Jason wanted to build his eCommerce website to sell baby clothing online. As he did not have the technical knowledge, he approached a few local web development companies to help him. Within 2 days, he got twelve quotes from eCommerce web development agencies. The web designers suggested him to opt for different Content management systems (CMS) and he got confused as to which platform to choose. He wanted a simple and easy to use admin panel so that he could update his site on his own. There were 2 CMS platforms suggested by almost all the companies: WordPress & Magento.

When it comes to establishing an online store, you need to deal with immense and intensifying competition. Whether you want to convert your website into a feature-rich online marketplace or develop an online shop from scratch, the CMS (Content Management System) always lends a helping hand.

However, you may find it difficult to choose the right CMS as a variety of options are available. Here, we are going to compare the two most popular CMS – Magento and WordPress to give you a clear idea about the most suitable solution to grow your online business.

Though we want to compare both the platforms, it is fair to mention that Magento and WordPress both are capable of empowering elegant, interactive, and customer-friendly eCommerce websites. Both are SEO-friendly, customizable, scalable, and intuitive CMS frameworks that can enable web developers to integrate advanced eCommerce features.

There is no exaggeration in saying that both open source platforms can take your business to the next level in the digital world. But then, it is better to go through a few key differences to make the right decision for your eCommerce website.

Let us see these points one after another:

1. Strength and Stats

WordPress:

We cannot imagine the web world without WordPress! Yes, this one of the most robust platforms has empowered over 75 million websites worldwide, and this figure shows that WordPress enjoys around 28 percent market share of websites.

When it comes to the global content management market, WordPress has dominance with over 60 percent market share. From personal blog to the portfolio and web portal to an eCommerce website, WordPress has remained a preferred choice of developers because of rich features, intuitive UI, easy customization, and simple modification options.

As far as developing an online shop, WordPress offers a powerful plugin called WooCommerce. What’s more, higher flexibility and scalability of the platform enables WordPress web developers to create unique plugins. For example, Avartan Slider and User Activity Log Pro are useful customized plugins to make your online store more customer-friendly while enabling you to keep track of the user’s activities.

Magento:

It is a dedicated platform for the eCommerce website and comes with a gamut of features to make a full-fledged online shop. This is the most preferred platform to develop an eCommerce site. Interestingly, it is expected to grow faster than the eCommerce domain itself!

As Magento 2 gains ground swiftly, we can predict that the number of Magento-using websites will increase swiftly in the near future. Right now, over 150,000 sites are running on the Magento platform. Irrespective of size and scale, online businesses tend to use Magento for creating interactive and attractive online stores.

Beautiful themes and templates can give your Magento 2 website the blend of elegant appearance and excellent performance. Take an example of Shoptica and Kosmic themes for Magento 2 store. Both these customized themes are eye-catching, multipurpose, and in-line with the web design trends. Either of the themes can enhance the functionality of your website. Magento 2 extensions can serve various purposes in your business site with features like cross-browser support and responsiveness.

Also Read: 10 Benefit Of WordPress CMS Development

2. Simplicity

WordPress:

Simple UI is the USP of WordPress since its inception. It is one of the easiest CMS that has many eCommerce plugins to help developers create and customize an online shop. You can readily generate more leads with a future-ready e-store.

Magento:

Though the Magento platform is more complicated than WordPress, you can stay ahead of the curve with a Magento website. You can hire Magento developers to make your store up to date with the latest features. Once you get acquainted with the platform, you can easily manage multiple products across different categories and modify the checkout processes as per the trend.

3. Flexibility

WordPress:

This platform has no match when it comes to flexibility. It offers a range of plugins (free and premium) to make your online shop rich in features. It is easy to enhance the functionality of your shop by integrating the core features like inventory management, product management, shopping cart integration, contact forms, etc. You can also offer a one-page checkout to your customers while giving them a hassle-free and pleasant shopping experience.

Magento:

As a core eCommerce platform, Magento has all the features necessary to improve the functionality of your online store. Though it is less flexible as compared to WordPress, it offers the most powerful extensions and user-friendly features to make your store more interactive. Also, you can highlight special offers and discounts in an easier way than WordPress.

4. Security

No business website can afford any compromise on the data security front these days. When your customers make payments online, you have to give them a safe and secure checkout facility. Let us check where these platforms stand in security aspect:

WordPress:

As one of the most popular CMS platforms, it is highly vulnerable to cyber-attacks and security breaches. Also, eCommerce plugins make the website more vulnerable. You need to keep two points in mind: Only integrate reliable third-party plugins and keep them updated along with themes and other aspects.

Magento:

It has robust security features. With limited extensions, you can remain assured of any security loophole. You need to install an extension developed by a professional Magento developer. It is easier to keep a Magento website away from hackers as compared to WordPress.

If you want a loyal customer base, you should always focus on the security of your website. Even the slightest breach can ruin your online reputation and affect your business for the long term.

5. Development

WordPress:

When we talk about the development, website development is more simplified with WordPress. It’s easy to set up a store using this platform. An eCommerce store can be created with a few mouse clicks. With ready to use templates, you can make your online store go live.

Magento:

Magento requires some amount of coding. As Magento is object-oriented, developers have to take care of the various files in a single theme directory.

Also, both these platforms have thriving communities for real-time support and dedicated developers who keep an eye on every development and trend of the eCommerce sector.

Multiple store management, in-built mobile app API, and customized theme implementation are the features that give Magento an edge over its peers. Though WordPress possesses all the necessary features and functionality to build a successful eCommerce website, Magento is an ideal platform for a business with a large volume and a plethora of possibilities.

How to choose the right platform for your business?

It is indeed a herculean task to decide the most suitable platform for your eCommerce website. You need to know the objectives of your web store and the nature of your business to find the right choice from Magento or WordPress.

Always make sure that you have a mobile-friendly eCommerce store to help your business grow. Talk to the industry experts to get an idea about the security of your online shop.

The following questionnaire will help you find the purpose of web business:

1. Do you need to establish a multi-vendor store?
2. Are you selling physical or virtual products?
3. Does your business offer services as well?
4. Does your business face high competition?
5. Do you want to address a niche market?
6. Does your shop have over 1000 products?
7. Do you need to integrate POS system in your store?
8. Are you expecting heavy web traffic for your site?
9. Do you have a small budget?
10. Do you want to develop your store quickly with minimal customization?

Also Read: Top Free Magento 2 Themes And Extensions For Your Magento Store

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for your online store; you can choose the most suitable framework on the basis of a business model and scale. The answers to the above-mentioned questions would certainly help you decide the platform.

If you have a tight budget, you may opt for WordPress, but if there’s no such problem, you can choose Magento. Consider all the pros and cons of both the CMS platforms and make the right decision.

How about combining both?

Even if you have a Magento store, you can always make it more appealing by connecting it to a WordPress blog. You can share your views and spread awareness about products and offers with ease through a blog. The Fishpig WordPress integration tool enables you to manage the blog from the Magento backend interface.

Wrapping Up

If you still have any confusion regarding the ideal option for your online shop, you can consult the famed eCommerce web development company. It can offer you a customized solution and assist your business to grow online.

With over 18 WordPress themes and 60+ Magento 2 extensions, Solwin Infotech is ready to meet all your eCommerce requirements.

Be it WordPress, Magento, or any major web development platforms, our experienced web developers can assist you to boost the sales by developing innovative and user-friendly web solutions. Just connect with us to hire web developers in a cost-effective way.