WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin that turns a WordPress site into an online store. Magento Open Source is installed on hosting you control. Adobe Commerce can be installed the same way, or run on Adobe Commerce on cloud infrastructure, an automated hosting platform on Amazon Web Services. The better choice depends on what your site has to do and who will run it.
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.
With Magento: self-hosted installs must match a tested stack of PHP, database, search engine and web server versions. and upgrades and extension compatibility need planned development time.
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 | WooCommerce | Magento |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting and upkeep[5][3] | Runs on the same self-chosen WordPress hosting, with PHP, a database and HTTPS. | Self-hosted installs need PHP, a MariaDB or MySQL database, a search engine such as OpenSearch and a web server, in version combinations Adobe tests. |
| Selling online[1][6][7] | Products, cart and checkout are the core of the plugin, and a built-in CSV tool imports and updates products. | Products, pricing, customers and stock are managed in the admin. |
| Custom code[8][9] | The store is a WordPress site, so themes and blocks can be written in code. | Themes and modules are developed in code. |
| Adding features[10][11][12] | Official extensions add features such as bookings and gift cards. | Extensions and themes come from the Adobe Commerce Marketplace. |
| Moving away later[6][7] | The built-in CSV tool exports products; it does not cover customers or orders. | The admin exports products, advanced pricing, customers and stock sources to CSV. |
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]
The admin exports products, advanced pricing, customers and stock sources to CSV. Any move should map every old address to its new page with permanent redirects.[7][13]
Yes. 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. Magento 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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