Shopify vs Wix: Commerce Engine or Website Builder First
Shopify starts from the store. Checkout, inventory, Shopify POS for in-person sales and Shopify Markets for selling abroad with local currencies, languages and domains are the core of the product. Wix starts from the website: a drag-and-drop editor, business apps such as Wix Bookings, and an online store that can take payments once the site moves to a paid plan. Wix can also push listings to Google, Amazon, eBay, Etsy and social channels from its dashboard. The real question is whether products are the business or one part of a site that also books appointments and publishes content.
Shopify
Best for: Brands and retailers that want a hosted store and checkout, selling online, on social channels and in person from one admin.
Wix
Best for: Small businesses and solo owners who want to build and run a site, store or booking page without hiring a developer.
| At a glance | Shopify | Wix |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $29/mo (annual billing) | $17/mo (annual billing) |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Not verified |
| Market Signal | 82 / 100 | 78 / 100 |
| Built for | Freelancer, Small Business, Mid-Market, Enterprise | Freelancer, Small Business, Mid-Market |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, API | Web, iOS, Android, API |
| Founded | 2006 | 2006 |
Choose Shopify if...
revenue depends on product inventory sold online and in person, and you want Shopify Flow, POS and Markets doing the operational work.
Choose Wix if...
the shop is one section of a site that also takes bookings or runs custom Velo code, and you want to build on a free Wix site before upgrading to sell.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Dimension | Shopify | Wix |
|---|---|---|
| Store automation | Stronger here | |
| International selling | Stronger here | |
| Marketplace channels | Comparable | Comparable |
| Non-store site features | Stronger here | |
| Custom code | Comparable | Comparable |
| Entry options | Stronger here |
We name a winner for each dimension and never one overall winner. The right pick depends on which of these matters most for your use case.
Plans and Pricing Side by Side
Shopify
From $29/mo (annual billing) · Free trial
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (mo) | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $39 | $29 | |
| Grow | Not listed | $79 | |
| Advanced | Not listed | $299 | |
| Plus | Custom | Custom |
|
Checked October 13, 2026 on Shopify's pricing page.
Wix
From $17/mo (annual billing) · Free plan
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (mo) |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Free |
| Light | Not listed | $17 |
| Core | Not listed | $29 |
| Business | Not listed | $39 |
| Business Elite | Not listed | $159 |
Checked October 12, 2026 on Wix's pricing page.
Annual columns show the monthly cost when billed yearly. Vendors change prices often, so confirm on their site before you buy.
Market Signal Compared
| Score (0 to 100) | Shopify | Wix |
|---|---|---|
| Market Signal | 82 | 78 |
| Market strength | 95 | 86 |
| Momentum | 38 | 50 |
| Traffic strength | 94 | 86 |
| Search visibility | 93 | 81 |
| Authority | 96 | 89 |
| Brand and market presence | 98 | 88 |
| Data confidence | Medium | Limited |
Market Signal measures each product's online footprint and momentum from Ahrefs and Semrush data, scored against other tools in its category. It shows market presence, which is not the same as product quality. Data through September 2026. How the score works
Integrations and Support
Both connect with: Google Analytics
| Shopify | Wix | |
|---|---|---|
| Integrations only one lists | Klaviyo, Meta, TikTok Shop | Meta Pixel, Mailchimp |
| Support | Live chat, Phone, Email, Help center, Community forum | Live chat, Phone, Help center, Community forum |
| Languages | English, Spanish, German, Russian, Dutch, French and 3 more | English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Hebrew |
| Headquarters | Ottawa, Canada | Tel Aviv, Israel |
From each vendor's integrations and support pages. Lists show notable integrations, not every connector.
Other Tools to Consider
If neither Shopify nor Wix fits, these are the closest alternatives we list, ordered by Overall Score.
BigCommerce
Composable ecommerce platform with multi-storefront, B2B, checkout customization, and marketplace channel tools.
Squarespace
Template-based website builder with built-in commerce, Email Campaigns add-on and Commerce APIs.
Webflow
Visual website builder with a native CMS, managed hosting and GSAP-powered interactions.
WooCommerce
Free, open-source WordPress plugin that adds a store, checkout and extension marketplace to a site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell products on Wix's free plan?⌄
No. Wix's plans page shows the free plan with hosting, the editor and a Wix-branded web address, but accepting payments starts with the paid Light plan and continues through Core, Business and Business Elite. The free tier is still useful for laying out the store and adding products before you upgrade to take orders.
Does Shopify have a free plan?⌄
Shopify has no free plan. It offers a free trial, and its standard plans are Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus, with enterprise options above them. Staff accounts, POS Pro availability and inventory location limits change from plan to plan, so match the plan to your team size and number of shops.
What does Shopify Flow automate?⌄
Shopify Flow watches the store for events and runs a sequence of actions when the conditions you set are met, across Shopify and connected apps. It is a free app on Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus. The Send HTTP Request action needs Grow or higher, and tasks from custom partner apps are limited to Plus stores.
Can Wix take appointments as well as orders?⌄
Yes. Wix Bookings adds appointment scheduling to the same site that runs Wix Stores, and both are managed in the Wix dashboard, which keeps calendars and orders together for a business selling services and products. On Shopify, look in the app marketplace for a booking app and confirm it supports your service types before committing.
Written by SEM Solutions Editorial Team
Last updated October 12, 2026