“WooCommerce vs. Shopify”!
It’s 2024!
And if the debate is still underway on the internet, your search for the best comparison between “WooCommerce vs. Shopify” ends here!
Speaking of their meanings, the former is a self-hosted plugin for WordPress that enables users to harness a “Content Management System” to run an online store.
On the other hand, the latter comes with a comprehensive eCommerce solution that enables you to create an online store, accept payments, and manage your inventory.
Though the competition is fierce, choosing one that perfectly caters to your eCommerce store development needs is wise.
This blog post will give you deep insights about both eCommerce development platforms to help you choose the best one per your needs.
Without further ado, let’s dive in!
| Table of Contents: 1. What is WooCommerce? 2. What is Shopify? Is it Better than WooCommerce? 3. WooCommerce vs. Shopify: Key Comparison Based on Multiple Parameters Final Thoughts |
What is WooCommerce?
In simple terms, WooCommerce is a popular plugin that has garnered significant traction among businesses, from startups to established companies. Specifically designed for CMS, it enables developers to edit the WordPress and WooCommerce code and use both tools for building your preferred project type. Unlike dedicated payment plugins, WooCommerce offers multiple payment gateways to make transactions quick and hassle-free.
Did you know?
WooCommerce has more than 6 million users worldwide.
Furthermore, when it comes to flexibility, WooCommerce development has an upper hand over Shopify and even offers extensive customization.
But here’s the catch!
WooCommerce requires professional hands-on experience. From setting up the store to the final launch, the overall process is relatively more complex than Shopify.
Well, it brings us to another eCommerce development platform, i.e., “Shopify”!
What is Shopify? Is it Better than WooCommerce?
In layman’s language, Shopify is a “Software-as-a-Service” (SaaS) platform that comes with all functionalities like web hosting, security, and domain setup. Furthermore, all these aspects are handled by the platform.
All you have to do is simply create an account, select a theme, and start adding your preferred products. The major highlight of the framework is that it is easy to set up and can easily be handled by people with non-technical backgrounds.
Did you know?
Shopify has a combined usage share (Including Shopify & Shopify Plus) of 29% among the top 1 million sites. (Source: BuiltWith®).
Sounds interesting, doesn’t it?
But here’s the catch!
Due to its nature, “Shopify” has less flexibility than WooCommerce. But it doesn’t mean, that Shopify development lags or has any performance issues.
Instead, more than 3.9 websites built using Shopify are currently live.
Let’s take a look at the differences between WooCommerce and Shopify based on the following parameters.
WooCommerce vs. Shopify: Key Comparison Based on Multiple Parameters
Parameter #1: Ease of Use
| Platform | Details |
| WooCommerce | WooCommerce has a steeper learning curve which means users have to know the website. Though it is flexible, there are plenty of free and paid plugins to choose from. |
| Shopify | Since it’s a fully hosted platform, you don’t need to install, manage, or update any software. When it comes to ease of use, Shopify has an upper hand over WooCommerce. |
Winner: Shopify
Parameter #2: Payment Options
| Platform | Details |
| WooCommerce | When it comes to payment gateways, there are three built-in options, including direct bank transfer, check payments, and COD. Furthermore, you can install multiple payment gateways for Amazon Pay, Authorize.net, Alipay, and many more. |
| Shopify | One of the major highlights of Shopify is that it comes with multiple payment gateways that customers can use during checkouts. But Shopify charges you an additional 2% on each transaction fee. |
Winner: WooCommerce
Parameter #3: Customization
| Platform | Details |
| WooCommerce | Due to WordPress integration, it’s very hard to beat WooCommerce in terms of customization. It offers a wide range of themes and plugins (both premium and free) that enable you to make your eCommerce store look beautiful and engaging. |
| Shopify | Shopify, on the other hand, comes with a wide range of customization options that may benefit its users. However, due to its hosted nature, it cannot compete with WooCommerce when it comes to customization. |
Winner: WooCommerce
Parameter #4: Flexibility & Control
| Platform | Details |
| WooCommerce | As it is a self-hosted platform built on WordPress, WooCommerce facilitates extensive customization. Users can access 1000+ plugins for payments and cart recovery. Furthermore, it enables you to access its core functionality. |
| Shopify | Though Shopify, on the flip side, is not as open-ended as WooCommerce, it does offer some control over the eCommerce store. But you may need to hire a dedicated Shopify developer which may add extra costs. |
Winner: WooCommerce
Parameter #5: Security
| Platform | Details |
| WooCommerce | It offers flexibility in choosing security measures. Though it offers basic security like two-step verification, it allows additional protection that requires installing plugins. |
| Shopify | On the flip side, Shopify understands the importance of security. It provides end-to-end security features like an SSL certificate. Thus, it would protect your eCommerce store from hackers and threats. |
Winner: Shopify
Parameter #6: Designs
| Platform | Details |
| WooCommerce | WooCommerce, on the contrary, comes with 100+ themes that perfectly cater to a wide range of industries. Moreover, it offers extensive customization and additional plugins. |
| Shopify | Shopify comes with both premium and free themes, optimized for mobile devices that may not only make your store look great but also convert your visitors into customers. |
Winner: WooCommerce
Parameter #7: Dropshipping
| Platform | Details |
| WooCommerce | Due to its flexible and robust Dropshipping plugins, WooCommerce is a popular choice among Dropshipping businesses. Some of the prominent plugins may include WooDropship, AliDropship, and DropshipMe. |
| Shopify | When it comes to the Dropshipping business, Shopify offers dedicated apps for multiple marketplaces to streamline the Dropshipping process. |
Winner: WooCommerce
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it! That’s a wrap to the difference between WooCommerce and Shopify!
It is no secret that WooCommerce and Shopify are two of the popular eCommerce development platforms that come with abundant features and functionalities.
To summarize, if you want to build an online store with robust security and eCommerce features, Shopify would be an ideal choice. On the other hand, if you want complete control over your eCommerce store and access to plugins, extensions, and themes, WooCommerce will serve the purpose.
Ready to build an eCommerce store for your business? If so, your search ends here!
At EitBiz, we are a dedicated eCommerce development company in the USA that efficiently harnesses the right platform and technologies to build a solid eCommerce store that may not only attract but convert your audience into customers. To learn more, visit EitBiz & drop us an email at info@eitbiz.com or call us at +1(812)530-6300 today!
