Choose a better option and grow your business online in 2022!!
Which is the best between Shopify and WordPress? Many businesses ask themselves this topic, so I’ll go into detail about it in this post.
Continue reading to learn more about both platforms, their main features, and the reasons you would pick one over the other when creating an e-commerce website.
After reading this comparison, you need to know a lot more about which platform will work best for your company’s needs (and what the best alternatives to both platforms are).
Let’s start with an important question…
WordPress is actually available in two separate versions:
- Hosted WordPress
- Self-hosted WordPress
Hosted WordPress
Like Shopify, hosted WordPress is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that is accessible through wordpress.com.
You can access a variety of tools that let you create and manage a basic blog, website, or e-commerce site for a monthly or annual charge.
If you’re interested in selling things, the “Business” and “eCommerce” plans are the best ones to utilize because they make it easy to add e-commerce plugins (in the case of the “eCommerce” plan, certain other eCommerce tools are also offered out of the box).
WordPress Self-Hosted
A program called self-hosted WordPress is one that you get from wordpress.org and set up on your own web server.
Because it is open source, anyone may access and quickly modify the code that powers it.
In actuality, this means that WordPress-powered websites may be greatly changed because the platform is so adaptable and can be tailored to fit the needs of almost any web design project with the help of a competent website developer or the installation of the appropriate plugins.
Although WordPress can be installed on your server for free, there are hosting fees, domain registration fees, and possible wordpress development expenditures to take into account.
A web application called Shopify was created exclusively to help business owners create and run their own online stores.
It offers a selection of templates (or “themes”) that may be customized to match the needs of various businesses in terms of branding, and it enables the sale of both physical and digital goods.
You don’t need any coding experience to utilize Shopify development because one of its main goals is to allow users to construct their own stores without any technical or design expertise.
However, Shopify does let you alter the HTML and CSS of your website, so those that are proficient in coding will be able to further customize their stores.
Everything is run on Shopify’s servers since it is a “hosted” solution. In other words, you don’t have to worry about purchasing a web hosting or installing software elsewhere.
I recommend Shopify if you:
- You are not an expert in technical knowledge and want to create your own online store
- You want to keep good track of your budget
- You value convenience
WordPress.com is a blogging platform that functions similarly to a website builder, enabling you to make your own website quickly and effortlessly. Self-hosted software with a far higher level of technological sophistication is WordPress.org.
We’ll be contrasting WordPress.org with Shopify because you can use it to build almost any form of a website, including online retailers.
I recommend WordPress if :
- You have some knowledge of coding knowledge
- You have the budget to pay for a developer’s help
- You want total control over your site’s customization
Let’s check out some pros and cons of Shopify and WordPress:
WordPress Pros:
- Greater flexibility and power than Shopify, enabling complete customization
- It is a little bit easier to use
- There are a ton of beneficial factors available online, both from user forums and expert developers.
WordPress Cons:
- To utilize the platform, you will require some level of technological expertise.
- It can easily become very pricey.
- You must obtain things like web hosting, security, and a domain name on your own.
Shopify Pros:
- To utilize Shopify, you don’t need any coding or technological expertise.
- Since it was created specifically for e-commerce websites, all the necessary sales tools are already set up for you.
- You do not need to pay for external hosting or security.
Shopify Cons:
- Unless you utilize Shopify Payments, the company’s own payment system, you must pay additional transaction costs (0.5% to 2% for each transaction).
- You will need to adapt your material if you decide to change your theme.
- It still isn’t as easy to use or as fundamental as a drag-and-drop platform.
Which is less expensive, Shopify or WordPress?
Depending on the setup you select, yes. WordPress may end up being less expensive than Shopify if you’re willing to use free themes, plugins, and inexpensive shared hosting. Because the combined expenses of managed hosting, premium themes, e-commerce plugins, and a WordPress maintenance service typically exceed the costs of the Shopify monthly plans.
Can I use Shopify and WordPress for free?
Yes. With regard to WordPress, you can get the platform’s self-hosted version from WordPress.org. You have access to a 14-day free trial through Shopify.
Can I use WordPress and Shopify together?
Yes. To sell on a WordPress website, you can make advantage of Shopify’s “Buy Button” feature. A plugin or a little piece of code placed on the appropriate pages of your website can be used to add this to your website.
For eCommerce, one cannot simply select between Shopify and WordPress because each platform has its own advantages.
Do you have any opinions or questions about Shopify vs. WordPress? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.