When it comes to talking about eCommerce platforms, there is a variety of options available for business owners. Which one should you choose for your online store then? It might be a bit confusing. But no worries! In this small blog post, we’ll compare the two most popular options: Shopware vs WooCommerce (eCommerce Plugin by WordPress) and will provide a detailed breakdown of their features, pros & cons as well. We believe, if you read this content till the end then you will have more insights into Shopware and WooCommerce. So let’s explain these two most popular eCommerce platforms.
Comparison of Shopware vs WooCommerce
If you are thinking about an eCommerce software, there are a lot of options out there to consider. In our case, we have chosen the two most popular platforms: Shopware and WooCommerce. But what’s the difference between Shopware and WooCommerce? Here we will make a quick comparison of these two popular eCommerce platforms.
As you already know, Shopware is a cloud-based (or self-hosted) platform that allows you to manage your online shop from one place. It is a kind of integrated eCommerce solution for all kinds of entrepreneurs. Shopware has a lot of features, including inventory management, shipping tracking, customer management, sales tracking and many more. On the other hand, WooCommerce is also a popular eCommerce platform (basically a plugin of WordPress) that allows you to create custom websites and stores. It has also a lot of features, including product listing, a shopping cart, a checkout process, and social networking integration etc.
But when it comes to features, Shopware definitely takes the lead! It has everything you need to run an online shop very effectively and professionally. WooCommerce has of course some unique features, but some of them are more specialized in Shopware.
For example, WooCommerce doesn’t have as many inventory management features as Shopware does. Contrarily, WooCommerce is easier at creating custom websites and stores than Shopware is. What do I mean by that? If you wanna make an online store without a single line of coding, you can do it with the WooCommerce plugin. Another area where WooCommerce dominates over Shopware is in terms of user interface (UI). The UI of WooCommerce is considerably simpler and easier to use than the UI of Shopware. This makes it ideal for people who are not familiar with using softwares or have less knowledge of coding.
But when it comes more professional, you should choose Shopware. This German-based software company is now very popular internationally and you can find lots of Shopware experts out there like alphanauten. If you are looking for a unique, super fast online store based on Shopware then simply contact us. Our specialists are always ready to serve you.
What is Shopware?
Shopware is one of the most popular one-stop eCommerce solutions. It’s a complete suite of eCommerce tools designed to make and manage stunning online stores. Shopware includes a CMS (Content Management System), shopping cart, order management system, and support for multiple languages. It offers plenty of free and paid extensions as well. Such as when it comes to Shopware SEO then you are good to go with alphanauten’s SEO Shopware plugin. From small entrepreneurs to big corporations, Shopware could be a great solution.
What is WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is another popular WordPress-based eCommerce medium (plugin) that includes some of the same features as Shopware, such as a CMS, shopping cart, and order management system. It is an easy-to-use plugin to make an online shop based on WordPress CMS. If you are thinking to make a free and simple eCommerce website then WooCommerce is good to go. Though it is not an independent platform like Shopware. And you may feel some speed issues when WooCommerce comes to using it with other plugins. We would say, if you are really thinking to make something big in the eCommerce arena then WooCommerce is not a good choice.
By the way, do you know Plentymarkets? There are lots of people wanna transfer their online shops from Plentymarkets to Shopware.
Comparison of Shopware vs WooCommerce Pricing Models
Pricing comparison is another key factor to compare these two platforms. The comparison of pricing of Shopware and WooCommerce is a bit tricky, especially for Shopware. Both platforms’ free version is a nice start but when it comes to more features and options then Shopware might be expensive for you. But it will give you tons of features and huge freedom to you to operate your online store. You may find the Shopware pricing model is a bit complicated but if you check our blog post about it then you will have more ideas or insights. The Shopware community edition is still free to use and it is open-sourced. That means, still you can use Shopware for free. To know more about the pricing model of Shopware and have free consultation then please book a call with alphanauten Shopware expert team.
On the other hand, to use WooCommerce you have to have WordPress installed on your server. But luckily both are free to use. Though a lot of features you can add to your WooCommerce-based online store and those could cost money individually. In this case, I would say, if you would like to make a professional eCommerce store then you should choose Shopware. Though it could appear a bit expensive at the beginning, but the end of the day it pays off.
FAQ about Shopware & WooCommerce
What's the difference between Shopware and WooCommerce?
Shopware is an eCommerce software that helps people build and manage their own online stores. And WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin that allows people to easily turn their WordPress website into a storefront or an online shop. Shopware is a standalone eCommerce software and WooCommerce is based on the WordPress backend.
What are the disadvantages of WooCommerce?
The biggest disadvantage of WooCommerce is the platform. It is not stand-alone. It’s a plugin. To run WooCommerce you need WordPress in the backend. Though WooCommerce is free to download and install, nevertheless some extensions might require a fee to use on it to get the most out of an online store.
Is there anything better than WooCommerce?
When it comes to powerful built-in features, Shopware definitely beats WooCommerce. On the other hand, Shopify could be also a great option if you’re looking for an eCommerce solution that’s easy to use, manage, and cost-effective at the same time.
What are the advantages of Shopware?
With Shopware, you will find several advantages: it’s easy to use, flexible and has lots of features. Shopware is overall stronger than other eCommerce platforms. It is using modern and cutting-edge, innovative latest technologies. In addition, to provide a great look and feel, Shopware has more than 2000 free and paid templates and themes for their customers. This software itself mobile-friendly and can be adapted for any kind of screen. Additionally, the back-end of the Shopware is also relatively straightforward.
Last Words
In this article, we have compared Shopware and WooCommerce to give you a detailed breakdown of the two platforms so that you can make an informed decision about which one is right for your business. Overall, both systems are very powerful and can help any kind of business take its operations to the next level. However, there are some important differences between the two that should be considered before making a decision.
We recommend reading our comparison above to learn more about each platform and whether it is the right fit for your business. If you are still not sure which platform could be the best fit for you then talk to us. Our eCommerce expert team is ready to give a free consultancy about these two platforms: Shopware & WooCommerce.
