WooCommerce Vs. Shopify: Which One To Choose For eCommerce?

Want to enlist your own business as an online store? Got too confused between WooCommerce and Shopify? Don’t worry at all. You will get to know about both platforms eventually by the end of this content. Along with that, you will be able to know the other details of both of those platforms.

It is really important to know the details about both platforms. Along with their features, pros, and cons. Then only you will be able to decide which platform will be the best option for you. With which platform you will be going to start your online store. 

Not only these, but you need to know what you can expect from both platforms. Also, it is important to know if there is an option for migrating between both the platforms and if you can, what are the steps, and how hard or easy those steps are. 

It is also to be said, there is nothing that is absolutely perfect. This implies the online store platforms as well. Both of them have different features and factors. You just need to find which one is going to fulfill all your asks and what are the points that are making the difference. Then only you will be able to go for the platform that suits best for your online store.

What Is WooCommerce?

When the factor for the online store comes in the term of an open-source platform for eCommerce, then the first name that will come into mind is WooCommerce. This platform is dedicatedly WordPress. Being a WordPress built, this platform can provide you with one of the most powerful Content Management systems or the CMS.

This CMS will help you to run the online store. Along with that as this platform is open-source, you need to go ahead and change anything you want with the help of WordPress. Also, you will be getting the freedom for doing almost anything and any modification to the store. You will be able to have full access to the code and the ownership. Along with that, you will be able to customize the store as you want and also will be able to integrate almost any service. And definitely, you will have almost control of your online store.

What Is Shopify?

When it comes to the eCommerce platform which is a hosted one, you will definitely be thinking of Shopify. Shopify is an eCommerce platform that is hosted. This platform will help you while creating your online store. And for this, you will not have to have any technical knowledge. So, in this platform, you will be able to run your online store without any technical knowledge at all, as the platform is already hosted.

As the platform is already hosted and will allow you to open your online store without any self-created things, they will provide you with all the domain, security, settings, and the other required things. The one thing you need to do is, just buy the domain of the package Shopify. Once you are done you will be able to start monitoring the online store from that very moment itself and will be able to run your store.

What Can You Expect from WooCommerce?

As WooCommerce is an open-source online store platform, you will be getting some special features in this. On the point of expectations, you will be able to name some of the expectations, like A complete control and customization. Being an open-source platform, it allows a number of people to access this platform and start their online store.

One simply can use WordPress to start the store on this platform. So, that person will be able to set up everything. Like my own theme, own security, own domain, and everything. Basically, you will be able to expect an easy and own going platform operation from WooCommerce. Where you are allowed to do and change everything as you want them as in complete freedom.

What Can You Expect from Shopify?

On the other hand, Shopify is a hosted platform. So, they have all the properties inbuilt. Once you buy the package of this platform, you will be able to get all the facilities they have. And for that, you don’t have to think about anything other than the business. You don’t have to set up anything for your online store.

This platform has its domain, securities, and all other important things, and you will be getting all of those. So, on this platform, you can concentrate on the business for your online store only. As you will be getting all the necessary factors inbuilt, so, you don’t have to have any technical knowledge about the online store setup. So, you can expect a free mind for the business from this platform.

WooCommerce Pros & Cons

As this is an online platform for an online store, this must-have some pros and cons, as there is nothing that is perfectly perfect. Discussing the pros of WooCommerce, you need to take the points into account like 

• It can be configured simply with the help of WordPress and it has a huge online community.
• It is completely customizable and can be controlled, as it is an open-source platform.
• You can access several themes and plugins, just need to make them. Also, these are free.
• This is way much more flexible to access.

For the cons, you can name 

• You need to be savvy in technology.
• Need to know details about the WordPress
• Have to take pressure for other things as well.
• You have to maintain the complete system.

Shopify Pros & Cons

Shopify also has different pros and Cons. While discussing them the pros can be

• You will get all the support from the platform
• You don’t have to think about hosting or not even the security.
• You can have thousands of stores to extend your business. 
• A very short time is required to launch the store.
• You will have an account on the payment of a particular cycle.
• They have different prefixed themes.
• No need for knowledge about any technical terms, and not required to be a technical person.

While discussing the cons you can add some points like

• Customization is not that wide.
• You can not create your own ideas.
• You have to pay for every month, and that will go higher.
• You have to purchase the domain and the features with the package itself.

Things That Create the Differences

For both of the platforms, there are some particular points, on the basis of that, you can go ahead and differentiate between both of them. While discussing those points, the differences can be seen. And based on that as well you will be able to choose the perfect platform that is the most suitable for you. Once you go ahead and read the following, you will be able to identify the platform and go ahead with the perfect one, which will help to fulfill all your tasks and objectives.

1. Pricing

Once you compare the pricing, some other factors will also come into play. As for WooCommerce, all the setup, from the hosting to the security, needs to be organized by yourself, so, you don’t have to pay that much, and need to pay differently for the domain, and all. But on Shopify, you don’t have to do anything by yourself, you will already get the host, the domain, the security, and all other things, so, you need to pay for those. For a note, the cost of a domain is $12 per year, whereas the Shopify plus starts from $2000 per month.

2. Page Speed

This is one more factor in the differentiation. As Shopify works on the platform, it takes good care of the page speed. But on the other hand, you need to set everything up the WooCommerce, and it is open-source with multiple plugins. So, it has a slower page speed compared to Shopify.

3. Ease Of Use

As all the online store starters are not web designers. For WooCommerce, you need to design the whole thing, and based on that, the store will run. But for Shopify, you don’t have to do any of those. It is already pre-set. So, you can simply go ahead and start using it. That implies the usage of Shopify is easier than WooCommerce.

4. Design And Templates

On this topic, the design and template of WooCommerce will naturally have more options than the same of Shopify. WooCommerce is an open-source platform, so it will have plenty of designs, and you will be able to create more as well. But Shopify has 73 pre-set designs, out of which 9 are free. So, for Shopify, the design is limited.

5. Inventory Management

For both platforms, inventory management has sufficient options. For WooCommerce, the setup is customizable, so, you will get plenty of options, also for Shopify, you will be able to access the inventory apps.

6. Blogs & Contents

For the section of blogs and content, WooCommerce will always be in a better place. As there is always a better opportunity for the blogs to be on the page of WooCommerce. On the other hand, for Shopify, the Blog is just a small feature, so, it will be a lower one.

7. SEO

Like blogs and content, SEO will always be a better option for WooCommerce as well. There are certain limitations on the blogs and content on the platform of Shopify. TO get better SEO, WooCommerce will always be a better option.

8. Integration

For both platforms, the integration is a lot. You can integrate a lot of other platforms with both of them. For Pinterest, Shopify works better. WooCommerce can integrate a lot of other channels, except for google shopping.

9. Apps & Plugins

Being an open-source platform, WooCommerce will always have a better opportunity to use more apps and plugins. It can access more than 58000 apps and plugins. But Shopify can access only 5899 apps and extensions.

10. Payment Options and Transaction Fees

Both of them have plenty of payment options and gateways. But the difference is in the transaction fees. You need to pay the gateway or the bank charge only in WooCommerce, but in Shopify, you need to pay 0.5%-2% of transaction fees.

11. Dropshipping

For Dropshipping companies, WooCommerce is always a choice for them. Though Shopify is also having some extensions for Dropshipping, they choose WooCommerce more.

12. Security

No matter what, the security will always be better on the Shopify platform. In WooCommerce, the complete security is in your hand. Any issue in that will be your responsibility. But, if that is for Shopify, it is inbuilt. So, the security is always higher.

13. Customer Support

Shopify has a dedicated 24*7 customer support call desk, but for WooCommerce, they will provide you with plenty of resources. Then you need to arrange for the support.

14. Sales Features

As Shopify has a dedicated team to design, they will always have better features for sales. For WooCommerce, you need to design all the things to go ahead and perform.

15. Build Time

Shopify is pre-set, you just need to buy the package, and will get all the things set. You can go ahead and start with the business. But for WooCommerce, you need to go ahead with the design itself. So, Shopify will always have a faster build time.

Migrating Between Both the Platforms

It is really easy to migrate between both platforms. You can migrate through manual migration, automated migration, and by hiring a freelancer. So, you can choose the way according to your budget and technical knowledge.

Which One Should You Choose?

There is no perfect recommendation for the choice. The only factor for choosing is you. You are the one, who will be able to decide, which one will be the perfect for you, based on all the different factors of both the platforms.

Wrapping Up

Once you have decided to start an online store, you will find these platforms, from then you have to choose the one with which you will go. This will be completely based on your factors of yours and the matched factors of the platform. Know all the factors and understand the difference well before you go ahead and choose the platform of your online store.

Also, if you need professional help then get in touch with our ecommerce development team. We have experience and technical expertise in building scalable and robust ecommerce websites of all kinds.

Frequently Asked Questions about WooCommerce vs Shopify