Quick answer
- Choose Shopify if selling products is the main goal of your site.
- Choose Wix if you need a flexible website with a small shop attached, like a studio, service business or portfolio.
- Winner for ecommerce: Shopify.
Shopify vs Wix at a glance
| Shopify | Wix | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Ecommerce first | Websites first |
| Starting store price | $29/mo (Basic, yearly) | From about $29/mo |
| Editor | Section-based theme editor | Free-form drag and drop |
| Product catalog size | Small to very large | Small to medium |
| Checkout | Shopify checkout + Shop Pay | Wix checkout |
| Multichannel selling | Extensive | Good |
| POS | Shopify POS | Wix POS (limited regions) |
| App ecosystem | Very large | Moderate |
| Our score | 9.4 | 8.3 |
Start your Shopify trial (opens in a new tab)
Design and editing
Wix gives more creative freedom: drag any element anywhere. That's great for unique designs, but it's also easy to create layouts that break on mobile. Shopify's section-based editor is more structured, which keeps stores consistent and fast. If design freedom is your top priority, Wix wins. If conversion is, Shopify's structure helps.
Ecommerce features
Shopify is deeper on inventory, variants, multi-location stock, discounts, shipping and international selling. Wix covers the essentials well for small catalogs. The gap widens as you grow: bulk editing, complex variants, wholesale and automation all favor Shopify.
Payments and checkout
Both offer built-in payments. Shopify's checkout and Shop Pay have a strong reputation for conversion, and Shopify's global scale means many shoppers already have Shop Pay accounts.
SEO and marketing
Both handle SEO fundamentals. Wix has improved significantly, with good built-in SEO tools. Shopify's advantage is ecosystem: marketing apps, review platforms and ad integrations are richer.
Who should choose which?
Choose Shopify if…
- Selling is the primary purpose
- You have (or plan) many products
- You want multichannel and POS
- You plan to scale
Choose Wix if…
- You need a creative or service site with a few products
- You want pixel-level design freedom
- You're booking services alongside selling
Deciding between Wix and Squarespace instead? Read Wix vs Squarespace.
Our verdict
For an online store, Shopify is the better platform. Wix is excellent when the website matters more than the store, but if you want to build a product business, start with Shopify.
Try Shopify free (opens in a new tab)Frequently asked questions
Is Wix cheaper than Shopify?
Wix's store plans start a little cheaper than Shopify Basic. Costs become similar once you add apps, and Shopify generally offers better value as sales grow.
Can I move from Wix to Shopify?
Yes. You can export products as CSV and import them into Shopify, then rebuild pages and set up redirects. See how to migrate to Shopify.
Is Wix good for ecommerce?
Wix is good for small stores, especially when the website and content matter as much as the shop. For larger catalogs or multichannel selling, Shopify is stronger.