WooCommerce or Magento? We Compare The Top eCommerce Platforms

• By Andrew
• General News, Magento, WordPress
• 10141 Views
• 02nd August 2018

WooCommerce and Magento are both eCommerce platforms that you can use to build your online store. They are both quite popular which makes it difficult to decide which one is best. Fortunately, every business has unique needs. With this in mind, we will give you all the facts about the top eCommerce platforms to help you decide which one is best for you.

Cost

If you are just starting out, cost is a significant factor for your eCommerce site. While WooCommerce is absolutely free, Magento offers you several premium services which you will have to pay for. However, if you decide to go with WooCommerce or Magento you will have to register a domain name, WordPress hosting account, and SSL certificate, all of which will cost you.

Ease of Use

Compared to Magento, WooCommerce is relatively easy to use. The setup wizard will guide you through the initial set up. The framework and plugins are also quite easy to install. Magento is not as easy to install and is developer-centric. This makes it difficult for DIY users. However, Magento is packed with features and is extremely powerful depending on your use.

Payment Options

Both Magento and WooCommerce support almost all major payment gateways. These include PayPal, Skrill, Stripe, WePay, and Google Checkout among others. Magento offers you the option of creating custom extensions for specific payment methods that you may need. WooCommerce, on the other hand, supports regional and lesser known payment methods.

Scaling

Both Magento and WooCommerce face technical challenges such as needing additional server resources to keep up with growth and traffic. Magento users have to optimise their store for caching, protection, and to manage back ups. It may be easier to switch to the paid version than to hire specialists to manage the challenges.

In contrast, WooCommerce is slightly easier to manage with easy options that any user can implement. It also allows you to grow your website to meet increasing business demands.

Product Management

WooCommerce has strict rules about product management. There are physical and digital product options. It is fairly simple to add on new products using their Product Add-on extension. Magento has a functionality advantage. It also supports grouped items, product reviews, and personalisation. However, it is not newbie-friendly.

Security and Performance

Although no platform can be absolutely secure, Magento offers its users dedicated security patches. However, they are not easy to apply, if you have web development experience, Magento offers you significantly better security.

When it comes to performance, every site is different. Performance is greatly influenced by factors such as functionality, optimisation of images, and size.

Magento and WooCommerce are both excellent eCommerce platforms. They both offer great features however, the choice of which is better ultimately depends on the user’s needs.

WooCommerce has a larger user base and is a good choice businesses that require a cost-effective and easy to use platform. In turn, Magento is an excellent choice for established enterprises who do not mind spending money on improving their site.

Would you like further guidance on which eCommerce platform better suits your business needs between the two?

We would love to help you find a platform that suits your needs. Whether you are an established business or a fresh start-up still learning the ropes, we would love to hear from you.

Codeias specialises in multiple aspects of website development, including web design. We also specialise in online marketing services.

Call us on 01257 758 078 or email us at enquiries@codeias.com for an extensive analysis from a member of our team.