Quick answer (August 2026): Shopify ($29/mo hosted) wins for most new merchants, faster setup, better uptime, and zero server maintenance. WooCommerce (free plugin, ~$15–30/mo hosting) wins if you already run WordPress, need full code control, or want to avoid Shopify's 0.5–2% transaction fees at high volume. Choosing between them comes down to: how technical are you, and how much will you sell?
TL;DR Quick Answer
Shopify wins overall, scoring 9.1/10 in our editorial rating. It's the faster, more reliable choice for merchants without a technical background. Choose WooCommerce (8.7/10) if you have an existing WordPress site, need maximum customization, or your monthly revenue is high enough that Shopify's transaction fees hurt ($0 fees on WooCommerce vs 0.5–2% on Shopify non-native payments).
ShopifyeCommerce SaaS · from $29/mo (annual)
Fully hosted eCommerce platform. No server management, no WordPress, no updates to maintain. 8,000+ apps, built-in payments, 24/7 support. Shopify Payments waives the extra transaction fee for supported countries.
WooCommerceOpen-source plugin · free (+ hosting costs)
Free WordPress plugin. You own the server, the data, and the code. No transaction fees beyond your payment processor. Unlimited extensibility, but you are responsible for hosting, security, backups, and updates.
Verdict at a Glance
Shopify is a hosted SaaS, you pay a monthly fee and Shopify handles servers, CDN, SSL, PCI compliance, and uptime. Setup takes under an hour for a basic store with no technical knowledge required.
WooCommerce is a free open-source plugin that turns any WordPress site into a store. You pay for hosting (~$10–30/mo), and optionally a premium theme and extensions. Total cost can be lower than Shopify at scale, but you manage everything yourself.
For most new merchants, Shopify wins. The main exceptions: you already run WordPress, you're a developer comfortable with PHP, or your monthly revenue is high enough that Shopify's per-transaction fee hurts.
The fee trap to know: Shopify charges 0.5–2% on every transaction if you don't use Shopify Payments (not available in all countries). On $50,000/mo revenue, that's $250–$1,000/mo in extra fees. WooCommerce charges nothing, you pay only the payment processor (e.g. Stripe at 2.9% + 30¢).
Pricing Comparison
The comparison is not apples-to-apples: Shopify is all-in (hosting, SSL, CDN, support included). WooCommerce's "free" is just the plugin, you still pay for hosting and optional paid extensions.
| Plan / Cost | Shopify | WooCommerce |
|---|
| Plugin / software | $29/mo (Basic, annual) | Free |
| Hosting | Included | $10–30/mo (you choose) |
| SSL certificate | Included | Included w/ most hosts |
| Premium theme | $180–$450 (optional) | $0–$80 (optional) |
| Transaction fee | 0.5–2% (waived w/ Shopify Payments) | $0 (pay processor only) |
| Typical total/mo (basic store) | $29–$39/mo | $15–$50/mo |
| Trial / free tier | 3-day trial then $1/mo for 3 months (promo) | Free to install |
Shopify plan summary (August 2026 pricing):
| Plan | Monthly (billed monthly) | Monthly (billed annually) | Transaction fee |
|---|
| Basic | $39/mo | $29/mo | 2.0% (0% with Shopify Payments) |
| Shopify | $105/mo | $79/mo | 1.0% (0% with Shopify Payments) |
| Advanced | $399/mo | $299/mo | 0.5% (0% with Shopify Payments) |
| Plus | $2,300/mo+ | $2,300/mo+ | 0.15% (variable) |
WooCommerce cost reality: Budget $10–25/mo for shared hosting (SiteGround, Bluehost, Kinsta) or $50–100/mo for managed WordPress hosting. Many popular extensions are free; advanced ones (subscriptions, memberships, bookings) cost $79–$299/year each.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Shopify | WooCommerce |
|---|
| Hosting | Managed, included | Self-managed |
| Setup time | <1 hour | 2–5+ hours |
| Technical skill needed | None | Moderate (WordPress) |
| App / plugin count | 8,000+ apps | 50,000+ WordPress plugins |
| SEO control | Good (auto-generated sitemaps, meta) | Superior (full URL control, Yoast) |
| Content marketing (blog) | Basic built-in blog | WordPress, best-in-class |
| Checkout conversion | Shopify Checkout (industry-leading) | Standard WooCommerce |
| Payment options | 100+ payment gateways | Any payment gateway (no lock-in) |
| Multi-currency | Built-in (Shopify Markets) | Via plugin |
| Inventory management | Built-in (including POS) | Basic (advanced needs plugins) |
| PCI compliance | Handled by Shopify | Your responsibility |
| Uptime SLA | 99.99% (Shopify infrastructure) | Depends on your host |
| Data ownership | Shopify holds your data | You own everything |
| Customization ceiling | High (via apps + Liquid) | Unlimited (full PHP access) |
| Support | 24/7 live chat + phone | Community forums + paid hosting support |
Our Final Verdict
Shopify (9.1/10) is our recommendation for most merchants, especially those starting out, scaling fast, or without developer resources. Here is when each platform wins:
- Choose Shopify if: you want to launch quickly without technical setup; you don't have a WordPress developer; you need reliable uptime with zero server maintenance; or your business is primarily product-based (not content-driven).
- Choose WooCommerce if: you already have a WordPress site with significant SEO authority; you are a developer (or have one); your transaction volume is high enough that Shopify's per-transaction fees outweigh the hosting cost savings; or you need custom checkout logic that Shopify's Liquid templating can't accommodate.
For a $10,000/mo revenue store, Shopify Basic ($29/mo) costs about $229/mo total (including 2% transaction fee on non-Shopify Payments). WooCommerce at the same scale might cost $25–40/mo in hosting. If Shopify Payments is available in your country, which waives the transaction fee, Shopify is almost always the better value proposition once you factor in support savings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shopify better than WooCommerce?
For most merchants, yes. Shopify scores 9.1/10 vs WooCommerce's 8.7/10 in our editorial scoring. Shopify is better for ease of use, support, and reliability. WooCommerce is better for developers, full data control, and avoiding transaction fees at high volume.
How much does Shopify cost vs WooCommerce?
Shopify Basic costs $29/mo (annual) or $39/mo (monthly), with hosting included. WooCommerce itself is free, you pay $10–30/mo for WordPress hosting plus optional extensions. Shopify also charges 0.5–2% per transaction if you don't use Shopify Payments, which can make it significantly more expensive at high revenue volumes.
Does WooCommerce have transaction fees?
WooCommerce itself charges zero transaction fees. You pay only your payment processor's standard rate (e.g., Stripe charges 2.9% + 30¢ in the US). Shopify adds an extra 0.5–2% on top of the processor fee unless you use Shopify Payments.
Which is easier to set up, Shopify or WooCommerce?
Shopify is significantly easier. A basic store can be live in under an hour with no technical knowledge. WooCommerce requires WordPress installation, hosting configuration, plugin setup, and theme customization, typically 2–5 hours minimum.
Can I migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify?
Yes. Shopify provides a free migration tool that imports products, customers, and order history. URL redirects require manual setup or a redirect app. Most migrations complete in 1–4 hours depending on store size. SEO equity is preserved if you set up 301 redirects from old WooCommerce URLs.