Here’s a simple yet insightful comparison: Shopify Vs WordPress, to help you pick the best option for you!
If you are thinking of creating an eCommerce website, there are so many options for you to choose from. However, with all those options it becomes more difficult to choose one for you.
Because different platforms has different things to offer. Some of them are expensive and have advanced features, some of them are affordable yet have all the features you must need.
So if you are confused, and not sure where to start, here’s a basic evaluation of what Shopify and WordPress has to offer, in terms of features, flexibility and ease of use.
What is Shopify?
Shopify is an eCommerce platform for creating feature packed and professional looking online stores. This platform lets you create websites without having any technical expertise. It is one of the easiest to use tool to create Online shopping website, with simple backend options to create and manage eCommerce website.
What is WordPress?
WordPress is a content management system, that can be used to create different types of websites. It is easy to use and very flexible. Unlike Shopify, it is not specifically built for creating eCommerce websites. WordPress can be used to create websites for businesses, online portfolios, creative agencies, directory or any other niche.
Ease of Use: WordPress Vs Shopify
WordPress can be used for anything, Shopify is a platform for creating online stores. It is simple as that.
Shopify will let you create beautiful and feature packed online stores. It comes with easy website and store management features built in.
WordPress is a CMS. It was developed for bloggers to let them create blog and manage their own websites. But with the new updates, it has evolved as a complete and very easy to use website building and management platform. You can create eCommerce websites with WordPress by integrating the free WooCommerce or any other eCommerce plugin.
Also read: How good is WordPress for your eCommerce websites?
These plugins are designed with all the abilities that you will need to create and manage an online shopping website. Therefore, in terms of use, both the platforms promise the best performance.
Shopify Vs WordPress: Ease of Use
Both the platforms to create websites are easy to use. There was a time when the only way to create a website was through programmers. They took weeks if not months, to create a website for your business.
Shopify is comparatively easy to use. You just have to choose from the available plans, register and start creating your website. Your online store can be managed with the available easy options. There are abundant Shopify apps that can be used to enhance the existing facilities of your eCommerce website.
However, WordPress is also easy to use. But you will have to login to your host and install WordPress and start creating your website. The exact features and ease of use depends on the WordPress theme you choose.
Both the platforms can be used by beginners, and people with absolutely no technical knowledge. For both these platforms, you can watch just a few tutorials on the internet and create an eCommerce website of your own easily.
Shopify Vs WordPress: Designs & Flexibility
There are a lot of design variations that both the platforms offer to let you choose how your website looks and works.
The design for both Shopify and WordPress are available in the form of themes. Both the platforms have different professionally designed templates to create a website, WordPress has much more than shopify can afford. The themes developed by WordPress theme providers will let you create beautiful and fully functional website in just moments.
Whereas the important features in WordPRess and Shopify are available through the addons. For WordPress, these are known as WordPress plugins and for Shopify, they are Shopify apps. The WordPress plugins are general purpose and also include some for eCommerce, while all these apps are developed just for the eCommerce purpose.
Extra Tools: WordPress Vs Shopify
There are so many options for you to create a basic eCommerce website. However, with both: WordPress and Shopify provide you with enough options to optimize your eCommerce websites.
WordPress comes with additional WooCommerce plugins and add-ons to integrate more features into your website. In Shopify too, additional features are available in form of Shopify apps.
However, as Shopify is a platform specifically developed for creating eCommerce websites, there are very appealing tools for boosting the sales, enhancing the product page features, etc.
Shopify Vs WordPress: Pricing
WordPress is free and open source. It can be used to create a website for any niche, eCommerce or something else. However, the only cost you need to handle is the theme price, if you want to go for a premium WordPress eCommerce theme, and that for the domain name and host.
You won’t have to pay separately for hosting your Shopify website. All you need is to subscribe to one of their monthly prepaid plans. The fee includes using the Shopify platform and its features. No hosting charges because the platform is self hosted.
You get all the basic website building features with the base plan and you can upgrade as you go. If you want advanced features, you can subscribe to the additional services by installing the Shopify Apps.
Comparing both the platforms, WordPress is affordable for small business owners. It is much more cheaper than Shopify.
When to use Shopify, when to use WordPress?
You can use Shopify if you want to create highly professional online stores and ready to pay a monthly fee for creating an online store.
On the other hand, WordPress is very flexible, and easy to use. It is affordable and the most appealing quality of WordPress is the availability of eCommerce themes.
There are so many eCommerce WordPress theme available, with different design and features. Especially the that allow you to create incredible designs with just drag and drop options.
You can go for Shopify for all the professional features and if you are ready to pay the monthly subscription. Or you can go for WordPress to create beautiful and fully functional websites. The features and flexibility are generally same for both the eCommerce platforms.
Browse the eCommerce Themes for WordPress