The e-commerce industry is constantly evolving, and businesses have always relied on their web solutions to be precise. With a plethora of e-commerce platforms, the choice of a shopping cart for your business becomes something of an ordeal.
Among the shopping platforms, there are two choices that have been the subject of heated debates for a long time: OpenCart vs. WooCommerce. Both of them are powerfully designed to provide the ultimate shopping experience. They both tend to have their pros and cons. Which one you need to choose is a tough decision, especially when you are aware that the decision is going to have future repercussions for your business.
If you are already aware of what e-commerce platform you want in mind or are looking to choose between OpenCart and WooCommerce, a free demo will not be a bad option.
An overview of OpenCart and WooCommerce
WooCommerce was launched in 2011 by Woo Themes Developers and is an open-source plug-in for developers. OpenCart was launched in 2008 as an open-source PHP platform using HTML components and a MySQL database.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a dependable company and is backed up by huge support communities. It possesses a powerful set of in-built features and tools that make the shopping experience engaging. Its popularity is increasing day by day. At this juncture, WooCommerce is rated to be among the most popular e-commerce solutions, occupying 26% of the market.
OpenCart
The thing that stands out about OpenCart is its overall user friendliness. If you have a small to medium-sized store, the platform will suit you as it has powerful loaded features. You do not need to have a website before installing it, as you would with WooCommerce.
A detailed comparison of OpenCart vs. WooCommerce
Installation process
WooCommerce is a plug-in for WordPress that you can install just like any other plug-in. Since it is open-source software, there is no requirement for any monthly fees. It is simple to install WooCommerce since all you have to do is select Plug-ins in the left sidebar, type WooCommerce into the search bar, and then click Install. You will be led to the store, where you need to fill in some basic information.
When it comes to OpenCart, there are a couple of options to set up. The first one would be a one-click installer with hosting providers charging you $ 3 – $ 15. Secondly, OpenCart can be installed manually. But you will find that the process is a tad complex.
Design and themes
WooCommerce provides users with around 210,000 themes, of which 30,000 are paid themes. Whatever form of theme you require, WooCommerce is able to provide it. The developers are fully aware of the significance of the design. This explains why they attempt to build a platform that cooperates with most themes on the market.
In comparison, OpenCart themes are limited. The platform provides 500 free and paid themes in total, with a cost in the range of $ 60–$ 70. An advanced template allows you to modify the look and enhance the feel of your online store efficiently and effectively.
Pricing and cost
Both WooCommerce and OpenCart are open-source e-commerce solutions. Though you need to pay attention to the additional costs while getting a store running, such as an SSL certificate or hosting a domain name,
The cost of OpenCart is similar to WooCommerce’s pricing. You would need to pay for a monthly service that will set you back $ 5—$100 per month. This depends on the type of hosting that you choose.
SEO
If you are looking to crush the competition with Google rankings, WooCommerce will have things covered. There are numerous plug-ins and extensions that you can take advantage of to experience a series of functionalities. Yoast SEO, the top SEO plug-in with more than five million website users, now available to WooCommerce users.
OpenCart is a platform that is thought to be SEO-friendly. Users are limited in their ability to make significant SEO changes due to the limitations in SEO tools. The procedure will be more annoying for a newbie. There are OpenCart SEO tips to improve your SEO performance.
Customization
WooCommerce is a PHP-based plugin integrated with WordPress. So, you are going to have direct access to the code via FTP. Those who are willing to hire seasoned professionals will have a high degree of control over every aspect of their e-commerce website. There are custom extension developers who will create whatever extension they want.
With OpenCart, you can take full advantage of the underlying code as you will find it customizable. Changes to the functions are possible holistically, so you have a unique e-commerce website aligned with your principal objectives. But in order to be able to do that, you require some coding skills.
Multiple stores
OpenCart enables multi-store creation with one installation that is under one admin’s management. The moment you have installed the OpenCart store from the admin panel, multiple stores are created without having to perform the installation process all over again.
With WooCommerce, there are no inbuilt multiple-store functions. You need to depend on paid plug-ins to activate it. OpenCart ensures that multiple stores can be created without relying on 3rd party WooCommerce plug-ins.
Supports product types
A comparison of WooCommerce vs. OpenCart allows you to have an unlimited number of items and product categories with their corresponding descriptions. Apart from that, you can sell every type of product. Like most shopping carts, WooCommerce or OpenCart allow you to sell physical products online. Both platforms enable you to maintain the product catalogue and pricing of products, manage the products and calculate shipping along with sales tax.
Apart from the physical products, digital products are supported by both platforms. A digital product is anything that can be downloaded, from a music tape to an eBook.
Extensions and plug-ins
A key element of the popularity of WooCommerce is the number of multi-functional extensions. Till this juncture, WooCommerce stores have hosted 400+ extensions developed by their team or 3rd parties. Their main objective is to enhance the functionality of your store along with its looks. But a point to consider is that WooCommerce will perfectly integrate with all the WP plug-ins. In the WordPress repository, you can find more extensions.
With OpenCart, there is a mammoth marketplace where you can find the additional functionalities, modules, plug-ins, or themes you need. There are around 13,000 extensions that help you customize OpenCart. They vary from social media integrations to admin tools, shipping methods, payment methods, reports, etc.
Support
OpenCart extends support to the users with tons of documentation, a blog, a forum, or video tutorials. It is possible to take advantage of the OpenCart forum, which is incredibly active, as you will get answers to your question easily. If you require additional assistance, the OpenCart platform offers it for a fee of $99.
WooCommerce is free to install and use where direct support is unavailable. Though it does not mean that the problems are unsolvable. For example, if you require support, you need to head over to the official WordPress forums. The community is large, and people would be more than happy to help.
The official verdict
The aspects that you have walked through will reshape your knowledge of what each platform could provide. So OpenCart vs. WooCommerce: which one is likely to win your heart?
There is hardly any denying the fact that WordPress is a highly customizable and robust e-commerce solution. If you have already run a WordPress site, then starting WooCommerce is relatively easy. The platform is expected to provide advanced features, support, flexibility, and customization. The design is better, and it has an ideal SEO environment.
Despite the fact that OpenCart is a simple open-source e-commerce solution, a lack of technical skills will cause problems. You will be stuck in a technical mess or be charged a certain amount of money. OpenCart has some troubles with SEO, and this is expected to give you headaches. In the overall context, WooCommerce turns out to be a better choice.
Determining a suitable platform to land on is not an easy task. If you are running a business on OpenCart and want to switch over to WooCommerce this is a chance to actualize your wish.