Before, to create an online store, you needed to be an experienced web developer (or hire one). However, nowadays, you have many platforms at your disposal that allow you to create a complex ecommerce store without touching a single line of code. Two of the most recognized options are and , and both have a lot to offer.
In this article, we are going to introduce you to both platforms and compare PrestaShop vs Shopify so you can decide which one is the best for your store. To that end, we will analyze them in 5 specific criteria:
- Easy to use
- site administration
- Personalization
- Performance
- Security
With that information, choosing should be very simple. So let’s start with the PrestaShop vs Shopify review!
Introduction to PrestaShop vs Shopify
The first thing to mention before comparing PrestaShop vs Shopify is the difference between platforms that include hosting and those that don’t.
PrestaShop is a platform that does not include hosting, which means that its software can be installed on any server. With this solution, you are not tied to a , so you can browse options until you find one that offers all the features you need.
On top of that, PrestaShop offers you all the ecommerce features you’ll need to run a successful online store. You can list all the products you want, handle payments, manage customers and more.
Shopify, on the other hand, is a platform that includes hosting. To use it, you need to purchase a subscription directly from Shopify, and you can’t install your store on any server you want.
Despite that drawback, Shopify offers a highly intuitive ecommerce experience. Creating an online store using this platform is very easy, so it can be a useful option if you don’t mind the restrictions that come with it.
In the following sections, we will explore how other things differ between PrestaShop vs Shopify. We will also talk more about the differences between hosted and non-hosted platforms, as this will be one of the key factors in determining which one best suits your needs.
PrestaShop vs Shopify: Ease of Use
For many people, creating their first can be quite intimidating. That’s why we tend to favor platforms that prioritize ease of use and don’t require you to spend weeks trying to figure out how each feature works.
The good news is that both PrestaShop and Shopify are very easy to use. Shopify, in particular, uses this as one of its strengths to attract customers. In our experience, it’s the easiest platform to get started with, thanks to its drag-and-drop store builder and intuitive dashboard.
Also, creating a Shopify store shouldn’t take much of your time. As soon as you sign up for Shopify, the platform will create a default store for you, but you can start making changes to it right away.
PrestaShop is a bit more complicated to use, but only in comparison. The main difference is that PrestaShop offers many more options from the start, which you will notice when you log in to your control panel:
Similarly, setting up PrestaShop can take more time as you may need to do the work manually. However, here at we can, which greatly simplifies the process.
Ultimately, Shopify is designed more for users who are inexperienced with setting up and running an online store. PrestaShop, on the other hand, is a more complete platform that assumes you can handle a bit more complexity. However, there is no denying that Shopify is the easiest platform to use, which is why it is the winner of this first round of PrestaShop vs Shopify.
PrestaShop vs Shopify: Store Management
The platform you choose should give you a plethora of options to run your store the way you want. For example, you should be able to access multiple payment methods and shipping options, at a minimum.
When it comes to features, Shopify gives you all the basics you need to run an online store, even on the most modest plan. However, it is essential to understand that if you want to access more advanced features, you will have to pay for the most expensive levels of the platform:
To give you an example, Shopify’s basic plan allows you to list unlimited products and have up to two users. However, if you want to process payments through the platform, you will also be charged a fee of 2.9% + US$0.30 per sale.
When you switch to the most expensive plan on the platform, payment processing fees drop to 2.4% + $0.30 per sale. You’ll also get access to better shipping discounts and up to 15 user accounts. In other words, while running a Shopify store is simple, it can also be expensive once your business starts to grow.
PrestaShop, on the other hand, does not offer service levels. When you install the platform, you gain access to its full functionality. The only costs will be those associated with hosting, which should cost you much less than with Shopify:
Some of the advanced features of PrestaShop allow you to use a coupon system, multiple discount options and product suggestions.
In short, Shopify offers a simpler store management experience that’s perfect for small businesses. However, if you really want to increase your eCommerce presence, you will probably enjoy all the settings that PrestaShop allows you to customize. With that in mind, we are giving the winner of this round of PrestaShop vs Shopify to the first platform.
PrestaShop vs Shopify: Personalization
We have already talked about some of the features that Shopify and PrestaShop offer you by default. However, it is also important to note that most platforms today offer you many additional customization options.
In other words, you can often add new features to your online stores using extensions or add-ons. This is something that both Shopify and PrestaShop allow you to do. Both platforms also support the use of themes, which allow you to modify the style and layout of your store very quickly.
With Shopify, you get access to one that offers you many options to extend the functionality of the platform. Among these, you will find tools to integrate Shopify with many other services, such as and:
Shopify also gives you access to dozens that you can use with your store. Unlike some of the options you’ll find using other platforms, all Shopify themes look pretty modern, which is a plus.
Finally, it’s worth noting that Shopify offers one of the most intuitive drag-and-drop store builders we’ve ever had the pleasure of using. This means that customizing your store won’t feel like a chore, and you’ll be able to achieve the look you want without much hassle.
For its part, PrestaShop gives you a similar experience (its version of the extensions) and themes. The difference is that there are many more options to choose from. At the time of writing this article, for example, there are over 3,000 modules that you can install, as well as
In practice, adding new features to PrestaShop is very simple and you have many options. However, themes are a different story. While PrestaShop gives you access to more options, most of them are not as polished as what Shopify offers.
Similarly, customizing the style of your store is not as easy as when you use Shopify. It’s still possible to achieve the look you want, but it won’t be as easy as with Shopify’s drag and drop builder.
To summarize, PrestaShop allows you to add new features more easily, while Shopify stands out when it comes to modifying the style of your store. With that in mind, we draw this round of PrestaShop vs Shopify.
PrestaShop vs Shopify: Performance
Your store’s performance determines how fast it is, either when it’s loading for customers or when you’re making changes to the backend. Generally speaking, there are four factors that will affect load times on most websites:
- The hosting plan. The type of hosting plan you have will largely determine the amount of traffic your store can handle. Also, your provider has a significant impact on the performance of your site.
- The platform you use. Some ecommerce platforms can handle more visitors, due to the way they are built.
- The configuration and design of your store. In some cases, you can inadvertently slow down your store by using too many high-resolution images or installing too many extensions, for example.
- The internet connection of each visitor. Naturally slow internet connections will result in longer load times. However, today many of your visitors will have access to fast internet, so it is not as important a factor as it used to be.
For this section, our main interest will be points one and two. During our tests, we found that both PrestaShop and Shopify offer solid performance by default. This means that the determining factor is that Shopify is a hosted platform, while PrestaShop is not.
With Shopify, you hardly need to worry about performance as you get the same power regardless of which plan you purchase. The difference between the plans lies mainly in the features they offer.
The performance of PrestaShop, on the other hand, will largely depend on the hosting platform you use. Some providers have a better reputation for performance, which is something you’ll want to look into before buying a plan. For best results, it’s also good to find a plan that is .
It’s also worth considering that when your store starts to grow in traffic, shared hosting may no longer be able to keep up. When you get to the point where you’re getting a lot of concurrent hits, you may need to move to something more robust, like a , to maintain the same level of performance.
In general, both platforms can be fast, but PrestaShop offers much more control over how your store works. With that in mind, this round of PrestaShop vs Shopify wins first.
PrestaShop vs Shopify: Security
When you have a virtual store, security is of the utmost importance. After all, you will be dealing with your customers’ personal and financial information. If there is a security breach that compromises that data, you will probably lose a lot of trust and potential sales.
When we talk about online security, there are two main factors that come into play:
- The ecommerce platform you use.
- The security measures implemented by your hosting provider.
As with performance, Shopify offers a more…
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