If you have been considering starting your online store, you have likely looked into the tools to help you do it.
As businesses and entrepreneurs increasingly recognize the benefits and convenience of online shopping, e-commerce is emerging as one of the most viable business options in today’s world. After all, selling your products online means there’s no need for expensive physical space.
Shopify and WordPress are top-rated website builders for e-commerce. Both platforms offer an extensive array of features and tools for building and managing websites.
Shopify operates as a closed-source hosted platform, while WordPress is an open-source self-hosted platform. This fundamental difference in operation means that selecting the right solution for your needs is crucial. It’s essential to recognize that nearly every aspect of your online business will be influenced by your choices.
To assist you in making a decision, we have compared both tools, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each one so that you can make an informed choice for your online business.
Discovering WordPress and Shopify!
Before we delve into the differences between the two platforms, let’s provide a separate introduction for each of them.
What is Shopify?
Shopify is a web application that assists individuals who wish to establish their own e-commerce business in effortlessly creating their online store with just a few simple clicks.
With Shopify, you can:
- Showcase your products (both physical and digital) in your online store.
- Market and sell these products.
- Ship them to your customers.
Shopify is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution, meaning all the platform’s features are already hosted on a server and ready to use.
Unlike other e-commerce platforms, one of the unique features of Shopify is that it doesn’t necessarily require coding knowledge before using it. This means that even professionals like hairdressers or florists can easily create their own fully functional online store without much difficulty.
To make it accessible to everyone, Shopify operates flexibly, allowing users to set up their online stores easily.
If you choose Shopify to create your online store, you no longer need to worry about hosting the site or installing any software. Everything is integrated and works seamlessly.
Shopify’s approach is to bring together everything you need to create your website in one environment, like an all-in-one solution that is truly ready to use.
However, since Shopify takes care of almost everything for you, they charge a monthly subscription fee, which is understandable. Hosting and providing support for an e-commerce site requires sufficient infrastructure and resources.
What is WordPress?
WordPress is a most widely used platform for building websites or blogs, empowering users to create and manage their own online presence. It offers an interface that is user-friendly and a diverse selection of customizable themes and features, catering to both novice and experienced users.
WordPress is available in two forms:
- Hosted WordPress
- Self-hosted WordPress
Hosted WordPress
This first version of WordPress is known as wordpress.com and operates in SaaS mode. This signifies that businesses do not have to perform the installation of this WordPress version on their hardware prior to usage; everything takes place remotely.
However, this convenience comes with a price. Businesses interested in leveraging a vast array of features and effortlessly building their website must subscribe. However, it is important to note that this version of WordPress is not a fully comprehensive solution.
For example, to create an e-commerce site with the hosted version of WordPress, users must complement the service with other tools like WooCommerce, Ecwid, etc.
Self-hosted WordPress
The self-hosted version of WordPress is a web application available for free download at wordpress.org. You need to download and install it on a web server to use it.
Even though the download is free, you must purchase a domain name and incur hosting costs before having a functional e-commerce site.
There may also be times when you need to purchase premium themes or plugins or even hire a developer if you don’t have enough skills to create websites.
A distinctive feature of WordPress is the ease with which you can access and modify the source code according to your preferences.
This means that a website created with WordPress can be customized in countless ways.
WordPress is a very adaptable tool that empowers experienced programmers to take on different web design projects.
The platform offers many plugins and themes that “do it all.” We will delve into this in more detail in later sections.
Comparing Shopify and WordPress: Which Platform is Superior for E-Commerce?
With its unmatched flexibility and high-performance capabilities, Shopify is a comprehensive ecommerce website builder that can create an impressive website for you within minutes.
Even if you’re a beginner, you can rely on Shopify’s 24/7 support to assist you with any technical aspects. If Shopify seems suitable for your needs, you can sign up for its 3-day free trial to explore its features.
The ecommerce features you can access through WordPress depend on the plugin you choose to integrate with your WordPress account. Most people opt for WooCommerce as their preferred plugin. WooCommerce offers features similar to Shopify, allowing you to sell digital and physical products.
Furthermore, with WooCommerce, you can create customer accounts tailored to individual users and even sell affiliate products with added incentives. It provides a transparent and adaptable environment to organize products into categories for better tracking and management.
WordPress Vs. Shopify
Flexibility
WordPress
WordPress is renowned for its flexibility. Initially a content management system (CMS), it has evolved to handle various website types, including e-commerce. The platform’s extensive library of plugins, particularly WooCommerce, allows you to transform your WordPress site into a full-fledged online store. This flexibility makes WordPress an excellent choice if you have diverse website needs beyond e-commerce.
Shopify
Shopify, on the other hand, is purpose-built for e-commerce. While it may lack the versatility of WordPress for different website types, it excels in providing a seamless and streamlined e-commerce experience. Shopify’s focused approach means it’s equipped with e-commerce-specific features right out of the box, making it an ideal choice if your primary goal is to sell products online.
Customization Options:
WordPress
WordPress offers unparalleled customization options. With thousands of themes and plugins, you can fine-tune every aspect of your website to align with your brand and specific needs. This versatility empowers businesses with unique design and functionality requirements to create a tailor-made online presence.
Shopify
Shopify provides a selection of customizable themes and templates designed exclusively for e-commerce. While you can make modifications within the boundaries of these templates, Shopify’s customization options may feel somewhat limited compared to the vast possibilities offered by WordPress. However, for those looking for a straightforward e-commerce setup, Shopify’s templates can be an asset.
Ease of Use:
WordPress
WordPress does have a steeper learning curve, particularly for beginners. However, user-friendly page builders and intuitive plugins make it more manageable over time. The trade-off for the learning curve is greater control and flexibility once you become proficient.
Shopify
Shopify is celebrated for its user-friendliness. It’s designed to be straightforward, making it an excellent choice for individuals new to website development and e-commerce. Its drag-and-drop interface, pre-built e-commerce features, and extensive support resources ensure you can easily set up and manage your online store.
E-commerce Features:
WordPress
WordPress relies on plugins like WooCommerce to provide e-commerce functionality. WooCommerce is a robust solution with features for inventory management, payment processing, and more. The advantage here is the ability to tailor your online store’s features precisely to your requirements. However, the multitude of available plugins can be overwhelming for some.
Shopify
Shopify stands out when it comes to e-commerce features. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools, including built-in payment processing, inventory management, abandoned cart recovery, and more. These features are specifically designed to help businesses succeed in e-commerce, saving you the hassle of searching for and integrating multiple plugins.
Shopify vs. WordPress: Apps and Plugins
Shopify and WordPress have app stores where users can find additional tools and features to enhance their websites. Third-party developers create these apps, which can be used to add specific functions that users need. In the case of Shopify, their App Store offers over 6,000 different apps that users can choose from to improve the functionality of their website.
WordPress offers over 50,000 plugins to choose from, which is significantly more than what Shopify provides.
Shopify users generally need fewer third-party apps because the platform already includes built-in e-commerce features and controls programming, security, and technical maintenance. On the other hand, WordPress users rely more on plugins to add specific features to their websites.
However, managing these plugins can be challenging if you don’t have coding skills. Additionally, some plugins may not work well together and may require technical adjustments to function properly alongside each other.
Comparing the Pricing of Shopify and WordPress
If you’re wondering about the better value for your money between Shopify and WordPress, let’s delve into the pricing structures of each platform.
Shopify’s pricing structure is relatively simple. The platform offers three primary plans to select from.
- Basic Shopify: $39/month
- Shopify: $105/month
- Shopify Advanced: $399/month
For startups and new businesses, the Basic Shopify plan offers all the essential features required to begin selling products. This includes an e-commerce website, inventory, order management functionalities, and a point-of-sale (POS) system.
What about WordPress?
The cost of setting up an e-commerce website on WordPress can vary significantly based on your specific requirements and customization. Here are some estimated costs for creating a typical small business website on WordPress.
- Domain name: $10–$50 per year
- Hosting: $3–$200 per month
- Theme: $0–$200
- Plugins: $0–$1,000 (Many plugins charge monthly fees, some charge a one-off payment)
- Security: $50–$500 per month
- Developer fees: $0–$1,000 (one-off cost)
Considering your specific requirements, it is highly probable that Shopify offers a more cost-effective and simplified solution.
Making the Right Choice: Shopify or WordPress?
Choosing between Shopify and WordPress ultimately depends on your business goals. Our recommendation is as follows: If you prioritize allocating your resources toward building and expanding your business, we suggest using Shopify.
This specialized e-commerce platform provides comprehensive features and tools designed specifically for starting and growing an online business without requiring extensive technical expertise.
On the other hand, if you are a skilled web developer seeking complete control over every aspect of your website, choosing WordPress along with the WooCommerce plugin is recommended. While you will have to manage hosting, maintenance, and security, you will also have the freedom to customize and optimize every aspect of your site according to your preferences.
