For a South African store, the right platform is the one that fits your catalogue and budget, and that the person building it knows well. All three below can sell online. They differ in how far they stretch, what they cost to run and how much upkeep they need.
The short version
- Wix: a good fit for small and medium stores, from a handful of products to a few hundred, and the platform we build on.
- Shopify: built only for selling, with a large app store, and suited to growing catalogues and sales across several channels.
- WooCommerce: the most flexible, running on WordPress, and suited to custom needs or content-heavy shops, with more upkeep.
Wix for a store
Wix suits stores from a handful of products up to a few hundred. Hosting and security run through the Wix plan, and the store itself, including the catalogue structure, checkout, payments, shipping rules and design, is set up by us. Wix supports South African payment providers such as PayFast and Peach Payments, although availability can change, so we confirm the current options before we commit. Very large catalogues with complex variants are where it starts to strain.
Shopify for a store
Shopify is purpose-built for e-commerce, with strong inventory tools, a big library of apps and good support for selling across more than one channel. It costs more to run than a basic Wix plan once you add apps, and plans and fees change, so check the current terms. In particular, check which payment gateways work for South African businesses and whether using a third-party gateway adds a transaction fee on your plan.
WooCommerce for a store
WooCommerce is free software that runs on WordPress. Almost anything can be shaped, and local payment gateways and courier tools are widely available. The trade-off is upkeep: hosting, a theme and plugins are paid for separately, and someone has to keep it updated, backed up and secure. It is a strong choice when a developer or a care plan looks after it, and a poor one if nobody will. Our Wix vs WordPress guide goes into the cost of that upkeep.
What to compare before you choose
- Catalogue size and variants. A few dozen to a couple of hundred products is comfortable on any of them. Thousands of products with sizes, colours and stock rules favour Shopify or WooCommerce.
- Payments. Confirm your gateway of choice, such as PayFast, Yoco, Peach Payments or Netcash, works on the platform and what it costs per sale.
- Delivery. Check that your courier or collection setup can be reflected at checkout.
- Who will look after it. The best platform on paper is the wrong one if nobody can keep it updated, backed up and secure.
- Total yearly cost, not only the monthly plan: apps, plugins, hosting, transaction fees and help.
Where GDS fits
We build on Wix, and our online stores start from R22,000, including payment gateway integration. If a catalogue is too large or complex for Wix, we will say so before you spend anything. If you are not ready for a full store, a Structure site from R9,500 can show products and take orders through WhatsApp or a form while you test demand. Our guide to what it takes to sell online in South Africa covers payments, shipping and stock in more detail.
Which is cheapest for an online store in South Africa?
It depends on catalogue size and upkeep. Wix is often the lowest to run for a small store because hosting and security sit in one plan. WooCommerce software is free, but hosting, themes, plugins and upkeep add up, and Shopify costs rise with apps and plan level. Compare the total yearly cost, not the headline price.
Which payment gateways work with these platforms in South Africa?
PayFast, Yoco, Peach Payments and Netcash are widely used in South Africa, and which ones work depends on the platform. Confirm your gateway is supported, and what it charges per sale, before you choose.
Can I switch platforms later?
Yes, but it is a rebuild rather than a one-click move, and it needs planning to protect your search rankings. It is cheaper to choose well at the start.
Which platform is best for SEO?
All three can rank well. They give a builder control of titles, descriptions, headings and structured data, and results depend mostly on content quality, site structure and links rather than the platform.