Check out this Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace comparison to see which website builder is for you.
A shift to e-commerce has been inevitable since the dawn of the internet. However, the pandemic hastened this shift. Because of the inability of people to go out of their houses to purchase items due to the lockdown mandates, everyone has turned to e-commerce to buy their needs.
A lot of e-commerce platforms flourished at the height of the pandemic, and with how things are panning out, they are here to stay. What is the best e-commerce platform? In this article, we take a look at three e-commerce platforms, namely Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace, and compare them to each other.
Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace
What is Shopify?
Shopify is a Canadian e-commerce platform by Shopify, Inc founded in 2009. Shopify allows customers to build their own website. Unlike other platforms, Shopify is not only limited to those who are looking to sell and manage an online store, it also has products catered to those with physical stores. Shopify can integrate and sync the inventory of the online and physical store as one. Shopify is a cloud-based software, so it is accessible on any device anywhere.
What is Wix?
Wix is a free website builder owned and developed by Wix.com.Ltd. It has over 5,000 customizable website templates. A lot of people are scared whenever website building is brought up. They instantly picture website coding with a lot of random letters and numbers. However, Wix website builder is not like that. Even computer newbies would be able to use it because of its easy drag-and-drop interface. The website built can be used as a blog, company website, and shop website.
What is Squarespace?
Like Wix, Squarespace is a website building and hosting application. Squarespace, Inc., the company with the same name as the software, was founded in 2004 by Anthony Casalena as a student at the University of Maryland. As of 2020, it now has a revenue of US $621.1 Million and more than three million subscriptions.
Similarities among Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace
1. Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace are all website builder software.
The three platforms are website builder software. They allow users to construct websites without the need of manual coding. A website builder can either be an offline software or an online proprietary tool created by website hosting companies. Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace all fall under the latter category – online proprietary tool created by website hosting companies.
2. Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace are all cloud-based.
All three software are cloud-based. This means that the data are stored, managed, and processed remotely and can be accessed anywhere via the internet.
3. Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace offer a free trial period.
Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace all offer a 14-day free trial period. You can get a feel of each website builder before fully committing to its service.
4. Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace all support mobile viewing.
As mobile e-commerce is on the rise, it would be best to use a website builder that allows your customers to access your website using their cellphones. This should be one of the main concerns of online shop owners expanding their brand.
Differences among Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace
Although Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace are all website builder tools, there are stark differences among the three.
The first main difference is that Shopify is specifically designed to create ecommerce websites. Meanwhile, Squarespace and Wix have a wider target audience. These proprietary tools can be used to create a portfolio website or personal blog.
The second difference is the level of difficulty to use and maneuver the website builder. Out of the three, Wix is the most beginner friendly. Wix utilizes a drag-and-drop option. Shopify has been dubbed as one of the most user-friendly e-commerce builder websites. On the other hand, Squarespace is fairly easy to use, but some of its functions can be improved.
As to the availability of designs and templates, Wix is the runaway winner as it has over 700 customizable website templates. Meanwhile, Squarespace has 110 templates which are grouped under several categories based on one’s needs. Lastly, Shopify has around 70 website templates. These templates can be customized to the customer’s liking.
If you’re particular with Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Wix is the website builder for you. Wix allows you to add and manage meta descriptions. It also has a tool called SEO Wiz that can help you optimize your website. Wix SEO Wiz will automatically create a personalized plan for you, depending on your needs. Wix SEO Wiz also has an achievement tracker to track your SEO progress. This SEO tool also comes free with Wix. Another advantage of Wix is that it is compatible with mobile phones.
Shopify, on the other hand, has basic SEO features. It has image optimization, keyword checker, meta tags checker, and HTLML sitemap creator. However, since Shopify is a closed platform, customization is limited. Like Wix, Shopify is also mobile-friendly. Mobile e-commerce has been gaining traction so it is important that your website builder supports mobile viewing.
Finally, Squarespace also has SEO functions. First, it automatically adds meta tags to your website. You can also manually add the meta tags. Like Shopify and Wix, it can also support mobile viewing. Enable accelerated mobile pages (AMP) to generate simpler version of your website best suited for mobile phones.
Are you finding this Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace comparison informative so far? Keep on reading…
Pricing
Wix has a free website plan. The free plan comes with an assigned domain name, 500 MB storage, maximum 500 MB bandwidth, customer service. However, it does not include Google analytics and customer online payment features. If you want an ad-free website, you can upgrade to a premium plan.
Wix has 5 different paid plans. All premium accounts come with free setup, free website hosting, Google analytics, and larger storage and bandwidth. Wix premium plan starts at $4.50 per month. The most expensive plan is $24.50 per month.
On the other hand, Squarespace has four plans. It does not offer a free plan. The most basic one costs $14 per month. The most advanced plan costs $49 per month. This plan is designed for online stores as it comes with a free custom domain, video storage, gift cards, and abandoned cart recovery feature. All plans come with unlimited number of pages, unlimited bandwidth for traffic, and storage. They also allow the use of a custom domain name.
Shopify has three plans – basic, shopify and advanced. The basic plan is priced at $29 monthly which is best for shops with occasional in-person sales. The shopify plan costs $79 per month. Lastly, the advanced plan is pegged at $299 per month and is best for shops that require advanced reporting.
Most of the website builders offer discounts for those who will pay their plans on a yearly basis.
Conclusion
Out of the three website builders, Wix is the best option for people who simply want to create a blog to document their life and showcase their art. It’s most basic plan is free and already comes with SEO features. It is also beginner-friendly with a drag-and-drop option.
Meanwhile, Shopify is the best website builder for e-commerce. The cheapest plan comes with the basic features needed to start an online business. Overall, Wix is the hands down winner as to which website toolmaker is the best.