Choose Shopify if you want a hosted store that runs with little technical work and you accept a monthly fee. Choose WooCommerce if you want full control and ownership, are happy to look after a WordPress site or pay someone to, and want no platform fee. Both can run a serious Indian store.
Shopify rents you a ready shop. WooCommerce gives you the land and the building, and the upkeep too.
The comparison
Prices are from Shopify India and WooCommerce on 31 October 2026. Check both before you decide, as plans change.
The real costs
Shopify
The listed plans on yearly billing are Basic at ₹1,499 a month, Grow at ₹5,599 and Advanced at ₹22,680. Shopify says third-party transaction fees apply when you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments, at the rate shown for your plan. That fee is on top of what your gateway charges, so check how it applies to the provider you choose.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce's own pricing page estimates hosting at $25 to $350 a month for most stores, and extensions at $29 to $299 a year each. Smaller Indian stores often spend less on hosting at the start, but the point stands: free software does not mean a free store.
Which one fits you?
Lean towards Shopify if:
- No one on your team wants to think about servers or updates.
- You want to launch quickly with a proven checkout.
- You are comfortable paying monthly for as long as the store runs.
Lean towards WooCommerce if:
- You already use WordPress, or need strong content pages and a blog.
- You want your data and code fully under your control.
- You need unusual pricing, rules or local connections.
- You have a developer or care plan to look after it.
Consider a custom store if:
- You have a large catalogue and app fees keep growing.
- Speed and exact control of the buying journey matter most.
For example, we built the Sivam Nighties store on Next.js and Medusa instead of either platform. That choice brings more upfront work and is not right for every shop.
Questions to settle first
Common questions
Which is better for SEO?
Both can rank well. WooCommerce offers more control through WordPress. Shopify has fewer settings to get wrong, but less freedom over some details. In both cases, product text, images and site speed matter more than the logo on the platform.
Can I move from one to the other later?
Yes, products and customers can be moved, but the design usually has to be rebuilt, and you need redirects to keep your search traffic.
Which is cheaper in India?
It depends on your sales, hosting and extensions, so run the sum for your own store. A small store may find WooCommerce cheaper to run if someone can maintain it. A store with no technical help may find Shopify cheaper once time is counted.
Next step
Tell us your products, order volume and team size through our contact page, and we will recommend one with reasons. Our e-commerce service has the details, and our e-commerce cost guide has the numbers.