Final verdict
Between Format and Volusion, each platform serves distinct purposes, catering to different user needs and preferences.
-
Format (Overall Grade: 5.8/10)
is tailored for creative professionals seeking to showcase their work through visually appealing portfolios. It excels in design functionalities and ease of use, offering an intuitive drag-and-drop interface and customizable templates ideal for photographers, artists, and designers. While Format provides basic ecommerce features, it falls short in more advanced ecommerce capabilities and integrations compared to Volusion. -
Volusion (Overall Grade: 6.6/10)
is a more robust choice for users focused on building and managing an online store. It offers comprehensive ecommerce solutions, including a wide range of payment processing options, marketing tools, and customer support. Volusion’s strengths lie in its ecommerce features, hosting quality, and security measures, making it suitable for businesses looking to scale their online presence.
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Design functionalities & templates |
7.0 |
6.1 |
|
Ease of use |
8.3 |
6.9 |
|
Ecommerce |
5.2 |
7.1 |
|
Website Editors |
7.5 |
7.1 |
|
Product testing options |
8.3 |
7.6 |
|
Price |
7.9 |
7.6 |
|
Hosting quality |
5.0 |
7.0 |
|
Website speed optimization |
5.0 |
7.1 |
|
Plugins and integrations |
4.9 |
6.8 |
|
Marketing features |
5.3 |
6.9 |
|
Customer support |
7.0 |
7.0 |
|
Security |
7.4 |
8.7 |
|
AI capabilities |
0.0 |
0.0 |
|
User Management |
2.8 |
7.7 |
| Overall |
5.8 |
6.6 |
Best for ecommerce
5.2
7.1
Verdict
: For businesses focused on ecommerce, Volusion is the superior choice, offering a more robust set of features tailored for online stores compared to Format.
-
Format
: While Format provides basic ecommerce functionalities and is an excellent platform for creative professionals to showcase and sell their work, its ecommerce capabilities are limited. It’s best suited for artists and photographers who need to sell a small number of items alongside their portfolios. -
Volusion
: With a higher ecommerce score and a comprehensive set of tools designed specifically for online stores, Volusion stands out for businesses that aim to grow and manage their ecommerce operations extensively. It offers better product management, payment processing, and marketing tools, making it a more suitable option for a dedicated ecommerce business.
Best for informational & business websites
7.2
7.2
Verdict
: With identical scores for informational and business websites, both Format and Volusion offer unique advantages depending on the specific needs of the website owner.
-
Format
: Tailored for creative professionals, Format shines with its visually appealing templates and intuitive design interface, making it ideal for portfolios and websites that prioritize aesthetics and creativity. Its focus on showcasing creative work effectively makes it a strong contender for informational websites in the creative industry. -
Volusion
: Designed with e-commerce in mind, Volusion provides robust tools for businesses looking to sell online. However, its customizable templates and comprehensive features also make it a viable option for creating informational websites, especially for businesses that may expand into e-commerce.
Detailed comparison
Design functionalities & templates
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
7.0
6.1
🏆
Winner: Format.
If you’re a creative professional looking for a platform that offers a range of customizable templates tailored to showcase portfolios in a visually appealing manner, Format is the preferred choice.
Format is a website builder specifically designed for creatives, offering nearly 100 customizable templates tailored for various artistic disciplines. It emphasizes high-quality imagery and mobile-friendly designs, ensuring portfolios look professional on any device.
On the other hand, Volusion, as a website builder, offers a variety of design templates tailored to meet the diverse needs of online stores and businesses. The platform provides users with over 30 professionally designed, responsive templates. These templates are crafted to cater to a wide range of industries, ensuring that businesses of all types can find a design that aligns with their brand identity and goals.
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Ease of use
Ease of useReflects the platform’s overall user-friendliness.Score
Components:
- Learning curve (40%): Quickness and ease of getting started.
- Interface design (30%): Simplicity and intuitiveness of layout.
- User guidance (20%): Quality of tutorials and support.
- Flexibility (10%): Adaptability to various user skills.
8.3
6.9
🏆 Winner: Format
. With a score of 8.3, Format is designed specifically for creative professionals, offering an intuitive drag-and-drop interface and a range of customizable templates. Volusion, scoring 6.9, provides a user-friendly interface but may require a steeper learning curve for more advanced functionalities. If ease of use is a priority, Format is the clear winner in this category.
Learning Resources
🏆 Winner: Volusion
. Both platforms offer solid learning resources, but Volusion goes a step further with its detailed guides, video tutorials, and a dedicated support center that covers a wide range of topics from basic setup to advanced customization options.
For ecommerce
EcommerceMeasures the platform’s effectiveness in supporting online business activities.Score Components:
- Ecommerce themes and templates (20%): Variety and design of templates.
- Product management (25%): Ease of managing and organizing products.
- Payment options (25%): Variety and convenience of payment methods.
- Ecommerce features (20%): Features for managing an ecommerce store.
- Integration (10%): Compatibility with external e-commerce tools and services.
5.2
7.1
When it comes to ecommerce, Volusion outperforms Format with a score of 7.1 against 5.2. Volusion is an all-in-one ecommerce solution designed to help businesses build, manage, and expand their online stores. It offers a range of customizable templates, a comprehensive product management system, secure payment processing, and tools for marketing and SEO. On the other hand, Format is a website builder specifically designed for creative professionals such as photographers, artists, designers, and illustrators. It offers basic ecommerce functionalities for selling physical and digital products.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Ecommerce themes and templates |
4.0 |
6.5 |
|
Product page customization |
5.5 |
7.0 |
|
Payment processing and commissions |
4.5 |
7.5 |
|
POS capabilities |
0.0 |
7.0 |
|
Payment gateways |
6.5 |
7.5 |
|
Product numbers |
5.0 |
6.0 |
|
Additional ecommerce features |
3.5 |
7.0 |
Format ecommerce features:
- Inventory management and tracking
- Discounts
- Multiple currency options
Volusion ecommerce features:
- Ecommerce Product listings
- Payment Gateways
- Multiple Currencies support
- Shipping options
- SEO tools
- Social Media Integration
Ecommerce themes & templates
Format does not offer ecommerce-specific templates, which may limit its appeal for businesses looking to create a comprehensive online store. On the other hand, Volusion offers a selection of ecommerce-specific templates designed to cater to various store aesthetics and needs. They provide 14 free themes and 38 paid themes, each costing $180. These templates are mobile responsive, ensuring that your online store is accessible and user-friendly across all devices.
Product page customization
Format offers limited specific details on product page customization directly, but its e-commerce features suggest a focus on showcasing products through high-quality imagery and detailed descriptions. In contrast, Volusion offers a range of ecommerce product page customization options to enhance the shopping experience. Users can modify product descriptions, images, and videos to showcase their items effectively. The platform allows for the customization of options and variants, such as size and color, to provide a more detailed and user-friendly product selection process.
Payment processing
Format offers integration with major payment gateways, including Paypal and Stripe. It charges a 15% commission on the Pro plan and 5% on the Pro Plus plan. However, the platform does not have built-in POS (Point of Sale) capabilities. In contrast, Volusion offers a comprehensive eCommerce platform that supports various payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, and its own solution, Volusion Payments, tailored for U.S.-based merchants. The platform is distinctive for its low transaction fees, which vary based on the subscription plan. Additionally, Volusion provides POS capabilities, enabling seamless sales both online and in physical locations.
Website Editors
Website EditorsEvaluates the platforms’ website building and editing capabilities.Score Components:
- Customization tools (40%): Range and power of editing features.
- Editor usability (30%): User experience within the editor.
- Design flexibility (20%): Freedom in layout and design changes.
- Update and maintenance ease (10%): Simplicity of updating and maintaining the site.
7.5
7.1
🏆
Winner: Format
. Format, with a score of 7.5, offers a variety of features for creating online portfolios. It provides nearly 100 professionally designed templates and thousands of design variations without requiring any coding. Users can express creativity with custom pages, incorporating unique gallery layouts, colors, text formatting, and custom code embeds. The templates and pages are fully responsive, ensuring a mobile-first experience. Format also supports direct video hosting, high-quality image rendering, and easy template switching to give sites a new look. Additionally, it includes studio management tools, e-commerce capabilities, and SEO tools.
Volusion’s website builder editor, scoring 7.1, is designed for ease of use, catering to both beginners and experienced users. It offers a drag-and-drop interface, allowing users to easily add, remove, or modify elements on their website without needing to code. Users can customize their site’s layout, adjust colors, fonts, and images, and even integrate various functionalities like social media links, shopping carts, and payment gateways. Additionally, Volusion provides a range of templates and themes to kickstart the design process, making it straightforward to create a professional-looking online store or website.
Mobile editor/app
4.0
4.5
🏆
Winner: Volusion
. Both Format and Volusion do not offer a dedicated mobile editor app, but they allow editing on a mobile browser. However, the experience might not be optimal due to the smaller screen size and the interface being the same as the desktop version.
Format, a website builder specifically designed for creative professionals, does not offer a dedicated app for editing on mobile devices. While it is possible to edit your website using a mobile browser, the interface presented is the same as the desktop version, making it difficult to use on a smartphone.
Volusion, an all-in-one e-commerce solution, also does not have a dedicated mobile editor app. It is possible to edit on a mobile browser, but navigating through the admin dashboard could be difficult due to the smaller screen size.
In summary, while both platforms lack a dedicated mobile app for editing, Volusion scores slightly higher, indicating that it might offer a slightly better mobile editing experience than Format.
Product testing options
Product Testing OptionsAssesses the options for trying out platform features before commitment.Score Components:
- Trial quality (40%): Extent and usefulness of the trial or free version.
- Feature accessibility (30%): How many features are available to test.
- Trial duration (20%): Length of the trial period.
- Ease of transition (10%): Smoothness of moving from trial to paid plans.
8.3
7.6
Overall Result
:
Format wins
. Format scores 8.3 in product testing options, slightly higher than Volusion’s 7.6. Both Format and Volusion offer a 14-day free trial where users can test premium features. However, Format stands out with its 30-day money back guarantee, providing an additional safety net for users.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Free Plan |
No | No |
|
Trial Duration |
14 days | 14 days |
|
Testing Premium Features |
Yes, during free trial | Yes, during free trial |
|
Money Back Guarantee |
30-day money back guarantee |
No |
Price
PriceLooks at the cost-effectiveness and value for money of each platform.Score Components:
- Plan value (40%): What each pricing tier offers.
- Transparency and clarity (30%): Clearness of pricing structures.
- Flexibility of plans (20%): Range of options to suit different budgets.
- Hidden costs (10%): Additional expenses not included in the plan.
7.9
7.6
Format and Volusion have similar price scores, with Format slightly leading. Format offers a range of plans tailored for creative professionals, with discounts of up to 60% for annual subscriptions. However, it does not offer an enterprise plan. On the other hand, Volusion offers a range of plans designed for businesses of all sizes, including an enterprise-level plan with custom pricing. However, its discounts for annual subscriptions are lower, at up to 10%.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
$10-$20 |
Basic ($12.00/month): Offers core services like mobile-optimized site, up to 10 web pages, and up to 70 high-resolution images. 3 client galleries, up to 2GB file transfers. No video uploads or custom code editor. Value for price: 5.0 |
No offering at this amount. |
|
$20-$30 |
Pro ($24.00/month): Includes all from Basic, plus unlimited web pages, 1500 high-resolution images,15 mins video hosting, 100GB cloud storage, a free custom domain, Online Store with up to 15 products, 50 client galleries and up to 5GB file transfers. Value for price: 7.5 |
No offering at this amount. |
|
$30-$40 |
Pro Plus ($36.00/month): Adds on Pro features with priority support, unlimited pages and high-res images, 120 mins video hosting, and 1TB cloud storage. Online Store with up to 1000 products, 250 client galleries and 10GB file transfers. Value for price: 8.5 |
Personal ($35/month): Suitable for small businesses, allowing up to 100 products, 1 staff account, and offers support via live chat and email. Supports stores with up to $50K in GMV/year. This plan allows to manage 1 website and there is no limitation of number of pages offered. Value for price: 6.5 |
|
$70-$80 |
No offering at this amount. |
Professional ($79/month): Targets growing businesses with up to 5,000 products, 5 staff accounts, and additional features like newsletters, abandoned cart reports, and phone orders. Supports up to $100K in GMV/year. This plan allows to manage 1 website and there is no limitation of number of pages offered. Value for price: 7.5 |
|
$200+ |
No offering at this amount. |
Business ($299/month): Designed for large stores, offering unlimited products, 15 staff accounts, priority support, and integrations with Amazon and eBay. Supports stores with up to $500K in GMV/year. This plan allows to manage 1 website and there is no limitation of number of pages offered. Value for Price: 8.0 |
location. As a result in rare cases the prices displayed here can differ from the ones you see on their
websites.
Hosting quality
Hosting
qualityExamines the reliability and performance of the hosting solutions.Score Components:
- Uptime (40%): Consistency and reliability of website availability.
- Speed (30%): Loading times and performance.
- Bandwidth and storage (20%): Sufficiency of resources provided.
- Data centers (10%): Quality and distribution of hosting infrastructure.
5.0
7.0
Winner: Volusion
. Volusion offers managed cloud hosting with a 99.9% uptime guarantee, making it a more reliable choice for businesses. Format, while offering hosting, does not provide detailed information about its hosting type, uptime, or data centers, which can be a concern for users seeking transparency and reliability.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Do they offer hosting? |
Yes | Yes |
|
Type of hosting: |
Not disclosed | Managed Cloud Hosting |
|
Uptime: |
Not disclosed | 99.9% |
|
Uptime Guarantee: |
No | Yes, 99.9% |
|
Data Centers: |
Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
Website Speed Optimization
Website Speed OptimizationEvaluates optimization of website loading timesScore Components:
- PageSpeed Score (30%): Google’s score indicating performance optimization.
- Loading Time (30%): The average time until a website is fully interactive.
- Mobile Optimization (15%): Optimization effectiveness for mobile devices.
- Resource Optimization (15%): Optimizing images, scripts, and other heavy resources.
- CDN Usage (10%): Use of CDN to enhance speed across geolocations.
5.0
7.1
🏆 Winner: Volusion
Both Format and Volusion prioritize website performance and page speed, but Volusion’s comprehensive approach to speed optimization gives it an edge over Format.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Focus |
Image and video optimization |
CDN, Image optimization, Code minification |
|
Performance Tools |
Not specified |
Regular Monitoring and Updates, SEO optimization |
|
Key Strategies |
Image and video optimization |
CDN, Image optimization, Code minification, Regular Monitoring and Updates, SEO optimization |
|
Load Times |
Varies depending on optimization and website complexity |
Varies depending on the optimization, website complexity |
|
Page Speed Scores Range |
Not specified |
Not specified |
|
Core Web Vitals Improvement |
Not disclosed |
Implementing various performance optimization techniques |
Volusion’s approach to enhancing site speed includes a comprehensive set of strategies such as CDN, image optimization, code minification, regular monitoring and updates, and SEO optimization. This approach leverages Volusion’s infrastructure to boost load speed. Volusion also focuses on improving Core Web Vitals (CWV) scores by implementing various performance optimization techniques. However, the exact load times and PageSpeed scores vary widely, depending on the optimization and website complexity.
On the other hand, Format’s approach to speed optimization is primarily focused on image and video optimization. However, Format does not disclose any specific information on their Core Web Vitals improvements. The load times and PageSpeed scores vary depending on the optimization and website complexity.
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Plugins and integrations
Plugins and integrationsMeasures the range and effectiveness of additional plugins and integrations.Score Components:
- Variety of options (40%): Range of available add-ons.
- Integration smoothness (30%): Ease of integrating plugins into the site.
- Quality of plugins (20%): Functionality and reliability of the options.
- Custom integration capabilities (10%): Support for custom or third-party integrations.
4.9
6.8
🏆 Winner: Volusion.
With a score of 6.8, Volusion offers a more extensive range of integrations compared to Format, which scores 4.9. Volusion’s marketplace provides a variety of integrations across different categories, enhancing its ecommerce platform’s capabilities. On the other hand, Format offers a limited selection of plugins/integrations, which may pose a challenge for users looking for a more extensive suite of tools to customize and enhance their website’s functionality.
Marketing Features
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
5.3
6.9
🏆
Overall Winner: Volusion
. Volusion stands out for its more advanced ecommerce-focused marketing tools, especially in SEO, social media integration, and analytics and reporting. Format is strong in email marketing and blogging, ideal for content-driven strategies.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
SEO Tools |
Basic SEO tools for managing page titles, meta descriptions, and image alt tags |
Advanced SEO features for online stores, including meta editing, automatic sitemaps, and custom URLs |
|
Email Marketing |
Basic email marketing features, with integration of branded email and email subscriber forms |
Email marketing through integrations with third-party services |
|
Blogging |
Blog posts and comments |
No blogging features |
|
Social Media Integration |
Direct Instagram integration for displaying Instagram feed on the website |
Integration with major social media platforms for social sharing, advertising, and direct selling |
|
Analytics and Reporting |
Google Analytics integration for tracking visitor traffic and page views |
Comprehensive analytics and reporting tools, including sales trends, top products, site traffic, and custom reporting |
|
Ads and Promotions |
Basic promotional features, including discounts and discount codes |
Direct advertisement and promotion through Google AdWords and product display on Google search results |
Customer Support
Customer supportEvaluates the quality and availability of support options.Score Components:
- Response time (40%): Speed of support responses.
- Support quality (30%): Effectiveness and helpfulness of the support.
- Availability (20%): Range of support channels (phone, chat, email).
- Resource richness (10%): Quality of self-help and educational materials.
7.0
7.0
🏆 Winner: Volusion
. Both Format and Volusion have a customer support score of 7.0, indicating that they both provide reliable customer support. However, Volusion has a slight edge over Format due to its comprehensive enterprise support.
Format offers 24/7 customer support through email or live chat, ensuring that users can get help whenever they need it. However, it does not provide any specific support for enterprises.
On the other hand, Volusion provides phone support during business hours and 24/7 chat support. For enterprise customers, Volusion offers priority phone and live chat support during working hours, 24/7 mail support, and a dedicated client success manager. This comprehensive support system makes Volusion a better choice for businesses that require extensive support.
Security
SecurityLooks at the platforms’ security measures and data protection.Score Components:
- Data protection (40%): Safeguards for user and customer data.
- SSL and encryption (30%): Implementation of secure connections.
- Compliance (20%): Adherence to industry security standards.
- Regular updates (10%): Frequency of security updates and patches.
7.4
8.7
🏆
Winner: Volusion
. Volusion’s security measures are more comprehensive, especially for ecommerce websites. It provides robust security features including SSL certificates for secure transactions, PCI DSS compliance to protect credit card information, and firewalls to prevent unauthorized access. The platform ensures data encryption to safeguard customer and payment data, along with regular security audits and DDoS protection to maintain website integrity and availability. Additionally, features like two-factor authentication and automated backups are implemented to enhance security and data recovery efforts.
Format, on the other hand, also prioritizes data privacy and security, but its measures are not as comprehensive as Volusion’s. It offers encrypted data storage and strict access controls, and it complies with data protection regulations like GDPR. However, it lacks some of the specialized security features that Volusion offers for ecommerce websites.
AI Capabilities
AI capabilitiesMeasures the effectiveness of AI-driven features and tools.Score Components:
- Automation efficiency (40%): Impact of AI on streamlining processes.
- Personalization (30%): AI-driven customization for users or customers.
- AI-Assisted design (20%): Role of AI in website design and functionality.
- Data analysis (10%): Use of AI in interpreting user data and analytics.
0.0
0.0
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
AI Website Builder |
|
|
|
AI Ecommerce Features |
|
|
|
AI Content Generation |
|
|
|
Additional AI Features |
|
|
🏆 Winner: Tie
. Neither Format nor Volusion offer AI capabilities. Both platforms focus on providing a user-friendly interface and a range of features for building and managing online presence or ecommerce stores, but they do not incorporate AI tools or features in their offerings.
User Management
User ManagementAssesses the platforms’ capabilities in managing user roles, permissions, and accessibility.Score Components:
- Role Customization (40%): Flexibility in creating and defining user roles and
permissions. - Ease of Management (30%): User interface and tools for managing users.
- Access Control (20%): Effectiveness of access control measures for different user
levels. - Scalability (10%): Ability to manage a growing number of users efficiently.
2.8
7.7
🏆 Winner: Volusion
. The user management capabilities of Format and Volusion are quite different.
- Format allows only one user to manage and edit websites, which might be limiting for larger teams or projects.
- Volusion, on the other hand, offers customizable user account management with various roles and permissions tailored for efficient online store operation. These roles, including Administrator, Editor/Manager, Customer Service, and Marketing, provide different access levels for tasks like site design, order processing, and analytics. Subscription plans determine the number of staff accounts available: 1 in the Personal Plan, 5 in the Professional Plan, 15 in the Business Plan, and unlimited in the Prime Plan. This range ensures scalability and flexibility to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes, enabling effective management and operation of eCommerce teams across different business scales.
Given these differences, Volusion’s user management capabilities are more robust and flexible, making it the winner in this category.
Additional Features
|
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|
|---|---|---|
|
SSL Certificate |
|
|
|
Custom Domain |
|
|
|
Free Custom Domain Included |
|
|
|
International Domains |
|
|
|
Mobile Responsive |
|
|
|
Page Speed |
|
|
|
Website Builder Mobile App |
|
|
|
Convert a Website To An App |
|
|
|
Website Analytics |
|
|
|
Multilingual Sites |
|
|
|
Multiple Users |
|
|
User Feedback
Users highly praise Format for its user-friendly website builder, particularly noting the ease of adding images and the effectiveness of customer service. Many reviewers appreciate the variety of modern templates and the platform’s suitability for users without technical expertise, especially photographers. Format’s mobile app and proofing section receive special mentions for their convenience and functionality. However, some users desire more customization options, particularly for mobile views, and mention minor limitations in template flexibility and SEO functionality. Overall, Format is celebrated for its ability to provide a professional online presence easily and efficiently, solving users’ needs for showcasing work and attracting new clients.
Users generally appreciate Volusion’s affordability compared to competitors like Shopify, finding its simplified user interface suitable for non-tech users. However, there are concerns about its limited integrations and frequent technical issues, such as crashes and slow support responses. Some users feel that Volusion lacks the advanced features and customization options offered by competitors like Shopify, making it less competitive in the market. Despite these drawbacks, Volusion remains a feasible option for small to medium-sized businesses seeking a budget-friendly solution for establishing an online store.
The making of this blog
We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.
FAQ
Which platform is better for creative professionals, Format or Volusion?
Can I use Format or Volusion for selling products online?
How do Format and Volusion compare in terms of ease of use?
Which platform offers better customer support, Format or Volusion?
Are there any significant differences in the hosting quality between Format and Volusion?
Which platform is better for SEO and marketing features?
Can I manage multiple users with Format or Volusion?
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