Shopify vs WooCommerce (2026): Which Pays Better?
Both are popular e-commerce & print-on-demand platforms. Here is how Shopify and WooCommerce stack up on requirements, what you keep, payout terms, strengths and weaknesses, and which one we would pick.
Shopify
The hosted store platform for merch, print on demand and physical products, from $29 a month plus a tiered card fee.
8.8 /10
Pricing: Paid from $39/mo
Pros
- Checkout, hosting, shipping and tax handled out of the box, with a huge app ecosystem
- Print-on-demand apps (Printful, Printify) integrate in minutes
- Transaction fee drops as you move up plans, and a 400-day cookie affiliate program pads awareness
Cons
- Monthly fee plus app costs add up fast for a small store
- 2% (or more) surcharge if you skip Shopify Payments for another gateway
WooCommerce
Open-source e-commerce for WordPress: physical and digital products, subscriptions and memberships with extensions.
8.2 /10
Pricing: Open source
Pros
- No platform fee and complete control
- Every payment, shipping and subscription integration exists
Cons
- You host, secure and maintain it
- Extension costs and complexity grow with the store
Shopify vs WooCommerce at a glance
| Shopify | WooCommerce | |
|---|---|---|
| Editor score | 8.8 / 10 | 8.2 / 10 |
| Pricing model | Paid | Open source |
| Starting price | $39/mo | Free |
| Web rank | #176 | #2.7k |
| Minimum traffic | None | None |
| Revenue share / fee | Basic $29/mo (billed annually) / $39 month-to-month, Grow $79/$105, Advanced $299/$399, Plus from ~$2,300/mo; Shopify Payments 2.9%+30c (Basic) down to 2.5%+30c (Advanced); +2%/1%/0.6% surcharge on external gateways | Free core; extensions and hosting extra; no per-sale cut |
| Commission | – | – |
| Payout | Rolling payout to your bank, typically 2-3 business days after a sale | Via your gateway |
| Methods served | ecommerce merch, digital products, memberships subscriptions | ecommerce merch, digital products, memberships subscriptions |
| Niches accepted | General, Tech & SaaS, Finance & Insurance, Health & Supplements, Gaming & Esports, E-commerce & Retail | General, Tech & SaaS, Finance & Insurance, Health & Supplements, Gaming & Esports, E-commerce & Retail |
| Reader upvotes | 0 | 0 |
| Best for | ecommerce, merch, print on demand | wordpress, ecommerce, open source |
Our pick
Shopify edges it with a score of 8.8 versus 8.2. Shopify is the better fit if you value: checkout, hosting, shipping and tax handled out of the box, with a huge app ecosystem, print-on-demand apps (printful, printify) integrate in minutes. Choose WooCommerce instead if you need: no platform fee and complete control, every payment, shipping and subscription integration exists.
Other e-commerce & print-on-demand platforms to consider
Full ranking →PrestaShop 🧰 PlatformOpen source
One of the world's most established open-source e-commerce platforms, especially strong in Europe
nopCommerce 🧰 PlatformOpen source
Free, open-source ASP.NET Core e-commerce platform you install and host yourself
Vendure 🧰 PlatformOpen source
Popular open-source headless commerce platform built with TypeScript, NestJS, and GraphQL
Printful 🧰 PlatformFree
Print-on-demand fulfilment: you design, they print and ship each order; no inventory, margin is the difference.