Shopify vs Weebly: Which Platform is Best for Small Businesses?

Choosing the right platform for your online store is key to your business’s success. Shopify is a robust ecommerce platform ideal for businesses looking to scale, while Weebly is a simple website builder with e-commerce features through Square Online, suited for small businesses and personal projects.

In this article, we’ll compare Shopify and Weebly based on features, pricing, ease of use, and scalability to help you decide which platform is best for your needs. Whether you’re starting or aiming to grow, this guide will help you make an informed choice.

What is Shopify?

Shopify is the go-to choice for businesses looking to scale quickly and require robust ecommerce features. It’s perfect for businesses with high growth potential, complex product catalogs, and advanced marketing needs. Shopify offers a wide range of integrations, support for various payment gateways, and an extensive app ecosystem.

What is Weebly? 

Weebly is an ideal choice for small businesses and individuals who are just starting out. It offers a simple drag-and-drop interface, making it easy for beginners to create a functional online store. However, it lacks the advanced features that Shopify offers, making it less suitable for larger businesses or those planning to scale rapidly.

Weebly and Shopify are both great options for building an online store, but which one is right for you? Discover which platform suits your needs in our Weebly vs. Shopify review with key features: 

Key Features Comparison: Weebly vs Shopify

Feature	Shopify	Weebly
Ease of Use	Easy-to-use, user-friendly for beginners and advanced users	Simple drag-and-drop interface, ideal for beginners
Pricing Plans	Starts at $39/month (Basic Shopify)	Free plan available; paid plans start at $6/month
Customization	Highly customizable with hundreds of themes, apps, and third-party integrations	Limited customization options, fewer apps and themes
E-commerce Features	Advanced features: gift cards, shipping rates, inventory management, analytics	Basic ecommerce features, suitable for small stores
Transaction Fees	2.9% + 30¢ per transaction (Shopify Payments)	3% transaction fee on free plan, lower on paid plans
Payment Gateways	Supports 100+ payment gateways	Limited to 7 payment gateways
SEO Tools	Advanced SEO capabilities with apps and integrations	Basic SEO tools, limited in-depth features
Mobile App	Full-featured mobile app for store management	Limited mobile app functionality
Support	24/7 support, live chat, email, and phone	Email and chat support, limited hours
Best For	Large and medium businesses with complex needs	Small businesses or personal projects

Shopify vs Weebly: Pricing Plans

Both Weebly and Shopify offer a variety of plans designed to cater to different types of users and business needs.

Shopify Pricing Plans

• Basic: $39/month
• Shopify: $105/month 
• Advanced: $399/month 
• Plus: Custom pricing for enterprise
  

Weebly Pricing Plans

• Free: $0/month
• Personal: $10/month
• Professional: $12/month
• Performance: $26/month
  

Shopify vs Weebly: Pros and Cons Comparison

Shopify Pros

• Scalable, ideal for businesses of all sizes, especially those aiming to grow.
• Offers advanced ecommerce features like gift cards, shipping rates, and inventory management.
• Highly customizable with a variety of themes, apps, and third-party integrations.
• 24/7 customer support via live chat, email, and phone.
• Supports over 100 payment gateways, ideal for international sales.
  

Shopify Cons

• Pricing starts at $39/month, which can be expensive for small businesses.
• Transaction fees unless you use Shopify Payments.
• Advanced features might be overwhelming for beginners, with a steeper learning curve.

Weebly Pros

• Simple drag-and-drop interface, perfect for beginners.
• Affordable pricing, including a free plan and paid plans starting at $6/month.
• Ideal for small-scale stores, with basic e-commerce features.
• Offers a mobile app for easy store management.
  

Weebly Cons

• Lacks advanced e-commerce features, limiting growth opportunities.
• Limited customization with fewer themes, apps, and integrations.
• Charges a 3% transaction fee on the free plan, which could impact profits.
• Basic SEO features with limited optimization options, affecting search visibility.

Shopify vs Weebly: Which One Should You Choose?

Choose Shopify if you’re running a growing or large-scale business and need advanced e-commerce features. Shopify offers complete customization, robust tools like gift cards, inventory management, and advanced reporting. It’s perfect for businesses that want to scale, need flexible payment options, and plan to expand internationally. It’s ideal if you’re willing to invest in a more powerful platform.

Choose Weebly if you’re just starting out, running a small business, or have simpler e-commerce needs. Weebly is easy to use, affordable, and provides basic e-commerce features for selling a limited number of products. It’s a great option if you’re looking for a straightforward, cost-effective solution with a drag-and-drop interface.

Weebly vs Shopify Reddit: What Users Are Saying

On platforms like Reddit, opinions on Shopify vs Weebly are diverse. Many users recommend Shopify for its ease of use, extensive app marketplace, and robust ecommerce tools, making it an excellent choice for both beginners and businesses aiming for rapid growth.

In contrast, Weebly is often favored by users who appreciate its simplicity, affordability, and user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, ideal for small businesses or personal projects.

Discussion 1: E-commerce builder site advice !! Shopify vs. Weebly

E-commerce builder site advice !! Shopify vs. Weebly
byu/GilGarciaG instartups

Discussion 2: Moving from Weebly to Shopify

Moving from Weebly to Shopify
byu/Funny-Crab7748 inshopify

Discussion 3: Is Weebly not a bad startup ecommerce option?

Is Weebly not a bad startup e-commerce option?
by inecommerce

Discussion 4: Should I use Weebly or Shopify as a portfolio?

Should I use Weebly or Shopify as a portfolio?
byu/Godtierladd inediting

Discussion 5: Is Shopify the best and only viable option? (What about Wix, Weebly, and WordPress?)

Is Shopify the best and only viable option? (What about Wix, Weebly, and WordPress?)
byu/LowryAudioLabs inEntrepreneur

Conclusion: Which Platform is the Best Fit for Your Business?

When deciding between Shopify vs Weebly, it ultimately depends on your business goals and needs. If you prioritize simplicity, flexibility, and a fast store setup, Shopify is an excellent choice, especially for those looking to scale. Its extensive app marketplace, powerful dropshipping features, and robust e-commerce tools make it ideal for businesses of all sizes.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a user-friendly platform with an affordable pricing structure for a small-scale store, Weebly could be the better fit. 

Still thinking? Explore other comparisons between leading ecommerce platforms to find the best fit for your business, such as,

• Wix vs Shopify
• WooCommerce vs Shopify
• Shopify vs Shopify Plus
• Ecwid vs Shopify
• Shopify vs Squarespace
• Bigcommerce vs Shopify 

FAQs: Shopify vs Weebly 

1. Is Weebly better than Shopify?
It depends on your needs. Weebly is ideal for small businesses or personal projects, while Shopify suits businesses looking to scale with advanced features and flexibility.

2. What is the disadvantage of Weebly?
Weebly has limited e-commerce features and customization options, making it less suitable for businesses that need advanced tools and scalability.

3. Who is Shopify’s biggest competitor?
BigCommerce is Shopify’s biggest competitor, offering powerful built-in features and strong B2B capabilities without relying on third-party apps

4. Is Weebly B2B or B2C?
Weebly is primarily a B2C platform, ideal for small businesses selling directly to consumers, but can be adapted for B2B with the right features.

5. Can I scale my business with Weebly?
Weebly is better for small businesses, but its limitations make it less ideal for large-scale growth. Shopify is a better choice for scalability.