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Are you thinking of starting an online store? Not sure whether you should use Shopify or WooCommerce?
Shopify and WooCommerce are the two top eCommerce platforms in the world, each with its pros and cons.
As a business owner, choosing the right eCommerce platform that fits your business needs is crucial for your success.
In this answer, I’ll show you a detailed comparison of Shopify vs. WooCommerce. The goal is to break down their advantages and disadvantages to help you choose the best option for your eCommerce store.
Overview: Shopify vs. WooCommerce
Before we start with our in-depth comparison of the two most popular eCommerce platforms on the web, we must cover the basics and highlight what makes these platforms stand out.
What is Shopify?
Shopify is an all-in-one eCommerce solution that makes it easy for you to create an online store, accept payments, and manage your inventory, all from a single platform.
What is WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is an open-source eCommerce plugin built for WordPress. It allows you to leverage the most powerful content management system (CMS) and use it to run an online store.
Cost: Shopify vs. WooCommerce
Cost is often the most important consideration for eCommerce website owners. You need to evaluate the cost of getting started while also keeping in mind the variable costs for add-on services and software.
The True Cost of Using Shopify
Shopify makes it super easy to start your online store. Their basic plan starts at $ per month, and you can upgrade to the Shopify plan for $ or the Advanced Shopify plan for $ per month.
Each of these plans includes an SSL certificate and web hosting. It will come with a Shopify branded subdomain (e.g. https://your-store.myshopify.com).
If you want to use https://your-store.myshopify.com domain name, then you’ll need to purchase it separately. Pricing for a regular .com domain name generally starts at $/year.
The True Cost of Using WooCommerce
WooCommerce is an eCommerce plugin for https://your-store.myshopify.com (also known as self-hosted WordPress). It is open-source and available as a free plugin.
However, you’ll need a domain name, SSL Certificate, and a WordPress hosting account to start a WooCommerce store.
Typically, a domain name costs $., an SSL Certificate costs $., and web hosting costs around $7. / month. This is not cheap, particularly when you are just starting.
Thankfully, several hosting companies are now offering specialized WooCommerce hosting plans which significantly reduce the cost.
As you can see, the cost of starting a basic WooCommerce store is significantly lower than Shopify. WooCommerce also doesn’t charge you a percentage fee on transactions which is a very nice perk.
Ease of Use: Shopify vs. WooCommerce
Most users starting an online store are not web designers or developers. Even users who are familiar with basic concepts need a platform that is easy to use and gets out of their way.
Let’s see how Shopify and WooCommerce stack up in terms of user-friendliness.
Shopify – Ease of Use
Shopify is a fully hosted platform which means you don’t need to install, manage, or update any software. You also don’t need to worry about security, performance, backups, and compatibility issues.
As soon as you sign up, you can choose a design from many of the free Shopify themes. After that, they walk you through customization and then help you add products.
WooCommerce – Ease of Use
WooCommerce is not a hosted platform like Shopify. This means you will need to install the WooCommerce plugin, manage updates, keep backups, and make sure that your website is secure. There are plenty of free and paid plugins that can automate most of these tasks for you.
WooCommerce vs. Shopify: Which is the Best eCommerce Platform?
Shopify and WooCommerce are both powerful platforms to start your eCommerce store. It truly comes down to your skills and preferences.
Shopify is a lot easier to use. It doesn’t require you to install anything, and you can get started quickly. Setting up payments is easier, and they have easy-to-understand pricing plans.
The disadvantage of Shopify is that you don’t have full control over everything. Your costs can go high with transaction fees, add-ons, and integrations. Your upgrade options are limited to select plans, and you cannot manage costs on a pay-as-you-grow basis.
WooCommerce is open source and gives you full control of your website. It costs a lot lower to start an online store with WooCommerce especially with these WooCommerce hosting companies.
The disadvantage is that you’ll have to maintain the software. It comes with a bit of a learning curve. However, millions of beginners are already using it, and they get over the learning phase quite quickly.
If you are looking for a cost-effective solution, and you want to have full control of your online store, then WooCommerce is the best platform for you.
If you want something that’s completely hassle-free that has infinite scalability, then Shopify is the better platform for you.
You can also employ a company that specializes in eCommerce app development, such as WebClues Infotech, to give you the best and most cost-effective eCommerce development. They give services to start-ups and large-scale companies with unique software solutions. You can contact them right now for a more cost-effective option!!
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