DR
Daniel RozinEditor-in-Chief
2 min read
Shopify vs WooCommerce 2026: Cost, Features & Best Choice
VS
197 attributes7 differences16 pros/cons
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.
Read full verdictChoose 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
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
140 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) | $39 | $0 | |
| Top Tier Plan Price(USD/month) | $399 | — | — |
| Design Templates Available(templates) | 70+ | Unlimited (theme market) | |
| 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) | 5 days (with traffic setup) | — | — |
| Brand Customization Level(scale 1-10) | Complete (10/10) | — | — |
| Customer Data Access(percentage) | 100% direct access to customer emails and data | — | — |
| Payment Methods Supported(methods) | 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(percent + fixed) | 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(minutes) | 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/month per user) | $2,300+ (Shopify Plus) | — | — |
| Third-Party App Integrations(count) | 8,000+ apps in App Store | — | — |
| Free Physical Items Limit(items/month) | None (paid plans only) | — | — |
| Starting Monthly Cost(USD) | $39 | ~$5 (hosting) | |
| Transaction Fees(%) | 2.0-2.9% | 0% (no platform fees) | |
| 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) | — | — |
| Monthly Base Subscription Cost(USD) | $39-299 | — | — |
| Total Transaction Fee per Sale(percent) | 2.9-5% (payment processing only; plan fees absorb transaction costs) | — | — |
| Monthly Active Buyers(millions) | 0 (seller-dependent traffic) | — | — |
| Average Days to First Sale(days) | 30-90 days | — | — |
| Base Monthly Cost(USD) | $29 | $10-50 (hosting only; plugin free) | |
| Uptime SLA Guarantee(percent) | 99.99% | 99.9% (hosting dependent) | |
| Native App Integrations(count) | 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(count) | 26+ | 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) | 10,000+ | — | — |
| 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) | 10,000+ | 1000+ WooCommerce extensions | |
| Supported Payment Gateways(count) | 100+ payment gateways | — | — |
| Active Merchant Base(millions) | 4.6M+ merchants | — | — |
| Uptime Guarantee(percent) | 99.99% | — | — |
| Free Design Templates(count) | 100+ free + premium designs | — | — |
| Design Templates(count) | 200+ | — | — |
| Setup Time (Days to Live Store)(days) | 3-5 | — | — |
| Global Merchant Users(millions) | 4.6M (2025) | — | — |
| Annual Cost for $250k Revenue Store(USD) | $468 (plan) + $0 (fees) | — | — |
| Monthly Cost (Starter Plan)(USD) | $29 | — | — |
| Transaction Fee per Sale(%) | 0% | — | — |
| Profit Margin Retention (Example: $100 sale)(USD profit) | $71 (after $29 monthly allocation) | — | — |
| Support Response Time(minutes) | 2-4 hours (24/7 chat) | — | — |
| Mid-Tier Monthly Price(USD) | $105/month | — | — |
| Payment Processing Transaction Fee(%) | 2.9% + 30¢ (Shopify Payments) | — | — |
| Global E-Commerce Market Share (2025)(%) | 28% | — | — |
| Built-in Sales Channel Integrations(channels) | 6-8 native, 120+ via apps | — | — |
| Time to First Sale (Typical)(hours) | 1-2 hours | — | — |
| API Rate Limit(requests/second) | 2 requests/second (standard) | — | — |
| Hosting Cost (Budget Provider)(USD/month) | Included | — | — |
| Implementation Timeline(weeks) | 0.3-0.7 (2-5 days) | — | — |
| Technical Skill Required(1-5 scale) | 2 (basic) | 4 (advanced) | |
| Maximum Monthly Revenue Supportable(USD millions) | 100+ (Shopify Plus) | — | — |
| Transaction Fee %(%) | 2.9% | 0% | |
| Third-Party Integrations(apps) | 8,000+ | 58,000+ (WordPress) | |
| Customer Support Quality(1-5 scale) | 5 (24/7 premium) | 3 (community-driven) | |
| SEO Tools Built-In(1-5 scale) | 3 (basic) | 5 (WordPress native) | |
| Total Cost of Ownership (Year 1)(USD) | $30-$360 | $30-$360 | |
| Product Catalog Limit(Products) | Unlimited | Unlimited | |
| Payment Gateway Integrations(gateways) | 70+ via plugins/extensions | 70+ via plugins/extensions | |
| 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(seconds) | 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+ | |
| Startup Cost(USD) | $0-200 (domain + initial setup) | $0-200 (domain + initial setup) | |
| Monthly Hosting & Maintenance Cost(USD) | $5-50 (hosting only; support separate) | $5-50 (hosting only; support separate) | |
| Design Customization Options(themes) | 8,000+ extensions and plugins | 8,000+ extensions and plugins | |
| Built-in Customer Support(hours availability) | Community forums only; paid support $50-200/mo | Community forums only; paid support $50-200/mo | |
| Annual Cost for $50k Revenue Store(USD) | $600-1,200 (hosting + minimal fees) | $600-1,200 (hosting + minimal fees) | |
| Time to Launch(hours) | 40-80 (with developer or steep learning curve) | 40-80 (with developer or steep learning curve) | |
| 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) | |
| Starter Plan Monthly Cost(USD) | $0 (plus ~$10-30/month hosting) | $0 (plus ~$10-30/month hosting) | |
| App/Extension Marketplace(apps available) | 5,000+ WooCommerce extensions | 5,000+ WooCommerce extensions | |
| Setup Time (Basic Store)(hours) | 8-20 hours (hosting + plugin config) | 8-20 hours (hosting + plugin config) |
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
Full Comparison
| Attribute | Shopify | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Active Stores | 4.6 Million+ | ~6 Million+(winner) |
| Market Share(%) | ~30% of all online stores | — |
| Global Market Share(%) | 27% | 38%(winner) |
| Market Share (2026)(%) | 28% | — |
| Global E-Commerce Market Share (2025)(%) | 28% | — |
| Platform Transaction Fees(%) | 2.0% (third-party gateways) / 0% (Shopify Payments) | 0% |
| Starting Monthly Price(USD) | $39 | $0(winner) |
| Top Tier Plan Price(USD/month) | $399 | — |
| Annual Cost (Base Plan)(USD/year) | $468 | — |
| Per-Transaction Commission(%) | 0% | — |
Show 39 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(percent + fixed) 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) — Starting Monthly Cost(USD) $39 ~$5 (hosting) Transaction Fees(%) 2.0-2.9% 0% (no platform fees) Annual Cost (100K Revenue)(USD) $468 + transaction fees ($2,900) — Monthly Base Subscription Cost(USD) $39-299 — Total Transaction Fee per Sale(percent) 2.9-5% (payment processing only; plan fees absorb transaction costs) — Base Monthly Cost(USD) $29 $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 (Free Plan)(%) N/A - no free plan — Annual Cost (Base Tier)(USD) $348-3,588/year — Transaction Fees (Payment Processing)(percentage) 0% (Shopify Payments) — Monthly Cost (Starter Plan)(USD) $29 — Transaction Fee per Sale(%) 0% — Mid-Tier Monthly Price(USD) $105/month — Payment Processing Transaction Fee(%) 2.9% + 30¢ (Shopify Payments) — Hosting Cost (Budget Provider)(USD/month) Included — Transaction Fee %(%) 2.9% 0% Total Cost of Ownership (Year 1)(USD) $30-$360 — Minimum Monthly Cost(USD) $3-10 (hosting only) — Monthly Cost (Base Plan)(USD) $0 (plus hosting $50-200/year) — Annual Hosting + Domain Cost(USD) $50-200 minimum — Startup Cost(USD) $0-200 (domain + initial setup) — Monthly Hosting & Maintenance Cost(USD) $5-50 (hosting only; support separate) — Annual Cost for $50k Revenue Store(USD) $600-1,200 (hosting + minimal fees) — Starter Plan Monthly Cost(USD) $0 (plus ~$10-30/month hosting) — | ||
| Available Apps/Plugins(count) | 13,000+ | 59,000+(winner) |
| Available Apps & Integrations(count) | 6,000+ apps | — |
| Available Extensions/Apps(count) | 10,000+(winner) | 1000+ WooCommerce extensions |
| Available Extensions/Plugins(count) | 58,000+ WooCommerce extensions | — |
| 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 | — |
| Uptime Guarantee(percent) | 99.99% | — |
Show 1 more attributeAverage Deployment Time(seconds) 1-2 weeks — | ||
| Hosting Model | Fully Managed SaaS | Self-Hosted Open-Source |
| API Capabilities | Full REST & GraphQL APIs | — |
| API Rate Limit(requests/second) | 2 requests/second (standard) | — |
| 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(templates) | 70+ | Unlimited (theme market)(winner) |
| Free Design Templates(count) | 100+ free + premium designs | — |
| Design Templates Included(count) | 500+ (from ecosystem) | — |
| Ecommerce Templates(count) | 200+ premium + free themes | — |
| App Integrations(count) | 8,000+ | — |
| Enterprise Plan Available(boolean) | Yes ($2,300+/month) | — |
| Product Variant Limit(variants) | Unlimited | — |
| Supported Sales Channels(count) | 10+ (online store, POS, social, marketplace, B2B, wholesale) | — |
| Inventory Locations Support(locations) | Unlimited with advanced sync | — |
Show 26 more attributesBuilt-in Features Included(features) Hosting, SSL, domain, support included Core features only Multi-Store Support(stores) Separate subscriptions required 5-10 (plugin-dependent) Third-Party App Integrations(count) 8,000+ apps in App Store — Available Plugins/Apps(count) 8,500+ — Customization Flexibility(percentage) 6 (Liquid templating limits) — Product Limit(products) Unlimited (pricing tier independent) Unlimited Native App Integrations(count) 6,800 verified apps 70,000+ WordPress plugins (broader) Customization Depth (Code Access)(null) Theme/app API limited (Liquid template language) Full PHP/JavaScript access to all code Payment Gateway Options(count) 26+ 200+ via WooCommerce Payments + plugins Product Upload Limit(products) Unlimited — Native Multi-Vendor Support No (requires apps) — Advanced SEO Tools (Built-in) Limited (basic automation) — Available App Integrations(count) 10,000+ — 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 — Design Templates(count) 200+ — Built-in Sales Channel Integrations(channels) 6-8 native, 120+ via apps — Product Image Storage Limit(images) Unlimited — Product Catalog Limit(Products) Unlimited — Payment Gateway Integrations(gateways) 70+ via plugins/extensions — Native Multi-Currency Support(currencies) Via extensions — Maximum Product Capacity(products) Unlimited — Design Customization Level(%) 10 (full code access) — Unlimited Product Listings(boolean) Yes (depends only on hosting) — | ||
| Support Channels(channels) | Phone, Email & Chat | — |
| Customer Support Availability(hours per week) | 24/7 phone, email, and chat | Community-based (variable, 24/7 community forums) |
| Support Response Time(minutes) | 2-4 hours (24/7 chat) | — |
| Customer Support Quality(1-5 scale) | 5 (24/7 premium)(winner) | 3 (community-driven) |
| Developer Resources (Stack Overflow Tags)(questions) | 185,000+ questions | — |
Show 2 more attributesOfficial Support Availability(hours/day) Community-based, no official phone support — Built-in Customer Support(hours availability) Community forums only; paid support $50-200/mo — | ||
| 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) | — |
| Customer Data Ownership(percentage) | 100% - you own all customer records | — |
| Design & Customization Freedom(level) | Unlimited - custom domain, full HTML/CSS | — |
| App/Integration Ecosystem(apps) | 4,600+ | — |
| Available Extensions/Modules(count) | 5,000+ | — |
| App/Extension Marketplace(apps available) | 5,000+ WooCommerce extensions | — |
| Annual Account Suspension Risk(%) | ~0.01% | — |
| Platform Uptime SLA(percent) | 99.99% | — |
| Uptime SLA Guarantee(percent) | 99.99%(winner) | 99.9% (hosting dependent) |
| 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(hours) | 2-4 hours(winner) | 8-24 hours |
| Setup Time to Launch(minutes) | 1-2 days(winner) | 120-300 minutes (2-5 days with setup) |
| Setup Time Required(hours) | 20-30 hours | — |
| Setup Time (No-Code)(hours) | 1-2 hours to launch(winner) | 4-8 hours (requires hosting + WordPress setup) |
Show 6 more attributesTechnical Skill Required(1-5 scale) 2 (basic) 4 (advanced) 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 (with developer or steep learning curve) — Technical Expertise Required(level (1-5)) 3.5 (Medium-High: WordPress + PHP knowledge helpful) — Setup Time (Basic Store)(hours) 8-20 hours (hosting + plugin config) — | ||
| Available Templates(count) | ~300 (optimized for sales) | — |
| Recommended Maximum Annual Revenue(USD) | Unlimited | — |
| Product Listing Limits(count) | Unlimited products | — |
| Maximum Monthly Revenue Supportable(USD millions) | 100+ (Shopify Plus) | — |
| Maximum Products(count) | Unlimited | — |
| Recommended Annual Revenue Ceiling(USD) | Unlimited (infrastructure-dependent) | — |
| Sales Breakeven Point(USD/month) | $1,350 | — |
| Profit Margin Retention (Example: $100 sale)(USD profit) | $71 (after $29 monthly allocation) | — |
| Monthly Active Buyers (Marketplace Access)(millions) | Self-driven traffic | — |
| Global Merchant Users(millions) | 4.6M (2025) | — |
| Commission Fee (Per Transaction)(%) | 2.9% + $0.30 | — |
| Built-in Customer Base(millions) | Zero (must generate own traffic) | — |
| Average Time to First Sale(days) | 5 days (with traffic setup) | — |
| Brand Customization Level(scale 1-10) | Complete (10/10) | — |
| Customer Data Access(percentage) | 100% direct access to customer emails and data | — |
| Payment Methods Supported(methods) | 100+ | — |
| Setup Time to Live Store(days) | 7-14 days | — |
| Built-in Enterprise Features | Moderate; app-dependent for advanced needs | — |
| Third-Party Integrations(apps) | 8,000+ | 58,000+ (WordPress)(winner) |
| Customization Depth(1-5 scale) | 3 (app-limited) | 5 (unlimited code)(winner) |
| 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 Plugins/Extensions(count) | 60,000+ | — |
| Ideal Business Size(GMV) | $0-20M GMV (optimal fit) | — |
| Implementation Complexity(weeks to production) | Low; point-and-click setup | — |
| Annual Marketplace Visitors(billions) | Self-generated | — |
| Available Apps/Extensions(count) | 10,000+ | — |
| App Ecosystem Size(apps) | ~8,000+ apps | — |
| Supported Payment Gateways(count) | 100+ payment gateways | — |
| Suitable Product Categories(primary focus) | All product types | — |
| Developer Cost (Hourly)(USD/hour) | $100-150 (optional) | — |
| Transaction Fee (Standard)(percentage + fixed) | 2.7% + $0.30 | — |
| Initial Setup Time(minutes) | Hours to 1 day | — |
| Average Setup Time(days) | 2-3 days | — |
| Setup Time (Days to Live Store)(days) | 3-5 | — |
| Setup Time for Beginners(minutes) | 20-40 hours (requires technical setup) | — |
| Enterprise Plan Cost(USD/month per user) | $2,300+ (Shopify Plus) | — |
| Initial Setup Cost(USD) | $0-500 | — |
| Monthly Server Infrastructure(USD) | $10-100 | — |
| Minimum Hosting Cost(USD/month) | $3-5 | — |
| Core License Cost(USD) | Free | — |
| 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) | — |
| Monthly Active Buyers(millions) | 0 (seller-dependent traffic) | — |
| Average Days to First Sale(days) | 30-90 days | — |
| Data Portability(score out of 10) | Possible but complex; vendor lock-in concerns exist | Full export capability, own data |
| Active Merchant Base(millions) | 4.6M+ merchants | — |
| Annual Cost for $250k Revenue Store(USD) | $468 (plan) + $0 (fees) | — |
| Annual Cost at $100K Revenue(USD) | $156 (hosting) + $2,000 (fees) | — |
| Monthly Active Buyers Accessible(millions) | Must drive own traffic | — |
| Time to First Sale (Typical)(hours) | 1-2 hours | — |
| Implementation Timeline(weeks) | 0.3-0.7 (2-5 days) | — |
| Customization Capability(null) | 6 (limited to Liquid) | — |
| SEO Tools Built-In(1-5 scale) | 3 (basic) | 5 (WordPress native)(winner) |
| Multi-Channel Selling(channels) | 8+ native integrations(winner) | Limited (plugin-dependent) |
| Available Extensions/Integrations(count) | 5,000+ plugins and extensions | — |
| User Base(millions) | 10+ million active stores | — |
| Active Online Stores(millions/thousands) | 5.2 million | — |
| Community Size (Stack Exchange questions)(thousands) | 45,000+ | — |
| Payment Processing Fees(%) | 0% (payment gateway only: 2.9% + $0.30) | — |
| Design Customization Options(themes) | 8,000+ extensions and plugins | — |
| Hosting Included | No (self-hosted or third-party required) | — |
| WordPress Integration(compatibility) | Native WordPress plugin (100% integrated) | — |
SShopify
WWooCommerce
Active Stores
4.6 Million+
~6 Million+
Market Share(%)
~30% of all online stores
—
Global Market Share(%)
27%
38%
Market Share (2026)(%)
28%
—
Global E-Commerce Market Share (2025)(%)
28%
—
Platform Transaction Fees(%)
2.0% (third-party gateways) / 0% (Shopify Payments)
0%
Starting Monthly Price(USD)
$39
$0
Top Tier Plan Price(USD/month)
$399
—
Annual Cost (Base Plan)(USD/year)
$468
—
Per-Transaction Commission(%)
0%
—
Show 39 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(percent + fixed)
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)
—
Starting Monthly Cost(USD)
$39
~$5 (hosting)
Transaction Fees(%)
2.0-2.9%
0% (no platform fees)
Annual Cost (100K Revenue)(USD)
$468 + transaction fees ($2,900)
—
Monthly Base Subscription Cost(USD)
$39-299
—
Total Transaction Fee per Sale(percent)
2.9-5% (payment processing only; plan fees absorb transaction costs)
—
Base Monthly Cost(USD)
$29
$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 (Free Plan)(%)
N/A - no free plan
—
Annual Cost (Base Tier)(USD)
$348-3,588/year
—
Transaction Fees (Payment Processing)(percentage)
0% (Shopify Payments)
—
Monthly Cost (Starter Plan)(USD)
$29
—
Transaction Fee per Sale(%)
0%
—
Mid-Tier Monthly Price(USD)
$105/month
—
Payment Processing Transaction Fee(%)
2.9% + 30¢ (Shopify Payments)
—
Hosting Cost (Budget Provider)(USD/month)
Included
—
Transaction Fee %(%)
2.9%
0%
Total Cost of Ownership (Year 1)(USD)
$30-$360
—
Minimum Monthly Cost(USD)
$3-10 (hosting only)
—
Monthly Cost (Base Plan)(USD)
$0 (plus hosting $50-200/year)
—
Annual Hosting + Domain Cost(USD)
$50-200 minimum
—
Startup Cost(USD)
$0-200 (domain + initial setup)
—
Monthly Hosting & Maintenance Cost(USD)
$5-50 (hosting only; support separate)
—
Annual Cost for $50k Revenue Store(USD)
$600-1,200 (hosting + minimal fees)
—
Starter Plan Monthly Cost(USD)
$0 (plus ~$10-30/month hosting)
—
Available Apps/Plugins(count)
13,000+
59,000+
Available Apps & Integrations(count)
6,000+ apps
—
Available Extensions/Apps(count)
10,000+
1000+ WooCommerce extensions
Available Extensions/Plugins(count)
58,000+ WooCommerce extensions
—
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
—
Uptime Guarantee(percent)
99.99%
—
Show 1 more attribute
Average Deployment Time(seconds)
1-2 weeks
—
Hosting Model
Fully Managed SaaS
Self-Hosted Open-Source
API Capabilities
Full REST & GraphQL APIs
—
API Rate Limit(requests/second)
2 requests/second (standard)
—
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(templates)
70+
Unlimited (theme market)
Free Design Templates(count)
100+ free + premium designs
—
Design Templates Included(count)
500+ (from ecosystem)
—
Ecommerce Templates(count)
200+ premium + free themes
—
App Integrations(count)
8,000+
—
Enterprise Plan Available(boolean)
Yes ($2,300+/month)
—
Product Variant Limit(variants)
Unlimited
—
Supported Sales Channels(count)
10+ (online store, POS, social, marketplace, B2B, wholesale)
—
Inventory Locations Support(locations)
Unlimited with advanced sync
—
Show 26 more attributes
Built-in Features Included(features)
Hosting, SSL, domain, support included
Core features only
Multi-Store Support(stores)
Separate subscriptions required
5-10 (plugin-dependent)
Third-Party App Integrations(count)
8,000+ apps in App Store
—
Available Plugins/Apps(count)
8,500+
—
Customization Flexibility(percentage)
6 (Liquid templating limits)
—
Product Limit(products)
Unlimited (pricing tier independent)
Unlimited
Native App Integrations(count)
6,800 verified apps
70,000+ WordPress plugins (broader)
Customization Depth (Code Access)(null)
Theme/app API limited (Liquid template language)
Full PHP/JavaScript access to all code
Payment Gateway Options(count)
26+
200+ via WooCommerce Payments + plugins
Product Upload Limit(products)
Unlimited
—
Native Multi-Vendor Support
No (requires apps)
—
Advanced SEO Tools (Built-in)
Limited (basic automation)
—
Available App Integrations(count)
10,000+
—
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
—
Design Templates(count)
200+
—
Built-in Sales Channel Integrations(channels)
6-8 native, 120+ via apps
—
Product Image Storage Limit(images)
Unlimited
—
Product Catalog Limit(Products)
Unlimited
—
Payment Gateway Integrations(gateways)
70+ via plugins/extensions
—
Native Multi-Currency Support(currencies)
Via extensions
—
Maximum Product Capacity(products)
Unlimited
—
Design Customization Level(%)
10 (full code access)
—
Unlimited Product Listings(boolean)
Yes (depends only on hosting)
—
Support Channels(channels)
Phone, Email & Chat
—
Customer Support Availability(hours per week)
24/7 phone, email, and chat
Community-based (variable, 24/7 community forums)
Support Response Time(minutes)
2-4 hours (24/7 chat)
—
Customer Support Quality(1-5 scale)
5 (24/7 premium)
3 (community-driven)
Developer Resources (Stack Overflow Tags)(questions)
185,000+ questions
—
Show 2 more attributes
Official Support Availability(hours/day)
Community-based, no official phone support
—
Built-in Customer Support(hours availability)
Community forums only; paid support $50-200/mo
—
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)
—
Customer Data Ownership(percentage)
100% - you own all customer records
—
Design & Customization Freedom(level)
Unlimited - custom domain, full HTML/CSS
—
App/Integration Ecosystem(apps)
4,600+
—
Available Extensions/Modules(count)
5,000+
—
App/Extension Marketplace(apps available)
5,000+ WooCommerce extensions
—
Annual Account Suspension Risk(%)
~0.01%
—
Platform Uptime SLA(percent)
99.99%
—
Uptime SLA Guarantee(percent)
99.99%
99.9% (hosting dependent)
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(hours)
2-4 hours
8-24 hours
Setup Time to Launch(minutes)
1-2 days
120-300 minutes (2-5 days with setup)
Setup Time Required(hours)
20-30 hours
—
Setup Time (No-Code)(hours)
1-2 hours to launch
4-8 hours (requires hosting + WordPress setup)
Show 6 more attributes
Technical Skill Required(1-5 scale)
2 (basic)
4 (advanced)
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 (with developer or steep learning curve)
—
Technical Expertise Required(level (1-5))
3.5 (Medium-High: WordPress + PHP knowledge helpful)
—
Setup Time (Basic Store)(hours)
8-20 hours (hosting + plugin config)
—
Available Templates(count)
~300 (optimized for sales)
—
Recommended Maximum Annual Revenue(USD)
Unlimited
—
Product Listing Limits(count)
Unlimited products
—
Maximum Monthly Revenue Supportable(USD millions)
100+ (Shopify Plus)
—
Maximum Products(count)
Unlimited
—
Recommended Annual Revenue Ceiling(USD)
Unlimited (infrastructure-dependent)
—
Sales Breakeven Point(USD/month)
$1,350
—
Profit Margin Retention (Example: $100 sale)(USD profit)
$71 (after $29 monthly allocation)
—
Monthly Active Buyers (Marketplace Access)(millions)
Self-driven traffic
—
Global Merchant Users(millions)
4.6M (2025)
—
Commission Fee (Per Transaction)(%)
2.9% + $0.30
—
Built-in Customer Base(millions)
Zero (must generate own traffic)
—
Average Time to First Sale(days)
5 days (with traffic setup)
—
Brand Customization Level(scale 1-10)
Complete (10/10)
—
Customer Data Access(percentage)
100% direct access to customer emails and data
—
Payment Methods Supported(methods)
100+
—
Setup Time to Live Store(days)
7-14 days
—
Built-in Enterprise Features
Moderate; app-dependent for advanced needs
—
Third-Party Integrations(apps)
8,000+
58,000+ (WordPress)
Customization Depth(1-5 scale)
3 (app-limited)
5 (unlimited code)
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 Plugins/Extensions(count)
60,000+
—
Ideal Business Size(GMV)
$0-20M GMV (optimal fit)
—
Implementation Complexity(weeks to production)
Low; point-and-click setup
—
Annual Marketplace Visitors(billions)
Self-generated
—
Available Apps/Extensions(count)
10,000+
—
App Ecosystem Size(apps)
~8,000+ apps
—
Supported Payment Gateways(count)
100+ payment gateways
—
Suitable Product Categories(primary focus)
All product types
—
Developer Cost (Hourly)(USD/hour)
$100-150 (optional)
—
Transaction Fee (Standard)(percentage + fixed)
2.7% + $0.30
—
Initial Setup Time(minutes)
Hours to 1 day
—
Average Setup Time(days)
2-3 days
—
Setup Time (Days to Live Store)(days)
3-5
—
Setup Time for Beginners(minutes)
20-40 hours (requires technical setup)
—
Enterprise Plan Cost(USD/month per user)
$2,300+ (Shopify Plus)
—
Initial Setup Cost(USD)
$0-500
—
Monthly Server Infrastructure(USD)
$10-100
—
Minimum Hosting Cost(USD/month)
$3-5
—
Core License Cost(USD)
Free
—
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)
—
Monthly Active Buyers(millions)
0 (seller-dependent traffic)
—
Average Days to First Sale(days)
30-90 days
—
Data Portability(score out of 10)
Possible but complex; vendor lock-in concerns exist
Full export capability, own data
Active Merchant Base(millions)
4.6M+ merchants
—
Annual Cost for $250k Revenue Store(USD)
$468 (plan) + $0 (fees)
—
Annual Cost at $100K Revenue(USD)
$156 (hosting) + $2,000 (fees)
—
Monthly Active Buyers Accessible(millions)
Must drive own traffic
—
Time to First Sale (Typical)(hours)
1-2 hours
—
Implementation Timeline(weeks)
0.3-0.7 (2-5 days)
—
Customization Capability(null)
6 (limited to Liquid)
—
SEO Tools Built-In(1-5 scale)
3 (basic)
5 (WordPress native)
Multi-Channel Selling(channels)
8+ native integrations
Limited (plugin-dependent)
Available Extensions/Integrations(count)
5,000+ plugins and extensions
—
User Base(millions)
10+ million active stores
—
Active Online Stores(millions/thousands)
5.2 million
—
Community Size (Stack Exchange questions)(thousands)
45,000+
—
Payment Processing Fees(%)
0% (payment gateway only: 2.9% + $0.30)
—
Design Customization Options(themes)
8,000+ extensions and plugins
—
Hosting Included
No (self-hosted or third-party required)
—
WordPress Integration(compatibility)
Native WordPress plugin (100% integrated)
—
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
4 questions
/
Shopify is better for most non-technical merchants who want a managed, fast-to-launch store with best-in-class checkout conversion. WooCommerce is better for businesses with existing WordPress sites, technical teams, or complex customization requirements. Neither is objectively "better" — the right choice depends on your technical resources and customization needs.
WooCommerce core plugin is free. However, you need paid hosting ($10-50/month), a domain (~$15/year), SSL certificate, and premium extensions ($50-300+ each). Total cost of a fully-featured WooCommerce store often reaches $150-500+/year — similar to Shopify's Basic plan.
Shopify charges 0.5-2% transaction fees per sale if you use a third-party payment processor instead of Shopify Payments. If you use Shopify Payments (built-in), there are no transaction fees (just standard credit card processing rates of 2.4-2.9% + $0.30). Transaction fees are a significant cost at high volume.
Yes. Shopify has migration tools and third-party apps (Cart2Cart, Matrixify) to import products, orders, and customers from WooCommerce. URL redirects need to be set up manually to preserve SEO. Most migrationss take 1-5 days depending on store size and complexity.
Resources & Learn More
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