Shopify vs WooCommerce
Two of the most common eCommerce platforms we build on — here's how they actually differ, and how to choose.
Shopify and WooCommerce are both proven platforms for launching and growing an online store, and Wave18 builds on both — the right choice depends on your catalogue, your team, and how much control you want over hosting and code. Shopify is fully hosted: you pay a subscription plus transaction fees, updates and security are handled for you, and most stores launch on a fixed scope from £15,000 under our Growth tier. WooCommerce is self-hosted on WordPress: there's no platform fee, but hosting, plugins and updates need active management, which trades convenience for more control and, often, lower ongoing platform costs at scale. Both can rank and convert well when built properly. The table below compares cost, launch time, flexibility, maintenance and who each platform suits best.
Last updated: July 2026
How do they compare?
| Criteria | Shopify | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Cost model | Subscription + transaction fees; hosting included. Builds typically from £15,000 (Growth tier, fixed scope). | No platform fee — pay for hosting, plugins and development instead. Often cheaper at scale, more variable upfront. |
| Time to launch | Faster for standard stores — theme and app ecosystem covers most needs out of the box. | Comparable for simple stores; more setup for payment, tax and plugin configuration than a hosted platform. |
| Flexibility | Strong for standard commerce patterns; deeper customisation goes through Shopify's app/API model. | Full code-level control — open-source WordPress core plus any plugin or custom development you need. |
| Maintenance | Hosting, security and platform updates are handled by Shopify — lower day-to-day maintenance burden. | Hosting, patching and plugin updates need active management — Wave18 handles this via website management. |
| SEO & performance | Solid technical foundation out of the box; less low-level control over markup and caching. | Strong SEO tooling via WordPress's plugin ecosystem, but performance depends heavily on hosting and build quality. |
| Best for | Merchants who want a reliable, hosted platform and fast time to launch — DTC and mid-size catalogues. | Merchants who already run WordPress for content, or want full control over hosting, code and long-term cost. |
So, which should you choose?
Choose Shopify if…
- You want a hosted platform with predictable, low day-to-day maintenance.
- You're launching fast and don't need deep custom logic.
- Your catalogue is a standard DTC or retail store.
Choose WooCommerce if…
- You already run WordPress for content and want commerce in the same place.
- You want full code-level control and no platform transaction fee.
- You're comfortable managing — or having us manage — hosting directly.
Still not sure? We recommend a platform based on catalogue size, content needs and roadmap — not a house default. Talk to us about your specific store and we'll tell you honestly which one fits.