Shopify vs WooCommerce: Which is the best?
Since this is a WordPress blog, you might expect me to say “WooCommerce, obviously.” I won’t. Shopify is the better choice for a lot of sellers. WooCommerce is better for others.
The difference comes down to one trade-off: convenience versus control.
Shopify runs everything for you for a monthly fee. WooCommerce is free software that you run on your own WordPress site, so you handle (or pay someone to handle) hosting, updates and security.
Short Answer: Choose Shopify if you want to start selling this week, do not want to manage hosting or updates, and your business is mainly products. Choose WooCommerce if you already run WordPress, your sales come from content and SEO, you want to own everything, or you need unusual product rules. It comes down to convenience versus control.
Shopify vs WooCommerce at a Glance
| Shopify | WooCommerce | |
|---|---|---|
| Software cost | Basic $29/mo (annual) or $39/mo (monthly); Grow $79/$105; Advanced $299/$399 | Free plugin |
| Hosting | Included | You pay (from a few dollars to $100+/mo) |
| Card processing (US) | Shopify Payments: 2.9% + 30¢ (Basic) down to 2.5% + 30¢ (Advanced) | Depends on gateway (Stripe/WooPayments/PayPal) |
| Extra fee for third-party gateways | 2% (Basic), 1% (Grow), 0.6% (Advanced) | None |
| Themes | Free and paid (paid themes are usually one-time purchases) | Thousands, free and paid |
| Apps/extensions | Shopify App Store, many monthly subscriptions | Plugins, many free, paid often yearly |
| Updates and security | Handled by Shopify | Your responsibility |
| Blogging/content | Basic | Full WordPress |
| Ownership | Platform-hosted | You own everything |
| Trial | 3-day trial, then 3 months at $1/mo on main plans (check current offer) | Free forever |
Cost: year one for a small store
Shopify Basic (annual billing)
- Plan: $29 × 12 = $348
- Paid theme (optional): often one-time
- Apps: $0, $50+/mo depending on what you need
- Card fees: 2.9% + 30¢ per online sale with Shopify Payments
WooCommerce
- Plugin: $0
- Hosting: shared WooCommerce hosting from a few dollars/mo intro, managed WooCommerce hosting from about $19/mo (see best WooCommerce hosting)
- Domain: ~$10 to 15/yr
- Paid plugins (optional): $0, $300+/yr
- Card fees: similar to Shopify’s when using Stripe or WooPayments
For a very small store, WooCommerce on budget hosting can cost less. Once you add managed hosting and premium plugins, the totals often end up close. The higher cost with WooCommerce is your time.
Ease of use
Shopify wins. Sign up, pick a theme, add products, connect payments, and you can sell the same day. No updates, no backups, no plugin conflicts.
WooCommerce needs more setup: hosting, WordPress, theme, payment gateway, tax and shipping settings, plus ongoing updates. If you’ve run a WordPress blog before, it’ll feel familiar.
Customization and control
WooCommerce wins. You can change anything: checkout fields, product types, pricing rules, how URLs look, where data is stored. Thousands of plugins cover almost every business model, from bookings to subscriptions to B2B wholesale.
Shopify is flexible within its rules. Some things (like checkout customization on lower plans, or URL structure such as /products/ and /collections/) are fixed or limited.
SEO and content marketing
Both can rank well. The difference is content.
- WooCommerce sits inside WordPress, the strongest blogging platform. If your traffic plan is buying guides, reviews and tutorials, WooCommerce makes that smooth. Use an SEO plugin (see Rank Math vs Yoast SEO).
- Shopify handles product SEO basics well and loads fast on its global infrastructure, but its blog is basic, and URL structures are fixed.
Payments and fees
Shopify charges an extra fee if you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments. If Shopify Payments isn’t available in your country, factor in that fee.
WooCommerce has no platform fee. You pay only your gateway’s processing fee.
Scalability
Shopify scales without you thinking about servers, which is a real advantage during sales spikes. WooCommerce scales well too, but only with the right hosting, caching and object caching.
Large stores on WooCommerce usually move to managed WooCommerce or cloud hosting.
Selling digital products, courses and funnels
WooCommerce plus a funnel plugin (FunnelKit, CartFlows) gives you order bumps and upsells without monthly app fees.
See my sales funnel builders for WordPress. Shopify needs apps for most of this.
Important note: Compare year-two costs, not year one. Shopify’s plan and app subscriptions are steady monthly bills, while WooCommerce costs creep in through hosting renewals and premium plugin licenses. Write both lists down before you decide.
Pros and cons
Shopify
Pros
- Fastest to launch
- No maintenance
- Reliable at scale
- Strong POS for physical retail
Cons
- Monthly fees add up
- Extra fees for third-party gateways
- App subscriptions
- Less control
WooCommerce
Pros
- Free core
- Full ownership
- Unlimited customization
- Best for content-led stores
Cons
- You manage hosting, updates and security
- Quality depends on your hosting and plugins
Who should choose which?
| You are… | Pick |
|---|---|
| A first-time seller who wants to launch this week | Shopify |
| A blogger adding products to an existing WordPress site | WooCommerce |
| A dropshipper relying on apps | Shopify |
| A seller with unusual product rules or B2B pricing | WooCommerce |
| A brick-and-mortar shop wanting POS | Shopify |
| A course or digital product seller with a content site | WooCommerce |
FAQs related to Shopify vs WooCommerce
Is WooCommerce cheaper than Shopify?
Often, for small stores. But premium plugins, managed hosting, and your time can close the gap.
Can I move from Shopify to WooCommerce (or back)?
Yes. Migration tools and CSV exports move products, customers and orders. Plan redirects for every product URL.
Which is better for SEO?
WooCommerce, if content marketing is part of your plan. For product-only stores, both are fine.
Do I need coding skills for WooCommerce?
No, but basic WordPress experience helps a lot.
Going with WooCommerce? Start with my best WooCommerce plugins list.
Conclusion
I run WordPress sites, and I still would not tell every seller to pick WooCommerce.
If you want a store that just works and you are happy paying monthly for that, Shopify is the easier road.
If your blog already brings the traffic, WooCommerce lets you sell where your readers already are, with no platform taking a cut of your design or your data.
If you go the WooCommerce route, start with solid WooCommerce hosting and only the plugins you need. Once orders come in, a WordPress funnel builder can raise your average order value.
