WooCommerce and Shopify are pretty much at the top when it comes to platforms dedicated to e-commerce websites and needs. For example, statistics show that WooCommerce is active on roughly 4 million websites and powers just as many separate online stores. Shopify, on the other hand, has almost 4.8 million stores running its platform/software.
WooCommerce vs. Shopify: Feature Comparison
In short, millions of customers and potential customers interact with WooCommerce and Shopify websites daily while shopping online. What does this mean? The direct result is that these two giants in the e-commerce platform industry generate billions in sales worldwide. But most importantly, they help millions of merchants bring their products and businesses online.
Ajroni specialists understand that it can be difficult to select the right platform, especially given that the WooCommerce vs. Shopify debate is quite challenging since both cater to different types of users regarding customization, ease of use, pricing, and more.
We’ve prepared a highly detailed, comprehensive comparison of the two - keep reading to find out more and ultimately make an informed decision regarding which e-commerce platform is right for you in 2024!
| WooCommerce | Shopify | |
| Pricing | Free to download and use as a WordPress plugin - premium paid extensions exist. WooCommerce pricing is represented by the cost of hosting and extensions | Subscription-based model with various plans from $29 to $289 a month (yearly discounted plan). The subscription covers hosting, security, and core features. Premium themes and apps are extra costs. |
| User experience | Implies getting accustomed to WordPress and may require some technical knowledge for initial setup and customization. Requires an experienced user to use all its features. | Incredibly user-friendly, has an intuitive interface, and a drag-and-drop website builder. Very easy to set up and manage, regardless of technical knowledge. A straightforward user experience. |
| SEO tools | Benefits greatly from WordPress’ exceptional SEO capabilities, including access to other powerful plugins, such as Yoast SEO and image/speed optimization plugins. Offers almost full control over SEO elements. | Has built-in basic SEO features, with several dedicated SEO apps available in the Shopify App Store. It’s OK for SEO overall but known to have less flexibility when it comes to customizing SEO elements. |
| Customization | Open-source plugin, therefore highly customizable and adjustable. Users can access thousands of themes and plugins via the WordPress repository, while the WooCommerce plugin itself can be modified in detail to satisfy the needs and requirements of certain businesses. | Rather limited customization options for beginner users (experienced developers can do more). Hundreds of themes are available but only some are free. It is indeed easy to customize, but there are limitations to what users can achieve. |
| Customer support | Since it’s a plugin, WooCommerce may not offer support for certain hosting providers and plugin developers. Luckily, users have access to comprehensive community forums, as well as vast documentation. Complex issues and difficulties will require the assistance of a developer. | 24/7 customer support included in all plans, the norm for a subscription-based service. There’s also extensive documentation and community-made resources. Advanced plans enjoy enhanced 24/7 support. |
WooCommerce: The Flexible, Open-Source Powerhouse
WooCommerce is the solution that provides merchants with two of the most important things they need to run an online store - customization and flexibility. Even though it’s an open-source WordPress plugin, WooCommerce sets itself apart via several key features.
- If you want to sell online, WooCommerce helps you enhance payment and transaction processing, offers shipping solutions, and provides no-code customization solutions. It also has an optimized checkout feature, marketing tools, a comprehensive mobile app, multi-channel ecommerce capabilities, as well as dedicated functions/features for enterprises and developers who want to build with WooCommerce.
- If you want to improve your store, WooCommerce offers you the WooCommerce Marketplace , filled to the brim with powerful extensions, hundreds of themes, collections of features and extensions tailored for different business needs, as well as the new business services aimed at supporting and growing businesses that need an extra hand.
Naturally, there are some other aspects that need to be taken into account in the WooCommerce vs. Shopify decision. When it comes to WooCommerce, merchants need to acknowledge that:
- Customization and flexibility are superior, with virtually limitless possibilities in terms of building an online store just the way you want it. Users have access to themes, enhanced adjustment options, exceptional storefront design, as well as product management solutions (multiple product types, easy and comprehensive product management, ease of setting up product variations). On top of that, WooCommerce comes with its own library of extensions, can be built on easily to add new features and functionalities, and also supports custom development.
- WordPress integration is one of its biggest advantages because it benefits from all of the platform’s robust content management capabilities. This aspect sheds some light on the WooCommerce vs. Shopify for SEO battle, as WooCommerce can access all of WordPress’ SEO-friendly structure.
- Technical knowledge is needed to enjoy the benefits of the platform as users must be familiar with WordPress to start working with WooCommerce. On top of that, advanced customization (such as building and implementing new features and functionalities) requires knowledge of JavaScript, PHP, CSS, and HTML.
- Plugin addition can help further enhance WooCommerce. You can add new payment gateways, add new marketing tools to your website, improve how products are displayed and managed, enhance the checkout process for customers, and also enjoy integration with various third-party services. Also, custom plugin development is the most sought-after advantage.
Shopify: The All-in-One E-commerce Solution
Shopify is the out-of-the-box solution used by millions of merchants, regardless of business size, to set up a fully functional online store as soon as possible. Everything you may initially need is included in the subscription you’ll be paying. There’s no extra hassle and no need for advanced technical knowledge to set up a Shopify online store.
It is preferred by users mainly thanks to its:
- User-friendly interface - by far the best Shopify advantage is its user-friendly interface equipped with a drag-and-drop builder and designed with simplicity in mind. The platform’s dashboard is easy to read and use, offering clear information regarding various metrics, inventory, or orders.
- Ease of setup - merchants who are really in a hurry can set up shop in just five steps. All you have to do is register an account, choose a theme, add your products and customize store details, set up your preferred payment gateway, and ultimately, launch the store.
- Customization options - despite being somewhat limited when it comes to customization, Shopify does offer an extensive theme store, various visual customization options, as well as the chance to learn Liquid coding (Shopify proprietary) to further improve the customization options. The platform offers users access to a comprehensive app marketplace that can boost the functionality of an online store via various marketing tools, inventory management, customer service, as well as accounting and finance apps. There are also several built-in features (secure payments, mobile optimization, SEO, marketing, and analytics) that can be just enough for a small business or professional.
There’s one more important thing we have to mention about Shopify, especially in comparison with WooCommerce. Namely - its scalability. Shopify, via your subscription, handles hosting and security, ensures high availability even during high-traffic periods, and offers scalable plans for businesses that want to grow continuously.
Key Differences Between WooCommerce and Shopify in 2024
Now you know the basics about WooCommerce and Shopify. But how exactly do they compare? Below, we’ll discuss their ease of use, pricing, customization, SEO, and support, thus providing you with the essential information you need to make an informed decision!
Ease of Use
Without a doubt, Shopify takes the lead when it comes to ease of use. It is a user-friendly platform with a straightforward approach when it comes to both online store customization and web design . In short, what you see is mostly what you get with Shopify - the dedicated dashboard features all Shopify functionalities.
WooCommerce, on the other hand, can be described as complex . It is an open-source plugin that can be extended indefinitely. It also inherits a lot of WordPress’ basic, essential features. As such, besides learning how to use WooCommerce itself, you’ll have to learn how to use WordPress.
Pricing
Shopify is praised for its subscription-based model, offering all-inclusive subscriptions - everything from hosting to domain registration is included in Shopify, making the entire experience much more user-friendly.
WooCommerce, however, is completely free! That’s better, right? It may indeed sound better at first thought - you get to use one of the world’s best e-commerce platforms for free! However, you’ll still have to pay for efficient and powerful hosting, extensive plugins that will help you improve WooCommerce’s foundation, as well as comprehensive SSL (which, in some cases, can be quite expensive).
When putting head-to-head WooCommerce vs. Shopify, pricing challenges really depend on the size of your business.
Customization
Without a doubt, Shopify is customizable, but it has limitations that become noticeable once users get to an intermediate or advanced level. The platform is ideal for businesses that want direct answers to the difficulties they face - an online store to sell products or services.
WooCommerce, on the other hand, is highly customizable and flexible. It inherits from WordPress everything that makes it amazing - thousands of themes, exceptional customization options, tools, and plugins, not to mention an open-source model that allows the development and implementation of new, unique features.
SEO
So, should you choose WooCommerce vs. Shopify for SEO? A direct answer would be WooCommerce, as it inherits the built-in SEO features of WordPress and has multiple professional plugins that can help with all types of optimization, including page loading times and technical SEO.
Shopify does have built-in SEO tools and various extensions that can boost this aspect, but it is considered generally less flexible when it comes to customizing SEO elements. For example, page URLs will always have “/product” or “/category” and they’re quite difficult to customize.
Support
Shopify offers 24/7 dedicated support for all subscription plans, with the Advanced plan having enhanced support. There is a Community Forum and various resource pages, but the main focus is the reliance on customer support.
WooCommerce, on the other hand, being extremely comprehensive in features and functionalities, focuses more on forums and community. WooCommerce users can ask for support or even for an expert to help them with their issues, but some challenges might be too complex to be solved this way. Specifically, support might not be offered in case of hosting provider limitations or incompatibility with other plugins or custom solutions.
SEO Comparison: WooCommerce vs. Shopify
Who wins the WooCommerce vs. Shopify for SEO battle? Well, it all depends on your needs, as both platforms have robust SEO capabilities.
As mentioned, WooCommerce inherits WordPress’ extensive SEO ecosystem and basically has access to every SEO feature out there. For example, those who have built online stores using other platforms may find it rather difficult to optimize for Schema Markup, but WordPress-based websites don’t have this problem.
- WooCommerce - extensive SEO ecosystem via WordPress, Yoast SEO integration (product-specific SEO analysis, multiple keyword optimization, structured data implementation), customizable URLs, and comprehensive plugin ecosystem. In short, full control over technical SEO;
- Shopify - has limited built-in SEO features (automatic sitemap generation, customizable meta tags, canonical tags, mobile-friendly themes), excels at speed and performance, despite WooCommerce’s access to speed optimization plugins (as Shopify has optimized Core Web Vitals offered directly via subscription), has some SEO apps/extensions available.
The verdict? In short, for flexibility, WooCommerce is king; for ease of use, Shopify makes Search Engine Optimization a walk in the park; for page speed, Shopify can be better as you don’t have to manually optimize for speed; for customization, WooCommerce is once again in the lead, thanks to its integration with WordPress.
Dropshipping with WooCommerce vs. Shopify
What about dropshipping? It is still a preferred business model for many new entrepreneurs and not only. As such, should they use WooCommerce vs. Shopify for dropshipping?
Shopify offers direct integration with various dropshipping apps such as Oberlo and DSers. This makes it much easier for merchants to import products, fulfill orders, and manage inventory without leaving the Shopify dashboard. All in all, Shopify for dropshipping is characterized by ease of use and centralized management but somewhat limited customization. It is still a solid choice for dropshipping in 2024!
WooCommerce, on the other hand, provides merchants with an extensive suite of dropshipping plugins, such as AliDropship, DropshipMe, WooDropship, Zendrop, and many more. Then, there are comprehensive customization options that can help you create the best dropshipping setup, including custom solutions, as well as access to diverse supplier options (more flexible than Shopify). Obviously, merchants shouldn’t ignore the steeper learning curve and the fact that they may need an experienced developer.
Nonetheless, for scaling dropshipping businesses, WooCommerce is undoubtedly better. It does have a higher initial setup cost (professional hosting, domain, developer costs), but the plugin is ultimately cost-effective for large stores as it is free, open-source, and allows for the creation of customized features and functionalities.
WooCommerce vs. Shopify for Different Business Types
You now know exactly the differences between WooCommerce and Shopify - specifically what each platform excels at. But here’s another question - which platform is best for which type of business? Let’s find out!
- WooCommerce is the ideal choice for tech-savvy, advanced users. It is especially favored by larger stores that need advanced customization options or businesses that already use WordPress for their website. Scaling businesses will most likely need a dedicated developer to help with WooCommerce management, as many elements need to be checked and maintained regularly.
- Shopify is perfect for small to medium-sized businesses looking for an easy, all-in-one e-commerce solution that can be set up in a matter of hours. There is a learning curve, but it is significantly less steep compared to WooCommerce. In other words, business owners themselves can take up the task of creating the online store from scratch, even if they have no previous experience. They don’t need to worry about hosting, domain, security, and stability.
Final Verdict: WooCommerce or Shopify in 2024
It goes without saying that each platform has its own advantages and disadvantages. However, we believe that the most important difference is the ease of setup. Specifically, WooCommerce users need extensive knowledge to make sure that everything is set up correctly from the get-go.
In short, scaling businesses or businesses that already have a history in the industry and want a comprehensive online store will likely rely on WooCommerce and an experienced developer who can help them customize the plugin and their WordPress website.
On the other hand, Shopify is relatively straightforward. It is by far the most used platform for small- and medium-sized businesses, especially professionals who want to set up an online store as quickly as possible without stumbling upon any difficulty.
We believe the choice boils down to the following question - do you want an all-inclusive service or a highly customizable plugin that integrates with WordPress’ ecosystem of themes and plugins, while also handling hosting decisions?
Large businesses with complex needs and requirements will use WooCommerce. Small businesses that need one platform where they can take care of everything will use Shopify - it’s that easy!
Frequently Asked Questions About WooCommerce vs. Shopify
- Is WooCommerce cheaper than Shopify?
WooCommerce is free, but requires the user to handle hosting and domain registration themselves, as well as subsequent plugin, extension, and theme costs. Shopify operates on a subscription-based model that is all-inclusive.
- Which platform is better for SEO: WooCommerce or Shopify?
WooCommerce is the superior choice for SEO, thanks to its integration with the vast ecosystem of WordPress. The user has full control over technical and on-page SEO.
- Can I migrate from Shopify to WooCommerce?
WooCommerce provides a Migrate Shopify to WooCommerce plugin that allows merchants to import products, orders, coupons, blogs, and pages from their Shopify store into the WooCommerce WordPress plugin.
- Which platform is better for dropshipping?
Shopify is better for users who want an integrated dropshipping solution that’s easy to set up and administrate. WooCommerce, on the other hand, is the superior choice for users who need excellent flexibility and customization options - but it does require previous experience with dropshipping systems, features, and functionalities.
- Does Shopify or WooCommerce have better customer support?
In terms of direct customer support, Shopify takes the lead, as it offers 24/7 support for all its subscribers, regardless of plans. WooCommerce offers support as well, but users are encouraged to rely primarily on its extensive resource collection.
