Is WooCommerce free while Shopify is paid?

WooCommerce’s core WordPress plugin is free, with no monthly platform subscription, but a live store needs hosting and may use paid extensions. Shopify’s Basic, Grow, and Advanced plans cost $39, $105, and $399 per month respectively when paid monthly; hosting is included.

Do I need WordPress to use Shopify or WooCommerce?

WooCommerce is an ecommerce plugin built for WordPress. Shopify is a hosted commerce platform and does not require a WordPress site.

Which product includes web hosting?

Shopify includes web hosting in its paid store plans. WooCommerce lets merchants choose their own hosting provider; WooCommerce estimates hosting at $25–$350 per month for most stores.

Can I choose my own payment processor?

WooCommerce lets merchants choose a processor without an additional WooCommerce gateway fee, although processing fees still apply. Shopify supports Shopify Payments and third-party providers; its published third-party transaction fees are 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, and 0.6% on Advanced.

Which offers more control over store code and checkout?

WooCommerce is open source and offers access to its store code and checkout customization. Shopify publishes limited checkout customization for Basic, Grow, and Advanced, and full checkout customization for Plus.

What support does each offer?

Shopify lists 24/7 live chat for Basic and Grow. WooCommerce provides community forums for its free core plugin and helpdesk support for eligible products sold through WooCommerce.com.

Can both products handle a large product catalog?

Shopify publishes unlimited products for its store plans. WooCommerce publishes unlimited products for its free core platform; a WooCommerce store’s performance also depends on its hosting and setup.

Can I sell in person with either product?

Shopify includes in-person selling tools in its paid plans and offers POS Pro as an add-on. WooCommerce supports in-person selling through options including WooPayments and POS integrations.

Shopify vs WooCommerce

Choose Shopify if you want a hosted store with hosting and 24/7 chat support included; choose WooCommerce if you want to build on WordPress and control your hosting, code, and payment setup. Both can sell online, but they differ most in how much of the store infrastructure you manage yourself.

Last updated October 24, 2026.

At a glance

Shopify compared with WooCommerce, one row per dimension
Dimension	Shopify	WooCommerce
Store foundation	Hosted commerce platform	Open-source WordPress plugin
Hosting	Included in paid plans	Choose and pay for a host
Core pricing	Basic $39/month; Grow $105/month; Advanced $399/month, paid monthly	Free core plugin; no monthly platform subscription
Hosting costs	Included in paid plans	$25–$350/month for most stores, per WooCommerce
Paid add-ons	Apps available through Shopify integrations	Extensions typically $29–$299/year each
Payment providers	Shopify Payments or third-party providers	Merchant-selected processor
Third-party payment fee	2% Basic; 1% Grow; 0.6% Advanced	No WooCommerce-added gateway fee
Checkout customization	Limited on Basic, Grow, and Advanced; full on Plus	Customizable checkout
Integrations	Thousands of apps; custom apps via APIs	Marketplace extensions; custom integrations via APIs
Support	24/7 live chat on Basic and Grow	Community forums for core; helpdesk for eligible products
Product limits	Unlimited products	Unlimited products in core
Staff accounts	Basic: 0 additional; Grow: 5; Advanced: 15	Not published

Scroll the table sideways to compare each row.

Which should you choose?

Choose Shopify if

Teams that want hosting included
Merchants who want 24/7 platform chat support
Stores selling online and in person through Shopify POS
Buyers who prefer a defined monthly plan

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Choose WooCommerce if

Businesses adding a store to a WordPress site
Teams that want to choose their own host
Developers who need access to open-source store code
Merchants who want to choose payment processors without a WooCommerce-added gateway fee

See WooCommerce

The verdict

Shopify is the better fit when a hosted platform and predictable plan structure matter more than control over the underlying site. WooCommerce is the better fit when WordPress, open-source customization, and the freedom to choose a host and payment processor are deciding factors. Compare the full cost of your intended setup: Shopify has a plan fee, while WooCommerce’s free core still needs hosting and may need paid extensions.