WooCommerce or Shopify?

Short answer: WooCommerce if you like running the server and upkeep yourself and controlling everything down to the code. Shopify if you want to focus on selling without dealing with hosting, security and updates. The differences, point by point, below.

Last updated: 19 October 2026

Which one suits you?

Whichever side has most of the points that fit you is your answer.

WooCommerce

Choose WooCommerce if…

  • You already have a strong WordPress site and selling comes second
  • Someone on your team manages the server, updates and backups
  • You want access to every line of code
  • You'd rather pay for your own server than a monthly subscription

Shopify

Choose Shopify if…

  • You don't want to deal with servers, plugin conflicts and security patches
  • You worry about a campaign day's traffic slowing the site down
  • The store is at the centre of your business and has to run without interruption
  • You want your costs in one predictable monthly subscription
Already on WooCommerce and thinking of moving to Shopify? The WooCommerce to Shopify migration page explains how your products, customers and Google rankings are moved.

Point by point

WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin; Shopify is a subscription that comes with hosting. The comparison grows out of that difference.

TopicWooCommerceShopify
What is it?An open-source plugin installed on WordPressAn e-commerce subscription with hosting included
Software feeThe plugin is freeA monthly plan, priced by country; Basic from $19 a month in Turkey, billed yearly
HostingYou rent the serverUnlimited hosting included in the plan
SSL and securityDepends on your server and its settingsFree SSL, PCI DSS Level 1 certified
Updates and backupsKeeping WordPress, WooCommerce and plugins updated and backed up is your jobShopify updates the platform
Paid extensionsYearly subscriptions, e.g. Product Add-Ons $79, Subscriptions $279; if not renewed, updates and security patches stopApps, mostly on monthly subscriptions
Card paymentsWooPayments in the countries it supports, or a payment provider's pluginShopify Payments where available; with another provider, a Shopify transaction fee of 2–0.2%
UsageOver 7 million active installsAn App Store with over 16,000 apps

Sources: WooCommerce plugin page, WooCommerce security best practices, WooCommerce extension store, WooPayments countries, Shopify security, Shopify pricing for Turkey.

Things you might be wondering

Is WooCommerce free?

The plugin itself is free and open source. But it needs a server, a domain and SSL to run, and paid plugins and themes mostly renew on yearly subscriptions.

Which is cheaper, WooCommerce or Shopify?

For a small store, WooCommerce can look cheaper at first. Add the server, the yearly renewals of paid plugins and the time spent on upkeep, and the gap closes. On Shopify, hosting and updates are part of the subscription.

Which is more secure, WooCommerce or Shopify?

WooCommerce's security depends on your server, your plugins and how up to date you keep them. Shopify runs the platform itself and is PCI DSS Level 1 certified.

Which payment providers can I use?

On WooCommerce, any provider that offers a plugin; WooPayments itself works only in the countries it supports. On Shopify, Shopify Payments where it's available, or another provider with a transaction fee. In Turkey, both platforms work with iyzico and PayTR; see Shopify pricing in Turkey.

Will my Google rankings drop if I move from WooCommerce to Shopify?

Not if old links are redirected to their new addresses. When we migrate a store, we redirect every address one by one and watch Search Console for 30 days after launch.

Decide by seeing your own store

See a free Shopify demo built with your own products, and compare on screen rather than on paper. More guides: Shopify SEO, pricing in Turkey, all guides.

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