Shopify VS WooCommerce: Which is the Ultimate Preference for E-commerce?
Launching an e-commerce store requires a detailed analysis and a comprehensive background check. However, if you are here to start things on the correct footing, then you’re on the right trajectory.
Presently, the digital landscape has completely penetrated the market system. This transitional impact is why you must establish your virtual store. Naturally, with this challenge comes various solutions. However, with multiple options, you must wisely determine the right choice to give you the optimal value.
In the vast e-commerce industry, Shopify and WooCommerce are two of the most popular e-commerce platforms globally as far as statistics describe them. According to the Australia E-commerce Platform Market Share Statistics, Shopify garnered 31% market share while WooCommerce received 27% of the total market pie. These numbers made them the top two holders of the highest market shares in the ecommerce industry.
Shopify VS WooCommerce: By the numbers
The market share statistics conducted by BuiltWith are the latest release as of May 2022. Shopify is 4% ahead of WooCommerce, which is relatively close but the farthest edge the former had for the past three years.
The implication of the continued gap between the two platforms comes with the idea that the former is somehow earning more new entrants of independent business owners. Although both are in a stronghold position, BuiltWith claimed a significant difference in their active live sites.
Shopify has more active websites, even if WooCommerce seems to have more records of live sites. Ratio and proportion-wise, there are 1,123,143 static websites for WooCommerce, which explains why the former excels more in market shares.
If you are a new entrant, going for Shopify is the decision to make if you want an active platform that will help your stability be more guaranteed. However, both are still viable options and offer a guarantee. Nonetheless, statistics only gave the slightest favour to the former regarding networking firmament edge.
Shopify VS WooCommerce: Pricing Plans
Shopify has different pricing plans to choose from, which unlocks exclusive perks. The basic program starts at $29, and the advanced plan can cost up to $299. It is essential to note that the platform also offers a free 14-day trial period upon entrance.
On the other hand, WooCommerce is open source, which means it’s free to use. However, there are optional paid features for hosting and functionality.
Although the former seems costly, the precise cost is already reasonable for most users. Moreover, some argue that a specific monthly fee helps them track a consistent budgetary inclusion that the latter doesn’t have.
Although WooCommerce seems to be more financially friendly, the optional paid feature implies you will pay more fees for themes, hosting, and plug-ins.
Since there is no encompassing plan, these features are paid for separately. So, unless you want incidental expenses and won’t use the platform too often, WooCommerce should suffice.
Shopify VS WooCommerce: Applications for Business Improvement
Utilities to expound your reach if you are at ground zero trying to build your business enterprise are very important. With this information, you should know that Shopify has thousands of available applications to expand your business.
Contrastingly, since WooCommerce is open source, they don’t offer the same level of application liquidity as Shopify. However, if you have multiple skills and love creative expression, you can formulate something to replicate the absence of features you want. The problem only arises if you have limited time to make such improvements in your online store.
Shopify VS WooCommerce: Security and Hosting
Data and information are everything in the digital age. Therefore, maximum security is not an option anymore if you want to succeed in business while safeguarding it. Hence, you need to know which platform offers guaranteed safety.
Shopify has experts who handle everything about security and hosting because you paid for these services. The cost-effectivity of your pricing plans doesn’t end with the features to formulate and improve your virtual store but also includes protection against external threats.
Contrarily, for WooCommerce, everything is your responsibility. All are under your complete supervision and accountability, from hosting to security and backups. It is essential to note that WooCommerce is open source, which makes its security fragile. So, unless you can outsource efforts to get these services, WooCommerce can be a safer place.
Shopify VS WooCommerce: Customer Service
Shopify currently enjoys the reputation of outstanding customer service as per cumulative reviews across social media platforms and on Google reviews. Responsiveness and smooth transaction are the prevailing compliments users gave to the platform.
Otherwise, WooCommerce also enjoys good reviews. However, not much is focused on customer service but rather on the features and landscapes of the platform.
Shopify vs WooCommerce: Miscellaneous Benefits
It’s hard to holistically cover everything with how massive these two significant players are in the e-commerce industry. So, to spare you the additional time of reading here is a complete rundown of their other relevant benefits.
Shopify store:
- Comprehensive and practical marketing tools
- Prudent SEO features
- Complete eradication of hosting hassles
- Diverse payment gateways alternatives
- Exceptionally cost-effective and affordable
- Numerous sales channels
- Mobile optimisation
- Optional cutbacks of checkout abandonment
- Expanded social networks
- 24/7 technical support
WooCommerce:
- Unlimited control and customisation
- Sizable online community
- A plugin is available for free
- Convenient and easy to navigate, formulate, and utilise
If you want a quite advanced platform in functionality, organisation, and stability, choose Shopify. Conversely, if you want complete freedom to establish your own based on your rules without supervision and limitation, go for WooCommerce.
Choosing where to put your business store is something personal. The feedbacks and inherent advantages of Shopify and WooCommerce are collective ideas from subjective experience. Yours will be different, so choose with empirical consideration.
COMPARISON TABLE: SHOPIFY VS WOOCOMMERCE
| Shopify | WooCommerce | |
| USER-FRIENDLY
Edge: Shopify |
It has a shorter learning curve for the user, so you can integrate and implement its features more rapidly. | It’s not as easy for beginners to navigate its full features. People with coding experience will have an advantage over the average user. |
| PLUG-INS AND ADD–ONS
Edge: WooCommerce |
Using Shopify will get you access to an App store with over 3,000 plugins. Typically, these would be enough to run your online store without a hitch. | WooCommerce easily trumps Shopify as the number of apps available is almost 2,000%. The plugins available to you are over 50,000. |
| ADDITIONAL FEES
Edge: WooCommerce |
Shopify has its own payment gateway. It means you may need to pay transaction fees if you are using a third-party platform. | You can use a third-party payment gateway without having to incur additional transaction fees. |
| OMNICHANNEL INTEGRATION
Edge: Shopify |
The app is omnichannel capable, which means you can immediately sell on Facebook, Pinterest, eBay, and other ecommerce websites. | You need to add extensions and plugins to utilize this marketing tool. |
| SECURITY
Edge: Shopify |
The software already has a built-in SSL Certificate. It also complies with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. | The SSL Certificate is not integrated into the software. You also must acquire other certificates to secure your website. |
| SEO
Edge: WooCommerce |
While Shopify is still SEO-capable, it pales in comparison to WooCommerce in this department. | You don’t have to be an SEO professional to enjoy what WooCommerce offers fully. Get rankings in search engines with its default optimized SEO tools. |
| VALUE FOR MONEY
Edge: WooCommerce |
Shopify ends up being more costly than WooCommerce, especially when you add more features and apps. | Installing the software is free, and the plugins and extensions are very affordable. |
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