WooCommerce vs Shopify: Which e-commerce system is best?

Thinking about starting a webshop? Then you have probably come across the two biggest e-commerce systems: WooCommerce and Shopify. Choosing the right e-commerce system can be crucial to the success of your online business.

There is not one system that is more "right" than the other; it depends on your specific needs. In this post, we will take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of the two systems.

We have updated this blog post in 2016, 2021 and most recently 2024, as both systems are constantly evolving.

Before we dive into the two most popular webshop systems, it is important to start from scratch and explain what WooCommerce and Shopify each can do, so you eventually will get a sense of which platform best suits your needs.

What is Shopify?

Shopify is a hosted "all-in-one" webshop solution that has had the mission of improving e-commerce for everyone since it was founded. With Shopify, it is easy to set up your webshop, configure your payment gateway, add products, and manage inventory – all from one place.

As a hosted solution, Shopify acts as your web space, meaning they manage your domain, security, caching, and more.

What is WooCommerce?

WooCommerce is an open-source plugin that is compatible with WordPress. To use WooCommerce, you must first have a WordPress solution, which is a powerful content management system (CMS), after which you can add WooCommerce as a plugin to enable webshop functionalities.

Since WordPress is an open-source platform, you have access to all the code files, allowing you to customize the system and develop additional modules. However, this requires knowledge of PHP and comfort with development.

Before deciding whether to use Shopify or WooCommerce, you should consider the following parameters to help you make the right choice:

• Budget: What is the total cost of starting and running a webshop?
• Usability: Is the system easy to use for you?
• Integrations: Does the webshop need to integrate with third-party systems (e.g. accounting system, external warehouse, point of sales(POS))?
• Scalability: Where do you want to be in two years? The platform should be able to grow with your business.

Also consider any specific requirements such as dropshipping, invoicing or inventory management and see if Shopify or WooCommerce meets these needs.

Hosting

Shopify is a hosted solution and naturally includes hosting as part of your monthly payment, making it easy to get started.

WooCommerce requires you to connect a web space, which can be One.com, UnoEuro, DanDomain, GoDaddy or SurfTown.

Usability: Which platform is more user-friendly?

We have been working with both systems for over 8 years and we believe Shopify is clearly the most user-friendly.

Shopify's intuitive interface makes it easy to manage your webshop, whether you want to create new categories, add products or change texts. Redundant elements have been removed, giving you exactly the features you need.

WooCommerce is also user-friendly, but it can take longer to learn the backend system and it is more complex to create product variants.

What about SSL certificate?

Shopify includes an SSL certificate in your price, which is not always the case with WooCommerce. However, most web hosts now offer “"Let’s Encrypt"-certificates to ensure your website runs over HTTPS, which is essential for webshop security.

With WordPress, you are responsible for purchasing the SSL certificate yourself.

Coding options in the backend

Both systems allow for coding options, but we prefer Shopify as it uses Liquid, a language that is easier to work with.

WooCommerce has a more complex file structure, which can make it confusing to navigate.

Which platform is best for SEO?

Shopify has a built-in SEO plugin and helps with basic SEO practices, such as meta information and on-page text content. It is also important to note that Shopify webshops load faster on average compared to WooCommerce webshops. This can give your site an additional advantage in Google's rankings.

WooCommerce is integrated into WordPress, which is a blogging platform. It also allows users to modify URLs, meta descriptions, alt tags and other on-page elements with excellent SEO tools.

SEO: Link structure is different

Shopify has a fixed link structure that you cannot change much unless you do a headless solution. The link structure looks like this:

Category: ditdomæne.dk/collections/categorititel

Product: ditdomæne.dk/products/producttitle

Although this can be debated in terms of SEO, many Shopify webshops have been successful with high rankings for competitive keywords.

In contrast, WooCommerce gives you more control over the link structure:

Category: yourdomain.com/categoryname

Product: yourdomain.com/productname

From an SEO perspective, WooCommerce can be an advantage here.

Easy start-up in both systems

Both systems offer a range of templates so you can easily customize the design. You can find templates for WooCommerce on sites like ThemeForest, with prices ranging from 45-65 USD, and for Shopify on their own theme store, with prices ranging from 160-180 USD.

If you want a custom design, we can help you develop a unique theme that matches your visual identity.

Checkout and payment methods

In Shopify, “checkout.liquid” is locked by default, but if you use Shopify Plus, you can modify the checkout process. Often there's no need to do this, as Shopify's checkout is the best and highest converting in the world.

WooCommerce, on the other hand, gives you full access to customize the checkout to your liking, which can be both good and bad.

When it comes to payment gateways, both Shopify and WooCommerce offer a wide range of options. Shopify has a built-in payment solution, Shopify payments, which makes it easy to get started right away. Setting up with third-party payment gateways is also often just a few clicks away.

WooCommerce allows users to choose from many different payment providers, giving greater flexibility.

Inventory management

Shopify's inventory- and order management has an intuitive interface that makes it easy to keep track of products and orders.

WooCommerce also offers robust inventory management features, but may require the installation of additional plugins to achieve the desired functionality.

Download apps and plugins

Both systems offer a wealth of apps and plugins. WooCommerce refers to them as "plugins," while Shopify calls them "apps." You can find both free and paid options, similar to an app store on your smartphone.

WooCommerce requires you to manually update plugins to avoid security gaps, where Shopify automatically updates apps.

Pricing

WooCommerce is free to use and Shopify has different subscription levels.

The prices below are based on an annual payment with Shopify, where you save 25%.

• Shopify Basic: €29EUR/month
• Shopify: €79EUR/month
• Advanced: €299EUR/month
• Plus: $2,300USD/month on 3-year contract

Transaction fees

It is important to be aware of the ongoing costs associated with your chosen system.

WooCommerce has no transaction fees, while Shopify charges fees based on your subscription type when you use a third-party payment gateway.

• Shopify Basic: 2%
• Shopify: 1%
• Advanced: 0.6%
• Plus: 0.2%

Dashboard with data and statistics

Both systems give you insights into revenue and data. WooCommerce gives you information based on your revenue and costs, while Shopify offers a wider range of data sources, such as conversion rate, trending products and the ability to customize your own reports.

We recommend setting up Google Analytics (GA4) regardless of which system you choose to use, so you can access important data.

Security: Which solution is most secure?

Security should be a top priority for any online business as you are storing customer information. WordPress, being open source, can have potential security gapd, especially if third-party plugins are not kept up to date.

Shopify, as a hosted solution, is responsible for securing your online store against hacker attacks and other threats.

Product creation

You can create all the products you need in both systems. Shopify allows up to 100 variants per product and soon up to 2000 variants, while WooCommerce has no official limit as long as your web space can handle it.

Support for Shopify

Shopify offers 24/7 support, so you can always get assistance with the system via live chat, email, or phone. Additionally, the ecosystem of apps also provides a high level of support, often available around the clock.

WooCommerce offers support via email, but there are many resources available online in various forums where you will often find answers to your question.

Both platforms offer extensive support and resources, where Shopify has a more centralized support structure, WooCommerce relies on a large community and various third-party providers for help and guidance as it is an "open-source" platform.

Integrations

Both systems support integrations with third-party solutions.

Shopify makes it easy to create integrations, and the most popular external systems have an easy and secure integration.

WooCommerce also integrates with most systems, but often requires a more technical approach. This can be an advantage for businesses with specific needs as it allows for more customized solutions. However, it can also be a hindrance for less technically inclined users who want a quick and seamless integration.

If your business is already tied to a complex and important integration to an ERP, it's important to research the options carefully before switching platforms, as it can be business-critical if the integration does not work.

The choice between Shopify and WooCommerce largely depends on your specific needs and ambitions for your webshop. Shopify is a cloud-based platform that offers a simple all-in-one solution where Shopify hosts and manages the software for you. This makes Shopify ideal for those who want to avoid technical challenges and searches for a user-friendly and scalable solution. Shopify allows you to focus on your business while it takes care of security, hosting and support.

On the other hand, WordPress is an open-source platform, where the plugin WooCommerce is free on paper, making it attractive for those on a tight budget. Further, WooCommerce offers more flexibility and customization, which can be an advantage for tech-savvy businesses that want full control over their online store.

When considering WooCommerce and Shopify, keep in mind that Shopify comes with built-in hosting and support, while WordPress requires you to handle hosting, security and maintenance yourself. Additionally, Shopify is known for its user-friendliness and many integrations, while WooCommerce offers more freedom to customize both design and functionality.

The advantages and disadvantages of Shopify and WooCommerce vary, but for many, the choice between the two will depend on their technical skills and need for control. If you want a platform that can be quickly set up and managed without deep technical knowledge, Shopify is the best option. If you want full control and the ability to customize every aspect of your online store, WooCommerce may be the right choice.

Whatever you choose, remember that both Shopify and WooCommerce are two of the most popular systems and both offer scalable solutions that can grow with your business.