WordPress vs Shopify vs bespoke, which platform should you use?

The honest answer is "it depends", but it depends on a small number of clear questions.

Are you selling products online?

If yes, and physical product e-commerce is your main business: Shopify. Don't fight it. Yes, WooCommerce can do the same thing, but Shopify handles it better with less maintenance.

Is the site mainly content + lead capture?

WordPress for most, especially if non-technical people need to add pages. Excellent SEO plugins, huge developer pool, low cost. The main risk is plugin bloat, keep it tight.

Do you need a fast, SEO-perfect content site?

Astro or Webflow. Both produce cleaner, faster sites than WordPress for content-heavy use cases. Astro needs a developer; Webflow has a visual builder.

Do you have integrations with existing systems?

If your CRM, accounting, stock or booking system already exists and the website needs to plug into it: usually bespoke or custom Next.js. Off-the-shelf platforms struggle with this.

Are you a tiny business that just needs a presence?

Squarespace or Wix. Yes, they have limits. No, you won't outgrow them in year 1. Pick the design you prefer.

See our platform comparison for the full breakdown.