Ecommerce
Shopify vs WooCommerce in 2026 — which to pick (and when to switch)
8 min read · December 14, 2026
Honest 2026 comparison of Shopify and WooCommerce — total cost, scale ceiling, headless paths, and migration triggers.
Shopify wins on time-to-launch, conversion-tested checkout, and ops simplicity. Real cost in 2026 is 3–6% of GMV once apps + payments are stacked.
WooCommerce wins on customisation freedom and content-first commerce (think recipe sites, magazines, course brands). Real cost is hosting + dev maintenance, not licensing.
Switch from WooCommerce to Shopify when: you outgrow your hosting at 50k monthly visitors, or international expansion needs Markets-grade tooling.
Switch from Shopify to headless when: apps + theme limits start blocking 3 roadmap items at once, or you cross USD 5M GMV and checkout-edit becomes a moat.
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