Shopify consistently ranks among the top e-commerce builder platforms on the market. Shopify is the ideal platform for e-commerce sites that offer a large number of products due to its user-friendly editor, responsive themes, and scalability. But how does it compare with WooCommerce?
Unlike Shopify, a hosted platform created exclusively for online sales, WooCommerce is an e-commerce plugin that operates on top of WordPress. Users will need to choose a domain name for their website and host, download plugins, and possibly add a little coding to customize their store.
Want to know which platform provides the most advanced sales features? Want to know who provides the best safety features for your website? This is your chance to figure out whether WooCommerce vs Shopify is the better platform for your online store.
Shopify: E-Commerce Approach
Shopify, founded in 2006, is a powerful e-commerce system developed by Tobias Lütke and Scott Lake. The platform originated when the creators established an online shop for snowboarding supplies. They weren’t happy with the existing e-commerce platforms and decided to build their own.
Out of the box, Shopify includes everything you need to build a website for your business and start collecting payments:
Since it is a hosted solution, you will not have to think about the technical aspects of running your online business. You also do not need to acquire a separate hosting package.
Shopify sets a premium on easy use. It also includes everything you need to set up an online store within minutes.
These features make Shopify a fantastic choice for anyone looking to launch an e- commerce shop quickly. If you don’t need complete control over the store, Shopify can be a great choice.
WooCommerce: Ecommerce Approach
WooCommerce, on the other hand, is an open-source plugin that can be installed with the WordPress Content Management System (CMS). WooTheme, a WordPress theme developer, produced it, and Automatic acquired it in 2015:
If you’re one of the millions of the WordPress platform users, you can download and set up WooCommerce like any other plugin. If you don’t already have a site, you’ll need to use WordPress as the content management system (CMS) and build one before you are able to consider installing the plugin.
Unlike Shopify, you will need to pay for e-commerce hosting. While WooCommerce can be run on an internal server, many business owners choose separate web hosting services.
The decision you make about web hosting is critical. The right support can reduce your workload by handling several technical responsibilities.
Dropshipping
Dropshipping is a business model in which an online retailer works as an agent between buyers and sellers, allowing them to run without owning inventory.
You need an e-commerce platform designed specifically for dropshipping businesses so as to operate a profitable business. Both WooCommerce and Shopify provide excellent dropshipping possibilities. But let’s see which one is superior.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a popular dropshipping platform because of its simple installation and integration with extensions. There are various dropshipping extensions in the WordPress repository, as well as third-party extensions, which may be found by searching “WooCommerce dropshipping extensions” on Google.
Some popular third-party WooCommerce plugins are DropshipMe, AliDropship, WooDropship, and YouDroop.
WooCommerce allows you to access a wide range of themes and plugins, which makes it very customizable. Check out this page to learn about the WooCommerce Dropshipping Plugins.
Shopify
Shopify is also a great dropshipping platform, with a variety of plugins and extensions to help you streamline your store. Shopify’s top dropshipping add-ons include:
- Spocket
- Ali Orders AliExpress Dropship.
- MIIUT offers unlimited dropshipping.
- CJDropshipping.
Furthermore, Shopify works with third-party dropshipping sites like AliExpress, Printify, and Oberlo.
Winner
Both WooCommerce and Shopify are great platforms for operating a dropshipping business. However, WooCommerce has a little advantage due to its ease of use and large number of extensions, which make it highly configurable. While Shopify does offer certain customisation choices, they may be limited.
Cost
One of the first considerations when opening an internet store is cost. So, how much does WooCommerce/Shopify cost?
The answer is, it depends!
WooCommerce is cheaper because it is free, but Shopify offers solutions that range from $25 to $399 per month and charges between 0.5 and 2% of sales. Let’s look a little further to learn more about the costs of both platforms.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a free WordPress plugin, making it a more affordable option than Shopify. However, other expenses include themes, hosting plans, and plugins.
Paid add-ons and plugins can run around $50 on average. Remember that these fees may rise if you require a larger hosting package or extra services.
In the same line as sensible investments, our Web Hosting Pricing Calculator makes specific recommendations for the best server size based on your traffic. This tool does not end there; it also allows for an in-depth evaluation and leading competitors.
Shopify
With Shopify, your pricing plan includes everything you need for your e-commerce site, removing the need for themes, third-party hosting, or plugins.
However, Shopify’s price options vary between $19 to $299 per month, and it charges a transaction charge for sales made via third-party payment providers. It is crucial to realize that more advanced price plans may include functions that you do not want, resulting in the payment of unused assets.
Winner
While WooCommerce is a more affordable option because it is free and does not charge transaction fees, it is critical to look into all costs, like hosting, themes, and plugins.
Shopify’s pricing plans contain everything you require to run your online business, but the cost could increase as you scale and might include underused resources. Ultimately, the winner is chosen by your individual needs and budget.
Scalability
Scalability is vital when starting an e-commerce business. If your e-commerce platform cannot handle the increased volume of orders, the company will struggle. Here’s a comparison of the scalability of WooCommerce and Shopify, two major e-commerce platforms.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce’s scalability is determined by the web hosting company you choose. The more powerful your hosting company, the more scalable your website with WooCommerce will be.
However, this will result in higher hosting costs, making WooCommerce less affordable than Shopify. However, a reputable hosting company can give the tools required to promote growth and scalability.
Shopify
Shopify handles most technical requirements, including web hosting, which makes it easy to manage bigger stores and more orders. Scaling up is quite simple, as you may upgrade to a higher package as your business expands.
While Shopify web development may be regarded as more expensive, it provides a one-stop solution that eliminates the headache of finding a reputable hosting provider and e-commerce theme, as well as the need to hire a technical team.
Winner
Overall, Shopify is the best option for scalability because it is a hosted platform that handles all of the technical aspects of expanding your store.
Support
Your online store’s success is also dependent on the support given by your e- commerce setup. Here’s a comparison of the support provided by WooCommerce and Shopify.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a free plugin without an official support channel. However, the main WooCommerce website provides a variety of materials, including videos, tutorials, and a FAQ section.
Numerous blogs on the internet discuss WooCommerce thoroughly, which might be useful. A managed WooCommerce hosting company can also offer 24/7 assistance via live chat, phone calls, and Emails.
Shopify
Shopify provides 24-hour support via live chat, phone, and email, making it simple to get support whenever needed.
They also provide an extensive knowledge library and tutorials to help with frequent questions, decreasing the need to call support for each issue. If you require additional support, you can hire Shopify experts.
Winner
Shopify has better customer service than WooCommerce, with a special support team available to provide expert guide on technical issues, sales, and marketing. Conversely, WooCommerce does not have a dedicated support staff.
Integrations and Add-ons
As your online business expands, you’ll need to add more features to streamline the process. WooCommerce and Shopify both provide numerous add-ons and integrations, but let’s examine which platform has the edge in this regard.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce’s open-source nature and connection to WordPress result in an extensive library of extensions and plugins. The WordPress repository contains a large number of free WooCommerce add-ons and extensions that can be simply found and installed, making WordPress development an appealing option for those seeking flexibility and customization.
Furthermore, WooCommerce provides extensions on woocommerce.com, some of them are free while others are for a one-time fee.
Shopify
Shopify also offers a large number of add-ons accessible via its app store. Some add- ons come at no charge while others are either a one-time premium price or a monthly membership. Shopify has an add-on for practically every feature you need.
For email marketing, consider Privy Web Push and OptinMonster. The built-in function, which allows you to choose the type of discount, time frame, and number of users, makes it simple to create Shopify discount coupons. Another excellent example is accessiBe, which enables individuals with disabilities to properly access your store by
providing a user interface through which they may alter design aspects to meet their specific requirements.
Winner
WooCommerce wins in this category because of its extensive library of extensions and plugins, which provides users with greater flexibility and customization choices.
Shopify’s unique nature may limit the number of plugins and extensions available to users.
While Shopify currently offers a wide range of add-ons, WooCommerce’s open-source nature and interaction with WordPress give it an advantage in this category.
Level of Security
The level of security in your online store has a significant impact on the customer experience. Let us examine how each of these platforms performs in terms of privacy.
WooCommerce
The WordPress CMS is the place where things get very exciting for WooCommerce stores. There are numerous plugins that you may add to provide tight-lock security for your businesses. Plugin options include MalCare Security Solution, iThemes Security, Sucuri Security, All In One WordPress Security & Firewall and Wordfence
Also, secure hosting for WooCommerce can provide significant extra layers of protection to your store on WooCommerce.
Shopify
Shopify is a PCI-compliant infrastructure with a sufficient level of security. Shopify stores typically provide users with a secure browsing experience.
However, you will always be limited in options and rely on the platform to continually
upgrade its security standards. Shopify is also not a self-hosted platform; therefore, you cannot improve the security of your store by using your hosting provider.
Winner
In terms of security, WooCommerce comes out on top. Why? Because, unlike Shopify, you have much more control over your store’s security.
Shopify has a decent security protocol but there isn’t much wiggle room. WooCommerce, on the other hand, allows you to have as tight security as you want with top-tier security and web hosting options.
Pros and Cons of Each Platform
They may be two of the most well-known ecommerce platforms around the world. However, as we mentioned above, there is one major key difference between Shopify and WooCommerce:
- Hosted: Shopify hosts and regulates the software, eliminating the need for separate hosting packages.
- Self-Hosted: WooCommerce is a self-hosted e-commerce solution that requires WordPress as the CMS.
Here, Shopify appears to have an advantage. However, there is a compromise. As a hosted platform, you can only make modifications that Shopify allows. You will not encounter these limitations using WooCommerce.
With this in mind, WooCommerce’s primary benefit over Shopify is its versatility. This feature is particularly needed if your goal is to provide a unique consumer experience. For example, you might wish to create a custom checkout procedure or establish a multi-tier pricing scheme.
However, this freedom comes with a cost. WooCommerce is more complicated to configure, demanding a longer setup process.
Assume you plan to market simple products with few variations or a limited number of things. In that situation, you may not require this degree of flexibility. Shopify’s ease of use and integrated hosting make it a more appealing choice in this case.
Shopify, especially Shopify Plus, is also a wonderful option if you want to open a store quickly. As long as you don’t want to sell complicated items or create a personalized shopping experience, Shopify will be enough.
Final Thoughts!
The following are the key elements to consider when deciding whether to use WooCommerce compared to Shopify for your online business.
To summarize, use WooCommerce if your store requires multilingual and/or multi- currency support, allows for customization, integrates with a larger website, requires support/sysadmin, and has a limited budget.
If none of these points are relevant to you and you want a readymade solution, you might want to try Shopify’s 14-day free trial.
Take the time to evaluate both platforms before getting started, as turning from Shopify to WooCommerce can be lengthy and complicated.
