Introduction: The E-commerce Platform Battle
In 2026, Shopify and WooCommerce together power over 60% of all online stores worldwide. This guide compares both platforms based on official pricing, documented features, and real user experiences from G2 and Capterra reviews.
Whether you're launching your first store or migrating from another platform, this comparison will help you choose the right foundation for your e-commerce business.
Quick Comparison Overview
| Factor | Shopify | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Beginners, all-in-one solution | WordPress users, full control |
| Starting Cost | $29/month | Free (+ hosting $10-30/mo) |
| Ease of Use | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Easiest) | ⭐⭐⭐ (Moderate) |
| Customization | Limited to themes/apps | Unlimited |
| SEO | Good | Excellent |
| Transaction Fees | 2% (unless using Shopify Payments) | 0% |
Pricing Breakdown: The Real Costs
Shopify Pricing (January 2026)
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Transaction Fee | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $29/mo | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2 staff accounts, basic reports |
| Shopify | $79/mo | 2.6% + 30¢ | 5 staff accounts, pro reports |
| Advanced | $299/mo | 2.4% + 30¢ | 15 staff accounts, advanced reports |
| Plus | $2,000+/mo | Custom | Enterprise features |
Additional costs: Apps ($10-100/mo each), premium themes ($150-350 one-time)
WooCommerce Pricing (January 2026)
| Component | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| WooCommerce Plugin | FREE | Core e-commerce |
| Hosting | $10-100/mo | SiteGround, Kinsta, Cloudways |
| Domain | $10-15/year | Often included with hosting |
| Theme | $0-200 | Free themes available |
| Extensions | $0-300/year | Payment gateways, shipping |
Total first year: $150-500 for basic stores vs $348+ for Shopify Basic
3-Year Cost Comparison
| Store Type | Shopify | WooCommerce | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small store (10 products) | $1,044 | $360 | $684 with WooCommerce |
| Growing store (100 products) | $2,844 | $800 | $2,044 with WooCommerce |
| High-volume ($50K/month) | $10,000+ | $2,000 | $8,000+ with WooCommerce |
Ease of Use Comparison
Shopify: Built for Simplicity
Shopify is the easiest e-commerce platform for beginners:
- No coding required - drag-and-drop store builder
- Hosting included - no server management
- One-click installations - apps install instantly
- Guided setup - clear step-by-step onboarding
- 24/7 support - live chat, phone, email
Time to launch: 1-3 days for a basic store
WooCommerce: Power with Learning Curve
WooCommerce requires WordPress knowledge:
- WordPress required - needs existing site or new installation
- Self-hosted - you manage hosting, security, updates
- Plugin ecosystem - install extensions for features
- More control - customize anything with code
- Community support - forums, tutorials, developers
Time to launch: 1-2 weeks for beginners, 2-3 days for WordPress users
Feature Comparison
Product Management
Both platforms handle products well, but differently:
Shopify Strengths:
- Unlimited products on all plans
- Built-in inventory tracking
- Automatic tax calculation (in supported countries)
- Product variants made simple
WooCommerce Strengths:
- Unlimited products (depends on hosting)
- Complete product data control
- Advanced product types via extensions
- Better for complex product configurations
Payment Processing
Shopify: Shopify Payments (Stripe-powered) eliminates transaction fees. 100+ payment gateways supported. Shop Pay offers one-click checkout for returning customers.
WooCommerce: Choose any payment gateway (PayPal, Stripe, Authorize.net, Square). No platform transaction fees. More flexibility but more setup.
Shipping & Fulfillment
Shopify: Built-in shipping calculator, discounted USPS/UPS rates, Shopify Fulfillment Network. Excellent for US-based stores.
WooCommerce: Flexible shipping plugins (Table Rate, FedEx, DHL). More carrier options but requires configuration.
SEO Capabilities
Winner: WooCommerce
WooCommerce, built on WordPress, has superior SEO capabilities:
- Full control over URLs, meta tags, and schema
- Yoast SEO integration for optimization
- Better site speed with proper hosting
- More control over mobile performance
- Rich snippet support
Shopify SEO limitations:
- Cannot edit robots.txt
- URL structure limitations (/products/ prefix required)
- Limited schema markup control
- Duplicate content issues with collections
For SEO-focused businesses, WooCommerce provides an edge.
App & Plugin Ecosystem
Shopify App Store
- 8,000+ apps available
- Average app cost: $10-50/month
- Quality control through app review process
- One-click installation
Popular apps: Oberlo (dropshipping), Klaviyo (email), Privy (popups)
WooCommerce Extensions
- 55,000+ WordPress plugins compatible
- 800+ official WooCommerce extensions
- Many free options available
- More variety but less curation
Popular extensions: Yoast SEO, WooCommerce Subscriptions, Product Add-Ons
Dropshipping Comparison
Shopify is the clear winner for dropshipping:
- DSers, Spocket, and Printful integrate seamlessly
- Automated order fulfillment
- Built-in product sourcing from AliExpress
- One-click import products
WooCommerce can do dropshipping with AliDropship or Dropified plugins, but requires more manual work.
International & Multi-currency
Shopify: Shopify Markets enables multi-currency, multi-language stores. Automatic currency conversion. Supports 130+ countries.
WooCommerce: WPML and WooCommerce Multilingual for languages. Currency plugins available but require setup. More flexible but complex.
Scalability
Shopify Scalability
- Handles high traffic automatically
- Shopify Plus for enterprise needs
- No server management required
- Scales to millions in revenue
WooCommerce Scalability
- Depends entirely on hosting
- Can handle massive stores with proper setup
- Kinsta/WP Engine recommended for high traffic
- More control over performance optimization
Bottom line: Both scale well. Shopify is easier; WooCommerce gives more control.
Who Should Choose Shopify?
Choose Shopify if you:
- Want the easiest setup possible
- Have no WordPress experience
- Need 24/7 support access
- Plan to do dropshipping
- Prefer predictable monthly costs
- Want to launch quickly (days, not weeks)
Who Should Choose WooCommerce?
Choose WooCommerce if you:
- Already have a WordPress website
- Want full control over your store
- Prioritize SEO performance
- Have technical skills or access to developers
- Want to minimize monthly costs
- Need unlimited customization
Migration Between Platforms
Moving from Shopify to WooCommerce
Use Cart2Cart or manually export/import:
- Products, categories, customers export cleanly
- Order history may need manual work
- Budget 1-2 weeks for complete migration
Moving from WooCommerce to Shopify
Shopify offers import tools:
- Store Importer app handles basic migration
- Custom apps for complex stores
- Consider Shopify Plus for enterprise migrations
Final Verdict
Choose Shopify when you want:
- Fast launch with minimal technical work
- All-inclusive pricing (hosting + security + updates)
- Best-in-class dropshipping support
- 24/7 customer support
Choose WooCommerce when you want:
- Maximum control and customization
- Lower long-term costs
- Superior SEO capabilities
- Ownership of your data and store
For 80% of beginners, Shopify provides the easiest path to a professional online store. For cost-conscious entrepreneurs with WordPress skills, WooCommerce delivers excellent value.
Data sources: Shopify and WordPress official websites, G2.com reviews, BuiltWith usage statistics. Last verified: January 2026.