Wix is a popular website builder that helps non-technical users create professional-looking websites. It offers integrated hosting, user-friendly design tools, and a free plan for businesses willing to use a wixsite.com domain and display Wix ads.
But if you’re running an ecommerce business with plans to scale or simply looking for more customization options, you might want to explore some Wix alternatives.
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Best Wix alternatives
Choosing the best website builder for your business depends on your budget, goals, and technical skills. These 10 platforms offer solid alternatives to Wix for ecommerce business owners with various needs and growth objectives. Let’s look at each option to help you find the right fit for your online store.
1. Shopify
Shopify stands out as the top Wix alternative for ecommerce store owners. It offers a robust website builder with more than 100 responsive templates and an intuitive drag-and-drop editor. For those needing specific functionality, Shopify allows web developers or tech-savvy business owners to customize their sites extensively.
Built specifically for ecommerce, Shopify includes features to help you create and run a robust online store. You’ll find advanced tools like customer segmentation, sales tax calculations, shipping labels, and discount creation. All plans include 24/7 customer support, unlimited product listings, unlimited bandwidth, and up to 1,000 inventory locations.
Key features:
- Marketing automation
- International payments support
- Fully functional mobile app
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Point-of-sale (POS) system
Pros:
- User-friendly interface accessible to beginners and non-techies
- All-in-one solution includes hosting, payment processing, and inventory management
- Free SSL certificate with all plans
- More than 100 website themes and 8,000 apps for store customization
- Mobile-friendly Shopify themes that work on any device
- 24/7 support through various channels
- Mobile app for on-the-go business management
Cons:
- Limited checkout page customization
- Advanced customization requires coding knowledge.
Pricing:
- Basic: $39/month
- Shopify: $105/month
- Advanced: $399/month
- Enterprise: Contact Shopify
2. Squarespace
Squarespace focuses on design, offering a drag-and-drop editor, hundreds of templates, a stock photo library, and integrated blogging tools. It provides a more structured design experience than Wix, making it suitable for business owners who want to create an attractive website without heavy investment in graphic design and web development.
However, Squarespace offers more limited ecommerce features than other Wix alternatives, with ecommerce functionality only available in higher-tiered plans. Some marketing features, like promotional banners and pop-ups, are also restricted to pricier options.
Key features:
- 24/7 customer support
- Free custom domain names
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Email marketing tools
- Online logo maker
Pros:
- More than 140 website themes to choose from
- Robust blogging feature
- Live chat support
- Mobile app for website management
- Ability to build custom templates with Squarespace Blueprint
- 1,000-page limit
Cons:
- Limited app marketplace
- Restricted customization options
- Limited ecommerce capabilities
Pricing:
- Personal: $16/month
- Business: $23/month
- Commerce, Basic: $28/month
- Commerce, Advanced: $52/month
3. WordPress
WordPress is a free, popular content management system (CMS) that offers unparalleled customization. While it has a steeper learning curve and doesn’t provide integrated hosting, users with coding skills can truly make it their own. WordPress benefits from a vast community creating plugins or add-ons.
Keep in mind that WordPress isn’t built specifically for ecommerce. While plug-ins can add impressive functionality, integrating multiple plug-ins can sometimes lead to site-wide errors.
Key features:
- More than 60,000 plug-ins and 10,000 themes
- Free and open-source software
- Ecommerce tools available via WooCommerce plug-in
Pros:
- Extensive customization options through plug-ins
- A large community of developers contributing to open-source code
- Full control over content
- Scalable for websites of all sizes
Cons:
- Requires some technical knowledge
- User is responsible for hosting, updates, backups, and security
- Excessive use of plug-ins can slow down your site
Pricing: Free
4. Weebly
Owned by Square, Weebly caters to ecommerce businesses with its drag-and-drop builder and free integrated hosting. While all plans include ecommerce features, only pricier options allow you to remove Square ads or sell digital products.
Key features:
- Unlimited product listings
- Inventory management
- Automatic tax calculation
- Search engine optimization (SEO) tools
- Chat and email support on all plans; phone support on higher tiers
Pros:
- User-friendly drag-and-drop interface
- Generally more affordable than Wix
- Ability to sell on free plan
Cons:
- Outdated templates
- Limited customization options
- No standout marketing tools or features
Pricing:
- Free plan
- Personal: $10/month
- Professional: $12/month
- Performance: $26/month
5. Hostinger
Hostinger’s website builder uses artificial design intelligence to help users with limited tech skills create a site. It offers AI tools for writing, image editing, heat map analysis, blog title generation, and terms and conditions creation.
One major drawback: You can’t change templates once you’ve started designing.
Key features:
- 24/7 customer support
- Google Analytics integration
- AI tools
- Free hosting
- Integrated CRM tools
Pros:
- 29 ecommerce website templates
- Competitive starter prices
- No commission on payments
Cons:
- No phone support
- Can’t switch templates after site launch
Pricing:
- Premium: $2.99/month
- Business: $3.99/month
- Cloud Startup: $7.99/month
6. GoDaddy
Known primarily as a hosting provider, GoDaddy offers a drag-and-drop website builder with a generous free plan and more than 100 templates. Ecommerce features are available only on the Commerce plan, which allows unlimited product listings and supports up to 1,000 marketplace and social channel sales monthly.
Lower-tier plans still allow payment acceptance and appointment scheduling, making GoDaddy a solid choice for service providers.
Key features:
- 24/7 customer support
- Appointment scheduling system
- GoDaddy payments hub
- Website and marketing analytics dashboard
Pros:
- Rapid building experience
- Hundreds of templates available
- One year of free email
Cons:
- No custom sections
- Limited style customization
- AI builder can produce generic sites
- No app marketplace
Pricing:
- Free
- Essential: $10.99/month
- Standard: $11.99/month
- Premium: $14.99/month
- Ecommerce: $16.99/month
7. IONOS
IONOS, primarily a web hosting provider, provides a drag-and-drop editor, daily backups, and 24/7 custom support. Its new AI website builder can create a fully customizable site based on basic business information. A built-in translation feature makes it easy to build multilingual websites.
Some users find IONOS less intuitive than Wix, and cheaper plans limit total site storage and page count.
Key features:
- 24/7 customer support
- Built-in language translation
- Low-cost six-month plan
- Email included
- AI website builder
Pros:
- Competitive intro pricing and renewal rates
- Templates for corporate business websites
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- AI text generator
Cons:
- Maximum of 10 pages on entry-level plan
- Limited design customization options
- Dated interface
Pricing:
- Starter: $12/month
- Plus: $18/month
- Pro: $30/month
8. HostGator
HostGator offers affordable plans and a user-friendly drag-and-drop web builder. The basic plan includes a free domain and over 150 mobile-optimized templates. Pricier plans offer online payments, unlimited appointments, and product listings. Higher tiers also include marketplace selling and automated sales tax.
Key features:
- More than 100 mobile-optimized templates
- Built-in blog
- Free domain name
- Free SSL certificate
- Social media tools
Pros:
- Easy-to-use editor
- Strong social media integration
- Affordable sign-up price
- Google Analytics and Facebook integration
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons:
- Reportedly slow response times on support tickets
- Limited design flexibility
- Significant price hike after intro offer
Pricing:
- Website: $4.95/month
- Website and Marketing: $7.95/month
- Online Store: $13.95/month
- Online Marketplaces: $19.95/month
9. Jimdo
Jimdo is a budget-friendly Wix alternative created for individuals and small businesses. It offers a free plan with a jimdosite.com subdomain, while paid plans allow custom domains and support payment processing, social selling, and discount codes. Ecommerce plans integrate with Facebook’s selling tools for Meta platform sales.
Most plans limit storage, bandwidth, and page count, making Jimdo better suited for smaller, simpler sites.
Key features:
- Personalized support on higher-tier plans
- SEO tools
- Free domain name
- Drag-and-drop builder
- No transaction fees
Pros:
- Affordable option
- HTML and CSS editing
- Easy-to-use editor
- Easy template switching
Cons:
- Limited template selection
- Few payment gateway options
- No import/export functions
- Email-only support
Pricing:
- Free
- Start: $11/month
- Grow: $17/month
10. Webnode
Webnode offers three ecommerce plans, each integrating with Google Analytics, providing an email account, and offering premium customer support. Its user-friendly design tools help non-designers build ecommerce sites with advanced elements like video backgrounds and parallax scrolling.
All Webnode plans limit storage, making it suitable for businesses that don’t need massive data capacity but want access to some advanced design tools.
Key features:
- More than 100 mobile-responsive templates
- Stock image gallery
- Mobile website-builder app
- Membership registrations
Pros:
- Multilingual support
- Backup and restore feature
- Free email address included
Cons:
- Lacks advanced ecommerce features
Pricing:
- Limited: $4.50/month
- Mini: $8.50/month
- Standard: $12.90/month
- Profi: $22.90/month
When to switch to a Wix alternative
As your business grows, you might find Wix no longer meets your needs. Here are a few signs it's time to consider an alternative:
You need more advanced ecommerce features
Wix lacks some key ecommerce tools like automatic tax calculation, robust inventory management, an international POS system, and multi-currency payment options. It also caps your product listings and offers fewer plug-ins and integrations than some competitors.
You want to level up your design
While Wix’s website builder is user-friendly, it has fewer design parameters than some competitors. This means you might need some graphic design skills to create a truly polished site. Other website builders can help you craft a professional-looking site quickly, even without design expertise.
You’re all-in on ecommerce
Wix is versatile and can be cost-effective if selling isn’t your main focus. But if ecommerce is your primary goal, you’ll likely benefit from a purpose-built ecommerce platform like Shopify.
Wix alternatives FAQ
What’s the best alternative to Wix for website building?
Top Wix alternatives for ecommerce businesses include:
- Shopify
- Squarespace
- Weebly
- WordPress
Why consider alternatives to Wix for my website?
Many business owners switch to Wix alternatives for advanced ecommerce features like inventory management, customer segmentation, or unlimited product listings.
Is Shopify a good alternative to Wix for ecommerce websites?
Yes, Shopify offers a premium website builder specifically designed to support ecommerce businesses of all sizes.
Who is Wix’s main competitor?
Shopify is often considered Wix's main competitor in the website building and ecommerce space. Both platforms offer tools for creating and managing online stores, but Shopify focuses more on ecommerce functionality.
What’s the downside of Wix?
A significant drawback of Wix is the difficulty in migrating your website to another platform if you decide to switch later. Some users also find that Wix sites can load more slowly compared to those built on other platforms.
