Choosing a platform is one of the first decisions in any website project — and one of the hardest to undo. Here is an honest comparison from a team that builds on all three.
The quick comparison
| Feature | WordPress | Shopify | Custom (Next.js / Laravel) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Business & content sites | Online stores | Unique features, max speed |
| Build cost | Low–medium | Low–medium | Medium–high |
| Running cost | Hosting + plugins | Monthly subscription + apps | Hosting + developer time |
| Ease of editing | Very good | Very good | Depends on the build |
| Flexibility | Very high | Medium | Unlimited |
| Maintenance needed | Regular updates | Low (platform-managed) | Low–medium |
Choose WordPress if…
- You run a service business, B2B company, clinic or professional firm
- Content and SEO matter — blogs, service pages, location pages
- You want to own everything and avoid platform subscriptions
- You want a huge choice of developers in the future
The trade-off: WordPress needs regular updates and good hosting. Built badly — with heavy page builders and too many plugins — it becomes slow and fragile. Built well, it is fast and dependable.
Choose Shopify if…
- Your main goal is selling products online
- You want hosting, security and checkout handled for you
- You don’t want to think about servers or updates
The trade-off: monthly fees, transaction fees on some plans and app costs that add up. Deep customisation is possible but has limits.
Choose WooCommerce if…
You want an online store and the content power of WordPress, need custom product types or B2B pricing, or want to avoid platform fees. It needs more maintenance than Shopify.
Choose a custom build if…
- You need features no platform handles well — portals, calculators, complex integrations
- Performance is critical and you want near-perfect Core Web Vitals
- You have a large product catalogue with complex data, like technical specs across hundreds of grades
The trade-off: higher upfront cost and you depend on developers for changes, unless the build includes a content management system.
Our recommendation
- Service business or B2B: WordPress
- Selling products online: Shopify (or WooCommerce if you need flexibility)
- Manufacturer with a large technical catalogue: WordPress with custom product structures, or a custom build
- Unique functionality or app-like features: Custom (Next.js or Laravel)
Not sure? Tell us about your business and we’ll recommend the right platform — even if it’s the cheaper option.
Website design, development and maintenance for businesses worldwide. Our founder has built websites for 53 brands across manufacturing, finance, healthcare and retail.