Shopify vs WordPress.com: Which Is Better in 2026?

A detailed comparison to help you choose the right website builders tool for your needs.

Our Pick: Shopify

Shopify has a significantly higher overall rating (8.5 vs 7.5)

Quick Comparison

Aspect
S
Shopify(Winner)
W
WordPress.com
Overall Rating
8.5/10
7.5/10
Starting Price
$29/mo
$4/mo
Free Plan
Free Trial
Best For
any
any
Ease of Use
9/10
7/10
Features
9/10
8/10
Value for Money
7/10
7/10
Support
8/10
7/10

Overview

Shopify is the leading e-commerce platform for building online stores. While primarily for e-commerce, also works for content sites with commerce integration.

WordPress.com is the hosted version of WordPress, offering managed hosting with the world's most popular CMS. Different from self-hosted WordPress.org.

Pricing Comparison

Better value: WordPress.com
S

Shopify

Pricing ModelPaid
Starting Price$29/mo
Free Trial
Free Tier
W

WordPress.com

Better Value
Pricing ModelFreemium
Starting Price$4/mo
Free Trial
Free Tier

Features Comparison

FeatureShopifyWordPress.com
Drag Drop
Ecommerce
Business+ plans
Blogging
Basic
Custom Code
Business+ plans
Seo Features
Membership
Via apps
Paid plans
Cms Features
Basic
Animations
Limited
Via plugins
Templates
100+
Thousands
Custom Domain
Paid plans

0

features unique to Shopify

0

features unique to WordPress.com

Pros & Cons

S

Shopify

Pros

  • Best-in-class e-commerce
  • Huge app ecosystem
  • Easy to set up and use
  • Excellent payment processing
  • Scales with your business

Cons

  • Transaction fees unless using Shopify Payments
  • Monthly cost adds up
  • Themes can be expensive
  • Blogging is basic
W

WordPress.com

Pros

  • WordPress power, managed hosting
  • Thousands of themes available
  • Strong blogging features
  • Plugin access on higher tiers
  • Good SEO capabilities

Cons

  • Confusing vs WordPress.org
  • Plugins need Business plan
  • Less flexible than self-hosted
  • Can get expensive

The Verdict: Shopify Wins

After thorough evaluation, Shopify emerges as the clear winner in this comparison. With an overall rating of 8.5/10 compared to 7.5/10, it offers a noticeably better experience across most evaluation criteria.

Shopify particularly excels in Online stores of all sizes and Dropshipping businesses, making it the go-to choice for most users looking for a website builders solution.

Our recommendation: We confidently recommend Shopify for most users. However, WordPress.com remains a viable option if you specifically need bloggers and writers.

Choose Shopify if you...

  • • Need online stores of all sizes
  • • Need dropshipping businesses
  • • Need brands selling products

Choose WordPress.com if you...

  • • Need bloggers and writers
  • • Need those wanting wordpress without hosting hassle
  • • Need content-heavy sites

Ready to Get Started?

* We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit these tools through our links. This doesn't affect our ratings or comparisons.

Shopify vs WordPress.com FAQ

Based on our evaluation, Shopify has a slight edge with an overall rating of 8.5/10. However, the best choice depends on your specific needs and use case.
Yes, WordPress.com is more affordable with plans starting at $4/month, compared to $29/month for the other.
Shopify scores higher in ease of use (9/10) compared to WordPress.com (7/10).
Yes, migration between Shopify and WordPress.com is possible. Most tools offer data export features. Check each tool's documentation for specific migration guides and import capabilities.
Both tools can work for small teams. Shopify is best for any teams while WordPress.com suits any teams.
For startups, consider your growth trajectory. WordPress.com offers a free tier which is great for bootstrapped startups.
Yes, each tool has unique strengths. Shopify excels at: Online stores of all sizes, Dropshipping businesses. WordPress.com is better for: Bloggers and writers, Those wanting WordPress without hosting hassle. Review our detailed feature comparison above.
Shopify rates higher in customer support (8/10) compared to WordPress.com (7/10).
Both tools offer similar value for money, each rated 7/10.
Consider switching if WordPress.com's strengths (Bloggers and writers) align better with your current needs. However, factor in migration effort and learning curve before making the switch.