{"id":68763,"date":"2023-06-13T02:31:49","date_gmt":"2023-06-13T08:31:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/?p=68763"},"modified":"2023-06-13T02:31:49","modified_gmt":"2023-06-13T08:31:49","slug":"opencart-vs-prestashop-which-one-to-choose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/opencart-vs-prestashop-which-one-to-choose\/","title":{"rendered":"Opencart vs. PrestaShop &#8211; Which One to Choose?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Creating an online business that stands out is no easy task. That\u2019s why <strong>choosing the right ecommerce platform <\/strong>is vital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But how can you narrow it down to one, when there are so many options?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t worry, we\u2019re here to help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If <strong>open-source<\/strong> is what you\u2019re looking for, you\u2019ve probably already seen <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/opencart-vs-magento-which-one-should-you-choose\/\">OpenCart <\/a>and PrestaShop listed among <strong>the best CMS solutions for ecommerce.<\/strong> To help you choose, we\u2019ve compared the two, listing all their pros and cons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, OpenCart vs. PrestaShop &#8211; which is better?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is OpenCart?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full mpg-gallery\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/OCscr.webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"468\" src=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/OCscr.webp\" alt=\"Opencart vs. PrestaShop &#8211; Which One to Choose?, What is OpenCart?\" class=\"wp-image-68766\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/OCscr.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/OCscr-300x140.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/OCscr-768x359.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 361px) 660px, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 910px, 1140px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>OpenCart is a leading open-source ecommerce platform. As of this year, there are <a href=\"https:\/\/trends.builtwith.com\/shop\/OpenCart\" rel=\"nofollow\">1,012,256 websites<\/a> built with the solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>OpenCart is<strong> free to download and use<\/strong>, but you\u2019ll have to find a suitable hosting provider yourself. The overall security of the store will also be up to you, but with the right tools and settings &#8211; you can ensure the safest environment for your online store.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the bright side, OpenCart is the perfect solution if you need to <strong>manage multiple online businesses<\/strong>. Its admin dashboard is created with this goal in mind, enabling you to control several stores from a centralized point. The platform is also scalable, so it can grow alongside your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is PrestaShop?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full mpg-gallery\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/PrestaShopSCR.webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"465\" src=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/PrestaShopSCR.webp\" alt=\"Opencart vs. PrestaShop &#8211; Which One to Choose?, What is PrestaShop?\" class=\"wp-image-68767\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/PrestaShopSCR.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/PrestaShopSCR-300x140.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/PrestaShopSCR-768x357.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 361px) 660px, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 910px, 1140px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>PrestaShop is an open-source platform, that appeared on the market in 2007. It\u2019s still a worthy competitor in the ecommerce market. Currently, <a href=\"https:\/\/trends.builtwith.com\/shop\/PrestaShop\" rel=\"nofollow\">703,875 websites<\/a> are utilizing this solution.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Its biggest PrestaShop benefit is the <strong>integrated multilingual support<\/strong>. The solution can be translated into more than 70 languages, while also supporting multiple currencies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>PrestaShop is<strong> free, user-friendly, <\/strong>and <strong>uses minimal hardware resources<\/strong>. You can easily find extensions for any missing functionalities, as there are many options available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for the downsides, PrestaShop has limited scalability, meaning it\u2019s not a good choice for bigger or rapidly growing online stores.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">OpenCart vs. PrestaShop<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full mpg-gallery\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/OCvsPS.webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" src=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/OCvsPS.webp\" alt=\"Opencart vs. PrestaShop &#8211; Which One to Choose?, OpenCart vs. PrestaShop\" class=\"wp-image-68768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/OCvsPS.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/OCvsPS-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/OCvsPS-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 361px) 660px, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 910px, 1140px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A brisk glance will show you that OpenCart and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/prestashop-vs-shopify-which-one-should-you-choose\/\">PrestaShop<\/a> are pretty similar. We put them side-by-side to see where the differences lie:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ease of Use<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Setting up both ecommerce platforms<strong> <\/strong>is fairly easy. You might also some<strong> add-ons for some functionalities<\/strong>. In that sense, both have some learning curve but not as steep as Magento, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After the initial setup is completed, <strong>OpenCart and PrestaShop are pretty intuitive<\/strong>. The latter even has the reputation of being one of the most user-friendly options on the market.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Features<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-regular\"><table><tbody><tr><td><\/td><td><strong>OpenCart<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>PrestaShop<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Admin dashboard<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>\u2713<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>\u2713<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Multi-store management<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>\u2713<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>\u2713<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Coupons, discounts, vouchers<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>\u2713<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>\u2713<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Integrated payment options<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>\u2713<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>\u2713<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>SEO options<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>\u2713<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>\u2715<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Reports<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>\u2713<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>\u2715<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Security features<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>\u2715<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>\u2715<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Both platforms allow for <strong>multi-store management<\/strong>. However, OpenCart has a slight edge over the competition, as it is more scalable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks to its<strong> integrated SEO features<\/strong>, OpenCart also makes it easier to rise in the search ranks. PrestaShop can also utilize an SEO pack, but it is offered as a paid add-on. Prices start at 450\u20ac, but you can also get the <strong>Performance pack<\/strong>, which has some SEO options and is significantly cheaper, starting at 90\u20ac.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Regarding<strong> inventory management<\/strong>, OpenCart allows users to upload, organize, and sell an unlimited amount of products without charging them additionally. This ecommerce platform also shows <strong>shipping estimations and different tax rates<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>PrestaShop can also calculate shipping and estimations &#8211; if you get an extension. On the bright side, it allows you to upload thousands of products and sort them into numerous categories out of the box.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both ecommerce solutions offer<strong> integrated payment methods<\/strong>, with OpenCart featuring more options. Don\u2019t write PrestaShop off, though &#8211; it supports the most popular gateways, like <strong>Visa<\/strong>, <strong>MasterCard<\/strong>, <strong>American Express<\/strong>, and <strong>PayPal<\/strong>. No matter which platform you choose &#8211; you\u2019ll be able to easily add coupons, vouchers, or discounts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u0415xtensions and Themes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-regular\"><table><tbody><tr><td><\/td><td><strong>OpenCart<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>PrestaShop<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Add-Ons<\/strong><\/td><td>13,000+<\/td><td>4,000+<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Themes<\/strong><\/td><td>1,000+<\/td><td>2,000+<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The official marketplaces of OpenCart and PrestaShop offer<strong> <\/strong>plenty of options, whether you need a unique template or more functionalities. As with any similar <strong>CMS, <\/strong>you can find both free and premium plugins for the task at hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other popular marketplaces also feature both themes and add-ons for these open-source solutions. For example, you can check <strong>TemplateMonster, ThemeForest, and Webkul.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Security<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>No matter which solution you choose,<strong> you\u2019ll be the one responsible for the security<\/strong> of your website. Things like getting an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/what-is-ssl-and-why-you-need-it\/\">SSL certificate<\/a>, applying two-factor authentication, and choosing monitoring tools will be up to you.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>PrestaShop 8<\/strong> &#8211; the latest version of the shopping cart &#8211; allows admins to configure the shop\u2019s password policy. They can also manage customer and employee sessions. If you\u2019re willing to invest, you can get the<strong> Security pack<\/strong>, with prices starting at 720\u20ac. While it does feature a lot of additional goodies<em> (like a check of your Google Search Console to improve SEO results<\/em>) the price is pretty hard to ignore.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>OpenCart\u2019s website has some <strong>tips on security<\/strong>, but you want to find more &#8211; you would have to do some searching online. There are a good number&nbsp; of tutorials, videos, and guides, so that shouldn\u2019t be a big setback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Support<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Most people turn to open-source options because they are<strong> <\/strong>free<strong>.<\/strong> While this is also true for OpenCart and PrestaShop, it all goes out of the window the second you need support.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>PrestaShop offers support plans for the following prices:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Technical support<\/strong> &#8211; starting at 249\u20ac<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Migration and updates<\/strong> &#8211; also starting at 249\u20ac<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The plans are valid from 1 to 12 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>OpenCart\u2019s charging seemingly less:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Password Reset<\/strong> &#8211; $50 per reset<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>One-time Store Backup<\/strong> &#8211; $50 per backup<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Update OpenCart version<\/strong> &#8211; starting from $300<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>One-time Bug Fix<\/strong> &#8211; starting from $100<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>However, if you need a combination of those, it will even out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The good news is that finding a reliable hosting provider will solve many of those issues. Any good vendor would have a trained support team, that will be able to fix bugs, help you with website maintenance, and answer all your questions. Even if you already have a website with another host &#8211; your new provider can move it for free.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pricing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Downloading and using<strong> the most basic versions of PrestaShop and OpenCart is free.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some investments would still be needed, though &#8211; <strong>web hosting, a domain name, maybe some premium extensions<\/strong>. This means the costs for both OpenCart and PrestaShop can greatly vary depending on the project, but the market provides enough cost-effective solutions, so even those on a tighter budget can find a fitting option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Choosing a suitable vendor is one way to save money. Look for offers with good security options and an easily accessible support team.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ecommerce Hosting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>After everything we\u2019ve discussed, working with an open-source platform should seem like an exciting opportunity. Of course, for things to go smoothly, you need to carefully select your hosting service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You need to work through three issues, though &#8211; setup, security, and support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you choose <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/managed-cloud-hosting.html\">ScalaHosting\u2019s VPS plans<\/a>, you will get your own <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/spanel.html\"><strong>SPanel<\/strong><\/a>. It gives you direct access to the most popular auto-installer &#8211; <strong>Softaculous<\/strong>. In a matter of minutes, you\u2019ll be able to install and use either OpenCart or PrestaShop.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SPanel also features <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/website-security.html\"><strong>SShield<\/strong><\/a>, which monitors your website for security issues and online attacks. Its neutralization success rate is <strong>99.998%<\/strong>. Additionally, you won\u2019t need to worry about getting an <strong>SSL certificate<\/strong>. It comes with every ScalaHosting plan, so you can reap all its benefits &#8211; data encryption, confirmed website identity, improved SEO rankings, and more &#8211; for free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last but not least, our <strong>dedicated support team is available 24\/7<\/strong> to help with any issues and answer all your questions. You won\u2019t be charged additionally for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/contact-us.html\">Get in touch<\/a> today, so we can tell you more about our managed VPS hosting plans!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wrap Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>OpenCart and PrestaShop are <strong>pretty similar in terms of functions and benefits.<\/strong> Both also share weak points in terms of support and security. But those are not a challenge for a good hosting vendor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the end, it all comes down to scalability &#8211; if your shop is growing fast, your best bet would be OpenCart.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: Is PrestaShop better than WordPress?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A:<\/strong> Whether <strong>PrestaShops is better than WP<\/strong> will depend entirely on your needs, as the two are very different. PrestaShop is an open-source ecommerce platform, while WordPress is a website builder, that can be transformed into an online shop. Which is superior will depend on your end goal and tech skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: Is PrestaShop still being used?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A:<\/strong> Yes,<strong> PrestaShop is still being used. <\/strong>According to BuiltWith, currently <strong>249,644 registered live websites use the platform<\/strong>. Its latest version is PrestaShop 8, released in December 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: Does OpenCart require coding?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A:<\/strong> You would need<strong> a hosting provider to work with OpenCart,<\/strong> and most reliable ones feature auto-installers, so you can get the CMS in just a few clicks &#8211; no coding required. On the other hand, it is an open-source ecommerce platform, so if you\u2019re a tech enthusiast &#8211; this can only serve as an advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n    {\n      \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n      \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n      \"mainEntity\": [{\n        \"@type\": \"Question\",\n        \"name\": \"Is PrestaShop better than WordPress?\",\n        \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n          \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n          \"text\": \"Whether PrestaShops is better than WP will depend entirely on your needs, as the two are very different. PrestaShop is an open-source ecommerce platform, while WordPress is a website builder, that can be transformed into an online shop. 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That\u2019s why choosing the right ecommerce platform is vital. &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":115,"featured_media":68770,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[122],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-68763","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ecommerce-hosting"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68763","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/115"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68763"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68763\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68775,"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68763\/revisions\/68775"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/68770"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68763"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68763"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}