Building an online store takes a great amount of time and experience. While it usually takes several months for the largest website development teams to design and develop a website, it can take even longer to build an eCommerce store.
The main reason is because eCommerce stores are much more extensive than traditional websites. If you’re selling dozens of even hundreds of products, you’ll need to use what is known as a content management system (CMS) to create separate descriptive pages potential customers can access to ultimately check out.
Many eCommerce CMS solutions are available, but how do you know which one is right for you? WordPress and Magento stand out as two of the most dynamic eCommerce CMS solutions.
This complete guide will explain:
- What these solutions are
- Pros and cons associated with each solution
- How these solutions differ
- How these solutions are similar
- And much more
Let’s get started.
What is Magento?
Magento is an eCommerce platform built for enterprises. To put it simply, the platform is best suited for large online stores needing advanced store features. Unlike WordPress, Magento isn’t a very beginner-friendly platform.
This means you’ll either need to put in the time and work to fully understand the interface or hire an expert to ensure that your online store reaches its full potential. It’s important to remember that Magento is again an enterprise solution, so there isn’t any limit to the potential your store can reach.
Magento is a highly-popular eCommerce platform, handling over $100 billion in merchandise sales volume each year. If your focus is on increasing your own sales volume, then you’re better off selecting Magento.
Lastly, Magento is a paid platform. Unlike WordPress, which is free, Magento is built for large companies with a wide variety of tech resources.
Magento Pros and Cons
If you’re considering a switch to Magento, you should be duly informed first. Here are all the pros and cons of doing business using Magento.
Pros:
- Magento comes with built-in eCommerce functionality. This means you can access a wealth of inventory, marketing, and sales features.
- Magento is a platform built for online stores that want to scale, meaning it’s ideal for large stores and ambitious smaller stores.
Cons:
- Magento isn’t a beginner-friendly eCommerce platform. Therefore, you may want to familiarize yourself with the code before moving forward.
- If you plan on using Magento, outsourcing costs can add up if you don’t have the time or expertise to devote to development.
As you can see, Magento is a powerful eCommerce platform built for online stores that want to scale. However, it’s not as beginner-friendly as WordPress, and you would need to devote a high budget to any website development project.
How is Magento Different from WordPress?
Magento and WordPress are definitely two of the best eCommerce platforms available. Though, there are key differences you should be aware of. Here is every reason why Magento is different than WordPress:
Ease of Use:
Being an enterprise eCommerce CMS, Magento is built for large companies that can easily allocate the resources to hire staff to learn the platform or delegate all developmental duties to a freelancer or agency.
Unlike WordPress, Magento isn’t a tool for beginners. You’ll need to possess intermediate knowledge of how to build a website, particularly a multi-level online store. You’ll also need to have a basic understanding of how search engine optimization (SEO) works for eCommerce stores.
If you’re looking to play an integral role in your store’s development, you’re free to use Magento. Otherwise, you’re better off using WordPress, a more user-friendly option.
Both WordPress and Magento offer advanced features, but WordPress stands out as an ideal blogging platform and is favored for SEO purposes due to its many SEO plugins. With strong SEO features that enhance visibility on search engines, WordPress SEO makes it easy to optimize a WordPress blog or an ecommerce website.
eCommerce Power:
Magento is a more powerful eCommerce platform than WordPress. The reason is clear. WordPress is a CMS designed for bloggers and small business owners. It developed into a capable eCommerce CMS over the years.
On the contrary, Magento was designed specifically to build eCommerce stores. Magento has virtually every imaginable feature to help you build the perfect online store for your business. With Magento Commerce, Magento users gain access to an enterprise-level ecommerce platform that’s tailored to scale and support a robust ecommerce business.
Marketing and CMS Capabilities:
Magento does offer SEO capabilities, but you’ll need to be technically proficient to take advantage of them. It’s best to outsource your SEO and marketing to a reputable agency or specialist rather than trying to handle everything in-house if you don’t have the resources.
As a CMS, Magento doesn’t top WordPress. WordPress has built a reputation as being one of the simplest CMSs to use, especially with tools like the Yoast SEO WordPress plugin that makes optimizing WordPress websites easy for beginners. Plus, the flexibility of WordPress software and compatibility with various hosting providers further adds to its appeal.
Themes and Designs:
Magento provides a wide array of beautiful paid themes for online stores. Whether you want a simple, minimalist design or a flashy eCommerce store, you’re sure to find the perfect theme on Magento.
However, if you’re not satisfied with the available premium themes, you can always hire a designer to create one that perfectly matches your brand.
How is Magento Similar?
Magento has some similarities to WordPress. Below are some core similarities you can expect both Magento and WordPress to share.
Security:
Magento and WordPress, being two of the top eCommerce CMS providers, both provide maximum level security for users. However, you’ll ultimately need to rely on your hosting provider to safeguard your online store.
Help and Support:
Both Magento and WordPress are open-source CMS solutions, meaning that they have vibrant communities where you can get the support you need, as well as updates on new features and plugins.
What is WordPress?
WordPress is the most used CMS in the world. It currently powers approximately 39.5% of the entire internet. WordPress was founded in 2003, and has quickly become a popular choice for bloggers and news publications since.
WordPress also offers an eCommerce package, helping online store owners develop their own marketplaces. With WordPress, you can create a powerful online store with a smaller budget and virtually no technical expertise.
You can use WordPress to develop a DIY online store, unlike Magento that requires more demanding resources. You can create a small online store, scale, and grow at your own pace.
Overall, WordPress is an excellent choice if you’re interested in promoting your online store with optimized content.
WordPress Pros and Cons
There are several benefits to doing business using WordPress. Below, you’ll find some compelling reasons to choose WordPress as your eCommerce CMS, and some reasons why Magento may be better.
Pros:
- WordPress wasn’t designed specifically for eCommerce websites. This makes it possible for you to focus on SEO and content marketing to make your online store stand out online.
- Depending on your hosting provider, you can choose and install WordPress plugins and themes without any technical experience.
Cons:
- WordPress websites aren’t automatically equipped with eCommerce features and functionality. You’ll need to install the free WooCommerce plugin to begin building your online store. WooCommerce is actually a great competitor against WordPress.
- While WordPress offers infinite possibilities as far as your store’s potential is concerned, you’ll need to install each plugin separately.
How is WordPress Different?
WordPress serves a much different function and audience. Below are some key differences you can expect compared to Magento.
Ease of Use:
WordPress is completely beginner-friendly. Anyone can start their own online store with the click of a button and download all the necessary plugins to transform their online store into a dynamic marketplace.
If you have the time, you can create your own online store with WordPress, unlike Magento.
eCommerce Power:
Again, WordPress wasn’t originally designed as an eCommerce solution. Therefore, Magento store will reign supreme as the most dynamic eCommerce platform. WordPress can develop small to medium-sized online stores.
However, if you’re planning to develop a large online store to the likes of Amazon, Etsy, and eBay, then you should consider using Magento.
Marketing and CMS Capabilities:
WordPress is the better solution when it comes to digital marketing and SEO capabilities. You won’t be required to hire a developer to optimize your online store if you choose WordPress instead of Magento.
Themes and Design
Magento may offer the best premium themes for professional online stores, but WordPress has a larger suite of free themes if you’re on a tight budget. You also have the option to hire a designer to create the best theme for your website.
When to Choose Magento
Choosing Magento is a safe option, considering that you’re planning on growing your online store to tremendous heights. Magento is the more powerful eCommerce solution, but it has its flaws.
You should only choose Magento if you have an in-house team or an agency to delegate your development tasks to.
When to Choose WordPress
There is a reason why WordPress is the most popular CMS in the world. It’s beginner-friendly and powerful enough to create a dynamic marketplace. However, if you have big plans for your website and have the resources to allocate, Magento is a better option.
Develop Your Online Store Today!
If you’re strongly considering building your next online store, you should hire a website development agency that can ensure that your upcoming project is a success. That is where Dev.co comes in.
To learn more about how we can develop your marketplace, contact us today to speak to a member of our team.
Connect with Ryan on Linkedin.
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