Magento vs. Woocommerce

When it comes to choosing an eCommerce platform, two normally come to mind - Magento and WooCommerce. Both platforms are great in their own right, but for the average person figuring out which one is best for them can be confusing! To help ease the confusing, we are here to help you make the right choice!

Similarities

Get In Touch with Us to Receive A Copy of Our Magento CredentialsThere are many similarities between the two ecommerce platforms. Both Magento ecommerce and WooCommerce are free to use (unless you use Magento’s enterprise edition), and they are both pretty easy to set up. These points are obviously great for any new business, as this can mean less costs involved.

Another one of the main similarities is both Magento and WooCommerce are open source platforms. This means the original code is open for web developers to build and modify as they please, giving the merchant exactly what they require in an ecommerce site.

Being open source is probably one of the reasons both ecommerce platforms have large communications. Developers like to share their own code for each platform and learn from each other. This is a plus for both platforms as you will have a lot of support from both communities.

While both are open source platforms, both also have thousands of free and premium themes you can choose from. So if you don’t want to build from the ground up, there are many sites that offer specific themes for both Magento and WooCommerce. You can get ecommerce specific ones, and even get ones for different sectors such as trade or fashion.

Differences

While there are a few similarities between Magento 2.0 and WooCommerce, the differences between the two ecommerce platforms will probably determine which one you choose in the end.

Setting Up

One difference is that unlike Magento, which is a standalone ecommerce platform, WooCommerce is actually a plugin that works within WordPress. To some this may not be an issue, especially if you already use WordPress, however if you are new to web development, Magento is probably a better choice as you will only need to learn how to use one platform, rather than two with WooCommerce.

Security

Another major difference between the two platforms is the security. Security is very important when it comes to the internet, especially ecommerce. Customer information and payment details are sensitive so need to be protected.

While both ecommerce platforms allow you to add security, Magento goes the extra mile to make sure your website is safe by offering dedicated security patches to its user. This means your website’s security is updated every so often, protecting you and your visitors all the time.

Long-term Management and Scalability

For every business, thinking in the long-term is always a good idea. You need to make sure you are prepared for the future and this definitely includes you ecommerce platform. Both Magento and WooCommerce are great ecommerce platforms that provide all the basic needs, such as shopping cart facility, reviews and best seller items. However if you want to grow and expand the business, Magento definitely has the edge.

Unlike WooCommerce, which only has basic features, Magento includes more ecommerce tools, such as upsell, crossell, compare products and more. WooComerce offer these however you would need to purchase these as plugins, which can become costly.

Magento also offers user a multi-store functionality, which mean in future if you want to start selling in different parts of the work, or open a trade and commercial, Magento gives you these options.

Of course if you are only small and don’t plan on adding more to your product catalogue, WooCommerce is great as it is simpler and provides the basic needs of smaller shops. But if you are looking to grow and add more, Magento definitely wins for long-term success.

The Right Choice?

When it comes to which ecommerce platform is the right one to use it does depend on your business needs. However, if you are looking for an ecommerce platform which is easy to use, scalable and has long-term capabilities, then Magento ecommerce is a definite winner.

Magento was designed with ecommerce in mind, so has all the capabilities that a business needs to provide their visitors with a great ecommerce experience, while also offering businesses the opportunity to grow and expand. What's more is Magento has upgraded from Magento 1.x to Magento 2.0, adding more great ecommerce features, security and streamlining the backend for easier use for merchants. 

If you are looking for a Magento website, then look no further! We are Magento certified with a track record of producing amazing, bespoke websites for our clients. We are based in both Cardiff and Devon, so can service South Wales and South West England. Give us a shout if you are interested in our service and want to talk through your website!