Worldwide eCommerce sales are estimated to hit $5.5 trillion in 2022
This potential encourages many business owners to jump into the ecommerce arena and transform their small biz into an online store.
Now, when it comes to ecommerce, WordPress and Shopify happen to be giant market players. One can create a fully-functional ecommerce website using any of these platforms, but which one is better?
Well, we can’t name one! Some features are unique only to Shopify, and others only for WordPress. One must learn the key features and benefits + pitfalls of both options to make an informed choice. To make this difficult task easy for you, here is our comprehensive Shopify vs. WordPress guide!
Shopify vs. WordPress
Definition
Shopify is an all-in-one solution that helps you create a professional online store where you can sell your products, manage orders and get more traffic.
WordPress is a free blogging tool that powers more than 25 per cent of all websites on the Internet. People use it to run an entire website or just a blog section of your business website.
Hundreds of thousands of online merchants use Shopify, it is a good option for those just starting with their businesses. It is a popular option custom website design company recommends.
But what about WordPress? Isn’t it just for blogs? Not at all! While its motive was to create blogs, now it has become much more than that over the years. Today, it is one of the most powerful Content Management Systems (CMS) on the market — and it can also serve as an eCommerce platform!
Feature comparison
Ease of use
Shopify is known for its easy-to-use interface and robust set of tools that allow you to create a fully functional online store without having any technical knowledge. On the other hand, WordPress can be a little harder for beginners.
Shopify has a user interface (UI) that allows anyone with basic computer skills to set up an online store with little technical knowledge.
WordPress requires more technical knowledge when setting up an eCommerce site. However, if you already know how to use WordPress as a CMS, setting up an eCommerce site on it will be relatively easy.
Cost
If Shopify and WordPress are hotels, Shopify is quite an expensive hotel with an all-inclusive package, which seems costly at first, but you will get everything you need once you are check-in.
On the other hand, WordPress initially seems like the more budget hotel, later you discover that you need to pay separately for everything, from your food and drink to poolside games.
There are three popular Shopify pricing plans:
- Basic: $29 per month.
- Shopify: $79 per month.
- Advanced: $299 per month.
For WordPress, there are two pricing plans:
- WordPress Free: $0 AUD
- WordPress Pro: $20 AUD
WordPress offers to start working without paying anything upfront but with limited functionality, storage, and visits. You have to pay for other essential features.
Customisation
Experts from custom web design companies suggest that Shopify comes with more pre-built templates than WordPress, so it is easier to customise your store appearance using its tools. Do note that this is not necessarily a good thing for some craftspeople who prefer working with blank canvases because they have more control over their designs that way.
Content Management
WordPress offers a better way of managing content than Shopify does.
If you want to make changes to your website regularly or update new information frequently, WordPress is more suitable for you than Shopify. WordPress offers powerful tools such as widgets and shortcodes which help users manage their page more efficiently than Shopify’s admin panel, which is not user-friendly enough in terms of content management.
Security
Both platforms protect against credit card fraud and identity theft by requiring shoppers to input their credit card information or personal details before making purchases.
Conclusion
You see, both platforms have pros and cons. While Shopify is easy to use, WordPress has better features for content management.
Shopify is more beginner-friendly than WordPress as it boasts an intuitive drag-and-drop interface – it comes with many built-in features that are great if you don’t have any coding experience or time to learn how to code yourself. However, if you’re looking for more flexibility in how you display products in your store or want the ability to add other features like blogs or feedback forms, WordPress could be better suited for your needs.
Analyse your requirements and decide which one to opt for.
Not getting up to mark web design and development with your in-house team? Reach out to Netplanet Digital– A professional website builder company.
For better clarity, book a free 30 minutes strategy call with our dedicated team.
