Ecwid vs WooCommerce – A Complete Comparison

Confused between Ecwid and WooCommerce? Let’s see Ecwid vs WooCommerce face-to-face comparison to find the best one!

Choosing the right platform for your e-commerce store can be challenging, especially when both options have unique features and benefits. In this blog, we’ll present a practical comparison between Ecwid and WooCommerce, focusing on the aspects that matter most to you.

By the end of this blog, you’ll have a clearer understanding of which platform is best suited for your online store. So, let’s get started!

Ecwid vs WooCommerce: A Quick Overview

Pricing Plans

Let’s compare the prices of the two e-commerce builders, to see which one is ideal for your online business –

Ecwid Pricing Plans

Ecwid has a free plan instead of a free trial. You can upgrade your plans from there. Here are the plans you can choose from: 

• Free Plan – This plan costs $0 forever and allows you to launch an easy e-commerce store in WordPress or any other site builder. This plan supports up to ten products and lets you gain access to social advertising, gift cards, and many more.

• Venture – For $25/month, or $21/month if billed annually, you get a plan that supports up to 100 products and digital goods. This plan allows you to create a store on platforms like Instagram and Facebook.

• Business—The business package costs $45/month or $39/year and supports 2,500 products. With this package, you can sell on the marketplace and subscriptions. You’ll also get staff accounts, phone support, an abandoned cart saver, wholesale prices, a multilingual store, and advanced discounting. 

• Unlimited—$89/month when billed annually, or $105/month to get the unlimited Ecwid package. This package supports unlimited products and you can sell via a branded mobile app, get unlimited staff accounts, and get priority support. 

WooCommerce Pricing Plans

WooCommerce is free to download and use, without any pricing plans to consider. With this free plugin, you can support unlimited products, and it includes all the basic features needed to set up an online store. However, to run a more advanced store, you may need to purchase paid extensions, which can range from $25 to $299, either monthly or annually.

In addition to extensions, there are other costs associated with using WooCommerce, including add-ons, themes, security measures, and hosting.

Features

Ecwid and WooCommerce are somewhat similar, yet they have distinguishing features. Let’s look at the features of Ecwid and WooCommerce to choose the best one for you.

Ecwid Features

• Direct integration with WordPress with several social media sites and website builders.

• One-tap Checkout (with Apple Pay) makes the checkout process easy, and you can provide customers with flexibility. 

• You get a separate dashboard for managing your online store. Although you can have exciting tools for your online stores, you have to manage two dashboards simultaneously. 

• Get detailed analytics and reports that support social pixels and Google.

• You can sell physical, digital, or service-based products on various digital platforms like Facebook and Instagram. You can also sell products via Ecwid Instant Builder, WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, etc. Offer coupons and gift cards for your customers easily with Ecwid.

• Enable options for scheduling order pickup in Ecwid and increase flexibility in your online store to attract more customers.

• Setup different product settings like variation, filters, custom shipping rates, automated tax calculation, set related products, and set up recurring subscriptions.

• Full inventory and order management are available for all products. Ecwid also offers tracking for all variations and types of products.

• Setup automated abandoned cart emails to remind customers about their abandoned carts and to encourage them to continue shopping.

• Display your product listing in multiple languages to attract customers from various parts of the world and target the international market.

• Ecwid supports over 40 payment getaways, which makes checkout convenient for customers.

WooCommerce Features

• WooCommerce has direct integration with WordPress and manages content and eCommerce simultaneously.

• With WooCommerce, you can sell anything you want, whether it’s physical, digital, membership, subscription.

• You can add features as you go in WooCommerce. As this aligns with WordPress, you can have all the features you love using plugins.

• WooComerce is initially free, so you can customize, control and add unlimited products to your store.

• Get all the familiar tools in your WooCommerce store. Personalize your store using various actions, filters, custom AJAX, and web hooks.

• You get over 400 official extensions to help you with payment, shipping, marketing, and more.

• WooCommerce is compatible with all types of themes, so get any theme you want for your online store.

• Find products easily with WooCommerce product tags. You can add attributes like size or color to help customers find the desired product.

• Adding customer reviews and verified owner labels is very easy with WooCommerce. This will help you gain the users’ trust and confidence in their purchase decisions.

• Product sorting is one of WooCommerce’s core features. It lets you sort products by popularity ratings, price, or other attributes.

• With multiple shipping options, you can give your customers the option to pick up their order or have it delivered locally. You can also set specific rates or product-specific shipping rates.

• A wide range of inventory management features makes the process easy. With WooCommerce, you can track stock levels, receive notifications for low or out-of-stock products, hold stock after the order was canceled, and more.

• Options for coupons, gifts, related product showcases, and reporting systems make WooCommerce much more user-friendly.

Ease of Use

Both e-commerce platforms offer distinct interfaces and functionalities. Ecwid is a standalone e-commerce platform that can be integrated with WordPress and other website systems. Its all-inclusive feature set makes it simpler to navigate. However, managing a website built with Ecwid requires using two separate dashboards.

WooCommerce, on the other hand, starts with basic features but is highly flexible. With a learning curve, it is accessible to users of all skill levels, from beginners to advanced developers. WooCommerce’s interface is integrated into the WordPress dashboard, making it convenient to manage your online store in one place. To access additional features, you need to add various extensions, which can be challenging for some users to navigate.

Integration

It is better to understand the integration capabilities of an eCommerce platform before you start making your store with this. Let’s look at some integration capabilities of both platforms –

Ecwid Integration

Ecwid integrates with most website builders and various social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Pinterest. 

It has a comprehensive app market, where you can install extensions for various activities. You can get extensions for marketing, advertising, or even accounting. However, there are not many extensions and themes made for Ecwid. Even with limitations, they are perfectly aligned with Ecwid.

WooCommerce Integration

WooCommerce is compatible with thousands of themes and extensions. Numerous plugins have been built specifically to empower WooCommerce, and their continuous improvements are highly dependent on various add-ons. The WooCommerce API has always been open and well-documented.

WooCommerce integrates seamlessly with popular payment getaways like PayPal, Stripe, and Square, which allows you to make shopping easy for all customers.

Security Measures

Ecwid’s Security Measures

Ecwid is a very secure platform that handles most of your security aspects well. It manages updates, protects against cyber threats, and maintains overall security. All of the Ecwid pages are secured by an SSL certificate and run the HTTPS protocol. 

Level 1 PCI DSS verifies the hosting. Ecwid stores all the data on Amazon Web Service, one of the most reliable and secure hosting environments. All their data transfers, technical measures, and data subject rights are well documented and clear. Ecwid scans its codes and deployments for vulnerabilities and misconfigurations to protect your store’s assets.

WooCommerce’s Security Measures

WooCommerce gives you full control over your store’s security, but you need to keep your plugins, themes, and extensions updated to protect against security issues. It integrates securely with WordPress and boasts PCI DSS compliance, which ensures safe and secure payment methods for users.

Adhering to these standards lets WooCommerce safeguard your customers’ payment information and maintain the overall security of your store.

Shipping and Fulfilment

When it comes to shipping and fulfillment, both platforms are equipped with powerful solutions. Here’s a detailed comparison for both platforms –

Ecwid Shipping and Fulfillments

• Ecwid calculates real-time shipping costs from USPS, UPS, FedEx, and other carriers to ensure that customers see accurate shipping costs at checkout. This feature takes into account various factors such as distance, weight, and order size to provide a transparent experience for both the store owner and the customer.

• You can set a fixed shipping fee for all orders, making it simple for stores with uniform product sizes and weights.

• Ecwid allows you to offer free shipping for all orders or based on a minimum order value to encourage larger purchases.

• You can set custom shipping rates based on the order’s total price or weight to provide flexibility and accommodate different shipping scenarios.

• You can offer local delivery and order pickup options, including setting delivery zones, blackout dates, and specific pickup times. This is particularly useful for businesses with physical locations or those serving a local customer base.

• Ecwid integrates with dropshipping services like Alibaba, Syncee, and Printful, allowing you to sell products without managing inventory or shipping logistics.

• Customers receive automatic email updates when their order is shipped, including tracking information if available.

WooCommerce Shipping and Fulfillments

• WooCommerce also supports real-time shipping rates and supports numerous shipping carriers.

• You can configure flat rates, free shipping, and custom shipping rates based on weight, order total, and destination. WooCommerce allows for extensive customization to match your specific shipping needs.

• WooCommerce also supports local delivery and in-store pickup, with options to set different fees and conditions for each method.

• You can print shipping labels right from your dashboard because WooCommerce integrates with services like ShipStation and WooCommerce Shipping.

• WooCommerce can connect to dropshipping platforms with the help of a plugin.

• WooCommerce provides powerful order management tools, including bulk processing, order tracking, and customer notifications about order status.

Support

Customer support is a crucial factor when choosing a platform for your store. Inadequate or delayed support can lead to lost sales and frustrated customers. So, let’s look at the customer support on both sites –

Ecwid Customer Support

The level of support you receive from Ecwid depends on the package you choose. Each package clearly outlines the type of support included, ensuring you know exactly what to expect in terms of assistance and resources.

• Customer support is limited to emails for the free package.

• You get live chat support with the Venture package, which you can get from your admin dashboard.

• As for the business and unlimited packages, you get phone support from 2 pm to 10 pm PST.

• The unlimited package holders get priority support, which is mentioned in the package.

WooCommerce Customer Support

WooCommerce’s customer support may not be the strongest aspect, especially when using the free plugin, which offers limited support. However, if you need more assistance, paid support options are available. You can get the following support from WooCommerce –

• WooCommerce community support

• API Documentation

• Online videos and guides

• Email support form extensions; not directly from WooCommerce

• Different blogs written by industry experts

Who’s the Winner?

There is no clear winner in the battle between WooCommerce and Ecwid. Both platforms have their unique strengths, and the choice depends on your specific preferences and needs.

In this overview, we’ve found that Ecwid is ideal for those willing to invest in an e-commerce platform with built-in security, close support, and an easy-to-use website-building interface. On the other hand, WooCommerce, a free plugin, is perfect for those who want extensive customization options for their online shop. With numerous supporting plugins, extensions, and themes, WooCommerce offers endless customization possibilities.

Read through the blog to explore all the aspects of Ecwid and WooCommerce, and then decide which platform is best suited for starting your online journey.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do Ecwid and WooCommerce handle product management?

Both platforms allow you to add, edit, and manage products easily. WooCommerce offers flexibility and customization opportunities with extendable plugins, whereas Ecwid provides a simple, straightforward interface.

Can I integrate Ecwid or WooCommerce with my existing website?

Yes, you can integrate Ecwid and WooCommerce with your existing website. Ecwid integrates with any website, including WordPress, Joomla, and other platforms. On the other hand, WooCommerce works only with WordPress.

Is it easy to migrate from Ecwid to WooCommerce or vice versa?

Migrating between the two platforms is possible, but technical assistance may be required. Both platforms offer tools and guides to help with the migration process.

Which platform is better for SEO, Ecwid or WooCommerce?

Due to its deep integration with WordPress, WooCommerce offers more advanced SEO capabilities. Also, that can be extended with additional SEO tools. Ecwid has decent SEO features but is not as flexible as WooCommerce.