Shopify is the biggest name in the e-commerce market. But now the market is expanding, and more brands are paving their way into it. One of such names is Opencart. It is a free and open-source e-commerce platform.
Both the platforms are growing and firmly building their base. Every online business owner understands the importance of an e-commerce platform in building an effective strategy. But the newcomers often get confused between these giants.
If you are also stuck and thinking, Which one of them is better?
Then the following points will clear out your doubts. It is the best Shopify vs Opencart review and will help you choose better.
A complete features list
The benefits of both platforms are listed here. Compare and evaluate both of them and select the better one.
Support & service system
The support & service system of Opencart is quite impressive. It is fast and smooth and Multiple storefronts can be managed through one admin panel. Being open-source software, it mostly focuses on forums and documentation.
Support options in this Shopify include Phone, Email, Contact Form, Community Form, Video Tutorials, Tutorials, Documentation, Social Media.
It has several support channels in this domain but Opencart can’t compete with Shopify. It provides support and service in every possible way you can think of. From emails, social media to blogs and forums it has all been covered.
Theme & design: Is Opencart better than Shopify?
Opencart has plenty of customization features available. It comes with a basic design template that is stylish and elegant in look. Free themes can be easily downloaded and installed through a third-party store.
Customization is not that easy. A freelance web developer can help manage the site easily and customize the design and themes as per the business requirements.
Shopify offers templates for almost every business type. It offers up to 73 unique and diverse templates. Themes are flexible and a freelance Shopify developer can easily customize it to match your business domain.
Ease of use: Which is better, Opencart or Shopify?
Opencart is free to use, and numerous demos related to Opencart are available. Easy navigation and basic features make it fairly easy to use. But for a professional touch, contacting a freelance web developer is a good idea.
While the hosted cart platform is instilled with rich and diverse features. It makes the platform a bit complex to use. It is unbeatable when it comes to managing online stores and businesses.
Which is good for small businesses? Pricing and plans
Shopify is not limited to a niche market. It covers a wide range, so basically, buyers use it for large businesses. If you want to sell a single product or service and need a free platform, then starting from a small e-commerce website is more convenient.
Its website design plans vary and can have different ranges. Purchasing additional features will increase your monthly budget because everything has a price tag on this paid platform.
If you have a decent budget, then this platform is also good for small businesses and will be helpful in the future. But if you want an open and free source, go with Opencart. Opencart pricing plans will not weigh down your business because its a free-to-use open-source platform.
E-commerce Benefits
Opencart cannot compete with the other giants when it comes to e-commerce benefits. Shopify has unlimited options to give support to an online store website. You can have as many features as you want. Editing product info and other details can be done effortlessly here.
The latter also has decent features for developing a good e-commerce website. It has SEO Tools, Reports & Analytics, Backup & Restore Tools, filters for a better search experience. The Dashboard is simple, clean, and easy to manage giving more control to the admin of the website.
Security is decent. You will need to keep the website updated by downloading the latest security developments. SSL certificates can be bought for additional security.
Which has better Apps & Plugins?
Positive customer reviews are the result of Shopify app popularity. If compared in terms of Apps & plugins then it is far better than its other competitors.
Which is better? Final comparison
Both are good e-commerce websites. Features that mark the major difference between them are:
- Price: Shopify is costly while the other one is free
- Support system: The paid platform offers immense support channels to its users, but the open-source store has a limited support system.
- E-commerce benefits: E-commerce features are the strength of Shopify. Opencart cannot compete with it in this domain.
Shopify website cost may be a little bit extra but if you have a decent budget you can afford it. If you are new then you can go for the open-source platform. It is better because it will help you get familiar with the technicalities of an e-commerce website without any heavy expenditure.