WooCommerce vs. Shopify: Which One’s Right for You?

If you’re planning to launch an online store, choosing the right e-commerce platform is a crucial first step. Two of the most popular choices on the market today are WooCommerce and Shopify — but which one is the better fit for your business?

At London Web Studio Ltd., we work with both platforms and understand the strengths and limitations of each. Here’s a side-by-side breakdown to help you decide which one is right for your e-commerce goals.

1. What Are WooCommerce and Shopify?

WooCommerce is a free, open-source plugin for WordPress that turns your website into a fully functional e-commerce store. It’s highly customizable and ideal for those who want full control.
Shopify is a hosted e-commerce platform that lets you create an online store without needing to manage the technical side of things. It’s known for its ease of use and fast setup.

2. Ease of Use

Shopify:
Designed for beginners. You can build a store quickly with its intuitive drag-and-drop builder and pre-built themes. Hosting, security, and updates are all managed for you.
WooCommerce:
More flexible but requires some technical knowledge. You’ll need to handle hosting, maintenance, and security yourself — or hire a professional developer (like us!).

Winner: Shopify for simplicity; WooCommerce for advanced users.

3. Customisation & Flexibility

WooCommerce:
Highly customisable with access to thousands of themes and plugins. Great for businesses with unique needs or complex features.
Shopify:
Offers a wide range of apps and themes, but customisation is more limited unless you pay for advanced plans or hire a Shopify expert.

Winner: WooCommerce for flexibility and customisation.

4. Cost & Pricing

WooCommerce:
Free plugin, but you’ll need to pay for hosting, domain, themes, and extensions. Costs vary depending on how complex your site is.
Shopify:
Monthly subscription starting from £25/month (basic). Additional costs for apps, themes, and transaction fees may apply.

Winner: WooCommerce for potentially lower costs over time, especially if you manage the site yourself.

5. Payment Options

WooCommerce:
Supports a wide range of payment gateways with full control and no extra transaction fees (beyond what the gateway charges).
Shopify:
Built-in Shopify Payments (with fees), plus other gateways. Shopify charges additional fees if you don’t use their payment system.

Winner: WooCommerce for flexibility and no additional fees.

6. SEO & Blogging

WooCommerce:
Built on WordPress, which is excellent for blogging and SEO. You have full control over optimisation.
Shopify:
Decent SEO features but not as robust as WordPress/WooCommerce for content-heavy strategies.

Winner: WooCommerce for content-driven SEO.

7. Scalability

WooCommerce:
Can scale as much as your hosting and development allow. Great for businesses that plan to grow with custom features.
Shopify:
Scales easily with built-in tools and apps — but at a cost. Enterprise-level plans like Shopify Plus are available.

Winner: Tie — both scale well depending on your budget and business model.

Final Verdict: Which One’s Right for You?

Choose WooCommerce if you want full control, advanced customisation, better SEO, and already have (or plan to have) a WordPress website.
Choose Shopify if you want a quick, hassle-free setup with less technical responsibility and a user-friendly interface.

Need Help Deciding?

At London Web Studio, we build and manage e-commerce websites on both WooCommerce and Shopify. We’ll help you choose the right platform based on your goals, budget, and technical needs — and we’ll design a stunning store that turns visitors into customers.