Shopify is the strongest rented platform for a store that will grow. Wix is easiest when the store is a small part of a simple site. Square Online fits shops already using Square in person. All three charge every month for as long as you sell; a custom store you own costs more once, then only hosting.
| Shopify | Wix | Square Online | Owned store | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Stores that will grow | A few products on a simple site | Shops already on Square POS | Brands where the store is the business |
| Monthly plan | $29 to $299, Plus from about $2,300 | $29 to $159 | $0 to $149 | No platform fee, only hosting |
| Extra fee per order | 0.6% to 2% with another gateway | None beyond processing | Square's rate, no other processor | None, only the gateway |
| Apps | Large app store, billed monthly | Smaller app market | Few | Features built into the store |
| India | Yes, from ₹1,499 a month, 2% extra on Razorpay (Basic) | Yes | Not available | Any country, set up per market |
| Lock-in | High | Highest, no export | High | None |
Start with where you sell and how much. Testing a product with no budget: Shopify. A few items next to a simple site: Wix. A shop already on Square: Square Online. A brand selling steadily, especially in India where Shopify adds a fee on every Razorpay order: an owned store will usually cost less within a couple of years.
The figures here are list prices on yearly billing at the time of writing, in US dollars unless marked. All three platforms raise prices from time to time and price differently by country. Monthly billing costs more.
A full online store and admin panel the brand owns outright, with no monthly platform fee
Their entry plans are close, about $29 a month each on yearly billing. Wix tends to be cheaper for a very small store; Shopify scales better as order volume and catalogue grow, though apps add to its cost.
Shopify is the most common rented choice, but it charges 2% extra on Basic for orders paid through Indian gateways. For brands selling steadily, an owned store with UPI, cash on delivery and GST invoices built in avoids that fee and the monthly apps.
When the store is the business and sells steadily, usually yes: the one-time cost is recovered through no monthly plan, no app fees and no extra transaction fees, and you own the code. For a product test or a tiny catalogue, a rented platform is the better start.
