Shopify and OpenCart are two of the UK’s best eCommerce builders. They all offer all the tools and features needed to set up, customize, and run your online store. However, when choosing the best platform between the two, it is vital to look at critical areas in which they differ.
Therefore, we will analyze and compare Shopify vs OpenCart in terms of design & customization, features, ease of use, etc. – so that you have everything you require to make an informed choice of the ideal platform for your eCommerce. Let us get started!
| Shopify | OpenCart | |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | User-friendly and intuitive, even for beginners | Requires basic coding skills |
| Design | Limited design and customization flexibility | More design and customization flexibility |
| Pricing plans | A free three-day trial and three pricing plans; £25, £65, and £344 per month | N/A |
| Customer support | Solid 24/7 customer support via live chat, phone calls, email, and social media platforms, community forum, help centre, video tutorials, and advanced specialist support | Community forums and extensive documentation. Personalized customer support can be bought on a one-time or monthly basis |
| Best for | eCommerce beginners and newer businesses looking to set up their online store as easily and quickly as possible | Small and medium businesses that prefer more customization and flexibility; entrepreneurs with coding knowledge |
Overview of both platforms
Shopify is one of the top hosted eCommerce platforms, with over 4.4 million active sites. The platform is optimized to suit all types of businesses, from small to large. It is popular for its ease of use. Besides, it gives users a powerful range of features and tools to build a new functional eCommerce store and run it without a hitch.
OpenCart is a top open-source eCommerce platform that has existed for nearly 20 years. According to BuiltWith, OpenCart is ranked 5th among open-source eCommerce platforms with 423 503 live websites. This platform is best suited for small and medium-sized businesses and is popular for its user-friendly and comprehensive dashboard. Besides, it has various features and tools required to set up a unique online store. However, you need coding knowledge to use this platform effectively.
Design
Both Shopify and OpenCart have a variety of attractive themes and offer excellent design flexibility. Shopify edges Opencart by offering straightforward design and customization options (it does not require coding skills).
Shopify is pretty simple to design, customize and adjust your store to suit your needs. You can begin with one of 80+ themes from Shopify, and you can remove or add elements however you choose. It also includes guidance and instructions for every design step. Shopify can even assist you in adjusting your store design to make it more SEO-friendly. However, you must choose the best theme for your business.
OpenCart provides unique design and customization options if you have some coding knowledge and experience. For instance, it has over 450 attractive and fashionable themes, both free and premium (from $60 – $70). Being an open-source eCommerce solution, OpenCart allows you to adjust, change, or personalize your store. Designing OpenCart can be challenging if you are unfamiliar with Open Source Theme editor. Fortunately, you can hire a professional to help you out.
Features
Both Shopify and OpenCart offer a variety of essential tools and features to run your store. Shopify’s features are more intuitive and easy to use.
Being a fully hosted eCommerce platform, Shopify features many tools to help users build and grow online businesses. These features include POS integration, dropshipping integration, Google Analytics, Payment gateway integration, SEO & marketing tools and reporting. It also has Shopify App Store, with over 4,000 apps, plugins, and extensions that are easy to integrate into your store.
OpenCart has an impressive list of features and tools that make it easy to set up and run your eCommerce store. For instance, there are hundreds of marketing & SEO tools, Payment gateways, sales, reporting, and inventory management features. It also has a marketplace with over 500 extensions. However, most of these extensions are premium and cost up to $120.
Plugins and Integrations
Shopify and OpenCart integrate with 1000+ apps, extensions, and plugins. OpenCart’s marketplace offers more plugins and extensions.
Shopify’s App Store has over 5,000 apps, plugins, and extensions, which are easy to download and integrate into your online store. It also integrates with top business systems like MailChimp, QuickBooks, Fulfillrite, itDuzzit, Zapier, KISSmetric, Chargify, etc.
OpenCart’s marketplace features 10,000+ plugins, apps, and integrations. These do not include add-ons and extensions that third-party developers provide. Most of these plugins and extensions are easy to integrate into your eCommerce store. Besides, OpenCart supports integration with various business systems such as MYOB AccountRight, eStore, PayPal, UPS, FedEx, MailChimp, Authorize.net, QuickBooks, etc.
Ease of Use
Both Shopify and OpenCart have an easy-to-use dashboard. However, unlike OpenCart, Shopify does not require coding lines to set up an eCommerce store.
Getting started with Shopify is pretty straightforward. For instance, you only require your email address, store name, and a strong password. It has short setup guides and video tutorials to help you easily set up your store. The dashboard is user-friendly and intuitive. For instance, it has a simple layout and a clearly labelled sidebar navigation menu. This makes it easy to navigate the platform and even customize it.
Signing up for OpenCart requires coding skills and technical knowledge of FTPs, hosting & domain name, security updates, etc. Its dashboard is pretty laid out, straightforward and intuitive; you can easily navigate it and edit or modify any part of your store. However, some aspects, such as setting up and configuring payment gateways as extensions, make OpenCart not overly easy to use.
Payment Options
Both Shopify and OpenCart integrate with 30+ third-party payment options. Shopify edges OpenCart by offering its own payment gateway that doesn’t charge a transaction fee.
Shopify has its own payment gateway, known as Shopify Payments, which does not charge any transaction fee. This platform also integrates with 100+ third-party payment processors such as PayPal, Amazon Pay, Stripe, Apple Pay, Square, etc. It also accepts alternative payment methods like cryptocurrencies. However, you will be charged an additional fee for every transaction if you opt for third-party payment options.
The OpenCart payment option gateway features a variety of methods, from online payment gateways to direct bank transfers. For instance, it integrates with 36 third-party payment gateways such as PayPal, 2Checkout, Alipay Pay, Amazon Pay, etc. You can also download and integrate more payment methods from the OpenCart Marketplace.
Pricing
Both Shopify and OpenCart offer affordable pricing models. OpenCart edges Shopify as it is free to use. However, you must pay for basic expenses like hosting and domain name.
Shopify offers a 3-day free trial and three major premium plans, including Shopify basic (£25 per month), Shopify plan (£65 per month, and Advanced Shopify (£344 per month). There is also a special custom pricing plan, Shopify Plus, which is designed for enterprise companies. Besides, there are some extra fees, such as transaction fees and domain name fees.
Being an open-source solution, OpenCart is technically free to download and use. However, you will be charged some fee to get full store control. For instance, you will be responsible for the cost of the domain name, hosting, SSL certificate, developer assistance, and additional extensions. You can also open a demo account to see what the storefront and admin sections look like.
Customer Support
Shopify edges OpenCart by offering adequate free customer support, which is available 24/7.
Being a hosted eCommerce platform, Shopify offers solid 24/7 customer support via live chat, phone calls, email, and social media. They also have a community forum, help centre, and video tutorials that offer adequate assistance. Besides, you can get advanced specialist support by subscribing to the Shopify Plus pricing plan.
OpenCart’s customer support is limited to community forums and extensive documentation. Their community forums are pretty active, and you can always get developers to answer your questions. The platform also offers dedicated premium customer support. For instance, you can opt for a one-time or monthly service that starts at $99.
Conclusion
Overall, Shopify and OpenCart are highly rated eCommerce platforms. However, Shopify rates are higher on most online review sites.
Shopify rates 4.5 stars out of 5 on Capterra and 8.8 stars out of 10 on Trustradius.
OpenCart rates 4.3 stars out of 5 on Capterra and 6.9 stars out of 10 on Trustradius.
However, the best platform depends on your eCommerce needs and personal preference. For instance, Shopify is best suited for eCommerce beginners and newer businesses looking to set up their online store as easily and quickly as possible and seamlessly manage everything from one place. On the other hand, OpenCart is ideal for small and medium businesses that prefer more customization and flexibility. It is also ideal for users looking to avoid paying monthly subscriptions.