Choosing the right eCommerce platform for your website is a big decision.
Whether you’re launching a brand new online store or looking to grow your established eCommerce business, the platform you pick will affect everything from how easy it is to manage your online store to your SEO performance and how much it costs each month.
Two of the biggest players in the game are WooCommerce and Shopify. Both are great options, but they work in very different ways.
So, which one is the best fit for your business? Let’s break it down. 👇
What is WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is a free eCommerce plugin for WordPress that lets you turn your website into a fully functioning online store. It’s super flexible and customisable, giving you complete control over how your store looks and works.
A WooCommerce website we recently designed and built for Viking Covers.Pros of WooCommerce
Website Customisation
One of WooCommerce’s strongest points is how customisable it is. Because it runs on WordPress, you can tweak pretty much everything to match your brand. You’ve got access to thousands of themes and plugins, and if you’re working with a good developer or WooCommerce Web Design Agency, you can build exactly the kind of store you need.
Software Costs & Fees
Another big plus is that WooCommerce itself is free. Unlike Shopify, which has a fixed monthly fee and fees on each sale, WooCommerce is free to download and use, with zero sale fees.
You’ll need to pay for hosting, security, and premium plugins, but you have complete control over those costs.
Website Ownership
With WooCommerce, you’re not locked into a single third-party platform. That means you’re in complete control of your website’s ownership and don’t have to worry about your store being shut down or restricted by someone else’s rules.
SEO Potential
WooCommerce is also fantastic for SEO. Because it’s built on WordPress, you can fine-tune your SEO with plugins and tools to help you improve your website, rank higher in search results, and drive more organic traffic and sales. You can also partner with an SEO agency specialising in WordPress.
Scalability & Growth
And if you’re thinking long-term, WooCommerce is built to grow with you. As your store grows, you can add as many products and categories as you need, upgrade your hosting and add more powerful features to keep up with demand.
Bespoke WooCommerce websites built for growth.
We specialise in bespoke WooCommerce websites designed and built with your products, ideal customers, and long-term growth in mind. Following SEO and UX best practices when building your online store, we can create a website that ranks well on Google and that your customers love using.
Cons of WooCommerce
More Complex Setup
The biggest downside is that WooCommerce requires more effort to set up. Unlike Shopify, which takes care of hosting and security for you, WooCommerce requires you to handle that yourself. That means hosting, securing your site, and keeping things updated.
Technical Knowledge Required
If you’re uncomfortable with all the techy stuff, WooCommerce can be overwhelming. While it’s super customisable, you might need some coding knowledge (or a developer) to get the most out of it.
Variable Costs
While WooCommerce is free, there are still costs associated with other site features and elements. If you want premium themes, extra plugins, or better hosting, you’ll need to budget for those. Unlike Shopify’s clear and predictable pricing, WooCommerce’s costs can vary depending on your needs.
What is Shopify?
Shopify is an all-in-one eCommerce platform that makes creating and running an online store easy. Everything, like hosting, security, and updates, is handled for you so you can focus on selling your products and running your business rather than managing your website.
Shopify-style eCommerce store selling shoes and other fashion items.xPros of Shopify
Ease of Use
One of Shopify’s biggest selling points is how easy it is to use. The platform is designed to be beginner-friendly, so you don’t need any technical skills to get started. The setup process is quick, and managing your store is straightforward.
All-in-One Solution
Another major benefit is that Shopify is an all-in-one solution. You don’t have to worry about finding a hosting provider or handling security updates because Shopify takes care of it all for you. That makes it a great option for a simple, all-in-one experience.
Customer Support
Customer support is another big plus for Shopify. They offer 24/7 support via chat, email, and phone, so if you ever run into issues, it’s easy to get help. With WooCommerce, you’ll mostly have to rely on community support or work with an experienced developer.
Website Security
Shopify also makes security and performance a priority. Since they host your store, they handle all the security updates to ensure your site runs smoothly and provides a secure shopping experience for your customers.
Integrated Payments & Shipping
If you want to avoid the hassle of setting up a payment gateway, Shopify’s built-in Shopify Payments can accept and handle those payments for you. You can also buy shipping labels through Shopify, keeping all your costs in one solution. If you use their payment system, you don’t have to worry about extra transaction fees.
Cons of Shopify
Higher Costs
The biggest downside to Shopify is the cost. Unlike WooCommerce, which gives you much more control over the costs, Shopify has a fixed monthly fee just to keep your site online. Plans start at £29 per month for small websites, but if you have a lot of products or you need extra apps or premium themes, the costs can add up pretty quickly.
Limited Customisation
Customisation is another limitation. Shopify does let you tweak your store’s design, but it’s not as flexible as WooCommerce. If you want to make big changes, you might need a developer who understands Shopify’s Liquid coding language, and even then, you may not be able to get the design and build your online store exactly how you need it.
Transaction Fees
Another thing to keep in mind is transaction fees. If you don’t use Shopify Payments, Shopify charges extra fees for every sale you make through third-party payment providers. This can eat into your profits quite heavily, especially if you sell a high volume of products.
SEO Limitations
Shopify’s SEO tools are good but don’t offer as much control as WooCommerce. Optimising your page speeds, updating metadata, and reducing code bloat are more difficult, which can be very frustrating if SEO is a big part of your marketing strategy.
WooCommerce vs Shopify – Key Differences
| Focus Area | WooCommerce | Shopify |
| Ease of Use | Needs some technical knowledge for setup and maintenance. | Simple to setup and manage. No coding knowledge required. |
| Pricing | Free to use, but you will need to budget for hosting, domains, and plugins. | Ongoing monthly subscriptions, plus extra features, tools, and add-ons. |
| Customisation | Full control over design and layout with the ability to build custom features. | Limited access to site code and customisation with Shopify’s pre-built templates. |
| SEO | Great SEO potential with advanced SEO tools and settings via WordPress. | Basic SEO tools with limited optimisations for page speed, code, and technical SEO. |
| Payment Fees | No fees on website sales or transactions. | Fees of 1.5% – 2% per transaction + 25p per transaction. |
| Support | Support only available through online forums or hiring a developer. | 24/7 customer support from Shopify. |
Which One Should You Choose?
Both platforms have their pros and cons, so it all depends on your business needs.
Here are our thoughts on when to choose WooCommerce and Shopify.
Choose WooCommerce if:
- You want full control over your store’s design and functionality.
- You need an eCommerce website that grows with you
- SEO is a big priority for you.
- You’re already comfortable using WordPress.
- You don’t mind handling hosting and security yourself.
- You want to avoid sales fees and ongoing monthly costs
Choose Shopify if:
- You want a simple, fully hosted solution.
- You don’t have technical skills and want an easy setup.
- You don’t have access to a developer
- You’re fine with paying a monthly subscription for convenience.
- You don’t mind Shopify’s transaction fees if you use a third-party payment gateway.
WooCommerce vs Shopify Summary
WooCommerce and Shopify are excellent choices, but they cater to different needs. The right platform depends on what matters most to you, whether that’s customisation, ease of use, or cost.
If you want flexibility, great SEO performance, and the ability to customise everything, WooCommerce is the best choice.
But if you want a quick, hassle-free, all-in-one solution that handles hosting and security, Shopify is a great option.
Speak with a Specialist about our eCommerce Web Design services
Looking for a stunning, optimised, and efficient WooCommerce or Shopify website?
Our eCommerce Web Designers and Developers can create a marketing-focused online store built around your products and ideal customers. The result is an eCommerce website that looks great, drives consistent sales and grows and evolves with you.
Ready to chat about your project? Get in touch with one of our Specialists.
