WooCommerce vs Shopify: which suits a UK small retailer?

Two different models

Shopify and WooCommerce solve the same problem in very different ways, and it helps to understand the model before comparing features.

Shopify is a hosted subscription platform. You pay a monthly plan, Shopify runs the servers and you build your shop inside its system. It is quick to start, but your store lives on Shopify and you cannot move it to your own server.

WooCommerce is a free, open-source ecommerce plugin for WordPress. You host it yourself, or pay a host to run it for you. Because the software and the database are yours, you own your data and can move to another host whenever you like.

How the costs build up

Neither option is free to run, so it is worth looking at the shape of the bill rather than the headline price.

Shopify

• A monthly plan, which rises as you move to higher tiers.
• Apps for features that are not built in, many of them with their own monthly charge.
• Paid themes if you want something beyond the free designs.
• Transaction or payment fees, depending on how you take payments.

WooCommerce

• Hosting, which is the main fixed cost.
• Paid plugins where you need them, though many useful ones are free.
• Payment provider fees, which you pay on any platform.
• Upkeep: updates, backups and security, either your own time or included in managed hosting.

For a deeper look at budgeting, read our guide on how much a webshop costs in the UK.

Ownership and lock-in

This is the point many shop owners only think about once they want to leave. With Shopify you can export products, customers and orders as CSV files, but the shop itself, its theme and its apps stay behind. With WooCommerce the whole shop is a set of files and a database you control. If you fall out with your host, you take everything with you.

Ownership also matters for the long term. A shop you have spent years building is a business asset. Knowing you can pick it up and move it gives you a stronger position with any supplier.

Flexibility and features

Shopify gives you a tidy, consistent system with fewer decisions to make. That is a strength if you want to start quickly and your needs are standard. When you need something unusual, you depend on what the app store offers and how Shopify allows it to work.

WooCommerce runs on WordPress, which means you can change almost anything: page layouts, checkout steps, product types, content pages and integrations with other tools. Trade pricing, subscriptions, bookings, product add-ons and custom fields are all possible. The trade-off is that more freedom brings more to look after, which is why many small shops choose managed hosting.

Day-to-day running

On Shopify, platform updates happen in the background. On WooCommerce, WordPress, WooCommerce and your plugins need updating regularly, and someone should check the shop still works afterwards. Backups and SSL certificates also need to be in place. With managed WooCommerce hosting, those jobs are done for you, so the daily experience is much closer to a hosted platform.

Content and SEO

WordPress started as a publishing tool, so writing guides, recipes, care instructions or blog posts next to your products is natural. You also have full control over page titles, descriptions and URLs. Shopify handles the basics well, but you work within the structure the platform sets.

What about Magento?

Magento, now Adobe Commerce, suits large catalogues and complex operations, but it needs specialist development to build and maintain. For most small retailers and makers it is more than they need. If you are already on Magento and finding it heavy, see our page on moving from Magento.

Which one should you pick?

• Choose Shopify if you want the quickest start, your needs are standard and you are comfortable with the platform owning the setup.
• Choose WooCommerce if you want to own your shop, keep running costs predictable, sell in ways that need flexibility, or publish plenty of content.

You can also compare the options side by side on our platform comparison page.

About Retail Web Hosting

We run managed WooCommerce hosting for UK small retailers and makers. Shop Start is €19.95 a month and includes hosting, an SSL certificate, regular backups and WordPress, WooCommerce and plugin updates done for you. You keep full ownership and can cancel any month. See our WooCommerce hosting or compare the hosting plans.

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