Shopify vs Wix
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and ratings
At a glance
| Dimension | Shopify | Wix |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $39/mo; 3-day free trial | Free plan; paid plans from $17/mo |
| Ease of Use | Guided setup, less visual flexibility | Drag-and-drop, AI builder from prompts |
| eCommerce Features | Full eCommerce suite + multi-channel selling | Order & shipping management, appointment scheduling |
| Design Flexibility | Customizable themes, limited beyond code | 2000+ templates, pixel-level drag-and-drop |
| Best For | Dedicated online stores & multichannel sellers | Small businesses & creatives wanting all-in-one |
| Latest News | Multi-provider AI stack, outage resolved (2026-06) | New SEO controls for Experiences (2026-05-11) |
For most small businesses and creatives who want a beautiful, all-in-one website with AI assistance and granular design control, Wix is the better value. Shopify wins for merchants focused solely on scaling an eCommerce business across multiple sales channels, but expect to pay more and sacrifice some design freedom.
Feature-by-feature
Wix and Shopify serve overlapping but distinct needs. Wix excels in design freedom with its drag-and-drop editor and 2000+ customizable templates, plus AI website generation from prompts via Aria. It bundles business management tools like appointment scheduling, online ordering, and AI-generated email campaigns. Shopify, however, is laser-focused on eCommerce: it offers multi-channel selling (online, social, in-person), abandoned cart recovery, and integrations with Facebook Shop, Instagram, Amazon, and eBay. Both provide SEO tools, but Wix adds AI visibility optimization. A key differentiator: Wix includes a free tier (with branding) and lower entry prices, while Shopify starts at $39/mo. Recent news: Wix rolled out per-experience SEO settings for Table Reservations (May 2026), while Shopify built a multi-provider AI stack with automatic failover (June 2026) and resolved a brief outage. Shopify also has third-party AI audit tools emerging for catalogs. For pure eCommerce depth, Shopify wins; for a versatile, design-forward online presence, Wix dominates.
Pricing compared
Wix offers a free forever plan (with Wix ads and domain) and paid plans starting at $17/mo (Combo) for personal use, $29/mo (Unlimited) for small businesses, and $36/mo (Business Basic) for eCommerce. Shopify has a 3-day free trial, then Basic ($39/mo), Shopify ($105/mo), and Advanced ($399/mo). Shopify charges transaction fees (2.9% + 30¢ on Basic, 2.6% + 30¢ on Shopify) unless using Shopify Payments (which has its own rates). Wix processes payments via Wix Payments (2.9% + 30¢ for online transactions on Business plans) but no additional Wix transaction fee. Wix's lower entry cost and free plan make it accessible for testing and small budgets. Shopify's higher tier provides advanced reporting and lower transaction fees, but for many startups, Wix delivers comparable eCommerce features at a lower price point. Note: both platforms have transaction fees—Wix's are standard, Shopify's are additive unless you use their payment gateway.
Who should pick which
- Solo founder launching a small online storePick: Wix
Wix's Business Basic plan ($36/mo) includes eCommerce tools like order management and shipping, plus AI builder for a quick start, at a lower cost than Shopify's Basic.
- Fashion brand selling across web, Instagram, and in pop-upsPick: Shopify
Shopify's multi-channel integration and inventory sync across online, social, and in-person is unmatched, making it ideal for omnichannel retail.
- Photographer wanting a portfolio with appointment bookingPick: Wix
Wix offers stunning templates, pixel-level control, and built-in scheduling—perfect for creatives needing both showcase and client management.
- Dropshipper using print-on-demandPick: Shopify
Shopify integrates with Oberlo and other dropshipping apps natively, while Wix lacks equivalent deep integrations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I switch from Wix to Shopify later?
Yes, but migration is manual—Shopify provides import tools for products, but design and content need rebuilding. Wix has vendor lock-in.
Does Wix charge transaction fees on its own payment processor?
Yes, Wix Payments charges 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction (similar to Shopify Payments). No additional Wix fee.
Which platform has better SEO?
Both offer SEO tools, but Wix includes AI visibility optimization. Recent Wix news (May 2026) adds per-experience SEO controls, giving it an edge for local content.
Is Shopify's AI stack as advanced as Wix's Aria?
Shopify's AI is behind—they recently built a multi-provider stack for redundancy (2026-06), but Wix's Aria actively generates sites and assists with design/business tasks.
Do both support multi-currency and multi-language?
Yes, both support multi-currency and multi-language, but Shopify's multi-currency is built-in on higher tiers; Wix requires app integration for some languages.
Which is better for a restaurant with online ordering?
Wix offers table reservations and online ordering natively (with recent SEO updates for Experiences). Shopify lacks restaurant-specific features.
Can I build a blog on both?
Yes, both have blogging—Wix's blog tool is more visual; Shopify's is simpler but functional.
Does Shopify have a free plan?
No, Shopify only offers a 3-day free trial, then paid plans start at $39/mo.
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