VTEX vs SHOP vs WIX vs CART vs MELI

For growth investors, MercadoLibre, Inc.

(MELI) is the stronger pick with 39. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 6. 1% for Vtex (VTEX). Instacart (Maplebear Inc. ) (CART) offers the better valuation at 27. 7x trailing P/E (16. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Vtex (VTEX) a "Buy" — based on 13 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Instacart (Maplebear Inc.

) (CART) is the cheapest at 27. 7x versus Shopify Inc. at 114. 5x. On forward P/E, Wix. com Ltd. is actually cheaper at 12. 5x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Instacart (Maplebear Inc.

) (CART) delivered a total return of +29. 8%, compared to -82. 7% for Vtex (VTEX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SHOP returned +36. 7% versus VTEX's -82. 6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Instacart (Maplebear Inc.

) (CART) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 39β versus Shopify Inc. 's 2. 64β — meaning SHOP is approximately 582% more volatile than CART relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Instacart (Maplebear Inc. ) (CART) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 169% for MercadoLibre, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), MercadoLibre, Inc.

(MELI) is pulling ahead at 39. 1% versus 6. 1% for Vtex (VTEX). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Instacart (Maplebear Inc. ) grew EPS 112. 7% year-over-year, compared to -62. 7% for Wix. com Ltd.. Over a 3-year CAGR, MELI leads at 38. 9% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Instacart (Maplebear Inc.

) (CART) is the more profitable company, earning 13. 5% net margin versus 2. 5% for Wix. com Ltd. — meaning it keeps 13. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CART leads at 14. 5% versus 0. 1% for WIX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — VTEX leads at 77. 5%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Wix.

com Ltd. (WIX) trades at 12. 5x forward P/E versus 58. 7x for Shopify Inc. — 46. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for WIX: 76. 5% to $135. 92.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, MercadoLibre, Inc.

(MELI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 20), +1339% 10Y return). Shopify Inc. (SHOP) carries a higher beta of 2. 64 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (MELI: +1339%, SHOP: +36. 7%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

These companies operate in different sectors (VTEX (Technology) and SHOP (Technology) and WIX (Technology) and CART (Consumer Cyclical) and MELI (Consumer Cyclical)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: VTEX is a small-cap quality compounder stock; SHOP is a mid-cap high-growth stock; WIX is a small-cap quality compounder stock; CART is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; MELI is a mid-cap high-growth stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.