If you’re starting or growing an online store, chances are you’ve come across two big names: Shopify and WooCommerce. Both are popular e-commerce platforms, but they offer different things depending on what your business needs.
For small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in Europe, picking the right platform can have a real impact on your costs, flexibility, and support options. In this article, we’ll compare Shopify vs WooCommerce, and explain why WooCommerce, combined with Montonio, might be the better fit for businesses in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. With flexible payment options and local shipping solutions, this setup could be just what you need to scale your business without breaking the bank.
Shopify vs WooCommerce: cost effectiveness
When it comes to pricing, Shopify offers tiered subscription plans, but these can get expensive as your business grows. Additionally, Shopify charges transaction fees—starting at 2% on the Basic plan—if you use an external payment gateway. As you scale, costs for third-party apps and add-ons can quickly pile up.
In contrast, WooCommerce is free to install, with costs depending on your choice of hosting, plugins, and themes. This gives you full control over what you spend. You can pick a hosting plan that fits your budget, and there are no compulsory upgrades—making it a more flexible option as your business grows.
For European e-commerce businesses, Montonio gives WooCommerce an extra edge. Montonio integrates with local banks in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, offering affordable payment processing without the steep transaction fees Shopify charges. By using Montonio’s low-cost payment solutions, businesses can save significantly, making WooCommerce a more cost-effective option overall.
Shopify vs WooCommerce: Localised payments and integration
When it comes to payments, Shopify offers a global approach, but this can be limiting for businesses in Europe. Shopify Payments is available only in certain countries, and while it works well in larger markets like the US or UK, it’s not always an option for businesses in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, or Poland. If you use a third-party payment provider, Shopify also adds extra transaction fees, which can drive up your costs.
In contrast, WooCommerce gives you the freedom to choose the payment gateways that make the most sense for your business. This flexibility is especially useful for ecommerce businesses that rely on local payment methods.
This is where Montonio really shines. Montonio integrates directly with local banks in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and offers seamless options like Google Pay, Apple Pay, and card payments. For businesses in Poland, Montonio also integrates with BLIK, the country’s most popular payment method. With BLIK covering over 90% of Polish banking customers, SMEs can offer fast, mobile-friendly payments that Polish customers trust. This wide range of local payment options helps businesses provide a smoother checkout experience, leading to higher conversion rates and lower transaction fees than Shopify.
Shopify vs WooCommerce: Customisation and control
One of the key differences between Shopify and WooCommerce is how much control you have over your store’s design and functionality. Shopify operates as a closed system, meaning that customisation options are limited unless you upgrade to more expensive plans or hire developers who understand Liquid, Shopify’s coding language. This can make it difficult for businesses to adjust their store as their needs change or grow.
On the other hand, WooCommerce is an open-source platform, which means you have complete control over every aspect of your store. You can adjust the design, functionality, and features to suit your specific needs, whether you’re a small startup or a growing business. As your business evolves, WooCommerce evolves with you, providing the flexibility to make changes without being tied to restrictive plans or platforms.
With Montonio’s WooCommerce plugin, customisation becomes even easier. Montonio lets you tailor your payment and shipping options to create a seamless and personalised experience for your customers. You can also integrate local financing options, like “Pay Later”, which can help boost conversion rates by offering more flexible payment terms for shoppers.
Shopify vs WooCommerce: Shipping solutions
Shipping is another key area where WooCommerce offers more flexibility compared to Shopify. Shopify has its own shipping services. This limitation can make it harder to manage logistics or find affordable shipping options.
With WooCommerce, you’re in control. It allows you to integrate with virtually any shipping provider, giving you the freedom to choose the service that best fits your business. Whether it’s a local courier or an international logistics company, WooCommerce makes it easy to customise your shipping strategy.
On top of that, Montonio simplifies the process even further. Our integrated shipping solution automates everything from label generation to printing and order tracking—all from a single dashboard. This removes the need for extra shipping tools, streamlining operations and making it easier to manage logistics as your business grows.
Shopify vs WooCommerce: Scalability
As your business grows, scalability becomes crucial. Shopify offers scaling options, but the costs can rise sharply. To access advanced features or more staff accounts, you’ll need to upgrade to higher-tier plans like Shopify Advanced or Shopify Plus, which can cost up to €289 per month or more. While Shopify is certainly capable of handling large-scale businesses, the price tag grows alongside your business.
WooCommerce, however, operates on a pay-as-you-grow model. This means you start with the basics and add features only when you need them. You don’t have to jump to a higher plan just to unlock advanced features. As your business expands, you can integrate additional plugins and tools to suit your needs, ensuring your store evolves at your own pace and budget.
This scalability is enhanced by Montonio’s modular system, which is designed to grow alongside your business. You can start with simple payment solutions and gradually add features like financing options or automated shipping as you scale up. Unlike Shopify’s costly upgrades, Montonio allows you to build your store step by step, without facing higher fees for growth.
WooCommerce with Montonio
We may be biassed but for SME e-commerce businesses in Europe WooCommerce stands out as the better option over Shopify. It offers greater flexibility, lower costs, and the ability to scale at your own pace, giving businesses complete control over their online store’s growth. You don’t have to worry about expensive upgrades or rigid structures limiting your potential.
| Feature | Shopify | WooCommerce with Montonio |
| Platform Pricing | Tiered plans: Basic (€24/month), Shopify (€69/month), Advanced (€289/month) | Free to install; costs depend on hosting and plugins |
| Transaction Fees | 2% on Basic plan with third-party gateways | No additional fees for local bank integrations (via Montonio) |
| Payment Options | Limited to Shopify Payments or third-party gateways | Integrates with local banks (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), Google Pay, Apple Pay, card payments, and BLIK in Poland |
| Shipping | Shopify’s built-in shipping services | Integrated shipping with automated labels, tracking, and order management via Montonio |
| Customisation | Limited unless using higher-tier plans or hiring developers skilled in Liquid | Full control over design and functionality due to WooCommerce’s open-source nature |
| Scalability | Scalable, but requires expensive plan upgrades | Pay-as-you-grow model; add features like financing and shipping as needed without forced upgrades |
| Support | 24/7 global support. | Local support from Montonio’s team, with fast response times and regional expertise |
| Security | Built-in security features, including SSL and fraud detection | Flexible security through plugins; Montonio adds anti-fraud tools and secure data management |
| Localised payment options | Limited; extra fees for third-party providers | Local bank integrations, BLIK (Poland), and popular payment methods like Google Pay and Apple Pay |
| Financing options | Not available natively; third-party apps required | “Pay Later” and local financing options directly integrated through Montonio |
| Control over checkout | Limited customisation without expensive upgrades | Full control over checkout process and experience |
| Ideal for | Businesses wanting an all-in-one, ready-to-use solution with less customisation | SMEs in Europe needing flexibility, local payment and shipping integration, and control over growth |
But the real game-changer is Montonio’s integration. By providing localised payments, cost-effective shipping, and tailored customer support, Montonio enhances WooCommerce in ways that Shopify simply can’t match. Whether it’s accepting payments from local banks, integrating BLIK for Polish customers, or simplifying shipping logistics, Montonio adds significant value to the WooCommerce experience.
If you’re looking for a platform that allows you to grow your business efficiently, WooCommerce with Montonio offers a powerful, affordable, and flexible solution. Now is the time to explore how this combination can help your business sell more and get paid quicker.
Sources:
shopify.com, woocommerce.com, montonio.com
This post has been prepared based on the Information available at 21/11/2024.