Business owners always find it difficult to pick between WooCommerce and Shopify. For them, it’s like choosing between two juggernauts. Both platforms are powerful, equally competitive, and valuable in their own way; however, the two of them bring something unique to the table. Indeed, both have their own strengths and quirks when it comes to building an online store for you. If you are a business owner and looking to take your business to some online store, you can go for either of them for a good start. But before that, you must know what these Woocommerce and Shopify are, how they differ from each other, and which platform suits you best. Wanna know all that? Then, come to UnityDiv– a proffessional website development agency having the expertise of both platforms.
To your guidance, we even penned a blog for you differentiating between Woocommerce and Shopify. Browse down to uncover specifications and distinct aspects of each of them.
First, Know What WooCommerce and Shopify Is?
Ok, we can’t differentiate without knowing what these platforms actually are. To get into much details and critical analysis, let’s first understand them both.
As far as WooCommerce is concerned, it is a free, open source wordpress plugin that converts your regular website into a highly functional online store. Conversely, Shopify is a cloud-based e-commerce platform. What comes as a surprise to most is that it doesn’t require you to have hosting or various other softwares for working.
Now, Let’s Discuss Pricing of Both Platforms
The cost is one of the first things every business owner thinks about. Here’s have a in-depth analysis of both WooCommerce and Shopify pricing:
WooCommerce is an open source platform and therefore costs nothing although you will require a host, a domain, and maybe some premium themes and plugins. However, to fully unlock and benefit from most of the features, you will need to pay for that additional functionality. Further, payment gateways, security, and other superior shipping options may charge you through paid plugins.
In the case of Shopify, it has very easy and straightforward pricing (unlike WooCommerce). It does not charge the customers for any extra services. Starting from $19 per month (the Basic plan for solo enterpreneurs), the pricing goes upward depending on the number of features you acquire as the company expands. I personally believe it is best for small businesses who do not want to be met with any additional charges.
Which Platform is Easier to Use?
Hmm, to be honest, Shopify is rather more conveniant. It is definitely for those who do not want to spend a lot of time on mastering how to configure the site for selling their products. It has easy to use drag and drop Shopify website editor and not to mention a lot of templates to choose from.
However, WooCommerce is more controllable when compared to the former, although the platform is not so beneficial for users who have no experience with programming. Being a WordPress theme, you have to handle your own hosting, installation, and even update. Quite a complex thing to do for many… So, what’s best when it comes to reviewing which platform is easier to use? I think Shopify wins the case!
Which is More Effective for the Growth of Your Business?
Believe it, both of these platforms have good scalability but in different ways. In WooCommerce, your scalability is tied to your hosting package. It is definitely suitable for those companies that intend to expand their operations gradually or want more direct control. However, as Shopify is hosted on cloud, it allows you to deal with sudden growth. The third party apps and integration of Shopify help you scale effectively since all of them are specifically designed for the program.
My advice: If you are a growing entrepreneur who doesn’t want to be bogged down by having to sort out complex software things, go for Shopify.
Which One has Got Better Support?
One of the primary reasons people prefer Shopify is because they offer around the clock support for their clients. What’s also amazing is that they can assist you with technical questions and even in store layout. In contrast, WooCommerce support depends heavily on forums like WooCommerce community and WordPress. If you are stuck on some problem and it is hard to do it all by yourself then you will need a developer to assist you in resolving whatever problem you are facing.
Final Thoughts
So, what’s better: WooCommerce and Shopify? Well, to tell the truth, it really depends on your business goals. Anyways, if you prefer easy-to-use, integrated software with amazing customer service go for Shopify. And for those who favor customization, want a bit of technical aspect, choose WooCommerce.
Whatever platform you find best for yourself, remember UnityDiv is here at your service in both cases. You can always consult us without hesitation. We care for you and even offer you best budget-friendly services related to both WooCommerce and Shopify . Contact us now!