The Difference between Shopify and WordPress




WordPress and Shopify are two great choices for those who plan to start an eCommerce website or change their current one if it doesn't satisfy them. In this article we will discuss the main facts and use cases of these two and also learn more about their differences.

WordPress vs. Shopify 



WordPress


WordPress is a free, open-source content management system (CMS) written in PHP, designed to help people get online. WordPress is highly customizable and can be utilized for many various functions by using different plugins, themes, and code changes. For example, by installing a WooCommerce plugin, users can create an eCommerce store just like what can be created on Shopify. WordPress is a great choice to a large variety of prospective users including:


Web Design beginners

Users that have some web development skills

Users that can just pay the costs of their own web developer



SHOPIFY


Shopify is a SaaS company that works exclusively in eCommerce and is particularly built to help anyone set up an online store and sell their products. Those who work with Shopify don’t own their own software but they do pay a monthly fee to access all that this company has to offer.

The company's product packages include various distinct drag and drop templates. All websites connected with Shopify are hosted on Shopify’s own servers (just like a shared web hosting plan). 


WordPress vs Shopify



Look & Feel; Templates and Themes


Templates and themes are the most important aspects of the look and feel of your website. Both WordPress and Shopify offer these options, but they are different in variety and price:



WORDPRESS


WordPress has numerous paid and free themes. Most of these themes are very easy to edit, mobile-friendly and responsive. When you are searching for different themes, do not forget to choose the safe one. 



SHOPIFY


Shopify has 9 free themes and 70 paid themes. You can also have a dedicated theme designed through the Shopify designers for an additional charge. Although Shopify themes are professional, they are much more restricted WordPress themes. 



Content Management (CMS)


As far as CMS capabilities are concerned, there is actually no comparison between these two platforms.


WORDPRESS


WordPress is one of the most popular and widely-used CMS online. It has content versioning that allows users to save all versions of their pages and posts in one system and go back to old versions of their websites if required. WordPress also includes a block-based editing system which gives users more flexibility on page layout. 


SHOPIFY


In the CMS area, Shopify competes with WordPress only in its capacities for managing products and collections. As Shopify is a dedicated eCommerce company, adding products and classifying them is very easy. WordPress users who are looking for these same features and wish to have an organized eCommerce website, should install the WooCommerce plugin.


Flexibility


WORDPRESS


As mentioned above, WordPress is widely used across the web and it is one of the most flexible CMS out there in the market. WordPress users can utilize numerous plugins, templates, and integrations to improve their WordPress websites. As WordPress is an open-source platform and users have control of their own host, they can customize their sites any way they wish to fulfill all their needs. By the use of numerous amazing themes and plugins, you can make your website totally your own and have the choice to add nearly any capabilities you want.


SHOPIFY


Shopify is a pleasant website builder for newcomers but if you plan to scale and grow your business rapidly, it isn’t flexible enough. Shopify's drag and drop builder is very easy to use and customize but it’s restricted in its capacity to scale up fast without any additional cost. Although Shopify has third-party apps which simplifies the act of adding functionality to your online store, the support on these tools can become more complex as you partner up with different businesses’ support systems for each tool instead of just working with one party.



Shopify vs WordPress SEO


WORDPRESS


SEO and relevant content plays an important role in the success of your website. To improve SEO when working with WordPress, users make use of the plugin YoastSEO. It’s one of the most popular SEO tools out there in the market. It evaluates content online and directs users to utilize different ways to improve their SEO ranking. Some of its best features include:


SEO enhanced sitemaps

Canonical URLs which ensure you that there’s no duplicate content

Analyzation of paragraph structure & keyword density

Giving instructions for meta descriptions 

Link support and more

 

Another advantage of working on WordPress relating to SEO is your chance to select your internet host. The hosting company you choose and the plan you select have a great effect on your website’s future uptime, the way of handling traffic, and its general ranking on google.


SHOPIFY


In the SEO area, Shopify websites are a little more restricted. These sites have the option to utilize an SSL and automatically creates an XML Site Map. Those who want to change their website's name can configure 301 page directives, which can be very useful if you ever plan to make big business changes or rebrand later on. One of the drawbacks to SEO for Shopify websites is that it’s difficult to create clean URLs. Although Shopify has several SEO plugins to help you in this field, WordPress’ Yoast SEO is far better in comparison to those plugins.



Shopify vs WordPress eCommerce

 

It is not easy to choose between Shopify and WordPress for ecommerce because each has its own benefits.


While Shopify is one of the best ecommerce website builders that have great support to help you with the technical problems, WooCommerce is a better choice for those having WordPress-powered sites. Eventually, in comparing Shopify vs WordPress eCommerce, you should select the one that best fulfills your requirements.


In the end, it all boils down to your specific needs and requirements


Customer Support


People usually hierarchize customer support at the end, till a catastrophe arises. But it is not appropriate because it is always very pleasant to know you have support ready there and as soon as you need it. Therefore, when you want to buy WordPress hosting or Shopify hosting packages, consider this option, too.


WORDPRESS


WordPress hosting packages usually include 24/7/365 customer service for all customers over the phone, chat, and email, and there is always a professional there to help.


SHOPIFY


Shopify Lite customers can benefit from chat and email support but to get phone support you must be on a higher plan. Shopify also has a help center and a forum, but there would be no real person to help you in solving your problems quickly and precisely.



Conclusion


Both Shopify and WordPress platforms have their unique advantages. Beginners who are looking for a very simple experience without any additional problem should work with Shopify. But those who plan to grow their website internationally with many various options and capabilities, should buy WordPress hosting packages.

With WordPress, you have to only select a theme and download WooCommerce to get your business up and running immediately.


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