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COMPARISON · 2026

Shopify vs WooCommerce: Which Is Better for London eCommerce in 2026?

Shopify wins for most London eCommerce businesses in 2026. WooCommerce still has a place for specific use cases. Here's the full breakdown.

Shopify

PROS

  • ✓ Hosted — no server management
  • ✓ Best-in-class checkout conversion rate
  • ✓ Shopify Payments eliminates gateway fees
  • ✓ App ecosystem covers 95% of needs
  • ✓ Shopify Plus for enterprise (B2B, Markets, checkout extensibility)

CONS

  • ✗ Monthly platform fee (£25–£2,000/month)
  • ✗ Liquid templating is limiting for custom logic
  • ✗ Transaction fees if not using Shopify Payments
  • ✗ Less control over hosting and infrastructure
Best for: Most eCommerce businesses up to £10M revenue, especially those who want to focus on marketing not infrastructure

WooCommerce

PROS

  • ✓ Free core software (WordPress plugin)
  • ✓ Unlimited customisation (PHP + React)
  • ✓ No platform transaction fees
  • ✓ Own your hosting and data completely
  • ✓ Huge developer ecosystem

CONS

  • ✗ Hosting, security, and updates are your responsibility
  • ✗ Slower out of the box — needs performance work
  • ✗ Plugin conflicts are common
  • ✗ Checkout experience requires significant customisation
Best for: Developers who want full control, businesses with complex custom requirements, or those already invested in WordPress
OUR VERDICT

For 80% of London eCommerce businesses, Shopify is the right choice in 2026. It's faster to launch, easier to maintain, and has the best checkout conversion rate in the industry. Choose WooCommerce only if you need deep custom functionality that Shopify can't support, or if your team has strong WordPress development capability.

FAQ

Common questions.

Which is cheaper?
WooCommerce has lower platform costs but higher development and maintenance costs. Total cost of ownership is usually similar for stores doing £100k–£1M revenue.
Which is better for SEO?
Both are capable. Shopify has improved dramatically since 2024. WooCommerce offers more granular control. We rank sites on both platforms.
Can you migrate us from WooCommerce to Shopify?
Yes. Full migration including products, customers, orders, URL redirects, and SEO preservation. Typical timeline: 4–6 weeks.
MORE COMPARISONS

Other comparisons.

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