Shopify Vs WooCommerce: Starting your eCommerce journey which is the best?
The ecommerce world is blooming, and your online sales are known to boom to $6.76 billion at the end of 2024. Now, it’s the best time to start an online store. It is a great idea. To start an e-commerce business, one needs to choose the right platform for hosting the store. Out of all options, Shopify and Woocommerce are popular options to look at. In this article, let’s discuss what is best for your online store between Shopify and WooCommerce.
1. Security
WooCommerce
Security especially for online payment is a much-needed aspect of eCommerce. If you like your consumers to feel simplified with the online payment services, then look after security. In terms of Security WooCommerce needs more work than Shopify. It’s a plugin and you must ensure reasonable security criteria are in place with the WordPress and WordPress hosting itself.
With WordPress Security Plugins, you could boost the security of the website by buying an SSL certificate. Then you can define the security level you are providing to the clients. You should keep up with the plugin updates & more tasks required to make sure of the functioning of the security system.
Shopify
Shopify features great options out of the box for the business. For example, Shopify is compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. That means, Shopify reaches security standards that are imposed by the payment card industry for debit and credit card processing.
Additionally, every Shopify account offers a pre-installed SSL certificate. So, the amount of non-default options and features you add to the web store is restricted if you like to increase the security.
2. Ease of Use
WooCommerce
WooCommerce isn’t a hosted platform. So, you should install manage updates, WooCommerce plugin, and maintain backups. To ensure your website is secure. WooCommerce is flexible for customization. You can control the whole platform and include functionality to the website with over 59,000 WordPress plugins.
There isn’t a drag & drop builder. However, you could utilize WordPress page builders such as Beaver or SeedProd Builder. The downside of this can be the flexibility that you need to learn and need hands-on management. You should sign up for the merchant account or related service as Paypal. Where WooCommerce setup is helpful because that comes with the onboarding experience.
Shopify
Shopify is a seld hosted platform so you aren’t required to update, install or manage the software. No need to think about backups, security, compatibility, and performance issues. After signing up, you could pick a design from several free Shopify themes. Then look after the customization then include the products. It also features an intuitive drag and drop interface that handles inventory, sales, and product pages, whereas Shopify is a breeze in it.
But this highly optimized Shopify store limits the control. You could use development and design tools by Shopify or the add-ons. Still, the collection of themes and extensions accessible in Shopify is good enough to grow the online store.
3. Pricing
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is fully free to use. But there can be a few extra costs with the fee for the domain, SSL certificate, and web hosting. You can see an increase in the hosting costs after the store grows and attracts more visitors but the few domain name fees never change.
Many of them, are one-time purchases. There are free alternatives to pick from. Most hosting companies are providing WooCommerce hosting plans which are made to exclude cost from the first setup. You can find hosting companies that offer you many benefits.
Shopify
The Shopify pricing model comprises three plans that are Basic Shopify, Shopify & Advanced Shopifytywt range from $ 7 to $299 per month. Shopify Plus is even accessible for large-scale merchants. Where the price starts at $2,000 monthly.
Consumers get a free web hosting, domain name, and SSL certificate by default without a fee through Shopify plans. These are available with unlimited bandwidth. So, merchants don’t need to pay for the traffic depending on what they utilize on the website.
The Shopify pricing plan you choose decides what characteristics you get access to over the Shopify platform. For instance, the lowest Shopify plan offers two staff permissions. In case you have several staff permissions, then upgrade to the high tier. And your store needs apps, and the cost of Shopify will climb high as your business grows. Many add-ons of Shopify need a monthly subscription
4. Add-ons & Integrations:
Your e-commerce platform is robust still you need third-party tools for growing your store. WooCommerce and Shopify comprise an extensions directory, that is integrated with third-party services.
Shopify
Shopify features a powerful API and an App Store to buy third-party add-ons for the store. With hundreds of apps, you can get any feature that you need for the store. For instance integration with software such as OptinMonster helps with lead generation and grows the email list. You can find Shopify apps for search engine optimization, discounts, product reviews, countdowns, and much more.
There are both paid and free apps in Shopify’s app store. Where the Free apps are created by the third-party services with their pricing. And apps integrated store to the APIs. Pricing for the paid add-ons varied and apps provide monthly subscriptions. There are few extensions and add-ons for Shopify than WooCommerce as it is tough to get the app listed in the store.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is open-source that’s developed on WordPress. So you get access to over 59,000 WordPress plugins that are free with many paid plugins. Use add-ons to the social media integration, performance optimization, e-commerce SEO, payment gateways, lead generation, and more feature you think of.
With fewer obstacles to entry, there are several add-ons and integrations accessible for WooCommerce. Any third-party services and tools can be incorporated into the WooCommerce store. Hiring a WordPress developer for creating a plugin for the website.
5. Design & Appearance
In terms of eCommerce, fantastic design and simple navigation are prioritized. Most consumers don’t find like browsing through if your store is not simple to browse. Shopify and WooCommerce provide theme templates that modify visual appearance. The themes are mobile responsive and fresh, so anyone can set them up without any designing skills.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is known as a shopping cart plugin, however, it provides its storefront theme. That’s ensured to function and look best with the plugin. You could check over 45 compatible themes where three of them can be free. WordPress has several gorgeous themes were more than 100 themes freely available. However, not every available theme isn’t nice with WooCommerce. But now it’s not an issue at all.
Shopify
In terms of Shopify, the quality of the Shopify theme is a pretty good strength. There are more than 75 themes in the store, and eight of them are free. In terms of design, WooCommerce can be a winner. Don’t worry, the Best Shopify agency can help you pick fantastic themes and designs to convert visitors to customers. As it provides many curated themes beyond the restrictions selected by the website theme.
WooCommerce vs Shopify: Which is best?
Both Shopify & WooCommerce are powerful platforms. It’s your preferences back that personal skill matters in the end. To use Shopify you don’t need anything and can start the store quickly with affordable pricing plans.
WooCommerce is an open-source that offers full control of the website. But you need to maintain the software and should learn technical stuff. In case you are looking for a hassle-free solution with infinite scalability, Shopify is the best platform for you. Being an expert Shopify agency, NOIR & BLANCO helps you with everything you need to start your Ecommerce journey with Shopify.
