Shopify vs WooCommerce: which is better for your online store?
Both run millions of stores. The right one depends on how much control you want, who will run the store, and how fast you need to start selling.
Shopify and WooCommerce are the two most popular ways to build an online store. They solve the same problem in different ways. Shopify is a hosted platform you subscribe to: hosting, security and updates are handled for you. WooCommerce is a free plugin that turns a WordPress website into a store you host and control yourself.
The short answer
- Choose Shopify if you want to start selling fast, with the least technical upkeep.
- Choose WooCommerce if you want full control over your store and data, already run a WordPress site, or need features a hosted platform can't offer.
Side-by-side comparison
| Compared | Shopify | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | An all-in-one, hosted store platform | A free plugin for WordPress |
| Hosting and security | Included and handled by Shopify | Your own hosting, kept updated by you or your developer |
| Running costs | A monthly plan, plus paid apps and payment fees | Hosting and domain, plus paid extensions and payment fees |
| Ease of use | The easiest to run day to day | Flexible, with a little more upkeep |
| Design and features | Themes and a large app store | Themes, plugins and full access to the code |
| Payments | Shopify Payments where available, or other gateways | Stripe, PayPal and many local gateways through extensions |
When Shopify is the better choice
- You want a professional store live quickly and don't want to manage hosting or updates.
- Your team isn't technical and needs a simple admin for products, orders and discounts.
- You expect to grow fast and want the platform to handle traffic spikes for you.
When WooCommerce is the better choice
- You already have a WordPress website with content that ranks, and want the store on the same site.
- You want full ownership of the code, the data and the hosting.
- You need custom features, product types or checkout rules that a hosted platform makes difficult.
What about costs?
Neither is "free" once you start selling. With Shopify you pay a monthly plan, any paid apps and payment processing fees. With WooCommerce the plugin is free, but you pay for hosting, a domain, any paid extensions and payment processing fees — and someone has to keep it updated. Both change their prices from time to time, so check the current plans on Shopify's pricing page and WooCommerce.com before you decide.
Can you switch later?
Yes. Products, customers and orders can be moved from one platform to the other. The important part is protecting your search rankings: keep or redirect every old URL and carry over titles and descriptions. Done carefully, customers and search engines barely notice the move.
How to decide in five minutes
- Who will run the store every day — you, a non-technical team, or a developer?
- Do you already have a WordPress site worth keeping?
- Do you need anything unusual: custom product options, bookings, subscriptions or special checkout rules?
- Which payment methods do your customers use, and are they available on each platform in your country?
Still unsure? Tell us what you sell and where — we'll recommend the platform that fits, and build the store in days.
