You're about to set up an online store and everyone tells you a different platform. Some swear by Shopify, others by WooCommerce, others defend PrestaShop. And all you want is to sell without getting the foundation wrong. Here we compare the three without jargon: what they are, what each one costs, their advantages and their drawbacks, and which type of business each fits best.
Choosing a platform is the first big decision when you set up an online store, and one of the few that's hard to change later. There's no single «best» for everyone: there's a best for your case, depending on what you sell, how much you want to get into the weeds and how you plan to grow. Let's take it step by step.
The underlying difference: with Shopify you rent a furnished, ready house; with WooCommerce and PrestaShop you build your own, with complete freedom, but taking on the job of keeping it standing.
For: it's quick to set up, very easy to use, you don't worry about servers or security and there's direct support if something breaks. For someone who wants to start selling now and not wrestle with the technical side, it's the most comfortable option.
Against: it has a fixed monthly fee and, unless you use their own payment system, it takes a small commission per sale. Deep customisation has limits, and you depend on their platform: your store lives in their house, by their rules.
It fits well if you want to launch soon, prefer to pay for peace of mind and don't need highly custom features. At binoma we're a Shopify Partner, so if you go this way, we're with you.
For: the plugin is free, you control everything and, if your site is already on WordPress, you make the most of what you have. There are thousands of extensions for almost any need and a huge community behind it. It's unbeatable for combining content (a strong blog, for example) and a store in the same place.
Against: «free» is the plugin, not the project. You need to pay for hosting, keep the site up to date and watch over security, because here it really is your responsibility. If it's neglected, speed and risk suffer.
It fits well if you already use WordPress, want full control and don't mind (or delegate) the maintenance. It's an excellent base when content and SEO weigh as much as the sale.
For: it was born as store software, so it comes with many commerce features out of the box (stock management, taxes, shipping, promotions) without adding anything. It's free, very widespread in Spain and handles large catalogues with many items well.
Against: it has a slightly steeper learning curve and, like WooCommerce, hosting, updates and security are on you. Many of its extra modules are paid, and it's best to have someone looking after it.
It fits well if you have a broad catalogue, sell mostly products (rather than content) and want a commerce-focused tool from day one.
Keep this simple rule, which gets it right in most cases:
What we don't recommend is choosing based on what worked for an acquaintance with a different business from yours. What's too much for one is too little for another.
Here's the important bit, and almost nobody says it: the platform matters less than it seems. A store sells or doesn't sell because of things that are the same across all three: that it loads fast, that it's clear on mobile, that the product pages inspire trust, that the checkout is simple and that people find you. A well-made store on any of the three sells more than a badly made one on «the best».
So don't lose sleep choosing a platform. Pick one that fits your case using the guide above and put your energy into getting the store built well. You can see how we approach it on online stores, and the starting points and prices on plans.
Switching platforms later is possible, but it takes work: you have to migrate products, orders, customers and URLs carefully so you don't lose rankings on Google. That's why it's worth choosing well from the start. If you're unsure which suits you, tell us what you sell and how you want to grow and we'll tell you honestly where we'd go, without selling you a particular platform just because.
And if you still have one, write to us: we reply in under 24 h.
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