{"id":68308,"date":"2023-05-30T03:30:12","date_gmt":"2023-05-30T09:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/?p=68308"},"modified":"2025-11-24T05:09:53","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T11:09:53","slug":"opencart-vs-woocommerce-which-is-better-for-your-online-store","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/opencart-vs-woocommerce-which-is-better-for-your-online-store\/","title":{"rendered":"OpenCart vs WooCommerce Comparison"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Want to build a thriving online business but don\u2019t know where to start?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve come to the right place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first step to creating a successful online store is choosing the right ecommerce platform. And while that might sound simple enough, you will quickly find that the market is actually oversaturated with choices. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To make things easier for you, we did a little comparison of two of the most popular solutions in the ecommerce niche – OpenCart vs WooCommerce. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s see which is the right one for your business:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is OpenCart?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"OpenCart<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

OpenCart is an open-source ecommerce platform<\/strong> that\u2019s free to get. As of 2023, 336,271 live websites<\/a> are using it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

OpenCart is flexible and scalable<\/strong>. It will allow you to customize your store <\/strong>to fit your exact idea. You can also easily manage multiple online businesses <\/strong>from its centralized admin dashboard. Still, you might encounter some difficulties setting it up if you lack technical skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will also need to <\/strong>research hosting providers and security extensions, as OpenCart<\/strong> will provide neither. The good news is that finding a good host will solve many of the potential issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is WooCommerce?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"OpenCart<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

WooCommerce<\/a> is the leading ecommerce platform right now. Currently, there are 5,981,607 live websites built on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WooCommerce is easy to use, flexible, <\/strong>and scalable.<\/strong> It\u2019s open-source<\/strong>, which means you get a lot of control over the creation process and your store in general. The platform is WordPress-based<\/strong>, so you\u2019ll need to get the CMS in order to create a store. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The solution is free<\/strong>, but you\u2019ll need to take care of things like web hosting yourself. Thankfully, with such a popular platform, that would not be an issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OpenCart vs. WooCommerce<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"OpenCart<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Initially, it seems more or less like the two platforms offer the same benefits. That\u2019s not exactly true.  Here\u2019s what the head-to-head comparison shows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ease of Use<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

OpenCart is easy to download, but <\/strong>the setup process can be tricky. If you choose a good hosting option, you might get some help from the support team. Best case scenario, you\u2019ll be able to use auto-installers like Softaculous<\/strong>, which we feature in all ScalaHosting plans<\/strong>. With it, it\u2019s just a matter of a few clicks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Same goes for WooCommerce. The platform is self-hosted <\/strong>as well, so you must choose the right web hosting service if you want to take full advantage of its power<\/strong>. A reliable provider will not only provide a suitable environment for your online shop but will also have the trained support team to assist you with the app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you set up WooCommerce<\/a>, using the extension is pretty intuitive<\/strong>. The admin dashboard is pretty self-explanatory, so you\u2019ll have no trouble navigating it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Woocommerce is a WordPress plugin, so it will show up <\/strong>on the left side of your WP admin dashboard. If you need to manage more than one business, you\u2019ll have to get Multistore with WooCommerce<\/strong> or a similar extension. Meanwhile, OpenCart allows you to manage multiple stores from a single dashboard.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Features<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/td>OpenCart<\/strong><\/td>WooCommerce<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Admin dashboard<\/strong><\/td>\u2713<\/strong><\/td>\u2713<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Multi-store management<\/strong><\/td>\u2713<\/strong><\/td>\u2715<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Coupons, discounts, vouchers<\/strong><\/td>\u2713<\/strong><\/td>\u2713<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Integrated payment options<\/strong><\/td>\u2713<\/strong><\/td>\u2715<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
SEO options<\/strong><\/td>\u2713<\/strong><\/td>\u2715<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Reports<\/strong><\/td>\u2713<\/strong><\/td>\u2713<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Security features<\/strong><\/td>\u2715<\/strong><\/td>\u2715<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Both ecommerce platforms <\/strong>give you the ability to sell vouchers and coupons<\/strong>, and to also add discounts<\/strong>. But while OpenCart has in-built payment options<\/strong>, WooCommerce relies on add-ons<\/a> for the job. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same is true for SEO features – you can use OpenCart from the get-go<\/strong>, but you\u2019ll need plugins for WooCommerce. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To top it all off, you\u2019ll get detailed reports <\/strong>from both platforms without getting additional apps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It might seem like WooCommerce doesn\u2019t have many in-built features. That\u2019s simply not true. When it comes to order management,<\/strong> the platform is one of the best. Also, it automatically calculates taxes<\/strong> and shows live shipping rates <\/strong>from carriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OpenCart also has a lot to offer in terms of inventory management<\/strong>. You can upload, organize, and sell an unlimited amount of products, without additional fees. The solution also shows different tax rates<\/strong>. To see delivery options, you\u2019ll need an extension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0415xtensions and Themes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/td>OpenCart<\/strong><\/td>WooCommerce<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Add-Ons<\/strong><\/td>13,000+<\/td>3,784<\/td><\/tr>
Themes<\/strong><\/td>1,000+<\/td>67<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

OpenCart has more choices than WooCommerce in terms of extensions and themes if you only look at the official repositories (numbers featured in the table). But that\u2019s just the tip of the iceberg. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A quick Google search will show you thousands more WooCommerce themes and plugins from different marketplaces like ThemeForest or Envato. You can even find some on Etsy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is also important to note that WooCommerce offers support<\/strong> for all the options in the official marketplace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Security<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you choose OpenCart, you should know that you\u2019ll be the sole person responsible for the security of your store. There are some tips and tricks<\/a> available on the official website. However, the company itself does not provide safety features<\/strong>. You\u2019ll need to rely on add-ons and your hosting provider for better security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The situation is pretty much the same with WooCommerce. You can get extensions, such as Security for WooCommerce<\/a>, but there\u2019s nothing built-in. You’ll also need more plugins if you want options like two-factor authentication<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, you shouldn\u2019t underestimate the role of your hosting provider. A good vendor will always be glad to fill in some of the security gaps and give you tips on maintaining your online safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Support<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

WooCommerce offers a knowledge base, a community forum,<\/strong> and a help desk<\/strong>. They can all be accessed from the admin dashboard. The support team can also help you with <\/strong>issues related to your store and extensions that can be found in the marketplace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, OpenCart developers can provide some basic support, but you\u2019ll need to pay extra<\/strong>. The company charges you for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n