WordPress, Shopify or a custom website: which is right for you?

If you've spoken to a few web designers, you've probably heard different answers to the same question. One swears by WordPress, another says Shopify, a third builds everything from scratch. They can't all be right for you.

This post explains each option in plain language, what it's good at and where it falls short, so you can ask the right questions. We build all three, so we have no reason to push one over the others.

The three options at a glance

• WordPress: a popular website system with an editor you can log into and update yourself.
• Shopify: a hosted online-shop service, with products, stock and payments built in.
• A custom website: built specifically for your business with modern tools. We use Next.js by default.

WordPress

WordPress runs a large share of the websites on the internet. You log into a dashboard and edit pages, add photos or write posts, much like using a word processor.

Good for

• Businesses that want to edit their own pages regularly
• Websites with lots of written content, like a blog or news updates
• Adding an online shop later with WooCommerce, a shop plugin for WordPress

Watch out for

• Plugins. WordPress gets most of its features from add-ons. Too many, or poorly made ones, can slow the site down and open security gaps.
• Updates. WordPress, its theme and every plugin need regular updates. A neglected WordPress site is one of the most common targets for hackers.
• Speed. It can be fast, but it takes care. Many WordPress sites end up heavy and slow.

Shopify

Shopify is a service you subscribe to that gives you a ready-made online shop. Hosting, security, the checkout and payments are all handled by Shopify.

Good for

• Businesses that sell products online and want a proven checkout
• Managing stock, orders and shipping in one place
• Owners who want something reliable without thinking about servers

Watch out for

• Ongoing fees. There's a monthly subscription, and many useful features come as paid apps.
• Less freedom. You work within what Shopify allows. Unusual layouts or features can be hard.
• It's built for selling. For a clinic, a consultant or a restaurant that doesn't sell online, it's usually more than you need.

We compare Shopify and WooCommerce in more detail in WooCommerce vs Shopify for a small Indian shop.

A custom website

A custom website is built specifically for your business using modern tools. Our default is Next.js, which builds pages ahead of time so they load almost instantly.

Good for

• Speed. No unnecessary plugins or code, so pages are light and quick. See how a slow website quietly loses customers.
• Security. Far fewer moving parts for attackers to target.
• A design that fits your brand exactly, rather than a theme many other businesses also use.
• Search and performance scores. Every site we build is tuned to score 90+ on Google's Lighthouse for performance, SEO, accessibility and best practices.

Watch out for

• Changes go through your developer. There's no editor dashboard by default, so updates are made for you. For most small businesses, whose content changes a few times a month, this works well through a maintenance plan.
• Choose a developer you trust, because you're relying on them to keep it running.

How to choose

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Do you sell products online, with a cart and payment? Shopify or WooCommerce is usually the starting point.
2. Will someone in your business update the website every week? WordPress gives you an editor you can use yourself.
3. Is your website mainly about being found, trusted and contacted? A fast custom site is often the best fit. This covers most local shops, clinics, restaurants and service businesses.
4. How much do speed and security matter to you? If a lot, lean towards a custom site, or make sure a WordPress site is built lean and kept updated.
5. Who will look after it? Every option needs some care after launch. See why your website needs maintenance after launch.

A few examples

• A clinic that needs clear information, timings and a way to book or enquire: a custom site works well.
• A boutique in Jaipur that wants to sell its collection across India: Shopify or WooCommerce.
• A coaching centre that publishes updates and results every week and wants to post them itself: WordPress.
• A sweet shop that mainly needs to be found, show its menu and take enquiries for festival orders: a custom site, with WhatsApp ordering.

If you also want customers to pay online, read online payments on your website.

Getting help

We build with Next.js by default, and also build on WordPress, Shopify and WooCommerce when they're the better fit. We'll recommend the option that suits your business, and explain why. You can see the tools we use on how we build, and what's included on our website development page.