01The core difference
Shopify is a hosted service: you rent a complete store that Shopify runs. WooCommerce is a free, open-source plugin that turns a WordPress site into a store, and you run everything: hosting, updates, backups and security. That single difference drives almost every other comparison.
| WooCommerce | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| Software cost | Free | From $39/mo, or $29/mo yearly (Basic) |
| Hosting | You buy it: $25-$350/mo for most stores, per WooCommerce | Included |
| Extensions or apps | $29-$299 a year each, per WooCommerce | Many apps are monthly subscriptions |
| Payment processing | WooPayments about 2.5-2.9% + 30¢; or Stripe, PayPal | About 2.9% + 30¢ on Basic |
| Platform transaction fee | None | 2% to 0.6% if not using Shopify Payments |
| Maintenance | Your job | Shopify's job |
| Ownership | Full; move hosts anytime | Your data exports, but the store runs on Shopify |
02When WooCommerce is the better choice
- You already run a WordPress site and want to add products without a second platform.
- Your store is content-heavy, with blogs, guides and SEO driving sales.
- You need unusual functionality that a custom plugin can deliver.
- You want no platform taking a cut and full ownership of the code and data.
- You, or someone you pay, are comfortable with updates and security.
03When Shopify is the better choice
- You want to focus on products and marketing, not servers and plugins.
- You expect traffic spikes, such as launches or sales, and need the store to stay up.
- You want a checkout shoppers already know.
- You do not have, or do not want to pay, a developer for maintenance.
- You sell across social channels and marketplaces from one dashboard.
05A first-year cost comparison
For a small store with modest traffic, the first year might look like this. Figures use the ranges WooCommerce and 2026 guides publish; your hosting and extension choices move them a lot.
| Item | WooCommerce | Shopify Basic (yearly) |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | $0 | $348 ($29 x 12) |
| Hosting | $300 to $1,200 ($25 to $100 a month) | Included |
| Extensions or apps | $60 to $300 (two to three yearly extensions) | $0 to $600 (depends on monthly apps) |
| Maintenance time or help | Several hours a month, or a paid developer | Minimal |
06Performance and SEO
Both can rank well. WooCommerce inherits WordPress's strength as a content platform, which helps stores that win customers through articles and guides. Shopify handles technical basics such as hosting speed and mobile themes for you. Either way, search success comes from useful product pages and content, not the platform. Does page speed affect SEO? and SEO for a new website apply to both.
07How to decide
- 1Do you already use WordPress?If yes and it works well, WooCommerce avoids a second system.
- 2Who will maintain it?If nobody technical is available, Shopify.
- 3How unusual is your store?Highly custom needs lean WooCommerce; standard catalogs lean Shopify.
- 4Price both for your volumeAdd hosting, extensions and payment fees for WooCommerce against Shopify's plan and apps at your expected sales.
- 5Check what happens if you leaveWooCommerce moves with you to any host; leaving Shopify means exporting data and rebuilding the design elsewhere.
What people who tried it say
Hacker News discussions about setting up online stores weigh Shopify's convenience against self-hosted options like WooCommerce, with technical commenters valuing control and others warning about maintenance time.
- Ask HN: What is your favorite way of setting up online store in 2018?Hacker News
Commenters compare hosted platforms such as Shopify with self-hosted ones such as WooCommerce, trading fees and lock-in against maintenance and reliability.
- How to start an e-commerce store that doesn't dropshipHacker News
In a discussion of a store owner's setup, commenters ask about self-hosted alternatives to Shopify and mention WooCommerce and Spree.
Looking for more first-hand opinions? Search Reddit for “woocommerce vs shopify”. We link the live threads rather than summarizing them, so you read them in full.
Our take
choose Shopify unless you have a specific reason to run your own platform. "Free" software that needs a developer is often the more expensive option for a small store.
Where this falls short
Costs depend heavily on hosting choice, extensions and store size; WooCommerce's own ranges are broad. Shopify figures are US prices from a 2026 guide. Neither estimate includes design or development work.
Sources
- 1.WooCommerce pricing · WooCommerce
- 2.Shopify pricing 2026: plans and fees explained · Website Builder Expert
Researched and written by the Orlume team · Updated October 2026
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