Shopify scales better for most growth-stage brands because it combines hosting, security, payments, and integrations in one system - letting teams focus on selling, not maintaining plugins. WooCommerce suits developers who want total control and are happy managing updates, hosting, and support separately.
Both Shopify and WooCommerce can get you selling online. The difference shows up when your orders, products, or team start to multiply. Here’s how to know which suits you as you scale.
1. Setup & Maintenance
Shopify is hosted and maintained for you - updates, SSL, and backups are automatic. WooCommerce sits inside WordPress, so you (or your developer) handle plugins, hosting, and performance.
👉 Translation: Shopify removes tech overhead; WooCommerce offers flexibility if you enjoy tinkering.
2. Scalability & Speed
Shopify servers scale instantly with traffic spikes. WooCommerce depends on your host - fast if optimised, slow if not. Once you’re shipping hundreds of orders a week, stability matters more than code freedom.
3. Customisation
WooCommerce wins on raw flexibility. You can modify anything. But that freedom also means higher maintenance and potential plugin conflicts. Shopify’s app ecosystem gives you 90% of what you need without code - and you can extend further via Shopify Plus or Hydrogen if you grow big.
4. Cost of Ownership
WooCommerce appears cheaper at first (free plugin, open source). Add reliable hosting, premium plugins, maintenance time, and developer retainers - it often costs more long-term.
Shopify charges a monthly fee, but it includes hosting, SSL, and support.
5. Marketing & Data
Shopify integrates seamlessly with tools like Klaviyo, Meta, and Google Ads. Its unified customer data makes retention marketing easier.
WooCommerce integrates too, but usually needs extra plugins and setup time.
So, which should you choose?
If your priority is growth, reliability, and time saved, go Shopify.
If you’re a developer or have a strong in-house tech team who enjoy building bespoke experiences, WooCommerce remains solid.
At Le Claires Digital, we usually move maturing brands from WooCommerce to Shopify when:
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They want fewer moving parts and faster site speed.
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They’re expanding internationally or adding POS.
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They need marketing automation and analytics connected properly.
Next step
Thinking of migrating? We help brands replatform from WooCommerce to Shopify without losing data, SEO, or sanity.
Book a quick migration review →
Some FAQs
Is Shopify better than WooCommerce for scaling?
Yes, Shopify generally scales more efficiently because hosting, security, and updates are built in. WooCommerce requires manual hosting and plugin management as traffic grows.
Can I migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify without losing data?
Yes. You can migrate products, orders, and customers via tools like Matrixify or by using Le Claires Digital’s managed migration service.
Which is cheaper long-term: Shopify or WooCommerce?
Shopify has predictable monthly fees including hosting. WooCommerce looks cheaper initially but can cost more once you add hosting, plugin licences, and developer time.
Written by Dominic Le Claire
Co-Founder at Le Claires Digital - helping brands grow smarter through Shopify, Klaviyo and community-driven strategy.