Shopify vs WooCommerce
Shopify is a store you rent by the month, with hosting and checkout included. WooCommerce is a free plugin on WordPress. You pay for hosting, and you keep the site updated.
This link is for Shopify only. We earn a commission if you start a paid Shopify plan. Disclosure.
Where the money goes
| Shopify | WooCommerce | |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Basic, Grow, or Advanced. In the UK, Basic is £25 a month or £19 on yearly billing. | The plugin is free. You still need WordPress hosting. |
| Hosting and SSL | Included with the plan. | You buy hosting. You are responsible for backups and renewals. |
| Checkout | Shopify’s checkout. Card rates depend on the plan. UK Basic is 2% + 25p online. | A payment provider you connect, such as Stripe or PayPal, at that provider’s rate. |
| Extra features | Apps from the Shopify app store. Some are free, some are monthly. | WordPress plugins. Some are free, some are paid, some are yearly licences. |
| Updates | Shopify updates the platform. | You update WordPress, the theme, and the plugins. |
Shopify figures checked 10 October 2026. See the pricing breakdown. Hosting prices for WordPress vary by host, so this page does not invent one.
What you spend time on
On Shopify, the first week is products, photos, shipping rates, and a payment setup. You are not choosing a PHP version or a backup plugin.
On WooCommerce, the first week includes hosting, a WordPress install, a theme that behaves with the plugin, a payment plugin, a firewall or security plugin, and a backup. That is a fair trade if you already do this for a living, or if the store is one section of a site that already exists.
A first store
If the only goal is to take orders, Shopify Basic is the shorter path. The bill is predictable: the plan, card fees, and any app you choose to add. You can open on the free theme and add apps after the first sales, when you know which job is actually slow.
WooCommerce can cost less each month once the shop is large and you already pay for hosting. The saving shows up later. The work shows up now. A cheap host that cannot run a busy WordPress shop is a common way that “free” becomes expensive.
When WooCommerce is the better fit
- The business already has a WordPress site and the shop is a part of it.
- You need a checkout or content setup that Shopify’s plans do not allow, and you have someone who can maintain it.
- You want the store files and database on a host you control, and you will actually keep them updated.
When Shopify is the better fit
- This is your first shop and you do not want a server to look after.
- You will sell in more than one place and want orders in one admin.
- You would rather pay a plan than spend the evenings on updates.
Start on Basic. Plan prices are on the pricing page. The Wix comparison is Shopify vs Wix.