In this article
Key takeaways
- Picking a platform isn't only picking software.
- What decides badly: choosing on the monthly platform fee alone without adding hosting, extensions, payment fees and maintenance time.
- You can migrate, but it is a project with cost and risk (products, customers, page addresses).
What each one is, per its own pages
Shopify. Its help center describes a platform with free and paid themes (Theme Store), free and paid apps (App Store) to add features, and its own payment provider (Shopify Payments). Billing and plan settings live inside the account. On the same page Shopify claims 99.9% uptime across major services over the past 90 days (the company's own claim; we did not verify it). Sources: Shopify Help Center, "Overview" and "Your account," no visible date, checked Oct 9, 2026.
WooCommerce. It presents itself as an open-source platform built on WordPress, with no monthly platform fee and with extensions and themes sold separately. It also says you own your site, code and data, and that arranging hosting is your responsibility. Source: "What is WooCommerce?", woocommerce.com, checked Oct 9, 2026.
WooCommerce publishes these requirements for your host (last modified May 25, 2026): WordPress 6.9 or newer, PHP 8.3 or newer, MySQL 8.0 or newer (or MariaDB 10.6 or newer) and HTTPS support. Older versions still run but are end-of-life and can carry security risks. Source: "WooCommerce Server Recommendations," woocommerce.com.
It also says you own your site, code and data, and that arranging hosting is your responsibility.
What changes for you as the owner
| Topic | Shopify | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | Plans and billing live in the account | No monthly platform fee (per WooCommerce); you pay for hosting, domain and extensions |
| Where it's managed | In a Shopify account | On a WordPress site with hosting that you or your provider arrange |
| Technical upkeep | What depends on the platform is run by Shopify (our inference, not verified in its help center); you or your provider manage themes and apps | You or your provider manage WordPress, PHP, database, HTTPS and updates |
| Payments | Shopify Payments is listed for the United States and 39 other countries (including Mexico) | Connected through extensions or gateways. WooPayments availability by country: FALTA DATO (its documentation page doesn't list countries) |
| Ownership and access | Ownership can be transferred from Settings › General; you can give collaborators limited permissions | Per WooCommerce, you own your site, code and data; access depends on your host and WordPress |
Sources: Shopify Help Center, "Supported countries for Shopify Payments," "Managing users," "Your account"; woocommerce.com; checked Oct 9, 2026.
How to decide (editorial opinion, not data)
- Shopify tends to fit if you want one account to run the store, built-in payments where they're available, and no responsibility for hosting or technical updates.
- WooCommerce tends to fit if you already have (or want) a WordPress site, need control over code and hosting, and you or your provider can maintain the technical side.
- What decides badly: choosing on the monthly platform fee alone without adding hosting, extensions, payment fees and maintenance time. Compare total cost using written quotes.
Questions to ask whoever you hire (either platform)
- Why this platform for my business, and what would I be unable to do?
- What recurring costs will I have besides the build? (plan or hosting, domain, extensions or apps, payment fees)
- Whose name will the store account, domain and hosting be under?
- How will payments, shipping and taxes work in my case?
- Which apps or extensions are required and which are optional? Each can add a cost and a dependency.
- Who updates the store and fixes problems after launch, and on what terms?
- What logins will I receive at the end, and what permissions does the provider work with?
- Can I move to another provider without losing my store?
Next step
Use this list to compare proposals. You can see how online stores for small businesses at Markelop work, try the Choose your service assistant or contact us. You may also want what a Shopify agency should include in a store build.
Frequently asked questions
Which one is cheaper?
Can I switch platforms later?
Do I need WordPress to use WooCommerce?
Sources (checked Oct 9, 2026)
- Shopify Help Center, "Overview"
- Shopify Help Center, "Supported countries for Shopify Payments"
- Shopify Help Center, "Managing users" and "Your account": https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/your-account (summaries came from an automated reader; verify wording on screen before publishing)
- WooCommerce, "What is WooCommerce?"
- WooCommerce, "WooCommerce Server Recommendations" (updated May 25, 2026)
- WooCommerce, "WooPayments Documentation" (updated Sep 25, 2026), no country list on that page
