Choosing the Right Website Builder: Shopify vs Wix vs WordPress vs Squarespace vs Webflow
Table of Contents:
- Introduction
- Wix
- Webflow
- Squarespace
- Shopify
- Blogger
- Google Sites
- Other WordPress Alternatives
- Conclusion
Introduction
WordPress is undoubtedly the most popular platform for Website creation, powering over 43% of existing sites. However, it may not be the perfect solution for everyone. Some people may be looking for a more beginner-friendly platform, while others may want one that focuses more on e-commerce. In this article, we will explore some excellent WordPress alternatives that can cater to different needs and preferences. We will discuss their features, pros and cons, and pricing options, helping You find the best alternative that suits your requirements.
Wix
Wix is one of the most popular hosted website builders on the market. With its drag and drop feature, the Wix editor allows users to Create a website without any coding knowledge. However, Wix has fairly limited customization options compared to WordPress, which can be a downside for those who favor greater customizability.
Wix Adi: Answer a few questions and Wix will design a website for you using its artificial design intelligence. While it's a convenient alternative to the classic Wix editor, its customization options are more limited.
E-commerce functionality: All of the e-commerce plans include abandoned cart recovery and secure online payments. Plus, there are no transaction fees.
App Integrations: The Wix App Market provides more than 250 apps to improve the site's functionality.
Customizable templates: Resize, recolor, and rotate all design elements. Wix is also one of the few website building tools that lets users create custom animations.
Wix is a great all-in-one solution for those who are new to website creation and want to launch their website quickly. Besides, you won't have to Take Care of hosting as Wix provides it. However, the free plan includes Wix ads and a Wix subdomain. If you want to use a custom domain name and access more features, you'll need to upgrade to one of the premium plans, which range from $4.50 to $24.50 per month.
Webflow
If you're the kind of person who likes to have absolute control over the look and appearance of different elements on a web page, Webflow is going to be a great WordPress alternative for you. While you can create your own website designs from scratch in Webflow, there is also an option to use some pre-built free and premium themes for further customization.
I'd like to mention that the granular control over all aspects of your website in Webflow comes at the cost of a steep learning curve. This is probably going to be a challenge if you're a newbie. However, once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to add different types of interactions and animations to the elements on a web page, making it more lively and interesting.
The platform is optimized for SEO performance and allows people to collaborate on content creation. However, Webflow can be expensive, particularly for small businesses or individuals who may not need all of its advanced features. The site plans range from $0 to $39 per month, while the e-commerce plans range from $29 to $212 per month.
Squarespace
Squarespace offers visually engaging and professionally designed templates as its main selling point. This WordPress alternative is one of the most popular site builders in the industry. With Squarespace, you'll get blogging features and the ability to manage multiple contributors by giving them various access levels to the website.
Squarespace also lets you host podcasts on your own site, not just embed them in an audio player. It provides necessary tools for e-commerce stores, such as inventory management and abandoned cart recovery. It also supports the sales of digital content, subscriptions, and services such as online classes and appointments.
Built-in marketing tools, email campaigns, social media tool integration, and built-in analytics are some of the features Squarespace offers. Squarespace Video Studio allows you to make and share videos to grow your business. Its features include adding branded elements to a video and incorporating smart voiceovers by uploading scripts and using a video resizer.
Squarespace Mobile Apps allow you to edit and manage a site via mobile devices using Squarespace's iOS and Android app. You can also connect it with a Square account to sell offline and sync it with your online inventory.
However, there are some downsides as well. The drag and drop editor is more section-Based, meaning you can't just drag the elements anywhere you want. It may take a bit more time to get a grip on this tool. Squarespace has a smaller number of templates and plugins compared to WordPress, and it lacks features like content versioning or auto-save. Therefore, you will have to save changes manually.
Squarespace doesn't have a free plan, but it offers a 14-day free trial period. The paid plans start at $16 per month. Squarespace's minimalist templates work best when paired with high-quality images. If your site is text-heavy, it may be challenging to make the most of Squarespace's main AdVantage. Therefore, a CMS like WordPress may suit you better.
Shopify
Shopify is the ideal platform to use when launching an online business. It is a complete e-commerce platform with all the resources needed to launch and run an online business. It has excellent shipping and payment systems, amazing themes, and a user-friendly interface that makes it effortless to manage your products, orders, and customers.
Powerful marketing tools like email campaigns are there to assist you in marketing and increasing sales. Shopify also has a robust App Store with a wide variety of third-party apps that might help you improve the functioning of your company. However, coding knowledge is essential if you want to customize the website template.
Shopify has no free version. There are three main plans starting at $32 a month ($24 if billed yearly). Currently, Shopify is offering a limited-time deal of $1 for three months, in addition to their three-day free trial.
Blogger
Although having fewer capabilities than some of the other options on our list, Blogger is a great WordPress substitute if you're just getting started and don't want to spend a lot of money. Furthermore, since Google owns it, there is no chance that it'll vanish anytime soon.
Blogger is an easy-to-use platform that suits bloggers who would rather focus on their content than the technical aspects of hosting a website. Due to its integration with Google services, it's a useful option for people who are also using Google Analytics and Google Drive.
Blogger is a free blogging platform, so you'll get free hosting and a free Blogspot subdomain name. Compared to WordPress, Blogger has minimal customization options and flexibility. If you aim to create a custom website like an e-commerce store, Blogger may not be your best bet.
Google Sites
In the list of WordPress alternatives, Google Sites is yet another website creation tool, especially if you have to build a Wiki page or a simple website. It's free to use and easy to get started with, especially for those already familiar with Google's suite of tools.
However, it's still not the best of WordPress alternatives, as it has become outdated with new website builders being introduced in the market. While Google Sites can serve its purpose for simple websites, it may lack advanced features required for more complex projects.
As you can see, WordPress isn't the only great option out there. There are plenty of alternatives, even beyond what we listed today. Some have features similar to WordPress, while others have a completely different set of features and functions. The point of this article isn't to force you to use something other than WordPress; it's to consider the other options out there.
For some companies, sticking with what's familiar might be worth it. But for others, switching to a new alternative with tools that better suit their needs and goals can help them build their business presence faster. Whichever tool you choose, we recommend trying the free version first, risk-free. And if you like it more, you can upgrade. Other than that, it's up to you.