Shopify vs WordPress: The Ultimate Showdown for E-Commerce
Attention all business enthusiasts! Do you want to start your eCommerce business?
Starting an eCommerce business can be thrilling, but making the right choices can be a real challenge. One such difficulty people face is selecting the right platform to establish their business.
Among many platforms available for eCommerce business, two of them have gained immense popularity – Shopify and WordPress. Several reasons and features of these platforms have given them the title of eCommerce titans. For example, the form builder Shopify allows users to create complicated forms quickly, and WordPress’s low coding development makes website creation easy.
With all these available benefits of both platforms, your confusion in selecting the right one is apparent. For this reason, we have created this comprehensive guide to help you choose the right platform for your eCommerce platform.
What is Shopify?
When it comes to eCommerce, many people have heard about Shopify. In fact, it has become a household name by now.
Shopify is an online platform where business owners can build and launch their online stores without any need for complex coding. It is a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform, so you cannot own the program but pay a monthly fee.
Moreover, it is a cloud-based platform, so you only need a reliable internet connection and a web browser to run your online store. This cloud-based feature allows you to access your Shopify store from any location and any device.
Advantages
This is ideal for people wanting their business up and running in no time. Moreover, there are many third-party apps available to increase your functionality. For example, if you want people to add your events to their calendars, you can use the Shopify event calendar app.
Their team is available around the clock and can answer your queries any time of the day. You can mail them, chat with them, or contact them via their hotline. 4 hotlines are available for 4 different regions. Also, there are extensive FAQs available which you can refer to for your doubts.
If you want to skip the learning curve and make your Shopify store development easy, hire Shopify app developers.
If you want to add more functionality to your store, Shopify offers every feature to cater to your needs.
The applications available on the store have grown from 2000 to around 8000, and you can find an app for most functionalities now. Also, multiple apps are available for a single functionality, so you get varied choices.
Disadvantages
However, the beginner and basic plans cannot provide advanced features, and you will need to subscribe to the costly plan. However, if you want to save money on everything, hire Shopify app developer. They will handle everything from start to end and give you peace of mind. You will also be assured that the fees of hiring professionals are worth it.
What is WordPress?
WordPress has often been the first platform people heard about for building their own website. Initially, WordPress was a predominantly Content Management System (CMS) where people could easily post blogs, articles, and more without any help from a professional. With time, WordPress has diversified its offerings and has emerged as a favorable option for businesses of type.
The best part of WordPress is that it is an open-source platform and allows everyone to create a website. However, if you want to create a complex website and add additional features, you must use a paid WordPress plan.
Advantages
Moreover, WordPress has a diverse plugin library, where you can find many plugins to enhance your website’s functionality.
For example, if you want your users to easily wish list your products, you can add related plugins. It is worth noting that the capability to streamline wishlists is not limited to WordPress only. You can also find some of the best wishlist apps for Shopify, allowing users to create unlimited wishlists.
Also, you can find many plugins specifically designed for SEO purposes that can simplify many SEO tasks. For example, some plugins can help you find keywords, while others can help you create meta descriptions.
You can minimize this risk by selecting your website’s right plugins and themes. However, your website still remains prone to vulnerabilities.
For example, you have 10 plugins on your WordPress website that are upgraded annually. There is a considerable chance that an upgrade of any one plugin can break your website. Moreover, if you are handling your website alone, rectifying the bug and reverting your website to its proper state can be a nightmare. It will also not be possible for you to test every upgrade before applying it to your live website.
The worst part is when you add too many plugins; it can affect the speed of your website. Slower sites can impact user experience and SEO, and sites are penalized in search engine rankings. Hence, as website speed is directly related to search engine ranking, avoid adding too many plugins to your WordPress website.
Shopify Vs. WordPress: What should you choose?
Shopify and WordPress are two popular eCommerce platforms with their weaknesses and strengths.
However, if your sole aim is to build an eCommerce website, choose Shopify, as it is exclusively designed for eCommerce stores. It has various features and third-party integration capabilities to enhance your store’s performance. For example, the discount app Shopify will let you create, manage, and promote various types of discounts and attract new customers.
On the other hand, if you are looking for flexibility and customization options, like marketing your business through blogging, WordPress is the better choice.
Nevertheless, there is no right or wrong platform. The selection of the suitable one depends on your individual needs. The best way to decide is to test the trial versions of both software and get a feel of how they will work for you. This way, you can make well-informed decisions.
Starting an eCommerce business can be thrilling, but making the right choices can be a real challenge. One such difficulty people face is selecting the right platform to establish their business.
Among many platforms available for eCommerce business, two of them have gained immense popularity – Shopify and WordPress. Several reasons and features of these platforms have given them the title of eCommerce titans. For example, the form builder Shopify allows users to create complicated forms quickly, and WordPress’s low coding development makes website creation easy.
With all these available benefits of both platforms, your confusion in selecting the right one is apparent. For this reason, we have created this comprehensive guide to help you choose the right platform for your eCommerce platform.
What is Shopify?
When it comes to eCommerce, many people have heard about Shopify. In fact, it has become a household name by now.
Shopify is an online platform where business owners can build and launch their online stores without any need for complex coding. It is a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform, so you cannot own the program but pay a monthly fee.
Moreover, it is a cloud-based platform, so you only need a reliable internet connection and a web browser to run your online store. This cloud-based feature allows you to access your Shopify store from any location and any device.
Advantages
- Easy to get started
This is ideal for people wanting their business up and running in no time. Moreover, there are many third-party apps available to increase your functionality. For example, if you want people to add your events to their calendars, you can use the Shopify event calendar app.
- Customer support 24/7
Their team is available around the clock and can answer your queries any time of the day. You can mail them, chat with them, or contact them via their hotline. 4 hotlines are available for 4 different regions. Also, there are extensive FAQs available which you can refer to for your doubts.
If you want to skip the learning curve and make your Shopify store development easy, hire Shopify app developers.
- Get access to a variety of features
If you want to add more functionality to your store, Shopify offers every feature to cater to your needs.
- The huge third-party app ecosystem
The applications available on the store have grown from 2000 to around 8000, and you can find an app for most functionalities now. Also, multiple apps are available for a single functionality, so you get varied choices.
Disadvantages
- Pricing
However, the beginner and basic plans cannot provide advanced features, and you will need to subscribe to the costly plan. However, if you want to save money on everything, hire Shopify app developer. They will handle everything from start to end and give you peace of mind. You will also be assured that the fees of hiring professionals are worth it.
- Transaction fees
- Migration challenges
What is WordPress?
WordPress has often been the first platform people heard about for building their own website. Initially, WordPress was a predominantly Content Management System (CMS) where people could easily post blogs, articles, and more without any help from a professional. With time, WordPress has diversified its offerings and has emerged as a favorable option for businesses of type.
The best part of WordPress is that it is an open-source platform and allows everyone to create a website. However, if you want to create a complex website and add additional features, you must use a paid WordPress plan.
Advantages
- User-friendly
- Customizable and flexible
Moreover, WordPress has a diverse plugin library, where you can find many plugins to enhance your website’s functionality.
For example, if you want your users to easily wish list your products, you can add related plugins. It is worth noting that the capability to streamline wishlists is not limited to WordPress only. You can also find some of the best wishlist apps for Shopify, allowing users to create unlimited wishlists.
- It is SEO friendly
Also, you can find many plugins specifically designed for SEO purposes that can simplify many SEO tasks. For example, some plugins can help you find keywords, while others can help you create meta descriptions.
- Disadvantages
- Data security and vulnerability
You can minimize this risk by selecting your website’s right plugins and themes. However, your website still remains prone to vulnerabilities.
- Maintenance issues because of frequent upgrades
For example, you have 10 plugins on your WordPress website that are upgraded annually. There is a considerable chance that an upgrade of any one plugin can break your website. Moreover, if you are handling your website alone, rectifying the bug and reverting your website to its proper state can be a nightmare. It will also not be possible for you to test every upgrade before applying it to your live website.
- Apps difficulties
The worst part is when you add too many plugins; it can affect the speed of your website. Slower sites can impact user experience and SEO, and sites are penalized in search engine rankings. Hence, as website speed is directly related to search engine ranking, avoid adding too many plugins to your WordPress website.
Shopify Vs. WordPress: What should you choose?
Shopify and WordPress are two popular eCommerce platforms with their weaknesses and strengths.
However, if your sole aim is to build an eCommerce website, choose Shopify, as it is exclusively designed for eCommerce stores. It has various features and third-party integration capabilities to enhance your store’s performance. For example, the discount app Shopify will let you create, manage, and promote various types of discounts and attract new customers.
On the other hand, if you are looking for flexibility and customization options, like marketing your business through blogging, WordPress is the better choice.
Nevertheless, there is no right or wrong platform. The selection of the suitable one depends on your individual needs. The best way to decide is to test the trial versions of both software and get a feel of how they will work for you. This way, you can make well-informed decisions.
