WordPress vs Shopify: Which one is the best for your business?

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22 May, 2024

wordpress-vs-shopify-best-one-for-ecommerce

Introduction: WordPress vs Shopify ecommerce

Are you Struggling find out the difference between WordPress and Shopify?

Do you want an easy-to-use ecommerce platform between WordPress vs Shopify?

Are you looking for an answer between WordPress vs Shopify for ecommerce to assist you on a longer run?

Do you need ecommerce which could be scalable or are you looking for something at a budget price?

The struggle to find answers here could be real. The battle between WordPress and Shopify is real too!

But the solution to find the best platform for you is not that difficult, when you follow the right method. You need to go step by step. Also, you either need to develop the understanding to establish the differences or similarities between WordPress vs Shopify ecommerce; or you can simply find someone who can simply be the bridge between your business process & technical aspect of development.

Here is a comprehensive guide, which is totally unbiased and can hence help you choose the best between WordPress and Shopify based on your business needs.

Before we start with focusing on your needs and what WordPress and Shopify have to offer, let us talk briefly about what these platforms are.

While both the platforms: WordPress and Shopify could be your buddies to establish an online presence; nevertheless it is important you choose the one which is made for your business and not otherwise.

Shopify is an ecommerce platform which is dedicated to help you have your own online store, it hosts for you and provides you with all the necessary tools as well. 

On the other hand, WordPress is an open-source platform unlike Shopify. You are required to have your own hosting for the website, install plugins as well for ecommerce tools such as WooCommerce etc.

Both the platforms wordpress vs shopify ecommerce: helps you have an online presence but they cater to different needs. Here is a mention of some facts which can help you choose the right one for your: wordpress vs shopify

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Some facts on Shopify

  • All-in-one e-commerce solution/tool. Lets you create a functional ecommerce store from scratch.
  • Might not need extensive coding skills
  • It’s a paid tool, might cost you somewhere from $29 to $299 per month.
  • You can sell almost everything on this platform.
  • Can be used offline and online.
  • More than 100+ online store designs to choose from. 
  • Your new website gets a custom subdomain.
  • Round-the-clock customer support.

Some facts on WordPress:

  • All-in-one website software. Lets you build any kind of website
  • You need to know the technical aspects well and you need website building skills as well.
  • Customization is possible but you will require more coding skills.
  • The WordPress software is free.
  • Great content management features.
  • Thousands of themes/designs to choose from, both free and paid.
  • Exceptional extension possibilities via plugins such as WooCommerce.
  • No direct customer support.

Comparison based on Specific features: WordPress vs Shopify

Choosing WordPress vs Shopify for ecommerce will be easier for you when you have an understanding of various features with respect to each of these e-commerce platforms: WordPress vs Shopify ecommerce.

1. Difference between WordPress and Shopify in terms of Scalability

With growing business you will need more resources in order to handle challenges and goals.

  • WordPress and Shopify both are scalable. But they have differences too!
  • Shopify is sound in terms of performance, security, and scalability
  • With growing business, you can simply upgrade Shopify as per need. 
  • Downtimes, backups, updates, or security is not an issue with Shopify
  • In WooCommerce, maintaining updates, backups, and security becomes owners responsibility as it is open-source
  • WooCommerce let’s you upgrade your plans easily for scalability by taking them to powerful servers

 

2. WordPress vs Shopify: Which can help you with Conversion rate Optimization?

Conversion Rate Optimization is one of the most important aspects your business needs to focus upon in order to grow. Here is a mention of the difference between wordpress and shopify in terms of conversion rate optimisation.  

WordPress and Shopify are little different here, as WordPress is more flexible. This overall can help you in CRO. On the other hand, Shopify let’s you test certain features which in turn helps in increasing the CRO.

WordPress lets you test different types of content, specialized landing pages etc. CRO plugins can be added as well.     

3. Payment and other API integration: WordPress vs Shopify ecommerce

Pricing of the ecommerce Website Platform differs due to various factors, and it is important that we have a look at this before we start either with shopify or wordpress.

Cost not only includes the initial costs, but also the pricing for the additional features or add-ons if you have any or if you opt for any.

In WooCommerce the fixed costs are defined for hosting, domain and payment gateways. However, you might have to pay a different amount in case you go for a premium theme or plenty of premium plugins. 

One can say that for WordPress plugins payments are usually one-time however, for Shopify the payments might vary depending on the apps we use and might have to make the payments on a monthly basis.

4. E-commerce Add-ons or Tools comparison: WordPress vs Shopify for ecommerce 

There are different types of add-ons and it is advisable to have a look for the add-ons and features which are offered in comparison to what you are looking for.

Wordpress ecommerce vs Shopify offer some of the similar tools however, it is important to have a look at the ones which are different at both the platforms such that whatever you choose is important to your business and is able to add some meaning. 

There are a wide range of tools which need your attention and can act as a deciding factor for wordpress ecommerce vs shopify, such as email marketing tools, content management tools, seo tools and many more such tools or even add-ons. 

5. Drop shipping comparison: Difference between WordPress and Shopify 

When it comes to Drop Shipping, WooCommerce is a much preferred option by most of the businesses. However, this doesn't mean that it is the winner for Shopify vs WordPress.

WooCommerce is a plugin to be used in WordPress, and it lets you install some extensions which in turn make the DropShipping process easier. It even makes it easier to have a marketplace to sell goods. 

However, the supplier and vendors might have to pay some minimum membership fees when to go ahead with creating a marketplace.

On the other hand Shopify comes with some of the good extensions required for dropshipping making the whole process easy and quick. Along With that, it can be well integrated with the third party apps for dropshipping. 

There are many differences between shopify and wordpress in terms of dropshipping features, nevertheless you simply choose the one which is apt for your business needs. 

6. Set-up, Customisation, Maintenance: WordPress vs Shopify 

Shopify is known for its simplicity and as a website builder it gives a customer ready website wherein everything can be managed at one place with no steps to launch it or no coding required. 

However, wordpress ecommerce vs shopify: you can make choices after a holistic comparison to make sure that you save efforts, money and time on set-up, customisation, or maintenance.   

In Shopify, you can link your domain, post signing up and the rest of the process might be explained in a lucid manner still you will need expert help in order to customise or even maintain your ecommerce store online on this platform. 

Hence, considering all these factors, you can decide wordpress ecommerce vs shopify which is better for you in terms of better set-up, easy customization as well as low-cost maintenance.

7. SEO And Content: WordPress vs shopify for ecommerce 

Search Engine Optimization is an important part of keeping any business website running smoothly.

As you have great visibility online, it adds immensely to your overall business and you need not struggle with sales as well as traffic. So when you need everything to be set or in line for SEO, you need to make a sound choice on wordpress ecommerce vs shopify.

Whether you’re building your website with plugins, your strategy for speaking to the search engines will be crucial for long-term growth. It will help customers to find a number of products on your site, and it could boost your reputation too.

8. Customer support and help: WordPress vs Shopify ecommerce

WordPress or Shopify, either of them are easy-to-use.  But in case, you need to explore your online store for some new features, you might need the help or customer support.

Shopify is a fully hosted platform and hence the professionals there can guide you in the best possible ways.

You can opt for live chat, phone, email, and Twitter when it comes to Shopify. 

WordPress or Shopify also offers a lot of documentation, how-to guides, knowledge base, video tutorials, and forums to help you with customization or any other support. 

You can also hire Shopify experts when needed. However, when you need support for any third-party applications, Shopify has no such support options. 

9. Security: WordPress vs Shopify ecommerce

Security is a major concern for most of the businesses these days and hence when you say which one is better for you out of WordPress and Shopify: do not forget to have a look at this factor. 

Shopify is not an open source platform, and hence everything related to security is managed by them on their own. However this is not the case in WordPress, you have to make sure that your website is completely secured. You can also hire security experts who can take care of your website's security as remaining sound with security is a good practice overall.   

10. Templates and Themes: WordPress vs Shopify for ecommerce 

Templates and themes for Shopify or WordPress, are one of the most effective ways to make sure your users are getting the best you have to offer. 

Make sure you have a look at the free themes and templates available on the ecommerce platforms. Such that you can be sure if they match your needs or not.

In case you have to go for paid premium themes, you might need some professional assistance as well, hence it is advisable that you make sure of the type of resources which are available for you. The platform they have expertise to work on would be the most suitable options to go with.

Shopify and WordPress both have some exclusive templates and themes to work upon, so you can surely find something that suits your business needs and hence make an effective and easy choice. 

Question to help you make decisions: Wordpress vs Shopify for ecommerce

Question to help you make decisions

Answers to these questions can surely lead you to choose the most appropriate ecommerce platform for your business.

When to use Shopify/ when to use WordPress!?

To help you understand whether your decision for WordPress vs Shopify is right or wrong, once again we have tried to highlight some major cases wherein you can go with the former or latter respectively.

Should I use Shopify or WordPress? When to use Shopify:

  • You can use Shopify when:
  • You wish to launch a totally new online store as quickly as possible.
  • You have no websites prior to this and you are starting afresh.
  • You do not have any technical skills to design the website or even develop the same.
  • You wish to collaborate your brick & mortar store with an online platform.
  • You need a website with customer care support.

Should I use Shopify or WordPress? When to use WordPress:

  • You can use WordPress when:
  • You already have a WordPress website and you are aware of the interface. 
  • You do not want to invest too many funds on building a new website right from scratch and you have the WordPress website.
  • You are familiar with using the source code and you do not want to experiment.
  • You are okay without any customer support. 

Final Words on WordPress vs Shopify for e-commerce

It is advisable that you make a choice which is apt for your business requirements and not something which everyone is following or doing. Also, when you look for answers to certain questions, it is possible that you might not get everything handy online. You can then contact or consult professionals, who have expertise in handling such platforms and who know which ecommerce platform will be good for you out of the different ecommerce platforms i.e. WordPress and Shopify.   

Do you think you stuck with some specific questions? If yes, then you can connect with us and our team of experts will be happy to help you with all your queries regarding the difference between wordpress and shopify. They can help you make a choice on wordpress vs shopify without charging you anything, as we offer free consultation.  

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Corbin StewartFinley EdwardsJensen EvansChance ParkerCody Campbell Recent comment authors
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H

Henry

Shopify is not good for SEO. Compared to using WordPress plus Genesis framework along with pro Yoast SEO plugin.

J

Jagdeep Singh

I want to ask that I have a WordPress blog. Which is monetized by google AdSense. Can I sell in this Blog my own product? If it can. Please suggest a way. I will be grateful. Please contact me.

M

Martin Roberts

The biggest problem with Shopify, besides the outrageous cost of apps, is their default shipping box. This has been a known issue for years and they won’t address it because they get fees from shipping apps.

D

Damien Turner

Thanks for this compare.I just setup WooCommerce, but it’s always good to know what else could be. And yes, in woo is not everything pink 😉

D

Dallas Phillips

WOW! An excellent article. For a newbie, this was so clear and so well developed. Thank you.

C

Cody Campbell

If your budget is low, your needs are simple and your product numbers small, there’s a lot to be said for Shopify – it’s a good way to try things out without committing to big spend on developers or WordPress maintenance. Rest is your wish!

C

Chance Parker

Great comparison. Would love to see comparisons for some of the other e-commerce platforms as well (Magento and BigCommerce). These are extremely helpful when clients and prospects ask about the advantages and limitations of each.

J

Jensen Evans

WordPress WooCommerce is an open-source application and you can modify your store freely with no limitations whereas Shopify is a closed platform. You can only modify your store to the extent allowed and it’s not a content creation platform. But again, the choice depends on you.

F

Finley Edwards

I would like to emphasize the fact that Shopify Payments is only available in a few countries. So please check your country and availability before you plan to go for it.

C

Corbin Stewart

Is it true that e-commerce sites built on Shopify are very hard to rank high in Google as by nature it’s not a content site? Please help me with free consultation, if you guys can.


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