Shopify vs WooCommerce: which is better for an online store
Shopify is a hosted store builder you pay for monthly. WooCommerce is a free plugin for WordPress, so you pay for hosting and extras yourself.
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Read this first. Our main source was updated March 2026. Shopify's trial and promotions change often, so confirm on Shopify's site.
The short answer
Shopify for a fast, all-in-one setup, WooCommerce if you are technical and want control and lower running costs.
- Shopify. Pick it if you want to launch quickly, with hosting, payments and support included.
- WooCommerce. Pick it if you are comfortable with WordPress and want more control and flexible costs.
Side by side
| Shopify | WooCommerce | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Beginners who want a fast setup, and growing stores | Technical users who want control, and small to medium stores |
| Cost model | $29 to $299 per month on annual billing | Free plugin, but you pay for hosting, domain, themes and plugins |
| Trial | 3-day free trial, with a promotion of $1 per month for three months | Free to install |
| Transaction fees | Extra fee on Basic and Grow unless you use Shopify Payments | None from WooCommerce, but payment gateways charge their own fees |
| Strengths | Built-in point of sale, SEO tools, email marketing, 24/7 chat and 100+ payment methods | Greater customisation and lower, more flexible costs |
| Watch out for | Costs rise with paid themes, apps and fees, and you get less control | More setup work, no built-in email marketing, and you manage security and support |
Details are from Website Builder Expert, updated 12 March 2026. Confirm on each vendor's site.
Each tool in a little more detail
Shopify
Good for
- Fast setup with hosting, security and support included.
- Built-in point of sale, SEO tools and email marketing.
- Supports 100+ payment methods.
Watch out for
- More expensive, and costs grow with apps, themes and fees.
- Less control over the store than WooCommerce.
WooCommerce
Good for
- The plugin is free and costs can stay low.
- High flexibility and control if you have technical skills.
Watch out for
- You source hosting and a domain yourself, and often need some coding.
- Inventory automation is limited and there is no built-in email marketing.
- Security and support are your responsibility.
Who should pick which
- You want to sell this month and avoid technical workStart with Shopify.
- You already run a WordPress site and like to tinkerStart with WooCommerce.
- You are not sureTry Shopify's trial for a day or two, and compare the real monthly cost of WooCommerce hosting before you decide.
Related reading: WordPress vs Wix vs Squarespace for a first website. WordPress.com for the lowest price, Wix for design freedom, Squarespace for polished sites with little effort.
Common questions
Is WooCommerce really free?
The plugin is free, but hosting, a domain, themes and some plugins cost money. Our source estimates total costs anywhere from $4 to $480 a month, depending on choices.
What is the fee for taking payments on Shopify?
Per our source, Basic charges 2.9% + 30 cents and Grow 2.7% + 30 cents per card sale, and Shopify Payments avoids the extra transaction fee. Check current rates on Shopify's site.
Our hands-on testing
Researched from sources
We have not tested these tools ourselves yet. Everything above comes from the sources listed below. When we test a tool, our own notes and screenshots will appear here and this label will change.
Sources
We have not hands-on tested every tool on this page. Details come from the sources above. See how we review.