WooCommerce vs Shopify

An eCommerce platform is a software that enables the commercial process of buying and selling over the internet. The two most popular eCommerce platforms are Shopify and Woocommerce. Today we will be comparing WooCommerce vs Shopify to understand a little better which option suits your requirements.

WooCommerce

It is an open-source free plugin available for WordPress in order to add the eCommerce facility on a website. It is highly flexible and lets you take full control in terms of customization. Each day new and improved themes are being added to the endless list already available. As far as customer support is concerned, WooCommerce is powered by Bluehost which includes round-the-clock support via chat and phone and also a vast knowledge center. Payment gateways like Paypal and Stripe payment are included in the package for free. It is SEO-friendly and offers SEO boosters to help you improve your website ranking by giving valuable suggestions.

Few points to keep in mind, however, are that although the plug-in itself is free, there are other costs associated with it to have a fully functioning website. You need to arrange for hosting, SSL certificate and domain registration at additional costs. Also, payment gateways other than the ones mentioned above need to be added at extra cost. Unless you hire an external developer, you need to be tech-savvy enough and have sufficient time on your hands to customize efficiently.

Shopify

It is an eCommerce platform that is not exclusive to WordPress sites and allows both online and offline stores. There are plenty of themes to choose from, which are created keeping in mind, the latest trends. Shopify also ensures live chat,24/7 support and email facilities to effectively engage your customers at all times. Both direct and indirect providers are available as payment gateway and it is PCI-DSS(Payment Card Industry-Data Security Standard) compliant automatically. The main highlight is that it is a complete package and requires very little technical know-how for anyone to develop the website. It includes the hosting, SSL certificate and a sub-domain registration as well. Social media like Facebook, Pinterest and eBay can be integrated for free.

Unlike WooCommerce, Shopify is not a free plugin. There are monthly payment options starting from $9 to $299 with advanced options included in the higher package. Although there are many themes available, only a limited number of them are free. The range of SEO apps available with WooCommerce far exceeds that of Shopify, which will be a game-changer in the future.

To summarize, each platform has its own pros and cons, and depending on the budget and extent of brand awareness one can choose accordingly.
Intersmart Solutions An eCommerce development company in Kochi, Kerala has been developing eCommerce solutions for domestic and foreign clients for more than 10 years. They understand the specific inclusions in each option and can help you with the ideal option for your online store depending on your preference.