Shopify
Shopify Inc.
7.4
Overall Score / 10
WooCommerce
Automattic (WordPress)
7
Overall Score / 10
Our Verdict
Choose Shopify if:
- —Anyone starting an online store who wants an all-in-one solution
- —Businesses that want a huge app ecosystem for customization
- —Brands scaling from small to enterprise-level commerce
Choose WooCommerce if:
- —Developers and technical teams wanting full code control
- —Businesses already on WordPress wanting to add e-commerce
- —Stores needing highly custom functionality
The biggest difference: Shopify wins for ease of use and all-in-one hosted commerce. WooCommerce wins for developers wanting full code control and lower ongoing costs.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Shopify | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest Paid Plan | $39/mo (Basic)Source: Shopify Inc. pricing page → | $39/mo (WooExpress Essential)Source: Automattic (WordPress) pricing page → |
| Free Tier | No No free tier. 3-day free trial, then $1/month for first 3 months. | Yes Core plugin is free. Requires self-managed WordPress hosting, domain, and SSL. |
| Value for Money | 7 | 8 |
| Ease of Use | 9 | 5 |
| Feature Power | 9 | 9 |
| Setup Ease | 9 | 4 |
| Migration Ease | 4 | 4 |
| Transparency | 6 | 8 |
| Deployment | cloud | self-hosted |
| API Available | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web |
| Compliance | PCI DSS Level 1, SOC 2, GDPR tools | PCI DSS (depends on hosting), GDPR tools available |
Feature Comparison
Feature Comparison Matrix
23 features compared · 22 differences
| Feature | Shopify | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| 24/7 support | Full | None |
| Abandoned cart recovery | Full | None |
| App store (8,000+ apps) | Full | None |
| Coupon & discount system | None | Full |
| Discount codes | Full | None |
| Extensions marketplace | None | Full |
| Gutenberg block editor | None | Full |
| Inventory management | Full | None |
| Marketing tools | Full | None |
| Multi-channel selling (Amazon, Facebook, Instagram) | Full | None |
| Multi-language support | None | Full |
| Online store builder | Full | None |
| Point of sale (POS) | Full | None |
| SEO tools | Full | None |
| Shipping and fulfillment | Full | None |
| Shipping label printing | None | Full |
| Shopify Payments | Full | None |
| Tax calculation | None | Full |
| Thousands of themes | None | Full |
| Unlimited products | None | Full |
| WooPayments (2.9% + $0.30) | None | Full |
| Advanced | ||
| Unlimited customization (open source) | None | Full |
| Integrations | ||
| REST API | Full | Full |
Pricing Comparison
Shopify Pricing
2 staff accounts, basic reports, up to 77% shipping discount
5 staff accounts, professional reports, up to 88% shipping discount
15 staff accounts, advanced reports, custom pricing, duties & import taxes
Enterprise features, unlimited staff, Shopify Functions, checkout customization, dedicated support
WooCommerce Pricing
Free & open source. Requires WordPress hosting ($7-40/mo+), domain, SSL
Managed WordPress hosting with WooCommerce pre-installed, support, backups
Higher performance hosting, premium extensions included
Who Should Choose Which?
Who should choose Shopify
Best for
- Anyone starting an online store who wants an all-in-one solution
- Businesses that want a huge app ecosystem for customization
- Brands scaling from small to enterprise-level commerce
Avoid if
- You want to avoid monthly fees (WooCommerce is free to start)
- You need full control over your codebase (consider headless or WooCommerce)
- You sell only digital products (Gumroad or Lemon Squeezy are simpler)
Who should choose WooCommerce
Best for
- Developers and technical teams wanting full code control
- Businesses already on WordPress wanting to add e-commerce
- Stores needing highly custom functionality
Avoid if
- You want a simple, hosted setup without technical management
- You don't want to deal with hosting, updates, and security
- You want built-in 24/7 support (WooCommerce is community-supported)
Switching Guidance
Switching from Shopify
Common triggers to leave:
- •App costs add up significantly
- •Transaction fees if not using Shopify Payments (2% on Basic)
- •Need more design/code flexibility
Potential blockers:
- •Entire storefront and product catalog
- •Customer data and order history
- •App integrations and workflows
- •SEO rankings tied to Shopify URLs
Switching from WooCommerce
Common triggers to leave:
- •Hosting management burden
- •Security responsibility
- •Plugin conflicts and updates
- •Need for technical knowledge
Potential blockers:
- •Full codebase ownership
- •WordPress ecosystem investment
- •Custom plugin development
- •SEO rankings tied to WordPress site
Try Shopify
Plans from $39/mo
Try WooCommerce
Start free — no credit card required