Shopify or WooCommerce? An honest comparison for UK businesses
We build both, so we have no dog in this fight. Here is how the decision actually breaks down on cost, control and what you will spend your time on.
We are asked this most weeks. The honest answer is that both are good, they are good at different things, and the right choice depends far more on how you want to spend your time than on any feature comparison table.
Choose Shopify if…
- You want to trade, not administer. Hosting, security patching, PCI compliance and uptime are handled.
- You expect traffic spikes. It holds up on Black Friday without you thinking about it.
- Your catalogue is reasonably conventional — physical products, standard variants, standard pricing.
- You want a checkout that is already among the best-converting available, without building one.
The cost is control and app fees. Monthly subscription, transaction fees unless you use Shopify Payments, and a stack of apps that quietly reaches £200–£400 a month. Checkout customisation is limited unless you are on Plus.
Choose WooCommerce if…
- You need unusual logic — complex B2B pricing tiers, bespoke configurators, quote-based ordering.
- Content is central to how you sell, and you want products and editorial in one WordPress install.
- You want to own your data and hosting outright, with no platform lock-in.
- You have technical support available, in-house or on retainer.
The cost is responsibility. Updates, backups, security and performance are yours. A neglected WooCommerce store degrades in a way a Shopify store does not.
The real cost comparison
People compare the £25 subscription against “free” WordPress and stop there. Over three years, once you include hosting, plugin licences, maintenance and the developer time WooCommerce genuinely needs, the totals land closer together than either camp admits. Shopify front-loads less and charges steadily; WooCommerce costs less in licences and more in attention.
What we recommend, and when
For most UK SMEs selling physical products with a catalogue under a few thousand SKUs and no in-house developer: Shopify. The time you get back is worth more than the fees.
For content-led businesses, complex B2B, or anyone with real technical capability who wants full control: WooCommerce.
We build both and we have talked clients out of the more expensive build more than once. If someone recommends a platform before asking about your catalogue, your team and your fulfilment, they are describing what they like building rather than what you need.
