If you're selling online, the platform you choose shapes your costs and your control for years. The two that matter for most UK retailers are Shopify and WooCommerce. Here's how they compare.
Shopify
A fully managed platform — hosting, security and updates are all handled. The back office is the simplest in the business, which is why so many shops start here. The trade-offs: a monthly fee, transaction fees unless you use Shopify Payments, and less design freedom than a custom build.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce turns WordPress into a shop. You own everything, there are no transaction fees beyond your payment provider's, and the design and functionality are limitless. The trade-off is that you're responsible for hosting, security and maintenance — which we handle for clients on a care plan.
Which to choose
- →Want the simplest possible day-to-day and don't mind the fees → Shopify
- →Want full control, no transaction fees and content/SEO power → WooCommerce
- →Already on WordPress → WooCommerce is the natural fit
- →Huge catalogue or unusual fulfilment → we'll scope it properly either way
The bottom line
There's no universally right answer — it depends on your products, volumes and how hands-on you want to be. We build on both and will recommend the one that actually fits, not the one that's easiest for us.
