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WooCommerce vs Shopify (2023): What's The Best Ecommerce Solution?
January 2, 2023
When you're assessing the differen the different ecommerce platforms, two popular choices that often come up are WooCommerce &Shopify.But which one should you choose?WooCommerce or Shopify?If you’re starting an ecommerce business, it is important that your customers have easy access to buy your product.A good eCommerce system is not a luxury, it’s a necessity.Both have their fair share of positives, but you need to pick one.And that’s where we can help.
WooCommerce vs Shopify Pros & Cons
CategoryWooCommerceShopifyPayment Gateways
- Huge number of payment options
- Third party development means that it is easier for new gateways to be added
- They vary in quality
- Huge number of payment options
- Shopify curation means they are reliable in quality
- If you can’t find an option, Shopify will need to add it themselves
Product Options
- You can offer many different kinds of product types on your online store
- Quality can be inconsistent
- You can offer many different kinds of product types on your online store
- Less variety of plugins means you might be out of luck if a plugin isn’t to your liking
- You might need multiple plugins to perform certain functions where WooCommerce only needs one
Ease of Use
- Very powerful functionality for people who know what they’re doing.
- Not particularly user-friendly for people who don’t know what they are doing
- Very user-friendly
- Shopify takes care of a lot of elements such as updates, security and backups
Customisation Options
- Huge number of themes
- Themes are updated on a daily basis
- Themes vary in quality
- 70 highly polished themes
- Only 70 themes, so if you can’t find what you’re looking for, you’re out of luck
Sales Tools
- Contains various sales plugins
- Wider range of tools available
- You’ll have to search for a lot of these functions yourself
- Tools vary in quality
- Contains various sales plugins
- Shopify curation guarantees consistent quality
- Smaller range, with less available alternatives
Plugins
- Over 50,000 plugins
- Plugins are added constantly
- Plugins widely vary in quality
- Plugins are curated by Shopify, ensuring consistent quality
- Only 1200 plugins
- Not updated as frequently as WooCommerce
Customer Support
- Numerous contact options
- Knowledge centers
- Setup guides
- Community forums
- Numerous contact options
- Knowledge centers
- Setup guides
- Community forums
Hosting CostsFree to install, but you pay for hosting, security, domain name and extension feesYou pay a fixed price, but that price covers all extrasBluehost Hosting - Monthly Price (AUD)Shopify - Monthly Price(USD)Shared Hosting - $3.94Basic - $29VPS - $25.35Standard - $79Dedicated - $106.77Advanced - $299
How to compare these eCommerce platforms
It is difficult to simply declare one of these platforms the winner right away. Both of these platforms are perfectly functional, and users are likely going to have positive experiences with either of them.However, selecting the right eCommerce solution for you will save you a lot of time and resources in the long term. So, in order to determine which out of WooCommerce and Shopify will work best for your website, we have established a series of criteria that we will compare them with.So, without further ado...
Payment Gateways
Remember the good ol’ days when the choice was either cash or card?Well, nowadays your customers have a wide range of digital payment options at their disposal such as Paypal, Stripe, Square, Afterpay, AmazonPay etc. And if your website isn’t accommodating, you could lose potential customers. So it’s good that both WooCommerce and Shopify support a huge range of payment options in the form of apps that you can pick and choose from.For WooCommerce, this means a wider variety of options. If a payment option you want isn’t available, there’s always the possibility that a third party could add it later on. However, this also means that you have to gauge the quality of these plugins based on user reviews.Inversely, if a payment option you want is not available on Shopify, you have to deal with Shopify directly. However, you can be reassured that any payment options they do add are subject to their specific quality standards.
Product Options
What if you’re not just selling a product? Both eCommerce solutions provide various alternatives to suit your business.WooCommerce has many first and third party plugins, offering functionality for product bundles, appointment bookings, memberships, rentals, multi-vendor marketplaces, product kits, paid courses, etc. However, much like with their payment options, WooCommerce’s product plugins can be inconsistent in terms of quality, with reviews ranging from 5/5 to 2.8/5 stars.Shopify’s options are as diverse, but they can require a bit of ingenuity. For example, if you want to add donation functionality to your website, WooCommerce only requires you to pick one plugin while Shopify recommends three.Additionally, if you have a problem with a WooCommerce plugin, it’s easier to switch it out for another one, whereas Shopify is less likely to offer a viable alternative.
Ease of Use
Building a website is not easy, but certain platforms certainly help. When it comes to WooCommerce vs Shopify, Shopify is far more user-friendly, as you don’t need to install, manage or update any software, and your security and backups are taken care of.By contrast, WooCommerce is a lot more technical. While it offers a higher degree of customisability, and you can create a really powerful shopping website if you know how to code, it can also leave a large amount of gaps in your functionality if you don’t. A lot of the processes that Shopify automates require you to directly intervene on WooCommerce.
Customisation Options
Customisation is where WooCommerce is a lot more versatile than Shopify. Because Wordpress, and by extension WooCommerce, are open source, you have access to a huge amount of presets and themes that are updated on a daily basis.Shopify’s themes are more curated. You have access to approximately 70 themes to choose from. While these themes are incredibly polished, if they’re not what you’re looking for, you’re out of luck.However, both WooCommerce and Shopify have free and premium themes available, and they both allow you to edit their code.
Sales Tools
Both platforms contain plugins that aid you in selling your products, including multichannel selling, abandoned cart recovery, courier integration, blog extensions, etc.For Shopify, these are mostly built in, whereas WooCommerce requires you to source them through their various plugins. Once again, this means that WooCommerce offers a much wider range of functions, but without the level of curation that Shopify does.
Plugins
Plugins essentially make up the bulk of WooCommerce’s functionality, with over 50,000 to choose from. Because it’s open source, that number continues to grow. By comparison, Shopify has about 1,200.However, the curation of Shopify’s apps make them more consistently reliable. After all, if a function of Shopify is defective, that’s not a reflection on the third party that developed it, it’s a reflection on Shopify themselves.Ultimately, WooCommerce offers a significantly higher degree of variety. If a certain application doesn’t meet your needs (i.e. functionality, ease of use, technical support, etc.), there are multiple alternatives available.
Customer Support
Both WooCommerce and Shopify have comprehensive customer support systems in place, including:
- 24/7 phone, email and live chat support
- Knowledge centers
- Setup guides
- Community Forums
Whether you’re using WooCommerce or Shopify, there are many resources available to help you build the perfect online store and maintain it effectively.
Hosting Costs
There’s no point in building an online website that’s going to break your bank. WooCommerce and Shopify both have different payment plans, so it’s best to use the one that suits your budget and productivity.Shopify has set pricing, making it easier to track your spending. Hosting, security, your domain and extension fees are all included in your plan. Monthly prices in USD range from $29 for Shopify Basic, $79 for Shopify Standard, and $299 per month for Shopify Advanced, each tier coming with its own set of features.By comparison, WooCommerce itself is free to install, but it comes with extra costs such as the aforementioned hosting, security, domain and extension fees. WooCommerce is used in conjunction with the hosting service Bluehost, which has its own monthly price range in AUD of $3.94 for Shared Hosting, $25.35 for VPS, and $106.77 for Dedicated.Ultimately, WooCommerce is more flexible in terms of price, but Shopify’s fixed price means that a lot of functionality is taken care of for you.
How do you decide which of these tools are right for you?
The answer to this question is to determine the kind of web designer you are. If this is your first online store, and your confidence with web development isn’t as strong as it could be, Shopify is the better option for you. For a fixed price, you’ll have a high quality website with a lot of elements taken care of for you.However, WooCommerce is a great option if you’re a confident developer who wants to save a bit of money while building a website whose design and functionality you have a huge degree of control over.At the end of the day though, both platforms are powerful and will build you a functional online store. It's not as though you’re doomed if you pick the wrong one.If you've selected Shopify, and you need help boosting your SEO, we have you covered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Your Provide Case Studies Or Examples Of Previous Work?
Yes, we can provide case studies and examples of our previous work. Potential clients frequently request these to see concrete evidence of our past successes. They want to understand how we’ve helped similar businesses achieve their goals through SEO and website development. Our case studies typically highlight our clients’ challenges, the strategies we implemented, and the measurable results we achieved, such as increased traffic and higher conversion rates. This builds trust and demonstrates our ability to deliver on our promises.
Do You Offer Ongoing Maintenance And Support After The Website Is Launched?
Post-launch support is crucial for maintaining website performance and security. Clients want to know if the company provides:
Regular Updates: Ensuring the website remains up-to-date with the latest software versions and security patches.
Technical Support: Assisting with any issues that arise, such as bugs or downtime.
Content Updates: Offering services to update or add new content as the business evolves.
Performance Monitoring: We regularly check the site’s speed, uptime, and other critical metrics to ensure optimal performance. This ongoing support provides peace of mind, ensuring that the client’s website remains effective and secure over time.
What is SEO, And Why Is It Important For My Business?
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is a digital marketing approach focused on boosting your website’s presence on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. By refining different elements of your site—such as content, meta descriptions, and backlinks—SEO works to improve your website’s position in search engine results. This increased visibility is vital as it attracts more organic traffic, potentially leading to a rise in leads, sales, and overall business success. Businesses frequently discuss the basics of SEO, its importance in attracting targeted visitors, and how it supports wider business goals.
How Long Does It Take To See Results From SEO?
SEO is a strategy that requires a long-term commitment, and it's essential to have realistic expectations from the outset. Typically, businesses may notice significant improvements within 3 to 6 months. However, this can differ depending on factors such as the level of competition, the industry, and the website's current condition. While addressing technical issues can result in some early successes, meaningful increases in rankings and traffic usually develop over time. Clients often ask for a clear timeline to gauge when they might start seeing a return on their investment (ROI).
What Does Your SEO Process Involve?
Website Audit and Analysis: Conduct a thorough evaluation of the site to pinpoint strengths, weaknesses, and areas that can be enhanced.
Keyword Research: Identify relevant keywords that your potential customers actively search.
On-Page Optimisation: Improving various on-page elements such as meta tags, headers, content, and internal linking to increase site effectiveness.
Content Development: Crafting high-quality, engaging content tailored to the needs of your target audience.
Link Building: Securing backlinks from credible websites to enhance the site's domain authority.
Technical SEO:Ensuring the website is technically robust, with fast loading speeds, mobile responsiveness, and secure connections.
Ongoing Monitoring and Adjustment: Regularly track performance and make necessary adjustments based on data and trends. Clients ask about these steps to ensure they are investing in a thorough and effective SEO strategy.
How Do You Measure The Success Of An SEO Campaign?
Success in SEO is measured through a variety of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), including:
Organic Traffic: The number of visitors coming to the website from search engines.
Keyword Rankings: The position of targeted keywords in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Conversion Rates: The percentage of visitors who take desired actions (e.g., filling out a form, making a purchase)
.Bounce Rate: The percentage of visitors who leave the site after viewing only one page.
Domain Authority: A score that predicts how well a website will rank in SERPs based on factors like link quality.
ROI (Return on Investment): Evaluating the financial return from SEO activities in comparison to the cost. Clients want to understand these metrics to gauge the effectiveness and profitability of their SEO investments.
How Do You Stay Updated With The Latest SEO Trends And Best Practives?
SEO is an ever-evolving field, with search engines like Google regularly updating their algorithms. We make it a priority to stay ahead of these changes.This might involve:
Continuous Learning: Attending industry conferences, webinars, and training sessions.
Membership in Professional Organisations: Being part of SEO communities or organisations that provide the latest insights.
Regular Testing and Experimentation: Consistently testing new strategies and adapting to changes in algorithms.Industry Research: Staying informed with the latest studies, white papers, and expert opinions in the digital marketing sector.We are confident that our SEO strategies are current and that we are proactive in adopting best practices.
Do You Offer Ongoing Maintenance And Support After The Website Is Launched?
Post-launch support is crucial for maintaining website performance and security. Clients want to know if the company provides:
Regular Updates: Ensuring the website remains up-to-date with the latest software versions and security patches.
Technical Support: Assisting with any issues that arise, such as bugs or downtime.
Content Updates: Offering services to update or add new content as the business evolves.
Performance Monitoring: We regularly check the site’s speed, uptime, and other critical metrics to ensure optimal performance. This ongoing support provides peace of mind, ensuring that the client’s website remains effective and secure over time.
How Do You Ensure That My Website Is User Friendly And Optimised For Conversions?
Yes, we ensure that your website is both user-friendly and optimised for conversions. We understand that clients want a website that attracts visitors and encourages them to take action. To achieve this, we focus on several key areas:
User Experience (UX) Design: We create an intuitive and engaging interface that makes navigation easy and enjoyable for users.Responsive Design: We ensure your website is mobile-friendly and looks great on all devices.
Call to Action (CTA): We strategically place buttons and forms to prompt users to take the desired actions.
Speed Optimisation: We ensure fast load times to reduce bounce rates and keep users engaged.
Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO): We analyse user behaviour and make data-driven adjustments to increase the percentage of visitors who convert.By incorporating these principles, we maximise the chances of turning your website visitors into customers.
