Shopify vs WooCommerce
Shopify and WooCommerce are the two most popular e-commerce platforms. Shopify is a fully hosted solution, while WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin. Both power millions of online stores but suit different business needs and technical capabilities.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Shopify | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Fully hosted (included) | Self-hosted (separate hosting needed) |
| Ease of Setup | Very easy — launch in hours | Moderate — WordPress knowledge needed |
| Pricing | From £19/mo + transaction fees | Free plugin + hosting (from £5/mo) |
| Customisation | Good with Liquid templating | Unlimited with PHP/WordPress |
| Payment Processing | Shopify Payments (lower fees) | Any payment gateway |
| SEO | Good built-in SEO | Excellent with plugins (Yoast, etc.) |
| Scalability | Handles any scale automatically | Requires hosting upgrades at scale |
| App Ecosystem | 8,000+ apps in store | 59,000+ WordPress plugins |
Our Verdict
Choose Shopify if you want the fastest, most hassle-free route to selling online. Choose WooCommerce if you want full control, lower ongoing costs, and unlimited customisation. For businesses focused on growth rather than technical management, Shopify's simplicity and reliability make it the safer bet. Both integrate well with AI automation for order processing, inventory management, and customer communication. Selvam Digital automates the workflows that sit on top of both platforms — order management, inventory sync, post-purchase sequences, and customer support — so your e-commerce store runs efficiently at any scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which e-commerce platform is easier to automate?
Shopify is easier to automate thanks to its robust API and extensive app ecosystem. Shopify Flow (built-in automation) handles common e-commerce workflows without any external tools. WooCommerce can be equally automated but typically requires third-party plugins or platforms like Zapier.
Is WooCommerce really cheaper than Shopify?
Initially yes — WooCommerce is free and hosting starts at £5/mo. However, costs add up with premium themes (£50-200), essential plugins (£100-500/year), and developer time for maintenance. For a comparable feature set, total cost of ownership is often similar.
Can I migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify?
Yes. Shopify offers migration tools and there are third-party services that handle the move. Products, customers, and order history can be transferred. We can automate the post-migration verification to ensure all data transferred correctly.
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