Shopify vs WooCommerce: Real Costs and Who Each Suits

Pick Shopify if you want a hosted store that works out of the box for a fixed monthly fee, with hosting, security and updates handled for you. Pick WooCommerce if you already run WordPress, want the free open source software you can host anywhere, and are comfortable managing hosting and extensions yourself.

Both can run a serious online store. The choice is mostly about who looks after the technical side, and how your costs are structured.

Shopify vs WooCommerce at a glance

Which is cheaper, Shopify or WooCommerce?

Neither is automatically cheaper, because WooCommerce is free software but not free to run. WooCommerce calls itself "the free, Open Source ecommerce platform for WordPress," and its pricing page says the core is "Free, with no monthly subscription." The costs come from elsewhere. WooCommerce's own estimate is $25 to $350 a month for hosting "for most stores," and $29 to $299 a year for each paid extension you add.

Shopify charges one subscription that includes hosting. On its US pricing page, Basic is $25 a month, or $19 a month billed yearly. Grow is $65, or $49 yearly. Advanced is $399, or $299 yearly. Plus starts at $2,300 a month. Shopify says there are no setup fees on any plan.

WooCommerce's own low-end hosting estimate, $25 a month, is the same as Shopify Basic on monthly billing, before you add any paid extensions. Whether WooCommerce ends up cheaper depends on the hosting you pick and how many paid extensions you need, so price those out before deciding.

What did we check ourselves?

On 6 November 2026, we read both pricing pages for payment fees. Shopify's FAQ said "third-party transaction fees may apply when you use a third-party payment provider (instead of Shopify Payments)" and that "the rate depends on your plan," but the page did not print the rates. WooCommerce's comparison table listed the additional fee for third-party payment solutions as "None," and put card processing with its own WooPayments at about 2.50 to 2.90% plus 30 cents per transaction.

The same day, Shopify's headline offer was "Try 3 days free, then $1/month for 3 months," and its FAQ said the trial does not need a credit card.

So if you plan to use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments, ask Shopify for your plan's rate before you build on it. On a high-volume store, a percentage fee on every order can matter more than the difference between two monthly plan prices.

Which is easier to set up and run?

Shopify. You sign up, pick a theme, add products and start selling. Shopify hosts the store, so there is no server or software update for you to manage.

WooCommerce is a plugin, so you first need a WordPress site on hosting you pay for. You install WooCommerce, then any extensions for payments, shipping or subscriptions. That is more work at the start and more to maintain, since WordPress, WooCommerce, your theme and every extension need updates.

The trade-off is control. Because WooCommerce is open source and self-hosted, you own the code and the data on your server, you can move hosts, and you can change anything a developer can reach.

Which grows better with a bigger store?

Both can grow, in different ways. Shopify grows by plan. Its pricing table lists up to 5 staff accounts on Grow, 15 on Advanced and unlimited on Plus, plus 10 inventory locations on standard plans and 200 on Plus, with 24/7 support included.

WooCommerce grows with your hosting. WooCommerce notes that hosting costs scale with traffic and performance needs, so a busy store means a bigger hosting bill and more technical work, but no plan ceiling set by a vendor.

Which should you choose?

• You want to start selling this week with no technical setup: Shopify.
• You already have a WordPress site: WooCommerce, which adds a store to it.
• You want open source software you can host anywhere: WooCommerce.
• You want one predictable bill that includes hosting: Shopify.
• You want to use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments without platform fees: WooCommerce.
• You want to try first for almost nothing: Shopify's 3 free days, then $1 a month for 3 months.

FAQ

Is WooCommerce really free?

The software is free and open source. You still pay for hosting and any paid extensions. WooCommerce estimates hosting at $25 to $350 a month for most stores.

Does Shopify have a free plan?

No. It has a trial: 3 days free, then $1 a month for 3 months, after which most plans move to standard pricing.

Does Shopify charge transaction fees?

It may, if you use a third-party payment provider instead of Shopify Payments. Shopify says the rate depends on your plan.

Do I need WordPress for WooCommerce?

Yes. WooCommerce is an ecommerce platform for WordPress, installed as a plugin on a WordPress site.