Each e-commerce platform has its own set of pros and cons, so it can be difficult to decide which is best for your business. In this article, we’ll compare and contrast Shopify vs. WordPress website builders to help you make an informed decision about which platform is right for you!
Main Differences Between Shopify and WordPress
Shopify offers a fully-hosted platform, which means that you don’t have to worry about hosting or maintaining your own website. WordPress, on the other hand, is a self-hosted platform, meaning you download and install it to your site after purchasing a domain and hosting elsewhere. Using WordPress gives you more control over your website, but also requires more technical expertise.
Shopify is designed specifically for e-commerce, while WordPress is a general-purpose content management system (CMS) that can be used for e-commerce but isn’t limited to it. This means that Shopify has features and tools that are specifically designed to help you sell online, while WordPress relies on plugins to provide these functionalities.
Ecommerce Functionalities on Shopify vs. WordPress
Shopify is a turn-key solution, which means that it’s easy to set up and start selling right away. All you need to do is create an account, choose a template, add your products, and configure your payment and shipping settings. You can be up and running in just a few hours!
Some functionalities, such as setting up a shopping cart, are already built into Shopify. WordPress is a bit more complex to set up since it’s self-hosted. So if you can’t decide between Shopify vs. WordPress, think about how much effort you’re willing to put into designing your ecommerce website.
Many people use WooCommerce, a WordPress plugin, to turn their WordPress site into an online store. This means that you’ll need to purchase a domain and hosting, install WordPress, and then install the WooCommerce plugin. Once you’ve done all of that, you can start adding your products.
Pricing of Shopify vs. WordPress and WooCommerce
Shopify has a tiered pricing structure with 3 different plans: Basic, Shopify, and Advanced. Each has the same ecommerce features, with different limits in place.
- The Basic plan costs $24 per month ($21 if billed annually). It includes up to 2 staff accounts, up to 4 inventory locations and basic reports.
- The Shopify plan costs $69 per month ($62 if billed annually) and includes professional reports, up to 5 staff accounts and up to 5 inventory locations.
- The Advanced Shopify plan costs $299 per month ($266 if billed annually) and includes everything in the other plans plus an advanced report builder, up to 15 staff accounts and up to 8 inventory locations.
Transaction fees vary depending on which Shopify plan you choose. The Basic plan has a fee of 2% per transaction if you’re using a third-party payment provider instead of Shopify Payments. The Shopify plan has a 1% transaction fee, while the Advanced plan has a 0.5% fee.
WordPress and WooCommerce are both free to download and use. However, you’ll need to pay for WordPress hosting, which can cost $500 per year or more (depending on the website’s traffic and size). You may also need to purchase a premium WooCommerce plugin or theme, which can cost up to $200. These costs can add up, while the Shopify ecommerce platform only requires a single, predetermined payment each month or year.
Which Platform Is Better for SEO?
Shopify and WordPress are both great for SEO. However, WordPress has a slight advantage because it’s a self-hosted platform. This means that you have more control over your website’s SEO, since you can install plugins and make other changes that aren’t possible on Shopify.
Both platforms allow you to add ALT tags to images, create product descriptions and title tags, and use other standard SEO practices. So SEO shouldn’t be the deciding factor between Shopify vs. WordPress.
Which Is Easier to Use?
Shopify is a much easier platform to use than WordPress, especially if you’re new to website building. The platform is designed for people who have no technical expertise, which makes it perfect for those who are just getting started with online stores.
WordPress is a bit more complex, since it’s a self-hosted platform. This means that you’ll need to be comfortable with hosting, installing WordPress, and configuring plugins. If you’re not comfortable with these things, an ecommerce website builder like Shopify will be a better option.
Which Platform Should You Use?
Now that you’ve seen the differences between Shopify vs. WordPress, it’s time to decide which platform is right for you. If you’re looking for an easy-to-use platform with no technical expertise required, Shopify is a great choice. However, if you want to customize your website more (there are thousands of free WordPress themes and plugins in the app store) and have more control over your SEO, WordPress is the better option.
No matter which platform you choose, you’ll be able to create a beautiful and successful ecommerce store. So don’t worry too much about which one is “better.” Just pick the ecommerce tools that you’re more comfortable with and get started with your WooCommerce or Shopify store!
Have you come across other pros or cons of using Shopify vs. WordPress as an ecommerce solution? Let us know in the comments below! Happy selling!
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