Shopify and Woocommerce are e-commerce arenas that permit you to build your shop online, sell your commodities and earn profit through it.
Both of them are similar kinds of platforms yet very different. There is a constant drift between which one to select from the two.
Are you perplexed about choosing one of them too? Do you wish to open an online mart but not specific on which platform? Then, Relax; I am here to help.
I am going to procure you with a detailed distinction between the two. Then, you can select anyone according to your suitability.
So, let’s get started.
Overview
Shopify is an E-commerce website that furnishes you with everything on a single platform.
You can establish a store, retail your commodities, and keep a record of them, everything at one niche. The incredible thing is you need not bother about the technicality of operating a website.
Whereas, Woocommerce is an E-commerce forum for WordPress. Because of its open-source essence, you can effortlessly customize your mart, and you have the approval of employing more than 55 thousand plugins.
You need to consider numerous factors while selecting the best suitable platform for yourself. For that, let’s just differentiate between them based on various factors.
Based on Cost and Pricing:
Cost and pricing is an important aspect to consider before appointing a platform for your online shop as the benefit of a business if your investment is more than your benefits.
Shopify:-
Shopify offers very transparent and specific plans and pricing.
Its basic plan will cause an expense of $29 per month, and it’s the best if you wish just to commence your business. Its standard will generate a fee of $79/month, and it’s for growing business. Its advanced plan is $299 per month, which is the best if your business is scaling up.
Apart from that, you can be charged for various transaction gateways and credit cards. You might have some expenses related to themes and premium plugins.
Woocommerce:-
The cost and pricing aspect of Woocommerce is not very clear. You can never guess what you would be charged for a particular store.
At the minimum, you have to make an expense for a domain name, hosting, and your payment gateway. In addition to that, you might end up getting paid for premium themes and premium plugins.
Based on Ease of Use:
Most people who wish to start a store online are not very familiar with the platform’s technicality. So, it would be better if an E-commerce platform could be user-friendly or easy to use.
Shopify:-
It’s an entirely hosted platform. So you don’t need to bother about its installation, updates, or management. It will do it all for you.
The platform itself better handles even security and compatibility. It helps you select the design and customization of your store too. You wouldn’t face any problem related to ease of use on this platform.
Woocommerce:-
Unlike Shopify, Woocommerce is not an entirely hosted platform. So, you need to install, update and manage your platform yourself.
Even the security of your website will be your concern. However, you can use various paid and free plugins available to assist your work.
Based on Flexibility:
Shopify:-
Shopify is not a very flexible platform. It does not offer much control over itself.
You can only use the tools, designs, and customizations offered by them. The use of other add ons and tools is not accepted here.
Woocommerce:-
Woocommerce offers complete control over its platform. It is very flexible. You can add any design you want or any customization you wish.
You can set up your store all by yourself, and you can add whatever you have imagined. But Woocommerce would not offer any restrictions.
Based on Payment methods available:-
A particular platform must have payment methods that are suitable for you and your customers. For that matter, a platform should have various payment methods available.
Shopify:-
Shopify offers its payment gateway named Shopify payments.
Other than that, it accepts payment through various third-party gateways, but it would charge you some extra fee, and it could be as high as 2%. If you want to reduce that expense to 0.5%, you’ll have to buy an Advanced Shopify plan.
Woocommerce:-
Woocommerce does not have its payment gateway, but as it’s an open-source platform, any payment gateway can offer its service there. Gateways like PayPal, Stripe, Square, etc. are available as popular gateways.
Based on Scalability:-
As traffic to your store increases, it becomes essential to scale up your business to meet customer demands and your business’s growth.
Shopify:-
Shopify handles all the technicalities like up-gradation and scalability by itself. You do not have to worry about that. As your business scales up, you only have to switch on to the upgraded plan, and its infrastructure can handle it all.
Though it might cost you more, your workload will be less. You can always plan accordingly.
Woocommerce:-
Unlike Shopify, there is no extra expense on Woocommerce while scaling up.
You would always have many options to manage and upgrade your store or customize it according to your needs. However, you might need some help from people who are good with technical issues.
Based on Add-ons and Integrations:
A good e-commerce platform always needs some add-ons and integrations from third-party tools for better functioning, and both Shopify and Woocommerce offer that facility.
Shopify:-
Shopify offers a wide range of third-party Apps and Add-ons on its App Store and API.
Apps present here will provide all the possible features that you might require for your store. Some of those apps are free, and some are paid. You can choose one according to your suitability.
Woocommerce:-
Woocommerce is built on WordPress and is open source. So, you can access more than 55 thousand WordPress plugins for add-ons and a lot more paid add-ons.
Conclusion
After contemplating each point, I can say one thing for sure that both Shopify and Woocommerce are great e-commerce platforms. Both of them have their advantages and limitations.
It depends on you and what you are looking for in an e-commerce platform. Decide for yourself according to your suitability. Assess every benefit and limitation of each forum properly and then select one. Take your time. All the best!