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WooCommerce vs Magento: Which is the Best eCommerce Platform?

For an online business to succeed, it must create an outstanding online presence. Many customers now prefer shopping online, and every business needs to leverage that market.

Your business can attract more customers through different online platforms and boost sales. Thanks to e-commerce solutions like WooCommerce and Magento, businesses now have an easier time leveraging the online market.
WooCommerce and Magento are great e-commerce platforms with great features. The two platforms also have a lot of tools and users that prefer online transactions. However, the almost similar platforms give many users challenges in choosing the best one.

A business has to understand the difference between the two to avoid confusion and make an informed choice. This article explains the difference between WooCommerce vs Magento through a detailed comparison.

What is WooCommerce?

WooCommerce is a great WordPress plugin and e-commerce platform famous all over the world. It is an easy-to-use platform that offers all the necessary e-commerce features for free.

WooCommerce is a flexible, user-friendly and easy-to-use platform that offers the required support to different companies. It is a good choice for beginners who need to gain e-commerce knowledge. However, the users need to know how to use WordPress or go through online tutorials to learn this.

The open-source platform can work on any server for free. A business can also opt for the premium package extension, which requires a subscription fee. Additionally, WooCommerce has web hosting charges that depend on the company’s size and packaging offers.

WooCommerce Features

• It can support several products
• Accepts different payment methods
• Facilitates theme customization at a lower cost
• Has free plugins
• Fast and easy installation

Pros
• It is easy to install and use.
• It has free and premium themes.
• It is free to create a store.
• It allows users to access various documents.
• It has a support team where users can ask questions or contact if there is an emergency
• It can offer SSL support (after obtaining certification).
• It is an extension that automatically integrates with google.
• It allows for various payment processors.
• It enables users to adapt or expand their stores at will.

Cons
• It might be challenging to use without basic knowledge of how to use WordPress.
• The cost of the premium themes and extensions is higher.

Magento

Unlike WooCommerce, Magento Development Company is an e-commerce platform for established organizations. It has a free community edition and an enterprise edition, which attracts charges. Magento is not dependent on other Content Management Systems (CMS) since it offers a full business solution.
However, it is an open-source platform, just like WooCommerce. It lets users change the source code and choose or develop customized templates and unique features. The platform also allows for API access and integrations. The best thing about Magento e-commerce development is that it can be used to manage various stores at once. It also accepts international currency payments. It has been used for nearly a decade and is among the most powerful open-source e-commerce platforms.

Features of Magento

• It supports various products like a self-hosting platform
• It has great admin interfaces and product creation tools
• Has better themes and layout systems
• Incorporates APIs that facilitate connection with any third-party solution
• It offers better product search
• It comes with a point-and-click interface, making it easy to use

Pros
• It allows payment from different currencies through PayPal, Braintree and Authorize.Net.
• It allows customers to checkout easily and faster. Guests can also checkout through default settings.
• It can handle bigger stores as it is built for scalability.

Cons
• The enterprise edition is expensive to manage or own
• It is more geared toward established businesses instead of regular users

Security

Customers prefer transacting on secure online platforms. So, as a company, your site’s security is vital. A company can manage security with secure add-ons.

Both WooCommerce and Magento are secure business platforms. WooCommerce security is self-hosted and needs an SSL certificate. It works with a web hosting provider, and users must manually make the platform PCI-DSS compliant. However, Magento automates PCI compliance and has regularly released security patches.
It also contains a site scanner, and users enjoy extra security from the hosting provider. Additionally, the SSL certificate is free, and the server undergoes 24/7 monitoring.

The Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protects crucial customers’ details from hackers. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) enables your company to facilitate credit card payments.

Magento is more secure as it offers better security to users. The only disadvantage of Magento is that its security patches are not easy to use.

This gives new users challenges in maintaining a secure system. In fact, most newbie stores remain outdated without their knowledge, which is a security risk.
Relying fully on the protection of the commerce website development company can compromise your customers’ crucial data. So, it is best to take the necessary actions to improve security.

Site Performance

Site performance is another essential component of an online store. Remember, a poorly responsive site chases away potential customers and makes it unreliable.

However, a secure and reliable platform needs to run faster to earn clients’ trust. A responsive site also boosts sales and can attract prospective customers while retaining existing ones.

Both WooCommerce and Magento offer varied site speeds. The performance of any of the platforms depends on the hosting provider and the available bandwidth. If your WooCommerce site speed is slower, consider reducing the WordPress plugins or using Content Delivery Network (CDN).

Magento allows users to change hosting providers to improve the platform’s scalability. The best thing about web hosting providers is that they tighten security too.

Pricing

One of the notable differences between WooCommerce vs Magento e-commerce platforms a business needs to pay much attention to is their pricing. WooCommerce is a free, open-source platform that allows businesses to save money. However, to access the premium services, companies must subscribe for a fee.

Magento, on the other hand, has two versions. The community edition is available for free. However, your company has to pay to access Magento Enterprise Edition. It is advisable to note that Magento is much more expensive to use.
Its enterprise edition also keeps evolving, meaning it will keep attracting more charges. For example, the premium features of Magento 1 go for a different price than Magento 2.

Apart from the subscription fees, the two platforms also attract additional charges. For example, WooCommerce, a free platform, requires hosting providers. Additionally, your business must pay for a domain name or other features.
Magento is able to host multiple stores attracts paid extensions, needs paid SEO tools, and has product management features. This means a business using Magento will spend more than one using WooCommerce. This is because of the additional premium features, which are costly.

Ease of Use

An e-commerce platform with great features is what every business looks for. However, such a platform can become useless if it is not easy-to-use or if users do not know how to use it. So, while selecting between WooCommerce vs Magento look at the one that is easiest to use.

WooCommerce is easy to use and does not require training to understand how it works. Instead, you need to understand how WordPress works to build, install, and use your store. Since it is an open-source solution, expect to experience some difficulties that require technical assistance or knowledge to access different features.
WooCommerce also has attractive and easy to use templates that help make a company’s site appealing. The customizable themes require basic technical knowledge to manage.

Magento is a bit different from WooCommerce as its installation is more technical. It requires tech savvy individuals to manage and run the store, which attracts additional charges.

It also has fewer built in themes, and using third party themes may take users back to class. Even though the platform has drag and drop features, a non-tech savvy user might find it challenging to achieve the desired outcome.
Extensions and Plugins

A good e-commerce platform should have great built-in features. Such features reduce the cost of managing the store and should be easy to use.

However, as a company expands, the in-built features might limit its operations. This requires the intervention of extension features to provide a better user experience.

WooCommerce has various inbuilt SEO and add on features. It entails 50K plugins, which integrate easily within the platform.

Despite that, Magento has better add on feature options. It has about 3500 extensions and 1,900 free plugins that require frequent updates and maintenance.

A company using Magento does not need to pay for these services. Most extensions are part of the package price, but you pay to modify and integrate them.

Developing a website with WooCommerce is a better choice for companies looking to include extension features on their stores. This is because the extensions or plugins are cheap to integrate through WordPress, making it a great choice to use.

Product Management

Good product management also determines the progress of an e-commerce solution store. So, before settling on either of the two platforms it is best to look at their product management.
WooCommerce has a good product management approach for both physical and digital
products. It makes it easier for companies to set up new products. It is also possible to infuse add-on features with extensions.

On the other hand, Magento limits a company’s product management. This is because it has inbuilt features like wish list, grouped items and advanced pricing rules.

Such features make the platform more functional. It also does not allow for the easy inclusion of additional features after the product has gone through its full cycle. With WooCommerce the expanded features can come in through the extensions.

Support System

Every online platform needs a good support system. The support system helps organizations in times of emergency or crisis. It also provides basic answers customers may need while transacting through the platform.
WooCommerce has an active help center that provides solutions through FAQ sections or WooCommerce documents. It provides enough support for businesses that want to be in charge of their support system.
However, it does not have email, live chat, or phone support. Instead, it has a public knowledge base and community, and users with bought extensions can enjoy using the support center. WooCommerce’s huge user base also enables individuals to seek help from WooExperts, established developers, or a network of peers.

The Magento platform allows its open-source edition users to get help from third-party developers or the community. Your company can receive direct support for commerce or commerce cloud versions through phone, tickets, and email.

Design and Themes

Most customers prefer buying from attractive websites. Additionally, a number of site visitors judge the credibility of a site depending on its design. This means, as a focused business, it is important to check on your website’s design and theme.

Woocomerce has 20 built in themes, three of which are free and 13 of which are responsive. The themes are highly customizable, and it is possible to buy them. In WooCommerce customizing the themes is a lot easier and faster through the WordPress plugins.

However, Magento has two built-in themes that require users to design their own. The themes also require coding. This means that customizing the blank themes in Magento is a real challenge, as using the tools is not easy.
Even though both platforms require technical and IT skills, designing the themes for Magento is much more complex. The Magento platform might need an established IT specialist which attracts additional charges.

Transaction Fees and Payment Mode

WooCommerce vs Magento also has different transaction fees and payment options. WooCommerce has 4 payment methods, cash on delivery, check payments, direct bank transfers, and online card payments.
It also consists of 3 payment gateways like PayPal, BrainTree, and WooCommerce. It does not attract transaction fees and is also Apple supported.

Magento has more payment methods. Users can pay through an online card, check, purchase order, bank transfer, money order, zero subtotal checkout, and cash on delivery.

Additionally, customers can use payment gateways, such as Authorize.Net or PayPal. It is also possible to add gateway extensions at a fee to facilitate Amazon Pay, Stripe, and Square. It also does not attract transaction fees or Apple Pay support.

Built-in Features

Having a business platform with more features gives customers a better user experience. The features enable them to go through your site and find specific items or search for services.

WooCommerce has fewer built-in features like suggested products on different product pages, customized checkout, and one-click refunds. It also has advanced SEO tools, but the paid add-on features are also available.
Magneto contains advanced SEO tools, advanced analytics, and allows sales of all product types. The inventory management system enables customers to login, compare products, create wish lists, and anchor menus. It also provides staff logins and gift card payments.

A store website with fewer built-in features integrates with many add-ons and plugins. Such extensions enable your business to modify the site and provide a better user experience. WooCommerce has less built in features unlike magneto.

Server Specifications

As a startup business, it is not easy to decide on the right server for the platform. Look into the number of site users and the size of the business to determine this.

WooCommerce depends on a 1 GB Digital Ocean server to run, which is ideal for organizations with few daily users. Since it is best to have a server with 2 GB, the WooCommerce platform can be a bit slower. However, some tech savvy individuals can try using a bigger RAM server on WooCommerce’s server to improve its performance.
The Magneto server needs 4GB to operate. Such a server can accommodate more users than WooCommerce. A business with more than 100 users needs to upgrade its server storage space to reduce page loading time.

WooCommerce vs Magento: Which Platform is Best for e-commerce?

After going through the above comparison, it can still be difficult to decide on the best e-commerce platform for your business. Such a thing happens because the two platforms have almost identical features, which is confusing.
To make the right decision regarding the best e-commerce platform, consider the size of your business. An upcoming business does not need a complicated e-commerce platform when there are free, easy to use platforms available.
Also, consider the organization’s needs and the platform’s users. Performance, security, and payment options also matter. The product’s features, its management, and your budget are also determinants.

WooCommerce is the best pick for an upcoming business with a limited budget. It is a good choice for a company with few or no tech-savvy individuals looking for an easy-to-use platform to grow and attract more customers.

Additionally, it suits beginners looking for a website that can host fewer users at a lower cost. WooCommerce enables small businesses to grow while offering the best user experience and adding other features through extensions over time.

However, Magento is also a wonderful choice especially for established businesses with more users. It has more built in features that reduce the add-ons subscription fees. Additionally, it is a great choice as it is more secure, offers extra support, and has great product management.

It also supports and facilitates multi-store use and easy scalability. As you know, good things come at a price. So, be ready to dig deeper into your pockets to use Magento.

Also, plan to recruit tech savvy consultants to manage, integrate features, and fix arising issues. Through it, your site visitors will have a good user experience, which boosts sales, attracts prospects, and maintains existing customers.
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Source: https://www.sigmasolve.com/woocommerce-vs-magento-which-is-the-best-ecommerce-platform/