WooCommerce vs Shopify: Which Is Better for Your Online Store? (2025 Comparison) 

If you’re launching a new ecommerce website or migrating an existing store, one of the biggest choices you’ll face is WooCommerce vs Shopify. Both platforms are powerful, but they’re built differently, priced differently, and suit different types of businesses. This guide breaks down the key differences, pricing, features, SEO, payments, pros/cons and the best use cases—so you can pick with confidence.

WooCommerce vs Shopify: Key Differences

Feature	WooCommerce (WordPress)	Shopify
Platform type	Open-source plugin for WordPress	Hosted ecommerce platform
Ease of use	Steeper learning curve	Very beginner-friendly
Design flexibility	Full customisation; no limits	Theme section based; opinionated
Pricing model	Free core + hosting + extensions	Monthly plan + optional apps
SEO control	Excellent—full technical control	Strong, but some URL/templating limits
Scalability	High with solid hosting & dev	Excellent; hosting & CDN included
Best for	Brands wanting control & custom features	Brands wanting speed & simplicity

WooCommerce Overview

WooCommerce turns WordPress into a fully-fledged online store. It’s ideal when you want complete control over UX, data, and functionality, and you’re happy to choose your own hosting and infrastructure.

• Total control over code, data, and design
• Massive ecosystem of plugins and integrations
• Deep WordPress content/SEO capabilities
• No platform lock-in or extra transaction fees

Explore our WooCommerce Development services →

Shopify Overview

Shopify is an all-in-one hosted platform. Hosting, security, updates, and performance are handled for you, so you can focus on products, merchandising, and growth.

• Fast setup with a clean, intuitive admin
• Hosting, SSL, backups, and security included
• Large app marketplace (subscriptions, bundles, POS, etc.)
• Excellent stability at scale

See our Shopify Expert services →

WooCommerce vs Shopify Pricing

Pricing depends on catalogue size, required features, and integrations. Here’s the typical cost breakdown:

Cost Area	WooCommerce	Shopify
Platform fee	Free core plugin	From £25/month
Hosting	From ~£15/month (managed recommended)	Included
Domain	~£10/year	~£10/year
Extensions / Apps	£0–£300+ depending on stack	£0–£300+ depending on stack
Payment fees	Gateway rates (e.g., Stripe ~1.4% + 20p)	Shopify Payments ~1.7% + 25p (add’l 2% if using third-party gateways)
Ongoing costs	Maintenance, security, performance	Subscription + optional apps

• Shopify has predictable monthly costs but higher transaction fees if you don’t use Shopify Payments.
• WooCommerce can have lower long-term costs, but usually needs more upfront setup and ongoing maintenance.

Ease of Use Comparison

Criteria	WooCommerce	Shopify
Setup time	2–4 weeks (custom builds longer)	1–2 weeks for most stores
Learning curve	Moderate; WordPress familiarity helps	Very beginner-friendly
Dashboard UX	Highly customisable, more complex	Clean, intuitive, streamlined
Support	Community + agency/host support	24/7 Shopify support included

Verdict: If you want simplicity and speed, Shopify wins. If you want control and flexibility, WooCommerce is better.

Features & Customisation

Both platforms cover the fundamentals—catalogue, carts, checkout, taxes, shipping, discounts, and analytics. The key difference is how far you can customise out of the box.

WooCommerce strengths

• Unlimited custom features (open-source)
• Seamless WordPress content and CMS capabilities
• Great for complex catalogues and B2B requirements

Shopify strengths

• Huge app ecosystem for quick wins
• Built-in dropshipping and POS integrations
• Less setup hassle for small to mid-sized stores

SEO & Performance

SEO can make or break an online store. WooCommerce gives you full technical control, while Shopify provides strong SEO foundations with a few structural limits.

• WooCommerce: total control over meta, schema, URL structure, templates, and performance stack.
• Shopify: excellent speed and CDN by default; some URL/templating constraints but capable with the right theme and setup.

At Morgan Digital, we optimise both WooCommerce and Shopify sites for Core Web Vitals and search visibility.

Payment Gateways & Fees

Shopify Payments offers a tight checkout experience. If you choose a third-party gateway, Shopify charges an additional platform fee (commonly 2%).

WooCommerce natively supports gateways like Stripe, PayPal, Klarna, Apple Pay and Google Pay—without extra platform fees on top of the gateway’s rates.

WooCommerce vs Shopify: Pros & Cons

	WooCommerce	Shopify
Pros	Full control, flexible, open-source, huge plugin ecosystem, strong SEO	Easy setup, all-in-one hosting, large app store, reliable support
Cons	Requires management of hosting, updates, security	Less flexible than custom WP, higher fees outside Shopify Payments

Best Use Cases

Choose WooCommerce if:

• You need full customisation and control
• You’re already using WordPress
• You want lower long-term platform costs
• You plan to scale with advanced integrations (ERP/3PL/B2B)

Choose Shopify if:

• You want to launch quickly
• You prefer managed hosting/security
• You need minimal technical maintenance
• You want an easy-to-use dashboard and stable stack

Morgan Digital’s Verdict

We build high-performance ecommerce stores on both WooCommerce and Shopify—and the “best” platform depends on your goals and constraints.

• For custom, scalable builds with maximum control, choose WooCommerce.
• For fast, managed solutions with low overhead, choose Shopify.

FAQs

Work With Morgan Digital

Not sure which platform to pick? We’ll map your goals, features, and budget and recommend the right stack—then design and build a conversion-focused, SEO-ready store.