Among hundreds of eCommerce website builders in the market, Shopify vs WordPress are two of the most reliable options available.
If you're confused about which one is better, don't look further because you're in the right place. In this article, we would love to provide an insightful comparison between Shopify vs WordPress for your consideration:
- All features comparison between Shopify vs WordPress
- Popular questions regarding these 2 platforms
- Final conclusion regarding who should use WordPress or Shopify
Without further ado, let's check it out!
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Shopify vs WordPress At A Glance
Regarded as a safe and efficient platform, Shopify is one of the leading hosted eCommerce software platforms where everyone can build an online store and start selling their products online. It's now home to more than 5.4 million live websites worldwide and is trusted by many big brands, including Tesla, NetFlix, and BBC, to name but a few.
WordPress is an open-source CMS built using PHP and MySQL. Founded in 2003, WordPress is now home to over 31 million live websites with big names like The Walt Disney Company, Sony Music, and TechCrunch.
Before proceeding to further WordPress Shopify comparison, let’s cover how WordPress.com differs from WordPress.org (full comparison of WordPress.com vs WordPress.org).
- Open-source solution – WordPress.org: You have full control of your website, which means that you need to handle your WordPress installation and maintenance on your own.
- Hosted solution – WordPress.com: This is a blogging platform rather than an eCommerce solution, and WordPress will handle the hosting and maintenance. The price and functionality will depend on your subscription plan.
♣ In this article, we will use WordPress only to refer to the open-source version – WordPress.org.
Before getting to the nitty-gritty, let's take a look at all the differences between Shopify vs WordPress.
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Pricing | 3 pricing plans: $39 - $399/month | Free to download and install Cost of operation will range from $100 to $500 to $3,000 |
Ease of use | Provides an all-in-one package with no technical skill required | Is rather easy to use but might require a bit of technology knowledge to set up |
Ecommerce features | Provides an all-in-one package with no technical skill required | Is rather easy to use but might require a bit of technology knowledge to set up |
Design & Customizability | Offers 180+ free and paid themes | More than 30,000 plugins are available |
Apps & Plugins | 8,000+ apps | 59,000+ plugins |
SEO features | Basic SEO functionality | Advanced SEO functionality |
Blogging features | Basic blogging function | Most powerful blogging in the world |
Maintenance | Highest level of server maintenance | It’s your job to keep the software and plugins updated |
Help & Support | 24/7 customer support via phone call, live chat, and email | No live chat, phone call, email available |
Now, let's dive into the detailed comparison between Shopify vs WordPress to find out which one is suitable for you!
Who is Shopify and WordPress for?
Shopify is ideal for users prioritizing scalability | WordPress is geared towards users seeking flexibility and control |
With everything integrated into a single platform, Shopify is the go-to choice for users who prioritize ease of use and scalability. You can manage every aspect of your online store - from products and inventory to marketing and analytics - directly within the Shopify dashboard. This makes it exceptionally user-friendly, even for those without extensive technical expertise. | The combination of WordPress and WooCommerce is best suited for users who desire a high level of customization and control over their online store. While it requires more technical involvement and setup, this open-source solution offers greater flexibility in design, functionality, and integrations with third-party tools. |
Pricing – WordPress is More Cost-Effective
The first aspect I'd love to mention in our Shopify vs WordPress comparison is pricing.
💡 Quick takeaway
For different types of businesses, Shopify has a fixed monthly cost, while WordPress.org has a variable cost that can be lower or higher depending on your needs.
Shopify has three main pricing tiers: Basic, Shopify, and Advanced. This platform offers a 3-day free trial for all tiers, $1 for your first month, so you can discover the Shopify dashboard and experience it yourself. Below are some of Shopify's pricing tier features.
Basic Shopify $39/month | Shopify $105/month | Advanced Shopify $399/month | |
Transaction Fees *if not using Shopify Payments | 2.9% + 30¢ USD online 2.6% + 10¢ USD in person 2% 3rd-party payment providers | 2.7% + 30¢ USD online 2.5% + 10¢ USD in person 1% 3rd-party payment providers | 2.5% + 30¢ USD online 2.4% + 10¢ USD in person 0.6% 3rd-party payment providers |
Additional staff accounts *assign & manage staff's activities | — | 5 | 15 |
Custom apps | Standard | API PII access included | API PII access included |
Checkout capacity *automatically manage & operate stores | Standard | Standard | 10x |
Shipping Discount *shipping subsidies with leading carriers | up to 77% | up to 88% | up to 88% |
Duties and import taxes | — | — | fully supported |
Localized selling with custom markets | 3 markets | 3 markets | 3 included + $59/mo per added active market |
For more complex businesses, Shopify provides a Plus Plan starting from $2,300/month on a 3-year term or $2,500 per month for a 1-year term.
Besides the subscription plan, themes, apps, and domain registration can add to your monthly expenses. Basically, these fees on Shopify will be like:
- Domain name: $12/year.
- Themes: $0 – $400 (one-time, non-refundable purchases)
- Apps: start from $0 (most apps charge monthly subscription fees)
Meanwhile, because WordPress.org is open-source and 100% free for anyone to download and install, all I needed was a domain name and web hosting. However, this also means that I have to perform backups, security updates, and any necessary upgrades.
From there, the cost of a WordPress site when using WordPress.org:
- Domain name: $10-$15/year.
- Hosting: from $3-$25+/month (depending on provider & features)
- Plugins: $0-$1,000/year (ongoing or one-off charge).
- Themes: $0-$200+ (free themes available).
- Security: from $50/year (ongoing or one-off charge).
- Developer fees: vary.
The cost to start a WordPress.org site can vary greatly, from $100 to $30,000 or more. This flexibility allows merchants to tailor their expenses to their specific needs and budgets.
eCommerce Features – Both Platforms Are Feature-Rich
💡 Quick takeaway:
When comparing Shopify vs WordPress for eCommerce, both platforms offer robust eCommerce functions for building and operating online stores.
Shopify comes with many built-in eCommerce tools for store owners to use. While WordPress depends largely on eCommerce plugins to operate an online site.
For example, WooCommerce is the most popular and arguably the king of WordPress eCommerce plugins. This plugin includes most of the essential features you’ll need to set up an eCommerce site.
Because of its reputation, I’ll put them on scale to distinguish their eCommerce functions:
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Free SSL certificate | Free SSL certificate |
Shopify dropshipping with Dsers | WooCommerce dropshipping |
|
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Automatic taxes | Automated tax calculations |
| Built-in payments for some of the top gateways, credits cards and more |
Up to 20 languages from a single Shopify store | 20+ language translation |
Further Reading:
- Shopify vs GoDaddy: Which Is the Ideal Solution for Ecommerce?
- Shopify vs Square: A Comprehensive Guide for Sellers
- Shopify vs Squarespace: Pros and Cons for Sellers
- Shopify vs Salesforce Commerce Cloud: Detailed Comparison for Ecommerce
Ease of Use – Shopify Is More Friendly
Another important aspect when comparing WordPress vs Shopify is ease of use.
💡Quick takeaway
In my opinion, Shopify is more friendly and easy to use than WordPress with clear instructions in the back-end dashboard.
Shopify is a hosted solution, so you can start to create and set up your eCommerce store with ease. There's no need for technical hassles since Shopify handles hosting, security, updates, and maintenance for you.
Here's our quick tutorial on how to set up Shopify within a few minutes.
Shopify's dashboard is widely praised for its user-friendly design, intuitive navigation, and streamlined workflows. Even beginners with no technical experience can quickly grasp the basics of setting up and managing an online store.
With Shopify's dashboard, I can easily view all the components of the front and back end of my store in one place. From here, I can configure your store’s settings, view orders and customer information, add/delete/modify products, and design your site.
Besides, Shopify has a 3-day free trial, so you can take this opportunity to see how Shopify works and whether it is suitable for you. Thanks to Shopify's policy, you could even reactivate your store after canceling the Shopify free trial. Your store name (domain) and all your data will be saved in 30 days.
Want to Migrate Your Store and Grow on Shopify?
Have you decided that WordPress is not the perfect fit for your online business? Switch to Shopify now and rock your sales with powerful eCommerce functionalities and good support and maintenance with this platform.
If you choose WordPress, you first need to choose and manage your web hosting. Then, you will need to download the WordPress package and install it on your web hosting server, and handle updates and security, which can be daunting for non-technical users.
Once WordPress.org is installed, the process becomes much easier.
The WordPress dashboard is straightforward.
The main navigation menu on the left-hand side provides clear access to essential areas like Post, Media, Pages, …
The central area of the dashboard provides an overview of your site's activity, including recent posts and comments, as well as quick draft options. You have the flexibility to customize the dashboard widgets to prioritize information relevant to you.
Overall, I find that WordPress offers great flexibility for design and functionality through thousands of themes and plugins. However, mastering WordPress can be challenging due to its complexity at the set up phase.
Website Design – WordPress Has Better Customizability
Moving to the next part of Shopify vs WordPress comparison, let's take a look at store design and customizability.
💡 Quick takeaway:
WordPress wins over Shopify for the vast array of flexibility and customizability and grants users direct code editions for unique designs.
If you want to make your online store stand out, check out the Shopify Theme Store. Shopify offers 180+ professionally designed themes, all of which are mobile-ready. All Shopify themes are easy to customize in all aspects (e.g., colors, fonts), and there's no need to touch a line of code.
If you need further customization, you can use Liquid – the coding language of Shopify. With Liquid, I can possibly change the existing Shopify template or layout or add a new one. Unlike ordinary HTML/CSS languages, Liquid is a bit different. It will take your time to accommodate or hire a Shopify technical expert to do it for you.
WordPress.org has a huge truckload of templates. Its theme directory offers thousands of free themes and a vast array of premium options for the most popular WordPress themes. They are all highly customizable and allow me to modify every aspect of your website's appearance and functionality through code or page builders.
You are free to edit the source code as you wish. You can also utilize plugins that allow you to create a theme using drag-and-drop tools. WordPress also lets you change the body page (the center part) such as changing colors, uploading the logo, changing the background, or creating beautiful sliders. Or else, you have the option to hire WordPress experts to create a fully customized website design for you.
But the flexibility comes at a cost. WordPress themes can be challenging to customize if you're not familiar with coding or page builders. With so many themes available, it can be hard to find the right one for your store. Additionally, keeping WordPress themes updated for security and compatibility can be time-consuming, especially for non-technical users.
Apps & Plugins – WordPress Offers More Extensions
An essential aspect we need to pay great attention to when analyzing key differences between Shopify vs WordPress is Apps/Extensions/Plugins.
💡 Quick takeaway:
According to the number of plugins, WordPress outranges Shopify as you can approach more than 59,000 plugins. Moreover, you can have more flexibility to add custom plugins/apps with WordPress.org.
Shopify users have access to numerous APIs that empower merchants to expand their stores by seamlessly integrating with various apps. They can integrate third-party plugins or develop and integrate their own extensions.
What's more, there are over 8,000 apps available, including paid and free apps. Most of the Shopify apps are subscription-based and will vary based on tier and features.
When you have a self-hosted WordPress.org site, you have the flexibility to choose from 59,000+ WordPress plugins. These plugins allow you to enhance and personalize your website to your needs.
SEO & Marketing Features – A Tie
💡Quick takeaway
Is WordPress or Shopify better for SEO? Since WordPress is a strong blogging platform, its SEO options are more optimized than Shopify. Despite that, Shopify is an SEO-friendly platform where you can enhance your SEO with many apps and add-ons besides primary functions.
The platform has favorable SEO functionality, which makes it easy to create content that search engines love. As someone who has little knowledge of coding, I can easily edit the meta titles and descriptions, add 301 redirects, and change page URLs to boost my website's SEO results. Not to mention, Shopify has already prompted your products with SEO best practices.
Besides, Shopify comes with a wide range of apps and add-ons that I can use for store optimization and to ensure its ranking on search engines like Google or Bing. If picking up a suitable app is too difficult, why don't you take a look at our recommendations about the best Shopify SEO apps?
But what if you need further customization? That brings us to Shopfiy's main drawbacks.
Shopify's inflexible structure presents some major challenges:
- URL structure (e.g., /collections/product-name) can't be fully customized.
- The lack of subcategories within blog posts makes organizing content difficult. This can result in duplicate URLs (multiple URLs pointing to the same page), leading to potential SEO issues like content cannibalization.
However, you can overcome this difficulty by discovering and applying suitable SEO tips and tricks for your store. Let's take a look at 8 effective eCommerce SEO strategies that we've compiled as your reference.
WordPress offers great flexibility for SEO optimization. You have full control over your site's structure, meta tags, URLs, and other technical aspects.
For technical SEO, WordPress grants users a vast variety of SEO controls, such as:
- Create clean, descriptive URLs that incorporate target keywords.
- Add and edit meta titles, descriptions, and other meta tags.
- Manage how search engines crawl and index your website via customizable files.
- Implement structured data to enhance search result listings with rich snippets.
Also, there is a vast library of SEO plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math, which provide powerful tools for on-page optimization, keyword research, sitemaps, redirects, and more.
Blogging Features – WordPress Is Better for Blog
💡Quick takeaway
Like SEO features, WordPress wins the battle between Shopify vs WordPress with its blogging foundation. It creates an ideal place for you to create and develop your content and blog.
For many eCommerce merchants, Shopify's built-in blogging platform hits a balance between functionality and ease of use. It's a simple solution that covers the essentials without overwhelming users with complex features.
I find that Shopify offers strengths for tech-savvy merchants with:
- User-friendly blog editor, even for those without extensive blogging experience.
- Automatic SEO optimization for titles and descriptions.
- Seamlessly embedding images and videos enhances the visual appeal of blog posts.
- The ability to schedule posts and use tags streamlines content management and organization.
Yet, if your eCommerce strategy relies heavily on blog content or complex content structures, WordPress may offer more flexibility.
WordPress offers a comprehensive suite of tools that simplify content creation, from drafting and editing to previewing and publishing. For eCommerce merchants with technical know-how, WordPress provides a powerful foundation for content marketing and brand building.
Basically, you can:
- Craft engaging blog posts, product descriptions, and other content with extensive formatting options.
- Embed images, videos, audio, and other media types to enhance your content.
- Deeply customize your blog's design and functionality through themes, plugins, and custom code.
- Add custom fonts to enhance your site's aesthetics and brand identity. This article explains why typography is important in attracting customers' attention and explains how to add custom fonts to WordPress.
So, if your online store relies on content to attract and engage customers, WordPress provides the tools and flexibility you need to manage and deliver that content effectively.
Maintenance – Shopify Requires Less Effort
💡 Quick takeaway
In my estimation, Shopify gains the upper hand in this area as Shopify does the maintenance work automatically and regularly while you need to update everything by yourself with WordPress.org.
As a fully hosted solution, Shopify ensures the highest level of server maintenance. This platform regularly pushes out technical upgrades and bug fixes, so you'll always benefit from the latest features and security fixes. When working with Shopify, I only need to devote a few days per year to maintenance issues.
WordPress is a fast-moving platform, and new features are added and improved regularly. Frequent updates bring new features, performance enhancements, and security patches that ensure your website stays current and competitive. This is crucial for tech-savvy merchants who want to use the latest technologies and trends to improve their online stores.
Using WordPress does require regular attention. For busy merchants, this can be an additional task to manage. However, if you're tech-savvy, you may find this less burdensome as you are likely already comfortable with software updates and maintenance procedures.
Yet, in rare cases, updates can cause conflicts with themes or plugins. This is where technical knowledge becomes crucial for troubleshooting and resolving any issues that may arise.
Here, we provide comprehensive instructions on how to update WordPress. Check it out!
Help & Support – Shopify Is More Attentive to Users
Quick takeaway
Shopify surpasses WordPress in terms of providing exceptional and committed support.
The next part of our Shopify vs WordPress comparison is the customer service of these two giants.
Shopify offers outstanding customer service. I can get help with 24-hour support via phone call, support ticket, or chat live with a customer care representative.
In case you don’t want to contact support for each tiny question you have, there is also self-service that offers the knowledge base, video tutorials, and webinars.
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WordPress.org does not offer direct support channels like phone or live chat. This can be frustrating for merchants who encounter urgent issues or complex problems requiring expert assistance.
If you're a tech-savvy merchant, while resourceful, you might still prefer a more direct line of communication for critical situations.
Apart from the official support channels, the web offers a wealth of advice and tutorials on WordPress-related topics. Other system users have compiled multiple text and video manuals, guidelines, and tutorials.
Final Words – Which Platform is Right for You?
We hope that this Shopify vs. WordPress comparison has helped you better understand the key differences between these two giants.
Let's once again clarify which is better for your specific needs!
Shopify is Ideal For
- Beginners and non-technical users
- eCommerce businesses of all sizes (small to medium-sized or even enterprise businesses)
- Businesses that need a wide range of built-in eCommerce features
WordPress.org is Ideal For
- Users who want complete control of eCommerce sites with eCommerce plugins like WooCommerce
- Users with some technical knowledge
- Complex websites with large catalogs, multiple languages, and various integrations
WordPress and Shopify Alternatives
Hosted eCommerce platforms | |
 | Wix is a user-friendly website builder and a robust eCommerce platform with various templates and features. It's an all-in-one solution that's great for beginners and small businesses. Price: Free plan | Paid plan starts from $17/month |
 | Big Cartel is a platform specifically designed for artists and creators. It offers a simple and affordable way to sell unique products. Price: Free plan | Paid plan starts from $9.99/month |
 | Ecwid is a highly flexible eCommerce platform. It’s ideal for businesses that already have an online presence and want to expand into eCommerce. Price: Free plan | Paid plan starts from $25/month |
 | BigCommerce is a comprehensive platform suitable for businesses of all sizes with a wide range of features and scalability. Price: 14-day free trial | Paid plan starts from #39/month |
Open-source eCommerce platforms | |
 | PrestaShop is a well-known open-source platform with a user-friendly interface and extensive customization options. |
 | Magento, now known as Adobe Commerce, is a platform for large businesses with complex needs. It offers many features and integrations but has a higher price tag. |
 | OpenCart is a widely used open-source platform. It is valued for its simplicity and ease of use, making it a great choice for beginners. |
 | Salesforce Commerce Cloud is a comprehensive enterprise-level platform that streamlines business management by integrating with other Salesforce products. |
Shopify vs WordPress – FAQs
The best platform depends on your priorities; therefore, we cannot provide a definite answer to your question. Shopify is ideal for ease of use and scalability, while WordPress offers greater flexibility and customization but requires more technical involvement.
Deciding whether to migrate from WordPress to Shopify is a big decision, and there's no one-size-fits-all answer. It hinges on your specific needs, priorities, and comfort level with technology.
Consider migrating to Shopify if:
- You want an easier-to-use platform
- You don't want to deal with hosting, domain, and security stuff
- You want a highly scalable platform that can grow as you go
Stick with WordPress if:
- You require a high level of customization
- You want to have complete control over your data and security settings
- You want to control your budget
No, Shopify can't directly “run” WordPress in the way you might run WordPress on a traditional web hosting environment. They are fundamentally different platforms:
- Shopify is a fully hosted, all-in-one eCommerce platform. It provides everything you need to build and manage an online store within its own ecosystem.
- WordPress (self-hosted with WooCommerce) is an open-source content management system (CMS) that you install on a web hosting account. It offers immense flexibility but requires more technical setup and maintenance.
Whether WordPress eCommerce is “worth it” boils down to your priorities, technical comfort level, and how much time and effort you're willing to invest.
WordPress eCommerce shines if you:
- You want full control over your store's design, functionality, and integration with specific tools.
- You're comfortable managing hosting, themes, plugins, and updates, or have access to someone who can.
- You want complete control over your monthly expenses
Final Verdict
Our comparison of Shopify and WordPress is based on a rigorous assessment of key factors crucial for eCommerce success. We evaluate ease of use, customization options, pricing structures, built-in features, scalability, and overall performance.
We go beyond theory and put both platforms to the test. Our method involves hands-on building and managing stores on WordPress and Shopify, providing insights based on real-world experience.
Learn more about our methodology here.
Hopefully, you’ve already identified some key differences that will determine whether Shopify or WordPress is the right website builder for you. Our team at LitExtension – #1 Shopping Cart Migration Expert offers an optimal solution to help you switch to another platform speedily and entirely your data. In case you need any assistance with migrating, please contact us. We are always here to help.
And, if you like this blog, don't forget to check out other articles related to Shopify that we carefully crafted for you.
Find out more Alternatives to Shopify:
- Shopify vs Amazon: Which Ecommerce Solution Is Right for You?
- Shopify vs Custom-built Website: Which Ecommerce Platform Is Right for You?
- Shopify vs eBay: Pros and Cons for Ecommerce Sellers
- Shopify vs Shopify Plus: Choosing the Right Platform for Your Needs
- Shopify vs Etsy: Which Ecommerce Solution Is Right for You?
