WordPress is a self-hosted, open-source platform requiring technical management but offering unlimited customization and lower long-term costs, while Shopify is a fully managed SaaS solution with built-in payment processing, hosting, and security that requires no coding but charges monthly fees and limits customization.
WordPress vs Shopify — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Choose WordPress if you need complete customization, want to minimize long-term costs, or plan to build a large multi-product ecosystem—it's ideal for developers and businesses ready to manage their own infrastructure. Choose Shopify if you want to launch quickly without technical skills, need integrated payment processing and shipping tools, or prefer predictable monthly costs with enterprise-grade security—it's perfect for entrepreneurs and small-to-medium retailers.
Open-source content management system powering 43% of websites with visual editor and plugin ecosystem.
Fully managed cloud-based e-commerce platform with integrated payments and hosting.
Structured comparison data for WordPress vs Shopify with 189 attributes.
Reported Security Vulnerabilities (2024)
Typical Seller Monthly Revenue Threshold
Base Monthly Subscription (Starter Plan)
Monthly Active Buyers (Marketplace Access)
WordPress vs Shopify — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for WordPress vs Shopify.
Can I migrate from Shopify to WordPress?
Yes, but it's complex and time-consuming. Shopify provides a CSV export of products, but you'll need plugins or developers to import into WordPress WooCommerce, recreate product pages, and manually configure payment gateways. Expect 20-100+ hours for a 500+ product store. Many businesses hire migration specialists (cost: $2,000-10,000+).
WordPress edges out Shopify for SEO flexibility. WordPress lets you install Yoast SEO or Rank Math for granular control over meta tags, sitemaps, and structured data. Shopify's SEO is good out-of-the-box but less customizable. Both support mobile optimization and fast loading with proper configuration. WordPress wins for advanced SEO users; Shopify is sufficient for most small retailers.
What happens to my store if the platform shuts down?
WordPress: You own your data and code. You can move your entire site to any hosting provider. Shopify: You own your data but cannot run Shopify code elsewhere. If Shopify shut down (unlikely), you'd need to rebuild your store on another platform using exported CSV files. This is a real risk for vendor lock-in.
Do I need coding skills to use either platform?
WordPress: Requires some technical skills (hosting setup, plugin installation, theme customization). Non-technical users can use drag-and-drop builders (Elementor, Divi) but customization still demands knowledge. Shopify: Requires no coding skills. Fully visual editor with pre-built templates. You can launch a store in hours with zero technical experience.
Shopify has integrated payment processing with Shopify Payments (2.9% + 30¢) and 100+ payment app integrations. WordPress requires WooCommerce plugins for payments—Stripe, PayPal, Square, etc. (typically 2-3% fees). Shopify is easier; WordPress offers more provider flexibility but more setup complexity.