WooCommerce vs Shopify- Pros and Cons in eCommerce web development

WooCommerce vs Shopify is a debate that has been raging on for years. Both are undoubtedly giants when it comes to web development. It is why people spend countless hours surfing Google and trying to find out which one is the better option. Which is the better of the two? If you ask any Web Development Company Dubai or elsewhere, they too will have a hard time answering this question. Before we start today’s article, let us review both platforms.

WooCommerce & Shopify – Brief Overview

WooCommerce is an open-source platform designed for WordPress, the world’s most powerful CMS. We hope that you already know about CMS. No? It stands for content management system. WooCommerce leverages the power of WordPress to offer you a highly customised eCommerce store. As it is an open-source platform, you can customise each aspect of it.

Shopify is like Amazon. How? Nowadays, you can find everything on Amazon without much hassle. The same applies to Shopify, a one-stop platform for all your eCommerce needs. You can create an online store and manage the store’s inventory. On top of it all, you can accept payments through a single platform. The best thing is that there is no need to worry about website security, hosting, or any other technical aspect, as Shopify is responsible for all of it.

Things to Consider When Selecting an Ecommerce Platform

Based on our experience, you must keep the following things in mind when selecting an eCommerce platform. Why? It will help you make the best decision.

• Cost
  What is your initial budget for starting an eCommerce store?

• Payment Method
  Which payment methods are you looking forward to offering to your customers?

• Security
  What type of information will you be gathering, and what will you do to protect it?

• Connectivity
  Can the platform be integrated with other applications?

• Convenience
  Can you operate the platform without expert help?

• Expandability
  Can the platform meet your growing needs?

These are only the most basic considerations. Depending on business type, the considerations can include numerous other things, including delivery and taxation.

WooCommerce vs Shopify – Comparison

Without further ado, let us start the comparison.

• Cost
  When it comes to the cost of using these two platforms, the winner is WooCommerce. Shopify, while making it easier to set up an online store, charges more. Their basic plan starts at $29 per month and offers a free domain name and an SSL certificate. If you need a separate domain name, you need to pay for it. The plan also offers unlimited storage and two user accounts. The problem is that you need to pay for add-ons to get the best out of your store. Without these add-ons, the basic plan is not worth it.On the other hand, several companies are offering WooCommerce hosting plans. They are cheaper than the Shopify plans. All you need to purchase is a domain name and a plan. After that, you are well on your way to setting up an online store. So, if your only consideration is the price, WooCommerce offers a better deal. However, do not rush into deciding as you must consider the other factors.

• Payment Methods
  Shopify likes to mint money from its users in every possible way. You might consider it an exaggeration, but that is not the case. Shopify charges a transaction fee, meaning that users must pay a fee when buying anything from your store. If you have the basic plan, the fee is 2%, and for the Advanced plan, it is 0.5%. WooCommerce does not charge any fee per transaction. Again, the winner is WooCommerce.

• Ease of Use
  As we said earlier, Shopify is a one-stop-shop for all your eCommerce needs. All you need to do is sign-up, select the plan, and design the store. It has a drag and drops feature that makes online store creation a breeze. There are built-in tools for managing your inventory and accepting payments. The best thing is that you do not need to concern yourself with data backups, store security, updates, or anything like that. Why? Shopify handles all this on your behalf.In contrast, WooCommerce resembles rocket science. It means that only people with exceptional computer skills can operate it. There is no drag and drop store builder either. The interface does not seem user-friendly, and you are better off hiring a reliable web development company to manage the store. Another downside is that the user is responsible for the data backups and website security.So, the better option is Shopify.

• Connectivity
  You can ask a web development company in Dubai or anywhere, and they will say that WooCommerce is better when it comes to app integration. The reason is that WooCommerce is specifically designed for WordPress. As we all know, WordPress is the most popular content management system globally. You can integrate countless plugins with the WooCommerce platform without any hassle. The problem with Shopify is that there are not too many apps/extensions available. The reason is that the app approval process for Shopify is tedious.

• Scalability
  Over the years, your online store will grow. So, you need a platform that helps you scale your business efficiently. The winner is Shopify. Why? When your business starts growing, you need to upgrade your plan. The Shopify developers will handle all the technical aspects, including website security and data management. The downside is that the costs will grow as you upgrade your plan.In WooCommerce, you are responsible for managing all aspects of your store. As the business grows, you need to invest considerable resources to upgrade the website, backup the data and ensure security. While it offers unlimited customisability, many business owners prefer Shopify as it is hassle-free.

Wrap Up

Overall, the discussion shows that both platforms have their pros and cons. Hence, it is outright impossible to select a winner between the two. We think that the final decision regarding the platform rests on the business owner. After analysing the business requirements, the owner must decide which meets their needs most efficiently.