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WooCommerce vs Magento

WooCommerce logo

WooCommerce

Software

The flexible, open-source ecommerce platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Magento logo

Magento

Software

Open-source ecommerce platform for enterprise retail

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: WooCommerce the plugin is free but you must supply and pay for WordPress hosting, which WooCommerce itself puts at $25 to $350 per month for most stores; Magento magento Open Source is available under the OSL v3 license as a free self-hosted edition, but Adobe sells a separate proprietary Adobe Commerce edition with additional B2B, page builder and cloud features not included in the open source code
  • They diverge on capability: WooCommerce covers Product management, Magento covers Multi-store management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which WooCommerce and Magento actually diverge.

Attributes where WooCommerce and Magento differ
AttributeWooCommerceMagento
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
Founded20112008

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in WooCommerce

  • Product management
  • Shopping cart
  • Payment integration
  • Shipping management
  • Tax calculations
  • Customer accounts
  • Order management
  • Inventory tracking

Only in Magento

  • Multi-store management
  • Advanced product catalog
  • Customer segmentation
  • Order management system
  • Inventory management
  • Progressive Web App
  • GraphQL API
  • Security & compliance

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

WooCommerce

  • Running an online store inside an existing WordPress sitenot Magento
  • Selling physical, digital or subscription products with full control of the codenot Magento
  • Building a customised commerce workflow through plugins and hooksnot Magento

Magento

No use cases recorded yet. See the Magento review.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

WooCommerce

  • The plugin is free but you must supply and pay for WordPress hosting, which WooCommerce itself puts at $25 to $350 per month for most stores
  • Functionality such as subscriptions and bookings comes from paid extensions priced at $29 to $299 per year each, renewed annually
  • Card payments through WooPayments cost roughly 2.50 to 2.90 percent plus 30 cents per transaction
  • Total cost depends on how many extensions a store needs rather than a single published plan price

Magento

  • Magento Open Source is available under the OSL v3 license as a free self-hosted edition, but Adobe sells a separate proprietary Adobe Commerce edition with additional B2B, page builder and cloud features not included in the open source code

Pricing, plan by plan

WooCommerce

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core ecommerce features
    • Unlimited products
    • Community support
  • Premium$299/year
    • All Free features
    • Premium support
    • Performance optimization

Magento

Free
  • Magento Open SourceFree
    • Unlimited products
    • Multiple storefronts
    • Advanced marketing
  • Adobe Commerce$20000/year
    • All Open Source features
    • 24/7 enterprise support
    • Managed cloud hosting

Which should you pick?

Choose WooCommerce if

  • You need product management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want shopping cart.
WooCommerce review

Choose Magento if

  • You need multi-store management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want advanced product catalog.
Magento review

Questions people ask

Is WooCommerce or Magento better?
Neither clearly leads. WooCommerce starts at Free and Magento at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, WooCommerce or Magento?
WooCommerce starts at Free and Magento at Free.
Does WooCommerce or Magento run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use WooCommerce for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is WooCommerce best used for?
WooCommerce is most often used for running an online store inside an existing wordpress site, selling physical, digital or subscription products with full control of the code, building a customised commerce workflow through plugins and hooks. Of those, running an online store inside an existing wordpress site and selling physical, digital or subscription products with full control of the code are not what Magento is typically brought in for.
What can WooCommerce do that Magento cannot?
WooCommerce covers Product management, Shopping cart, Payment integration, Shipping management. Magento covers Multi-store management, Advanced product catalog, Customer segmentation, Order management system.
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