Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace
All three let you build a site and sell from it. They are priced differently, they charge differently on sales, and they are built for different jobs. Here is what each costs in pounds, what the fees add up to over a year, and which one fits which kind of business.
For a site that mainly needs to look good and take enquiries, Wix is cheapest at about £9 a month (Light, annual billing) and Squarespace starts at £12. For selling, compare the entry selling plans: Wix Core at about £16 a month, Squarespace Core at £17 with no store transaction fee, and Shopify Basic at £19 with card rates from 2% plus 25p. Pick Shopify when products are the business, Squarespace for a brand or service site with a small shop, and Wix for the lowest price and most design freedom.
Prices checked 18 October 2026. Sources at the end of the page.
Every plan, in pounds
| Platform and plan | Paid monthly | Paid annually (per month) | Per year (annual) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wix Light (no payments) | £11.50 | about £9 | about £108 |
| Wix Core | £19 | about £16 | about £192 |
| Wix Business | £29 | about £25 | about £300 |
| Wix Business Elite | £129 | about £119 | about £1,428 |
| Squarespace Basic | £16 | £12 | £144 |
| Squarespace Core | £24 | £17 | £204 |
| Squarespace Plus | £36 | £29 | £348 |
| Squarespace Advanced | £89 | £79 | £948 |
| Shopify Basic | £25 | £19 | £228 |
| Shopify Grow | £65 | £49 | £588 |
| Shopify Advanced | £344 | £259 | £3,108 |
Squarespace and Shopify figures are from their UK pricing pages. Wix figures are from Startups.co.uk and Wise, because Wix prices by location and its plans page did not show us UK prices, so check wix.com/plans for yours. Shopify also has Plus, from £1,800 a month, for large retailers.
The fees on every sale
- Shopify. Online card rates start at 2% plus 25p on Basic, 1.7% plus 25p on Grow and 1.5% plus 25p on Advanced. If you use a third-party payment provider instead of Shopify's own, Shopify adds 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow and 0.6% on Advanced.
- Squarespace. Card rates start at 2.0% plus 25p on Basic and Core, 1.7% plus 25p on Plus and 1.5% plus 25p on Advanced. Basic also charges a 2% transaction fee on store sales, which Core and above remove.
- Wix. Light cannot take payments at all. Core and above add ecommerce. Wix's payment rates vary by location, so check them on Wix before you compare.
When the cheapest plan costs more
You do not need a sales forecast to compare these plans, only the published prices:
- Squarespace Basic or Core? Core costs £60 a year more on annual billing (£204 against £144). Both start at the same card rate, but Basic adds a 2% transaction fee on store sales. 2% of £3,000 is £60, so once your online sales pass about £3,000 a year (£250 a month), Core works out cheaper.
- Squarespace Core or Shopify Basic? On yearly billing Shopify Basic is £24 a year more (£228 against £204), and both start at 2% plus 25p a card payment if you use their own payments. The difference is small, so choose on the selling tools you need, not the plan price.
Wix is not in this comparison because we could not confirm its UK payment rates. Check them on Wix before you compare.
Which one fits your business
Shopify
Products are the business. You want stock management, a checkout built for selling, apps for shipping and marketing, and the option to link a shop till (POS Pro is £69 a month per location on top).
Squarespace
A good-looking brand or service site with a modest shop or bookings alongside. Structured templates keep it tidy with little design effort. Use Core or above if you sell.
Wix
The lowest price, a free plan to start on, and the most freedom to place things where you like. Core or above if you take payments or bookings.
None of them
If you do not want to build it at all, our packages write, build, host and look after a site from £449 setup and £39 a month, with no platform subscription on top. Online shops are scoped on a call.
Costs beyond the plan
- Apps and extensions for shipping, reviews, subscriptions or marketing, many of them charged monthly.
- Your domain after year one. Squarespace's annual plans and Wix's yearly premium plans include a free domain for the first year only.
- Your time, or someone else's, for product photos, descriptions and keeping stock current.
For the full picture of what a shop costs, including designer-built options, read what an ecommerce website costs, and for non-shop sites, what a website costs in the UK. Our own tiers are on our prices page.
Prices checked 18 October 2026. Sources: Shopify UK pricing; Squarespace pricing; Startups.co.uk on Wix pricing; Wise on Wix pricing in the UK; Wix plans page. Platforms change prices and run offers, so check before you buy. Some prices exclude VAT.
Questions people ask
Is Shopify more expensive than Wix?
On plan price, yes: Shopify Basic is £19 a month on yearly billing against about £16 for Wix Core. Once you sell regularly, fees matter more than the plan price, so compare the rates on your expected sales.
Is Squarespace or Shopify better for a small shop?
For a handful of products alongside a brand or service site, Squarespace Core works well and has no store transaction fee. For a product-led business with stock to manage, Shopify is built for the job.
Which is cheapest for a website that does not sell anything?
Wix Light, at about £9 a month on annual billing, then Squarespace Basic at £12. Shopify is not designed for sites that do not sell.
Can I move from Wix or Squarespace to Shopify later?
Yes, but it is a rebuild rather than a switch. Products can usually be exported and imported, while pages and design need recreating. Your domain moves with you.
Keep reading
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