In today’s digital age, creating a website is an essential aspect of running a business. Whether you’re starting a new venture or upgrading your existing website, choosing the right platform is crucial. With numerous options available, it can be overwhelming to decide which platform is the best fit for your business.
So which website platform do you use?
Well, it depends on your business, your budget and the time and patience you have to learn how to use each one – not to mention how to design for the best user experience.
In this blog post, we’ll compare Wix, WordPress, Shopify, and Squarespace, and weigh the pros and cons of each platform.
Wix
Wix caters to individuals who require free or highly affordable websites. It offers a range of templates and apps to help you build your site, including e-commerce functionality, blogging, and SEO tools. However, it has a limited selection of pre-designed website templates.
Wix is a website builder that lets you create websites without any coding knowledge. It offers a drag-and-drop interface that allows you to customise your website easily.
Pros:
- The Wix platform is user-friendly, making it easy for beginners to create a website.
- The platform offers a range of templates, which can help you get started quickly.
- It offers affordable pricing plans.
Cons:
- The templates can be limiting, as they may not be fully customisable.
- Pricing plans are charged annually so in the long term it can be expensive.
- The platform is not ideal for large-scale e-commerce businesses.
- It can be challenging to migrate your website to a different platform later.
- The standardised design and URL structure (business-name.wix.com) may not present a professional image, which can cause customers to doubt the credibility of your business. You can pay money to buy your own domain via Wix which is recommended.
- AND, don’t even bother contacting support or their accounts team. Customer service is non existent.
WordPress
WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS) that powers over 40% of the internet. It offers complete customisation, allowing you to create any type of website you want. WordPress has an active developer community, which means you’ll always have access to new features and plugins.
Pros:
- WordPress is highly customisable, making it ideal for businesses that need unique functionality.
- It has a vast selection of themes and plugins available.
- WordPress offers robust SEO features.
- It is free and open-source.
Cons:
- It might cost more to have a professional create your website for you however in the long term the cost is minimal.
- WordPress requires some time to learn.
- The platform’s flexibility can lead to security vulnerabilities if not managed correctly.
- You’ll need to manage your website’s hosting and security. We recommend WP Engine or VentraIP.
- You will need to regularly maintain plugins, themes, and updates.
Shopify
Shopify is an e-commerce platform that allows you to create an online store. It offers a range of features, including payment gateways, inventory management, and shipping options. Shopify is an all-in-one solution, making it ideal for businesses that want to sell products online.
Pros:
- Shopify is an all-in-one solution, which means you won’t need to manage your website’s hosting or security.
- The platform offers numerous payment options, including credit cards and PayPal.
- Shopify has excellent customer support, which is available 24/7.
- The platform is user-friendly, making it easy to set up an online store quickly.
- This platform has great ability for email marketing and automation functionality for abandoned cart.
Cons:
- Shopify can be expensive, particularly for small businesses.
- The platform’s themes and customisation options can be limited.
- The platform can get expensive down the track when you want added functionality from the apps.
- You’ll need to pay transaction fees for using third-party payment gateways.
Squarespace
Squarespace is a website builder that offers a range of features, including templates, e-commerce functionality, and blogging tools. Squarespace’s drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to create a website, and its templates are visually appealing.
Pros:
- Squarespace is user-friendly and easy to use.
- The platform offers a range of templates, which are visually appealing.
- Squarespace has excellent customer support.
- The platform offers a range of features, including e-commerce functionality and blogging tools.
Cons:
- Squarespace can be expensive compared to other website builders.
- The platform’s customisation options can be limiting.
- Squarespace has limited third-party integrations.
- It can be challenging to migrate your website to another platform
- Ecommerce is very limited so Shopify or WordPress are recommended.
In conclusion, choosing the right platform for your website ultimately depends on your business’s needs and goals. Wix is ideal for beginners who need an easy-to-use platform with basic features. WordPress is perfect for businesses that require complete customisation and have the resources to manage their website’s hosting and security. Shopify is an all-in-one solution for e-commerce businesses that want to sell products online and easily manage themselves and finally, Squarespace is a website builder that offers visually appealing templates and features for small to medium-sized businesses. Ultimately, weighing the pros and cons of each platform can help you make an informed decision that aligns with your business objectives.
If you would like some more insight into which platform to use for your business feel free to reach out and get in touch. We use a mix of the platforms based on the business needs and can support you with training if you get stuck or need help.