Choosing a platform
WooCommerce, Shopify or OpenCart: which webshop should you choose?
To choose the right platform, think through how the webshop will work day to day. Who uploads the products? Which invoicing service do you use? Do you need stock synchronization? Who takes care of maintenance?
The three platforms in brief
| Aspect | WooCommerce | Shopify | OpenCart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basis | Open-source system that runs on WordPress | Subscription-based commerce platform | Downloadable, open-source webshop system |
| Operation | Hosting of your choice, maintenance separate | Hosting is part of the platform's service | Self-installed: hosting and maintenance of your choice |
| Extension | Plugins and custom development | Apps and the platform's own capabilities | Modules and custom development |
| Cost factors | Implementation, hosting, licences, upkeep | Implementation, subscription, apps and related fees | Implementation, hosting, modules, upkeep |
The table is based on the official product descriptions of WooCommerce, Shopify and OpenCart. OpenCart also offers a paid cloud service; here we compare the version installed on your own hosting.
When we would look at WooCommerce first
If you already manage your website in WordPress and want to handle content pages, articles and products together, this can be a good starting point. Before choosing, we check the plugins you need and how well they work together.
When Shopify can be the right fit
If you're thinking of a subscription-based platform, Shopify is also an option. To decide, we review your payment, invoicing and shipping requirements for the Hungarian market, as well as the total cost of the apps you need. Custom requirements have to be fitted to what the platform's chosen plan allows.
When OpenCart can be a good choice
For an existing OpenCart store, it's worth assessing whether the current problems can be solved through development and by tidying up the modules. For a new store, we decide based on the catalogue, the integrations and the custom features you're likely to need. We check the version compatibility of the required modules before launch.
Which is cheaper in the long run
To answer this, add up the launch fee and at least the first year's running costs. Platform subscriptions, hosting, licences and maintenance can appear in quotes in different ways. Without a concrete feature list, there is no option that is the cheapest for every project.
When custom development is justified
If an important business process can only be implemented on off-the-shelf systems through many workarounds, it's worth planning a custom module or a separate application. We first examine which part really needs custom functionality.
To plan your starting budget, see our webshop pricing. For details on the chosen system, read our WooCommerce, Shopify and OpenCart pages.