“What’s the best software for website development?” is a question that has stood the test of time.
So what is the best? Well, it comes down to the task at hand. Varying needs respond differently to each software and there are many in the market. Choosing the right one can be hard so we’ve narrowed down the best three.
WordPress, Shopify and Wix are some of the most popular softwares in the world. They can be used for different purposes but which is truly the best? This article will be a comparison of the three to see how they fare against each other.
By the end of this, you’d be able to choose the right one. Let’s get started!
Usability for Beginners
Building a website can be fun but it gets tricky when too much technicality is involved. Beginners tend to avoid the technical aspects and rightfully so. Coding lingo can be complicated and some softwares are not beginner friendly.
Here’s how these three compare to each other:
- WordPress
You don’t need to be a coding wizard to start building a website with WordPress. It started out as a blogging tool and was built for non technical users. You can learn the basics within a week or less and choose to upgrade to its premium features.
The interface is easy to use and it allows you to install plugins, add themes and set up color palettes.
- Wix
Wix uses a drag and drop feature which is very user friendly and easy to understand. You’re not required to use any coding and it’s probably Wix’s most marketed feature.
Although it has a basic interface, it is still incredibly useful. It provides users with guidelines that show how to navigate through the page. There’s also a decent number of tools for you to use.
- Shopify
Shopify makes it easy to launch online stores. It is one of the best among ecommerce web builders. Most people use it for its interface that is effortless to navigate through. It gives an intuitive experience that can easily get your store online.
If you need guidelines, you can access documents and videos that are available on the site.
Winner: Wix and Shopify
All 3 are easy to use and you’re not expected to have extensive coding experience. Wix however has an edge due to its drag and drop function. It gives the “pre-school” feel by allowing users to easily play around with its features.
Shopify on the other hand is the easiest to use if you’re looking to build an online store. It is very scalable and it can help run your business.
Themes for Web Design
Themes are the basis of creating a good looking website. Humans are visually driven and a good looking design can either make or break your leads. You have 15 seconds to capture someone’s attention so you need to make the most of your page.
Let’s take a look at which has the best:
- WordPress
WordPress boasts over 30,000 themes with thousands of free options. Premium themes consist of high level designs and functions which you should consider. They’re not a necessity but it’s a good option to have in your directory.
WordPress themes come in the form of blogs, online stores and portfolios to name a few. They consist of various templates that cater to almost any industry. You can also customize your design in many different ways.
- Wix
With over 800 themes, Wix is certainly lacking in comparison to WordPress. The templates are well designed nevertheless and they cover various industries. The templates are neatly structured and they give your page a clean look.
With the drag and drop feature, you can edit the color, sizing and alignment of the template. Do keep in mind that you need to redo everything if you decide to change your theme.
- Shopify
Shopify is limited in choice compared to the other two. There are 70 available templates to choose from and 8 of them are free. Most of them are focused on ecommerce and they are well designed. The templates are clean, modern and sharp.
The editor however is not flexible and there are not many options for you to customize. Unlike Wix, you can change the theme without having to redo everything.
Winner: WordPress
WordPress is clearly the victor here. On top of having a variety of themes, the customization options are endless and you can make any type of design. It also has a ton of plugins that can maximize your design.
Plugins for Functionality
Plugins are great for enhancing user experience. It expands the functionality of your software and it allows you to add more features. WordPress, Wix and Shopify possess many great plugins but which has the best?
- WordPress
WordPress has over 50 000 plugins. Some are free to download while some are not. They cover a large area of components so you should be able to find one for your field. From SEO to marketing and so much more, users are practically spoiled for choice.
You can also make any type of website with the help of themes. The constant updates can be a nuisance however. Some plugins may not sync with the updates and that can render them useless.
- Wix
Wix refers to their plugins as apps and they have over 200 of them. They offer a wide range of features such as email marketing, galleries and contact forms. Some have free trials but most require a monthly subscription.
Although they are limited, they cover a considerable amount of features.
- Shopify
Shopify offers 4000 different plugins and 1500 of them are free. They cover many features such as marketing, shipping, conversions and more. They mostly cater to store owners and are great for driving sales.
The plugins are also separated into different categories. This makes it easy for the user to browse through and choose the right one.
Winner: WordPress and Shopify
WordPress is the most versatile of the 3 as you can make any website with its plugins. They are all inclusive and can be very time efficient as well.
Shopify on the other hand is the best for ecommerce stores so they had to be included. Their plugins are extremely helpful at increasing customer engagement and pulling revenue.
SEO Friendly
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a system that ranks your website. The more search engine friendly your website is, the better it can be ranked. Some platforms provide features that can measure your website’s SEO.
Let’s see if these 3 do:
- WordPress
The fact that WordPress is user-friendly has made it SEO friendly as well. Site crawlers find it easy to work around with due to its simple interface.
With a ton of plugins at your disposal, users can add many extensions that can improve their SEO. It’s also easy to edit descriptions, meta tags and URLs to make them search engine worthy.
- Wix
Wix also possesses an excellent selection of SEO tools. The software itself is not SEO effective but you can use apps to improve its functionality. They will give you notifications to update your meta descriptions and titles.
You can also access their SEO blogs for detailed descriptions of best SEO practices.
- Shopify
Shopify has an automated SEO feature that generates tags and links for social media. Shopify’s SEO features are basic but they are the best compared to other ecommerce web builders.
Shopify does have issues in duplicating content which can be a problem. Overall it still provides a good solution to better SEO ranking.
Winner: WordPress
WordPress is almost flawless when it comes to SEO features. Wix and Shopify are good but subpar at most. WordPress’s massive directory of plugins and themes contain powerful SEO tools. It’s built-in tools are SEO friendly as well and are great to boost rankings.
Final Verdict
With all that to consider, WordPress seems to edge the rest as an overall winner and rightfully so. The platform is truly all encompassing with its various themes and plugins. According to statistics, it is the most used CMS.
Even so, the software might not be the one for you. Perhaps you’re looking to make an ecommerce store which is better suited for Shopify. Maybe you’re a beginner looking for a friendly user experience with Wix.
All in all the choice is yours but always consider your wants and needs. So which of the three do you think you’re best suited for?
