If you own an eCommerce business or are in the process of creating one, you may be wondering which eCommerce platform is best suited for your needs. The two that frequently are considered the “best” are Shopify and WooCommerce, respectively.

Shopify powers over 800,000 online stores, while WooCommerce claims to be “the world’s most popular eCommerce platform.”

Both of these platforms are incredibly powerful and easy-to-use, but because they each have different features and benefits, you may find that one is a better fit for your specific business.

If you aren’t sure which is right for you, don’t stress — today I’ll be sharing an in-depth comparison of both platforms with you, so you can determine exactly which eCommerce platform to choose based on the needs of your business and your personal preferences.

Shopify vs. WooCommerce: What’s the Difference?

Let’s start by discussing the fundamental differences between the two platforms. 

The main difference is that Shopify is an all-in-one eCommerce solution designed to give you everything you need to get your online store and up and running, whereas WooCommerce is a self-hosted software for eCommerce — meaning you need to be a bit more tech-savvy to keep things running smoothly.

For beginners, Shopify is a wonderful option because you don’t need to deal with things like web hosting or hosting provider details. You can get your site up and running in a matter of minutes and start selling right away. 

If you’re wanting more freedom to experiment with customisation on your site (and you know what you’re doing when it comes to tech), WooCommerce is the better choice as it allows you to tap into the website code and access various parts of your store via the backend. You can also run your WooCommerce website in conjunction with a WordPress blog if that is important to you.

Shopify vs. WooCommerce: Pricing

Shopify: One of the upsides of Shopify is that the pricing is clear and straightforward. You can start on a Basic plan for as little as $29/month, with options increasing in price depending on the size of your business and intensity of your needs. 

WooCommerce: WooCommerce’s pricing is a little more complicated. While the software itself is technically free, you have to consider all the additional costs that go along with making an online store — like hosting, a theme, a domain name, any extra extensions, and an SSL certificate. This means it can be tricky to know exactly how much you’ll be spending until you actually set it all up.

The Verdict: While it’s technically possible for the costs associated with WooCommerce to come out cheaper than the monthly Shopify fee, the difference in money would be negligible while the difference in time spent setting up each platform would be huge. In the end, you’re spending more time on set-up and management with WooCommerce, which can translate to more dollars in the long-run.

Shopify vs. WooCommerce: Features

Shopify and WooCommerce are relatively similar when it comes to the features they offer. The essentials are built into the main software of both, but there are also app stores where you can install any other features you may need. Let’s take a look at what features come with each platform.

Shopify Features

• Customisable website, online store, and blog (50+ designs available, 10+ free)
• Unlimited bandwidth, product inventory, and customer data
• Sell physical & digital products
• Fraud analysis
• Manual order creation
• Mobile optimisation
• Social media integration
• Abandoned cart recovery
• All popular payment gateways supported
• 24/7 email, chat, and phone support

WooCommerce Features

• Works with 1000+ WordPress themes and custom coded themes
• Unlimited product inventory and product categories
• Sell physical & digital products
• Mobile optimisation
• Integrate with Amazon, eBay, and Instagram for $79 (advertise on FB for free)
• Accepts payments via PayPal and Stripe built-in (other gateways available for an extra fee)
• Ticketed support

The Verdict: It completely depends what you’re looking for. If customisation is your main goal, WooCommerce is going to have more features that will allow you to bring your dream website vision to life. If you’re more interested in accessibility and convenience, Shopify will be a better option.

Who Should Use Shopify?

You should use Shopify if you…

• Prefer 24/7 support
• Want to create a shoppable website quickly with little tech or web design background
• Are looking for everything to be in one place

Who Should Use WooCommerce?

You should use WooCommerce if you…

• Want to completely personalise your website from the ground up
• Plan to create a large-scale online store operating across multiple regions
• Have a good handle on the technical knowledge that is needed to operate an open-source platform

The Verdict: Shopify is great for beginners who want things to feel intuitive and simple. WooCommerce is better for tech-savvy online store owners who are looking to scale.

Now that we’ve unpacked the major differences between Shopify and WooCommerce, hopefully you have a better handle on which platform is right for you.

If you’re still not sure what your next move is when it comes to building up your eCommerce business or website, you can always reach out and schedule a strategy call to directly consult with me based on your unique needs.

If there’s anything else you want to know about WooCommerce or Shopify, feel free to add questions in the comments.

The post Everything You Need to Know: WooCommerce vs. Shopify appeared first on Business + Marketing Consultant | Olivia Jenkins.