Prices and payment options change. Check the current plans on each platform before you decide.
The short answer
Choose Shopify if you want a store that mostly runs itself, you’re fine paying a monthly fee, and your products and checkout are fairly standard. Choose WooCommerce if you want full control, already use WordPress, or need unusual ordering flows, and you have someone to keep it updated.
Side by side
| Shopify | WooCommerce | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A hosted store builder: you rent everything | A free plugin for WordPress: you host it yourself |
| Monthly cost | A plan from roughly $30–40 a month, plus paid apps | Hosting, often $5–30 a month, plus paid plugins |
| Updates and security | Handled by Shopify | Your responsibility, or your developer’s |
| Payments in Lebanon | Shopify Payments isn’t available; you use a third-party gateway or cash on delivery, and Shopify adds a fee on its plans for outside gateways | No platform fee; connect a local gateway, a wallet, or cash on delivery |
| Arabic and RTL | Depends on the theme; test it in Arabic before buying | Works well with WordPress’s right-to-left support |
| Flexibility | Strong for standard stores, limited for unusual flows | Almost anything is possible with custom code |
What matters most in Lebanon
- Payments. Many Lebanese stores rely on cash on delivery and wallets like Whish. Both platforms support cash on delivery. Check that the gateway or wallet you plan to use works with the platform before you build. The payments guide covers the options.
- Running costs in dollars. Shopify’s fee arrives every month whether you sell or not. WooCommerce is cheaper to run but needs maintenance time.
- Arabic. If your customers shop in Arabic, test the checkout, the product filters and the emails in Arabic, not just the homepage.
- Who maintains it. A WooCommerce store that nobody updates becomes slow and insecure. If you don’t have a developer on call, Shopify is the safer choice.
When Shopify is the better fit
- You sell physical products with standard options like sizes and colors.
- You want to manage everything yourself from your phone.
- You prefer a predictable monthly bill over occasional maintenance work.
When WooCommerce is the better fit
- You already have a WordPress website and want the store inside it.
- You need custom pricing, product builders, or business-to-business ordering.
- You want to avoid monthly platform fees and are comfortable with hosting.
When neither is right
Some stores outgrow both: subscription boxes, wholesale portals, or stores tightly connected to a point of sale. A custom store costs more up front, but fits exactly. Flavva, for example, needed a build-your-own box and refrigerated delivery rules.
Questions people ask
Can I move from one platform to the other later?
Yes. Products, customers and orders can be exported and imported, but expect some work to rebuild the design and redirect old addresses so you keep your Google rankings.
Which one is better for Google?
Both can rank well. Speed, good product descriptions and clean page structure matter far more than the platform.