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THE SHORT ANSWER
If you are launching your first store and have no developer → Shopify
If you already run WordPress and have technical capacity → WooCommerce
If you are comparing only monthly fees → read the cost sections before deciding
Not sure which you are? The full breakdown is below.
If you think WooCommerce is obviously cheaper because the plugin is free, the gap closes faster than you expect once hosting, plugins, and developer time are counted. The real question is whether you have the technical capacity WooCommerce requires.
AT A GLANCE
| Shopify Basic | Shopify Grow | WooCommerce | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $39/mo ($29 annual) | $105/mo ($79 annual) | $0 plugin + hosting |
| Hosting | Included | Included | $20–$100/mo separate |
| Transaction (own payment) | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.7% + 30¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ (Stripe) |
| Transaction (3rd party) | 2% extra | 1% extra | 0% extra |
| Setup time | Hours | Hours | Days to weeks |
| Developer required | No | No | Often yes |
| Best for | New, non-technical | Growing with teams | Technical, WordPress |
| OperDrive deal | Start your store free → | Standard pricing | Free plugin |
Shopify — for non-technical founders
If you are launching your first store with no developer, Shopify wins. Shopify Basic costs $39/month ($29/month on annual billing) with 2.9% plus 30¢ per online transaction when using Shopify Payments. Grow at $105/month ($79 annual) adds five staff accounts and 2.7% plus 30¢ per transaction. Advanced at $399/month ($299 annual) drops fees to 2.5% plus 30¢. The number most articles ignore: if you use any payment processor other than Shopify Payments, Shopify adds an extra fee on top — 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.5% on Advanced. On $50,000/month in sales that is $1,000 extra per month on Basic — more than the plan itself. Use Shopify Payments. This eliminates the surcharge entirely. Apps average $50–200/month for a typical growing store.
WooCommerce — for technical teams
If you already run WordPress and have a developer, WooCommerce is the answer. The plugin is free, but a functional store costs $70–$200/month minimum once hosting, essential plugins, and maintenance are included. Hosting runs $20–$100/month (budget hosting at $20 is adequate for low traffic; WP Engine or Kinsta at $50–$100 for real volume — not optional). Domain $14–20/year. Essential plugins $100–$400/year for advanced shipping, payment gateways, SEO, security, backup, and caching. Developer time is variable — setup takes 10–40 hours if you are not technical, and budget $500–2,000 in year one for developer time if you are not doing it yourself.
When it actually pays off
| Annual revenue | Shopify Basic (Shopify Payments) | WooCommerce (managed hosting + plugins) |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $348 plan + ~$1,450 fees = ~$1,800/yr | $600 hosting + $250 plugins + $500 dev = ~$1,350/yr |
| $100,000 | $348 plan + ~$2,900 fees = ~$3,250/yr | $600 + $250 + $500 = ~$1,350/yr |
| $500,000 | $948 Grow + ~$13,500 fees = ~$14,450/yr | $1,200 + $400 + $2,400 = ~$4,000/yr |
The pattern is clear. At low revenue, the gap is small. At scale, WooCommerce wins on total cost — but only if you have the technical capacity to maintain it. For most SMB founders under $200K/year, Shopify's included hosting, security, and checkout convert better than the savings WooCommerce offers on paper.
What nobody else mentions
Shopify eliminated its biggest SEO weakness in 2025. The /collections/ URL duplication issue that gave WooCommerce a technical SEO advantage is gone. Both platforms now achieve comparable SEO results when configured correctly.
WooCommerce stores declined 11% year-over-year in Q1 2026. The trend is toward Shopify — not because Shopify is better in every scenario, but because most store owners do not have the technical capacity WooCommerce requires.
Shopify Payments now converts 1.72x better than standard checkout. Shop Pay's one-click checkout is built into every plan. On WooCommerce you replicate this with third-party plugins at additional cost.
AI-attributed orders on Shopify grew 11–15x between 2025 and 2026. Shopify's agentic storefront feature — available on all plans from April 2026 — lets AI agents browse and complete purchases on your store. WooCommerce does not have this natively.
The third-party payment surcharge is the cost that catches Shopify store owners at month three. Articles compare plan prices ($39/month) without noting that using Stripe directly instead of Shopify Payments adds 2% on every sale — $1,000/month on $50,000 in monthly revenue.
FAQ
Is Shopify or WooCommerce cheaper for a new store?
WooCommerce is cheaper on paper at low revenue — roughly $1,350/year versus $1,800/year for Shopify Basic at $50,000 in annual sales. For non-technical founders, Shopify's included hosting, security, and checkout conversion typically produce lower total cost once developer time and maintenance are counted.
How much does Shopify actually cost at $100K in annual revenue?
Roughly $3,250/year — $348 for the Basic plan plus approximately $2,900 in transaction fees at 2.9% plus 30¢ per sale with Shopify Payments. Budget an additional $600–$2,400/year for apps on a typical growing store.
Can I use WooCommerce without a developer?
Technically yes, but plugin conflicts, security updates, and hosting configuration require ongoing technical attention. Most non-technical store owners who chose WooCommerce for the "free" plugin end up paying $500–2,000/year in developer time within the first 12 months.
What is the hidden cost of Shopify most comparisons miss?
The third-party payment processor surcharge. Using Stripe or PayPal directly instead of Shopify Payments adds 2% on Basic — $1,000/month on $50,000 in monthly sales. Always use Shopify Payments to eliminate this fee.
Your ecommerce platform is the foundation of the store.
If you want to know which ecommerce stack belongs in your specific business — that is what OperDrive does. Your Stack. Precisely.
What remains is not a suggestion.