Are you planning to start an online business? Are you struggling with deciding to use Shopify vs Woocommerce or another platform? Don’t worry because you aren’t the only one. There are around 31.7 million small businesses in the United States alone in 2021 and most of these businesses are now operating online where possible especially due to the pandemic. Switching to online platforms is perhaps the best decision that one can make. Luckily, there are plenty of platforms that may help you with this.
Most people tend to go with Shopify or Woocommerce for their online store. Have you ever wondered which of these platforms is better for your business? Don’t worry because you aren’t the only one with this question. We will do a comparison between the two so that you can have a good idea of the pros and cons for each platform by the end of this article. Let us begin.
Shopify Vs Woocommerce: Which Is Better For An Online Store?
The Basics
Shopify is an online e-commerce platform that allows you to run a digital store, make and receive payments and more. You don’t have to worry about managing the technical parts of the website with Shopify, making it ideal for many small businesses. In contrast, Woocomerce is an open-source e-commerce plug-in for WordPress. It allows you to utilize a CMS (content management system) to run an online store.
Cost
At the time of writing this article, Shopify’s basic plan starts at $29 per month and offers 2 staff accounts and 4 retail locations. The standard plan costs $79 monthly and offers 5 staff accounts, 5 retail locations, and lower processing fees along with shipping discounts. The Advanced Shopify plan is $299 monthly and offers up to 15 staff accounts, 18 retail locations, and the lowest payment processing fees; it is also the only plan that allows international pricing variances. Additionally, you will have to pay $14 extra if you wish to buy a .com domain directly from Shopify, and you will have to pay separately for any add-ons.
Although Woocommerce is a totally free plug-in, you will still have to pay for a domain name, SSL certificate and web hosting at a minimum before setting up your store. Here at Tradition Marketing, we have great and affordable options if you choose to go this route. You may also have to pay for any Woocommerce premium add-ons such as to enable subscription-based products and services.
Usage
Shopify is a fully hosted platform so you do not have to worry about installing or updating any software yourself. It also provides security, performance and several other perks. In contrast, the options with Woocommerce are more enhanced thanks to WordPress which offers over 58,000 plug-ins to modify your online store.
Conclusion
As you can see Shopify may be heavier on your wallet but it provides more simplicity and a better user experience. That being said, if you are on a low budget or prefer additional customization, Woocommerce is ideal for you. It all depends on what you aim to achieve with these platforms! We hope this article has helped you decide whether you should use Shopify vs Woocommerce for your online business. Please contact us if you would like additional help setting up your online store!
