Choosing an e-commerce platform is the highest-leverage decision a new online merchant makes. The wrong choice costs months of migration later. Here is a direct comparison of the four platforms European sellers evaluate most.
At a Glance
| Shopify | WooCommerce | BigCommerce | Wix eCommerce | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost (entry) | €29 | Free plugin, hosting ~€5–15 | €29 | €17 |
| Transaction fee | 2% (waived with Shopify Payments) | None | None | None |
| Hosting | Included | Self-managed | Included | Included |
| EU multilingual | Via app (Translate & Adapt) | WPML plugin (~€99/yr) | Built-in (Enterprise) | Built-in |
| Best for | Brands scaling fast | Developers, WordPress users | Large catalogs | Simple stores |
Shopify
Shopify’s main advantage is operational simplicity. Payments, shipping, taxes, and checkout are one system. Shopify Payments handles EU VAT OSS correctly and supports SEPA, iDEAL, Bancontact natively. The App Store has 8,000+ integrations.
Weaknesses: The 2% transaction fee on non-Shopify Payments gateways hurts margins if you use a local EU gateway. Multilingual requires the Translate & Adapt app or a third-party tool — not seamless. Content (blog, landing pages) is limited compared to WordPress.
Best for: Merchants who want to focus on selling, not server administration. Especially strong for Shopify-ecosystem brands using Printful or Spocket for fulfillment.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin, so it inherits WordPress’s flexibility — and its complexity. You manage hosting, updates, security, and plugin conflicts. The upside: no transaction fees, full control over checkout, and native WPML support for multilingual German/French/Dutch stores.
Weaknesses: Total cost of ownership is higher than it appears. A production-grade stack (hosting + SSL + CDN + WPML + payment gateway) easily reaches €50–80/month. Performance requires caching plugins. Security is your responsibility.
Best for: Developers and merchants who already run WordPress or need highly customized checkout flows (B2B pricing, complex product configurators).
BigCommerce
BigCommerce competes directly with Shopify on price but wins on built-in features. No transaction fees, native multi-currency, and better out-of-box B2B features (customer groups, bulk pricing, quote management). The product catalog handles large SKU counts better than Shopify.
Weaknesses: Smaller app ecosystem. Annual GMV thresholds force plan upgrades (Standard plan caps at $50k/yr GMV — a meaningful constraint for growing stores). Less merchant mindshare in Germany/Austria/Switzerland.
Best for: Mid-market merchants with 1,000+ SKUs or B2B requirements who want Shopify-level reliability without transaction fees.
Wix eCommerce
Wix is the easiest to set up and cheapest to run. Good for service businesses adding a small shop, or merchants with fewer than 100 products. The drag-and-drop editor is genuinely simple.
Weaknesses: Limited scalability. Checkout customization is restricted. The app market is thin compared to Shopify. Not suitable for more than a few hundred products or complex shipping rules.
Best for: Sole traders, freelancers, or local businesses selling a small, stable product range.
Who Should Use What
- Scaling brand with physical/POD products → Shopify. The ecosystem (Printful, Spocket, DSers) is built for it.
- Developer or custom-requirement shop → WooCommerce. Full control, zero transaction fees.
- Large catalog or B2B → BigCommerce. Better native features, no GMV surprise fees on lower plans.
- Tiny shop, fast launch → Wix. Done in a weekend.
Pricing Reality for EU Merchants
Shopify’s Basic plan at €29/month looks affordable until you add apps. A realistic Shopify stack for a serious EU store (multilingual, reviews, upsells, loyalty) runs €80–150/month in apps. Budget for this.
WooCommerce “free” becomes €60–100/month once you account for managed hosting, WPML, a premium theme, and a payment gateway. The difference narrows.
Start with Shopify if you want the fastest path from zero to selling, with Printful or Spocket already integrated. Try Shopify →
Affiliate disclosure: CartCortex earns a commission on Shopify signups via the link above, at no cost to you.