Shopify vs. WordPress – Which is Better?

Every website faces this problem when considering how to begin. The platform you choose will ultimately decide how well you can function on it.

When it comes to Shopify and WordPress each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. When you are selecting one, you need to make sure that you understand what parameters you are basing your decision on.

This article going to talk about how to make the right selection between Shopify and WordPress. We will be looking at the structure, function and access of each of these.

At the same time, we will be evaluating the various factors to consider when selecting the right platform for your needs.

Let’s start with the factors to consider first.

Understanding Your Platform Needs

This should be your first consideration when thinking about selecting a platform. While Shopify and WordPress are the best, there are other options to explore. However, for this particular post, we are going to restrict ourselves solely to these two. So, let’s have a look at the factors to consider:

1. What is the Purpose of Your Website?

This is the first thing you must ask yourself. What is the purpose of the site that you are looking to set up? What will be the objective it will try to achieve?

If it is a business organization into retail, then all you need is a simple website through which the clients can know your products and services. On the other hand, if the site is meant for ecommerce, then that becomes a very different ballgame.

Naturally, your web platform selection should and will be based don what purpose you intend to serve through it. Not only is this important from an establishment point of view, but also necessary to ensure better scaling of the site as your scale of operations grow.

As a rule of thumb, Shopify is ideal for eCommerce retail and wholesale. Thus, it targets a very specific domain and should not be used for any other purpose. You can, but if you do then you will realize that scalability and development will become a major concern.

Similarly, WordPress is a general platform which is great for all kinds of purposes. The problem is exactly that. It is a general-purpose platform. Hence, if you are looking for something specific, then there are better options out there.

This is not to say that WordPress is not good for specific tasks. It is just to say that there are dedicated platforms that just do things slightly better.

2. What Kind of Utility Are You Looking For?

This is where you have to consider how well you understand the development process for websites. If you are a developer or have access to developers who understand how to develop a website, then you would be better served going with WordPress. This platform will be able to give you a host of features and its regular updates will make sure that you stay on top of things at all times.

However, developing WordPress requires you to expend time, money and effort. Thus, it is a labor-intensive process not always suited for those who want to launch their business as quickly as possible.

Also, as we said earlier, WordPress is best fit for general uses. You might be able to modify it to fit commercial needs. However, it can only pale in comparison to ecommerce-centric sites and platforms like Shopify.

In contrast to WordPress and its utility you have the quick setup benefit of Shopify. If you are a solopreneur and are not keen on spending money on developing your custom website, then you can go for Shopify. This will provide you a number of benefits.

The first amongst these that you will get is that of easy and quick launch. Shopify will be the platform your website will be using and will have a large number of preset features ideal for ecommerce.

So, you will get the ability to develop, customize and deploy your own portal specifically designed for eCommerce. This will naturally save you a lot of expense and make way for quick ecommerce management.

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3. How Much Are You Willing to Spend on the Platform

When starting any business, the focal point of concern is money. The same goes for all business websites and ecommerce. Depending upon your scale and your budget, your website will be devised and deployed.

The benefit of WordPress is that it is the perfect foundation for any kind of website and can be modified at any time. You can think of it like a chalkboard which can be used to talk about any subject. However, the problem is that a chalkboard on its own is a limited feature product. This means that it can only deliver you a number of benefits based on its use.

The same analogy can be applied to WordPress. It is possible to develop WordPress website at a very inexpensive rate. As most of the plugins and features you require are for free or available at a nominal price, you will not have to spend much on it.

However, this also means that you will not get the specialized benefit of Shopify, which is exclusively meant for ecommerce. Moreover, you will have to install and manage the plugins on WordPress as well as sync them together to function properly.

Taking our analogy of WordPress being a chalkboard, we can say that Shopify is a preset presentation. This means that it is much more emotive, descriptive and lucrative than WordPress.

However, the price of deployment is considerably higher as well. At the very least you will need a PC to customize the presentation and then a projector and a screen to present it.

While this might be easier, explorative and engaging, it is also more expensive. So, Shopify needs you to spend more to make less effort.

4. How Much Help Do You Need

This is a major factor to consider when talking about selecting a platform. When it comes to support, there is practically none available on WordPress. Moreover, your understanding of the software and its addons is necessary for resolving any problems.

However, WordPress does have a very active community which is also very helpful. It is comprised of professionals from all over the world who have been using the software for a long time. They also keep up with the latest so they can help you solve your problem.

Nevertheless, if you are someone who looks for direct support and wants tailor-made solutions handed to you, then you might find WordPress a bit tedious. So, you should choose your platform with this consideration in mind.

Now, when it comes to Shopify, there is more support than you could possibly ask for. This means that any problems that you might have will be resolved with ease. Shopify is renowned for its quality support and provides custom solutions, answers and resolutions for its clients.

On the whole, when you get going with Shopify, you are buying a tailored product. It is precise, specific and very accessible. However, for this convenience, you will also have to pay more. This means that your overall operational expense will be slightly to considerably higher when using Shopify.

In contrast, WordPress is an open platform for building your own custom website. So, the range to which you can develop your website really depends upon you. While this gives talented people the perfect opportunity to develop a truly unique and awesome website or webstore.

However, the upkeep and management of the website is also up to you. In the event that you encounter a problem, you will not be able to seek dedicated help to resolve your problem. So, you need to be careful about selecting the right platform and how to use it.

What Now?

From our discussion on the specific features of each platform, it must be clear that each offers its own benefits and disadvantages. So, it is necessary for you to evaluate what features you need the most and how you can get them. Naturally, this will differ from person to persona and organization to organization.

Nevertheless, we are going to look at some of the most prominent instances wherein you might find it difficult to decide which to choose. Want to know if WordPress or Shopify is good for your business? Then keep reading!

Situations When You Should Go for WordPress

To speak of it, WordPress is a good platform to build any kind of website. With the right kind of development and plugin integration, you can convert it not just into an effective ecommerce site but also expand into other branches. This means that it gives you better opportunities to develop your business along with high customization. So, here are a few instances where you should consider opting for WordPress:

1. You have the required development skills on your own or can spend money to hire people who can develop the website for you. Remember that you will also need to maintain the website, resolve any problems, make minor tweaks and expand its prospects. So, you might need to spend not-so-frequently to keep the site running smooth. Alternatively, you can learn the skills you need by yourself.
2. You have the required money to enhance the basic WordPress platform in order to get what you need for it. On the face of it and at its most basic, WordPress is meant exclusively for blogging. However, with the effective use of plugins, you can get the ecommerce features you are looking for while also retaining the most essential features of the platform.
3. You already maintain and use a WordPress-based site. So, you already know and use WordPress to a degree. This means you should have no problem in deploying WordPress on another website.
4. You know how to manipulate the source code of any open-source software. If you can do this then WordPress is effective for you. It will give you a decent amount of control. This will also enable you to modify your website as per the rapidly changing needs of your market domain and consumer base.

Situations When You Should Use Shopify

Shopify is a platform that lets anyone go into business through the ecommerce platform. It is very useful for going into business with convenience and ease. However, it can only go so far and support your business for a limited amount of time.

So, Shopify is best for those who want to keep their business small to mid-sized. But when you want to expand, you will either need to add some significant features or port your business to another platform. So, here are some situations where you might want to take up Shopify:

1. You are completely new to the website development domain. If you do not know anything about website development but want to go into business fast, then Shopify is a good choice.
2. You do not want to spend money on having a site developed. In case you are low on investment and still want to get an impressive store, the Shopify can be a good option to explore.
3. You want to use your online store to promote your physical store. If this is the case with you and you don’t particularly want a customizable website, then you can go for Shopify.
4. You want good and reliable customer support on your platform. There might be situations where you need professional help, then Shopify is one to explore.

So, Which One Should You Go For?

At the end of the day, it is completely your choice how you choose to do business online. You can choose WordPress and take your time and spend some money to develop it effectively. On the other hand, you can also get a pre-made Shopify store that will allow you to go into business immediately. So, the ultimate decision is yours and must be considerate of you long term and short-term goals.