E-commerce
WooCommerce
Free WordPress commerce plugin — you own the stack and the maintenance
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Overview
WooCommerce is open-source ecommerce on WordPress. The plugin is free. Hosting, theme, extensions, and the person who patches them are not. Payment processing is usually Stripe/WooPayments at network rates, without a Shopify overlay fee.
We compare it with Shopify for the hosted vs owned decision. Pick Woo when you have WordPress skills (or a retainer) and need customization Shopify will not give you.
Best for
- ✓Sites already on WordPress where content and commerce must share a CMS
- ✓Custom product types, memberships, or ERP-tied catalogs
- ✓Teams that will own hosting, backups, and plugin hygiene
Less ideal for
- ✕Solo merchants with no developer on call
- ✕Operators who need a supported POS and checkout as a product
- ✕Anyone choosing Woo only because “it’s free”
Key capabilities
- Plugin Extensibility
- WordPress Integration
- Customizable Checkout
- Large Community
Pricing snapshot
Software $0. Add hosting ($10–80+/mo typical), theme, extensions, and card rates. TCO is a project budget, not a tile. Official: woocommerce.com.
StackClash verdict
Right when you need ownership. Wrong as a free Shopify. See the Shopify matchup for the honest cost comparison.
WooCommerce comparisons
Every head-to-head on StackClash that includes WooCommerce.