Shopify is a hosted commerce platform with a built-in checkout. WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin that turns a WordPress site into an online store. The better choice depends on what your site has to do and who will run it.
With Shopify: app costs and app overlap add up as features are added. and product and collection URLs use fixed /products and /collections paths.
With WooCommerce: store, plugin and WordPress updates need testing before they go live. and payments, shipping and tax extensions each need setting up and maintaining.
List the jobs the site must do, such as bookings, a store, listings or member logins.
Check each job against what each platform has built in, through add-ons or as custom work.
Decide who will update the site day to day, and how often.
Check what you could take with you if you move later.
| Criterion | Shopify | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting and upkeep[1][4] | Hosting is included with every Shopify plan. | Runs on the same self-chosen WordPress hosting, with PHP, a database and HTTPS. |
| Selling online[5][2][3][6] | Products and checkout are built in and managed from the Shopify admin. | Products, cart and checkout are the core of the plugin, and a built-in CSV tool imports and updates products. |
| Custom code[7][8] | Theme files, including Liquid templates, can be edited in the code editor. | The store is a WordPress site, so themes and blocks can be written in code. |
| Adding features[9][10][11] | Many features, such as bookings, come from apps in the Shopify App Store. | Official extensions add features such as bookings and gift cards. |
| Moving away later[12][6] | Products export to CSV, but the export leaves out product images. | The built-in CSV tool exports products; it does not cover customers or orders. |
Products export to CSV, but the export leaves out product images. Any move should map every old address to its new page with permanent redirects.[12][13]
The built-in CSV tool exports products; it does not cover customers or orders. Any move should map every old address to its new page with permanent redirects.[6][13]
Yes. Shopify is one of the platforms we build on, and we recommend it when it suits the jobs your site has to do. If another platform fits better, we say so. WooCommerce is one of the platforms we build on, and we recommend it when it suits the jobs your site has to do. If another platform fits better, we say so.
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