WordPress (with WooCommerce) and Shopify are the two platforms most New Zealand small businesses end up choosing between. Both can run a professional website or online store. The right choice depends on what you sell, who will manage the site, and how you feel about monthly fees versus hands-on maintenance.
The Short Answer
- Choose Shopify if your business is mainly an online store, you want hosting, security and updates handled for you, and you are comfortable with a monthly subscription and app fees.
- Choose WordPress if your website is mainly about services, content and enquiries, you want full ownership and flexibility, or you run a store that needs custom features without per-sale platform fees.
WordPress vs Shopify: Side-by-Side
| WordPress + WooCommerce | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Service businesses, content-led sites, flexible stores | Product-focused online stores |
| Hosting | You choose and pay for hosting | Included in the subscription |
| Ongoing costs | Hosting, domain, premium plugins, maintenance | Monthly plan, paid apps, possible transaction fees |
| Maintenance | You (or your developer) handle updates and backups | Platform updates handled by Shopify |
| Flexibility | Very high – almost anything can be customised | High within Shopify’s structure; deeper changes need apps or developers |
| Content and SEO | Excellent for blogs, service pages and landing pages | Good for products; blogging is more basic |
| Ownership | You own the code and data on your hosting | Your store runs on Shopify’s platform |
Things NZ Businesses Should Check
GST
Both platforms can show GST-inclusive prices and calculate 15% GST. Check your settings, and make sure invoices or receipts meet your accountant’s requirements.
Payments
WooCommerce works with gateways such as Stripe, Windcave and PayPal. Shopify has its own payment system and supports third-party gateways, but check whether extra transaction fees apply if you use an external provider.
Shipping
Both can handle NZ shipping zones and rural delivery surcharges. Courier integrations (for example NZ Post or other carriers) usually come from apps or plugins – confirm the one you need exists and is maintained.
Accounting
Both platforms connect to Xero through integrations. Test how orders, refunds and GST flow into your books before you launch.
When WordPress Is the Better Choice
- Your site is mostly about services and generating enquiries.
- You plan to publish regular content to rank in Google.
- You need custom features – bookings, quotes, member areas – alongside a shop.
- You want to avoid ongoing per-sale platform fees.
When Shopify Is the Better Choice
- Selling products online is the core of the business.
- You want a fully managed platform with minimal technical upkeep.
- You need to launch a store quickly with standard features.
- Your team is comfortable working within Shopify’s app ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WordPress cheaper than Shopify in NZ?
It depends. WordPress has no platform subscription, but you pay for hosting, premium plugins and maintenance. Shopify bundles hosting and updates into a monthly plan, with paid apps on top. Compare the total yearly cost for your actual requirements.
Which is better for SEO?
Both can rank well. WordPress gives more control over content, page structure and technical SEO, which helps service businesses and content-led sites.
Can I move from one to the other later?
Yes, but migrations take planning – especially products, customers, orders and redirects from old URLs to protect your Google rankings.
Not Sure Which Platform Fits?
Tell us what you sell, how many products you have and who will manage the site, and we will recommend a platform and send an itemised quote. We are a remote team without a New Zealand office and work to your business hours.
📧 Email: info@crewinnovations.tech
📝 Or send your project details through our contact form
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