Wix and Shopify both let you sell online, but they start from different places. Wix is a general website builder that added a capable store; Shopify is a commerce engine that added just enough content tooling to hang a storefront on. That single difference explains almost every decision you'll face between them.
If your business lives and dies by selling products, this choice matters more than any plan-level detail. Here's how the two compare in 2026 — including where Shopify genuinely wins, because it does.
Our scores at a glance
Wix — 4.6/5
The better all-rounder: a real website builder with solid selling tools, no platform transaction fees and gentler starting costs. Full breakdown in our Wix review.
Shopify — 4.4/5
A purpose-built commerce machine. Our score reflects complexity and cost for casual sellers — dedicated store owners scaling seriously would score it higher.
Wix vs Shopify: feature comparison
The table below covers what actually decides the match. Wix figures verified September 2026; Shopify figures are approximate — always check the provider's current pricing before committing.
| Feature | Wix | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Content-rich sites that also sell; small to mid catalogs | Stores where selling is the entire business |
| Starting price | Free plan to learn; selling needs Core from $29/mo billed yearly | Entry plans from around $29–39/mo — check current offers |
| Platform transaction fees | None — payment processing fees still apply | Extra fees can apply unless you use Shopify Payments |
| Templates & themes | 900+ website templates across niches | Large theme store — free and paid, commerce-first |
| App ecosystem | App Market with hundreds of apps | Huge app store — the deepest commerce add-ons in the industry |
| POS & physical retail | Limited retail options | Industry-leading POS built for in-person selling |
| Ease of use | Beginner-friendly drag-and-drop | Manageable, but a steeper learning curve |
| Blogging & content | Clearly stronger — full site builder with a real blog | Functional but basic blog tools |
| Multichannel selling | Available via apps and higher plans | Stronger — marketplaces, social and retail channels built in |
The pattern is clear: Wix wins on everything surrounding the store — content, ease, total cost of entry — while Shopify wins on everything inside it, especially at scale. Its app marketplace is bigger for commerce-specific jobs, its multichannel plumbing is deeper, and its POS system makes it the obvious pick for businesses with a physical counter.
Also note the fee structure, because it surprises people. Wix charges no platform transaction fees on any plan — you only pay the payment processor. Shopify can add its own per-transaction fees on top unless you use Shopify Payments, which meaningfully affects margins for stores that can't or won't use it.
What day-to-day selling looks like
Running a small store on Wix
On Wix, your store lives inside a real website: products sit next to your blog, booking calendar or portfolio, all managed from one dashboard. Adding products, setting up shipping zones and collecting payments is straightforward from the Core plan upward, and the absence of platform transaction fees keeps margins simple. For catalogs in the tens or low hundreds of products — plus services, digital goods or bookings on the same site — it's a comfortable fit.
Scaling on Shopify
Shopify's dashboard is built around orders, inventory and channels rather than pages. Where it earns its reputation is operational depth: abandoned-checkout flows, shipping-rate rules, fulfillment and staff permissions, plus one-click connections to marketplaces and social storefronts. If your weekly routine is measured in orders and SKUs rather than posts, that focus shows — and it's the honest reason growing stores migrate toward Shopify even though it costs more to run.
Which one should you pick?
Choose Wix if…
- Selling is one part of a broader site (content, bookings, services)
- Your catalog is small to mid-size
- You want to start free and upgrade when you're ready
- Zero platform transaction fees matters to your margins
Choose Shopify if…
- Product revenue is your primary business
- You plan to scale: fulfillment, shipping automation, staff accounts
- You run in-person retail and need serious POS
- You sell across marketplaces and social channels from one hub
Pricing: the first-year picture
To actually sell on Wix you need the Core plan at minimum: $29/mo billed yearly ($36 monthly), with Business at $39/mo yearly ($46 monthly) for the full e-commerce suite including subscriptions and abandoned-cart tools. Every paid Wix plan includes a free custom domain for the first year, and Wix never takes a cut of your sales — payment processing fees aside.
Shopify's entry plans run from around $29 to $39 per month depending on current offers and billing term, with higher tiers as you grow — check shopify.com for live pricing. Add possible platform transaction fees and paid apps, and a Shopify store's real monthly cost often lands above the sticker price. Seasonal Wix sales can take up to 50% off annual plans for a limited time; see our discount codes page for what's running now.
Wix prices verified September 2026 — always check wix.com for live figures.
The bottom line
For most readers of this site — small businesses, creators and first-time sellers — Wix is the better fit: cheaper to start, easier to run, and strong enough for stores with modest catalogs. Shopify is the right call when commerce is the whole business and you're building toward real volume. We recommend both — for different people. And if you're genuinely unsure: start on Wix's free plan, validate that people want what you're selling, and revisit the platform question once orders prove the concept. Migrating a proven store is a good problem to have.
FAQ
Can Wix handle dropshipping?
Yes, within limits. Apps in the Wix App Market connect your store to dropshipping suppliers, which works well for small catalogs and for testing the model. For large-scale dropshipping with heavy automation, Shopify's app ecosystem and fulfillment tooling are deeper.
Which is cheaper to start, Wix or Shopify?
Wix. You can build and learn on its free plan, and a live store needs Core at $29/mo billed yearly, with a free custom domain for year one and no platform transaction fees. Shopify's entry plans run around $29–39/mo, and extra platform fees can apply unless you use Shopify Payments. For a small catalog, Wix's first-year total is usually lower.
Can I migrate between Wix and Shopify later?
Partially. Product and customer data can be exported as CSV and re-imported (or moved with migration apps), but designs don't transfer — the storefront itself gets rebuilt. Most stores that move go Wix → Shopify as they scale; budget time for the rebuild either direction.
Does Wix charge transaction fees on sales?
No — Wix charges no platform transaction fees on any plan; only the payment processor's own fees apply. Shopify can add platform fees on top unless you use Shopify Payments, so factor that into your margin math.