Shopify vs Strikingly Website Builder Comparison For 2023

Navigating the world of website builders isn’t easy, especially when deciding between major players like Shopify vs Strikingly. In this article, we’ll break down the differences, similarities, and key features of each, helping you make an informed choice for your online presence.

Overview
Pros & Cons
Website Building Features
Ease of Use
Templates & Designs
Apps & Integrations
Customer Support

Overview

Shopify is a popular e-commerce platform that offers a robust set of features for building and managing online stores. It’s known for its ease of use and scalability, making it a great choice for businesses of all sizes. On the other hand, Strikingly is a website builder that focuses on simplicity and elegance. It’s perfect for individuals and small businesses who want to create beautiful and functional websites without any technical knowledge. Both platforms have their strengths, so let’s dive deeper into the details to help you make the right choice.

Shopify

Free Plan: No

Free Trial: Yes

Price: From $29 per month

Official website: www.shopify.com

Shopify is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs seeking an easy-to-use e-commerce platform. It’s particularly well-suited for dropshipping businesses and brick-and-mortar retailers looking to expand their online presence with minimal technical expertise.

Learn more about Shopify

Strikingly

Free Plan: Yes

Free Trial: Yes

Price: From $6 per month

Official website: www.strikingly.com

Strikingly is best suited for individuals, entrepreneurs, and small businesses looking for a user-friendly platform to create and manage simple, stylish, and mobile-optimized websites with no coding required.

Learn more about Strikingly

Shopify has made starting my online store a breeze! The platform is user-friendly, and the themes are customizable and professional. The 24/7 customer support is a lifesaver. Highly recommended for anyone looking to start an e-commerce business. – Johnny

Strikingly offers an intuitive and user-friendly platform for website creation. High-quality templates and excellent customer service make it a top choice. It’s perfect for beginners and pros alike. Highly recommend for seamless, striking website design! – George Q

I’ve been using Shopify for two years, and it’s been a game-changer for my business. The inventory management features save me so much time, and the analytics help me make informed decisions. I couldn’t be happier with Shopify! – Emily R

Strikingly offers intuitive design, rich templates, and excellent customer support. A few glitches, but overall a solid website builder. – Amelia

Shopify has transformed my small business. The platform is easy to navigate, and the app integrations have added so much value to my store. The customer support is top-notch, always ready to help with any issues. Thank you, Shopify! – Robin

Strikingly exceeded my expectations! User-friendly interface, stunning templates, and excellent customer support. Made website creation a breeze. Highly recommended for stress-free, professional results. Great value for money. – Sophia

Pros & Cons

This section explores the strengths and weaknesses of these two website builders.

Winner is:

Shopify is a powerful e-commerce platform with advanced features, extensive customization options, and a large app store. It’s perfect for businesses looking to scale and offers excellent customer support. On the other hand, Strikingly is user-friendly and ideal for beginners or individuals with limited technical skills. It focuses on creating stunning, mobile-friendly websites with a simple drag-and-drop interface. However, Strikingly lacks the advanced e-commerce features of Shopify. Overall, Shopify is the winner for its robust capabilities and scalability, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes.

Shopify

Pros:

Ease of Use: Shopify offers a user-friendly interface that allows even beginners to set up and customize their online store without any coding skills.
Templates and Themes: Shopify provides a wide range of professionally-designed templates and themes that can be customized to fit your brand’s style.
App Store: Shopify has an extensive app store with thousands of apps that can enhance the functionality of your online store.
Security: Shopify provides SSL certificates for secure transactions, as well as robust security features to protect against threats.
24/7 Customer Support: Shopify offers 24/7 customer support via phone, chat, and email.
Scalability: Shopify can handle high volumes of traffic and sales, making it suitable for both small and large businesses.
Mobile Optimization: Shopify themes are mobile-responsive, ensuring a smooth shopping experience for customers using mobile devices.
Integrated Payment Processing: Shopify supports a variety of payment gateways, including its own Shopify Payments, making it easy for customers to pay for their orders.
Built-in SEO Tools: Shopify provides built-in SEO tools to help improve the visibility of your store on search engines.
Inventory Management: Shopify offers inventory management features to help you keep track of your products and manage your stock levels.

Cons:

Transaction Fees: Shopify charges transaction fees if you choose to use a payment gateway other than Shopify Payments.
App Costs: While many apps are free, others require a monthly subscription fee, which can add up quickly if you need multiple apps.
Multi-Currency Limitations: While Shopify supports multi-currency, there are limitations in terms of currency rounding and conversions.
Migration Challenges: If you decide to switch to another platform, migrating your store from Shopify can be challenging.

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Strikingly

Pros:

Ease of Use: Strikingly offers a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, making it accessible for beginners with little to no coding experience.
Mobile-Responsive Design: All Strikingly templates are designed to be responsive, ensuring your website looks good and functions well on various devices.
Quick Setup: You can have a basic website up and running in a relatively short amount of time due to the streamlined design process.
One-Page Websites: Strikingly is well-suited for creating simple, one-page websites or landing pages for specific purposes.
Template Designs: The platform provides a range of professionally designed templates across different categories, allowing you to find a style that fits your needs.
E-Commerce Integration: Strikingly offers e-commerce functionality, enabling you to set up an online store and sell products.
Domain Registration: You can register a new domain through Strikingly or connect an existing domain to your site.
SSL Security: Strikingly provides SSL certificates to secure data transmission between your website and visitors.
Customer Support: Strikingly offers customer support through various channels, including live chat, email, and a help center.
App Integrations: The platform supports integration with third-party apps and plugins to enhance your website’s functionality.

Cons:

Limited Customization: While the drag-and-drop interface is user-friendly, it might be limiting for users who want more advanced customization options or specific design tweaks.
Template Restrictions: The templates, while visually appealing, can sometimes impose design constraints that may not align with your exact vision.
Scalability: Strikingly might be less suitable for larger or more complex websites with extensive content or intricate structures.
E-Commerce Limitations: While it offers e-commerce, Strikingly’s e-commerce capabilities might be less comprehensive compared to dedicated e-commerce platforms.
SEO Constraints: The level of SEO customization and optimization might be less robust compared to other website builders or content management systems.
Integration Limitations: While there are third-party integrations available, the range might be more limited compared to platforms with extensive app marketplaces.
Membership Features: While Strikingly offers membership features, these might be basic and might not fulfill advanced membership site needs.
Platform Lock-in: Transferring your website from Strikingly to another platform could potentially be challenging due to proprietary design elements.

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Website Building Features

This section compares the overall features of Shopify vs Strikingly.

Winner is:

When it comes to website building, Shopify and Strikingly both offer user-friendly drag and drop interfaces. Shopify‘s interface is more robust, allowing for greater customization and flexibility. In terms of templates and designs, Shopify offers a wider range of options, including professional e-commerce themes. While Strikingly has fewer template options, they are modern and visually appealing. In terms of value for money, Shopify‘s pricing plans are more expensive but offer advanced features and scalability. Both platforms have strong SEO capabilities, but Shopify‘s extensive app store provides more options for email marketing and integrations. Shopify takes the lead with better security and customer support. Overall, Shopify is the winner for its comprehensive features and scalability.

Shopify

User-Friendly Interface: Shopify provides a user-friendly interface that allows users to set up and customize their online store without any coding skills.
Templates and Themes: Shopify offers a wide range of professionally-designed templates and themes that can be customized to fit your brand’s style.
App Store: Shopify has an extensive app store with thousands of apps that can enhance the functionality of your online store.
Integrated Payment Processing: Shopify supports a variety of payment gateways, including its own Shopify Payments, making it easy for customers to pay for their orders.
Inventory Management: Shopify offers inventory management features to help you keep track of your products and manage your stock levels.
24/7 Customer Support: Shopify offers 24/7 customer support via phone, chat, and email.
Abandoned Cart Recovery: Shopify provides tools to help you recover abandoned carts and encourage customers to complete their purchases.
Multi-Channel Selling: Shopify allows you to sell on multiple channels, including social media, online marketplaces, and brick-and-mortar stores.
Shipping Integration: Shopify integrates with popular shipping carriers, allowing you to offer real-time shipping rates and print shipping labels directly from your store.
Analytics and Reporting: Shopify provides analytics and reporting tools to help you track your store’s performance and make informed business decisions.

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Strikingly

Easy-to-Use Interface: Strikingly offers a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface that makes it simple for users with little to no technical skills to build a website.
Mobile-Responsive Design: All templates provided by Strikingly are designed to be responsive, ensuring that your website looks great and functions well on various devices, including smartphones and tablets.
Customizable Templates: Strikingly provides a range of professionally designed templates that you can customize to suit your brand or personal style.
Domain Registration: You can register a new domain or connect an existing domain to your Strikingly website.
E-Commerce Integration: For those looking to sell products online, Strikingly offers e-commerce functionality, allowing you to set up an online store with product listings, shopping carts, and payment gateways.
Blogging Tools: Strikingly includes blogging capabilities, enabling you to create and manage a blog directly on your website.
Social Media Integration: You can easily integrate your social media profiles and feeds into your Strikingly website.
SEO Optimization: Strikingly provides tools and features to optimize your website for search engines, helping you improve your online visibility.
Analytics and Insights: You can integrate website analytics tools to track visitor data and gain insights into your website’s performance.
Membership and User Registration: Strikingly allows you to create membership-based websites with user registration and login features.
App Integrations: The platform offers integrations with third-party apps and services, allowing you to add extra functionality to your website.

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Ease of Use

This section focuses on ease of use and how beginner-friendly Shopify and Strikingly are.

Winner is:

When it comes to the drag-and-drop interface and ease of use, both Shopify and Strikingly excel. Shopify offers a user-friendly interface with intuitive controls, making it simple to build and manage an e-commerce store. Similarly, Strikingly‘s drag-and-drop editor allows for effortless website creation, even for beginners. However, in terms of overall ease of use, Shopify takes the lead with its extensive features and customizable options. Therefore, Shopify emerges as the winner in terms of user-friendliness and flexibility.

Shopify

Intuitive interface: Shopify’s user-friendly dashboard lets you navigate with ease.
Drag and drop: Build your online store effortlessly with Shopify’s drag and drop builder.
Customization: Personalize your store with a wide range of themes and customizable elements.
Guided setup: Shopify offers step-by-step guidance to help set up your store.
Quick product additions: Easily add products, descriptions, and images.
Payment gateway integration: Seamlessly integrate multiple payment methods.
Mobile optimization: Your store automatically adjusts to mobile devices.
SEO-friendly: Shopify helps optimize your store for search engines.
24/7 support: Access round-the-clock customer service for any queries or issues.
Analytics: Track sales and customer trends with built-in analytics.

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Strikingly

Intuitive interface: Strikingly’s clean, user-friendly design makes website building a breeze.
No coding required: Users can easily create professional-looking sites without any technical knowledge.
Drag-and-drop feature: This functionality simplifies the design process, enabling quick rearrangement of elements on a page.
Customizable templates: Strikingly boasts a wide array of customizable themes to fit any brand or purpose.
Seamless editing: Real-time editing allows users to see changes as they happen, enhancing the design experience.
Clear instructions: The platform provides straightforward guidance, making the building process smooth.
Flexibility: Strikingly caters to all, from personal blogs to e-commerce sites, with its diverse tool set.

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Templates & Designs

This section looks at the themes of Strikingly and Shopify in terms of in terms of customization, the number of templates, and templates for websites, and e-commerce sites.

Winner is:

When it comes to templates and designs, both Shopify and Strikingly offer a range of options. However, Shopify takes the lead in terms of customization. With Shopify, you can easily customize your website or e-commerce store to match your brand’s unique style and personality. They offer a wide variety of professionally designed templates, both for websites and e-commerce sites. Strikingly, on the other hand, has a more limited selection of templates, but they are still visually appealing and user-friendly. Overall, Shopify emerges as the winner in terms of customization and template options.

Shopify

Variety of Themes: Shopify offers a wide range of customizable themes to suit various industries and styles.
Mobile-Responsive: All Shopify themes are mobile-responsive, ensuring a seamless shopping experience on any device.
Customizable: Shopify themes can be easily customized to fit your brand’s look and feel without coding skills.
Pre-designed Sections: Themes come with pre-designed sections, such as product galleries, image sliders, and testimonials, which can be added or removed as needed.
App Integration: Shopify themes integrate seamlessly with apps from the Shopify App Store, enhancing store functionality.
SEO-Friendly: Shopify themes are designed with SEO in mind, helping improve your store’s visibility on search engines.
Premium and Free Options: Shopify offers both premium (paid) and free themes to fit different budget needs.

Types of Templates:

Art & Photography: Templates designed for artists, photographers, and creatives to showcase their work.
Clothing & Fashion: Templates tailored for clothing and fashion retailers, including features for product variations such as size and color.
Jewelry & Accessories: Templates for selling jewelry and accessories with a focus on product images and detailed descriptions.
Home & Garden: Templates for home and garden retailers, including features for categorizing products by room or type.
Electronics & Gadgets: Templates for selling electronics and gadgets with features for product specifications and technical details.
Food & Drink: Templates for selling food and drink products, including features for showcasing product ingredients and nutritional information.
Health & Beauty: Templates for health and beauty retailers, including features for product variations such as scent and shade.
Sports & Recreation: Templates for selling sports and recreation equipment, including features for categorizing products by sport or activity.
Toys & Games: Templates for selling toys and games with a focus on product images and descriptions.
Books & Magazines: Templates for selling books and magazines, including features for showcasing book covers and author information.

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Strikingly

Strikingly offers modern, responsive templates.
Wide array of design options for all sectors.
Customizable layouts for personal touch.
Designs offer seamless navigation experience.
E-commerce ready templates available.
Blogging and portfolio designs offered.
Event and product launch templates.
Social media integration options.
SEO-friendly designs for better visibility.
Unique one-page website designs.

Types of Templates:

Business and Corporate Templates: These templates are suitable for businesses, startups, and corporate websites. They often feature professional designs with sections for showcasing services, portfolios, team members, and client testimonials.
Portfolio and Creative Templates: Designed for artists, designers, photographers, and other creatives, these templates emphasize visual appeal and provide spaces for displaying your work in an organized manner.
Personal and Blogging Templates: Ideal for individuals, bloggers, and writers, these templates focus on content presentation and may include different post formats, featured images, and options for social sharing.
Online Store and E-commerce Templates: Tailored for selling products online, these templates include product listings, shopping carts, checkout processes, and other e-commerce functionalities.
Event and Wedding Templates: Suitable for creating event websites or wedding invitations, these templates often have sections for event details, RSVP forms, photo galleries, and more.
App and Software Templates: Geared towards showcasing apps or software products, these templates may include sections for features, screenshots, testimonials, and download links.
One-Page and Landing Page Templates: These templates are designed to create single-page websites or landing pages with focused content and clear call-to-actions.
Nonprofit and Charity Templates: Ideal for nonprofit organizations, these templates often highlight causes, donation options, volunteer information, and impact stories.
Restaurant and Food Templates: Tailored for restaurants, cafes, or food-related businesses, these templates might feature menus, reservation forms, and high-quality images of dishes.
Travel and Tourism Templates: Suitable for travel agencies, tour operators, or personal travel blogs, these templates often showcase destinations, itineraries, and travel tips.
Education and Course Templates: Designed for educators, schools, or online course creators, these templates may include sections for course descriptions, enrollment forms, and lesson materials.
Health and Wellness Templates: Geared towards health practitioners, wellness coaches, or fitness centers, these templates might highlight services, schedules, and client testimonials.
Real Estate Templates: Tailored for real estate agents or agencies, these templates often include property listings, contact forms, and interactive maps.

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Apps & Integrations

This section explores what apps, plugins, and integrations Shopify and Strikingly come with.

Winner is:

Both Shopify and Strikingly offer a range of apps, plugins, and integrations to enhance the functionality of your website. Shopify boasts a vast marketplace with over 4,000 apps, allowing you to customize your store extensively. It offers integrations with major payment gateways, shipping providers, and marketing tools. Strikingly, on the other hand, focuses more on simplicity, offering a smaller selection of apps and integrations. While both platforms have their strengths, Shopify‘s extensive app marketplace and integration options make it the overall winner in terms of flexibility and customization opportunities.

Shopify

Extensive App Store: Shopify’s App Store offers thousands of apps and plugins to extend the functionality of your store.
E-commerce Enhancements: Apps are available for a wide range of e-commerce functions, such as inventory management, marketing automation, and customer support.
Third-Party Integrations: Shopify integrates seamlessly with popular third-party tools like Mailchimp, Google Analytics, and Facebook Ads.
Customization: Apps and plugins allow you to customize your store to fit your unique business needs without coding skills.
Dropshipping Support: Shopify offers apps that make it easy to set up and manage a dropshipping business.
Payment Gateways: Shopify supports a wide range of payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, and its own Shopify Payments.
Social Media Integrations: Shopify integrates with social media platforms, enabling you to sell directly on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Multi-Channel Selling: Shopify apps allow you to sell on multiple channels, such as online marketplaces and brick-and-mortar stores.
Security and Compliance: Shopify offers apps that enhance your store’s security and help you comply with data protection regulations.
User Reviews: Shopify’s App Store includes user reviews and ratings, making it easier to choose the right apps for your store.

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Strikingly

Ecwid: An e-commerce platform that enables you to easily add an online store to your Strikingly website, manage products, inventory, and process payments.
Eventbrite: Integrate Eventbrite to promote and manage events directly from your Strikingly site, allowing visitors to purchase tickets or register for events.
SoundCloud: Embed SoundCloud audio tracks or playlists on your website to showcase music, podcasts, or other audio content.
Google Maps: Integrate Google Maps to display your business location, event venues, or other points of interest with interactive maps.
OpenTable: Allow visitors to make restaurant reservations directly through your Strikingly website using the OpenTable integration.
Mailchimp: Integrate Mailchimp to collect email subscribers, send newsletters, and manage your email marketing campaigns.
LiveChat: Add live chat functionality to your website, enabling real-time communication with visitors and potential customers.
YouTube and Vimeo: Embed videos from YouTube or Vimeo to showcase video content directly on your site.
Facebook Pixel: Integrate Facebook Pixel for tracking website visitor behavior and running targeted advertising campaigns on Facebook.
Google Analytics: Integrate Google Analytics to track and analyze website traffic, user behavior, and other valuable insights.
Stripe: Enable online payments and transactions through credit cards with the Stripe integration.
Zapier: Connect Strikingly with other apps and automate workflows using Zapier’s integration capabilities.
Chatra: Add a live chat widget to your website for instant customer support and interaction.
Tawk.to: Incorporate another live chat solution to engage with website visitors in real time.
Disqus: Enable commenting and discussion on your blog posts or content using the Disqus commenting system.
HubSpot: Integrate HubSpot’s marketing and sales tools to manage leads, customer interactions, and inbound marketing efforts.

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Customer Support

This section explores the strengths and weaknesses of the customer support provided by Shopify versus Strikingly.

Winner is:

When it comes to customer support, Shopify is the clear winner over Strikingly. Shopify offers 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and live chat, ensuring that help is always available when you need it. They also have an extensive knowledge base and a thriving community forum for additional assistance. On the other hand, Strikingly only offers email support and their response times can be slow. Overall, Shopify‘s robust customer support options make it the better choice for those who value prompt and reliable assistance.

Shopify

24/7 Support: Shopify offers 24/7 customer support, ensuring assistance is available whenever you need it.
Multiple Channels: Support is available through various channels, including phone, email, and live chat.
Help Center: Shopify’s Help Center provides comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and FAQs for self-help.
Community Forums: Shopify’s Community Forums allow users to share experiences, ask questions, and get answers from other Shopify users and experts.
Shopify Academy: Shopify Academy offers free online courses, webinars, and tutorials on various topics related to e-commerce and Shopify.
Shopify Plus Support: For Shopify Plus customers, a dedicated support team is available to provide personalized assistance.
Expert Directory: Shopify’s Expert Directory connects you with certified professionals who can help with store setup, design, marketing, and more.
Social Media Support: Shopify provides support through its social media channels, including Twitter and Facebook.
Multi-Language Support: Shopify’s support team can assist customers in multiple languages.

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Strikingly

24/7 Support: Strikingly provides around-the-clock customer support to address any issues or questions you may have, ensuring that help is available whenever you need it.

Live Chat: The live chat feature allows you to connect with a support representative in real-time for immediate assistance and guidance.
Email Support: You can contact Strikingly’s support team via email to receive personalized help and answers to your inquiries.
Responsive Support: Strikingly’s support team should be responsive to inquiries, ensuring timely assistance for any issues you encounter.
Ticket System: You might have the option to submit support tickets for specific issues, which allows you to track the progress of your request.
Social Media: Strikingly may provide support and updates through their official social media channels, offering another way to stay informed and connected.

Help Center: Strikingly’s help center includes a comprehensive knowledge base with articles, tutorials, and step-by-step guides to assist users in using the website builder effectively.
Community Forum: Strikingly may offer a community forum where users can interact, ask questions, share tips, and learn from each other’s experiences.
Video Tutorials: Video tutorials and guides may be available to visually walk you through various tasks and features within the website builder.
Webinars and Workshops: Strikingly might organize webinars or workshops to provide in-depth training and insights on using their platform effectively.
In-App Help: The website builder interface may include tooltips, pop-ups, or contextual help to guide you through different features while building your site.
Feedback and Suggestions: Strikingly may encourage users to provide feedback and suggestions, helping them improve their platform based on user needs.

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Check out how Shopify and Strikingly stack up against other website builder tools on the market.

Overview

Shopify

Strikingly

Pros & Cons

Winner is:

Shopify

Pros:

Strikingly

Pros:

Website Building Features

Winner is:

Shopify

Strikingly

Ease of Use

Winner is:

Shopify

Strikingly

Templates & Designs

Winner is:

Shopify

Strikingly

Apps & Integrations

Winner is:

Shopify

Strikingly

Customer Support

Winner is:

Shopify

Strikingly

Categories

Favorites

Tools & Resources