Web hosting with an AI website builder and the Horizons AI app/site builder (now part of Hostinger AI Builder).
Shopify vs Wix
Features, pricing, strengths and trade-offs — and which one fits your situation.
The verdict
Summary
Shopify is best for businesses whose main goal is selling products online, from first sale to large catalogues, while Wix is best for small businesses wanting an easy all-in-one builder with lots of templates and built-in business apps. Shopify has a medium learning curve, compared with low for Wix. Wix has a free plan, while Shopify offers a free trial.
Which should you choose?
Choose Shopify if…
- You need businesses whose main goal is selling products online, from first sale to large catalogues
- You're one of: online retailers, d2c brands, businesses selling in person and online
- Most complete commerce feature set among hosted builders
Choose Wix if…
- You need small businesses wanting an easy all-in-one builder with lots of templates and built-in business apps
- You're one of: small business owners, service providers taking bookings, creators and freelancers
- You want a free plan (Shopify only has a trial)
- You want something quicker to learn
At a glance
| Shopify | Wix | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Businesses whose main goal is selling products online, from first sale to large catalogues | Small businesses wanting an easy all-in-one builder with lots of templates and built-in business apps |
| Free plan | Trial only | Yes |
| Starting price | From $29/mo | From $17/mo |
| Learning curve | Medium | Low |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, API | Web, iOS, Android |
| Ideal for | Online retailers, D2C brands, Businesses selling in person and online, Dropshippers | Small business owners, Service providers taking bookings, Creators and freelancers, Agencies using Wix Studio |
Feature comparison
| Shopify | Wix | |
|---|---|---|
| AI site generation | Yes | Yes |
| E-commerce | Yes | Paid plans only |
| Blog / CMS | Yes | Yes |
| Hosting included | Yes | Yes |
| Custom domain | Yes | Paid plans only |
| Code / content export | Limited | No |
| SEO tools | Yes | Yes |
| App / plugin marketplace | Yes | Yes |
| Design freedom | Medium | High |
IncludedLimited / higher plansNot available— Not confirmed
Security & enterprise
| Shopify | Wix | |
|---|---|---|
| Business / enterprise plan | Yes | Yes |
| SSO (SAML / OIDC) | Shopify Plus (SAML) | Enterprise (OIDC) |
| SCIM user provisioning | — | — |
| SOC 2 | Type II | Type II |
| ISO 27001 | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA (BAA available) | — | — |
| GDPR DPA | Yes | — |
| Data residency options | — | — |
| No training on your data | — | — |
| Audit logs | — | — |
| Admin controls | Yes | Yes |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
From each vendor's security documentation. "—" = not confirmed. What to ask vendors · Compare all tools
What each tool does
Shopify
Shopify is a hosted e-commerce platform that provides an online store, checkout, payments, inventory, shipping and point-of-sale in one system. Stores are built on themes that can be customised visually or in Liquid code, with Sidekick and Shopify Magic generating store designs, content blocks and copy from prompts. A large App Store extends it for marketing, subscriptions, reviews and more.
Key features- Hosted storefront with themes and visual editor
- Shopify Checkout and Shopify Payments
- Sidekick AI assistant that edits themes and generates blocks
- AI store builder that generates a storefront from a description
- Inventory, shipping, tax and POS tools
- App Store with thousands of apps
Wix
Wix is a hosted website builder offering several ways to build: the classic drag-and-drop Wix Editor, Wix Studio for agencies, and Wix Harmony, launched in January 2026, which combines AI prompt-based generation with manual editing. Plans include hosting, e-commerce, bookings, blogging and marketing tools, plus a large App Market. It is aimed at small businesses, creators and freelancers who want everything managed in one place.
Key features- Wix Harmony AI builder with natural-language editing
- Drag-and-drop Wix Editor and Wix Studio for agencies
- Online stores, bookings, events and restaurant tools
- Blog with SEO settings
- Wix App Market for added functionality
- Velo for custom JavaScript and databases
Pricing
Shopify
Free plan: no (free trial). Paid from $29/mo billed annually (Basic)
Wix
Free plan (Wix ads + subdomain); Light from $17/mo billed annually
Prices last checked September 2026. Plans change often — confirm on each vendor's site.
Pros and cons
Shopify
Strengths- Most complete commerce feature set among hosted builders
- Very large app and theme ecosystem
- Scales from a small shop to high-volume stores
- Mobile app for managing orders and products
- Many common features depend on paid third-party apps
- Extra transaction fees when not using Shopify Payments
- Blogging and content tools are basic compared with WordPress or Squarespace
- Full site design cannot be exported to another platform
Not ideal for: Portfolios, service businesses and content-led sites without much to sell will get better value from Squarespace, Wix or Framer.
Wix
Strengths- Large template library across most industries
- Many business features built in, such as bookings and events
- Free plan for building and testing a site
- Mobile app for managing the site and business
- Sites cannot be exported or moved to another platform
- Free plan shows Wix ads and uses a Wix subdomain
- Some existing apps and widgets are not yet compatible with Harmony
- Heavily customised sites can load slower than leaner builders
Not ideal for: Anyone who wants to own their site's code or move hosts later should choose WordPress or Webflow instead.
Integrations
Shopify
Wix
FAQ
What is the main difference between Shopify and Wix?
Shopify is built for businesses whose main goal is selling products online, from first sale to large catalogues; Wix is built for small businesses wanting an easy all-in-one builder with lots of templates and built-in business apps.
Is Shopify or Wix cheaper?
Shopify starts from $29/mo and Wix starts from $17/mo (as of September 2026). On entry price, Wix is cheaper — but compare what each plan includes, since limits differ. Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site.
Do Shopify and Wix have free plans?
Wix has a free plan, while Shopify offers a free trial.
Which is easier to use, Shopify or Wix?
Wix is generally quicker to learn (Shopify: medium, Wix: low learning curve).
What are good alternatives to Shopify and Wix?
Other website builders tools worth comparing include Hostinger, Squarespace and Framer.
