For a small US store, Shopify fits if you want hosting, SSL, platform updates, and commerce tools managed in one place. WooCommerce fits if you want WordPress control and can manage separate hosting, updates, backups, security, and extensions.
The direct cost difference is clear at the platform level. Shopify Basic costs $29 per month on yearly billing ($39 per month when paid monthly), while WooCommerce core costs $0. A working WooCommerce store still needs hosting, a domain, payment processing, security, backups, and possibly paid extensions. Prices checked October 31, 2026.
Before paying, list your products, payment methods, subscriptions, bookings, tax regions, and integrations. Then compare the same store in both cost models, including first-year cost, renewal cost, payment fees, and the technical work someone must handle.
Key takeaways
- Pick Shopify for simpler store administration and a predictable platform bill.
- Pick WooCommerce for WordPress control and a more configurable stack.
- Shopify Basic costs $29 per month on yearly billing or $39 per month when paid monthly.
- WooCommerce core is free, but hosting, domains, extensions, backups, and maintenance are separate.
- A $20 card order costs $0.88 through Shopify Payments, WooPayments, or standard Stripe rates at the listed rates.
- Confirm payment eligibility, domain renewal, app or extension pricing, refund rules, and billing intervals before paying.
The Real Choice: Hosted Shopify Or Self-Managed WooCommerce
Shopify is a hosted commerce platform. Its US Basic plan includes hosting, SSL, unlimited products, and a custom domain connection. Shopify manages the server environment and platform-level updates, so you do not need to choose a separate web host for the store.
WooCommerce is free, open-source software for WordPress. It does not provide the server by itself. You choose a host, install WordPress and WooCommerce, select a theme, connect payment services, and manage the parts that make the store work together.
That creates two different responsibilities. Shopify gives you one main platform bill and fewer server tasks, but you work within Shopify’s plan limits, payment rules, app ecosystem, and sales-channel policies. WooCommerce gives you direct access to WordPress files and database content, but you or your developer must handle more decisions.
For a small store with a few products and standard payments, Shopify is the simpler operational choice. WooCommerce can cost less at the platform level when the store uses free themes and modest hosting, but its lower core price does not remove maintenance work.
List every required feature before choosing. Include subscriptions, bookings, digital products, tax regions, inventory connections, email tools, shipping services, and payment methods. Then confirm that Shopify supports the products and payments you need, or that your chosen WooCommerce host and extensions support them.
What Do Shopify And WooCommerce Cost Before You Sell?
Shopify Basic is listed at $29 per month in US currency on yearly billing and $39 per month on monthly billing, based on the pricing shown October 31, 2026. On yearly billing the upfront amount is 12 x $29 = $348 (arithmetic; checkout shows the amount due). Shopify Grow is $89 per month yearly and $105 monthly. Advanced is $359 per month yearly and $399 monthly. Plus starts at $2,300 per month, with the final price depending on the agreement. Check the renewal price at checkout. Prices checked October 31, 2026.
Shopify also displayed a separate 3-day free trial followed by $1 per month for 3 months. That is a promotion, not the regular Basic price or its renewal price. Shopify’s pricing page listed no setup fee. Plans are generally non-refundable, although Shopify says monthly invoices may be considered for refund review within 7 days, and the first invoice after a trial may be considered within 30 days.
WooCommerce core has a $0 platform subscription, $0 upfront platform cost, and no platform renewal price. That does not make the complete store free. Hosting, extensions and payment processing are separate costs; check the current price of each extension you need on its listing page before buying.
For a concrete low-cost hosting example, SiteGround’s US StartUp plan listed $2.99 per month for the first prepaid 12 months (12 x $2.99 = $35.88) and a renewal price of $17.99 per month (12 x $17.99 = $215.88 for a renewal year, before taxes), based on the price shown October 31, 2026. SiteGround lists hosting, SSL, daily backups, email, a free domain, and free site migrations with that plan. Check that the plan fits a WooCommerce store before buying. The free domain is conditional on the plan terms, and its renewal price is separate, so confirm it before paying.
A WooCommerce budget also needs a theme, payment gateway, security tools, backups, and any required extensions. A free theme may keep the first bill down, but subscriptions, bookings, advanced shipping, memberships, and other functions can require paid software.
Price the exact Shopify app required for subscriptions, bookings, shipping, or tax work. Confirm its current listing price, billing interval, cancellation rules, and refund terms. For WooCommerce, read the selected extension’s refund and renewal policy before purchase.
How Much Do Payment Fees Cost On A $20 Order And Beyond?
Shopify Basic lists Shopify Payments card processing from 2.9% plus $0.30 for a standard US card. On a $20 order, that calculation is $20 times 2.9%, plus $0.30, for a fee of $0.88. You receive $19.12 before taxes, refunds, shipping, apps, or other costs. Prices checked October 31, 2026.
WooPayments lists US card processing at 2.90% plus $0.30, and standard Stripe US card pricing is also 2.9% plus $0.30. Each produces the same $0.88 fee on a $20 order under those assumptions. WooCommerce itself does not add a transaction fee.
For PayPal and Venmo rates, check PayPal's current US pricing page; rates can change by payment method, card origin, currency, disputes, and account arrangement.
Shopify Basic lists an additional 2% transaction fee when you use a third-party payment provider. Grow lists 1%, and Advanced lists 0.6% when applicable. This fee is separate from the processor’s own charge. Shopify Payments eligibility also depends on the business, location, and products, so decide whether it is available before comparing totals.
At 100 orders of $20, gross sales are $2,000. Shopify Payments Basic, WooPayments, or standard Stripe at 2.9% plus $0.30 would cost $88 in processing fees. The Shopify plan or WooCommerce hosting remains a separate cost. Confirm payout timing in the payment provider’s terms for your business location and account, because transfers can depend on risk review, the bank, and account status.
What Are The First-Year And Renewal Costs For Two Store Scenarios?
For a small store with a few products, Shopify Basic costs $348 for 12 months on yearly billing (12 x $29), or $468 on monthly billing (12 x $39), based on pricing shown October 31, 2026. This excludes payment fees and optional apps. Prices checked October 31, 2026.
A WooCommerce version using SiteGround StartUp costs $35.88 for 12 prepaid months at $2.99 per month (12 x $2.99). WooCommerce core costs $0, so the stack is $35.88 before payment fees, assuming a qualifying free domain, free theme, no paid extensions, and the listed SiteGround features. SiteGround lists renewal at $17.99 per month, which makes the next 12 months $215.88 (12 x $17.99) before taxes. Confirm the domain renewal price with the registrar or hosting provider.
For 100 $20 orders, both Shopify Payments Basic and WooPayments would add $88 at the listed card rate. The first-year totals before taxes and optional tools would therefore be $436 for Shopify Basic on yearly billing ($348 + $88) with those 100 orders, or $123.88 for the example WooCommerce stack ($35.88 + $88). These figures do not include product costs, shipping, tax, refunds, advertising, or labor.
A store with subscriptions needs a different comparison. Shopify Basic is $348 for 12 months on yearly billing (12 x $29), before the required subscription app and payment fees. Shopify app pricing varies, so price the exact app.
WooCommerce with SiteGround StartUp and WooCommerce Subscriptions or Bookings adds the extension price on top of the $35.88 hosting. Check each extension's current price on its listing page before buying. Extension renewal terms and refund eligibility come from the extension seller, so read them before purchase.
The lower first-year number does not decide the store by itself. Compare renewal totals, payment rates, required features, and who will handle updates, backups, troubleshooting, and security.
Who Handles Security, Updates, Backups, And PCI Responsibility?
Shopify manages the hosted server environment, SSL, platform infrastructure, and platform-level updates. Shopify says stores using its technology meet PCI requirements by default, which reduces the direct burden of handling card data. Shopify Payments requires two-step authentication.
You still manage account access, staff permissions, product data, store policies, apps, customer information, and payment disputes. Shopify’s hosted system does not promise that a store cannot be hacked, interrupted, or affected by an account problem or app configuration.
WooCommerce runs inside WordPress hosting. You or your host must keep WordPress, WooCommerce, plugins, and themes updated. WooCommerce recommends regular backups of both the database and the wp-content directory, because the database contains store records and wp-content contains important files such as themes, plugins, and media.
SiteGround lists daily backups, SSL, security features, managed updates, and support on its StartUp WooCommerce plan. Those features reduce some work, but you should still confirm backup retention, restore charges, staging access, and what the managed update service covers.
Shopify provides a more centralized security responsibility model. WooCommerce provides more direct control, but the owner must assemble and maintain more of the protection. If a developer handles the store, define who receives security alerts, tests updates, restores backups, and fixes conflicts.
Neither platform removes legal or tax duties. Products must comply with applicable law, payment-provider rules, and platform terms. Shopify Payments restricts categories such as regulated products, firearms, drugs, adult products, gambling, counterfeit products, and some financial products. WooCommerce is software, so restrictions come from the host, payment processor, law, and sales channels.
How Do Products, Restrictions, Data Export, And Migration Differ?
Both platforms can support physical products, digital products, and services when the relevant rules permit them. Shopify provides a more managed product system, while WooCommerce lets you build the store inside WordPress and select separate tools for the functions you need.
Shopify allows product and customer data exports through CSV and provides migration tools for WooCommerce stores. Products and customers can be imported, but blog posts, coupons, passwords, customer product reviews and historical orders may need separate handling. Make a list of every record that must move before selecting a platform.
WooCommerce gives the owner direct access to WordPress files and database content through the selected host. That can make a move more flexible, but it also means the owner must arrange the backup, staging site, domain change, email continuity, and testing.
Shopify Payments and Shopify sales channels impose product rules. WooCommerce restrictions depend on the chosen host, processor, laws, and sales channels. Confirm that the selected provider supports your products, payment methods, subscription terms, and customer locations.
If you choose WooCommerce and later change hosts, follow the steps to move a WordPress site to a new host. Before switching, check whether the migration includes email accounts, databases, media files, orders, customer records, and DNS changes.
What Limits Affect The Shopify Or WooCommerce Decision?
Shopify’s included hosting does not mean every commerce feature is included. Checkout customization, staff accounts, third-party calculated shipping, API access, and international selling features can be limited or plan-dependent. Shopify’s app ecosystem adds choice, but each required app can add a separate recurring charge.
Shopify’s Basic plan lists $39 per month on monthly billing and $29 per month on yearly billing. Grow lists $105 monthly and $89 yearly. Advanced lists $399 monthly and $359 yearly. Confirm the renewal price at checkout. Prices checked October 31, 2026.
WooCommerce’s limits depend on the selected host. SiteGround lists unlimited traffic for StartUp but also lists 10 GB of storage. Unlimited traffic does not remove storage, CPU, database, or other resource limits.
WooCommerce can be cheaper for a capable owner with modest requirements. It can become harder to manage when the store needs multiple paid extensions, custom integrations, staging, support, and regular troubleshooting. Shopify can be easier to run, but the subscription, apps, payment-provider rules, and platform restrictions remain part of the cost.
Read the selected theme’s current license and refund terms before purchase. Do the same for every app or extension, and confirm renewal pricing separately from the first-year price.
Which Store Setup Fits Your Technical Comfort?
Pick Shopify if you want one hosted platform, fewer server tasks, and a predictable Basic bill of $29 per month on yearly billing ($39 monthly), shown October 31, 2026. Its tradeoff is recurring platform cost, app cost, and platform rules. Prices checked October 31, 2026.
Pick WooCommerce if WordPress control, direct data access, and separate provider choices matter more than convenience. Its tradeoff is responsibility for hosting, backups, updates, security, extensions, and troubleshooting.
Build the same store on paper this week. Compare the complete first-year total, renewal total, payment fees, required features, and technical work. If Shopify still fits, read the Shopify review covering plans, fees and who it fits next.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Shopify take from a $20 sale?
Shopify Basic using Shopify Payments charges $0.88 on a $20 standard US card order at 2.9% plus $0.30. That leaves $19.12 before taxes, refunds, shipping, apps, and other costs. A third-party processor on Basic can also trigger Shopify’s additional 2% transaction fee. Prices checked October 31, 2026.
Is there a monthly fee for WooCommerce?
WooCommerce core has no monthly platform subscription. Hosting, payment processing, domains, themes, backups, security tools, and paid extensions can create monthly or annual costs.
Which is cheaper, Shopify or WooCommerce?
WooCommerce has the lower platform price because its core software costs $0, while Shopify Basic is $29 per month on yearly billing ($39 monthly). The complete WooCommerce total depends on hosting, domain renewal, extensions, payment fees, backups, security, and maintenance. Compare the full stack rather than the software price alone.
What is the main disadvantage of Shopify?
The main tradeoff is the continuing platform bill, along with possible app and theme costs, third-party payment fees, and product or sales-channel restrictions. Shopify also controls more of the store environment than a self-managed WordPress installation does.
What are the downsides of using WooCommerce?
WooCommerce does not include hosting, backups, security administration, or every store feature in its free core. You must select and maintain the host, theme, extensions, payment gateways, updates, and backups, or pay someone else to handle them.
Do I need an LLC to sell on Shopify?
An LLC is not a universal federal requirement for selling online. You may still have state registration, permit, sales-tax, and product obligations. Shopify Payments requires identity and tax information, including an SSN or ITIN for US verification in the situations Shopify specifies.
Does Shopify report income to the IRS?
Shopify Payments can issue Form 1099-K and report qualifying payment information to the IRS. You remain responsible for reporting income and expenses correctly, regardless of whether a form is issued.
Is it cheaper to sell on Etsy or Shopify?
The answer depends on order volume and the complete fee structure. Compare Etsy listing, transaction, payment, and advertising fees with Shopify’s plan, payment, app, and domain costs using the same order value and volume.
What cannot be sold on Shopify?
Shopify Payments restricts or prohibits categories that can include illegal or regulated products, firearms, drugs, adult products, gambling, counterfeit products, and some financial products. Shopify sales channels can add further restrictions, so confirm eligibility for your exact products before opening the store.
Is selling on Shopify profitable?
Shopify does not guarantee any income. Profit depends on selling price, product cost, shipping, taxes, advertising, refunds, payment fees, apps, and the platform plan. Calculate profit per product and subtract every recurring store cost.
How long does Shopify money take to arrive?
Payout timing depends on the payment setup, business location, risk review, bank, and account status. Confirm the timing in the payment provider’s current terms for your account before relying on a payout schedule.
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