopify SEO Summary

We have come to the end of our Wix stores vs Shopify comparison, so leave some time for impressions to cool off and make your decision. Both platforms are fantastic for your eCommerce business, so it doesn’t matter who is the best but which is most suitable for your eCommerce store.

One more tip before we end the Shopify vs Wix comparison is to remember that the eCommerce industry is the most competitive one all across the globe, so make sure you make the maximum of whatever option you choose!

FAQs

Is Wix cheaper than Shopify?

Yes, Wix is much cheaper than Shopify since the lowest monthly fee for Wix eCommerce websites is $17 per month for Wix Business Basic.

Should I choose Wix or Shopify?

Wix is great for small businesses while Shopify is excellent for larger companies and bigger sales. Also, you have to see which platforms’ features suit better for your eCommerce business.

Is it possible to switch from Wix to Shopify?

If you have your own domain name bought outside of Wix for your online Wix store, you can move it entirely to Shopify. The two options for doing so are to transfer it to Shopify or connect it to your new account.

When to switch from Wix to Shopify?

Consider switching from Wix to Shopify if your business is growing and needs advanced features like inventory management, extensive product options, or robust marketing tools.

When to switch from Shopify to Wix?

A switch from Shopify to Wix might be ideal if you’re downsizing your online store, prioritizing extreme ease of use over extensive features, and being comfortable with a smaller product range.