Suppose you are a new startup or an already established business that’s looking to expand into eCommerce. In that case, you may ask yourself which online storefront is better – Shopify or WooCommerce. These are considered to be the titans of the eCommerce platforms with both hosting an array of benefits – hence our latest post we will be pitting Shopify vs WooCommerce to determine which is the better option for your online store.

Although, if you are a new startup and are fairly new to the online marketing world, you may have next to no notion in regards to both of them – only through name. Allow us to provide some insight in regards to both first:

What Is Shopify?

To put this simply, Shopify serves as an all-in-one eCommerce platform which makes it extremely easy for users to get their online storefront up and running in a matter of days. Through Shopify, creating the acceptance of payments and managing your inventory is as straightforward as possible. This is due to Shopify incorporating a very user-friendly interface coupled with simplistic descriptions which allows the most basic of novices to start marketing their goods.

Best yet is the fact that Shopify removes the hassle of any technical aspects, meaning tasks such as web hosting, security and caching are all handled in-house (through Shopify themselves).

What Is WooCommerce?

In comparison to Shopify, WooCommerce is a plugin that is tailored for WordPress websites. This open-source eCommerce plugin will allow you to benefit from one of the most powerful CMSs (Content Management Systems) to get your online store up and running. The general consensus for WooCommerce and WordPress websites, in general, is that at first they can be considered more difficult to navigate – although, once you know where you need to navigate it becomes a lot more streamlined and often easier to navigate. This is due to WordPress offering more freedom in how you want to display your business.

This is only reinforced by the fact that WordPress is currently the most popular website builder on the planet. With 43% of all websites being created through the platform. As alluded to above, as a result of the open-source nature of WooCommerce – this grants you the freedom to customise all aspects of your website & store whilst also allowing you to add custom extensions should you need them.

Shopify vs WooCommerce: Which platform to choose?

To provide you with a simple answer regarding which platform you should choose between Shopify and WooCommerce, this will essentially be dependent on your particular skill level. For instance, if you are a complete novice, you may find it more beneficial and streamlined to opt for Shopify.

The flip-side is, if you are patient and want to educate yourself as you go – you may find that WooCommerce will work better in the long run. If you are still unsure – allow us to go into more detail:

Pricing

In regards to the pricing, we cannot specifically recommend one or the other as this will ultimately come down to how much you are willing to spend. We mean this both from a currency standpoint and also the consumption of time. Both Shopify and WooCommerce will be a costly investment so this decision will be something that you will need to ponder.

Themes

You will be glad to know these points won’t be exclusive to us saying “it is down to you” as regarding the themes – we do indeed have a winner in this. Shopify boasts an array of themes that you can purchase which will make your website(s) look considerably more stylish than those found through WooCommerce.

However, due to the levels of customisation with WooCommerce, the possibilities are practically limitless – Allowing you to customise your store however you like. Despite this amazing feature – as alluded to above, this will not be novice-friendly so with this in mind – Shopify just edges this category.

Ease Of Use

To reiterate our thoughts regarding which is easier to use, Shopify or WooCommerce? We strongly recommend that if you are a newbie – opt for Shopify. Although, if you are looking to gain some knowledge along the way and are ok with taking the time to learn – WooCommerce will be the one for you.

SEO

What is the point of having a website if you cannot optimise it to rank across various search engines? Having a website that you are happy with from a visual sense is only the beginning of your journey. Now that your new eCommerce website is indexed, do you now need to optimise it to start ranking for particular keywords? With this in mind, which option features the better options?

Although Shopify makes it extremely easy to implement SEO-friendly actions, the level of depth that WooCommerce features simply cannot be competed against. To expand on our above answer, this is why WooCommerce will be a fantastic choice for those who are willing to take the time to build an eCommerce platform that will act as a solid foundation. Therefore, our vote for this is absolutely WooCommerce.

Customer Support

We can implement many more of these topics of discussion, however, you may start to see a pattern emerge. Practically anything that is deemed user-friendly – Shopify will win, whereas, with features and the depth of customisation, WooCommerce will take the cake.

Although, as you decide on which platform to opt for, you want to rest assured that there is a customer support system in place that will help you with most if not all queries you may have. Shopify boasts 24/7 support that aims to work rigorously to help you with any issue that you may have. In contrast, WooCommerce also implements a 24/7 support system that not only features a live chat feature but the option to phone also. This allows you to speak to people who are truly knowledgeable and can offer expert advice. As a result, this round goes to WooCommerce.

Conclusion

To conclude, both are fantastic options to get your eCommerce business up and running with the choice ultimately being down to you. However, if you are still unsure of where to start and are eager to get your eCommerce business up and running – why not speak to an expert eCommerce website developer in your local area? Doing this will relieve you of the stress of building the platform yourself whilst having the comfort of knowing your products are being marketed in the best way possible.

Take a look at our other posts to find more information, or feel free to give us a call! We would love to hear from you.