Do you want to set up an online store for your business? If yes, then you need to choose between WooCommerce vs Shopify as e-commerce platforms.
Both of these solutions have their own pros and cons. Before making a decision, it is essential to know about the features and benefits of each platform so that you can pick the one that aligns with your company’s goals and objectives.
Let’s take a look at some of the main differences between these two popular e-commerce platforms.
What is WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is an open source e-commerce platform. It is a free e-commerce plug-in for WordPress websites.
It is one of the most popular e-commerce platforms as it has been downloaded more than 30 million times and is used by more than 60% of the top 10,000 online retailers.
WooCommerce is a fully customisable e-commerce platform that comes with a wide range of features and functionalities.
With its advanced plug-in architecture, you can add any functionality you want to customise it for your business needs.
You can also hire a developer to build a customised solution for your online store.
What is Shopify?
Shopify is a hosted e-commerce platform that helps you set up an online store and sell your products and services online.
It has a wide range of features that can be customised to fit your business needs. You can start your online store with Shopify by signing up for a 14-day free trial. Once you are done with the trial, you can sign up for a monthly paid plan.
Similarly to WooCommerce, Shopify has a plug-in architecture. This allows third-party developers to build and integrate apps and extensions that add custom functionality to Shopify.
Shopify’s core functionalities include a shopping cart, inventory management, payment and shipping integration, marketing and sales, customer management, and analytics.
Shopify’s Strengths and Benefits
Huge Ecosystem and Community – Shopify has a huge ecosystem and community of developers, designers, and marketers that can help you customize and set up your online store. This can save you time and money.
Hosted Solution – Hosted solution means that Shopify is a managed service. You don’t have to worry about hosting, scalability, security, or backups as Shopify takes care of these things for you.
Easy to Use and Setup – Shopify is extremely easy to use and set up. It has a user-friendly interface so you can build your online store without any design or development skills.
Advanced Features – Shopify offers advanced features such as marketing, sales, and inventory management tools.
Easy to Scale – Shopify is a fully scalable solution that can be easily scaled as your business grows.
Extensive Built-in Analytics – Shopify comes with extensive built-in analytics that can help you track your store’s performance.
Shopify’s Limitations
Higher Monthly Fees – Compared to WooCommerce, Shopify has higher monthly fees.
No Future Expansion – Shopify offers a fully hosted solution. This means that once you sign up for a monthly plan, you are stuck with it for a long time. If you outgrow the solution or want to add additional functionality, you won’t be able to easily expand or add new functionality.
You Own Nothing – Shopify offers a fully hosted solution. This means that Shopify owns everything and you don’t own anything. You are just a tenant paying for the service that uses their servers and infrastructure.
WooCommerce’s Strengths and Benefits
Open Source – WooCommerce is an open source solution. This means that you can download the code and customise it as per your company’s needs.
Fully Customisable – WooCommerce is a fully customisable e-commerce platform which can be used for online retail, physical retail, online marketplace, etc. You can add any functionality you want to customise it for your business needs.
Advanced Marketing and Sales Tools – WooCommerce comes with advanced marketing and sales tools such as email marketing, affiliate marketing, product recommendations, and built-in payment gateways.
Extensive Built-in Analytics – WooCommerce comes with extensive built-in analytics that can help you track your store’s performance.
Hosting Your Store – WooCommerce is an addon to a WordPress website which means you have the freedom to choose a hosting provider you trust to power your online business, and can switch to someone new if you are not happy with your current provider.
WooCommerce’s Limitations
Reporting – Although WooCommerce does come with reporting features, they just don’t flow as well as Shopify’s do. They still work and give you what you need but we believe there is some room for improvement.
Requires Expert Development – If you are not a developer, or don’t know how to build a website with WordPress, then you may have to hire someone who does, which could cost you extra.
WooCommerce App – The WooCommerce mobile app is not as advanced as they Shopify app which means it is harder to make changes on the go.
The Bottom Line
WooCommerce is an open source e-commerce platform that is fully customisable. Shopify is a hosted e-commerce platform that is easy to use and scale.
Shopify offers advanced features like marketing, sales, and inventory management tools. Similarly, WooCommerce comes with marketing, sales, and inventory management tools.
Both WooCommerce and Shopify are easy to use and set up. The major difference between the two is that Shopify is a hosted solution and WooCommerce is an open source solution.
