For most service businesses, WordPress is the best long-term choice. Shopify is best if selling products online is the main point of the site. DIY builders like Wix and Squarespace suit very small budgets where you'll do everything yourself.
| WordPress | Shopify | Wix / Squarespace | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Service businesses, content and SEO | Online stores | Simple DIY sites |
| Running cost | Hosting, about $10–$30 a month | Monthly Shopify plan plus apps | Monthly subscription |
| SEO flexibility | High | Good for products | Basic to good |
| Ownership | You own the site and can move hosts | Tied to Shopify | Tied to the platform |
| Ease of editing | Easy once set up | Easy | Easiest |
Choose WordPress if
You're a trade or service business that wants to rank across many services and suburbs, wants to own the site outright, or may want features added later.
Choose Shopify if
You sell physical products and want payments, shipping, stock and GST handled in one place.
Choose a DIY builder if
You need something online quickly on a very small budget and are happy to build and maintain it yourself. Many businesses move to WordPress later when they want to grow.
Ranktide builds service sites on WordPress and online stores on Shopify or WooCommerce. See website design and pricing.