Planning to build an online store in today’s growing digitalization era is a great option but choosing between the prominent tools WordPress and Shopify is tough. WordPress and Shopify are two of the most popular platforms for building an eCommerce website. Both tools have pros and cons, making them ideal for business requirements and user needs.

Read the full article to learn in-depth about the difference between WordPress and Shopify to help you decide which platform to choose for your online store.

What are WordPress and Shopify Platforms?

WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS) tool noncoders use to build websites and blogs. Originally designed for blogging, it has evolved into a versatile platform that handles everything from simple blogs to full-fledged eCommerce stores, thanks to plugins like WooCommerce. Shopify, on the other hand, is a dedicated eCommerce platform that simplifies the process of building and managing an online store. It’s a hosted solution, meaning you don’t have to worry about web hosting, security, or updates — Shopify takes care of everything for you.

WordPress vs Shopify: Differences

WordPress and Shopify might be great fits for your website because of the services they provide, but there are several points where they differ. Talking about WordPress vs Shopify, WordPress is an open-source CMS that requires plugins to operate e-commerce, while Shopify is a full-featured e-commerce platform that comes with built-in tools to manage e-commerce. Here’s how they differ from each other in the:

WordPress is ideal for technical tasks it requires managing the plugins, hosting, etc while Shopify is quick to use.
WordPress is an open-source CMS needs can be modified for e-commerce use to install plugins of your choice and Spotify is already hosted and has built-in tools.
WordPress can be customized limitless times while Shopify offers limited customizations and fewer themes to use.
WordPress is a free platform but hosting costs extra money while Shopify starts with a minimum pricing plan and includes security and hosting.
WordPress requires buying plugins to operate any business while Shopify is already equipped with eCommerce features.
WordPress offers advanced SEO allowing customizing URLs, adding meta descriptions, etc while Shopify comes with basic SEO tools.
WordPress provides security after installing certain plugins while Shopify handles security with its built-in tools.

Since now you are aware of the major difference between WordPress and Shopify Let’s see which platform is best for your online store after deeply understanding its pros and cons.

Which Platform is best for your Online Store? WordPress or Shopify?

If you are confused between WordPress and Shopify platforms, consider looking into their pros and cons and then decide which suits best for your online business. Read the article further to make the final decision:

Pros of WordPress

WordPress platform comes with several benefits that can help your e-commerce grow independently whether you are a start-up business or business owner for years and want to establish a strong online presence. Here are the points to consider:

100% Customizable: WordPress offers thousands of free and paid themes, extensions, product pages, etc to give a unique design to your e-commerce website.

Cost-effective: This platform is free of cost and its basic services like creating content are free and basic setup is affordable without any hosting charges.

Mobile-friendly: WordPress provides mobile-friendly themes and designs that are quick to open and responsive on phones. Users can take advantage of its emergent responsive technology for their websites.

Flexible Product Management: The WordPress-centric interface makes managing inventory simple. Its plugin allows to creation store and the flexibility to add more products and sell physically and digitally.

Open Source: This platform allows users to modify the code and tailor their website according to their specific demands.

Cons of WordPress

WordPress has several cons or disadvantages of using that too should be considered to be looked into. Here are a few WordPress cons that you’ll want to know:

Requires Plugins: To operate e-commerce sites on WordPress requires purchasing plugins and other features that are complicated to manage. It also lacks advanced features and settings.

Performance Glitches: WordPress doesn’t require several plugins to function alone. These plugins take up lots of space slow down the speed of the website and result in bad performance.

Not beginner-friendly: WordPress demands technical knowledge to facilitate the platform, and developing designs, and managing the website can be challenging for users who have prior no knowledge no technology.

Frequent Updates: This website is disturbed by its frequent update requests that take up so much time and require too much data.

Steep Learning Curve: WordPress emphasizes having technical skills to start even the basic setup of your business like hosting, security, customizations, etc.

Pros of Shopify

The Shopify platform has several benefits for e-commerce and business owners who want to build an online store. These are:

eCommerce-Focused: Shopify has built-in tools and features suitable for managing e-commerce platforms like inventory tracking, inventory management, shipping, etc

Secure and Reliable: It makes the website hack-proof through its advanced cybersecurity and offers a secure transition experience.

Ease of Use: Shopify handles all the technical e-commerce features of any online store. Its interface is beginner-friendly providing all the plugins and security in one place making it easy to use.

Scalability: It is built effectively for the scalability purpose of the e-commerce website offering robust infrastructure, handling sudden traffic, and redesigning the store.

24/7 Support: Above all the features offered in Shopify its efficient customer support service stands top. It provides 24/7 services through chat, FAQs, email, and phone support.

Cons of Shopify

Besides the advantages and benefits that you enjoy in Shopify, there are several cons or disadvantages of its use to consider before making the purchase:

Monthly Costs: Shopify comes with a little pricey tag when it comes to buying e-commerce features and plugins. The lowest-priced services aren’t as effective as promoting growth in your online business.

Limited Customization: Certain features and functionality have limited customization options in Shopify. To add or unlock certain advanced features on your e-commerce website you’ll have to change your code when using this platform.
Steeper Learning Curve: The jargon and technical terms make the learning curve on Shopify steeper. Users might find the features complicated, as it’s not the same as the ones widely used.

No Email Hosting: Shopify lacks email hosting facilities which means the ecommcee won’t get the email address based on your domain. You’ll have to instead make an email forwarding feature on your basic email account to manage the customer queries.

Dependent on Shopify Ecosystem: The SEO features and customization is limited in Shopify and dependent on its framework.

Conclusion

You can not put this through whether Shopify or WordPress platform to choose for your online store unless you are sure what your requirement is. We have mentioned the difference between WordPress and Shopify so you to decide which one could be the right fit for your online business. If you are looking for a flexible and customizable platform don’t mind customizing features with the technical work, WordPress with WooCommerce is a powerful option. However, if you’re looking for a beginner-friendly solution, quick to use, and easy to launch your online store quickly, Shopify is the best option to choose.