WooCommerce vs Shopify: Who Comes Out On Top? (2023)
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WooCommerce vs Shopify: a showdown between two ecommerce giants. Shopify powers over 800,000 online stores, while WooCommerce claims it’s the web’s most popular ecommerce platform – so who comes out on top?
As it turns out, Shopify is our favored pick of the two. Not only is it powerful, reliable, and easy to use, it also offers stunning templates and brilliant customer support.
That’s not to say that WooCommerce doesn’t hold its own, though. This savvy ecommerce plugin turns any WordPress site into a powerful online store, and is also an open-source platform – making it free to install.
In this article, we’ll be discussing WooCommerce powered by Bluehost, our top-rated hosting provider for all WordPress sites.
Over the next few minutes, we’ll help you figure out which of these two big names will best suit your business. So read on – this bout is about to begin!
Shopify is better for you if...
…you are anyone who prefers 24/7 support and likes things such as security taken care of for you, as well as all the features you could ever need being provided by Shopify. If you need a website up live in a short space of time with limited technical know-how and want sleek templates that are easy to customize, Shopify is our recommendation to you!WooCommerce is better for you if...
…you value customization over all else and don’t mind putting in the extra work to get the online store of your dreams. You will need to have some degree of technical competency, but if you’re wanting to build a large-scale online store selling in numerous regions, WooCommerce is your ticket!Do you wish someone would just tell you exactly which platform is best for you instead of reading this whole comparison? Well, the good news is, we have a quick and easy quiz for you! Simply answer a few questions to get a personalized recommendation…
Are You Ready For a Personalized Recommendation?
Yes! Start the Quiz NowWooCommerce vs Shopify: Quick Comparison Table
Shopify | WooCommerce | |
Ease of Use Winner: Shopify | Hosted software - Shopify includes hosting and security, plus you don’t need to use any code to build a brilliant online store. | Not beginner-friendly - unless you have some coding knowledge, you’ll struggle to build the online store you want on WooCommerce, unlike on Shopify. |
Build Time Winner: Shopify | Shopify holds your hand through the process and has all features at the ready, meaning your store can be "live" faster. | More of a project as you have to decide every detail of your online store - great for some, tiresome for others. |
Design and Themes Winner: Shopify | 70 paid-for themes gives Shopify a more curated, stylish look than WooCommerce even though the former offers more customization. | Limitless customization - as an open-source platform, you can use code to customize your store to your heart’s content. |
Sales Features Winner: Shopify | Shopify has built-in abandoned cart recovery, discount codes, unlimited products, website and blog and over 100 payment options, | Accessing sales features will require plugins and extensions, some of which can cost. |
Plugins and Integrations Winner: WooCommerce | Shopify still operates an app store with over 3,200 apps, though is nowhere near the size or quality of WooCommerce's. | WooCommerce is an open-source platform, meaning it's been designed to have plugins and extensions do the role of its features. Its Plugin Directory boasts over 55,000 options. |
Marketing Tools Winner: Shopify | Multichannel integration -sell on other channels like Amazon, Facebook, eBay and Pinterest as a built-in feature. | Once again, all marketing tools will be available through plugins and extensions. |
Payment Options and Transaction Fees Winner: WooCommerce | Transaction fees - Shopify is the only platform to enforce its own transaction fee, unless you use its own gateway, Shopify Payments. | WooCommerce does not have transaction fees for third-party gateway payments unlike Shopify, making it better value for money. |
SEO Winner: WooCommerce | SEO features are decent but not comparable to the wealth WooCommerce has. | WooCommerce is code-optimized for SEO, and has a ton of great plugins as well as great guides to make you an SEO pro. |
Security Winner: Shopify | SSL Certificate and PCI-DSS Compliant by default. | You will have to acquire all the relevant sales certificates yourself. |
Customer Support Winner: WooCommerce | 24/7 support - have your issues resolved around the clock to keep your customers and sales figures happy. | WooCommerce, especially though BlueHost, has some of the best customer support we've tested. They offer 24/7 live chat and phone, with an expansive knowledge center. |
Pricing Winner: WooCommerce | Costly apps - it’s easy to rack up an expensive yearly bill for your apps. | Excellent value for money - it’s free to install, plus the extensions are mostly reasonably priced, helping you add greater functionality to your store at a low cost |
Are You Ready? | Shopify | WooCommerce |
Ease of Use
Which one is more beginner-friendly?
Which one is more beginner-friendly?

The Winner
Shopify is easier to use than WooCommerce
There’s little doubt that WooCommerce has a steeper learning curve than Shopify, and from our testing, Shopify is definitely easier to get to grips with for a ‘regular’ user.
And don’t just take our word for it. We got regular, everyday people to try out Shopify, and here are some of their thoughts:
“Once you become familiar with Shopify, it is relatively easy to amend any of the elements on the page.”
“If you’re someone looking to sell a high volume of products and are not as fussed about having all the design control – Shopify would be a good option.”
Shopify is a hosted ecommerce platform. That means it takes care of a lot of the technical side of operating a store. From your domain name and hosting (where your site lives online) to any security (SSL) certificates, Shopify has you covered.
On top of that, with Shopify, you don’t have to install, manage, or update any software. No need to worry about security or backups, either.

In contrast, with WooCommerce, you need to do a little more legwork, like sourcing your own web hosting and security – but that’s really easy to do.
We recommend using Bluehost to power your WooCommerce store. Bluehost’s dedicated WooCommerce plans come with handy features such as WooCommerce auto-install, as well as a free domain name and SSL certificate. How cool is that?
We’d recommend powering your WooCommerce store with Bluehost. It’s our top-rated web hosting provider and it’s been endorsed by WooCommerce itself. What’s even better, prices for new customers start at just $6.95 per month (usually $13.99). By using Bluehost, you get access to:
- WooCommerce auto-install
- Free domain name and SSL certificate
- Storefront theme pre-installed
- 24/7 support from in-house WordPress experts

Further Information
- Make sure you’re picking a quality builder for your quality business – find details in our chart of the Best Ecommerce Website Builders
- Not sure which ecommerce builder is best for you? Read our review of the Best Ecommerce Platforms to find out
Build Time
Which one has a faster setup time?
Which one has a faster setup time?

The Winner
Shopify has a faster build time
Are you looking to build a powerful store, but want to get the ball rolling quickly? Or are you willing to invest a bit of time to have greater control?
In a nutshell: Shopify will let you get your store live quicker than WooCommerce.
If you’re starting from scratch or have limited technical skills, Shopify is the best option. Getting your store ‘live’ is far quicker and easier. You have your hand held as you set up your store, and can give it a look and feel by choosing and editing themes. Unlike setting up a store with WordPress, the process is not manual, while Shopify stores everything you need in one place.
WooCommerce is more suited to users that aren’t looking to gain masses of sales immediately. Building stores on this platform is more of a creative project than it is on Shopify – you’ll have lots of creative control, and you can make the site truly your own.
One handy service that can save you time when setting up a store with WooCommerce is Bluehost. Bluehost’s WooCommerce plans include hosting, one-click WordPress installation, and round-the-clock support.
Here’s how to install WordPress with Bluehost.
WooCommerce’s setup wizard covers the basics, but doesn’t answer more complicated questions. It assumes a higher level of tech know-how from users, and leaves you on your own at times.
We recommend Shopify if you’re just starting out selling online, and want to build your online presence quickly. It’s a platform that combines powerful ecommerce features with a quick setup process.
Design and Themes
Which has a better selection of stylishly-designed themes?
Which has a better selection of stylishly-designed themes?

The Winner
Shopify has better design and themes
Both WooCommerce and Shopify’s stylish themes give your store a professional look and feel. Looks do matter in the website world!
Shopify’s theme store has over 70 free and paid themes for you to choose from. If you include variations, though, the real figure is over 100. Shopify’s themes are very polished – because it’s a dedicated ecommerce platform, they’re designed to help you sell.
Premium themes start from $140. While this may seem expensive, it’s a one-off payment that you should see as an investment in your store. If it helps you generate more revenue, it will pay for itself (we’ve got more on pricing later). And if you’re working to a tight budget, there are plenty of free themes to start with.
WooCommerce’s entry theme, Storefront, is fully responsive on mobile devices. It also comes with a clean and fresh layout.
How good your design looks on WooCommerce depends on the hours you’re willing to put in, as well as your technical skill level.
With designers creating new themes for WooCommerce, the sky feels like the limit. ThemeForest, for instance, has over 1,000 specific ecommerce themes for you to peruse.
While the breadth of WooCommerce is fantastic, Shopify’s offering is more curated. The Shopify creators have taken the time to select the themes that are going to work best for your store.
Remember, choosing a great theme is only part of the WooCommerce vs Shopify battle. It’s also about how much you can customize that theme.
Sales Features
Which one makes selling a breeze?
Which one makes selling a breeze?

The Winner
Shopify has better sales features than WooCommerce
Both platforms provide the features you need to build an effective online store. If you’re looking to sell products on the internet, or get a small business online, neither will let you down.
Where WooCommerce and Shopify differ is in the features which come included as standard.
Abandoned Cart Recovery
One feature Shopify includes as standard that WooCommerce doesn’t is abandoned cart recovery. When choosing between WooCommerce and Shopify, this is important, as it allows customers to complete an abandoned order without filling out their details again.
It also sends a gentle email reminder inviting them to finish the sale. Having an abandoned cart option is like fixing a leak in your pipe – sales aren’t going to slip through the cracks!
Multichannel Selling
Both platforms enable you to sell on Amazon, eBay, Instagram, and Facebook. The only difference is that with WooCommerce, you’ll need to pay $79 to install all of them apart from Facebook, which is free to install. With Shopify, however, it won’t cost you to integrate your store with those channels.
Shipping
Offering a seamless shipping experience can do wonders for your brand reputation. Shopify and WooCommerce allow you to offer free shipping and sell internationally, but Shopify goes the extra mile, with its partnerships with USPS, DHL Express, UPS, and Canada Post saving you the time and effort of sourcing your own courier.
In a nutshell: Shopify comes with far more ecommerce tools in-built. Sign up with Basic Shopify and you’ll get impressive features to help you sell, including:
- Abandoned cart recovery
- Discount codes
- Unlimited products
- Website and blog
- Over 100 payment options
Most features that Shopify includes already might cost you money to install from WooCommerce’s Extensions Store – for example, accepting payments from Authorize.net.
Key WooCommerce features we like include:
- Built-in blogging
- “Unrestricted customization” – you can edit anything from the homepage layout to the ‘Buy’ button.
- Ability to embed products and checkout onto a wider range of store pages
- One-click refund for customers
While both platforms meet the selling needs of merchants, Shopify’s features are in-built. They’re ready to use from the moment you sign up.


I've been using website builders for about seven years for our business. As a non-developer, these tools have been incredibly valuable in creating great websites and I'd be happy to share my experience
Plugins and Integrations
Which has more to offer?
Which has more to offer?

The Winner
WooCommerce beats Shopify for apps and plugins
Installing apps or plugins enables you to add more strings to your ecommerce bow. On both platforms, you can install apps to add extra functionality in all areas of your business, including shipping, SEO, and marketing. But which one has the better choice of apps?
As an open-source platform, WooCommerce relies heavily on plugins. There are over 50,000 to choose from, allowing you to build a bespoke website without many limitations.
Shopify has over 1,200 free and paid apps that are all reliable. However, if you’re unsure on which app to install, always check the star rating or user reviews.
Marketing Tools
Which one helps to raise your profile the best?
Which one helps to raise your profile the best?

The Winner
Shopify has better marketing tools
For any business to succeed, it needs to grow. Marketing tools can help your business do just that, connecting your brand with new clients and customers. But which platform lets you shout the loudest about your business?
Email Marketing
With Shopify, you can run numerous email campaigns using apps such as Seguno and Constant Contact. WooCommerce similarly relies on plugins for its email campaign features, offering integration with MailChimp, helping you send personalized email campaigns with ease.
Social Media Integrations
Shopify supports multichannel selling, enabling you to integrate your store with Facebook, Amazon, eBay, and Pinterest, as well as advertise on them. This opens up your business to a whole new online audience, at no cost to you.
With WooCommerce, you can integrate your store with Amazon, eBay, and Instagram for $79, but you can also advertise on Facebook for free.
Payment Options and Transaction Fees
Which one makes taking payments simple?
Which one makes taking payments simple?

The Winner
WooCommerce has better payment options and transaction fees
When you sell online, you need to add ways for your customers to pay. Both WooCommerce and Shopify offer you a choice of over 100 payment gateways.
These are either in-built or added through integrations. The main ones are:
- Stripe
- PayPal
- Credit and debit cards
- Apple Pay
- Square
Different payment gateways come with different transaction fees. Make sure you check these first before choosing.
Shopify, for example, charges 2% per transaction if you use a third-party gateway. You can reduce this by upgrading to a more advanced Shopify plan, or get rid of them completely by using Shopify Payments – the company’s own option.
One big plus of WooCommerce is that, unlike Shopify, it doesn’t charge its own transaction fees when you use a third party payment gateway (i.e. not WooCommerce Payments).
With WooCommerce, bank charges will still apply, as will charges from a payment provider (like PayPal). If you’re selling a large volume of products, WooCommerce makes more sense. It also appeals to sellers who want to choose their own merchant account.
However, if you’re happy to use Shopify Payments, then it will make little difference (you can read our review of Shopify Payments here).

SEO
Which one is better for climbing the search engine rankings?
Which one is better for climbing the search engine rankings?

The Winner
WooCommerce has better SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is key to attracting customers to your virtual shelves. It boils down to one thing: making sure your store appears high in Google’s search results. When shoppers type in words related to your product, you want them to find you.
When it comes to SEO, WooCommerce vs Shopify is a tough one to call. Both are robust ecommerce platforms, and they’ll help you make sure your products are appearing in front of the right people.
WooCommerce is built using code optimized for SEO, and it’s integrated with WordPress along with its impressive range of SEO plugins. You can dig deep and add detailed meta descriptions and titles to your pages, to tell Google what they’re about.
Some of our favorite SEO features include the ability to customize your URLs to help search engine users find your pages more easily, and the excellent SEO guides and prompts throughout the building process.
Both Shopify and WooCommerce provide apps and integrations that boost your store. Yoast, WordPress’ SEO plugin, is very simple to use and offers excellent support – it’s like hiring your own SEO expert! Furthermore, WooCommerce offers a greater choice of SEO plugins than Shopify does.
Shopify, meanwhile, does have a range of SEO plugins in its App Store. We like the free SEO Booster, which scans your store and offers fixes for problems that might be harming performance.
Shopify also makes it easy to add basic SEO information to your store. You can add descriptions and titles for your images, products, and pages.
Here’s an example of a store we created on Shopify. You can see where we’ve entered the text (below) and how it appears in a ‘fake’ Google result.

Security
Which one offers the most protection?
Which one offers the most protection?

The Winner
Shopify has better security features
High-level security should be a priority for any website. It’s especially important for online stores, as you’re not only processing customers’ money – you’re also holding their personal information.
With Shopify, security is taken care of for you. Because it’s a hosted ecommerce platform, Shopify is in charge of handling any security breaches, and makes sure your site is safe from hackers.
WooCommerce, on the other hand, works with WordPress and is therefore self-hosted. The actual plugin doesn’t come with built-in security, so any security will need to be handled either by yourself or your hosting provider.
SSL Certificate
SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. An SSL certificate is responsible for safeguarding your website so personal information can’t be tampered with by cyber criminals.
Shopify comes with built-in SSL. This can be seen by the little padlock icon that appears next to your URL. The main benefits of having an SSL certificate are:
- Security when processing customers’ payments and personal information
- Helps your store’s SEO, as Google looks favorably on sites with SSL
- Lets customers know your site is safe to browse, making sales more likely
WooCommerce doesn’t have its own SSL. As it’s part of WordPress – which is an open-source platform – you’re responsible for sourcing your own SSL certificate. Most people will do this through their hosting provider, most of which provide you with a free SSL certificate when you sign up to a hosting plan – such as Bluehost.
PCI-DSS Compliance
We know the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) sounds like a load of jargon. All it really means, though, is that your website is set up to accept credit card payments in line with legal regulations.
Shopify, again, is totally PCI-DSS compliant. You don’t have to worry or set up a thing, and can start processing credit and debit card payments from day one.
WooCommerce is not automatically PCI-DSS compliant. You can make WooCommerce compliant, however, by following these simple steps.
Customer Support
Which one is there every step of the way?
Which one is there every step of the way?

The Winner
WooCommerce has better customer support, thanks to Bluehost
Don’t forget that we’re comparing Shopify with WooCommerce powered by Bluehost, which makes this comparison quite a close one to call.
Shopify provides 24/7 support over the phone, live chat, and email. Throw in a library of helpful guides, a community forum, and a setup wizard, and Shopify can’t do enough for you. In fact, Shopify scored a 3.8/5 in our customer support research, coming second only to Square.

When using Bluehost to power your WooCommerce store, you’re granted access to Bluehost’s fantastic customer support. This includes 24/7 phone and live chat support, and a vast knowledge centre filled with useful information. Bluehost scored a perfect 5/5 for help and support in our research.
Through WooCommerce directly, you can submit tickets for general support, and read a range of setup guides to help you build the perfect store, first time.
Pricing
Which offers more bang for your buck?
Which offers more bang for your buck?

The Winner
WooCommerce is better value for money
How much do WooCommerce and Shopify cost?
Shopify has set pricing, whereas WooCommerce is more flexible. Shopify’s prices range from $29 to $299 per month. You unlock more advanced features, like professional reports, as you upgrade. WooCommerce is free, but comes with extra costs, including hosting, a domain name, and security.
Shopify’s set pricing plans make it easy to track your spending. On the other hand, WooCommerce is an open-source software, which makes it free to install. However, you’ll need to pay for:
- Hosting ($35 – $50/month)
- Security ($0 – $200/year)
- Domain ($10 – £20/year)
- Extension fees ($0 – $100/month)
It’s worth noting that those fees above are all included in your Shopify plan. For this section, we’ll compare Shopify’s pricing plan with Bluehost’s pricing plans, because it’s the hosting provider we recommend using for all WordPress sites. Check out the table below for a quick overview.
Shopify | WooCommerce (powered by Bluehost) |
---|---|
Shopify Basic ($29/month) | Starter ($13.99/month) |
Shopify ($79/month) | Plus ($17.99/month) |
Advanced Shopify ($299/month) | Pro ($31.99/month) |
Shopify offers a 3-day free trial, and charges just $1 per month for the first three months on the Basic plan, giving you plenty of time to test the platform for very cheap. Bluehost offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re not totally happy. What’s more, both Shopify and WooCommerce provide enterprise-level price plans which are only available via quote, and only suitable for enterprise-sized businesses.
Considering aspects including price plans, software installation costs, and transaction fees, Shopify scored 3.0/5 in our value for money research category, while WooCommerce scored 4.4/5.
Shopify vs WooCommerce: Conclusion
Who Should Use Shopify?
- Anyone who prefers 24/7 support, and things like security taken care of for you
- Anyone who needs a website up live in a short space of time with limited technical knowhow
- Anyone wanting sleek templates that are easy to customize
Who Should Use WooCommerce?
- Anyone wanting to set up a passion project that requires lots of personalization
- Anyone wanting to build a large-scale online store selling in numerous regions
- Anyone who is technically competent and wants greater control over your site’s design and hosting
We’ve unpacked all the key differences between WooCommerce and Shopify, and you now have everything you need to choose the platform that’s is best for you.
Shopify is today’s winner, though. Both are excellent platforms, but Shopify edges the battle with its built-in sales tools, superior ease of use, and quick build time. There’s no hassle with pricing, either – everything you need is included in its clearly priced plans.
Just because it’s our favorite, though, doesn’t mean it’s going to be right for everyone.
Shopify vs WooCommerce: FAQs
WooCommerce is more scalable in the long run because you have ultimate control over and customization of your site. However, it may be more costly than Shopify. Shopify is extremely scalable, with a choice of plans and apps to push growth, but is more structured in its features.
WooCommerce has a wider range of plugins than Shopify, which have all been designed by web developers. In comparison, Shopify has 1,200 apps in its App Store.
Yes! You can migrate your site from WooCommerce to Shopify, and vice versa. While switching may not be ideal, it’s not impossible – you can even automate the entire process, which will help you to avoid headaches.
You can try Shopify for free for 14 days, but then you’ll need to sign up to a paid plan. WooCommerce is free, but you will still spend money on hosting, security, domains, and more – so make sure you budget for whichever you choose.
Since WooCommerce runs through WordPress, which is a self-hosted platform, you will have to pay for hosting separately. If you’re looking for a web hosting provider, check out our hosting comparison chart here. With Shopify, your site is hosted for you, so there’s nothing to sort out.
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