Are you curious about the distinctions that exist between WooCommerce and Shopify? Are you having trouble deciding which eCommerce platform would be best for your store?
Therefore, there is no need to be concerned about anything. When individuals have made the decision to move their company operations online and embark on a journey in eCommerce, this is the most typical question that they ask. You don’t need to worry about a thing!
People have been attempting to find out how to make the most of the internet’s potential in the business world ever since the early days of the internet. This includes making an effort to sell items through it. And a great number of these kinds of platforms have been developed in order to assist people in accomplishing these goals.
In this piece, we will examine and contrast the two most widely used e-commerce platforms, and determine which one is the superior option. Consider this to be a contest between WooCommerce and Shopify.
What is eCommerce? – Introduction
E-commerce, sometimes known as internet commerce, is another name for electronic trade. In its most basic form, it refers to the act of purchasing and selling products and services through the use of the internet-based platform known as online shopping. On the other hand, one overarching definition of it may be that it’s the process of conducting business using computers and the internet.
Simply having this is beneficial in a variety of ways. It might be of great use to businesses that deal in the sale of tangible goods. It gives users the ability to showcase their wares in a virtual setting, eliminating the need to store the actual items in a specific spot. The stress that comes from having to manage tangible objects may be reduced by making effective use of eCommerce.
Customers will be able to shop from the convenience of their own homes, peruse your items, and make purchases all without leaving the house. They don’t have to go through the inconvenience of going there in the actual world because of it. They also have the option of making use of delivery services, such as those offered by FedEx, in order to have the merchandise brought to them.
You can only image how much simpler things are going to be for those who own businesses now! Over the past few days, an increasing number of people have become aware of the possibility of doing business and marketing activities online. As a consequence of this, they have begun employing it in order to advance their company farther.
As a result, there have been a multitude of websites that assist individuals in doing commercial transactions through the internet. They focus mostly on offering tools and hosting services to assist in the development of websites for online stores. WooCommerce and Shopify are now the two that have the greatest visibility.
WooCommerce vs Shopify – Overview
Let’s get started with the Shopify vs. WooCommerce battle by first going over some general information about both systems.
What is WooCommerce? – Overview
The most common eCommerce platform used for developing and managing online stores is called WooCommerce. WooCommerce was established in 2011, and it is believed that it powers approximately 30 percent of online stores. Its user base continues to expand fast as an increasing number of businesses move their operations online.
In terms of the technology behind it, it is delivered in the form of a plugin for WordPress. In point of fact, it is the eCommerce plugin for WordPress that is both the most popular and the best. Let’s begin by discussing the WordPress platform so that we may have a better understanding of this topic.
The software that manages content is called WordPress (CMS). This indicates that it is a tool that can be used to construct websites as well as post material onto the websites that are created. For example, articles, pictures, and videos posted on a blog.
Through the utilisation of plugins, you are able to extend the capabilities of your WordPress installation. Plugins are third-party programmes that may be installed outside of WordPress to extend its functionality and provide users with more website-building possibilities.
One such plugin for WordPress is called WooCommerce. It is designed to assist you in optimising your website for eCommerce by adding features that are necessary for conducting business over the internet and selling things.
You will, in essence, obtain characteristics that will assist you in displaying your items on that website if you install it onto your WordPress website and use it. For instance, the capability of displaying pricing with photos of items, as well as other improvements of a similar kind.
You also get features that can assist your consumers navigate around the website and discover the items that they need, such as a search bar or a pricing slider. These features are all included in the package that you receive.
Additionally, WooCommerce is open-source software, which means that anybody is allowed to download and utilise it in any way they see fit. Additionally, people who possess the necessary abilities can alter it on their own and then pass on the information to others. Because of this, there is an infinite amount of potential because thousands of individuals may collaborate on the development of new features for the programme.
The WooCommerce software itself is free to use, but in order to host your website on the internet, you will need a web hosting account as well as a domain name. A domain name may be purchased from a domain registrar company for around $15 per year, but the cost of WooCommerce hosting is approximately $11 per month.
What is Shopify? – Overview
In 2004, it was established with the intention of developing a platform that would enable users to quickly and simply construct websites from which they could market and sell their wares over the internet.
Because it is a fully hosted standalone platform, using Shopify to create an eCommerce website is a very straightforward process. This indicates that it will give you with a hosting service, a domain name, software, and all of the other resources necessary to create an online business. Therefore, all you need to do to get started is sign up for a website with Shopify and then go to work.
Shopify has a broad variety of tools and features that may assist you in getting your eCommerce website up and running. As a result, it is considerably simpler to construct an eCommerce website using Shopify. In addition, there are a lot of lessons and a very knowledgeable support crew!
Because of this, Shopify, in contrast to WooCommerce, is a service that requires payment to use. Web hosting is not inexpensive, and in order to make use of the services that Shopify offers, monetary payment is necessary.
Because Shopify is already a fully developed website designer and host, it doesn’t provide you as much freedom to construct your website the way you want to because it doesn’t give you as much opportunity for experimentation.
For example, it comes with a large number of pre-installed themes, but there is no input from the community.
WooCommerce vs Shopify – Price
The question “How much would this cost me?” is the first thought that comes to the mind of everybody who is considering making an investment. In the realm of business, this is a very reasonable worry to have.
How Much it Costs to Start a WooCommerce Store?
When it comes to the cost, it is really difficult to find something that can compete with a free product such as WordPress WooCommerce. Since it is entirely free of cost, all you need to do is download it and get started making your website look the way you want it to.
However, it will not provide you with a domain name or serve as a web host for your website in any way, shape, or form. It does nothing more than provide you access to a software package that you may use to build your website.
Therefore, depending on the type of web hosting package that you go with, your monthly costs might range anywhere from 5 to 100 dollars.
In addition, just as with any other WordPress-based website, you will be required to pay a fee in order to register a domain name and obtain Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certification for your website. SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer, is a proofing certificate that ensures consumers may safely connect with your website.
The fact that all of this must be purchased from a third party causes the costs associated with developing a website with WooCommerce to quickly mount up and become extremely expensive. It may be quite challenging to keep track of all of these services, particularly if you get them from a number of different providers.
However, there are web hosting firms like as SiteGround and Bluehost that, to our great fortune, provide inexpensive WooCommerce hosting in addition to domain package deals. Bluehost is one hosting company that offers a free domain name with the purchase of a hosting package.
With Bluehost’s basic WooCommerce hosting plan, which costs $6.95 per month, you can build an eCommerce website for as little as $6.95 per month. This plan also includes a free domain name and a free SSL certificate.
How Much it Costs to Start a Shopify Store?
On the other hand, if you choose Shopify’s most fundamental plan, you will be required to pay $29 per month for the web hosting and website construction tools that the company offers. Because of this, it is not a free service like WooCommerce; however, it does include all of the necessary upkeep, hosting, and domain registration.
It also means that you will be able to know the price that you will be paying right from the start, which will make it easier for you to prepare for the future and manage your budget. In contrast to WooCommerce, where prices may be customised for each individual customer, this allows for more flexibility.
You will also benefit from the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you will only need to make one payment each month for a single plan. In contrast to the strain that comes from having to handle the costs of all of the many parts of website administration independently.
Shopify vs WooCommerce – Ease of use
When selecting an eCommerce platform, user friendliness should also be a top priority on your list of priorities. If you are just starting out in the world of web design, you are going to want to choose a platform that is straightforward and user-friendly for novices. When first starting out, it might be challenging to understand some technical issues.
Even for a web developer, a simpler platform is preferable since it can save the time that would be required to administer a more complex platform. This is the case even if the web platform in question is more advanced.
Is WooCommerce Easy to Use?
When selecting an eCommerce platform, user friendliness should also be a top priority on your list of priorities. If you are just starting out in the world of web design, you are going to want to choose a platform that is straightforward and user-friendly for novices. When first starting out, it might be challenging to understand some technical issues.
Even for a web developer, a simpler platform is preferable since it can save the time that would be required to administer a more complex platform. This is the case even if the web platform in question is more advanced.
If this is the case, all you will need to do to begin adding items to your website is go into the dashboard of your WordPress installation and setup the WooCommerce settings. The five-step setup process is made easier by a wizard that is included with the software.
The ‘WooCommerce’ option, along with the other three menu items, will be added to your dashboard menu after the WooCommerce plugin has been activated and enabled. To initiate the configuration assistant, simply hover your mouse pointer above the ‘WooCommerce’ label and select the ‘Home’ option.
The WooCommerce setup wizard will then begin running after this. Simply provide some information about your shop, and all of the necessary configurations will be taken care of for you.
Choosing a theme for your WooCommerce business is the very last step in the process. You have the option of selecting a theme from the collection that we have compiled of the very finest WooCommerce themes.
After you have completed the store’s setup, you are free to begin adding goods to it. Add your items by navigating to the “Products” section of your WordPress admin panel and clicking “Add New.”
Next, using the ‘Marketing’ option in the dashboard menu, you may expand the capabilities of your WooCommerce store by installing various marketing plugins and extensions. The ‘Analytics’ tab of your eCommerce storefront gives you access to a wealth of data.
In conclusion, for someone who is just getting started, it could sound like a bit of a challenge. However, unlike what you may initially believe, it is not as difficult as you may think it is.
Is Shopify Easy to Use?
Shopify, on the other hand, is a platform that has been developed to a greater extent and is geared at those who are only recently starting to understand the full potential of the internet.
Simply go to the Shopify website and click the box labelled “Start free trial” to get your online storefront up and running on Shopify. After that, in order to begin the process of setting up your business, you will need to provide your email address, your password, and the store name.
Next, you will want to establish a Shopify account for yourself. Please enter your full name, email address, and password. After that, select the option to “Create Account” from the menu.
Next, Shopify will inquire about your online company by asking you a few questions about it. You can breeze through the process of setting everything up by just selecting the necessary choices.
After completing the two phases of supplying information about your organisation, the setup procedure will be finished. We are going to have a look at the Shopify admin page, which is the location from where you can manage your Shopify store.
Next, using the ‘Marketing’ option in the dashboard menu, you may expand the capabilities of your WooCommerce store by installing various marketing plugins and extensions. The ‘Analytics’ tab of your eCommerce storefront gives you access to a wealth of data.
In conclusion, for someone who is just getting started, it could sound like a bit of a challenge. However, unlike what you may initially believe, it is not as difficult as you may think it is.
You may now go to the many choices to personalise your store when you have finished.
In conclusion, establishing and managing a Shopify store can all be done within a single interface with Shopify. Because each of its features is packaged into a separate plan, it is quite simple for anybody to learn about the available options and select the one that best meets their requirements.
Shopify vs WooCommerce – Freedom of Choice
If you consider yourself to be a creative person, then this area is definitely going to pique your attention! Freedom of choice is an important aspect to take into account when attempting to create a website that stands out from the crowd. Or possibly one that is geared at a target audience or purpose that is quite particular.
How Flexible is Shopify Platform?
Shopify gives you quite a few creative alternatives to select from, and its premium packages are the only ones that incorporate many of the features that are available.
Shopify provides its users with a broad variety of customizable themes and functionalities that can be applied to a variety of website types. There are now 65 premium Shopify themes and 9 free Shopify themes available for download from the Shopify theme shop. You may customise the look of your website by picking a theme from among these available alternatives.
The typical price range for Shopify premium themes is between $100 and $180. When compared to the prices of the WooCommerce themes, this one is significantly more expensive. In addition to this, Shopify only offers a small selection of different themes, which is another one of its many drawbacks.
You may utilise a variety of applications that are offered by the Shopify platform, which will allow you to expand the capabilities of your website. There are a great number of applications available, both free and paid, that serve a variety of functions. Some of them can assist you boost your marketing, search engine optimization, and client retention, while others will enable you to exhibit social proof on your store.
Apps are available for a wide range of functions and functionalities, however there aren’t many alternative apps for those features and capabilities. And the costs of the premium applications can range anywhere from $15 per month to $400 per month.
In conclusion, Shopify is a well-thought-out platform for online stores; yet, the creative flexibility and possibilities that Shopify provides are essentially nothing in contrast to those that WooCommerce provides.
How Flexible is WooCommerce?
Because it is open source software, WooCommerce is capable of being customised by anybody who possesses the necessary level of expertise.
For instance, if you want to make a certain theme for WooCommerce and you want to do it yourself, you may do so. You may even sell it to other people if you want to. if you happen to have a natural talent for running a business, that is.
It also works when you turn it around! You have access to a broad variety of themes, plugins, and features that have been developed by other people and may browse through them. You will, in due time, come upon the one that fulfils all of your requirements.
The truth is that customers may choose from thousands of different WooCommerce themes on the market today. The WooCommerce.com website now offers around twenty different designs, but that’s only for one business. There are hundreds of third-party theme vendors that provide WooCommerce websites with incredible themes to choose from.
For instance, if you go to the theme repository on WordPress.org and search for “WooCommerce theme,” you will notice that there are more than one thousand themes available to choose from.
In a similar manner, if you go to ThemeForest.net and search for “WooCommerce” themes, you will receive around the same amount of WooCommerce themes, which is over 1000. If you look in additional places, you’ll find hundreds more in a variety of different theme stores.
Because it is open-source, it includes a large number of extensions that may be used to add new functionality. There are hundreds of plugins and extensions for WooCommerce, both free and premium, that can be found on the official WooCommerce website.
In addition, the plugin repository on WordPress.org offers a variety of extensions and addons that are compatible with WooCommerce.
Because WooCommerce is an open-source platform, absolutely anybody is free to use it, tweak it, and create new items based on it. Imagine then that there are thousands of individuals continually working on this platform to develop new and improved features and then sharing these features with one another. The opportunities really are limitless in scope.
WooCommerce vs Shopify – Support
User Support Options in Shopify
Customer service should be given the greatest priority in any business that is motivated by financial gain. Because of this, businesses such as Shopify make sure to have a customer care and support team ready to respond to any queries you might have. They are also prepared to assist you in resolving any issues that may arise while you are in the process of putting up your website.
The organisation has provided this crew with specialised training in all of the inner workings of websites, as well as in the platform itself; as a result, they are more than equipped to offer guidance.
In addition to this, it comes with a comprehensive documentation that includes a large number of articles that are written with newcomers to Shopify in mind. The manual contains the solutions to the majority of your questions and concerns.
User Support Options in WooCommerce
In its most basic form, WooCommerce is a free plugin that is maintained and supported by an open source community. It is a community of users and developers from all around the world that are constantly and diligently working to enhance the programme. Therefore, whenever you are in need of help of any kind, you can always turn to this group for assistance.
You can submit any queries you have regarding the official WooCommerce plugin support in a forum that can be found on the WordPress.org website. In addition, there is help and documentation available for WooCommerce.
On the other hand, if you use additional premium WooCommerce plugins and extensions, then you could get even better assistance through email, live chat, and other channels.
It can be said without a doubt that the WooCommerce community has a larger user base than the Shopify community does. Because of this, there is an abundance of free information available online to assist newcomers in getting started. There are thousands of blogs much like ours that are geared on assisting people in the process of setting up online businesses utilising WooCommerce.
WooCommerce vs Shopify – Extra functionality
Adding Extra Features to Your Shopify Store
On Shopify, all of the features are connected to the various plans, and the more costly plans come with access to a wider choice of features. If the fundamentals aren’t sufficient for your needs, you’ll need to upgrade your plan to a higher one in order to access a wider selection of available features.
If the applications that are currently accessible in the Shopify app store do not provide the additional functionality that you want, then it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to add the feature. If you are a developer, then you are able to construct an application and submit it for review; however, the review process takes some time.
Adding Extra Features to Your WooCommerce Store
There is no such thing as a limitation on the WooCommerce platform. Your WooCommerce store may benefit from the addition of additional functionality by using one of the many addon plugins that are available. The other piece of beneficial information is that the majority of the add-on plugins may be obtained at no cost.
In addition, there are a great number of themes that have been developed specifically for WooCommerce and are packed with a variety of functionality and customization choices. With WooCommerce, your options are virtually endless.
If you are skilled in coding, you can even create your own WooCommerce extensions and themes to use in conjunction with your online store.
WooCommerce vs Shopify – Time
How Much Time Do You Need to Make a WooCommerce Shop?
Due to the fact that WooCommerce is a self-hosted platform, the installation and configuration processes require additional time. You will need to select a web host, a domain name, register for each of these, and then locate the plugins that are most appropriate for your company. It is a significant increase in the number of tasks that you will need to complete. After that, you will finally be able to construct your website.
This procedure can take a number of hours (or even days, if you are unable to make a decision). Because of this, those of you who have a hard time waiting may find it difficult to enjoy it. People who are always pressed for time shouldn’t bother with it because it won’t benefit them.
The fact that you are responsible for managing the website on your own is another indication that doing so will consume a significant amount of your time. It is your responsibility to make any necessary repairs to your website in the event that it becomes inoperable for any reason. That is a concept that is not going to sit well with a lot of people.
How Much Time Do You Need to Make a Shopify Store?
The plans offered by Shopify are intuitive and simple to use; with only the press of a button, you may have your very own eCommerce website. As a result of the efforts of a dedicated group of industry professionals, the Shopify features are also noticeably simpler and easier to navigate.
In the event that your website unexpectedly stops functioning, the staff at Shopify will immediately start to work in order to determine the cause of the issue and to find a solution to it as soon as possible.
WooCommerce vs Shopify – Winner?
To tell you the truth, nobody really comes out on top here. Every person has somewhat unique requirements, and every person has their own individual motivations for wanting to launch an eCommerce website. The gist of the matter is that,
- Shopify is the best option for those who want an eCommerce experience that is streamlined, simple, and well-planned. They want solutions that are straightforward and sophisticated, and they don’t want the headache of having to operate or host the website on their own. They value practicality more than the opportunity to be creative and strive to maximise their effectiveness.
- WooCommerce is the superior option for users who want to personalise their shopping experience by employing their own abilities to alter the appearance of their website. They want complete control of the website even if it requires additional effort on their part. They take pleasure in the creative freedom of creating a website their own, and their websites are typically quite specialised or very distinctive from those of other people.
Conclusion
We really hope that you’ve been able to get an in-depth grasp of what these two eCommerce sites have to offer, and that you now have an idea of which one you should go with! You have been presented with all of the benefits and all of the drawbacks associated with each service, and at this point, the decision is entirely up to you!
