I work across a number of website platforms, and one of the questions I get asked most frequently is which one is best. The answer is rarely as exciting as people hope. It depends.
Not because I'm avoiding the question, but because the best platform for an ecommerce business selling hundreds of products is unlikely to be the best platform for a financial advisory firm that needs six well-structured pages and a reliable enquiry form.
The platform a designer loves working in isn't necessarily the platform a business owner will enjoy managing.
Hannah Grant, Freshmade Creative
Start with what the website needs to do
Before discussing platforms, I'd want to understand how the business operates. Are you selling products? Taking bookings? Generating enquiries? Publishing content? Managing subscriptions? Connecting to a CRM or accounting system?
Does the website need to accommodate multiple team members, locations or product categories? What happens after someone completes a form or makes a purchase?
These questions are far more useful than deciding whether you prefer the appearance of a Shopify or Webflow template. A website is part of your business infrastructure. The platform needs to support the work happening behind the scenes, not simply the pages customers see.
Shopify: built around selling
For businesses whose primary focus is ecommerce, Shopify is often my starting point. It has a mature commerce ecosystem, inventory and order management, payment options and an extensive selection of integrations. It's particularly useful for brands connecting their store with email marketing, subscriptions and fulfilment.
But Shopify isn't automatically the best choice for every website. A service business with no intention of selling online may be paying for commerce functionality it doesn't need. And while Shopify makes a lot of things straightforward, custom development, premium themes and third-party applications can increase the overall cost.
WordPress: flexible, but someone needs to own the maintenance
WordPress can be an excellent choice for businesses that need flexibility, extensive content management or particular custom functionality. It also offers a huge ecosystem of themes, plugins and developers.
But there's an important distinction between WordPress.org, the open-source software, and WordPress.com, the hosted service. A self-hosted WordPress website requires hosting, updates, backups, security management and someone responsible for maintaining the technical environment. That responsibility is sometimes underestimated.
I've seen businesses inherit WordPress websites that nobody wants to touch because they're worried an update will break something. That's not necessarily a reason to avoid WordPress. It's a reason to understand who will maintain it.
Squarespace: straightforward for the right business
Squarespace can make a lot of sense for smaller service businesses, portfolios and relatively simple websites. Its appeal is the managed environment and accessible editing experience. For a business owner who wants to update imagery, publish content and maintain a professional website without managing a complicated technical setup, that can be valuable.
The trade-off is flexibility. If the business needs more complex integrations, unusual functionality or sophisticated ecommerce workflows, establish what the platform can support before committing.
Webflow: strong design control, with a learning curve
Webflow is particularly appealing when design flexibility and content presentation are major priorities. It gives designers substantial control over layouts, interactions and responsive behaviour, which is useful for editorial websites, portfolios and visually distinctive brand experiences.
But sophisticated design control doesn't automatically mean simple day-to-day management. You need to consider who will build and maintain the website, how the content management system is structured and whether the business can comfortably manage updates. Webflow also separates certain site, workspace and additional feature costs, so it's worth understanding the complete pricing structure.
Wix: accessible, but check the long-term requirements
Wix is another option for businesses wanting a managed website builder with a relatively approachable editing environment. For straightforward websites, it can be a practical choice.
As with any platform, I'd investigate the specific functionality required, available integrations, ecommerce needs and how the site might need to evolve. The fact that something is easy to launch doesn't necessarily mean it's the right long-term solution.
Oncord: worth considering for service businesses
Oncord is an Australian platform I work with, particularly for businesses that need a professional website, lead capture and connected customer management functionality. Its combination of website, customer database, marketing and commerce capabilities can make it useful for certain service businesses.
I like considering whether a business can simplify its setup rather than automatically adding another external tool for every function. That doesn't mean Oncord is the answer for every project. For complex ecommerce operations, I would usually investigate Shopify first. The platform needs to fit the business model.
What does a website actually cost?
A platform might advertise a relatively low monthly subscription. But that's only one part of the cost. You may also need to pay for:
- Website design and development
- Hosting, domains and business email
- Premium themes or templates
- Plugins, apps and integrations
- Ecommerce transaction and payment processing fees
- Security, backups and technical maintenance
- Ongoing content updates and SEO
- Developer assistance when something needs changing
Look at the total cost over two or three years, not the introductory subscription price. A cheaper platform that needs regular developer intervention can end up more expensive than a managed one. Equally, paying for features you don't need isn't sensible either.
Who is going to manage it?
This is one of my favourite questions because it changes the recommendation so quickly. Will the business owner make updates? Is there an internal marketing team? Will an agency manage the website? Is there a developer available?
A platform that's wonderful for an experienced designer may be unnecessarily complicated for a business owner who simply wants to change a service description. And a platform that's easy for a beginner may eventually become restrictive for a business with complex operational needs.
I'd also establish who owns the account, who pays the subscription and what happens if the relationship with the designer or agency ends. Your business should have appropriate administrative access to its website, domain and connected systems.
How does it fit into your existing tech stack?
Before recommending a platform, I want to know what else the business uses. Xero? HubSpot? Klaviyo? A booking system? Inventory software? A subscription application?
A website doesn't operate in isolation. If the platform can't communicate reliably with the systems your business depends on, you may create expensive manual work or gaps in customer information.
And not all integrations are equal. A platform might advertise an integration with your CRM, but that doesn't necessarily mean it supports the exact fields, events and workflows you need. I'd test those requirements before choosing the platform.
What happens if you want to leave?
This is another question businesses rarely ask at the beginning. How easily can you export your content, customer records and product information? Can the design be transferred, or will it need to be rebuilt? What happens to your URLs and search rankings during migration? Do you retain access to your data if the subscription ends?
No platform makes every type of migration effortless. But understanding the limitations before you invest is considerably better than discovering them when you need to move.
How I'd choose a website platform
I'd assess each option against five things:
- Business requirements. What does the website need to accomplish?
- Management. Who will update and maintain it?
- Integrations. Does it work with the systems you already use?
- Total cost. What will it cost to build and operate over time?
- Flexibility. Can it support where the business is heading?
Then I'd choose the simplest platform that meets those requirements properly. Not necessarily the cheapest. Not necessarily the most powerful. The most appropriate.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shopify better than WordPress?
For many product-focused ecommerce businesses, Shopify offers a more integrated commerce experience. WordPress can provide greater flexibility, particularly when combined with WooCommerce, but often requires more technical management.
Which website platform is best for a small service business?
It depends on the required functionality, budget and who will manage the website. Squarespace, Wix, Oncord, WordPress and Webflow can all be suitable in different circumstances.
Can I change website platforms later?
Yes, but migration may involve rebuilding the design, transferring content, recreating integrations and managing SEO redirects. The complexity varies by platform.
Should my agency own my website account?
Generally, your business should retain ownership and appropriate administrative access, while providing the agency with the permissions needed to work on it.
The best website platform isn't the one with the longest feature list. It's the one that makes running your business easier.
HG
Hannah Grant
Founder and director of Freshmade Creative, a Brisbane studio working across brand, marketing and digital.
