Hosting, updates and ownership
Shopify is hosted software; the subscription generally covers hosting and core platform updates. WooCommerce runs on WordPress hosting selected by the merchant. With WooCommerce, the store owner and service providers must manage hosting, plugin updates, backups and compatibility testing.
Checkout and payments
Check the payment methods available to your legal entity, sales region and products. Compare gateway costs, tax and shipping configuration, checkout customization and compatibility with subscriptions or B2B tools before choosing a plan.
Marketing and catalog workflows
Both platforms can support SEO, Google Merchant Center feeds, email marketing and many marketplace integrations. Evaluate your actual product count, variants, feed requirements and agency access controls rather than selecting by plugin count alone.
Practical decision checklist
Document monthly platform costs, required apps, hosting/maintenance responsibilities, expected order volume, inventory systems, migration scope and staff access. A short discovery project can prevent expensive rework later.