Shopify and WooCommerce (the e-shop solution for WordPress) are the two most popular e-shop platforms in the world. For a store that sells mainly in Greece, though, the choice is not neutral.
Cost
Shopify: a monthly subscription that rises with each plan, plus paid apps for many features, and in some cases a fee per transaction. The cost is predictable, but it runs every month, forever.
WooCommerce: the software is free. You pay for the build once and then for hosting, about 100€ per year for a small store. Some premium plugins have an annual licence.
The Greek market
This is where the big difference is. A Greek e-shop usually needs:
- ACS, ELTA and BoxNow (Greek couriers) with automatic shipping vouchers
- A Skroutz XML feed (Skroutz is Greece's largest price-comparison site and marketplace)
- Connection to myDATA (the Greek tax authority's e-invoicing platform) and Greek invoices
- Cash on delivery with a fee
- Greek banks and Viva Wallet for card payments and instalments
WooCommerce has ready-made solutions for all of these, because most Greek e-shops use it. On Shopify, many of them need third-party apps with a monthly subscription, or don't exist at all.
Ownership
With Shopify, the store lives inside the platform: if you stop paying, it closes. With WooCommerce, the e-shop is yours and you can move it to any server or developer. More on this in renting or buying a website.
Ease of use
Shopify is simpler for someone setting it up alone, without technical knowledge. WooCommerce needs a proper setup and updates, which is why it is usually paired with maintenance. For day-to-day use (products, orders, discounts) both are easy.
Which suits whom
- Shopify: you sell mainly abroad, you want to set it up yourself, or you need something very standard, quickly.
- WooCommerce: you sell mainly in Greece, you want couriers, Skroutz and myDATA without monthly subscriptions, and you want the store to be yours.
Our choice
For the Greek market we build e-shops on WooCommerce, from 700€ +VAT, with all the Greek integrations ready. See also whether a "free" e-shop is worth it and which courier to choose.
