Shopify vs WooCommerce: Which is the Best eCommerce Platform?

When it comes to launching an online store, two particular options stand the head above the rest: WooCommerce and Shopify. 

To put it simply, WooCommerce and Shopify are two of the most popular and simple-to-use eCommerce platforms on the market. Both WooCommerce and Shopify have a number of advantages and wonderful features. 

One of the best parts of using Shopify or WooCommerce is that you can create an e-commerce site without any assistance from expert designers and/or developers.

Before choosing either of the options, here are a few questions that you need to ask yourself: 

• Does Shopify or WooCommerce (for developing a superb online shop), better suit your individual needs?
• Which has the most features? 
• Which is the less expensive option? 
• Which one is more attractive? 
• Which one is more adaptable? 
• Which is the most straightforward to deal with?

And in this article, we will look into a detailed comparison between WooCommerce vs Shopify and will assist you to find the ideal platform for you to use to create an online business 😊

Let’s get started…💨

Overview

Before getting started with the comparison, here is a quick overview of both the e-commerce platforms.

What is WooCommerce?

WooCommerce is a WordPress-based eCommerce plugin. With WooCommerce you’ll get the most capable content management system (CMS) running your online store. 

With WooCommerce you may personalize every part of your store and create custom extensions because of its open-source nature. In this article, we will look into the full WooCommerce review to learn more about this fantastic platform.

What is Shopify?

Shopify is a dedicated eCommerce platform that allows you to build an online store without having to worry about technical knowledge; everything is included in the Shopify package, including hosting, security, and domain registration.

You only need to purchase the Shopify package, and can immediately begin monetizing it. Here’s the in-depth Shopify review you’re looking for.

😐 Do Keep in Mind…

No platform appears to be completely flawless. They usually come with a collection of outstanding features as well as some limitations. The most important thing is to make sure the platform you choose has all of the features you require.

WooCommerce vs Shopify

When we compare WooCommerce vs Shopify, we will see that they both have many advantages and some disadvantages. Let’s look at which characteristics can be linked to each platform.

WooCommerce Pros & Cons

WooCommerce is a self-hosted e-commerce platform. That means your store’s files are hosted on your own server, and you have complete control over how you alter your store. Let’s have a look at its pros and cons below: 

Pros 😀

• Higher in customization. WooCommerce gives you unlimited control over your site.
• WooCommerce WordPress has a commendable online community. With over 123 million downloads.
• With WooCommerce almost anybody can create an online store, because of its limitless themes and plugins.
• WooCommerce’s incredible versatility allows you to realize your e-commerce goals.
• On WordPress, WooCommerce is pretty simple to set up.
• WooCommerce is a free plugin.

Cons 😔

• There is a little learning period of adjustment with WordPress.
• Due to plugins, themes, and hosting costs WooCommerce may end up being a little expensive.
• With WooCommerce you’re responsible for everything, including hosting, security, and backups.

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Shopify Pros & Cons

Shopify is a hosted platform. That means Shopify hosts and administers the software for you, and while you have a lot of flexibility, you can only make modifications that Shopify authorizes. Let’s have a look at its pros and cons below: 

Pros 😀

• You know exactly how much you’ll pay each month, and the prices are reasonable.
• Thousands of apps are available to add to your shop.
• Excellent support system.
• Shopify has plenty of beautiful themes.
• From hosting to security, Shopify takes care of everything.
• It only takes a few minutes to get your store up and running.
• With Shopify, dropshipping is much easier.

Cons 😔

• With Shopify, you don’t have as much control over your site.
• Less customization option.
• You’re locked with a monthly payment that will keep on increasing.

As you can see, both of the platforms have some similarities and dissimilarities. Despite all of the advantages and disadvantages, WooCommerce has better personalization than Shopify. And on the other hand, Shopify is a lot for user friendly than WooCommerce.

Difference between Shopify & WooCommerce

Examining the e-commerce market share is also fascinating. Of course, you shouldn’t choose a solution only on the basis of its popularity, but it might be useful to discover what your competitors are using.

According to BuiltWith, WooCommerce powers 29% percent of the top 1 million websites on the internet as of October 2021. Shopify on the other hand comes in second with 21% percent of the vote.

As we all are aware, WooCommerce is a self-hosted eCommerce software that offers additional customization choices. This means you can use the code to gain access to various areas of your store.

When comparing Shopify versus WooCommerce, keep in mind that the independence that WooCommerce provides comes at a cost. To put it another way, you’ll need to know how to manage your site’s technical aspects and maintain it secure.

Shopify is a wonderful choice if you’re just starting out and don’t want to worry about things like web hosting and hosting provider specifics. If you want more flexibility with your site and currently use WordPress, WooCommerce is the way to go.

Chapter #1: Design & Template

When it comes to themes, we all know how crucial they are for attracting clients. The first impression that customers have of you is really important. It has the power to make or break a company, and a good one can lead to long-term commercial connections.

Let’s compare and match WooCommerce and Shopify themes:

WooCommerce Design & Templates

In terms of WooCommerce’s design and template, it’s like a whole new world opening up in front of your eyes, with a variety of amazing options to pick from.

WooCommerce is designed to work practically with every theme on the market, which means you can use almost any WordPress theme and have it function with WooCommerce.

😲 Check this out!
Are you worried about using the WooCommerce plugin on the WordPress website to set up an eCommerce store? Learn 👉 How to Set Up WooCommerce in WordPress: Guide for Beginner

Shopify Design & Templates

Each Shopify theme has its own set of variations. As a result, you’ll have access to over 100 alternative designs. Shopify themes are often sleek and tidy, yet feature-rich and mobile-friendly, and are created by a group of expert website designers.

Apart from that, utilizing the Liquid code and the theme editor, these themes may be easily changed by your Shopify admin.

All of this boils down to the fact that Shopify offers fantastic themes, but they are limited to what is available in its theme store. WooCommerce, on the other hand, has a dynamic community of developers and freelancers that have created a variety of fantastic themes.

Chapter #2: Features

While the price strategies of both platforms differ, they are identical in terms of providing what your eCommerce site requires. Shopify and WooCommerce, are capable of covering all the basic e-commerce necessities included in the core program.

To help you understand clearly, here’s a side-by-side comparison of Shopify and WooCommerce‘s key eCommerce features:

In the end, however, there is no obvious winner in the category of features. Both platforms include all of the features that a typical eCommerce setup would require.

Chapter #3: Easy to Use

The majority of people who set up an online business aren’t web designers or developers. Even users who are familiar with basic principles want an easy-to-set-up and operate platform.

Let’s explore how WooCommerce and Shopify compare in terms of usability:

✅ WooCommerce Ease of Use

Because WooCommerce isn’t a hosted platform, you’ll need to take care of things like installing, managing updates, backing up your data, and ensuring that your store is secure.

Because you must first install WordPress, setting up WooCommerce is extremely difficult. To install WordPress, follow these steps:

Get a domain name on WordPress > Create a hosting account > WordPress should be installed > Locate and set up a WordPress theme.

After installing WooCommerce, you will see an on-screen setup process; to run your store, you must complete the following five stages.

We strongly advise you to utilize a reputable WordPress hosting service that will handle the entire setup process for you, including hosting, domain registration, and WordPress installation, as those processes do require some level of web knowledge.

✅ Shopify Ease of Use

The biggest benefit of Shopify is that it has an integrated online store, so practically everything is intuitive. Setting up and managing stores on Shopify is a breeze thanks to its user-friendly interface.

To get started with Shopify, go to Shopify.com, sign up for an account, follow the simple set-up instructions, and then start selling. Shopify is made for all types of business owners, including those with no technical experience.

As you can see, Shopify has a clear advantage over WooCommerce in terms of ease of use. WooCommerce is designed for web developers and techies, but Shopify is designed for beginners with no technical knowledge.

Chapter #4: Pricing

Every webmaster wants a little more bang for their buck, however, the two platforms take pricing quite differently:

Shopify focuses on providing you with a single, out-of-the-box solution with a limited number of price options. After you join up, you may immediately start using your brand new eCommerce store because everything you need is included right away.

On the other hand, WooCommerce is an open-source software plugin that is free to use. Yes, the plugin is free, but you must also factor in the additional fees associated with setting up an online store. 

WordPress is also free, but you must factor in costs such as hosting, a theme, a domain name, any further extensions, and an SSL certificate.

When all is said and done, the following is what we get:

• $29 per month for a Shopify eCommerce business with a top-level domain.
• On the same setup, a WooCommerce store costs will also be $29 per month (including $20 for hosting, domain, and SSL).

Even though the WooCommerce software is free, running an actual eCommerce store costs around the same as, if not more than, Shopify at times, depending on your demands.

Chapter #5: SEO

One of the most effective ways to ensure that your customers find you is through SEO. You won’t make any sales unless they find you. It will be a waste of your time, effort, and money.

Strong SEO is required for any website that wishes to make an impact. Fortunately, both candidates have a lot going for them.

✅ How Shopify Helps with SEO

Shopify has certain SEO constraints. Shopify users, in fact, are unable to fully alter their URLs. This is due to Shopify’s inflexible URL structure, which prevents you from changing some elements of your store’s URLs. Furthermore, creating sub-categories on this site is pretty tough.

Nonetheless, Shopify includes all of the essential capabilities for eCommerce SEO, and they’re all rather straightforward to utilize. SEO software for Shopify is also well-known for its ease of installation and use.

✅ How WooCommerce Helps with SEO

On the other hand, WooCommerce’s benefit is that it is based on a dedicated blogging platform. WooCommerce users can optimize product pages by changing body content, basic URL redirections, meta descriptions, alt tags, and other page elements using the WordPress editor.

At the same time, WooCommerce provides a variety of SEO plugins to help you improve your store..

Finally, because WooCommerce is built on top of WordPress, it provides you with additional SEO-specific choices overall.

The main issue is that the speed of your site is mostly determined by the hosting you choose. As a result, Shopify wins the SEO category. You won’t have to bother about optimization very much, and your speeds will always be excellent.

Chapter #6: Security

When it comes to establishing an internet business, security is paramount. As a result, it’s no wonder that many retailers ask, “WooCommerce vs Shopify, which is better for security?”

In fact, when choosing a hosted e-commerce solution over an open-source platform, there is less to worry about in terms of security and data security. To put it another way, Shopify appears to outperform WooCommerce in terms of security.

✅ WooCommerce Security

With WooCommerce, you’re in charge of the majority of the security. To defend your site in further depth, you’ll need to purchase your own SSL certificate, set your site security plugins, enable two-factor authentication, be PCI compliant, and do a few more things on your own.

✅ Shopify Security

On the other side, Shopify handles all updates and security concerns in the background. This platform comes with a free SSL certificate, which encrypts all data exchanged between you and your clients. 

The Shopify system is also hosted on a Level 1 PCI-certified server, which is required to accept credit and debit card information.

Chapter #7: Support

Customer support is one of the important aspects that you need to consider, especially when operating a website. Because you will definitely need it at any point in your e-commerce time.

✅ WooCommerce Support

WooCommerce, like most open-source eCommerce solutions, does not offer live chat, phone, or email support.

WooCommerce, on the other hand, provides plenty of resources for merchants who wish to be in charge of their own support approach. This platform offers support in the form of WooCommerce Docs and a FAQ section where you may find solutions to practically any concern.

Furthermore, WooCommerce users can seek help from a thriving network of peers, developers, and WooExperts in a heartbeat if an unexpected contingency occurs, thanks to its vast user base.

✅ Shopify Support

Shopify, on the other hand, is known for its great customer service, which is available 24/7 through phone, email, and live chat. Aside from that, Shopify has a massive FAQ database as well as a Shopify Forum that is always prepared to lend a hand.

WooCommerce vs Shopify: Which one you should choose?

We’ve come a long way to compare and contrast WooCommerce with Shopify. It’s time to reach a decision:

✨ You should get Shopify
If you’re new to eCommerce or don’t want to deal with technical nuances, Shopify is the way to go. Also, if you want to test things out and try a few products, sign up for a 14-day free trial of Shopify right now to see how it works.

In other words, it is an all-in-one package for your e-commerce site that gets you up and running quickly and has a lot of amazing features and apps, Shopify is the way to go.

✨ You should get WooCommerce
If you prefer a platform with useful SEO capabilities, WooCommerce is the way you should go for. Also, use WooCommerce if you want more support with your design, don’t mind modifying, or your main marketing strategy is to drive visitors through content for search engines.

Furthermore, if you currently have a WordPress website and don’t mind having additional control over your store, WooCommerce is for you.

However, we understand that selecting the best platform for your internet business is a difficult task. As a result, before making a final selection, we recommend you to look closely and think about what features you actually need in your e-commerce store.

Endnotes…

This type of comparison is never straightforward. Our recommendations continuously change based on their unique circumstances.

Lastly, we hope that this post has helped you compare the advantages and disadvantages of Shopify versus WooCommerce. You might also be interested in our guide on selecting the best shopping cart plugin.

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