Wix vs Squarespace vs WordPress vs Shopify: Which Should You Choose?

So, your business is ready to go online and join the 1.1 billion websites worldwide. But before you can add your business to this global digital arena, you need to choose the right website platform.

When it comes to Wix vs Squarespace vs WordPress vs Shopify, each platform has its strengths and trade-offs. The best fit will depend on your growth goals, budget, and technical expertise.

Our Head of Web Development, Jenny Nicholson, sums it up:

“If a business wants something quick and simple, Wix or Squarespace can work. But for serious growth and flexibility, WordPress or Shopify are the better long-term investments.”

This guide breaks down why, covering the pros, cons, and costs of each platform.

Quick Comparison: WordPress vs Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace

Here’s a quick overview of how these platforms stack up:

WordPress

Since its launch in 2003, WordPress has grown from a simple blogging platform to a powerful open-source content management system (CMS). As of 2025, it powers approximately 472 million websites, dominating the CMS market with a 61.4% share.

But does global popularity make a WordPress website the right choice for your business? Let’s look at the pros, cons, and costs.

Pros

• Free to Use: One of the biggest advantages of WordPress is that it’s open-source and free to use. Businesses can install WordPress at no cost, only paying for web hosting, themes, and plugins if needed.
• Flexibility: WordPress is highly customisable, allowing users to build anything from simple blogs to complex eCommerce stores and membership websites. With over 59,000 free plugins available, you can add almost any functionality without extensive coding knowledge.
• Scalability: With the right hosting and optimisation strategies, WordPress sites can handle massive amounts of traffic without performance issues. This makes WordPress the top choice for lead-generating sites looking to grow.
• SEO-Friendly: WordPress is the strongest platform for Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). It offers full control for both on-page SEO and technical SEO, such as site speed and structured data. You can also install powerful SEO plugins, like Yoast, Rank Math, and All in One SEO.
• Branding: WordPress offers thousands of free and premium themes, allowing you to create a visually stunning website that reflects your brand identity.

Cons

• Learning Curve: Jenny Nicholson argues that “WordPress is the most flexible but also has the steepest learning curve.” Unlike drag-and-drop website builders like Wix or Squarespace, WordPress requires some technical knowledge, especially for customisation and maintenance.
• Ongoing Maintenance: WordPress sites need regular updates for themes, plugins, and security patches. If neglected, they can become vulnerable to hacks.
• Hosting: Unlike Shopify or Squarespace, WordPress doesn’t include hosting. You must choose a hosting provider and optimise for speed and security yourself. Plus, the performance can heavily depend on the hosting provider you choose.

Cost

While WordPress has no fixed monthly fee, expenses include hosting, premium themes, paid-for plugins, and potential developer fees for advanced customisation. These costs will vary depending on what hosting provider you choose, if you decide your website needs paid themes or plugins, and if you work with a WordPress developer.

WordPress is the best choice for businesses that want flexibility and scalability. It’s my go-to for those who need full control over their website, custom functionality, or advanced SEO. It does require more setup and maintenance, but in return, you get a fully customisable site that can grow with the business.

Jenny Nicholson
Head of Web Development

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Shopify

Shopify is a leading eCommerce platform used by business owners worldwide. The U.S. has the highest number of Shopify stores, but its popularity is growing rapidly across the globe. There are currently 2.5 million stores, a massive jump from just 753,977 in early 2019.

Is this impressive growth making you lean towards a Shopify website? Consider the following before submitting your payment details.

Pros

• User-Friendly: Shopify is designed specifically for eCommerce, making it easy for businesses to set up and manage an online store. Its intuitive dashboard simplifies product management, order fulfilment, and payment processing.
• Scalable: Whether you’re starting small or scaling to high-volume sales, Shopify can handle increased traffic and large inventories. However, upgrading plans as you grow will increase costs.
• Maintenance: Unlike WordPress, Shopify includes built-in support for updates and security checks.
• AI-Advanced: Shopify Magic offers a range of free AI-driven features that can make building and managing a Shopify website easier for beginners.

Cons

• SEO Limitations: While Shopify includes some basic SEO features, it has some notable drawbacks:
  • Shopify’s rigid URL structure forces /collections/ and /products/ in URLs.
  • Advanced SEO functionality requires extra plugins.
  • Blog functionality is not as powerful as WordPress for content marketing.
• Cost: One of the biggest concerns we hear from business owners is Shopify’s pricing structure. Monthly fees, premium themes, and transaction costs can add up quickly, making it more expensive than other platforms like WooCommerce.
• Customisation Limitations: Shopify themes are customisable, but without coding knowledge (specifically Liquid, Shopify’s templating language), design flexibility is limited. Advanced customisations often require hiring a developer.

Cost

Shopify operates on a monthly subscription model, with plans ranging from £19 to £259 per month, depending on your business needs. However, plans are billed annually, meaning this can be a significant upfront cost to consider.

Additional costs include:

• Premium apps that are needed for added functionality.
• Transaction fees range from 0.6% to 2% per sale.

Jenny Nicholson offers some tips for combatting Shopify costs:

• Minimise app dependence. Use Shopify’s built-in features where possible.
• Consider lower-tier plans. Shopify’s Basic plan is often sufficient.
• Focus on ROI, not just cost. Shopify’s seamless checkout and sales tools can increase conversions, justifying the investment.
• Explore alternatives. WooCommerce is a lower-cost option but requires more hands-on maintenance.

If the main goal is selling products online, Shopify makes it easy to manage inventory, payments, and shipping. It’s more structured than WordPress and has some limitations in terms of flexibility, but it’s far more powerful for online stores looking to scale.

Jenny Nicholson
Head of Web Development

Wix

Wix is a drag-and-drop website builder that’s had rocky growth over the years. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why so many business owners activate (and deactivate) their Wix stores:

Pros

• Ease of Use: Wix is ideal for startups, small businesses, and personal projects that need a hassle-free, no-code website. Its intuitive drag-and-drop editor allows users to build pages visually, making it accessible even for complete beginners.
• Quick Setup: If you need a website up and running fast, Wix is a strong choice. The user-friendly interface and pre-designed templates mean you can launch a website in hours, not weeks with little to no learning curve.
• AI-Features: Wix has built on its Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI) to now offer a full AI website solution. These AI-driven features make it even easier to produce a website that looks and feels like your brand.

Cons

• Limited Flexibility: While Wix provides templates and some design freedom, customisation is restricted compared to WordPress or Shopify. For eCommerce businesses, Wix’s store features are basic, making it less ideal for scaling an online shop.
• Not Ideal for Long-Term Growth: Wix is great for beginners, but as your business grows, its limitations become apparent. Expanding functionality often requires paid apps, and migrating away from Wix can be difficult due to its closed ecosystem.
• Basic SEO Features: Wix has improved its SEO tools, but it still falls behind WordPress in advanced optimisation. Some major drawbacks include:
  • Limited control over technical SEO ( such as structured data and advanced redirects).
  • Slower site speed, especially for larger websites, which can hurt search rankings.

Cost

Wix’s basic plans start at £9 per month, but for a professional business website, costs can add up due to:

• Custom domains and premium templates require upgrades.
• Paid apps for added functionality.
• Removing ads needs a higher-tier plan.

Squarespace

With 4.9 million unique subscriptions, Squarespace is a popular choice among business owners looking for an easy-to-use website builder. But is it the right fit for your business?

Pros

• All-in-One Platform: Squarespace provides hosting, pre-designed templates, and customer support in a single package. This makes it an attractive choice for business owners who want a streamlined website solution without the hassle of managing multiple services.
• User-Friendly: Like Wix, Squarespace is a drag-and-drop builder with an Intuitive interface suitable for beginners. This can make it quick and easy for startups, small businesses, or individuals to get their website live without technical expertise.
• Cheaper Alternative to Shopify: For businesses looking for an eCommerce-friendly platform that’s cheaper than Shopify, Squarespace is a solid choice. It offers better eCommerce tools than Wix, but its capabilities still fall short of Shopify’s advanced features and scalability.

Cons

• Limited Customisation: While Squarespace offers sleek templates, it lacks the flexibility of WordPress, especially when it comes to advanced customisation, integrations, and coding capabilities.
• SEO Limitations: Squarespace offers basic SEO tools, a clean code structure, and fast hosting. However, you have limited control over advanced SEO settings, and the semi-rigid URL structure can be restrictive.

Cost

Squarespace business plans start at £17 per month. Some of the eCommerce features you may need will have a higher-tier plan, and transaction fees apply, making the ongoing costs potentially more expensive.

Which Is the Best for Your Business?

If you need a simple, hassle-free website, Wix or Squarespace might work. If you need full customisation and SEO control, WordPress is the best option. If you’re an eCommerce business, Shopify is hard to beat.

But before making a decision, take the time to map out your budget, technical comfort level, and future plans. If there’s any uncertainty, seeking expert advice early on can help avoid costly limitations and ensure you choose a platform that supports your business in the long term.

We see a lot of businesses fall into the same traps when selecting a platform. Here’s what to avoid:

• Focusing Only On Upfront Costs: Cheaper options can lead to higher long-term expenses due to add-ons, plugins, or costly migrations.
• Not Planning for Growth: Some platforms, like Wix, are great for startups but can limit business expansion later.
• Underestimating Maintenance: WordPress requires ongoing updates, while other platforms offer built-in maintenance but with trade-offs in flexibility.
• Ignoring Ownership & Portability: Some platforms lock businesses in, making it difficult to migrate elsewhere if needed.
• Overlooking Site Speed & Performance: Some platforms struggle with speed, which affects SEO rankings and user experience.
• Choosing Based on Trends Rather Than Business Needs: Just because a platform is popular doesn’t mean it’s the right fit for your business model.

My best advice would be to think beyond just today’s needs and consider where you want to be in the next few years. It’s easy to pick a platform based on what feels the simplest or cheapest right now, but switching later can be time-consuming and costly.

Jenny Nicholson
Head of Web Development

Partner with an Expert Web Development Team

Choosing the right platform is just the first step. If you want a website that drives traffic and converts visitors into customers, working with an expert team can make all the difference. At Exposure Ninja, we specialise in WordPress websites and Shopify websites that deliver real results.

We’ve chosen to focus on WordPress and Shopify because, in our experience, they get the best results for our clients. That said, your business has unique needs, and the right platform depends on your goals. If you’re unsure which one is best for you, we’d be happy to provide an expert, free review to help you make the right choice.

Further reading recommendations:

• How to Move Your Website Onto WordPress
• How to Migrate BigCommerce to Shopify
• How to Migrate a WooCommerce Store to Shopify.

FAQs

Which is better: Wix, Squarespace, WordPress, or Shopify?

It depends on your needs. Wix and Squarespace are best for simple sites, WordPress offers the most flexibility, and Shopify is the best for eCommerce.

Is Shopify better than Squarespace?

For eCommerce, yes. Shopify has more advanced features, better integrations, and a smoother checkout experience.

Is it better to use Shopify or Wix?

If you’re running an online store, Shopify is the better choice. Wix is easier for general websites but lacks the powerful eCommerce features Shopify offers.