Shopify vs. WooCommerce: Which Is the Best eCommerce Platform
The billion-dollar e-commerce business is rapidly growing, allowing entrepreneurs to invest with confidence. According to one statistic, the overall market size of e-commerce is approx 20.1% of total global retail. Thanks to platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce, entrepreneurs have options to build their retail businesses. However, when deciding Shopify vs WooCommerce, you need complete insight into the two.
It is more critical than ever for enterprises. Understanding their fundamental distinctions, advantages, and disadvantages can help organizations make more educated decisions about scalable expansion, effective e-commerce app development, and integration with a modern CRM system.
In this article, we delve into insight into these two proficient e-commerce development platforms. We will also get an insight into the differences between the two.
WooCommerce vs Shopify- An Overview
WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin, unlike Shopify which is a stand-alone platform and requires no development or hosting experience. Let us get an insight into these two platforms based on many elements to grasp their differences better.
What is WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is an open-source WordPress plugin that allows you to construct an online store. It is not an independent e-commerce platform. WooCommerce makes it simple to construct an online store and use all of its capabilities to ensure that your site reaches the largest possible audience.
WooCommerce, which debuted in 2011, quickly gained traction in the e-commerce business. Currently, it has around 6.2 million active users. This is owing to its ease of use, advanced capabilities, and limitless customisation possibilities. Even better, you can run your online store using WordPress, the world’s most popular content management system (CMS).
What is Shopify?
Shopify, unlike WooCommerce, is not an open-source platform but comes with a host of features to fulfil various e-commerce app development and website demands. Shopify charges a monthly fee along with a commission on each sale. However, Shopify makes it simple for beginners to create an online business from scratch, even if they lack technical abilities. That being said, customization may necessitate professional assistance.
Overall, Shopify is well-known for its user-friendly interface, which serves as a precedent for other e-commerce platforms. There are around 4.25 million Shopify users, and the number is quite increasing thanks to the increasing e-commerce market.
Shopify vs. WooCommerce Comparision Table
| Features | Shopify | WooCommerce |
| Easy to use | No technical skills required | Requires technical skills and WordPress setup |
| e-commerce features | Features based on the pricing plan | Has basic built-in eCommerce features along with various extension options |
| Cost | Price options range from $9 to $299 per month | Available for free but paid plugins and add-ons can run around $50 on average |
| Customization | Limited options and relies on flexibility | Easy to customize. However, advanced customization requires coding. |
| Payment Gateways | Supports multiple gateways, but charges transaction fees of 2.4%, unless Shopify payment used | Supports multiple gateways with no additional fees. |
| Security | 24/7 support | Community support and documentation; but no official support. |
| Plugins and Extensions | Around 8000 apps are available in the Shopify app. | Over 850 WooCommerce extensions, along with 59,000 WordPress plugins available. |
WooCommerce vs Shopify: Comparison
Irrespective of the platform you choose between WooCommerce vs Shopify, it is important to have a detailed comparison insight between the two.
1. Dropshipping
Dropshipping is a business strategy in which an online retailer works as a middleman between buyers and sellers, allowing them to operate without owning inventory.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a popular dropshipping platform because of its ease of installation and integration with extensions. There are various dropshipping extensions in WordPress, as well as third-party extensions, which may be found by searching “WooCommerce dropshipping extensions” on Google.
WooCommerce allows you to access a wide range of plugins and themes, making it very customizable. Some of the dropshipping tools available are-
- DropshipMe
- AliDropship
- YouDrop
Shopify
Shopify is considered the best platform for dropshipping, thanks to various extensions helping you to streamline your store. Some of the options are-
- Ali Orders AliExpress Dropship
- MIIUT ‑ Unlimited Dropshipping
- CJDropshipping
So, who is the winner? Both WooCommerce and Shopify are the best options for dropshipping businesses. However, WooCommerce enjoys a little more advantage due to its ease of use and large number of extensions, which make it very customizable. While Shopify does provide certain customization choices, these may be limited.
2. Hosted vs. Self-Hosted Solutions
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a self-hosted platform that requires the user to have a hosting account and a domain name, as well as user-managed web stores. This gives the user more control over the technical parts of your store and opens up more customization opportunities. However, you are also responsible for maintaining your store’s technical features, such as hosting and payment processing.
Shopify
Unlike WooCommerce, Shopify is a hosted platform that provides an all-in-one solution for managing the technical parts of running an online store, such as hosting, website design, and payment processing. With basic Shopify, you can concentrate on expanding your business without worrying about the mechanics of running an online store. However, it comes with its disadvantages as you have less control over the technical parts of your store.
The decision of choosing between a hosted and self-hosted solution is based on your tastes and requirements. If you value simplicity, Shopify might be a better option for you. WooCommerce may be the best option for individuals who value greater control and flexibility in their online business.
3. Costing
When you choose between the two platforms, cost is an important aspect to consider. Both WooCommerce and Shopify carry different costs.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is free, making it a cost-effective platform for your WordPress retail site. However, to add more plugins and themes, you will need to fetch some amount. Paid plugins and add-ons can run around $50 on average. Remember that these fees may rise if you require a larger hosting package or extra services.
Shopify
With Shopify, your pricing plan covers everything needed to set up your online store, eliminating the need for third-party hosting, themes, or plugins. However, Shopify’s price options range from $9 to $299 per month, and it charges a transaction fee and other things. It is crucial to realize that more advanced price plans may include capabilities that you do not want, resulting in the payment for underutilized resources.
So, if you choose between the two in terms of factors, you need to consider your e-commerce website aspects. It completely depends on your budget and needs.
4. Setting up the Store
Setting up your online store in any of the two requires certain steps. Depending on interface and features, WooCommerce and Shopify offer equal set-up processes.
Shopify
Shopify has an easy-to-use interface and allows you to set up your store quickly. After signing up for an account, customers may enter the Shopify dashboard for a quick setup tutorial and start customizing their business. Since it is a hosted platform, you don’t have to install, manage, or wait for software updates.
Once you’ve set up your Shopify store, you can manage your products by going to the Products section of the Shopify dashboard, clicking the “Add your products” button, and entering your shipping, inventory, and pricing information.
WooCommerce
Setting up a WooCommerce store requires certain steps than setting up a Shopify store. First, you’ll need to buy web hosting, download and install the free WooCommerce platform, and purchase a premium theme and extensions. This procedure may demand more technical knowledge compared to setting up a Shopify store, but it provides greater customization and freedom in exchange.
5. Themes and Customization
WooCommerce and Shopify come with customization themes. You can choose and reshape your e-commerce site as per the requirement.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce features 91 specialized themes, three of which are free. The WordPress theme directory, which has over 12,000 themes, provides additional free options to help new users get started. Meanwhile, premium solutions are available for varied rates on commercial marketplaces such as ThemeForest and CodeCanyon.
Furthermore, it allows for extensive customization through a variety of means. The simplest option is to use the built-in theme customizer to make minor modifications to your store’s style.
Shopify
Shopify users can enjoy choosing from 203 themes, out of which 13 are free. You can customize these themes according to the requirements. One thing that makes Shopify themes different from WooCommerce is they are polished and seamlessly integrate with your site.
6. Payment Gateway
Shopify and WooCommerce support different payment gateways to accommodate a wide range of customer preferences. Having different payment options allows customers to shop around easily.
Shopify imposes around 2.4% extra fees for external gateways. WooCommerce, on the other hand, provides more flexibility without further expenses. Both platforms support a variety of payment channels, including popular alternatives such as Shopify Payments, Stripe, PayPal, and others. This gives your consumers a range of payment options to select from, boosting the chances of a successful transaction and a smooth checkout experience.
In terms of choosing between the two, WooCommerce is a preferred option, unless you are ok to pay extra fees while using Shopify.
Shopify vs. WooCommerce vs BigCommerce- Understanding wider platform options
Similar to Shopify and WooCommerce, BigCommerce is a platform that allows you to build an e-commerce store. When you choose the e-commerce app development from a reputed service provider, you can give an option among the three. What makes BigCommerce a good option, besides the rest two, is its user-friendly features. It strikes a good balance between WooCommerce and Shopify.
However, when it comes to integration, WooCommerce and Shopify are considered the best option. BigCommerce’s built-in capabilities eliminate the need for extra apps. Shopify thrives at partnering with e-commerce app development solutions, whereas WooCommerce is ideal for businesses that already use WordPress.
Who should use WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is ideal for those who desire complete control over customizing and optimising their eCommerce store. Using free WooCommerce plugins makes this platform an excellent Shopify alternative for those on a tight budget who want to develop their sites progressively.
Who Should Use Shopify?
Shopify delivers all of the resources required to quickly and easily create an eCommerce website. The platform handles all of the backend work, allowing you to focus solely on creating a successful online store. Shopify’s fixed pricing plans can be significantly expensive when first starting and building up.
Final Verdict
The ultimate decision between Shopify and WooCommerce is based on the size of your business, money, and technical expertise. Both platforms are solid, with BigCommerce working as an additional option. As e-commerce evolves, adding elements such as e-commerce app development and new CRM systems will be critical to remaining competitive.
