If you are looking for a eCommerce platform for starting your own small business website, then the names at the top of every search are Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress. These multipurpose platforms support online endeavors from blogging, eCommerce sales, and online reservations, to event tickets, music, and photography sales, and much more. Where these best websites platforms differ is their ease of use, design control, general functionality, and expansion. Show Source Texts
Wix is the perfect platform for those who are new to building websites and who want an easy, cheap, and effective website to promote their business or an online shop. Of the three, only Wix offers an entirely free plan, however, free sites show ads from Wixs network and do not support a unique domain name. For a fully-branded site, youall need to get the paid plan. Show Source Texts
Like Wix, Squarespace offers a comprehensive website building platform with features that support advertising, blogging, and online sales. Squarespace is also extremely easy to use, and you can create and launch a beautifully-branded site in a matter of hours. However, unlike Wix, Squarespace does not offer a free plan. In fact, at an initial $16 a month, it might be the priciest in this Wix vs. Squarespace vs. WordPress comparison. Show Source Texts
WordPress powers more than half the websites on the planet, and its popularity is driven by its nearly limitless features and lower costs. However, new users often find WordPresss impressive capabilities to have a steep learning curve when compared with platforms such as Wix and Squarespace. You are going to need some time to get acquainted with WordPresss platform — but the effort is well worth it if you want a website with limitless functionality. Show Source Texts
WordPress is not a “one-size-fits-all” solution like Wix and Squarespace. It is a free, self-hosted platform that runs on your host of choice, such as Bluehost, GoDaddy, WPEngine, or any number of other WordPress hosting options in the market. For instance, basic packages of hosting with Bluehost WordPress begin at around $3.95 a month, while eCommerce hosting starts at $6.95 a month because of added security features. Show Source Texts
WordPress is also infinitely extendable through plugins, which add various types of functionality, as well as free e-commerce themes, which provide infinite design possibilities. Pairing WordPress with various plugins and design themes allows for anything on the web to be created. Influencer blogs, eCommerce stores, ad sites, affiliate marketing websites, video tutorial portals, subscription sites, and much more can be powered by WordPress. Show Source Texts
Vast, limitless, endless are three highly relevant terms to describe the functional capabilities of WordPress. Basically, if you can think of a need, there is likely a WordPress plugin out there to cover it. WooCommerce: A free eCommerce plugin for WordPress, used for selling products, digital goods, and services. Yoast: Free SEO tools for any kind of WordPress site. Show Source Texts
Sucuri: Security for WordPress, this or similar plugin is included free with many hosting platforms. Jetpack: A multi-functional tool offering marketing, social icons, security, backups, and more. Mailchimp: Free email marketing with a basics twist; paid versions add in additional features. Show Source Texts
MemberPress: Adds member and subscription features to WordPress. LearnDash: Adds online teaching and course sales to WordPress. Woozone: Turns your WordPress site into an Amazon Affiliate Store. AffiliateWP: An affiliate marketing content creation tool for affiliate bloggers. Show Source Texts
These are only some of thousands of plugins out there to push your WordPress site in all directions. You can explore the entire WordPress plugin universe at ThemeForest and WordPress.org. Many WordPress themes are preloaded with necessary plugins, which helps make building your WordPress site easier. You can find themes/plugin packages for eCommerce, Real Estate, Restaurants, Blogs, Affiliate Marketing, Online Courses, and Membership Websites, just to name a few. Show Source Texts
Most are “Premium” themes, which typically run anywhere from $20-$150 – although most are about $49. These Premium themes/plugins combinations are usually worth every penny, as it saves you tons of time searching for and testing different plugins. Show Source Texts
As we mentioned earlier, WordPress is not a “all-in-one” solution like Wix and Squarespace, which allows you to add features by just upgrading the plan. WordPress is simply a foundational structure. You bring your site to life by adding a design theme, and most often, a plugin for functionality. Show Source Texts
There are thousands of themes and plugins out there that you can explore. Some are free, but most offer a basic version for free, as well as paid versions which add features, design features, etc. Show Source Texts
Choosing the right themes and plugins is entirely up to your particular needs. For instance, if you are publishing a simple blog, then a free WordPress blogging theme and adding some free plugins, such as Yoast for SEO and Mailchimp for email marketing, may be all you need. Ecommerce sellers typically use the popular, free ecommerce plugin WooCommerce in WordPress with the eCommerce theme, but the plugins for selling online courses, memberships, online reservations, selling event tickets, and other special sales are usually not free. In short, what WordPress costs you really depends on the functionality of your particular plugins and your design needs of the themes.