When it comes to building e-commerce websites, one of the questions we get asked by our clients is “What is the difference between WordPress (or WooCommerce) and Shopify?”
While both platforms allow you to build a well rounded online store, they are also very different. Here we will take a look at the primary distinctions between the two platforms from installation, to user experience to the capabilities and functionalities offered.
Below, we take a look at both options in order to help you figure out which is better suited to your online store.
When it comes to WordPress for e-commerce, the below features apply:
WordPress is a platform that has been designed for just about any possible website. However, e-commerce is a very specific and complex kind of website, and is completely different to a standard website or blog.
Wordpress has a plugin called WooCommerce, that provides all the e-commerce features that are not built within a normal WordPress installation.
WooCommerce is the ecommerce part for Wordpress, and a lot of people do get confused. Depending on the skillset of the developer, there are a lot of functions and features that you can customise to your needs, visually and from a business perspective.
E-commerce sites are built differently and serve a different purpose to your standard website. To break it down simpler, WooCommerce, allows you to sell products online, have an inventory, collect payments online and also track shipments. The main benefit with using WooCommerce is that it has all the bells and whistles of e-commerce, but the added advantage is that you can customise it to your needs.
Wordpress allows you much more freedom in terms of design, functionality and features visually on your site and even behind the scenes. You will require a web developer and designer to help you get what you want, but the end result will be exactly what you want.
To put it simply, it is an e-commerce platform for online stores and retail point of sale systems.
When it comes to Shopify, the below features apply:
To put it simply, the primary difference between WordPress and Shopify is that WordPress is stand-alone software that you need to install while Shopify is an online service.
To use Shopify, all that is required is to signup and create your account. Once this has been done, you go through to a setup process and your e-commerce store will be up and running.
In order to use WordPress as an e-commerce platform, a few more steps are required:
There may be a lot more steps to setting up a WordPress account, but this platform is renowned and trusted for a reason.
So, which e-commerce platform should you use?
Shopify is specifically designed to help anyone create an e-commerce site. The site is great for those who have no coding experience, but still want to create an accessible online store.
The primary benefit of the platform is that it helps you begin the process of your web build quickly and allows you the opportunity to serve your customers soon after.
Another benefit of Shopify is that you don’t have to be completely familiar with what is required for an e-commerce site. This is because it helps you set up all the necessary elements such as inventory, shipping settings, tax, etc. It is essentially designed as an all in one e-commerce solution and does most of the work for you.
When should you use Shopify?
The learning curve on Shopify is much easier that Wordpress.
A lot of features are available ‘out of the box’ if you’re using Shopify – such as themes, e-commerce features and payment gateway integration.
Hosting is included with the product (with WordPress, it is additional).
With Shopify, you don’t have to worry about the technical aspects of maintaining your site; as it is hosted on Shopify's own platform, it's all taken care of.
Shopify is largely responsible for the security of your website. In contrast, with Wordpress you will have to do it yourself.
24/7 support is available for Shopify (via email, phone and live chat).
Shopify is probably a better option than WordPress for users who need an chic but simple website, and created quickly.
WordPress is a well-respected website development platform and is capable of running every kind of website. However, WordPress may be better suited to a more experienced user. When creating your e-commerce site using WordPress you will need to be familiar with PHP files, coding, and more.
However, thanks to WooCommerce being a WordPress plugin, the features you require for your site such as shopping carts, online payment gateways, product catalogues, etc, will be available to you. And it is very important to note that this particular plugin is free. Learn more about WooCommerce, here.
So, when should you use WordPress?
The main difference between WordPress and Shopify is that WordPress is stand-alone software that you need to install while Shopify is an online service.
Please note that the descriptions above are an oversimplification of the platforms and the best thing to do is contact a digital agency that specialises in e-commerce and they can guide you when choosing what platform will best suit your specific e-commerce requirements.
At Nexa, we work with both open-sourced solutions or custom code your e-commerce platform for you, depending on the size and scale of your business.
If your business requires a highly complex and customised solution, we have the skills to create this. Customised stores allow for a great deal of scale and can be built to suit your specific needs, with no technical limitations.
Want to see how much your e-commerce website will cost? Click here for our Website Calculator.