Wix Vs Shopify – Which Is Superior For Dropshipping?

The right platform is crucial for any type of store but when you’re dealing with the oversaturated online world, it’s even more important to get it right and stand out.

Wix and Shopify are two of the most popular options for e-commerce platforms that offer users a chance to build a site and operate an online store, and each has something unique to offer.

So, is Wix or Shopify better for a dropshipping business?

If you use dropshipping for your ecommerce store and are a small to mid-scale business, Wix may be best. However, Shopify is a good choice for those with more than 300 products to sell but it still works just as effectively for smaller stores as well.

To help you choose the right selling platform for your dropshipping business, we’ve compared Wix and Shopify where it matters most in pricing, design, ease of use, customer support, and more.

You’ll know exactly which platform is best when you see what they have to offer, and help your business stand out from the crowd.

What is Wix?

Find out about our Wix Print-on-demand Drop Shipping Integration

Wix is a cloud-based development platform that can be used to build websites from scratch, start an e-commerce store, host your website, and more.

The online platform reaches 200 million people each year and is a great option for small to mid-range businesses with less than 300 products.

Wix was first created as a platform for creating websites that centred on content, like blog posts and photography. However, as the market changed and ecommerce became even more popular, they integrated a range of tools and features that made it easy for people to start selling from their websites as well.

Today, Wix offers a good base for people who want a blend of content and e-commerce, rather than just a straight storefront. They make it easy to build from scratch and give you access to everything you need to make an appealing website for your brand and to sell directly from it.

What is Shopify?

Find out about our Shopify Print-on-demand Integration

Shopify is a name familiar to many, even if you don’t run an ecommerce store yourself.

The online platform allows users to create stores, build websites, and even has retail point of sale systems available for in person sales, so they know a lot about selling and how to, as well as being an ecommerce store in itself.

Unlike Wix, Shopify was created purely for helping people build their ecommerce store, so it started out a little differently. Today, it still operates the same but with improved features and tools, and making it easy for absolute beginners to start selling stuff online through their own website.

The best users for Shopify would be those interested in e-commerce without much need for creating content as well. Although Shopify offers plenty of ways to feature content on the website they help you build, it’s considered the better choice for selling online as the main purpose.

Wix Vs Shopify? Which is Better?

Pricing

Both Wix and Shopify offer a range of plans so you can choose one that suits your needs, rather than overspending on features that have no use to you.

Wix: Wix offers a free plan with basic tools, and the next step up is their $USD28 a month plan. Not only are they cheaper but you get more for your money, with things like domain and transaction fees included.
Shopify: Shopify’s basic plan is $USD29 and they offer a 14-day free trial, but not a free plan. You’ll get lots for your money but will have to pay extra for apps, domain, and transaction fees so it’s not as valuable, even if the plans are more powerful.

Both platforms are very similarly priced.

Designs and Templates

Wix and Shopify both score well in this area and they have a range of mobile and desktop-friendly themes to use for an ecommerce store.

They have templates to suit all kinds of stores and industries and both with free options available as well.

Wix: Wix exceeds Shopify in terms of range, with over 800 templates to use, and 114 of them for ecommerce specifically. Their templates are easy to use and simplistic.
Shopify: Shopify has around 80 templates to choose from for your website but they’re noticeably more professional and sleeker. Be expected to pay extra for this professional touch and a sales-optimised approach.

Wix has a bigger range of templates, but that just makes it even harder to decide on the final design.

Ease of Use

Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, you want to use a shop builder that’s easy to use. Shopify has won this round with its user-friendliness but Wix is still considered a simple way to create a website.

Wix: Although Wix is still easy to use, it’s not known for being as structured which can make it harder to set up your store. On the plus side, it shouldn’t take more than a day to create a site.
Shopify: Shopify might take a little longer to build a site but that doesn’t mean it’s harder. Overall, people found Shopify the easier approach and even if you’re building a sales optimised store from scratch and have zero knowledge, it’s still user-friendly.

Shopify is easier to use.

Domain and URL Structure

Your store’s domain and URL will have a huge impact on its accessibility, and it seems the winners in this area are both as they each offer extras to their users.

Wix: Wix has a huge bonus of offering a free domain for a year when you pay for an annual plan, so there are no extra costs.
Shopify: Shopify lets store owners use different URLs for different countries, so it’s a personalised experience. It also automatically creates a 301 redirect for you if you change a product or URL.

Both platforms are similar overall. It’s what’s important to you that will help decide.

eCommerce Tools

The purpose of using either Wix or Shopify is to build your ecommerce store, so finding one with the right tools is a must.

Shopify appears to be the leader here with its more advanced selection of ecommerce tools and integrations available.

Wix: Wix has around 300 different plug-ins and features you can use for improving your online presence and has more than enough to allow you to run a successful and thriving store.
Shopify: Shopify is known for its ecommerce features and has over 4,000 apps you can use with your store. This includes things like tax management, shipping, marketing and SEO, and more.

Shopify has more app’s to choose from.

Customer Support

Knowing you’ve got help at hand is essential when you’re starting an online store, and choosing Wix or Shopify to create yours will guarantee it.

Although Shopify offers online chat, overall they both have happy customers, even if it can be hard to find help or contact details at times.

Wix: Wix offers email and phone customer support for all of their plans, but no live chat at this time.
Shopify: Shopify can help via phone, email, and live chat, so this additional extra gives them some points.

Payment Options

Making it easy for your customers to pay results in a better shopping experience overall, and luckily, Wix and Shopify have simplified this for you. There’s no clear winner here as they both offer a range of options to get you paid.

Wix: Wix accepts payments from PayPal, credit and debit cards, and POS including Square and SumUp, and even offline payments.
Shopify: Shopify accepts many of the same but charges extra if you don’t use their payments system. However, they accept Apple and Google Pay, as well as Amazon and Etsy payments.

Wix Pros and Cons

As you can see, each of these selling platforms has a lot to offer, and you might already know which one is better suited to your business goals.

If not, take a look at the biggest pros and cons they bring to the table to see which one lines up with what matters most to you.

Wix Pros

Wix has a huge selection of templates and themes to choose from so there’s bound to be something for every type of store.
The value for money factor that Wix has makes it the obvious choice for small to mid-range ecommerce stores. You won’t have to pay for extras you don’t need and it includes a free domain on the annual plan.
If you want your store to include content as well, Wix is the way to go. They have additional tools and features for blog posts, photos, videos, and more.

Wix Cons

When you compare the stores made with Shopify’s, some of the Wix ones can seem basic. There isn’t as much opportunity for sales optimisation and it’s not ideal for large businesses.
Setting up your store with Wix can be a little more challenging, even though it doesn’t offer as many features.

Shopify Pros and Cons

Shopify Pros

The end result of using Shopify to build your store is better, looks more polished, and may appeal more to customers.
Shopify is a good option if you have a lot of products to sell and need a more in-depth approach to building a store. For those with more than 300 products in stock, it’s got everything you need to stay organised.
If sales optimisation is a goal for you, you’ll love how Shopify does this. Compared to Wix, it’s more about getting more sales and doing whatever they can to help you boost your brand’s reach and reputation.

Shopify Cons

The biggest con of Shopify is that it costs more, and if you’re after a cost-efficient way to run a store, it might not be ideal. There are lots of extras, apps, and integrations that make this a lot more expensive.
Shopify has fewer templates and themes to choose from. There’s not as much of a chance to be creative or do your own thing, so you’re somewhat limited to how your store looks.

Shopify Vs Wix: The Final Verdict

After seeing what both platforms bring to the table, it appears that Wix and Shopify are winners in different areas.

The right one for you will depend on what you sell, how many products you have, and what you hope to get out of a store and ecommerce business.

Wix is the obvious choice for beginners and small to medium-sized ecommerce stores, as well as those looking for a general purpose website. They offer loads of templates and tools to choose from, as well as cheaper and all-inclusive plans, making it the more accessible option.

Shopify is the better choice for a dropshipping business with a lot more to sell, and they have professional themes, thousands of add ons and integrations to use, and loads of ways to optimise sales for your business. Although more expensive, they’re a professional choice with a lot t offer.