If you’re starting an online store, choosing the right website platform can feel like a big decision.
Two of the names you’re likely to come across are Shopify and Wix.
Both can help you build an online store, accept payments and sell products online. But they are designed with slightly different priorities in mind.
So which one is better?
Shopify or Wix?
The answer depends on the type of ecommerce business you’re building, how many products you plan to sell and how important ecommerce functionality is to your long-term plans.
In this Start Stronger comparison, we’ll look at the key differences to help you decide which platform may be the better fit for your business.
Affiliate disclosure: Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you purchase through an affiliate link, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. We aim to recommend platforms based on their potential usefulness rather than simply because they offer an affiliate program.
Shopify vs Wix at a glance
Before getting into the details, here’s the quick version.
| Shopify | Wix | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Ecommerce-first businesses | Small businesses wanting ecommerce + website |
| Ease of use | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Ecommerce features | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Website design flexibility | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Product management | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Large stores | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Content/blogging | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Apps & integrations | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Beginners | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Service + products | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Scaling ecommerce | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
These ratings are a general guide rather than a definitive ranking. Both platforms change their features and plans regularly.
Shopify: Built for ecommerce
Shopify was created with online selling at the centre of the platform.
That distinction is important.
Shopify isn’t simply a website builder that happens to allow you to sell products.
It’s an ecommerce platform designed around the process of:
Product → Customer → Order → Payment → Fulfilment
It provides tools for managing products, orders, inventory, customers, discounts, shipping and other aspects of running an online store.
Shopify may be a strong choice if:
- Ecommerce is your primary business
- You expect to sell a large number of products
- You want sophisticated ecommerce features
- You’re planning to scale
- You need extensive integrations
- You expect your store to become a major revenue channel
Wix: Website first, ecommerce included
Wix takes a somewhat different approach.
Wix is primarily a website-building platform, but it also provides ecommerce functionality.
This can make it particularly attractive to small businesses that want a combination of:
Website + services + content + products
For example, imagine a small business that:
- Offers consulting
- Publishes a blog
- Collects enquiries
- Books appointments
- Sells a handful of products
Wix can bring these elements together in one website.
Wix may be a strong choice if:
- Your business isn’t exclusively ecommerce
- You have a relatively small product range
- Website design is particularly important
- You want a simple visual editor
- You want services and products on the same website
- You’re building the website yourself
Which is easier to use?
For many beginners, Wix has the edge when it comes to straightforward website creation.
Its visual editing approach makes it relatively easy to create and modify pages without technical knowledge.
Shopify is also designed to be user-friendly, but its interface is more heavily focused around ecommerce.
That’s not necessarily a disadvantage.
If you’re running an online store, having ecommerce features at the centre of the experience can actually make your life easier.
Winner for general website simplicity:
Wix
Winner for ecommerce-focused workflows:
Shopify
Which has better ecommerce features?
This is where Shopify generally has the advantage.
Shopify has been built around ecommerce from the beginning.
That means you’ll find extensive functionality around areas such as:
- Products
- Variants
- Inventory
- Orders
- Payments
- Shipping
- Discounts
- Customer accounts
- Sales channels
- Ecommerce analytics
- Apps and integrations
Wix also provides many ecommerce features, particularly for small and medium-sized stores.
But if ecommerce is the core of your business, Shopify’s focus becomes a significant advantage.
Winner:
Shopify
What about website design?
This is where Wix can become particularly appealing.
If your business needs a website that combines ecommerce with other content, Wix gives you significant flexibility over the design and layout of your pages.
You can create:
- About pages
- Service pages
- Landing pages
- Blogs
- Galleries
- Contact pages
- Product pages
- Booking pages
Shopify has improved considerably as a website-building platform, but its core focus remains the online store.
Winner for general website flexibility:
Wix
Which is better for a large online store?
If you’re planning to build a large ecommerce operation, Shopify is generally the platform we’d look at first.
For example, if you’re planning:
- Hundreds of products
- Multiple product variants
- Complex inventory
- Multiple sales channels
- Extensive integrations
- Advanced fulfilment
- A growing team
Shopify’s ecommerce-first approach can become increasingly valuable.
Winner:
Shopify
Which is better for a small online store?
This is where the answer becomes less obvious.
Imagine you’re selling:
- Handmade products
- Candles
- Clothing
- Artwork
- Digital products
- Gifts
- Small collections of physical products
If you have a relatively small catalogue, both platforms could work.
The deciding factor may come down to what else your business needs.
Choose Wix if:
Your store is one part of a broader business website.
Choose Shopify if:
Selling products is the main purpose of your business.
Shopify vs Wix for Australian businesses
If you’re operating in Australia, don’t simply compare the website-building features.
You also need to consider how each platform fits into your overall business setup.
Think about:
- Australian payment options
- GST
- Shipping
- Local delivery
- Accounting
- Inventory
- Business reporting
- Customer communication
- Tax requirements
- Australian consumer law
Your ecommerce platform doesn’t remove your legal or tax responsibilities.
Make sure you understand your obligations and seek professional advice where necessary.
Payments
Both Shopify and Wix support online payments, but the exact options, transaction costs and availability can depend on your location, plan and payment provider.
Before choosing a platform, compare:
- Payment processing fees
- Platform transaction fees
- Supported payment providers
- Currency options
- International payments
- Refund handling
- Payout timing
Don’t look at the monthly subscription alone.
A platform that costs slightly more each month could potentially be better value if its payment and ecommerce costs work better for your business.
Shipping and fulfilment
Shipping can become one of the most complicated parts of ecommerce.
Before choosing a platform, think about how you’re going to handle:
- Shipping rates
- Local delivery
- Click and collect
- International shipping
- Tracking
- Returns
- Exchanges
- Packaging
- Inventory
If your business expects a high volume of orders, Shopify’s ecommerce ecosystem may provide more room to build sophisticated fulfilment workflows.
For smaller businesses, Wix may provide everything you need without the additional complexity.
Apps and integrations
One of Shopify’s major strengths is its large ecosystem of apps and integrations.
If you eventually need a specific function, there’s a good chance you’ll find an integration designed to provide it.
This can include:
- Email marketing
- Reviews
- Customer loyalty
- Inventory
- Accounting
- Shipping
- Marketing
- Analytics
- Customer service
- Subscriptions
Wix also provides integrations and extensions, but Shopify’s ecommerce ecosystem is one of its major selling points.
Winner:
Shopify
SEO: Shopify vs Wix
Both platforms provide tools that can help you optimise your website for search engines.
But SEO success isn’t determined by your platform alone.
You’ll still need:
- Useful content
- Relevant keywords
- Good product descriptions
- Optimised page titles
- Clear headings
- Internal links
- Quality images
- Mobile-friendly pages
- Good website performance
- Strong product and category structure
For ecommerce businesses, SEO can become particularly valuable because people are actively searching for products.
Don’t choose a platform based solely on claims that one is “better for SEO.”
Your strategy and execution matter enormously.
Blogging and content marketing
Content can be an important part of an ecommerce strategy.
For example, if you sell outdoor products, you could create articles such as:
- How to choose the right camping tent
- Camping checklist for beginners
- Best camping accessories
- How to prepare for your first camping trip
This content can attract people who aren’t necessarily ready to buy yet.
Both Shopify and Wix can support blogging and content.
However, if content marketing is going to be the primary focus of your website rather than ecommerce, your platform choice may change.
Which is better for selling products and services?
This is an important consideration for many small businesses.
Imagine you are:
A photographer selling prints and offering photography services.
Or:
A coach selling online resources and one-on-one sessions.
Or:
A trades business selling products alongside installation services.
In these situations, you aren’t just running an online store.
You’re running a business website with ecommerce included.
This is where Wix can be particularly attractive.
It allows you to combine products, services, content, bookings and other website features in one environment.
Shopify can also support these models, but its ecommerce-first structure may not be necessary for every business.
Which is better for branding?
Both platforms allow businesses to create branded online stores.
The real question is what kind of experience you want.
Wix
Strong choice if you want your website to feel like a complete brand experience.
Shopify
Strong choice if you want the shopping experience to be the centre of the brand.
Neither approach is inherently better.
They’re simply different.
Shopify vs Wix pricing
Pricing changes regularly, and the available plans, features and fees can vary by country.
That’s why we recommend checking the current plans directly before making a decision rather than relying on an old comparison.
When comparing costs, don’t just look at the monthly subscription.
Consider the total cost of running your store, including:
- Website subscription
- Payment processing
- Transaction fees
- Apps
- Premium themes
- Email marketing
- Shipping tools
- Accounting integrations
- Domain
- Professional services
A cheap platform can become expensive if you need lots of additional apps.
A more expensive platform may be better value if it includes the features you actually need.
Shopify vs Wix: Pros and cons
Shopify
Pros
- Ecommerce-first platform
- Strong product management
- Excellent inventory functionality
- Large app ecosystem
- Strong scalability
- Extensive ecommerce features
- Multiple sales channels
- Suitable for growing stores
Cons
- Can be more complex than a basic website builder
- Additional apps can increase costs
- May be more platform than a small business needs
- Design flexibility can require more work
Wix
Pros
- Beginner-friendly
- Flexible website design
- Good for combining services and products
- Easy visual editing
- Useful marketing tools
- Good option for smaller stores
- Suitable for content-heavy websites
Cons
- Less ecommerce-focused than Shopify
- May become less suitable as a store becomes highly complex
- Advanced ecommerce requirements may require additional solutions
So, which one should you choose?
Here’s the simplest way to think about it.
Choose Shopify if:
Your business is primarily an online store.
You want to sell products, manage inventory and build an ecommerce operation that can grow.
Shopify is particularly compelling if you expect ecommerce to become a major part of your business.
Choose Wix if:
Your business is primarily a website with ecommerce included.
You might offer services, publish content, collect enquiries, take bookings and sell a smaller range of products.
Wix can provide a simpler all-in-one website experience.
Our verdict
🏆 Best for serious ecommerce: Shopify
If selling products online is the heart of your business, Shopify is our first platform to investigate.
🏆 Best for small businesses combining ecommerce and services: Wix
If you need a broader business website with ecommerce as one component, Wix can be an excellent choice.
🏆 Best for beginners: Wix
If your priority is creating and managing your own website with minimal technical complexity, Wix has a strong advantage.
🏆 Best for long-term ecommerce growth: Shopify
If you’re building an ecommerce business with ambitions to grow a substantial product catalogue and sales operation, Shopify’s ecommerce ecosystem is a major advantage.
The biggest mistake is choosing based on features alone
It’s easy to compare dozens of features and still end up confused.
Instead, start with your business model.
Ask yourself:
What am I selling?
How many products will I have?
Is ecommerce my main business or just one part of it?
How complicated will inventory become?
Will I need multiple sales channels?
Do I need bookings or services as well?
How much technical work am I comfortable managing?
Where do I want the business to be in three years?
Your answers will usually make the decision much clearer.
Start Stronger
You don’t need to choose the most powerful ecommerce platform available.
You need to choose the platform that fits your business now while giving you enough room to grow.
For a product-focused ecommerce business, Shopify is difficult to overlook.
For a small business that wants products, services, content and a flexible website in one place, Wix may be the better fit.
And remember — your platform is only one part of your online store.
Your products, pricing, branding, customer experience, marketing, SEO and service will ultimately have a much bigger impact on your success.
Choose your platform carefully, but don’t let choosing the platform stop you from starting.
That’s the Start Stronger approach.
