Dropshipping

WooCommerce vs. Wix: Which One is the Winning eCommerce Platform?

Nedina Gjorgjieva

Nedina Gjorgjieva

Dec 29, 2022 · 14 minutes

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WooCommerce and Wix need no introduction as they’re considered to be leading eCommerce solutions, making thousands of dropshippers’ dreams come true. With their massive user base which is a result of the broad range of features they offer, both web-building software have climbed the ladder of success and have been staying there for quite some time.

As stated by Statista, as of June 2022, the WooCommerce plugin has been proclaimed the leading eCommerce software platform on a global level, while Wix is ranked in the 5 top right below WooCommerce. 

That being said, we can surely say that WooCommerce and Wix are neck and neck in the race for the best eCommerce platform, which makes it extremely difficult for potential dropshippers like yourself maybe to settle on one of them.

That’s why we’ve prepared this meticulous guide on the differences between WooCommerce and Wix where you’ll find everything you need to know before making your decision.

What is WooCommerce?

WooCommerce is an open-source eCommerce solution designed for WordPress-based stores. Once installed in your online store, the WooCommerce plugin allows you to start listing your products, set up your shipping and payment methods, customize your website from top to bottom, and run your store with incredible ease and functionality. 

Note: Learn how to dropship with WooCommerce by consulting our guide on How To Create Automated Store in WordPress for Dropshipping.

What is Wix?

Wix is an eCommerce software platform offering web-building services for people interested in opening online businesses. The builder provides you with everything you’d need to create and launch an online store: from designs and product listings to payment options and additional extensions. The platform is beginner-friendly and welcoming to non-tech-savvy users as well.

Note: Learn more about creating a Wix store with our guide on Dropshipping with Wix.

What’s the difference between Wix and Wix eCommerce?

Both Wix and WooCommerce come with core features that enable dropshippers to create fierce eCommerce websites and develop successful businesses. Having said that, let’s dive in deeper and find out the exact differences between these two platforms by going over the following sections:

• Features overview
• Pricing plans
• Store design
• Third-party extensions
• Payment methods
• SEO tools
• Blogging setup
• Hosting solutions
• Customer support
• Overall practicality 

Features overview

WooCommerce

WooCommerce provides users with a number of key features that enable them to have a smooth web-building experience: 

• Unlimited products: list an unlimited number of products.
• Themes: choose from over 1,000 WooCommerce themes.
• Extensions: install more than 300 useful extensions.
• Payment gateways: choose from numerous payment methods including PayPal, Stripe, Amazon Pay, Apple Pay, WooCommerce Payments, and more.
• Shipping options: benefit from a variety of delivery carriers, label-printing extensions, and other shipping plugins that make the process much easier.
• Rate calculation: manually adjustable shipping and tax rates.
• Inventory management: track inventory levels at all times.
• Mobile-optimized: use mobile-friendly store designs.

Wix

Wix gives users access to a plethora of essential features, some of which you can read in the list below: 

• Templates: choose from +500 store templates.
• Mobile-optimized designs: your store will look great on both desktop and mobile devices.
• Wix Editor: benefit from a drag-and-drop tool and fully customizable designs.
• Blog: opportunity to create an eCommerce blog and promote your store.
• Extensions: take advantage of over 250 third-party extensions.
• Built-in SEO tools: elevate your store and increase web traffic with advanced SEO tools.
• Free hosting: the web hosting is taken care of by the platform.
• Payment methods: payments via PayPal, credit cards, and offline payments.
• Customizable taxes: delivery rules and taxes can be customized for each shipping location.

Key difference:

Both WooCommerce and Wix offer extensive features for web-building.

Pricing plans 

WooCommerce 

WooCommerce is a completely free plugin you can set up for your WordPress store. Therefore, it’s up to you how much it will cost you to create a store with this eCommerce solution. Here are some of the expenses you’ll need to take into account when installing the WooCommerce plugin:

• WordPress subscription fees
• Hosting and domain fees
• Security fees
• Shipping and payment fees
• Store theme fees 
• Additional extensions fees

Wix 

Wix offers users two types of subscription plans:

Website plans – perfect for users looking to create professional websites:

• Connect Domain Plan – $4.50/month
• Combo Plan – $8.50/month
• Unlimited Plan – $12.50/month
• VIP Plan – $24.50/month

Business and eCommerce plans – ideal for eCommerce entrepreneurs and dropshippers looking to launch an online business:

• Business Basic Plan – $17/month
• Business Unlimited Plan – $25/month
• Business VIP Plan – $35/month

Note: The platform also offers a free plan but with very limited features.

Key difference:

WooCommerce is a free plugin dropshippers can install via their WordPress-based store which comes with its own subscription plans. Wix is an all-in-one eCommerce platform that offers pricing plans for both people looking to create a simple website and those interested in creating an online shop such as starting a boutique.

Store design

WooCommerce 

WooCommerce is equipped with a massive collection of editing tools and major design customization. The eCommerce solution allows users to benefit from a bunch of design features:

• +1,000  free and paid web templates
• Fee-based themes range from $20 to $300/year
• Customizable templates 
• You can easily keep your WordPress theme

Wix

Wix comes with a decent amount of web design tools enough to let you create an attractive website for your dropshipping store:

• +500 free and paid templates
• Wix Editor feature
• Drag-and-drop web builder
• Fully customizable themes

Key difference:

WooCommerce comes with a huge themes library and the possibility for dropshippers to create custom themes, however, this would require coding knowledge and even help from a developer. Wix comes with a smaller amount of free and paid templates, but you’re very unlikely to need any tech skills as the platform provides you with a built-in editor and in-house features.

Third-party extensions 

WooCommerce 

WooCommerce users are given access to over 50,000 plugins they can install via the WooCommerce Extension Store. Both free and paid extensions are available, with prices ranging from $0 to $100 and more. Plugin categories include marketing, payment solutions, shipping features, booking apps, and social media extensions among others.

Here are a few examples:

Amazon Pay

• Offering Amazon shoppers a secure and convenient payment gateway;
• Payments are made via Amazon widgets;
• The plugin provides a full Payment Protection Policy;
• Customers are sent notifications about their order via Amazon Alexa.

Live Chat

• Customer support plugin that can be installed on your WooCommerce website;
• Customers can contact you 24/7
• Fully customizable chat window
• Smooth integration with WhatsApp, HubSpot, Messenger, and others.

YITH WooCommerce Wishlist

• Enables customers to create wishlists while shopping;
• The wishlist structure can be custom-made;
• The ‘add to wishlist’ button can be added anywhere on your website.

Note: For a more extensive list, check out our selection of best WooCommerce plugins.

Wix 

Wix offers its customers more than 250 plugins available in the Wix App Market. Plugin prices vary from $0 to $50 or more, with a majority of apps available with free plans as well. Users can simplify their eCommerce tasks by installing apps related to advertising, checkout, customer support, social media, email marketing, SEO, photo editing, shipping and payment, and many more. 

Here are a few examples:

Site Booster

• Boost your SEO score and improve your website’s rank on search engines;
• Improve your shop’s online visibility;
• List your store on Google, Bing, and Yahoo directories.

Omnisend: Booking Emails & SMS

• Benefit from a customized booking system;
• Use customizable SMS and email templates;
• Boost your eCommerce email marketing strategy.

Photo Editor

• Optimize your product images with a photo editing app that comes with cropping and resizing tools;
• Enhance photo quality with filters and image animations;
• Use watermark protection.

Note: For a more extensive list, check out our selection of Wix plugins.

Key difference:

On one hand, WooCommerce offers an unlimited selection of plugins, which anyone with software knowledge can create, thus, building their ideal add-on. On the other hand, although not so rich in plugins, Wix offers extensions made by professional developers only, which reduces the chance of installing faulty plugins.

Payment methods

WooCommerce 

WooCommerce stores come with safe and secure payment gateways that’ll help you ensure your customers that their data is well protected and allow them to shop carefree. Here are a few of the payment solutions WooCommerce offers at its users’ disposal:

• WooCommerce Payments 
• Amazon Pay
• Apple Pay
• Stripe 
• Square
• PayPal
• Afterpay
• Authorize.Net

Wix 

Wix is as rich in payment gateways as WooCommerce, offering almost the exact same options that’ll guarantee your consumers a smooth and stress-free checkout experience:

• Wix Payments
• PayPal
• Klarna
• Afterpay
• Clearpay
• Skrill
• Stripe
• Square
• 2checkout

Key difference:

Both WooCommerce and Wix provide users with an extensive list of dropshipping payment gateways they can choose from and give customers plenty of checkout options.

SEO tools 

WooCommerce 

Being a WordPress plugin, WooCommerce allows you to access: 

• Plenty of SEO extensions;
• Beginner SEO guides;
• Introductory SEO articles.

Wix 

Wix users can take advantage of:

• Detailed Wix SEO Tools and Guide that’ll guide you from beginning to end;
• Wix SEO settings you can access in your store at any time;
• Abundance of SEO plugins available on the Wix App Market;
• Verify your Wix site with Google Search Console.

Key difference:

Both eCommerce solutions are abundant in SEO tools and materials that can boost your dropshipping store traffic.

Blogging setup

WooCommerce 

If you’re looking to increase your WooCommerce store’s organic traffic, then you can easily give blogging a go and benefit from:

• Free built-in blogging platform;
• Basic blog features;
• Integration with WordPress;
• Easily installed and set up quickly.

Wix 

The Wix blogging offering can be a great idea for getting your dropshipping store out there and getting your creative juices flowing by having access to:

• Free built-in blog;
• Essential blog features;
• Fast and straightforward setup;
• Various social media and marketing integrations.

Key difference:

Having started as a blogging platform, WordPress is obviously slightly more advanced when it comes to blogging as a WooCommerce-store owner as it provides more blogging features. Nevertheless, Wix shouldn’t be underestimated as the platform still offers just as good of a blog functionality. 

Hosting solutions

WooCommerce

As previously mentioned, since WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin, it doesn’t offer any hosting solutions, meaning you’ll have to deal with setting up your store’s domain on your own. However, don’t get discouraged immediately because they’re hundreds of hosting providers that can help you out with all of this technical stuff and get your store live in a fast and secure way. On top of our minds are hosting platforms HostGator, Hostinger, and BlueHost, all of which come with an SSL certificate that guarantees a secure connection to the internet.

Wix 

Wix provides all users with free web hosting and store domain. The service provides you with 500MB of storage along with 500MB of bandwidth. In addition, if you’re a user of one of the premium plans, you can generate a custom domain or even connect an existing one you’ve purchased from another hosting provider.

Key difference:

Wix will automatically set up your dropshipping shop with a domain and hosting service, with the possibility to get a custom store domain name. WooCommerce, unfortunately, doesn’t offer such a feature, however, with a short Google search, one can easily come across great and affordable hosting platforms that can get the job done.

Customer support 

WooCommerce

In terms of offering customer service, WooCommerce supports its users via:

• Help Desk where you’ll find plenty of solutions on various topics;
• massive WooCommerce forum community;
• extensive blog articles available at the WooCommerce Blog;
• online guides and tutorials available at WooCommece Documentation;
• ‘Contact Us’ page.

Wix

Wix provides users with a few means of customer service clients may choose from:

• Email and telephone customer support contact with different operating hours depending on the support language you choose;
• Callback services;
• Multiple learning resources including Wix Blog and Wix Learn where you can come across different articles, webinars, and courses.

Key difference:

The WooCommerce customer service team can be reached via their Help Desk, while the Wix customer support can be contacted by email, phone, or by scheduling a callback service.

Practicality

WooCommerce 

WooCommerce furnishes users with an overall quite straightforward web-building process, making the plugin convenient to use for many website owners. In some areas, however, you might need some technical knowledge and developer skills in order to gain more freedom in customization. Nevertheless, although it comes with a moderate learning curve, WooCommerce is still friendly for users with non-developer expertise as you can always learn as you go.

Wix 

Wix was built with newbies in mind, meaning the platform offers you a very easy and practical way of creating an eCommerce website. Users are pretty much provided with everything on a silver platter and rarely need any programming or similar technical skills while building their online stores.

Key difference:

Both are practical in their own ways – WooCommerce offers users good flexibility by allowing them more freedom in customizing their websites, which sometimes might call for software and coding skills. Wix provides customers with as great but slightly smaller flexibility, however, the platform doesn’t require users to have any previous tech knowledge and everything is taken care of for them.

Pros and cons

Summing up their differences, WooCommerce and Wix have as much as advantages as disadvantages. However, that’s far from showing that the solutions might not be as good. On the contrary, it shows that both can be an excellent fit for your store, but which one will fit the bill depends on your business requirements.

WooCommerce 

Pros

• Free open-source plugin;
• Easy to get around;
• Fully customizable website;
• Hundreds of store templates;
• Thousands of site-boosting extensions;
• Huge selection of payment gateways;
• Excellent SEO tools;
• Plenty of helpful guides and tutorials.

Cons

• In some areas you might find yourself needing to learn some basic developer skills;
• Because there are no subscription plans, your costs can vary as you’ll have to pay for domain hosting, themes, and even technical maintenance.

Wix

Pros

• All-in-one eCommerce platform;
• Practical to use;
• Plenty of third-party extensions;
• Stunning store themes;
• Built-in SEO tools and Wix Editor;
• Free hosting service;
• Free and premium plans with affordable subscription fees;
• 14-day money-back guarantee.

Cons

• The free plan is quite limited and unsuitable for eCommerce stores as it doesn’t support online payments and doesn’t allow you to have a custom domain, but one ending with mysite.wix.com.
• Some features, like Google Analytics, aren’t available for all plans.

Dropshipping with BrandsGateway on WooCommerce vs. Wix

Launching a dropshipping store always comes as a package deal – besides a good eCommerce platform, you’ll also need a great dropshipping supplier. Keep in mind, however, that besides high-quality items, an excellent vendor should provide you with automated dropshipping and convenient plugin integration for your online store.

But put your worries aside because BrandsGateway got you covered with those features and a lot more:

• +10,000 luxury clothing and accessories;
• +100 designer brands;
• High-profit margins of up to 250%;
• Practical eCommerce integrations;
• Automated dropshipping orders and inventory updates.

BrandsGateway and WooCommerce

BrandsGateway has got you covered with an easy WooCommerce integration that guarantees you a smooth and seamless connection with your store.

To integrate your WooCommerce store with BrandsGateway, you’ll need to follow a few simple steps:

1. Register at https://brandsgateway.com/register/;
2. Choose your dropshipping package;
3. Install the BrandsGateway WooCommerce plugin;
4. Create API keys for your store;
5. Connect your store with BrandsGateway;
6. Import the BrandsGateway products;
7. Start selling.

Note: For more detailed instructions check out our Help Desk for WooCommerce.

BrandsGateway and Wix

BrandsGateway has arranged for its customers a practical Wix integration that can be set up easily and quickly.

To integrate your Wix shop with BrandsGateway, you’ll need to follow a simple process:

1. Register at https://brandsgateway.com/register/;
2. Go to BrandsGateway App for Wix;
3. Click on ‘Add App’ and install it in your store;
4. Choose your dropshipping package;
5. Import the BrandsGateway catalog;
6. Start selling.

Note: For further information go to our Help Desk for Wix.

Final verdict: which one is the winning eCommerce platform? 

Both! It’s impossible to indicate a winning eCommerce platform since both WooCommerce and Wix come with exceptional collections of features that allow you to create a stunning and high-functioning online store. Ultimately, it all comes down to which platform will check off your personal preferences and let you easily attain the goals for your store.

FAQ 

About the Author

Nedina Gjorgjieva

Proud bookworm, passionate content writer and devoted Arctic Monkeys fan. Always in the mood for travel and sightseeing.

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