Quick answer
Shopify suits most businesses whose main job online is selling products. WordPress suits service, lead-generation and content-heavy sites that need flexibility and full ownership. Wix suits very small sites where the owner wants to edit everything themselves. The trade-off is control: the easier the platform, the less you can change and the harder it is to leave.
There is no best platform, only the right one for what your site has to do. This comparison covers cost in Australian dollars, SEO control, ownership and what happens if you want to move later. It is part of our Website help centre. We build on WordPress and Shopify (we are a Shopify Partner), so read our view with that in mind.
Side-by-side comparison
Prices checked on the official pricing pages on 3 November 2026. Platforms change prices often, so confirm on the checkout page before you sign up.
| WordPress (self-hosted) | Shopify | Wix | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software cost | Free, open source | Basic A$42/month billed yearly, or A$56 billed monthly. Grow A$114 yearly or A$149 monthly | Light, Core, Business and Business Elite plans, listed from about $17 to $159 a month billed yearly (currency shown varies by location) |
| Hosting | You pay a host separately, or it is bundled in a care plan | Included | Included |
| Payment and transaction fees | Set by your payment provider (for example Stripe or PayPal) | Shopify Payments online card rate on Basic: 1.7% + 30c. Using another payment provider adds 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow | Set by your payment provider and plan; check Wix's current terms |
| SEO control | Full: URLs, page templates, schema, server settings | Good for stores; some URL folders are fixed (such as /products/ and /collections/) | Good basic controls; less access to code and server |
| Who owns what | You own the files and database and can move host | You rent the platform; product and customer data can be exported, the theme stays | You rent the platform; the design stays on Wix |
| Who does updates | You or your developer (core, theme, plugins) | Shopify | Wix |
| Add-ons | Tens of thousands of plugins, quality varies | Large app store, many apps billed monthly | App market, smaller |
| Best fit | Service businesses, lead generation, large content sites | Online stores of any size | Small brochure sites, sole traders |
Two notes on the table. First, WordPress.com is a different product from self-hosted WordPress: it is hosted for you, priced in US dollars, and you need its Business plan (US$25 a month billed yearly at the time of checking) before you can install plugins. Second, Shopify's prices above are the AUD figures on its Australian pricing page; check your invoice for how GST is shown.
When WordPress is the right choice
Pick WordPress when your website is mainly there to win enquiries or bookings and you will add content over time: service pages, location pages, a blog, case studies. You can shape every URL and template, connect almost any CRM or booking tool, and move to another host whenever you like.
The cost of that freedom is upkeep. Core, theme and plugins need regular updates, and a neglected WordPress site is the most common type we see hacked or broken after an update. Budget for maintenance from day one, either your own time or a care plan.
When Shopify is the right choice
Pick Shopify when you sell physical or digital products online and want checkout, payments, stock, shipping and security handled for you. It is hard to beat for a store that needs to be reliable without a developer on call.
Watch the running costs. The monthly plan is only the start: most stores add several paid apps, and if you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments, Shopify charges an extra transaction fee on top. Add these up before comparing with WordPress and WooCommerce.
When Wix is the right choice
Pick Wix when you need a small, good-looking site quickly and want to make every change yourself with drag and drop. For a sole trader with five pages and a contact form, it can be the most practical option.
The limit shows when you grow. You have less control over code and page speed, and if you outgrow it, the design cannot be exported to another platform. You rebuild it.
Is any of them bad for SEO?
No. All three can rank. Google ranks pages on how useful and relevant they are, and every platform here lets you set titles, descriptions, headings and image alt text. The differences show up at the edges: very large sites, complex filtering, custom structured data, or squeezing out the last bit of mobile speed. WordPress gives you the most room there, Shopify is strong for product pages, and Wix covers the basics well for small sites.
Moving platforms later
Switching is always more work than people expect. Every URL usually changes, so you need a full redirect map or you can lose rankings built up over years. Content moves fairly easily; designs, apps and integrations do not. Before you move, read our guide to redesigning or moving your website without losing rankings.
The cheapest platform long term is the one you will not need to leave in two years. If you plan to start selling online soon, starting on Shopify may save a rebuild. If you are a service business planning to publish a lot of content, WordPress usually ages better.
Our recommendation by business type
| Your business | Usually the best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Trade or local service wanting calls and quotes | WordPress | Room for service and location pages, full SEO control, any form or CRM |
| Online store, any size | Shopify | Checkout, payments and security handled; strong product tools |
| Service business that also sells a few products | WordPress with WooCommerce, or Shopify | Depends on whether content or products drive most revenue |
| Sole trader, small brochure site, does own edits | Wix | Quick to launch and easy to edit |
| NDIS provider or professional service with lots of pages | WordPress | Flexible page structure and accessibility control |
Australian detail
- Shopify shows AUD prices to Australian visitors. WordPress.com shows US dollars, and Wix states that prices vary by location, so card fees for foreign currency may apply on US-priced plans.
- If you sell to Australians and are registered for GST, Australian consumers expect GST-inclusive prices. Check your platform's tax settings before launch so prices and invoices show GST correctly.
- Self-hosted WordPress lets you choose an Australian host, which helps page speed for local visitors.
Not tax advice: talk to your accountant about how platform fees and GST apply to your business.
For what a build costs on each platform, see how much a website costs in Australia.
When to get help
If you are torn, a specialist will look at what you sell, how your customers buy, who will edit the site and what you already pay for, then recommend a platform with the real monthly costs worked out. Our first call is free and takes 45 minutes.
About this guide
Written by Amann Jhamb, Director of AR Digital Solutions, 17 years in web design, SEO and paid ads. Last checked: 3 November 2026 against Shopify Australia pricing. Change note: first published 3 November 2026. Part of our Website help centre.