If you are ready to start a business online, you should choose the best platform for your website that will help you offer your services or sell products in the most efficient way.
The platform you select will influence your website’s functionality, scalability, user experience, and outgoing costs.
In this blog post, we’ll dive deep into five of the best platforms for businesses: Wix, Shopify, WordPress, Canva, and Systeme.io. We’ll explore their features, pros and cons, price, and which types of businesses they’re best suited for. Let's start!

1

It comes as no surprise that the first one on my list is Wix platform. Yes, I love it and that's why this website is built on Wix, so it says enough!
Wix is a popular drag-and-drop website builder known for its user-friendly interface and versatility. It caters to businesses of all sizes and is ideal for those who want to create a professional-looking website without any coding knowledge.
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They say Wix is especially great for service-based businesses and selling digital products, but can be also used for variety of business models such as subscription programs, small business stores etc.
PRO's:
Ease of Use: Intuitive drag-and-drop builder with a wide range of customizable templates.
Design Flexibility: Hundreds of templates for various industries.
All-in-One Solution: Includes hosting, domain registration, and built-in SEO tools.
App Market: Access to a large library of apps to extend your site’s functionality.
Customer Support: 24/7 customer support available via email, chat, and phone.
CON's:
Limited Scalability: Not ideal for very large websites or businesses with complex needs.
Template Lock-In: Once you select a template, you cannot change it without rebuilding your site.
SEO Limitations: While basic SEO tools are included, advanced SEO configurations are limited compared to WordPress.
COST:
Free Plan: Basic features with Wix branding.
Paid Plans: Starting at $16/month for the Combo plan (great for small businesses), up to $45/month for the VIP plan.
BEST FOR:
Small to medium-sized businesses, service-based businesses, coaches and startups looking for a simple and stylish website.
2
Shopify is a leading e-commerce platform designed specifically for online stores. It’s a go-to choice for businesses that prioritize selling products online.

PRO's:
E-Commerce focused: Built specifically for online stores, with features like inventory management, payment processing, and shipping integration.
Extensive App store: Access to apps for marketing, analytics, and customer engagement.
Scalable: Suitable for businesses of all sizes, from startups to enterprises.
Multi-channel selling: Sell on social media platforms, marketplaces like Amazon, and in-person with Shopify POS.
Security: Includes SSL certification and reliable hosting.
CON's:
Cost: Monthly fees can add up, especially when factoring in transaction fees and paid apps.
Customization limitations: Customizing themes may require coding knowledge.
Content management: Less flexible for blogs and non-e-commerce content compared to WordPress.
COST:
Basic Plan: $39/month (plus transaction fees). Try Shopify free for 3 days (no credit card needed).
Shopify Plan: $105/month.
Advanced Plan: $399/month.
BEST FOR:
E-commerce businesses, especially those with physical products or dropshipping models.
3
WORDPRESS
WordPress is a powerful and flexible platform used by over 40% of all websites on the internet. It’s highly customizable and works well for virtually any type of business.

PRO's:
Flexibility: Can be used to create any type of website, from blogs to e-commerce stores to membership sites.
Plugins: Over 60,000 plugins to add virtually any functionality.
Customizable Design: Thousands of themes to choose from, plus the ability to fully customize with coding.
Scalability: Perfect for both small and enterprise-level businesses.
SEO-Friendly: Offers extensive SEO capabilities with plugins like Yoast SEO.
CON's:
Learning Curve: Can be challenging for beginners without technical knowledge.
Maintenance: Requires regular updates and security management.
Hosting: You need to purchase hosting separately.
COST:
WordPress.org (Self-Hosted): Free to use, but hosting and domain costs range from $5-$50/month.
WordPress.com: Paid plans start at $4/month (personal) and go up to $45/month (e-commerce).
BEST FOR:
Businesses of all sizes that want complete control over their website’s design and functionality. Ideal for bloggers, agencies, and content-heavy websites.
4
CANVA
While Canva is primarily known as a design tool, it's also a platform for one-page websites. Canva websites are simple and visually appealing, making them a great choice for creatives and small businesses.

PRO's:
Ease of use: Drag-and-drop builder with Canva’s signature design tools that you are already familiar with.
Beautiful templates: Perfect for visually stunning, design-focused websites.
Cost-effective: Affordable pricing, especially if you are just starting a business.
No coding required: Extremely user-friendly, easy to customize and publish.
Fast setup: Allows to create and launch a website in one day.
CON's:
Limited Features: Not suitable for complex websites or e-commerce. Limited mobile customization.
Lack of Scalability: Not ideal for larger businesses with extensive needs.
SEO Limitations: Basic SEO tools only.
COST:
Free Plan: Limited functionality with Canva branding.
Pro Plan: $12.99/month (includes access to premium templates and design tools + you can add custom domain).
BEST FOR:
Service-based businesses, coaches & consultants, course creators, digital marketing and small businesses (with one or a few products) that want a quick, visually appealing website without a significant investment.
5
Systeme.io is an all-in-one platform designed to help entrepreneurs and small businesses manage their online presence, sales funnels, and marketing automation. It's very budget friendly and perfect for those who are just starting out.

PRO's:
All-in-One Solution: Combines website building, email marketing, sales funnels, and course creation.
Ease of Use: Intuitive drag-and-drop editor.
Cost-Effective: Includes features that would require multiple tools on other platforms.
Marketing Automation: Built-in tools for lead generation, email campaigns, and upselling.
No Coding Required: Accessible to non-technical users.
CON's:
Limited Design Options: Fewer customization options compared to WordPress or Wix.
E-Commerce: Basic e-commerce features, not as robust as Shopify.
Scalability: Best for small to medium-sized businesses.
COST:
Free Plan: Includes lots of features such as a free domain, course, website and email list up to 2000 people. Best platform to start for free.
Paid Plans: Start at $27/month and go up to $97/month for the Unlimited plan.
BEST FOR:
Entrepreneurs, coaches, digital marketers and small business owners looking for an affordable all-in-one solution for their online presence and marketing.
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Take the time to evaluate your goals and priorities before committing to a platform. The right choice will set your business up for success, both online and beyond!
If you want more help about growing your business and marketing it online, you can browse through my other blogs posts or leave a comment if you have any questions.

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