Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace: Best Comparision

adminJuly 30, 2024

0 103 13 minutes read

The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace comparison doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all winner. These website builders offer unique strengths for selling online, catering to different business models and priorities.

In this Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace comparison, we’ll examine the key features and capabilities of Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace to help you determine which platform is the best choice for your business. We’ll dive into the details of each solution to highlight their strengths, weaknesses, and suitability for different types of enterprises. By the end, you should have a clearer understanding of which platform aligns best with your specific business needs and requirements.

Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace The Quick Verdict

For e-commerce-focused projects, Shopify is the clear standout choice. It is the most sophisticated and scalable of the three platforms, making it particularly well-suited for dropshipping and print-on-demand business models.

For websites showcasing creative projects like music, art, or photography, Squarespace is the recommended option. Its visually appealing templates and content management features are ideal for these types of portfolios and creative sites. While its selling tools are relatively basic, they should meet the needs of most creatives, and they also offer dedicated features for selling premium content and online courses.

Shopify vs wix vs squarespace

Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace: Best Comparision

For businesses or individuals seeking a well-rounded platform that provides a nice balance of content management, e-commerce, and marketing capabilities, Wix is a strong all-around choice. It offers a robust set of features at a reasonable price point and also provides the most comprehensive support offering of the three platforms discussed.

Purpose and Best Use: The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace

Shopify:
- Primarily an e-commerce platform designed for online stores of all sizes
- Best for businesses focused on online sales
Wix:
- General website builder with e-commerce capabilities
- Ideal for personal sites, portfolios, small businesses, and essential online stores
Squarespace:
- Design-centric website builder with e-commerce features
- Great for creatives, portfolios, and small to medium-sized businesses

Ease of use: The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace

In terms of ease of use, Squarespace emerges as the clear winner. It boasts the slickest and most intuitive interface of the three platforms. Squarespace provides sophisticated style controls and a “fluid engine” content editor that allows for precise positioning of content across both desktop and mobile versions of a website, while maintaining responsive design.

While Wix’s drag-and-drop editor is also quite flexible in terms of content layout, its interface is generally seen as a bit sluggish compared to Squarespace’s.

Shopify’s drag-and-drop editor, on the other hand, is currently more limited, as it only allows for editing of page templates, not individual pages themselves. This leads to a somewhat confusing workflow.

However, Shopify’s tools for adding products and managing e-commerce categories are exceptionally well-designed and considered the best of the three platforms, particularly for those focused on online sales.

Shopify:
- User-friendly, with a slight learning curve for complete e-commerce novices
- Offers a step-by-step setup process
Wix:
- Strength is its intuitive drag-and-drop editor, making it easy for beginners to design a website
Squarespace:
- User-friendly and mainly focused on design
- Getting used to the editor might take a bit, but it offers a clean interface

Design and Templates: The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace

Website owners can switch Shopify templates without creating a new website from scratch, whereas both Squarespace and Wix require sticking with the same template you started with, necessitating the creation of a new site and subscription to a new plan to change templates.

In terms of the quantity of free templates, Wix is the clear winner, offering 832 free templates – far more than Shopify’s 12 and Squarespace’s 168 free templates.

In terms of quality, this is a subjective area, but in my opinion, Squarespace wins – the templates provided are contemporary, classy, and a notch above those of Shopify and Wix.

Shopify:
- Offers a range of e-commerce templates, both free and paid
- Most templates are highly customizable with access to the code
Wix:
- Has hundreds of customizable templates for various industries
- Offers a high degree of flexibility in design
Squarespace:
- Known for sleek, professional templates
- Has a smaller quantity of templates compared to Wix, but is often praised for the quality

There are a couple of other template issues to consider.

In terms of responsive design, Squarespace and Shopify have the advantage, as all of their templates are fully responsive, automatically adjusting to different devices. This is a significant factor, as Google can prioritize sites using responsive design in search engine results. Wix, on the other hand, does not provide fully responsive templates, requiring users to manually edit the mobile version of their site to ensure proper display on mobile devices.

Additionally, while Shopify gives users full access to their template’s code, allowing for extensive customization, Squarespace and Wix do not provide the same level of editability to their templates.

Features: Shopify vs Squarespace vs Wix:

Fortunately, Wix, Shopify and Squarespace, all boast easy-to-use dashboards. From here, you can handle all aspects of your website and online selling. From updating your billing information to editing content to listing products, you can manage it all from one centralized place.

Shopify’s Features.

Analytics:

You get access to a Google Analytics integration
You can generate product reports
You can view sales and customer data via your Shopify dashboard

SEO and marketing tools:

Shopify offers SEO-optimization tools
You can sell on Facebook and offer targeted discounts to loyal customers

Mobile app:

Shopify is an entirely mobile-friendly platform
81% of its user traffic comes from mobile phones
You can fulfill orders and manage inventory via the mobile dashboard

Products:

This feature category covers inventory management
You can organize products
You can create unlimited product listings
You can sell digital products

Storefront:

You get access to 70+ professionally designed themes
You have a web-based website builder and drag and drop editor
You can get your own domain name

Shopping cart:

There are 100 payment processors to choose from
You’re given a free SSL certificate
You can accept all major credit cards
You can set flexible shipping rates

Store management:

Shopify integrates with tons of popular dropshipping apps
Many of these apps automate your order fulfillment and shipping
You can set customer profiles and groups
You can generate and process refunds
You can receive automated inventory updates

Web hosting:

Users receive unlimited bandwidth
Users receive unlimited orders
Shopify provides automatic updates
Shopify offers Level 1 PCI compliant security

Blogging:

Shopify comes with a robust in-built blogging engine
They provide everything bloggers need to grow their readership and increase website traffic

24/7 support:

This includes access to Shopify’s online Help Center
This includes access to their in-person support team

Squarespace Features

E-commerce:

Although Squarespace’s ecommerce functionality isn’t as robust as Shopify’s, it still provides the basics for selling online
You can add and manage unlimited products
You can insert rich product descriptions, embedded videos, and images
You can organize products into categories to help customers find what they’re looking for

Product and sales management:

Every time you list a product, it’s put into a catalog so you can easily reuse it in email campaigns and blog posts
There’s a quick-view option that allows customers to see products in detail without clicking away from the page
You can schedule products, sales, and promotions to go live on your website automatically

Inventory management:

You can add and edit unlimited inventory
You can receive automated alerts when you’re running out of stock
You can show customers stock availability
You can sync inventory with other eCommerce platforms

Storefront:

You get access to 110 well-designed, mobile-friendly templates across five ‘types’ – Online store, portfolio, memberships, blog, and launch page
You can further whittle down your choice of templates by filtering by ‘topic’ – there are 17 to choose from, including food, entertainment, travel, restaurants, media & podcasts, etc.

Shipping:

US customers can receive real-time shipping estimates
Like Shopify, you can set shipping rates either as a flat or weight-based rate

Payment and checkout:

Squarespace accepts all major credit cards, as well as Stripe and PayPal
You can customize the checkout experience by adding customer surveys and allowing customers to attach a gifting message to their order

Marketing:

It’s easy to share your products on social media sites and tag them in Instagram posts

SEO tools:

One of Squarespace’s best SEO features is its best practices checklist
This provides all the info you need to ensure you’re doing everything possible so that your website appears in search engine results

Wix Features.

800+ customizable templates:

Wix offers an astonishing number of templates to choose from – over 800
These templates are conveniently categorized into niches, such as jewelry, fashion and clothing, beauty, and more

Online payments:

You can accept all major debit and credit cards using Wix Payments, Wix’s native payment gateway

Marketing:

Wix comes with built-in email marketing functionality
It has a tool that helps you create eye-catching social media posts
It has AI to refine your Facebook ad campaigns
It includes a video maker

Shipping:

You can set shipping rates and automate taxes

Product placement:

You can sell on multiple platforms, including Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and Instagram

Shopping cart customization:

You can customize your shopping cart and payment pages to suit your store’s look and feel
You can opt to reveal real-time sales tax

Automation:

You can automate and track every step of the customer journey from purchase to delivery

Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace Comparison

shopify vs wix vs squarespace

Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace: Best Comparision

Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace Price

The distinct pricing and trial offerings of each platform highlight their unique value propositions. Shopify is focused on scalable e-commerce solutions, Wix emphasizes design flexibility, and Squarespace is known for its emphasis on quality and design coherence, while still providing robust e-commerce functionality.

Let’s break down the pricing differences for Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace:

Shopify:
- Basic Shopify: Starts at $29/month. Includes online store features, unlimited products, and 24/7 support.
- Shopify: Priced at $79/month. Adds gift cards, professional reports, and abandoned cart recovery.
- Advanced Shopify: Costs $299/month. Offers advanced reporting and third-party calculated shipping rates.
Wix:
- Business Basic: Starts at $23/month. Includes ecommerce features, 20GB storage, and a free domain for one year.
- Business Unlimited: Priced at $27/month. Adds unlimited bandwidth and a professional logo.
- Business VIP: Costs $49/month. Includes priority support and 50GB storage.
Squarespace:
- Personal: Starts at $12/month. Basic website features, limited to 20 pages.
- Business: Priced at $18/month. Adds unlimited pages, professional email, and basic ecommerce.
- Commerce Basic: Costs $26/month. Includes advanced ecommerce features.

Squarespace’s pricing is attractive, but Shopify and Wix offer more advanced e-commerce features in their low-tier plans and have better growth possibilities than Squarespace.

Payments: The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace

Shopify Payments offers competitive rates, quick payouts, and seamless integration, eliminating the need for a third-party payment processor and simplifying the management of finances. Shopify leads the pack with support for over 100 payment gateways worldwide, including popular options like Apple Pay and Google Pay, and they have their own Shopify POS (point-of-sale) system for merchants with a brick-and-mortar store.

Wix, while matching Shopify in the number of payment gateways, including Apple Pay, falls slightly behind due to only partial support for multi-currency transactions. However, Wix POS is an emerging feature that provides a seamless in-person selling experience, integrating smoothly with your online store to offer a unified sales process.

Squarespace offers only two payment processors but maintains competitiveness with support for Apple Pay and the availability of a POS system in the US, which requires a Square reader. This setup suits mostly US businesses looking for a simple, integrated solution for both online and offline sales. However, it may not offer the same level of flexibility as Shopify’s extensive payment gateway support and built-in Shopify Payments solution.

Important note before jumping into the detailed comparison

Wix, Shopify, and Squarespace are priced in a similar range in the US, but Wix costs a fraction of the other two in India. Additionally, Shopify Payments is not available everywhere, and Shopify charges a third-party payment processing fee. So, if you are outside the select few countries where Shopify Payments is available, you’ll have to choose a third-party payments processor and consequently pay Shopify an extra fee, which can lower Shopify’s value for money.

Customer support: The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace

Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace each offer customer support, but the quality can vary:

Shopify: Known for excellent 24/7 support via live chat, email, and phone. They’re responsive and helpful.
Wix: Provides support through a ticket system and a knowledge base. Some users find it satisfactory, while others prefer live chat options.
Squarespace: Offers email support and a community forum. It’s decent, but not as robust as Shopify’s.

Can I migrate my existing website to any of these platforms?

You can migrate your existing website to Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace. Here’s how:

1. Squarespace:

- Steps:
  1. Create a Squarespace Trial Account: Start a free trial on Squarespace by visiting their website and clicking “Start Free Trial.”
  2. Add a Squarespace Theme: Choose a theme for your new site.
  3. Export Data from Your Squarespace Store: Export order and store data from your existing Squarespace store.
  4. Import Data into Shopify: Import all your data into your new Shopify store.
  5. Review and Customize: Review your Shopify store and customize it as needed.

2. Wix to Squarespace:

- Steps:
  1. Gather Assets: Collect your website assets and materials.
  2. Define Design Goals: Decide what you want from your new design.
  3. Configure a New Squarespace Site: Set up a new site on Squarespace.
  4. Add Plugins or Apps: Install any desired plugins or apps.
  5. Port Over Content: Transfer the content you want to keep.
  6. Transfer Your Domain: Move your domain to Squarespace.
  7. Test and Verify: Ensure your new site works as expected.

3. Wix to Shopify:

- Methods:
  - Manually copy and paste data.
  - Import CSV files.
  - Use a third-party app.
  - Seek professional Shopify migration services.
- Export Data from Wix: Back up your entire Wix website.
- Import Data into Shopify: Run exports of all data you want to send to Shopify.

E-commerce: The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace

Shopify is like a powerful racehorse, opposite the little derby participants Squarespace and Wix. Shopify’s main competitors are heavyweight e-commerce builders like BigCommerce, Volusion, Magento, and WooCommerce — and there, too, Shopify is the people’s favorite.

Squarespace and Wix are excellent as well. But the league they’re meant for is different: Squarespace and Wix excel in making small e-commerce stores. For example, they’re ideal for an artist wanting to sell art, a cafe wanting to sell coffee beans, a service provider wanting to sell services, etc.

Shipping: The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace

shopify vs wix vs squarespace

Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace: Best Comparision

Shopify	Wix	Squarespace
5/5	3/5	4/5

Shopify provides a wide range of flexible shipping options, including free shipping, flat rate shipping, local pickup, local delivery, location-based shipping, weight-based shipping, and product price-based shipping for all regions. Additionally, Shopify allows users to enable third-party calculated rates at checkout, integrating with carriers like FedEx, USPS, UPS, and Canada Post. Furthermore, Shopify has partnerships with DHL Express, UPS, and USPS, offering up to 88% shipping discounts for US-based merchants.

Wix offers basic shipping options by default, including free shipping, flat rate, local pickup, local delivery, location-based shipping, weight-based shipping, and product price-based shipping.

Squarespace provides the same basic shipping options as Wix and additionally allows users to automatically calculate shipping charges based on FedEx, UPS, and USPS carrier charges, which are then displayed at checkout.

About Shipping Labels

Depending on your fulfillment location, you can purchase labels from multiple carriers through Shopify Shipping, including USPS, UPS, and DHL Express in the US, Canada Post in Canada, and Evri in the UK, among others.

In contrast, Wix and Squarespace offer just one shipping label option by default (if you choose carrier packaging): USPS for the US. Other options are either unavailable or require installing a third-party app.

Side Note: Shopify offers way more third-party shipping options than Squarespace and Wix.

Fulfillment: The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace

Shopify	Wix	Squarespace
5/5	3.5/5	3/5

Shopify recently launched its fulfillment service, Shopify Fulfillment Network, in the US. On top of that, you have access to all top fulfillment options — ShipBob, ShipHero, Red Stag Fulfillment, Shipstation, Ship Monk, etc. — through the Shopify App Store.

Wix doesn’t have as many fulfillment service integrations as Shopify, but you still have 3-4 good options, including ShipBob.

Squarespace has only one fulfillment option: ShipBob. It’s among the best 3PL services, but the lack of options (and the fact that ShipBob integration is available for all platforms) makes Squarespace the least favorable option for brands looking to outsource fulfillment down the road.

Inventory management: The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace

Shopify	Wix	Squarespace
4.5/5	3/5	3.5/5

Shopify has everything you need for managing inventory. You have the necessary features: adding inventory, updating inventory, and tracking inventory of all products and their variants. Plus, Shopify has something called Transfers that help you track & record incoming inventory (from suppliers to your location as well as between your store locations). Shopify is the only ecommerce platform of the three that allows you to add multiple inventory locations.

Wix has the most basic inventory management options. You can add SKUs and inventory quantity, and Wix will automatically update the quantity when sales come in. Also, you can mark an item “In stock” or “Out of stock” manually.

Squarespace offers the basic inventory features Wix does. Plus, you can edit stock quantities and prices of all products and their variants from the dashboard.

Our Verdict:

If you’re planning on launching an e-commerce store, Shopify is the way to go. Shopify offers one of the most comprehensive e-commerce platforms available. Not only is it incredibly feature-rich, with tools for inventory, business, and customer management, but it’s secure, and intuitive too. You can even use Shopify to launch a print-on-demand or dropshipping company.

If you’re entering the creator economy and want to build a portfolio showcasing your work, or you’re an artistic professional looking to make an impression, choose Squarespace. With some of the most attractive templates available, Squarespace makes it easy to elevate and refine your brand. It also offers fantastic content management features, though its selling tools are a little basic.

For an excellent all-round solution, combining ease of use, with affordability and flexibility, pick Wix. The Wix website builder comes with a fantastic range of content management tools, e-commerce features, and access to valuable marketing resources. Plus, it makes it extremely easy for beginners to get started, with an intuitive back-end and AI-driven design tools.

Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace: Best Comparision

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adminJuly 30, 2024

0 103 13 minutes read

Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace The Quick Verdict

Purpose and Best Use: The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace

Ease of use: The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace

Design and Templates: The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace

Features: Shopify vs Squarespace vs Wix:

Shopify’s Features.

Squarespace Features

Wix Features.

Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace Comparison

Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace Price

Payments: The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace

Customer support: The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace

Can I migrate my existing website to any of these platforms?

E-commerce: The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace

Shipping: The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace

About Shipping Labels

Fulfillment: The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace

Inventory management: The Wix vs Shopify vs Squarespace

admin

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