Shopify vs WooCommerce: Cost Comparison 2026
Shopify vs WooCommerce total cost breakdown for 2026. Platform fees, transaction costs, hosting, and setup costs compared honestly.
Shopify vs WooCommerce: Cost Comparison 2026
Both are the dominant ecommerce platforms, but their cost structures are completely different.
Year 1 Cost Comparison
Shopify (Basic plan, monthly billing)
Shopify's current plan family: Basic / Grow / Advanced / Plus. The $39/month figure reflects Basic on monthly billing. Annual billing reduces this — verify current pricing at shopify.com.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Shopify Basic (12 months, monthly billed) | $468 |
| Domain | $15 |
| Premium theme | $0–$350 |
| Transaction fees (if not using Shopify Payments) | 2% of revenue |
| Apps (email, reviews, etc.) | $0–$500 |
| Year 1 Estimated | $483–$1,333 |
WooCommerce
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| WooCommerce plugin | $0 |
| Hosting (managed WP) | $300–$600 |
| Domain | $15 |
| SSL | $0–$100 |
| Premium theme | $50–$200 |
| Plugins (payment, shipping, etc.) | $100–$500 |
| Development setup | $500–$3,000 |
| Year 1 Estimated | $965–$4,415 |
Transaction Fees: The Hidden Cost
Shopify charges 0.5–2% transaction fees unless you use Shopify Payments. On $100,000 annual revenue, that is $500–$2,000/year in avoidable fees.
WooCommerce charges no transaction fees beyond payment processor rates (Stripe: 2.9%+$0.30).
Shopify plan and fee structure (2026)
Shopify's transaction fee for using third-party payment processors varies by plan:
- Basic: 2% per transaction
- Grow: 1% per transaction
- Advanced: 0.5% per transaction
Using Shopify Payments eliminates the transaction fee. On $100,000 annual revenue, the difference between Basic with a third-party processor ($2,000/year) and Shopify Payments ($0 extra) is significant.
Which Is Cheaper?
At low revenue volumes (<$50K/year), Shopify is often cheaper due to lower setup cost and no developer needed.
At higher revenue (>$100K/year), WooCommerce often wins due to no transaction fees and more flexible architecture.
Use our Ecommerce Cost Calculator for a personalized breakdown.
Related Articles
- Ecommerce Website Cost in 2026 — full ecommerce pricing guide
- Web Hosting Cost Guide — hosting options for WooCommerce stores
- WordPress vs. Wix Cost Comparison — broader platform comparison
- Website Maintenance Cost Calculator — ongoing store costs