Shopify vs Wix comes down to one question: are you building a real store, or a website that happens to sell a few things? Shopify is built for ecommerce; Wix is a website builder with a shop bolted on. Here’s the honest breakdown — features, real pricing, the one detail that traps Wix users — and which one fits you.
IN THIS GUIDE
The 30-second verdict
If you want to build a real online store and grow it, Shopify is the clear winner — it’s built for selling and scales with you. If you mostly want a beautiful general website with a small shop on the side, Wix is the smarter, more design-friendly pick. Here’s the quick version:
| Shopify | Wix | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Selling / ecommerce | Websites, with a shop on the side |
| Best for | Real, scaling stores | Design-first sites, small shops |
| Ecommerce depth | Full engine on every plan | Basic selling tools |
| Design | Themes (limited free; premium $150–$400) | 2,000+ templates, true drag-and-drop |
| Apps | Thousands | Far fewer |
| Cheapest selling plan | Basic $39/mo (~$29 annual) | Core ~$29/mo |
| Export your site | Yes — products, customers, orders | No — rebuild from scratch |
| Mobile | Fully responsive | Often a separate mobile version |
What Shopify does best (it’s built for selling)
Shopify was built from day one to power online stores, and it shows. Every feature exists to help you sell more and run a real ecommerce business: automatic tax calculation, abandoned-cart recovery, multi-currency checkout, full dropshipping support, and a point-of-sale system that works in physical shops too. Payments are simple — use Shopify Payments or connect Stripe, PayPal, or another gateway in minutes. Even the entry-level Basic plan comes with the full ecommerce engine and unlimited products.
The app ecosystem is the other big edge. Shopify’s app store runs into the thousands, covering email marketing, SEO, upsells, reviews, inventory, and product sourcing for dropshipping. Wix has its own app market, but it’s a fraction of the size. If you plan to scale, that depth gives you tools Wix simply doesn’t have.
Where Wix genuinely wins (design freedom)
Now the honest other side: Wix is genuinely better at design. You get over 2,000 free templates and a true drag-and-drop editor that lets you place any element anywhere on the page. Shopify gives you a smaller set of free themes, and most premium themes cost between $150 and $400. Wix’s app market is far smaller than Shopify’s, but for a design-first site you won’t miss it. If your top priority is creative control — a beautiful site with a small shop on the side — Wix is hard to beat, and it’s very beginner-friendly.
The detail most comparisons skip: you can’t export a Wix site
Here’s the detail most comparison videos skip, and it’s the one that matters most long-term: you cannot export your Wix site. If you build your store on Wix and later want to move to another platform, you have to rebuild everything from scratch. Shopify lets you export your products, customers, and orders whenever you want. That portability matters enormously once your business grows past the side-project stage — because you’re not trapped on one platform. If there’s any chance you’ll outgrow your first choice, this alone is a strong reason to start on Shopify.
Shopify vs Wix pricing
Pricing is where people get confused, so let’s be precise. Wix’s cheapest plan, Light, is about $17/month — but it doesn’t include online selling at all. To actually sell on Wix you need the Core plan at about $29/month. Shopify’s Basic plan is about $39/month, or $29/month on annual billing — and it comes with unlimited products, abandoned-cart recovery, and the full ecommerce engine out of the box. So on annual billing they land at roughly the same price, and Shopify gives you far more selling power for it.
And right now, through the deal, you can get Shopify’s first 3 months for $1/month after a 3-day free trial — so the real cost to start is almost nothing. I broke the offer down fully in my Shopify 3 months for $1 deal guide, and you can see every tier in Shopify pricing plans.
Try Shopify for $1/month
Get the full ecommerce engine, then $1/month for 3 months while you build your store.
Mobile, SEO and support
Two more practical differences. On mobile, all Shopify themes are fully responsive, so your store automatically looks right on phones, tablets, and desktops. Wix sites are mobile-friendly, but the classic editor often has you designing a separate mobile version yourself, which takes extra time — and Google tends to reward fully responsive sites in search. For an ecommerce site where mobile shoppers are most of your traffic, that’s worth weighing before you commit.
My recommendation after comparing both
After using both platforms for different kinds of businesses, I would recommend, but with one caveat: each platform for a completely distinct purpose. Shopify is built and optimized for e-commerce, while Wix is perfect for small businesses, especially in the creative space, but some of their plans also have basic ecommerce capabilities.
So, if you want to start a serious ecommerce-first business, go with Shopify. If your business isn’t e-commerce focused, though you still might sell some products online (like a photographer), go with Wix.
So, Shopify or Wix?
If you mostly want a beautiful general website with a small shop on the side, Wix is a smart pick — the design tools are fun, the templates look great, and it’s very beginner-friendly. But if you’re serious about building a real online store, growing revenue, and scaling into a brand, Shopify is the clear winner. It’s built for selling, it scales with you, the biggest ecommerce brands in the world run on it — and, critically, you can take your data with you if you ever move. The only way to know for sure is to try it: both offer free trials, and the Shopify $1 deal makes right now the cheapest moment to start.
Start your store on Shopify
3 days free, then $1/month for 3 months — build it before you pay full price.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shopify or Wix better for an online store?
Shopify is better if selling is the point — it was built for ecommerce, includes the full selling engine on every plan, and scales with you. Wix is better if you mainly want a beautiful, design-led website with a small shop on the side.
Can you switch from Wix to Shopify later?
Not easily. You can’t export a Wix site, so moving to another platform means rebuilding everything from scratch. Shopify lets you export your products, customers, and orders whenever you want, so you’re never locked in.
Is Wix cheaper than Shopify?
Wix’s cheapest plan (Light, around $17/month) is cheaper, but it can’t sell online. To actually run a store you need Wix’s Core plan at about $29/month — close to Shopify’s Basic plan ($39/month, or $29/month on annual billing), and Shopify gives you the full ecommerce engine for it.
Which is better for mobile and SEO?
Shopify themes are fully responsive, so your store adapts automatically across devices. Wix’s classic editor often has you building a separate mobile version yourself, and Google tends to reward fully responsive sites in search.
Does Shopify have a free trial?
Yes. You can try Shopify free for 3 days, then get your first 3 months for $1/month through the current deal before it reverts to the normal plan price.
Related next step
Next: see how Shopify compares with the other design-first builders in Shopify vs Squarespace and Shopify vs WordPress, or browse more Shopify guides.
