| Ease of Use | Shopify includes hosting and security and requires no code knowledge to get started. | Not beginner friendly without some code knowledge |
| Build Time | Shopify guides you through the process and all the basic required features are already baked in getting you to a live store quicker. | More decisions (and more control) make for a slower process. |
| Plugins | Over 3000 apps cover most requirements | 55,000 plugins cover just about everything imaginable due to the open source nature of the platform. |
| Design and Themes | Small (around 70) but slick array of full feature templates give many stylish options. Customisation more complicated however due to the rigid platform. | Infinitely customisable due to the open source platform and a huge collection of themes pouts Woocommerce on top. |
| SEO | Reasonable options but limited. | Top quality free plugins give incredible power and control |
| Security | Because Shopify is a hosted solution, Shopify deals with handling any safety issues for you, making sure that you’re safe from hackers. | You need to handle the security on your own, with a hosting provider, or by yourself. |
| Customer Support | 24/7 Support is integral to keeping your site up | Depends on your hosting options and something comparable or superior to Shopify is possible but not default. |
| Pricing | Hosting and app fees can rack up quickly. | Free to install and reasonably price extensions make for an inexpensive exercise. |
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