software
Shopify vs WooCommerce 2026: Cost, Features & Best Choice
Shopify is a fully hosted SaaS platform with built-in hosting and payment processing starting at $39/month, while WooCommerce is a free open-source plugin for WordPress that requires separate hosting ($5-15/month) and technical setup. Shopify prioritizes ease-of-use for non-technical users, whereas WooCommerce offers greater customization flexibility for developers.
S
Shopify
Fully managed cloud-based e-commerce platform with integrated payments and hosting.
Non-technical entrepreneurs, small-to-medium businesses, brands prioritizing speed-to-market and professional hosting reliability
Score63%
VS
W
WooCommerce
Open-source WordPress ecommerce plugin requiring self-hosting with extensive customization capabilities.
Developers, technical founders, businesses with custom requirements, existing WordPress sites, cost-conscious enterprises with in-house technical teams
Score63%
Quick Answer
AI SummaryShopify is a fully hosted SaaS platform with built-in hosting and payment processing starting at $39/month, while WooCommerce is a free open-source plugin for WordPress that requires separate hosting ($5-15/month) and technical setup. Shopify prioritizes ease-of-use for non-technical users, whereas WooCommerce offers greater customization flexibility for developers.
Our Verdict
AI-assistedChoose Shopify if you want a turnkey solution with minimal technical setup, professional hosting, built-in security, and predictable all-in-one costs—ideal for non-technical entrepreneurs and small businesses prioritizing simplicity. Choose WooCommerce if you need maximum customization, lower upfront costs, control over your data infrastructure, or already have WordPress expertise—best for developers and businesses with specific technical requirements.
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S
Shopify
6.4/10
WooCommerce
8.6/10
W
S
Choose Shopify if
Non-technical entrepreneurs, small-to-medium businesses, brands prioritizing speed-to-market and professional hosting reliability
W
Choose WooCommerce if
Best pickDevelopers, technical founders, businesses with custom requirements, existing WordPress sites, cost-conscious enterprises with in-house technical teams
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Key Differences at a Glance
- Hosting Model:✓ Shopify wins(Fully hosted (included in subscription) vs Self-hosted (requires separate WordPress hosting))
- Starter Monthly Cost:✓ WooCommerce wins($0 (plugin) + $5-15/month (hosting) vs $39/month)
- Transaction Fees:✓ WooCommerce wins(Depends on payment gateway (0-2.9% + fees) vs 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction (Shopify Payments))
Key Facts & Figures
103 numeric metrics compared
| Metric | Shopify | WooCommerce | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Stores | 4.6 Million+ | ~6 Million+ | |
| Global Market Share(%) | 27% | 38% | |
| Platform Transaction Fees(%) | 2.0% (third-party gateways) / 0% (Shopify Payments) | 0% | |
| Available Apps/Plugins(count) | 13,000+ | 59,000+ | |
| Average Conversion Rate (Desktop)(%) | 1.4% | 2.0-2.5% | |
| Average Conversion Rate (Mobile)(%) | 1.2% | 2.03% | |
| Starting Monthly Price(USD) | $29 | — | — |
| Top Tier Plan Price(USD/month) | $399 | — | — |
| Design Templates Available(count) | 200+ templates | — | — |
| App Integrations(count) | 8,000+ | — | — |
| Annual Cost (Base Plan)(USD/year) | $468 | — | — |
| Per-Transaction Commission(%) | 0% | — | — |
| Accessible Customer Base(millions) | 0 (self-driven) | — | — |
| Setup Time to First Sale(weeks) | 1-3 days | — | — |
| Brand Control Score(scale 1-10) | 9-10 (full) | — | — |
| App/Integration Ecosystem(apps) | 4,600+ | — | — |
| Annual Account Suspension Risk(%) | ~0.01% | — | — |
| Typical Seller Monthly Revenue Threshold(USD) | $5,000+ (lower barrier) | — | — |
| Product Variation Limit(variations per SKU) | 2,000+ | — | — |
| Transaction Processing Fee(percent) | 0% (on Shopify Payments) | — | — |
| Available Templates(count) | ~300 (optimized for sales) | — | — |
| Recommended Maximum Annual Revenue(USD) | Unlimited | — | — |
| Transaction Fee Rate(percentage + fixed fee) | 3.89% | 2% (with Stripe/PayPal) | |
| Monthly Costs at 100 Sales ($50/item)(USD) | $214 | — | — |
| Base Monthly Subscription (Starter Plan)(USD) | $29 | — | — |
| Sales Breakeven Point(USD/month) | $1,350 | — | — |
| Commission Fee (Per Transaction)(%) | 2.9% + $0.30 | — | — |
| Built-in Customer Base(millions) | Zero (must generate own traffic) | — | — |
| Average Time to First Sale(days) | 30-90 days (with marketing) | — | — |
| Brand Customization Level(scale 1-10) | Complete (10/10) | — | — |
| Customer Data Access(percentage) | 100% direct access to customer emails and data | — | — |
| Payment Methods Supported(count) | 100+ | — | — |
| Setup Time to Live Store(days) | 7-14 days | — | — |
| Available Apps & Integrations(count) | 6,000+ apps | — | — |
| Checkout Conversion Rate(%) | 3.2-3.5% | — | — |
| Platform Uptime SLA(percent) | 99.99% | — | — |
| Payment Processing Fee(%) | 2.9% + $0.30 (Shopify Payments) | — | — |
| Monthly Base Cost(USD) | $29-$399 | $0 (hosting extra: $3-50) | |
| Store Design Flexibility(scale 1-10) | Extensive (9/10) | — | — |
| Transaction Fee Percentage(%) | 2.9% | — | — |
| Available Apps/Extensions(count) | 10,000+ | — | — |
| Developer Cost (Hourly)(USD/hour) | $100-150 (optional) | — | — |
| Market Share(%) | ~30% of all online stores | — | — |
| Free Plan Cost(USD/month) | $5 (Starter plan minimum) | — | — |
| Supported Sales Channels(count) | 10+ (online store, POS, social, marketplace, B2B, wholesale) | — | — |
| Starting Price(USD/month) | $5 (Starter Plan) | — | — |
| Monthly Base Cost (Starter Plan)(USD) | $5-39 (all-inclusive) | — | — |
| Initial Setup Time(hours) | Hours to 1 day | — | — |
| Built-in Features Included(features) | Hosting, SSL, domain, support included | Core features only | — |
| Maximum Plan Cost(USD/month) | $2,300+ (Shopify Plus enterprise) | — | — |
| Mid-Tier Plan Cost(USD/month) | $105 (Shopify Plan) | — | — |
| Enterprise Plan Cost(USD per user/month) | $2,300+ (Shopify Plus) | — | — |
| Third-Party App Integrations(integrations) | 6000+ | — | — |
| Free Physical Items Limit(items/month) | None (paid plans only) | — | — |
| Starting Monthly Cost(USD) | $39 | ~$5 (hosting) | |
| Transaction Fees(%) | 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction | 0% (processor rates 2.7-2.9%) | |
| Setup Time to Launch(minutes) | 1-2 days | 120-300 minutes (2-5 days with setup) | |
| Annual Cost (100K Revenue)(USD) | $468 + transaction fees ($2,900) | — | — |
| Base Monthly Cost(USD) | $39/month (Basic plan) | $10-50 (hosting only; plugin free) | |
| Uptime SLA Guarantee(%) | 99.99% | 99.9% (hosting dependent) | |
| Native App Integrations(apps) | 6,800 verified apps | 70,000+ WordPress plugins (broader) | |
| Setup Time (No-Code)(hours) | 1-2 hours to launch | 4-8 hours (requires hosting + WordPress setup) | |
| Payment Gateway Options(number) | 100+ official integrations | 200+ via WooCommerce Payments + plugins | |
| Transaction Fees (Basic Plan)(%) | 2.9% + $0.30 | — | — |
| Average Setup Time(days) | 2-3 days | — | — |
| App Ecosystem Size(apps) | ~8,000+ apps | — | — |
| Market Share (2026)(%) | 28% | — | — |
| Starting Monthly Cost (USD)(USD) | $39/month | — | — |
| Available App Integrations(count) | 8,000+ apps | — | — |
| Multi-Channel Selling Integration(channels) | 100+ sales channels (Amazon, Facebook, TikTok, eBay, etc.) | — | — |
| Annual Cost (Base Tier)(USD) | $348-3,588/year | — | — |
| Available Extensions/Apps(count) | 8,000+ apps | 1000+ WooCommerce extensions | |
| Uptime Guarantee(percent) | 99.99% guaranteed | — | — |
| Total Cost of Ownership (Year 1)(USD) | $30-$360 | $30-$360 | |
| Product Catalog Limit(Products) | Unlimited | Unlimited | |
| Payment Gateway Integrations(count) | 50+ (Stripe, PayPal, Square, Authorize.net, etc.) | 50+ (Stripe, PayPal, Square, Authorize.net, etc.) | |
| Initial Setup Cost(USD) | $0-500 | $0-500 | |
| Monthly Server Infrastructure(USD) | $10-100 | $10-100 | |
| Product Catalog Capacity(SKUs) | 50,000 (practical limit) | 50,000 (practical limit) | |
| Average Deployment Time(minutes) | 1-2 weeks | 1-2 weeks | |
| Developer Resources (Stack Overflow Tags)(questions) | 185,000+ questions | 185,000+ questions | |
| Minimum Monthly Cost(USD) | $3-10 (hosting only) | $3-10 (hosting only) | |
| Setup Time (No-Code Path)(hours) | 4-8 hours (learning curve) | 4-8 hours (learning curve) | |
| Available Extensions/Integrations(count) | 5,000+ plugins and extensions | 5,000+ plugins and extensions | |
| Annual Cost at $100K Revenue(USD) | $156 (hosting) + $2,000 (fees) | $156 (hosting) + $2,000 (fees) | |
| Monthly Cost (Base Plan)(USD) | $0 (plus hosting $50-200/year) | $0 (plus hosting $50-200/year) | |
| Available Plugins/Extensions(count) | 60,000+ | 60,000+ | |
| Design Templates Included(count) | 500+ (from ecosystem) | 500+ (from ecosystem) | |
| Setup Time for Beginners(minutes) | 20-40 hours (requires technical setup) | 20-40 hours (requires technical setup) | |
| User Base(millions) | 10+ million active stores | 10+ million active stores | |
| Official Support Availability(hours/day) | Community-based, no official phone support | Community-based, no official phone support | |
| Annual Hosting + Domain Cost(USD) | $50-200 minimum | $50-200 minimum | |
| Active Online Stores(millions/thousands) | 5.2 million | 5.2 million | |
| Available Extensions/Modules(count) | 5,000+ | 5,000+ | |
| Minimum Hosting Cost(USD/month) | $3-5 | $3-5 | |
| Core License Cost(USD) | Free | Free | |
| Typical Setup Time (for beginners)(hours) | 2-4 hours | 2-4 hours | |
| Community Size (Stack Exchange questions)(thousands) | 45,000+ | 45,000+ | |
| Time to Launch(hours) | 40-80 hours | 40-80 hours | |
| Available Extensions/Plugins(count) | 58,000+ WooCommerce extensions | 58,000+ WooCommerce extensions | |
| SSL Certificate Cost(USD/year) | $0-50 (Let's Encrypt free or paid premium) | $0-50 (Let's Encrypt free or paid premium) | |
| Ecommerce Templates(count) | 200+ premium + free themes | 200+ premium + free themes | |
| Technical Expertise Required(level (1-5)) | 3.5 (Medium-High: WordPress + PHP knowledge helpful) | 3.5 (Medium-High: WordPress + PHP knowledge helpful) |
Sourced from publicly available data ·
Key Differences
7 attributes compared head-to-head
S
3ShopifyWooCommerce leads
W
4WooCommerceShopify
Attribute
WooCommerce
- Fully hosted (included in subscription)(winner)Hosting ModelSelf-hosted (requires separate WordPress hosting)
- $39/monthStarter Monthly Cost$0 (plugin) + $5-15/month (hosting)(winner)
- 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction (Shopify Payments)Transaction FeesDepends on payment gateway (0-2.9% + fees)(winner)
- Limited to theme/app ecosystem (~6,800 apps)Customization FlexibilityUnlimited via code and 70,000+ WordPress plugins(winner)
- Beginner-friendly (no coding required)(winner)Learning CurveRequires WordPress/PHP knowledge for advanced features
- 99.99% SLA guaranteed(winner)Uptime GuaranteeDepends on hosting provider (typically 99.9%)
- 6,800+ official appsApp Store Size70,000+ WordPress plugins available(winner)
- Hosting Model
Shopify
Fully hosted (included in subscription)(winner)
WooCommerce
Self-hosted (requires separate WordPress hosting)
- Starter Monthly Cost
Shopify
$39/month
WooCommerce
$0 (plugin) + $5-15/month (hosting)(winner)
- Transaction Fees
Shopify
2.9% + 30¢ per transaction (Shopify Payments)
WooCommerce
Depends on payment gateway (0-2.9% + fees)(winner)
- Customization Flexibility
Shopify
Limited to theme/app ecosystem (~6,800 apps)
WooCommerce
Unlimited via code and 70,000+ WordPress plugins(winner)
- Learning Curve
Shopify
Beginner-friendly (no coding required)(winner)
WooCommerce
Requires WordPress/PHP knowledge for advanced features
- Uptime Guarantee
Shopify
99.99% SLA guaranteed(winner)
WooCommerce
Depends on hosting provider (typically 99.9%)
- App Store Size
Shopify
6,800+ official apps
WooCommerce
70,000+ WordPress plugins available(winner)
Full Comparison
| Attribute | Shopify | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Active Stores | 4.6 Million+ | ~6 Million+(winner) |
| User Base(millions) | 10+ million active stores | — |
| Global Market Share(%) | 27% | 38%(winner) |
| Monthly Active Buyers (Marketplace Access)(millions) | Self-driven traffic | — |
| Platform Transaction Fees(%) | 2.0% (third-party gateways) / 0% (Shopify Payments) | 0% |
| Starting Monthly Price(USD) | $29 | — |
| Top Tier Plan Price(USD/month) | $399 | — |
| Annual Cost (Base Plan)(USD/year) | $468 | — |
| Per-Transaction Commission(%) | 0% | — |
Show 28 more attributesTransaction Processing Fee(percent) 0% (on Shopify Payments) — Transaction Fee Rate(percentage + fixed fee) 3.89% 2% (with Stripe/PayPal) Monthly Costs at 100 Sales ($50/item)(USD) $214 — Base Monthly Subscription (Starter Plan)(USD) $29 — Listing Renewal Fee(USD per listing) Included in subscription — Payment Processing Fee(%) 2.9% + $0.30 (Shopify Payments) — Monthly Base Cost(USD) $29-$399 $0 (hosting extra: $3-50) Transaction Fee Percentage(%) 2.9% — Free Plan Cost(USD/month) $5 (Starter plan minimum) — Starting Price(USD/month) $5 (Starter Plan) — Monthly Base Cost (Starter Plan)(USD) $5-39 (all-inclusive) — Maximum Plan Cost(USD/month) $2,300+ (Shopify Plus enterprise) — Mid-Tier Plan Cost(USD/month) $105 (Shopify Plan) — Enterprise Plan Cost(USD per user/month) $2,300+ (Shopify Plus) — Starting Monthly Cost(USD) $39 ~$5 (hosting) Transaction Fees(%) 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction 0% (processor rates 2.7-2.9%) Annual Cost (100K Revenue)(USD) $468 + transaction fees ($2,900) — Base Monthly Cost(USD) $39/month (Basic plan) $10-50 (hosting only; plugin free) Transaction Fees (Standard)(%+fixed) 2.9% + $0.30 2.9% + $0.30 (Stripe) to 0% (PayPal alternative) Transaction Fees (Basic Plan)(%) 2.9% + $0.30 — Starting Monthly Cost (USD)(USD) $39/month — Transaction Fees (Payment Processing)(%) 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction — Annual Cost (Base Tier)(USD) $348-3,588/year — Total Cost of Ownership (Year 1)(USD) $30-$360 — Minimum Monthly Cost(USD) $3-10 (hosting only) — Payment Processing Fees(% + fixed) 2.9% + $0.30 (via Stripe/PayPal) — Monthly Cost (Base Plan)(USD) $0 (plus hosting $50-200/year) — Annual Hosting + Domain Cost(USD) $50-200 minimum — | ||
| Available Apps/Plugins(count) | 13,000+ | 59,000+(winner) |
| Available Apps & Integrations(count) | 6,000+ apps | — |
| Third-Party App Integrations(integrations) | 6000+ | — |
| Native App Integrations(apps) | 6,800 verified apps | 70,000+ WordPress plugins (broader)(winner) |
| Average Conversion Rate (Desktop)(%) | 1.4% | 2.0-2.5%(winner) |
| Average Conversion Rate (Mobile)(%) | 1.2% | 2.03%(winner) |
| Checkout Conversion Rate(%) | 3.2-3.5% | — |
| Mobile Responsiveness | Mobile-optimized by default | — |
| Hosting Model | Fully Managed SaaS | Self-Hosted Open-Source |
| API Capabilities | Full REST & GraphQL APIs | — |
| AI/Automation Optimization | Native AI-driven commerce agents built-in | Requires custom engineering |
| New Features (Feb-Mar 2026)(features) | Ongoing regular updates | — |
| Design Templates Available(count) | 200+ templates | — |
| Enterprise Plan Available(boolean) | Yes ($2,300+/month) | — |
| Product Variant Limit(variants) | Unlimited | — |
| Payment Methods Supported(count) | 100+ | — |
| Supported Sales Channels(count) | 10+ (online store, POS, social, marketplace, B2B, wholesale) | — |
Show 20 more attributesInventory Locations Support(locations) Unlimited with advanced sync — Built-in Features Included(features) Hosting, SSL, domain, support included Core features only Multi-Store Support(stores) Separate subscriptions required 5-10 (plugin-dependent) Available Plugins/Apps(count) 8,500+ — Customization Flexibility(percentage) 6 (Liquid templating limits) — Product Limit(products) Unlimited (pricing tier independent) Unlimited Customization Depth (Code Access)(null) Theme/app API limited (Liquid template language) Full PHP/JavaScript access to all code Product Upload Limit(products) Unlimited — Native Multi-Vendor Support No (requires apps) — Advanced SEO Tools (Built-in) Limited (basic automation) — Product Listings Limit(count) Unlimited — Multi-Channel Selling Integration(channels) 100+ sales channels (Amazon, Facebook, TikTok, eBay, etc.) — Free SSL Certificate & Hosting Included in all plans — SEO Customization Control(capability level) Built-in tools with limitations on code-level access — Data Portability(level of freedom) Possible but complex; vendor lock-in concerns exist Full export capability, own data Product Catalog Limit(Products) Unlimited — Payment Gateway Integrations(count) 50+ (Stripe, PayPal, Square, Authorize.net, etc.) — Available Extensions/Integrations(count) 5,000+ plugins and extensions — Native Multi-Currency Support(currencies) Via extensions — Unlimited Product Listings(boolean) Yes (depends only on hosting) — | ||
| App Integrations(count) | 8,000+ | — |
| Support Channels(channels) | Phone, Email & Chat | — |
| Customer Support Availability(hours/week) | 24/7 dedicated support team(winner) | Community-based |
| Developer Resources (Stack Overflow Tags)(questions) | 185,000+ questions | — |
| Official Support Availability(hours/day) | Community-based, no official phone support | — |
| Accessible Customer Base(millions) | 0 (self-driven) | — |
| Setup Time to First Sale(weeks) | 1-3 days | — |
| Brand Control Score(scale 1-10) | 9-10 (full) | — |
| App/Integration Ecosystem(apps) | 4,600+ | — |
| Available Extensions/Modules(count) | 5,000+ | — |
| Available Extensions/Plugins(count) | 58,000+ WooCommerce extensions | — |
| Annual Account Suspension Risk(%) | ~0.01% | — |
| Platform Uptime SLA(percent) | 99.99% | — |
| Uptime SLA Guarantee(%) | 99.99%(winner) | 99.9% (hosting dependent) |
| Uptime Guarantee(percent) | 99.99% guaranteed | — |
| Typical Seller Monthly Revenue Threshold(USD) | $5,000+ (lower barrier) | — |
| Product Variation Limit(variations per SKU) | 2,000+ | — |
| Multi-Currency Support(currencies) | 200+ | — |
| Design Customization Entry Point(coding knowledge required) | Advanced (Liquid code access) | — |
| Setup Time(minutes) | 30-60 minutes | 3-7 days(winner) |
| Setup Time to Launch(minutes) | 1-2 days(winner) | 120-300 minutes (2-5 days with setup) |
| Setup Time (No-Code)(hours) | 1-2 hours to launch(winner) | 4-8 hours (requires hosting + WordPress setup) |
| Average Setup Time(days) | 2-3 days | — |
Show 4 more attributesSetup Time (No-Code Path)(hours) 4-8 hours (learning curve) — Typical Setup Time (for beginners)(hours) 2-4 hours — Time to Launch(hours) 40-80 hours — Technical Expertise Required(level (1-5)) 3.5 (Medium-High: WordPress + PHP knowledge helpful) — | ||
| Available Templates(count) | ~300 (optimized for sales) | — |
| Design Templates Included(count) | 500+ (from ecosystem) | — |
| Ecommerce Templates(count) | 200+ premium + free themes | — |
| Recommended Maximum Annual Revenue(USD) | Unlimited | — |
| Product Listing Limits(count) | Unlimited products | — |
| Maximum Products(count) | Unlimited | — |
| Sales Breakeven Point(USD/month) | $1,350 | — |
| Commission Fee (Per Transaction)(%) | 2.9% + $0.30 | — |
| Built-in Customer Base(millions) | Zero (must generate own traffic) | — |
| Average Time to First Sale(days) | 30-90 days (with marketing) | — |
| Brand Customization Level(scale 1-10) | Complete (10/10) | — |
| Customer Data Access(percentage) | 100% direct access to customer emails and data | — |
| Setup Time to Live Store(days) | 7-14 days | — |
| Average Deployment Time(minutes) | 1-2 weeks | — |
| Built-in Enterprise Features | Moderate; app-dependent for advanced needs | — |
| Product Catalog Capacity(SKUs) | 50,000 (practical limit) | — |
| API Control & Headless Capability | Good GraphQL API; limited headless options | — |
| Store Design Flexibility(scale 1-10) | Extensive (9/10) | — |
| Available Extensions/Apps(count) | 8,000+ apps(winner) | 1000+ WooCommerce extensions |
| Available Plugins/Extensions(count) | 60,000+ | — |
| Design Customization Level(scale 1-10) | 10 (full code access) | — |
| Ideal Business Size(GMV) | $0-20M GMV (optimal fit) | — |
| Implementation Complexity | Low; point-and-click setup | — |
| Annual Marketplace Visitors(billions) | Self-generated | — |
| Available Apps/Extensions(count) | 10,000+ | — |
| App Ecosystem Size(apps) | ~8,000+ apps | — |
| Available App Integrations(count) | 8,000+ apps | — |
| Suitable Product Categories(primary focus) | All product types | — |
| Developer Cost (Hourly)(USD/hour) | $100-150 (optional) | — |
| Market Share(%) | ~30% of all online stores | — |
| Market Share (2026)(%) | 28% | — |
| Transaction Fee (Standard)(percentage + fixed) | 2.7% + $0.30 | — |
| Payment Gateway Options(number) | 100+ official integrations | 200+ via WooCommerce Payments + plugins(winner) |
| Initial Setup Time(hours) | Hours to 1 day | — |
| Free Physical Items Limit(items/month) | None (paid plans only) | — |
| Security Management(responsibility level) | Shopify manages all compliance | — |
| PCI DSS Compliance Built-in(null) | Level 1 (fully managed) | Requires third-party payment processor (not built-in) |
| SSL Certificate Cost(USD/year) | $0-50 (Let's Encrypt free or paid premium) | — |
| Initial Setup Cost(USD) | $0-500 | — |
| Monthly Server Infrastructure(USD) | $10-100 | — |
| Minimum Hosting Cost(USD/month) | $3-5 | — |
| Core License Cost(USD) | Free | — |
| Annual Cost at $100K Revenue(USD) | $156 (hosting) + $2,000 (fees) | — |
| Setup Time for Beginners(minutes) | 20-40 hours (requires technical setup) | — |
| Active Online Stores(millions/thousands) | 5.2 million | — |
| Community Size (Stack Exchange questions)(thousands) | 45,000+ | — |
| Hosting Included | No (self-hosted or third-party required) | — |
SShopify
WWooCommerce
Active Stores
4.6 Million+
~6 Million+
User Base(millions)
10+ million active stores
—
Global Market Share(%)
27%
38%
Monthly Active Buyers (Marketplace Access)(millions)
Self-driven traffic
—
Platform Transaction Fees(%)
2.0% (third-party gateways) / 0% (Shopify Payments)
0%
Starting Monthly Price(USD)
$29
—
Top Tier Plan Price(USD/month)
$399
—
Annual Cost (Base Plan)(USD/year)
$468
—
Per-Transaction Commission(%)
0%
—
Show 28 more attributes
Transaction Processing Fee(percent)
0% (on Shopify Payments)
—
Transaction Fee Rate(percentage + fixed fee)
3.89%
2% (with Stripe/PayPal)
Monthly Costs at 100 Sales ($50/item)(USD)
$214
—
Base Monthly Subscription (Starter Plan)(USD)
$29
—
Listing Renewal Fee(USD per listing)
Included in subscription
—
Payment Processing Fee(%)
2.9% + $0.30 (Shopify Payments)
—
Monthly Base Cost(USD)
$29-$399
$0 (hosting extra: $3-50)
Transaction Fee Percentage(%)
2.9%
—
Free Plan Cost(USD/month)
$5 (Starter plan minimum)
—
Starting Price(USD/month)
$5 (Starter Plan)
—
Monthly Base Cost (Starter Plan)(USD)
$5-39 (all-inclusive)
—
Maximum Plan Cost(USD/month)
$2,300+ (Shopify Plus enterprise)
—
Mid-Tier Plan Cost(USD/month)
$105 (Shopify Plan)
—
Enterprise Plan Cost(USD per user/month)
$2,300+ (Shopify Plus)
—
Starting Monthly Cost(USD)
$39
~$5 (hosting)
Transaction Fees(%)
2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
0% (processor rates 2.7-2.9%)
Annual Cost (100K Revenue)(USD)
$468 + transaction fees ($2,900)
—
Base Monthly Cost(USD)
$39/month (Basic plan)
$10-50 (hosting only; plugin free)
Transaction Fees (Standard)(%+fixed)
2.9% + $0.30
2.9% + $0.30 (Stripe) to 0% (PayPal alternative)
Transaction Fees (Basic Plan)(%)
2.9% + $0.30
—
Starting Monthly Cost (USD)(USD)
$39/month
—
Transaction Fees (Payment Processing)(%)
2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
—
Annual Cost (Base Tier)(USD)
$348-3,588/year
—
Total Cost of Ownership (Year 1)(USD)
$30-$360
—
Minimum Monthly Cost(USD)
$3-10 (hosting only)
—
Payment Processing Fees(% + fixed)
2.9% + $0.30 (via Stripe/PayPal)
—
Monthly Cost (Base Plan)(USD)
$0 (plus hosting $50-200/year)
—
Annual Hosting + Domain Cost(USD)
$50-200 minimum
—
Available Apps/Plugins(count)
13,000+
59,000+
Available Apps & Integrations(count)
6,000+ apps
—
Third-Party App Integrations(integrations)
6000+
—
Native App Integrations(apps)
6,800 verified apps
70,000+ WordPress plugins (broader)
Average Conversion Rate (Desktop)(%)
1.4%
2.0-2.5%
Average Conversion Rate (Mobile)(%)
1.2%
2.03%
Checkout Conversion Rate(%)
3.2-3.5%
—
Mobile Responsiveness
Mobile-optimized by default
—
Hosting Model
Fully Managed SaaS
Self-Hosted Open-Source
API Capabilities
Full REST & GraphQL APIs
—
AI/Automation Optimization
Native AI-driven commerce agents built-in
Requires custom engineering
New Features (Feb-Mar 2026)(features)
Ongoing regular updates
—
Design Templates Available(count)
200+ templates
—
Enterprise Plan Available(boolean)
Yes ($2,300+/month)
—
Product Variant Limit(variants)
Unlimited
—
Payment Methods Supported(count)
100+
—
Supported Sales Channels(count)
10+ (online store, POS, social, marketplace, B2B, wholesale)
—
Show 20 more attributes
Inventory Locations Support(locations)
Unlimited with advanced sync
—
Built-in Features Included(features)
Hosting, SSL, domain, support included
Core features only
Multi-Store Support(stores)
Separate subscriptions required
5-10 (plugin-dependent)
Available Plugins/Apps(count)
8,500+
—
Customization Flexibility(percentage)
6 (Liquid templating limits)
—
Product Limit(products)
Unlimited (pricing tier independent)
Unlimited
Customization Depth (Code Access)(null)
Theme/app API limited (Liquid template language)
Full PHP/JavaScript access to all code
Product Upload Limit(products)
Unlimited
—
Native Multi-Vendor Support
No (requires apps)
—
Advanced SEO Tools (Built-in)
Limited (basic automation)
—
Product Listings Limit(count)
Unlimited
—
Multi-Channel Selling Integration(channels)
100+ sales channels (Amazon, Facebook, TikTok, eBay, etc.)
—
Free SSL Certificate & Hosting
Included in all plans
—
SEO Customization Control(capability level)
Built-in tools with limitations on code-level access
—
Data Portability(level of freedom)
Possible but complex; vendor lock-in concerns exist
Full export capability, own data
Product Catalog Limit(Products)
Unlimited
—
Payment Gateway Integrations(count)
50+ (Stripe, PayPal, Square, Authorize.net, etc.)
—
Available Extensions/Integrations(count)
5,000+ plugins and extensions
—
Native Multi-Currency Support(currencies)
Via extensions
—
Unlimited Product Listings(boolean)
Yes (depends only on hosting)
—
App Integrations(count)
8,000+
—
Support Channels(channels)
Phone, Email & Chat
—
Customer Support Availability(hours/week)
24/7 dedicated support team
Community-based
Developer Resources (Stack Overflow Tags)(questions)
185,000+ questions
—
Official Support Availability(hours/day)
Community-based, no official phone support
—
Accessible Customer Base(millions)
0 (self-driven)
—
Setup Time to First Sale(weeks)
1-3 days
—
Brand Control Score(scale 1-10)
9-10 (full)
—
App/Integration Ecosystem(apps)
4,600+
—
Available Extensions/Modules(count)
5,000+
—
Available Extensions/Plugins(count)
58,000+ WooCommerce extensions
—
Annual Account Suspension Risk(%)
~0.01%
—
Platform Uptime SLA(percent)
99.99%
—
Uptime SLA Guarantee(%)
99.99%
99.9% (hosting dependent)
Uptime Guarantee(percent)
99.99% guaranteed
—
Typical Seller Monthly Revenue Threshold(USD)
$5,000+ (lower barrier)
—
Product Variation Limit(variations per SKU)
2,000+
—
Multi-Currency Support(currencies)
200+
—
Design Customization Entry Point(coding knowledge required)
Advanced (Liquid code access)
—
Setup Time(minutes)
30-60 minutes
3-7 days
Setup Time to Launch(minutes)
1-2 days
120-300 minutes (2-5 days with setup)
Setup Time (No-Code)(hours)
1-2 hours to launch
4-8 hours (requires hosting + WordPress setup)
Average Setup Time(days)
2-3 days
—
Show 4 more attributes
Setup Time (No-Code Path)(hours)
4-8 hours (learning curve)
—
Typical Setup Time (for beginners)(hours)
2-4 hours
—
Time to Launch(hours)
40-80 hours
—
Technical Expertise Required(level (1-5))
3.5 (Medium-High: WordPress + PHP knowledge helpful)
—
Available Templates(count)
~300 (optimized for sales)
—
Design Templates Included(count)
500+ (from ecosystem)
—
Ecommerce Templates(count)
200+ premium + free themes
—
Recommended Maximum Annual Revenue(USD)
Unlimited
—
Product Listing Limits(count)
Unlimited products
—
Maximum Products(count)
Unlimited
—
Sales Breakeven Point(USD/month)
$1,350
—
Commission Fee (Per Transaction)(%)
2.9% + $0.30
—
Built-in Customer Base(millions)
Zero (must generate own traffic)
—
Average Time to First Sale(days)
30-90 days (with marketing)
—
Brand Customization Level(scale 1-10)
Complete (10/10)
—
Customer Data Access(percentage)
100% direct access to customer emails and data
—
Setup Time to Live Store(days)
7-14 days
—
Average Deployment Time(minutes)
1-2 weeks
—
Built-in Enterprise Features
Moderate; app-dependent for advanced needs
—
Product Catalog Capacity(SKUs)
50,000 (practical limit)
—
API Control & Headless Capability
Good GraphQL API; limited headless options
—
Store Design Flexibility(scale 1-10)
Extensive (9/10)
—
Available Extensions/Apps(count)
8,000+ apps
1000+ WooCommerce extensions
Available Plugins/Extensions(count)
60,000+
—
Design Customization Level(scale 1-10)
10 (full code access)
—
Ideal Business Size(GMV)
$0-20M GMV (optimal fit)
—
Implementation Complexity
Low; point-and-click setup
—
Annual Marketplace Visitors(billions)
Self-generated
—
Available Apps/Extensions(count)
10,000+
—
App Ecosystem Size(apps)
~8,000+ apps
—
Available App Integrations(count)
8,000+ apps
—
Suitable Product Categories(primary focus)
All product types
—
Developer Cost (Hourly)(USD/hour)
$100-150 (optional)
—
Market Share(%)
~30% of all online stores
—
Market Share (2026)(%)
28%
—
Transaction Fee (Standard)(percentage + fixed)
2.7% + $0.30
—
Payment Gateway Options(number)
100+ official integrations
200+ via WooCommerce Payments + plugins
Initial Setup Time(hours)
Hours to 1 day
—
Free Physical Items Limit(items/month)
None (paid plans only)
—
Security Management(responsibility level)
Shopify manages all compliance
—
PCI DSS Compliance Built-in(null)
Level 1 (fully managed)
Requires third-party payment processor (not built-in)
SSL Certificate Cost(USD/year)
$0-50 (Let's Encrypt free or paid premium)
—
Initial Setup Cost(USD)
$0-500
—
Monthly Server Infrastructure(USD)
$10-100
—
Minimum Hosting Cost(USD/month)
$3-5
—
Core License Cost(USD)
Free
—
Annual Cost at $100K Revenue(USD)
$156 (hosting) + $2,000 (fees)
—
Setup Time for Beginners(minutes)
20-40 hours (requires technical setup)
—
Active Online Stores(millions/thousands)
5.2 million
—
Community Size (Stack Exchange questions)(thousands)
45,000+
—
Hosting Included
No (self-hosted or third-party required)
—
Pros & Cons
10 pros·6 cons across both
S
W
S
Shopify
+5-3
Pros
- 99.99% uptime SLA with automatic hosting and security updates included
- Complete PCI DSS Level 1 compliance and fraud protection built-in
- Drag-and-drop interface requires zero coding—launch in hours, not weeks
- 6,800+ vetted apps in official app store with premium support
- Abandoned cart recovery, inventory management, and analytics included
Cons
- 2.9% + 30¢ transaction fees on Shopify Payments (highest in industry)
- Limited code-level customization—themes and apps restrict deep modifications
- Vendor lock-in: migrating data to another platform is time-consuming and costly
W
WooCommerce
+5-3
Pros
- 100% free core plugin with unlimited customization via PHP/JavaScript—no vendor lock-in
- Transaction fees as low as 0% (use free payment gateways like Stripe at 2.9%)
- 70,000+ WordPress plugins extend functionality beyond e-commerce capabilities
- Own your data completely—full database access and control over hosting
- Massive community (millions of active users) with extensive free documentation and tutorials
Cons
- Requires WordPress hosting management ($5-15/month) and manual security updates
- Needs technical knowledge (or developer hire) for advanced customization and troubleshooting
- Uptime and performance depend entirely on hosting quality and server configuration
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questions
WooCommerce is typically $300-500/year cheaper. Shopify at $39/month basic plan costs $468/year, plus ~$1,450 in transaction fees (2.9% + 30¢ on $50K revenue) = $1,918 total. WooCommerce costs ~$120/year for hosting + $1,450 in transaction fees = $1,570 total, saving ~$350 annually. However, Shopify saves 20-30 hours/year on server management.
Resources & Learn More
Curated sources to dive deeper
Where to Buy
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Wikipedia
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