Shopify or WooCommerce? It is the most common question when starting an online shop. Neither is "the best": the right one depends on how fast you want to launch, who will look after the shop and how much custom behaviour you need. This guide compares them for Estonian shops, including payments, parcel lockers and VAT.
The short answer
- Shopify is a hosted service: you pay a monthly plan, and hosting, security and updates of the core are handled for you. You launch fast and maintain little, but you accept the platform's rules and pay for extra apps.
- WooCommerce is a free plugin for WordPress: you own and host the shop and can change almost anything. It needs hosting, updates, backups and someone responsible for them.
If you have little technical time and a standard product catalogue, Shopify is usually calmer. If you need custom flows, local integrations or full control over costs and data, WooCommerce usually fits better.
Side by side
| Question | Shopify | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Time to launch | Fast: themes and checkout are ready | Slower: hosting, theme and plugins to set up |
| Running costs | Monthly plan, paid apps, possible transaction fees if you don't use Shopify's own payment service | No licence for the core, but hosting, paid extensions and maintenance |
| Control and flexibility | Good within the platform, limited outside it | Very high: you control code, data and hosting |
| Maintenance | Mostly handled by the platform | Your responsibility: updates, backups, security |
| Estonian payments and parcel lockers | Available through apps and providers, check current support and fees | Available through plugins and providers, check current support and fees |
| Several languages (ET, RU, EN) | Supported, often with an app for full translation | Supported through plugins, flexible URLs |
| SEO control | Good basics, some URL limitations | Maximum control, depends on setup quality |
| Growth | Scales easily, costs grow with apps | Scales with good hosting and development |
Plans, fees and app support change, so check the current terms on each provider's own website before you decide.
Estonian online shop checklist
Whichever platform you choose, an Estonian shop needs to handle these:
- Payments: cards and the bank links customers expect, usually through a local payment provider such as Montonio or Maksekeskus, or an international one such as Stripe.
- Delivery: parcel lockers and couriers (for example Omniva, DPD, SmartPosti) with live prices and pickup point selection.
- VAT: correct VAT on invoices, and EU One-Stop-Shop rules if you sell to consumers in other EU countries above the threshold.
- Consumer rights: a 14-day right of withdrawal for distance sales, clear return terms and complete seller information.
- Languages: Estonian, Russian and English with correct URLs and metadata. See multilingual website.
- GDPR: a privacy policy, cookie consent and careful handling of customer data.
- Speed: a slow shop loses orders. See website speed.
When Shopify is the better choice
- You want to launch in weeks and sell a standard catalogue.
- Nobody on your team wants to handle hosting and security.
- You sell mostly in one language and region, or can use the platform's built-in tools for more.
- You accept a predictable monthly cost in exchange for less technical work.
When WooCommerce is the better choice
- You need custom logic: special pricing, B2B and retail in one shop, unusual delivery or invoicing flows.
- You already use WordPress or want a content-heavy site with a shop inside it.
- You want full control over data, hosting and long-term costs.
- You have, or will pay for, a maintenance partner. See website maintenance.
When neither fits
For very small catalogues, a simple catalogue site with an order form may be enough. For very custom requirements, a tailor-made shop or a headless setup can be right, but it costs more to build and maintain. We compare these options in our online shop guide and the platform overview Wix, WordPress or Tilda.
What it costs
An online shop costs more than a company website because of products, payments, delivery and testing. In our study of 15 Estonian studios, the median published starting price for an online shop was €1,500 (9 studios publish one). Your real cost depends on the platform, the number of products and integrations. We give a written fixed quote after a short call. Prices exclude VAT because we are a VAT payer. See also website cost in Estonia 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shopify or WooCommerce cheaper?
It depends on the shop. Shopify has a predictable monthly cost plus apps. WooCommerce has no licence fee but needs hosting and maintenance. Compare the total yearly cost, not only the first month.
Which is better for SEO?
Both can rank well when built properly. WooCommerce gives more control over URLs and structure, Shopify gives solid defaults. Speed, clean structure and good content matter more than the platform.
Can I move from one to the other later?
Yes, products and customers can usually be migrated, but you need to plan redirects so that you keep search traffic. It is easier to choose well at the start.
Do you build both?
Yes. We help you choose based on your products, team and budget, and build the shop with payments, delivery and a trilingual setup if you need it.
Not sure which platform fits?
Tell us what you sell. We'll recommend a platform and give a written fixed quote.