If you want to sell online in India, you will quickly face this choice: a hosted platform like Shopify, the WordPress plugin WooCommerce, or a custom-built store. There is no single “best” option – only the best fit for your products, budget and plans.
Quick comparison
| Shopify (hosted) | WooCommerce | Custom | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost structure | Monthly subscription + apps | One-time build + hosting | Higher one-time build |
| Time to launch | Fastest | Fast | Slowest |
| Flexibility | Within platform limits | High (plugins + code) | Unlimited |
| Ownership | Platform-hosted | Fully yours | Fully yours |
| Maintenance | Handled by platform | Updates needed | Developer needed |
| Best for | Quick start, small catalogue | Most small–medium stores | Unique workflows, large scale |
Shopify: fastest way to start
You sign up, pick a theme and start adding products. Hosting, security and updates are handled for you.
- Good for: sellers who want to launch quickly with a modest catalogue
- Watch out for: the monthly subscription, paid apps that add up, and design or feature limits of the platform
WooCommerce: flexible and owned by you
WooCommerce turns a WordPress website into a full store. You pay for the build and hosting, and you own everything.
- Good for: most Indian small and medium businesses – especially if you also want a blog and content for SEO
- Watch out for: regular plugin updates, security and choosing good hosting
Custom e-commerce: built around your business
A custom store is coded specifically for you – useful for B2B pricing, multi-vendor marketplaces, complex product configurators or deep integration with your inventory or ERP.
- Good for: unique workflows and businesses planning to scale big
- Watch out for: higher initial cost and longer timelines
Things that cost money on every platform
- Payment gateway fees on each transaction (UPI, cards, net banking)
- Shipping through courier partners or aggregators
- Product photography and descriptions
- Marketing – SEO, ads and social media to bring buyers
Need help deciding?
ZEDIX e-commerce websites start at ₹19,999 – we will recommend the platform that fits your products and budget, not the one that is easiest for us. See e-commerce development, or read the Hinglish guide e-commerce website banane ka kharcha.
