WordPress, Wix, Shopify or custom? Comparison for Quebec SMBs

The question comes up on every first call: "Should we go with WordPress, Wix, Shopify, or have a custom site built?" There's no universal answer — each option has a sweet spot and a toxic zone. Here's our comparison based on Quebec SMB sites we've shipped or audited.

Summary table

Criteria	WordPress	Wix	Shopify	Custom
Year 1 cost	$2,500 – $8,000	$300 – $1,200	$1,500 – $5,000	$5,000 – $30,000
5-year total cost	$4,000 – $12,000	$1,500 – $6,000	$10,000 – $25,000	$7,000 – $35,000
You own the code	Yes	No	No	Yes
SEO performance	Good	Average	Good	Excellent
Loading speed	Variable	Average	Good	Excellent
E-commerce	Yes (WooCommerce)	Limited	Excellent	Yes (variable)
Launch timeline	3 – 8 weeks	A few days	2 – 6 weeks	4 – 16 weeks

WordPress — the aging Swiss army knife

For whom: SMBs that need an active blog, multiple content types, and plan to manage the site themselves.

Strengths: huge ecosystem (60,000+ plugins), you own the code, large pool of Quebec developers who can take over. Good SEO if well configured (Yoast, RankMath).

Weaknesses: fragile security if not kept up-to-date (unmaintained WordPress sites account for ~40% of hacked SMB sites we see). Often mediocre performance from accumulated plugins. Admin interface increasingly cluttered since Gutenberg arrived.

Hidden cost: mandatory monthly maintenance — either you pay $80 – $200/month to a provider, or you get your hands dirty once a month. Not doing it guarantees a hack within 18 months.

Wix — simplicity that hits a ceiling fast

For whom: solo-operator SMBs that want a site quickly, don't expect major growth, and don't care about competitive SEO.

Strengths: intuitive visual editor, managed hosting and security, low entry price ($15 – $50/month).

Weaknesses:

• You own nothing. If Wix decides tomorrow to change prices or remove a feature, you have no recourse and migrating elsewhere means rebuilding everything.
• Limited SEO. Wix has made progress, but Wix sites rank harder than WordPress or custom on competitive keywords.
• Average performance. Core Web Vitals scores are rarely excellent.
• Generic design. Templates are recognizable at first glance by someone who has seen many.

Verdict: Great for validating an idea. Avoid if your site is central to customer acquisition.

Shopify — the e-commerce reference, at a cost

For whom: any business selling physical products online with inventory to manage.

Strengths: best e-commerce platform in the world, integrations to everything (Stripe, accounting, shipping, marketing). Managed PCI security. Excellent support. Good default performance.

Weaknesses:

• Recurring fees pile up fast. Base subscription is $39/month, but the average e-commerce SMB pays $150 – $400/month once essential apps are added (reviews, upsells, cart abandonment, etc.).
• Transaction fees if you don't use Shopify Payments (0.5% – 2%).
• Limits for non-e-commerce content. If you want a serious blog + e-commerce, you'll get frustrated.

Verdict: If you sell online, it's almost always the right choice. Otherwise, overkill.

Custom — best mid-term ratio

For whom: SMBs that want a site that stands out visually, performs at the top, and doesn't intend to rebuild in 2 years.

Strengths: max performance, unique design, clean code any developer can take over (if done right with standard tech: React, Astro, Next.js), zero platform subscriptions. You own everything.

Weaknesses:

• Higher initial cost. $5,000 – $30,000 versus $300 to start a Wix.
• Post-launch changes require a developer. Unless you integrate a headless CMS (Sanity, Contentful) — which we do by default at ClairWeb for sites with frequent content.
• Quality varies by provider. "Custom" by a junior freelancer can be worse than a well-done Wix.

Verdict: Best cost-benefit ratio over 5 years for most Quebec SMBs that take their site seriously.

Our 4-question decision tree

1. Do you sell physical products online? Yes → Shopify. No → continue.
2. Initial budget under $1,500? Yes → Wix to start (and plan to rebuild in 1-2 years). No → continue.
3. Will you publish content (blog, news) at least twice a month? Yes → WordPress or custom with CMS. No → continue.
4. Is the site central to your customer acquisition? Yes → custom. No → well-configured WordPress is enough.

If in doubt, write to us with your site's URL — we'll send a free diagnostic that usually clarifies what needs to change.