Webflow vs Shopify Comparison 2023: Which is best for eCommerce?

Do you want to skip the read and get right to my pick? Between Webflow vs Shopify, the better website builder for us is Shopify.

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Introduction to our Webflow vs Shopify eCommerce comparison:

Welcome to our honest assessment of Webflow vs Shopify for eCommerce!

Nowadays, site builders have begun to offer ecommerce features. These help enterprising individuals or small to medium-scale enterprises offer their wares online. But, as with all the platforms we have reviewed, not all these platforms are made alike. Some tend to have a more significant advantage in several aspects over the competition.

In today’s Shopify vs Webflow eCommerce review, we'll look at how these platforms stack up.

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Overview of Webflow vs Shopify for eCommerce:

To get things started, a quick overview of our two contenders:

Webflow:

Webflow is essentially a software-as-a-service (SaaS) package created explicitly for website creation.

As a block-style CMS builder, Webflow takes the features and functionality of older CMS editors up by several notches, bringing them into the 21st century, so to speak.

Webflow is a platform favoured by creatives given the number of design templates and themes it has at one’s fingertips. Those who want to amp up the functionality of their sites will certainly be pleased by the platform’s collection of engaging widgets, plugins, and third-party integrations.

Shopify:

At present, Shopify is the ecommerce builder of choice in over 175 countries as of mid-Q2, 2021. Its popularity comes from how it helps online businesses establish a strong foothold in the growing online marketplace.

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Quick Comparison Summary Table for Webflow vs Shopify:

	Webflow	Shopify (My Choice!)
Ease of Use	Steep learning curve, but highly flexible	Very user-friendly, great for beginners
Key Features	Visual CSS designer, Interactions and animations, E-commerce functionality	Complete e-commerce solution, Product inventory, SEO & Marketing tools
Design Flexibility	Highly customizable with advanced design capabilities	Good selection of themes, but less flexible compared to Webflow
Customer Support	Good support with helpful resources	24/7 support via live chat, phone, and email
Pricing	Free to start, premium plans start at $12/month Check Pricing	14-day free trial, plans start at $29/month Check Pricing
My View	Webflow is best for web designers seeking advanced design capabilities and interactive site elements.	Shopify is ideal for individuals and businesses looking to set up an online store with ease and comprehensive eCommerce tools.
	Try Webflow	Try Shopify

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Ease of Use:

Webflow:

Webflow is, primarily, a CMS-centric creation platform, so using it would entail very basic working knowledge. Let’s put it this way. If you know your way around MS Word or Google Docs, you can create a site using Webflow.

What we don’t like about the platform is that those who want to use it still need to know some fundamentals of HTML and CSS coding.

For the most part, however, you may still use it as a DIY site creator you can use straight out of the box. In fact, creating a site with Webflow is as easy as filling out a standard form.

Also, there are no limits with regard to the sort of site you can create using this platform. Indeed, it offers a wide range of design options.

Shopify:

Shopify’s long-standing advantage has always been its intuitive site builder with its virtue of being ready to use from the moment you sign up for the service.

With tools laid out right where you can see them, navigating through the UI is quite simple. Its intuitive nature also means that, over time, the system will learn your work habits and most commonly used tools and help you create more efficiently and effectively.

Winner – DRAW! We’re calling this ease of use match between Webflow vs Shopify eCommerce a tie.

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Features and Flexibility:

Out-of-the-box:

Webflow:

The thing about Webflow is that it has practically everything that a creative worker – writer, artist, director, or anything similar – needs to get ahead in the business. Along with its block-driven site creator, it offers parallax scrolling, an extensive range of SEO and online marketing tools, as well as the ability to present a very professional-looking portfolio.

Shopify:

Shopify’s builder and ecommerce store platform offers numerous features, including multiple staff accounts, POS capabilities, on and offline marketing tools, tools for handling international transactions, and logistics solutions for shipping, freight, and terrestrial delivery.

Webflow vs Shopify Themes and Templates:

Webflow:

As of last count, Webflow has over 1,000 themes and templates available for users. The fun part is that practically all of these can be customised using the platform’s code-free design tools. Also, we appreciate the fact that there are options specific to individual portfolio creation as well as for agency use.

Check the latest Webflow themes and templates

Shopify:

Shopify takes pride in the fact that it currently offers 100 unique templates in a variety of categories, inclusive of both free and premium themes.

Check the latest Shopify themes and templates

Shopify vs Webflow Customisation Tools:

Webflow:

Webflow Designer is the ace in this platform’s customisation deck. Even if your knowledge of coding is sketchy, you can use this tool to customise the code behind your website using a completely visual interface. Your design is automatically translated into code as you work, making it a very practical way to add a truly unique nuance to your website.

Shopify:

If it’s customisation you need, Shopify may not be able to meet your needs. Users need a third-party tool to create a custom look for their online storefronts or have an independent developer create custom plugins to enhance functionality and the overall end-user experience.

Webflow vs Shopify 3rd Party Integrations:

Webflow:

From analytics and metrics to a wide range of customisable templates, the integrations page over at Webflow certainly gives its users a formidable arsenal of both aesthetic and functional third-party apps to make one's site more engaging and, especially in the case of ecommerce sites, profitable. Webflow offers integration with ecommerce platforms on the market like Shopify and Ecwid, social media platforms, print on demand services like Printful, and even domain registrars like Yahoo and WixDNS.

Shopify:

Shopify’s in-platform marketplace, Shopify App Store, offers users more than 6,000 third-party applications ranging from productivity tools to inventory management solutions. Featuring both free and premium programmes, over 90 per cent of Shopify users have found it a great resource for improving the look and functionality of their online stores, and many have downloaded at least one app from the marketplace to enhance their storefronts.

Webflow vs Shopify Hosting:

Webflow:

Powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Fastly, Webflow offers fast and scalable hosting even to those using the platform for free, delivering users’ content in just seconds. Also, Webflow sites are HTTP/2 ready, ensuring that these load completely in the shortest possible span of time.

Shopify:

Admittedly, Shopify is rather old-school when it comes to web hosting. Unlike most platforms which are making the shift to the cloud, Shopify sites are still hosted on a content delivery network (CDN) with servers set in various locations across the globe. It’s a bit cumbersome, but it still works.

However, some users feel that the current setup is like being set up for hacker attacks or random denial of service attacks, as seen in a number of incidents over the past couple of years.

Webflow vs Shopify Backups:

Webflow:

Webflow’s automatic backup function runs regularly and is available on both free and premium user plans.

Shopify:

Automatic data backup is not built into the Shopify UI. Instead, users must save their stores’ information into *.csv files. Note that the information you can back up is limited to financial transaction data, customer information, and data on individual products.

Shopify vs Webflow eCommerce Migration:

Webflow:

Migration is one of the areas in which we have issues with Webflow. In order to ensure a smooth transition from one platform to another, you’ll need a third-party migration tool which you can obtain from its Integrations page. To be fair, also, Webflow offers online tutorials on moving sites from one platform to another (deployed via Udesly) for its users.

Shopify:

While not available in the basic builder, you can download Shopify’s Store Importer through its in-platform App Store to move whole sites from platforms like Etsy, Squarespace, and Weebly.

Winner – Shopify! Between Webflow vs Shopify eCommerce, Shopify has more and more advanced features.

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Shopify vs Webflow eCommerce Tools:

Products and Inventory:

Webflow:

Webflow allows you to sell a limited number of products depending on the package you purchase. At the cheapest range, you can sell a maximum of 500 products.

Shopify:

Shopify lets you sell an unlimited number of products and product pages, with a system sophisticated enough to handle bulkier volume of products.

Shipping and Payments:

Webflow:

The shipping feature isn't as developed in Webflow as in Shopify. You can tweak shipping rates manually, but you can also integrate shipping with third-party apps like Shippo to make it easier and more seamless.

Shopify:

Shipping comes seamlessly with Shopify. It has a well-established system to ship products anywhere around the world. It is compatible with various payment gateways, as well as its native Shopify Payments option.

Abandoned Cart Recovery:

Webflow:

You'll need a third-party app to activate abandoned cart recovery with your Webflow site.

Shopify:

Abandoned cart recovery comes with all Shopify plans.

Winner – Shopify! Shopify runs away with the prize in this Webflow eCommerce vs Shopify eCommerce tools comparison.

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SEO and Mobility:

Webflow vs Shopify SEO:

Webflow:

If you want a clean and search engine-friendly website without it suffering from what’s known as code bloat, Webflow is the platform for you – even if you’re just using it for free. The platform also takes care of practically everything, though it runs into glitches when it comes to image compression and hiding noindex pages.

Shopify:

Shopify’s SEO toolkit is built directly into the UI, enabling users to edit their metadata and make their sites easier to find by search engines.

Mobile:

Webflow:

Not only does Webflow’s interface allow you to create mobile-responsive websites. It also enables users to create more mobile-friendly experiences for their site visitors. That said, however, Webflow does not have a native app for either Android or iOS devices, though it can be used as the basis ware for creating one’s own apps.

Shopify:

A condensed version of the Shopify UI is available for both iOS and Android devices, making it easier for shop owners to manage their online storefronts from just about anywhere.

Winner – Webflow! It works better for your SEO needs, based on our evaluation of Webflow vs Shopify eCommerce SEO features.

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Support and Resources:

Webflow:

In order to get help from Webflow staff, you’ll have to log in to get sound technical advice. If you haven’t the time to talk to an actual person online, the platform has an online learning resource featuring tutorials on some of its most-used features. Likewise, for quick fixes and general FYI, the Frequently Asked Questions section is a regular fount of practical knowledge.

Shopify:

Shopify offers excellent 24/7 technical support for customers via multiple channels, and this is further augmented by a regularly maintained and updated knowledge base.

Winner – DRAW! We’re declaring this support match a draw between Webflow vs Shopify eCommerce.

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Webflow vs Shopify Pricing:

Webflow:

While you can use Webflow for free, the version you get has limited functionality. Premium plans with Webflow on the other hand, start at $12.00 monthly. As per their service terms, the platform does not entertain refunds.

Check the latest Webflow pricing

Shopify:

Unfortunately for those on a tight budget, Shopify doesn’t offer a free-to-use platform. However, you can try it for yourself for a three-day trial period. You can also go for the budget-friendly Shopify Lite.

Shopify will set you back between $29.00 to $299.00 monthly, depending on your subscription. All subscriptions offer the site builder, access to technical support, as well as tools for SEO and ecommerce. Note, however, that analytics are only available to users in the top tiers.

Read their service terms carefully before you fully commit.

Check the latest Shopify pricing

Winner –  DRAW! This is a hard one to call between Webflow vs Shopify. If we’re talking about plain site building, we are giving this to Webflow. But for those who are into ecommerce, Shopify gives you more than your money’s worth.

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Comparison Winner: Webflow vs Shopify?

Shopify is the winner in our Shopify vs Webflow eCommerce comparison test!

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Conclusion and Recommendations for Webflow vs Shopify comparison:

What is Webflow best for?

Webflow is an excellent choice for individual creatives, as well as for advertising or marketing agencies. We love the fact that it is a solid portfolio builder. As a result, users can show off their work in the best possible light.

What is Shopify best for?

Shopify on the other hand, is excellent for ecommerce, but more specifically for start-ups and small to medium-scale businesses.

Shopify vs Webflow eCommerce Alternatives:

Here's a list of the best Webflow eCommerce vs Shopify alternatives to create a an online store:

Webflow vs Shopify Final Word:

Our Shopify vs Webflow eCommerce review showed that these two platforms have their respective good points regarding their core markets. When it comes to features and performance, it would be easy to give this match to Shopify. It leads the competition by the nose regarding the benefits it offers to those starting an online enterprise regardless of scale. We urge you to give it a try!

Click for the best Shopify pricing

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That's all for now:

If you've read all the way through this Shopify vs Webflow for eCommerce comparison, we are thankful. We hope you can now answer the question of what are the pros and cons of these website builders! We have a large collection of articles, guides, and comparison reviews of eCommerce solutions, web hosting providers, website builders, and more! Feel free to check them out;

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Please share any comments below!