Choosing the right platform for your website is a budget decision as much as a technology decision. The same project can cost ₪5,000 or ₪50,000 depending on the platform, who builds it, and what you need.
Here’s an honest breakdown of what each platform costs, including the hidden expenses most agencies don’t mention.
Platform Cost Comparison
| Platform | Simple Site | Business Site | E-commerce | Monthly Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress | ₪5,000-₪12,000 | ₪15,000-₪40,000 | ₪25,000-₪80,000 | ₪200-₪450 (hosting + maintenance) |
| Wix | ₪0-₪3,000 | ₪3,000-₪10,000 | ₪5,000-₪15,000 | ₪50-₪150 (subscription) |
| Shopify | N/A | N/A | ₪5,000-₪20,000 | ₪100-₪1,200 (subscription + transaction fees) |
| Webflow | ₪5,000-₪15,000 | ₪15,000-₪40,000 | ₪20,000-₪50,000 | ₪50-₪150 (hosting) |
| Next.js/Headless | ₪8,000-₪15,000 | ₪20,000-₪60,000 | ₪30,000-₪100,000 | ₪0-₪100 (Vercel/Netlify) |
All prices in Israeli Shekels (₪), excluding VAT. Ranges reflect the Israeli market for professional development.
WordPress
Best for: Businesses that need flexibility, SEO control, and long-term scalability.
WordPress powers 43% of all websites globally. The platform is free, you pay for hosting, development, and premium plugins/themes.
Hidden costs to budget for:
- Hosting: ₪200-₪450/month for managed WordPress hosting
- Premium plugins: ₪500-₪3,000/year (forms, SEO, security, page builder)
- Maintenance: ₪200-₪500/month or retainer basis
- SSL certificate: Free (Let’s Encrypt) or ₪200-₪800/year (premium)
Total first-year cost (business site): ₪20,000-₪50,000
Wix
Best for: Small businesses and solopreneurs who want to manage their own site without technical help.
Wix is the easiest platform to get started with. Drag-and-drop editor, hundreds of templates, and all-in-one pricing. The tradeoff is limited customization and weaker SEO capabilities.
Hidden costs:
- Premium plans: ₪50-₪150/month (required for custom domain and no ads)
- Third-party apps: ₪0-₪100/month for advanced features
- Migration cost if you outgrow Wix: ₪5,000-₪15,000 to rebuild on WordPress
Total first-year cost (business site): ₪4,000-₪12,000
Shopify
Best for: Businesses focused purely on e-commerce with straightforward product catalogs.
Shopify excels at online stores. Product management, checkout, payments, and shipping are all built-in and polished. But it’s expensive once you factor in transaction fees and app costs.
Hidden costs:
- Transaction fees: 0.5-2% per sale (unless using Shopify Payments)
- Apps: Most stores need 5-10 apps at ₪30-₪200/month each
- Custom theme: ₪5,000-₪15,000 if templates don’t fit
Total first-year cost (e-commerce): ₪15,000-₪40,000
Webflow
Best for: Design-heavy marketing sites where visual precision matters more than functionality.
Webflow gives designers pixel-perfect control without code. The learning curve is steep, but the output is impressive. Limited plugin ecosystem means custom functionality requires developers.
Hidden costs:
- CMS plan required for blogs/dynamic content: ₪70-₪150/month
- Custom integrations: require Zapier or custom code
- Developer scarcity: Webflow developers are fewer and more expensive than WordPress developers
Total first-year cost (business site): ₪18,000-₪45,000
Next.js / Headless CMS
Best for: Tech companies, high-performance sites, and businesses with development resources.
The modern approach: a React-based frontend with a headless CMS (Sanity, Contentful, Strapi) for content management. Blazing fast, fully customizable, but requires JavaScript developers.
Hidden costs:
- Developer rates: Higher than WordPress (₪300-₪600/hour)
- CMS subscription: ₪0-₪400/month depending on provider
- Hosting: Often free or near-free on Vercel/Netlify for most sites
Total first-year cost (business site): ₪25,000-₪70,000
How to Choose
| Your Situation | Recommended Platform |
|---|---|
| Solo business, tight budget, DIY | Wix |
| Growing business, need flexibility | WordPress |
| Pure e-commerce, simple catalog | Shopify |
| Design-first brand, less functionality | Webflow |
| Tech company, performance-critical | Next.js / Headless |
| Not sure | Ask us, we’ll recommend honestly |
We build on WordPress and Next.js, but we’ll tell you if Shopify or Wix is the better choice for your situation. Get a free platform recommendation.
