Shopify vs WordPress: A Comprehensive Comparison and Why WordPress is Our Preferred Choice at 9H Digital

Picking the right platform is very important for building a great online business. These days, Shopify and WordPress (with WooCommerce for eCommerce) are two of the most popular choices. Both platforms have a lot of useful tools for creating online stores, but users will find them more or less useful depending on their needs. We strongly recommend WordPress as the best tool for businesses here at 9H Digital, and here’s why:

1. “Ease of Use”

Shopify stands out because it is easy to use and can be set up in just a few steps. A business owner who wants a fast and easy way to open an eCommerce store will love it. Users don’t have to worry about the technical parts of having a website, like hosting, security, or updates, because Shopify makes it easy to get started and hosts everything for you.

WordPress with WooCommerce, on the other hand, gives you a lot more options but needs you to know a bit more about technology. Choosing a host and setting up themes may be part of the initial setup process. However, the learning curve will pay off as you gain more control over every area of your website. We at 9H Digital think that this freedom is worth the work because it lets businesses grow and change without the limits that come with managed platforms like Shopify.

Shopify is great for people who want to set up their store quickly and easily. WordPress is better for businesses that need full control and the ability to change as they grow, though.

2. Customisation and Control

WordPress is famous for being able to be customised in ways that can’t be beat. WordPress has more than 58,000 plugins and thousands of styles, so you can make a website that fits your brand and business needs perfectly. We at 9H Digital choose WordPress because it gives our clients total control over how their sites look and work, from how goods are shown to how content is managed.

Shopify, on the other hand, is easy to use, but it’s part of a “closed ecosystem.” You can’t make many changes unless you buy paid apps or hire a programmer to change Shopify’s Liquid code. For smaller stores, this might be enough, but for companies with more complicated needs, Shopify’s customization options might not be enough.

WordPress is the best choice if your business needs “deep customization” and you want to be in charge of every part of your website.

3. The ability to do business online

Shopify and WooCommerce both have powerful eCommerce features, but WooCommerce, which is WordPress’s eCommerce app, is much more flexible. Hosting, security, and payment handling are all included in Shopify’s all-in-one platform, which makes it appealing. WooCommerce, on the other hand, gives you more control over eCommerce features like shipping connections, payment gateways, and product types (subscriptions, memberships, and digital products)6–8.

We like WooCommerce better at 9H Digital because it works well with WordPress. This lets us make eCommerce sites that are not only highly customizable but also fully work with SEO and content management. WP with WooCommerce is the best choice for businesses that need more than just a store. This includes websites with a lot of content or hybrid models (like blogs that also sell goods).

Shopify is great for setting up an online store quickly and easily, but WordPress and WooCommerce are the clear winners for companies that want to have “full control over their online stores.”

4. SEO and Content Creation

We put a lot of emphasis on content marketing and SEO at 9H Digital because they are key to business growth. This is where WordPress really shines. WordPress was originally made as a content management system, but it has great SEO features. It’s easy to make your site search engine friendly with plugins like All in One SEO or Yoast SEO. Businesses can manage all parts of their SEO strategy with WordPress, from changing URLs and meta tags to ensuring that content and product pages work together perfectly.

Shopify does have some SEO tools, but because it is closed, not much can be changed. It’s harder to use advanced SEO strategies that are necessary to grow your business. Also, WordPress’s blogging features are much better, which is why it’s the tool of choice for businesses that want to make and use content marketing strategies.

The verdict is that WordPress is the better platform than Shopify for businesses that need strong SEO and content creation tools. It gives you a lot more control and freedom. And gives you all the tools you need to build and scale your business on a resilient platform that gives you full control.

5: “Cost and Scalability”

Shopify has a clear pricing system that starts at $29 per month, but extra app fees, transaction fees, and premium themes can quickly add up. Shopify’s price is easy to understand, but its transaction and recurring fees can cut into your profits, especially as your business grows.

WordPress with WooCommerce, on the other hand, has a more flexible price structure. Hosting, domain registration, and premium plugins can add to the cost of WordPress, but businesses have more power over how much they spend based on their needs. That makes WordPress a better long-term choice for saving money, especially for companies that want to expand without being tied to a set price plan.

WordPress pricing is more scalable and open, which makes it a cost-effective option for businesses that want to keep their budget in check as they grow.

We at 9H Digital use WordPress as our web development platform of choice because it gives us the most control, freedom, and ability to grow our clients’ ecommerce sales. WordPress is great for businesses that need advanced customization, strong eCommerce capabilities, and content marketing strategies that work well together. 

Shopify might be a good choice for businesses that want something simple and easy to use in the short term, but WordPress is a better choice for businesses that want to grow, scale, and have full control over their online presence.

Speak to our WordPress specialists to get a understand how we could work together by requesting a quote here: https://9hdigital.com/contact/