Fivenson Studios · Straight Answers

Shopify vs WooCommerce, which should you use?

Updated August 6, 2026
The short answer

Shopify is the fastest, most hands-off way to run a store, hosting, security, and payments handled, for about $39/month plus transaction fees. WooCommerce (on WordPress) is free software with no per-sale platform fee and total control, but you manage hosting, updates, and security yourself.

Pick Shopify if you want simple and don’t mind the monthly + fees; pick WooCommerce if you want full control, lower long-run costs, and you already have (or want) a WordPress site.

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When Shopify wins

You want to launch fast, don’t want to think about servers or security, and you’re okay trading a monthly fee and per-sale cut for that simplicity. Great for stores that value convenience over control.

When WooCommerce wins

You want to own everything, avoid per-transaction platform fees, customize deeply, and keep content + store on one WordPress install. It needs proper setup and maintenance, which is where a studio helps.

Common questions

Which is cheaper long-term?

WooCommerce usually wins at scale, no platform transaction fee, but you pay for hosting and upkeep. Shopify costs more per sale but bundles everything, so it’s simpler and predictable.

Which is better for SEO?

Both can rank well. WooCommerce gives more control over technical SEO since it’s WordPress; Shopify is solid out of the box but more constrained.

Which does Fivenson recommend?

It depends on your volume, catalog, and team. We’ll recommend the platform that fits how you actually operate, and build it either way.

Keep reading

More from Fivenson Studios.

Building an online store?

Tell us what you sell and we’ll recommend Shopify or WooCommerce honestly, then build you a store that converts.

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