Compare website platforms, builders and project options before you spend
Fifteen side-by-side guides for Thai businesses, sorted by the decision each one settles: platform, online store, build route, cost or law.
Start with the decision you are actually making
If you plan to sell online, choose the platform first, because payments, shipping and stock rules decide almost everything else. If you only need a company site that brings in enquiries, choose the build route first (template, builder or a designer), then the platform follows naturally.
Most people who land here are stuck between two names they have heard from a friend, a colleague or a YouTube review. Each page below takes one of those choices and answers it for a business in Thailand: PromptPay at checkout, Thai and English pages, PDPA consent, Thai couriers and running costs you pay every year, not just on launch day.
Not sure what the whole job involves yet? Read how to build a website step by step before you pick a side, and keep a website quote breakdown open so the numbers in each comparison have context.
Comparisons
ComparisonWordPress or Shopify: which one fits a store selling in Thailand
Shopify suits owners who want a hosted store with little upkeep; WooCommerce suits content-heavy stores, custom rules and full data control.
ComparisonWordPress versus Wix for a Thai business website
Wix suits a solo owner who wants to edit alone; WordPress suits a business that will add pages, languages and features. Cost, SEO and Thai-language tests.
ComparisonWordPress vs Webflow for company websites: control, editing and cost
Webflow suits design-led marketing sites with an in-house designer; WordPress suits content volume, plugins, stores and vendor independence.
ComparisonSquarespace vs WordPress vs Wix for a small business in Thailand
A fast three-way scorecard for cafés, clinics, consultants and small shops in Thailand: price structure, Thai text, SEO basics, selling online and ownership.
ComparisonWordPress vs Joomla, Drupal and other CMS options for Thai businesses
WordPress against Joomla, Drupal, HubSpot, Framer, Next.js, Magento and plain HTML in one decision matrix: who each suits, the skills it needs in Bangkok and the upkeep after launch.
ComparisonTemplate vs custom website: the real differences in cost and results
A template is fine when your content fits its layout; custom pays off when brand, speed, Thai and English structure or enquiries matter.
ComparisonSite builder, WordPress or a web designer: who should build your website
An honest comparison of website builders, AI website generators, WordPress and hiring a web designer in Bangkok: time, money, quality risks and who each option really suits.
ComparisonChoosing an ecommerce platform in Thailand: Shopify, WooCommerce and the rest
A wide map of ecommerce platforms in Thailand, from Shopify and WooCommerce to Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop and local builders, checked against the Thai selling checklist.
ComparisonWhat a website costs on Squarespace or Wix: a three-year checklist against an agency build
A three-year cost checklist for Squarespace and Wix against a one-time agency build: plans, paid apps, domain renewals, transaction fees and the owner's own time.
ComparisonWebsite design vs website development, explained for business owners
Web design plans how a site looks and works for people; web development builds it in code. What each covers, what it costs and who to hire.
ComparisonWebsite or landing page: the difference and when each makes sense
A landing page serves one campaign; a website serves your whole business and every search. When a single page works, where it fails, and what to build first.
ComparisonWordPress with Elementor or a custom theme: what changes for your business
A fair comparison of Elementor and a custom WordPress theme for Bangkok businesses: speed, staff editing, licence and build costs, lock-in, and when each one is the better choice.
ComparisonShopee store setup or your own website: where Thai sellers should put effort
Shopee store setup basics, then an honest comparison of selling on Shopee and Lazada versus your own website: fees, customer data, brand, traffic and how to run both channels together.
ComparisonPDPA and GDPR compared for websites that serve Thai and EU visitors
PDPA vs GDPR for website owners: scope, lawful bases, consent and cookies, rights, breach reporting, DPOs, transfers and fines, compared point by point, plus how one site can satisfy both.
ComparisonFixed price vs time and materials in web development: which protects you
Fixed price or time and materials for your website? A comparison of risk, change requests, buyer effort and cost predictability, with hybrid options and three example projects.
Website platforms and builders
These pages compare the software your site runs on. Open the one that matches the names on your shortlist.
- WordPress versus Wix: for owners deciding between editing a subscription site alone and having a site built that can grow in pages and languages.
- WordPress compared with Webflow: for marketing teams, judged on who edits the site in Thai after launch and what stays tied to one vendor.
- the three-way Squarespace, Wix and WordPress scorecard: a fast verdict by business type for cafés, clinics, consultants and small shops.
- Joomla, Drupal, HubSpot, Next.js and other CMS options: for managers whose IT colleague suggested an alternative to WordPress.
- page builder or custom theme: for people already on WordPress who want to know how the site should be built inside it.
For background on the platforms themselves, rather than head-to-heads, browse our guides on WordPress and other platforms.
Selling online in Thailand
A store is a different decision from a company site. The questions are practical: can customers pay by PromptPay QR, does cash on delivery work, can staff print KEX Express (formerly Kerry Express) or Flash Express labels without retyping addresses, and can a VAT-registered seller issue e-Tax invoices.
- WooCommerce or Shopify: a head-to-head with a verdict for four store types.
- the full map of Thai e-commerce platforms: global platforms, marketplaces and local builders checked against a Thai checklist.
- marketplaces against a store you own: whether Shopee and Lazada are enough, or you also need your own site.
When the platform is settled, our e-commerce website development page explains how we build stores on Shopify or WooCommerce with Thai payments and couriers.
How to buy your website
These pages are about the route rather than the software. They help when you hold one cheap offer for a ready-made theme and another quote many times higher, and cannot see what the gap buys.
- template or custom design: what each costs up front and later, and when a template is the smart call.
- doing it yourself or hiring a designer: Wix, Canva and AI builders against a professional, honest about when DIY is enough.
- design work against development work: who does what, so you know which skills a quote should cover.
- a full website or a single landing page: which one a campaign, a launch or a new business really needs.
Costs, contracts and the law
Three pages deal with money and rules rather than features.
- builder subscriptions against an agency build: what you pay over several years either way.
- fixed-price or hourly contracts: how each model shifts risk between you and the developer.
- Thailand's PDPA next to Europe's GDPR: what changes for a website that serves Thai and European visitors.
How we write these comparisons
We build websites on WordPress, Shopify and WooCommerce, so we are not neutral, and you should know that before you read a verdict. What we promise instead is method:
- No affiliate links and no payments from any platform.
- Platform features and fees are checked against the vendor's own pricing or help pages, which each comparison lists under its sources.
- Every page is dated 27 September 2026. Plans and fees change often, so check the vendor's page before you commit.
- Where a builder or a template is the better answer for your business, the page says so.
If your shortlist ends at WordPress, our WordPress developer service builds custom themes without a page builder. To see what a build costs, compare our package prices: Starter from THB 10,000, Business from THB 30,000 and E-commerce from THB 50,000, all indicative, with the final price set in your written quote. Then send us your shortlist on WhatsApp or through the quote form and we will tell you which option we would pick, and why.
Common questions
Which platform do you recommend for most Thai small businesses?
For a company site that needs to win enquiries, WordPress is our usual answer: it handles Thai and English well, you can move it between hosts, and there is a large pool of developers in Bangkok. For a store, it depends on the catalogue and how much upkeep you want; the WooCommerce and Shopify comparison splits that by store type.
Are these comparisons sponsored or paid by any platform?
No. No platform pays us to feature it and the pages contain no affiliate links. Our only interest is that we build on WordPress, Shopify and WooCommerce, which we state openly. Facts about fees and features are cited to the vendor's own pages so you can check them without trusting us.
Can you build on the platform I choose after reading these guides?
We build on WordPress with a custom theme, and online stores on Shopify or WooCommerce. If your research points to Wix, Squarespace, Webflow or another system, we will say so honestly, and that project is simply one we do not take on. Tell us your shortlist and we will confirm which side we can help with.
I sell on Shopee already. Do I still need my own website?
Not always. Many sellers run well on marketplaces alone. An own site starts to pay when you want repeat customers you can contact, a brand page that is not next to competitors, B2B or wholesale enquiries, or lower commission on loyal buyers. The marketplace comparison walks through those trade-offs with the costs on each side.
How often are the platform prices in these comparisons checked?
Each page was checked against the vendor's own pricing and help pages on its publication date, 27 September 2026, and the sources are listed at the end of the page. Platforms change plans and fees without notice, so treat any figure as a snapshot and confirm it on the vendor's page before you sign up.
Tell us about your website
Send a few lines on WhatsApp or through the quote form. You get a written quote with the scope, timeline and price for your project.
Or WhatsApp or call +66 93 004 4098, every day, 10:00 to 19:00 ICT. service@