In the world of e-commerce, choosing the right platform to create and manage your online store is essential. Squarespace and Shopify are the so-called basic options chosen by neophytes. However, Wix website creation software (CRM) is also a popular choice for e-merchants. It can be difficult to decide between these solutions.
In this article, we offer a detailed comparison between Squarespace vs. Wix vs. Shopify to help you make an informed decision based on your needs, budget and expectations.
Discover the strengths and weaknesses of each of these platforms and make the best choice for your e-commerce business.
Overview of the 3 platforms: Squarespace vs Wix vs Shopify
Shopify: a dedicated e-commerce solution
Shopify is a specialized e-commerce platform, offering a multitude of features and integrations for online businesses. Shopify is ideal for online stores of all sizes, including those looking to expand rapidly.
To find out more about Shopify, read our review of the shopify platform.
Squarespace: a site builder for online stores
Squarespace is a complete solution for creating elegant, functional websites, including online stores. With Squarespace, you can create a professional, attractive e-commerce site without being a web development expert.
Wix: a versatile website builder with e-commerce functionality
Wix is a flexible website builder that also offers e-commerce functionality for creating an online store. It’s ideal for entrepreneurs and small businesses who want to create a complete website with an integrated store.
E-commerce features: Squarespace vs Wix vs Shopify
Now that you’ve got a general overview of these three platforms, Squarespace vs Wix vs Shopify, it’s time to compare their e-commerce features. In this section, we’ll analyze the tools and options available for managing your products, customizing your store and integrating third-party applications.
Product and category management
All these platforms, Squarespace vs. Wix vs. Shopify, allow you to easily manage your products and categories. Shopify, however, sets itself apart by offering more advanced, specialized features for online stores.
- Shopify: advanced management of inventory, variants and product options
- Squarespace: simplified product and category management for small stores
- Wix: product management similar to Squarespace, with more basic e-commerce functionalities
Customization and templates
Personalizing your online store is essential to stand out from the crowd and offer a pleasant user experience. The three platforms Squarespace vs Wix vs Shopify offer different options for customizing the look and feel of your site.
- Shopify: wide choice of free and paid themes, customizable with an intuitive editor
- Squarespace: elegant, modern templates with a focus on design
- Wix: drag-and-drop visual editor for advanced customization, with an extensive template librar
Integrations and third-party applications
Integrating third-party applications can enrich your online store and improve its performance. All three platforms offer a variety of possibilities in this area.
- Shopify: rich App Store with thousands of applications to extend your store’s functionality.
- Squarespace: native integrations with a number of popular services, plus the option of using external widgets
- Wix: App Market offering a selection of applications to enhance your site, though less extensive than Shopify’s.
Dropshipping with Squarespace vs Wix vs Shopify
Dropshipping is an online sales method in which the merchant sells products without stocking them himself. When a sale is made, the supplier ships the product directly to the customer. This method is particularly popular, as it minimizes the costs and risks associated with inventory management.
In this section, we’ll take a look at the possibilities offered by Squarespace, Wix and Shopify for setting up and managing a dropshipping-based online store.
Shopify: a platform optimized for dropshipping
Shopify is the best platform for managing dropshipping, thanks to a host of specific applications and integrations.
- Native integration with dropshipping providers such as CJ Dropshipping, Oberlo, AliDropship, etc.
- Wide choice of applications for efficient dropshipping management
Squarespace: dropshipping with third-party integrations
Squarespace also supports dropshipping, although in a less optimized way than Shopify.
- Integration with Printful for dropshipping customized products
- Possibility of using other suppliers via third-party applications
Wix: dropshipping options available
Wix also offers dropshipping options, albeit more limited than Shopify’s.
- Integration with Modalyst and Printful
- Fewer specific applications to manage dropshipping
Subscription plans and pricing: Squarespace vs Wix vs Shopify
The cost of your e-commerce platform is an important factor to consider. In this section, we compare the subscription plans and pricing of the three platforms.
Shopify: plans to suit the size of your store
Shopify offers three subscription plans with rates ranging from $29 to $299 per month for annual billing. Available features vary according to the plan chosen.
- Basic Shopify: $29/month, ideal for small stores
- Shopify: $79/month, suitable for medium-sized stores
- Advanced Shopify: $299/month, for larger businesses with more specific needs.
Thanks to our partnership with Shopify, you can use the platform for 90 days for just $1.
Create your Shopify store for only $1 during 90 days
Squarespace: affordable rates for small businesses
Squarespace offers four subscription plans with rates ranging from $16 to $49 per month. E-commerce functionalities are available from the “Business” plan.
- Personal: $16/month, ideal for a showcase site with no e-commerce features
- Business: $23/month, suitable for small online stores
- Basic Commerce: $27/month, suitable for medium-sized stores with more advanced e-commerce needs
- Advanced Commerce: $49/month, for businesses with specific, more complex needs
Wix: flexible pricing for different budgets
Wix offers a range of subscription plans with rates from $17 to $35 per month for e-commerce functionality.
- Business Basic: $17/month, suitable for small online stores
- Business Unlimited: $25/month, suitable for companies with more advanced e-commerce needs
- Business VIP: $35/month, for larger companies with specific needs
Ease of use and customer support: Squarespace vs Wix vs Shopify
When it comes to choosing an e-commerce platform, ease of use and customer support are essential criteria. In this section, we highlight the differences between Squarespace, Wix and Shopify in terms of ergonomics and user support.
Shopify: an intuitive platform with responsive customer support
Shopify offers a well-organized user interface that’s easy to get to grips with, even for beginners. E-commerce functionalities are clearly accessible, and the platform offers numerous guides and tutorials to help you along the way.
- User-friendly, well-structured interface
- Numerous guides and tutorials available
- 24/7 customer support via chat, e-mail and telephone.
Squarespace: an elegant site editor with efficient customer support
Squarespace is renowned for its elegant visual editor and high-quality templates. The platform is relatively easy to use, although there may be a slight learning curve for beginners.
- Intuitive, aesthetically pleasing visual editor
- Comprehensive Help Center with guides and tutorials
- Customer support available via live chat and e-mail
Wix: a versatile drag-and-drop editor and responsive customer support
Wix stands out for its visual drag-and-drop editor, which offers great customization flexibility. This platform is ideal for those who want total control over their site’s appearance without the need for coding skills.
- Easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor
- Extensive library of online help and resources
- Customer support available by phone and e-mail
Comparison chart of key e-commerce features: Squarespace vs Wix vs Shopify
| Key features | Shopify | Wix | Squarespace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.3 |
| Customization | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Third-party integrations | 5 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Dropshipping | 5 | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Pricing | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.3 |
| Customer support | 5 | 4.3 | 4.2 |
| Overall rating | 4.6 | 4.2 | 4 |
Conclusion
Choosing between Squarespace, Wix and Shopify will depend above all on your specific needs and priorities. Each of these e-commerce platforms has advantages and disadvantages worth considering. Shopify stands out for its advanced e-commerce features and numerous integrations, while Wix offers greater customization flexibility thanks to its drag-and-drop editor. Squarespace, meanwhile, is renowned for its elegant design and high-quality templates.
Don’t hesitate to take advantage of the free trials offered by these platforms to try them out for yourself and determine which one best meets your expectations. Take the time to compare the features, pricing and ease of use of each to make an informed choice.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Wix or Shopify?
Wix is generally cheaper than Shopify, especially for entry-level plans.
What are the rates for Wix and Shopify?
Wix e-commerce rates start at $17/month to take advantage of e-commerce features, while Shopify rates start at $29/month.