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Two ways to build a site that sells

WixvsWooCommerce

Both are popular for websites that also sell. Wix keeps everything managed and visual; WooCommerce runs on WordPress for open, content-led flexibility.

The short answer

Choose Wix if

You want a managed, visual way to build a beautiful site quickly, with no hosting or updates to think about.

Explore Wix Read the Wix guide →

Choose WooCommerce if

Content and long-term flexibility matter most, and you’re comfortable choosing and managing WordPress hosting.

Explore WordPress hosting Read the WooCommerce guide →

Editorial guidance based on the facts below — the right choice depends on your needs. StoreBuild is reader-supported. Some links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission. It never changes our recommendations. Estimate your total costs →

Related guide: Wix vs WooCommerce for service businesses

Renting a beautiful space, or owning the building?

Wix is fully managed — but your site lives only on Wix. WooCommerce on WordPress can move between hosts and be customised without limits — but you look after it.

Side by side

Compare the facts

Ease of use

Getting started

Wix
Sign up, pick a template, design with drag and drop — hosting included
WooCommerce
Choose a host, install WordPress, then install the plugin

Day-to-day management

Wix
One dashboard for the site, store and business tools
WooCommerce
WordPress admin, plus keeping plugins and themes updated

E-commerce

Core focus

Wix
Website building, with built-in e-commerce
WooCommerce
E-commerce added to a WordPress site

Accepting payments

Wix
Requires an eligible paid plan
WooCommerce
Via integrations such as WooPayments, Stripe or PayPal, subject to eligibility

Selling in person

Wix
Wix POS — availability, payment methods and hardware depend on your location and setup
WooCommerce
Through compatible POS integrations and extensions, such as Square — not built in

Design & customisation

Design approach

Wix
Free-form drag and drop; Wix Studio for professional responsive builds
WooCommerce
Any compatible WordPress theme; full code access

Changing design later

Wix
An existing site’s template can’t simply be switched
WooCommerce
Change themes in WordPress; compatibility and layout may need adjusting

Custom code

Wix
Velo, within Wix’s platform
WooCommerce
Unrestricted — it’s open source

SEO & content

SEO basics

Wix
Built-in settings for SEO titles, descriptions and URL slugs
WooCommerce
Customisable permalinks; SEO plugins are commonly used to edit metadata and for advanced controls

Content & blogging

Wix
Built-in blog and pages
WooCommerce
WordPress content management, with a broad ecosystem of publishing tools and extensions

Hosting & ownership

Hosting

Wix
Included and managed
WooCommerce
You choose a compatible host

Ownership & portability

Wix
Site runs only on Wix; some content and data can be exported
WooCommerce
You control code, data and hosting; move hosts when you like

Maintenance

Updates & security

Wix
Handled by Wix
WooCommerce
Your responsibility, or partly your host’s

Extensions

Wix
Wix App Market
WooCommerce
WordPress plugins and WooCommerce extensions, free and paid

Cost & scaling

What you pay for

Wix
Paid plan to sell, plus apps and payment fees
WooCommerce
Free plugin, plus hosting, domain, paid extensions and payment fees

Third-party payment fees

Wix
Processing fees vary by payment provider, country and payment method
WooCommerce
No WooCommerce platform fee; provider fees apply

Scaling

Wix
Upgrade plans; infrastructure managed for you
WooCommerce
Depends on your hosting, theme and extensions

Factual descriptions based on official documentation. Pricing changes often, so we don’t list it — check each provider.

By business need

Which fits your situation?

Editorial recommendations — not rankings.

  1. Non-technical owner who wants it done

    Usually a better fit: Wix

    Visual editor, hosting and updates are all handled in one place.

    Explore Wix

  2. Content-led brand publishing regularly

    Usually a better fit: WooCommerce

    WordPress is a full publishing platform with SEO plugins available.

    Explore WordPress hosting

  3. Want to avoid platform lock-in

    Usually a better fit: WooCommerce

    Open-source software you can move to another host whenever you like.

    Explore WordPress hosting

  4. Bookings or events alongside a small shop

    Usually a better fit: Wix

    Business tools sit in the same dashboard as the store.

    Explore Wix

Portability

Wix sites run only on Wix’s infrastructure. Some content and data can be exported, but the site itself can’t be moved. WooCommerce runs on standard WordPress, so you can change hosts and keep your site.

How technical do you need to be?

Wix needs no technical setup; Velo is available if you want custom code within Wix. WooCommerce needs compatible WordPress hosting with suitable PHP and database support, plus HTTPS — many hosts offer one-click WordPress installs to simplify this.

Common questions

Making the call

Managed simplicity, or open flexibility?

Pick Wix to get online without the technical side. Pick WooCommerce to own the long game.

Wix

You want a managed, visual way to build a beautiful site quickly, with no hosting or updates to think about.

Explore Wix

WooCommerce

Content and long-term flexibility matter most, and you’re comfortable choosing and managing WordPress hosting.

Explore WordPress hosting

Bluehost is an optional hosting provider — not part of WooCommerce.

Take the 30-second matcher · See all three side by side

StoreBuild is reader-supported. Some links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission. It never changes our recommendations.

Official sources

Platform facts on this page reference the official documentation below.

Partner linkWixWooCommerce