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Every London business launching online asks the same question. WooCommerce or Shopify?
Here’s the honest comparison without the sales pitch.
The Core Difference
Understanding what you’re actually choosing between.
WooCommerce:
WordPress plugin you install yourself. Self-hosted on your server. Open source and free core. You manage technical aspects. Complete ownership and control.
Shopify:
Hosted platform, all-in-one solution. Monthly subscription service. Managed hosting included. Shopify handles technical side. Rent your store from them.
Different philosophies. Different strengths.
Cost Comparison
Money matters. Let’s be specific.
Initial setup:
Shopify: £0 setup cost, start immediately. WooCommerce: £1,500-£8,000+ for development and setup.
Shopify wins for upfront cost.
Monthly recurring:
Shopify: £25-£384/month plan fees + 2% transaction fees (unless using Shopify Payments) + app costs £50-£200/month average.
Total: £100-£600/month typical.
WooCommerce: £20-£100/month hosting + £0-£50/month for premium plugins + payment processing fees only (same as Shopify Payments).
Total: £30-£150/month typical.
3-year total (assuming £100k annual sales):
Shopify: (£79/month x 36) + (2% transaction fees on £300k) = £2,844 + £6,000 = £8,844 + apps.
WooCommerce: £5,000 setup + (£50/month x 36) = £6,800 total.
WooCommerce cheaper long-term if you have sales volume.
5-year total:
Shopify: £14,844+ in platform fees alone. WooCommerce: £8,000 total.
Gap widens over time.
Ease of Use
Technical skill requirements differ.
Shopify advantages:
Set up store in hours, not weeks. No technical knowledge required. Drag-and-drop interface. Hosting and updates managed. Built-in help and support. Less overwhelming for beginners.
WooCommerce advantages:
Familiar WordPress interface if you know it. More control once you understand it. Better for complex customization. More powerful for advanced users.
Reality:
Shopify easier to start. WooCommerce easier to customize once you learn it.
For non-technical London business owners, Shopify’s simplicity is real advantage.
Design and Customization
How much control over look and feel.
Shopify themes:
100+ official themes. Thousands from third parties. Drag-and-drop customization. Limited HTML/CSS access. Some customization restrictions. Mobile apps look like Shopify.
WooCommerce themes:
Thousands of free and premium themes. Complete design control. Full HTML/CSS/PHP access. Custom design without limits. Can look exactly how you want. Mobile apps look like your brand.
Winner: WooCommerce for complete design freedom. Shopify for quick professional look.
Product Limitations
What you can actually sell.
Shopify limits:
No true unlimited products but handles most needs. 3 variant options per product (size, color, material). 100 variants per product maximum. Some product types need apps. Digital products need app.
WooCommerce advantages:
Truly unlimited products. Unlimited variant options. No variant number limits. Any product type possible. Digital products built-in. Subscriptions available. Memberships possible. Complex product types supported.
Reality:
Shopify works for 90% of stores. WooCommerce needed for complex catalogs or unique product types.
SEO Capabilities
Ranking on Google matters.
Shopify SEO:
Basic SEO features included. Limited control over site structure. Blog functionality basic. URL structure has constraints. Decent for most but not optimal. Apps can extend capabilities.
WooCommerce SEO:
WordPress SEO power. Complete control over everything. Superior blogging capabilities. Flexible URL structure. Better internal linking. Schema markup easier. More SEO plugins available.
Winner: WooCommerce for serious SEO and content marketing.
If SEO is competitive advantage, WooCommerce better choice.
Apps vs Plugins
Extending functionality.
Shopify apps:
8,000+ apps in store. Monthly subscription model for most. £10-£100/month per app typical. Costs add up with multiple apps. Quality varies widely. Some functionality requires apps.
WooCommerce plugins:
60,000+ WordPress plugins. Many free options available. Premium plugins often one-time or annual. Extensions £50-£200 yearly typical. More variety and options. Any functionality possible.
App/plugin costs comparison:
Shopify: 5 apps x £30/month = £150/month = £1,800/year. WooCommerce: 5 plugins x £100/year = £500/year.
WooCommerce extensions cheaper long-term.
Payment Processing
How you get paid matters.
Shopify:
Shopify Payments built-in (2.2-2.9% + 25p). 2% extra fee if using other processors. Limited payment gateway options. Pressure to use Shopify Payments. Transaction fees add up.
WooCommerce:
Any payment processor works. No platform transaction fees. Popular: Stripe (1.5-2.9% + 25p). PayPal available. UK bank transfers. Any gateway you want. No extra fees beyond processor.
Cost example (£100k annual):
Shopify with Stripe: £100k x 2.9% = £2,900 + 2% platform fee £2,000 = £4,900.
WooCommerce with Stripe: £100k x 2.9% = £2,900 only.
£2,000 annual difference. Times that by 5 years.
Scalability
Growing your business.
Shopify scaling:
Handles growth automatically. Performance maintained. Higher plans for more features. Can support large stores. But costs scale with success.
WooCommerce scaling:
Requires upgrading hosting as you grow. Need technical knowledge to scale. More complex but more control. Can handle massive stores. Costs grow slower than Shopify.
Reality:
Both scale to millions in revenue. Shopify easier but more expensive. WooCommerce cheaper but needs management.
Content Marketing
Blogging and content capabilities.
Shopify blog:
Basic blogging included. Limited formatting options. Not built for content marketing. SEO capabilities basic. Articles and products separate.
WooCommerce advantage:
Full WordPress content power. Superior blogging platform. Content and commerce integrated. Better for building authority. Stronger SEO from content.
Winner: WooCommerce if content marketing is strategy.
London businesses competing on expertise and content benefit from WordPress power.
Multi-Channel Selling
Selling beyond your website.
Shopify strength:
Built-in Facebook and Instagram selling. Google Shopping integration. Amazon integration. eBay connection. Point of Sale system. Centralized inventory.
WooCommerce options:
Plugins for marketplace integration. Not as seamless as Shopify. POS systems available but separate. Requires more setup.
Winner: Shopify for easy multi-channel from day one.
International Selling
Selling beyond UK.
Shopify:
Multi-currency built into higher plans. Geolocation included. International domains. Currency conversion. Duties and taxes calculated. Shopify Markets for international.
WooCommerce:
Multi-currency needs plugins. More setup required. Full control over implementation. International shipping flexible. Can do everything but needs configuration.
Reality:
Both handle international. Shopify easier setup. WooCommerce more flexible.
Support and Help
When things go wrong.
Shopify support:
24/7 customer support. Phone, email, chat. Extensive documentation. Active community. Guaranteed help available. Platform stability maintained.
WooCommerce support:
Official WooCommerce support. Theme and plugin developers support. WordPress community enormous. Your developer if you hired one. You handle hosting issues.
Reality:
Shopify support is advantage. WooCommerce requires knowing where to get help or having developer relationship.
Ownership and Control
Who owns what.
Shopify:
They own platform, control rules. Your data exportable but store isn’t. Account can be suspended. You’re building on rented land. Platform changes affect you. Limited by their capabilities.
WooCommerce:
You own everything completely. Full control over all data. Can’t be shut down by platform. Move hosts anytime. Change anything you want. True ownership.
Why it matters:
If Shopify changes fees or policies, you adapt or leave. With WooCommerce, you control everything.
When to Choose Shopify
Shopify makes sense if:
Non-technical team. Want to launch quickly (days not months). Don’t want to manage technical aspects. Need simple, straightforward store. Selling standard products. Want everything in one place. Budget £100-£300/month ongoing. Don’t need extensive customization.
Good for:
Small to medium stores. Dropshipping businesses. Fashion and retail. Quick market testing. First-time e-commerce.
When to Choose WooCommerce
WooCommerce better if:
Want complete control and ownership. Have technical support or budget for developer. Need extensive customization. Selling complex product types. Content marketing is important. Want superior SEO capabilities. Plan significant growth. Prefer one-time costs over monthly fees. UK-based business wanting UK hosting.
Good for:
Businesses with technical capability. Complex product requirements. Content-focused businesses. Subscription or membership sites. B2B e-commerce. High-volume stores.
Migration Between Platforms
Can switch but costs involved.
Shopify to WooCommerce:
Product data exports easily. Customer data transfers. Order history moves. Design needs rebuilding. Apps need replacement. £2,000-£8,000 typical migration cost.
WooCommerce to Shopify:
Product import straightforward. Loses some customization. Simpler after migration. Monthly costs increase. Can do yourself with apps.
Reality:
Switching platforms is disruptive. Choose right initially if possible.
What AlgoSemantic Recommends
We build on both platforms. Honest recommendations:
Most London businesses: Start WooCommerce if you have £5,000+ setup budget and plan to grow. Better long-term value.
Quick launch needed: Shopify gets you selling fastest. Migrate to WooCommerce later if outgrow it.
Complex requirements: WooCommerce handles anything. Shopify has limitations.
Non-technical owner: Shopify saves headaches if you can’t hire technical help.
Our services:
WooCommerce development: £3,000-£20,000 depending on complexity. Shopify to WooCommerce migration: £2,000-£8,000. Platform consultation: Free, honest advice.
We’ve built 100+ stores on both platforms since 2018. We know what works for different businesses.
Not Sure Which Platform Fits Your Business?
We’ll review your specific requirements and recommend the best platform for your needs, budget, and goals.
Email us: contact@algosemantic.com Call us: +44 7412 808430
Google Map: 10C Church Ln, Bushwood London, United Kingdom
AlgoSemantic. The algorithm behind your success.
