Visual Sector
The short answer
Choose Shopify if you want the easiest way to run a store and do not want to deal with hosting, updates or security. Choose WooCommerce if you already have a WordPress site, want full control of your store and hosting, or want to avoid a monthly platform subscription.
Ease of use
Shopify is an all-in-one service. Hosting, security, checkout and updates are handled for you, and the dashboard is simple to learn. Most store owners can add products and process orders on their own after a short training.
WooCommerce is a plugin that turns WordPress into a store. It is very flexible, but you are responsible for hosting, updates and backups, or you need someone to handle them for you.
Costs
The real cost of each platform is different from what it looks like at first:
- Shopify charges a monthly subscription. Many stores also pay for apps, and depending on your plan and payment provider there can be transaction fees.
- WooCommerce is free to install, but you pay for hosting, your domain and any paid extensions you need, such as advanced shipping or subscriptions.
For a small store the yearly totals are often similar. The difference is where the money goes and who maintains the store. Prices from both platforms change, so we confirm current costs with you before choosing.
Control and ownership
With WooCommerce your store lives on your own hosting and you can change almost anything in the code. With Shopify you work inside Shopify's rules, which is less flexible but also means fewer things can break.
SEO
Both platforms can rank well on Google when they are set up correctly. WooCommerce has the advantage of WordPress for blogs and content pages, and tools like Yoast SEO. Shopify handles the technical basics well and lets you edit titles, descriptions and URLs for every product and collection. In both cases, good product descriptions and a fast site matter more than the platform.
Side-by-side comparison
| Shopify | WooCommerce | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup and maintenance | Handled by Shopify | Your responsibility or your developer's |
| Hosting | Included in the plan | You choose and pay for it |
| Monthly platform fee | Yes | No |
| Flexibility | High, within Shopify's limits | Very high, full code access |
| Content and blogging | Basic | Excellent, it is WordPress |
| Best for | Owners who want simplicity | Owners who want control |
What we recommend
- New brand selling online for the first time: Shopify, so you can focus on products and marketing.
- You already have a WordPress website: WooCommerce, so the site and store stay in one place.
- Content-heavy brand that publishes a lot: WooCommerce.
- Very large catalog or complex products: look at BigCommerce or Magento too. See our e-commerce page.
We build stores on all of these platforms, so we have no reason to push you toward one. On the free discovery call we look at your products and budget and recommend the one that fits. Store packages start at $699, and you can see what each includes on our pricing page.