# Shopify or WooCommerce: which one fits a small shop?

## At a glance

**Which one to pick**You want to start selling this week with no server to look after: Shopify

**What to check before you choose**List the features you need, such as subscriptions, bookings, wholesale prices and shipping rules, and check which come built in and which are paid apps or extensions on each platform.

## Side by side

| | Shopify | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay for | A monthly plan, plus card fees | Hosting, your domain, and any paid extensions |
| Free option | A 3-day free trial | Free to download and use, with no monthly subscription |
| Plans | Basic, Grow and higher monthly plans; card rates depend on the plan | The plugin is free; hosting and paid extensions are priced by whoever you buy them from |
| Where it runs | Shopify's servers | Your own WordPress hosting |
| Good fit | Owners who want the store, hosting and checkout looked after for them | Shops already on WordPress, or that want full control of the code and data |

## Which one to pick

- You want to start selling this week with no server to look after: Shopify
- Your site is already WordPress, or you need custom checkout or product logic: WooCommerce
- Either way, add up the monthly plan or hosting, the apps or extensions you need, and payment fees

## What to check before you choose

List the features you need, such as subscriptions, bookings, wholesale prices and shipping rules, and check which come built in and which are paid apps or extensions on each platform.

## Sources

- [Shopify pricing](https://www.shopify.com/pricing), checked 2026-11-04
- [WooCommerce pricing](https://woocommerce.com/pricing/), checked 2026-11-04

Updated 2026-11-04. General guidance, not advice for your situation; we scope each project in writing before any work starts.

## Questions people ask first

**Is WooCommerce free?**

The plugin is free to download and use. You pay for hosting, and for any paid extensions you add.

**Can I move from WooCommerce to Shopify, or back?**

Yes. Products, customers and orders can be moved; we check redirects so search traffic follows.

**Which is better for SEO?**

Both can rank well. What matters more is page speed, product content and clean URLs.

## Read next

[**Shopify**](https://pushbuild.com/tools/shopify.html)[**WooCommerce**](https://pushbuild.com/tools/woocommerce.html)[**Shopify theme customization**](https://pushbuild.com/services/shopify-theme-customization.html)[**Shopify apps**](https://pushbuild.com/services/shopify-apps.html)[**Shopify automation**](https://pushbuild.com/guides/shopify-automation.html)

## Tell us what you need built.

Tell us the process and the tools involved, or call. We reply with questions or a written scope.

[hello@pushbuild.com](mailto:hello@pushbuild.com?subject=Automation%20question)

[(617) 299-8887](tel:+16172998887)

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As of 2026-11-05. Source: https://pushbuild.com/compare/shopify-vs-woocommerce.html