Honestly, there is no best shop platform, only the one that fits your catalogue size, team and processes. Shopify suits you if you want to launch quickly and hand over the technical operation. WooCommerce fits if you already use WordPress and want to combine many extensions. A custom shop only pays off once standard platforms reach their limits, for example with deep integrations or special billing logic.
We compare the three routes by cost, maintenance, integrations and flexibility, and finish with a decision guide.
What is the difference between Shopify, WooCommerce and a custom shop?
Shopify is a SaaS platform (Software-as-a-Service): the provider hosts and maintains the technology. You manage products, orders and shipping in a dashboard. The price you pay: ongoing fees, transaction fees and dependence on the app offering.
WooCommerce is a free plugin for WordPress, a content management system you operate yourself. The software is free; costs arise from hosting, themes, extensions and above all maintenance. If you know the system, you stay flexible; otherwise you need a provider.
A custom shop is developed from scratch for you: shop logic, design and integrations tailored to your processes. That gives maximum freedom but costs the most, in development and for every later feature request.
| Criterion | Shopify | WooCommerce | Custom shop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Getting started | Fast, managed in a dashboard | Moderate effort, needs WordPress | Higher, individual development |
| Ongoing costs | Platform and app fees | Hosting, maintenance, licences | Maintenance, possibly an agency |
| Flexibility | Within Shopify's offering | Very high via extensions | Maximum, but expensive |
| Maintenance (you) | Low | Medium to high | Medium, depending on scope |
| Typical use | Standard e-commerce, scaling | WordPress users, many extensions | Special processes, integrations, high demands |
What running costs should you plan for?
The biggest mistake: looking only at the entry price. The relevant line items:
- Shopify: a monthly subscription depending on the plan, transaction fees outside Shopify Payments, and app and premium theme costs.
- WooCommerce: hosting and domain (from €59 a month with us; shops priced by scope), extensions and regular updates, either in-house or through a maintenance contract such as our care package at €99 a month.
- Custom shop: a higher development budget (we price shops individually), then maintenance and further development.
For context, see What does a website cost in 2026?. All WebDrift prices are final prices under § 19 UStG.
Which integrations do you need and which platform delivers them?
Be honest about which systems your shop really needs to talk to:
- Inventory and accounting: all three routes can do this, via apps, extensions or interfaces. For complex merchandise management systems, a custom shop is often cleaner.
- Special billing logic (subscriptions, tiered pricing, B2B groups): possible with apps and extensions; very specific rules reach their limits there, and custom development wins.
- Multiple languages and markets: Shopify supports multiple languages and markets natively; WooCommerce needs extensions.
- Your own portal or customer logic: if buyers manage their own data, approvals or orders in a portal, that argues for a custom shop.
Who maintains the shop and how much time does that take?
A shop is an ongoing operation, not a one-off project:
- Shopify: you maintain content and offers yourself, the provider looks after the technology, the most relaxed route for teams without technical staff.
- WooCommerce: updates, security upkeep and extension compatibility are down to you or a provider. Without a clear owner, a shop ages fast.
- Custom shop: part of the maintenance stays with the developer or a maintenance contract. Plan for it, or every change becomes a small project.
Which route fits you?
- Manageable catalogue, standard processes, little tech in the team? → Shopify is the fastest and most comfortable route.
- You already use WordPress, combine many extensions and maintain the shop yourself (or have a fixed provider)? → WooCommerce is usually the most economical route.
- Complex integrations, own portal or billing logic, high speed or scaling demands? → A custom shop can pay off despite the higher budget.
- Unsure between two routes? → Check your integrations and maintenance capacity first, not the budget.
- Catalogue size and growth estimated
- Required integrations (inventory, accounting, B2B, portal) written down
- Clear who maintains the shop and how much time that takes
- Running costs (subscription, hosting, apps, maintenance) calculated for three years
- Exit routes (data export, porting) checked
Conclusion
Shopify, WooCommerce and a custom shop are all legitimate routes. The right one depends on catalogue size, team, integrations and running costs. As a rule of thumb, start with the solution that covers today's processes and that you can still maintain with little effort tomorrow.
Unsure which route fits? Talk to us. We will check your requirements and give an honest recommendation, even if it does not point to us.
