WordPress, Shopify, Wix or custom code: which to choose
How site builders, WordPress, Shopify and custom code differ, and how to pick a platform that fits your business rather than the latest trend.
A platform is what your website runs on and where you’ll later change your texts, prices and photos. It affects the price of the work, your ongoing costs and how easily the site can grow with your business. We build sites on every option in the title, so here’s an honest look at each one, without pushing any of them.
Site builders: Wix, Squarespace, Webflow
The site is put together in a visual editor and runs on the service’s own servers. Hosting, a secure connection and updates come with the subscription.
Pros. Quick to launch. Easy to change texts and photos yourself. No servers or updates to worry about.
Cons. You pay the subscription for as long as the site is online. You can only do what the service allows. And the big one: moving. Wix’s help centre says plainly that a Wix site can only run on Wix’s servers (Wix Help Center (opens in a new tab)). Leaving means rebuilding the site from scratch. Other builders have their own rules, so check them before you start.
Good for. A salon, a café, a tradesperson or a small service business that needs a clean site of a few pages and wants to update it themselves.
WordPress and WooCommerce
WordPress is free, open-source software (wordpress.org (opens in a new tab)). It’s installed on hosting you choose yourself. WooCommerce is an add-on that turns a WordPress site into an online store.
Pros. Flexibility: plenty of ready-made themes and plugins. You can move the site to another host. There are many WordPress specialists, so you’re not tied to one developer. Blogging is easy.
Cons. WordPress and its plugins need regular updates, and the site needs backups in case something breaks. Without them, things eventually stop working, and outdated plugins become a way in for attackers. Either you handle this, or whoever looks after your website care does.
Good for. A business with lots of pages, a blog or plans to grow. And a store that needs the flexibility of WordPress.
Shopify
A platform built for online stores. Like a site builder, it runs on a subscription: hosting, the cart, payments and order management are built in.
Pros. The catalogue, cart, payments, shipping and taxes can all be set up without code. Shopify looks after the servers. Orders are easy to manage, even from your phone.
Cons. A monthly subscription, and some features come as paid apps. Payment processing comes with fees, as in any online store; check Shopify’s website for current plans and fees. For a site that doesn’t sell anything, Shopify is more than you need.
Good for. A store where online sales are the main thing: products, stock, shipping.
Custom code
The site is written from scratch for your needs, without a builder or a ready-made theme. That’s what makes scroll scenes, animation and any detail designed for the job possible.
Pros. Any design and any feature. Nothing unnecessary, so the site can be fast. No builder subscription.
Cons. It takes longer and costs more. If you want to edit texts and prices yourself, that has to be planned from the start; otherwise changes go through a developer. You still need hosting.
Good for. A site that has to stand out and carry your brand on its own. Or a job that doesn’t fit within a ready-made platform.
All four in one table
Every option needs a domain, so it’s not in the table.
| Platform | Good for | Ongoing costs | Editing it yourself |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site builder | A site of a few pages you update yourself | Service subscription | Easy |
| WordPress | A site with a blog and room to grow; a WooCommerce store | Hosting, paid themes and plugins | Yes, after a short intro |
| Shopify | An online store | Subscription, apps, payment fees | Yes, especially products and orders |
| Custom code | A site that has to stand out; an unusual job | Hosting | If it’s planned during development |
What to check on any platform
Whichever platform you choose, agree on three things before the work starts:
- the platform or hosting account is in your name, and the developer gets user access;
- you get administrator rights and can change texts, prices and photos yourself;
- it’s clear who handles updates and backups after launch, and how.
How to choose
Answer three questions.
- Will you sell online? If sales are the main thing, look at Shopify or WooCommerce.
- Who will update the site, and how often? If it’s you, and often, a site builder or WordPress.
- How much does the site need to stand out? If it’s your main argument with clients, custom code.
If the answers point in different directions, that’s normal: the platform is chosen together with whoever builds the site. How the platform affects the price is covered in how much a website costs for a small business in Canada.
Tell us about your project, and we’ll suggest a platform and explain why.