Shopify vs WooCommerce (2026): Costs, Fees & Which to Choose

Quick answer: choose Shopify if you want a store that runs itself for a predictable monthly fee (from $42 a month in Australia). Choose WooCommerce if you already use WordPress or want full ownership and flexibility, and you are happy to look after hosting and updates. At around $10,000 a month in sales, the real running costs end up surprisingly close.

WooCommerce and Shopify are the two most popular ways for an Australian small business to sell online, and the core difference is simple. Shopify is an all-in-one platform that handles the technical side for you. WooCommerce is a free plugin for WordPress that gives you full control but asks you to manage the setup yourself. Neither is “better” outright. The right one depends on how much control you want and how much you want handled for you.

This guide compares them in detail. It builds on our pillar, e-commerce for Penrith businesses, and the broader WordPress vs Shopify comparison, and pairs with how to start an online store.

The fundamental difference

Shopify is “hosted” software. You pay a monthly fee and Shopify runs everything: the servers, security, updates and support. You log in and manage your store, and the plumbing is invisible.

WooCommerce is “self-hosted”. It is a free plugin that turns a WordPress site into a store. You own and control everything, but you also arrange your own hosting, keep things updated, and handle security.

Shopify is like leasing a fully serviced shop. WooCommerce is like owning the building. One is simpler, the other gives you the keys to everything.

Cost compared

Cost	Shopify	WooCommerce
Platform	From $42 a month (Basic, billed yearly) or $56 monthly	Free plugin
Hosting	Included	You pay separately, often $30 to $60 a month for good managed hosting
Card payments	1.7% + 30c on Basic via Shopify Payments	Your gateway’s rate, e.g. Stripe at 1.65% + 30c for domestic cards
Third-party gateway fee	Extra 2% on Basic if you skip Shopify Payments	None
Themes	Free, or a one-off fee for premium	Free, or a one-off or yearly fee for premium
Extensions	Apps, many with monthly fees	Plugins, free or paid (often yearly licences)
Maintenance	Handled for you	Your time or your developer

Shopify prices are from Shopify’s Australian pricing page and Stripe’s from its Australian pricing page, both as at October 2026. Check them before you decide, as both change from time to time.

Shopify plans in Australia

Plan	Monthly billing	Yearly billing	Online card rate (Shopify Payments)
Basic	$56 a month	$42 a month	1.7% + 30c
Grow	$149 a month	$114 a month	1.55% + 30c
Advanced	$575 a month	$431 a month	1.35% + 30c
Plus	From $3,700 a month	Not listed	1.15% + 30c

A worked example

Say your store takes 100 orders a month at $100 each, so $10,000 in sales, all on Australian cards.

• Shopify Basic (billed yearly): $42 plan, plus card fees of $170 (1.7%) and $30 (30c per order). About $242 a month, plus any paid apps.
• WooCommerce with Stripe: card fees of $165 (1.65%) and $30, plus around $40 for hosting and around $25 a month spread across premium extensions. About $260 a month, plus the time it takes to keep everything updated.

The hosting and extension figures are typical assumptions, not quotes, and your own mix will differ. The point is that “free” WooCommerce and “paid” Shopify land closer together than most people expect. The bigger differences are time, control and how much you want handled for you.

Ease of use

Shopify wins for beginners. It is designed so a non-technical owner can launch and run a store without touching code. WooCommerce is more involved: more settings, more decisions, and the responsibility of keeping WordPress and its plugins updated. If you already run a WordPress site, that learning curve is smaller.

Control and flexibility

This is where WooCommerce shines. Because you own everything, you can customise almost anything, integrate with other systems, and avoid being locked into one company’s rules. Shopify is flexible too, through its app store and themes, but you work within its boundaries. For most small stores those boundaries are generous. For unusual or highly custom requirements, WooCommerce has the edge.

Selling in Australia: what to check

Both platforms handle the basics an Australian store needs, but it is worth confirming each one before you commit:

• GST: both can charge 10% GST and show GST-inclusive prices, which is what Australian shoppers expect.
• Buy now, pay later: Afterpay and Zip are available on both, through apps on Shopify and plugins on WooCommerce.
• Shipping: live rates from Australia Post, Sendle and other carriers are available on both, usually through an app or plugin.
• Where your data lives: Shopify hosts it for you. With WooCommerce you choose your host, so you can keep your store on Australian servers if that matters to you or your customers.

Switching later

Picking one now does not lock you in forever. Products, customers and orders can be moved from WooCommerce to Shopify or the other way, and we do these moves regularly. The parts that need the most care are URLs and redirects, so you keep your Google rankings. Our website migration guide explains how to do it without losing traffic.

Which should you choose?

Choose Shopify if you want the simplest possible path, prefer a fixed monthly cost with everything handled, and would rather spend your time selling than maintaining software.

Choose WooCommerce if you already use WordPress, want full ownership and customisation, and are comfortable managing (or paying someone to manage) hosting and updates.

Both platforms run thriving Australian stores. The wrong choice is usually not the platform itself, but picking one that does not match how hands-on you want to be.

Consider something else if you sell wholesale and retail from a large catalogue, where BigCommerce is often the better fit, or you are stuck on an ageing Magento store that has become costly to maintain and need a clean way off it.

The bottom line

WooCommerce and Shopify both sell brilliantly. Shopify trades a little control for a lot of convenience. WooCommerce trades convenience for total control. Be honest about how much you want to manage, weigh real total cost against your time, and pick the one that lets you focus on growing the business rather than fighting the tools. Strong product pages matter far more than which platform hosts them.

Not sure which fits your business? See our e-commerce development service, or tell us what you sell and we will recommend the right path within one business day.