True cost comparison — not just what the pricing page says
Quick Verdict
WordPress saves you 100%
Best for Shopify
E-commerce platform for online stores. $39/mo sounds simple but transaction fees, app costs, and the
Best for WordPress
The world's most popular CMS powering 43% of all websites. Free and open-source, but hosting, themes
E-commerce platform for online stores. $39/mo sounds simple but transaction fees...
Advertised
$39
/month
True Cost
$519
/month (typical)
Transaction Fees (Non-Shopify Payments)
Using Stripe, PayPal, or other gateways instead of Shopify Payments adds 2% (Basic), 1% (Shopify), o...
App Store Cost Accumulation
Most functional stores need 5-15 paid apps (reviews, SEO, email pop-ups, upsells, inventory). Averag...
Premium Theme Purchase
Free themes are limited. Premium themes cost $180-$350 one-time. Many stores buy 2-3 themes before f...
Shipping Label Markup
Shopify Shipping offers discounted rates but marks up USPS/UPS/DHL prices by 5-15% compared to direc...
$29/mo annual
$79/mo annual
$299/mo annual
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission
The world's most popular CMS powering 43% of all websites. Free and open-source,...
Advertised
$0
/month
True Cost
$105
/month (typical)
Hosting Required
WordPress.org is free but requires paid hosting. Shared hosting $5-15/mo, managed WordPress hosting ...
Premium Plugins
Most useful plugins are paid: SEO ($99/yr), security ($99/yr), forms ($49/yr), backups ($24/yr). Ave...
Theme & Maintenance
Premium themes $50-200 one-time. Security updates, compatibility patches, and performance optimizati...
Shopify advertises $39/mo. WordPress advertises $0/mo.
Shopify has 4 documented hidden fees. WordPress has 3.
Shopify confidence: 84%. WordPress confidence: 78%.
| Metric | Shopify | WordPress | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advertised Price | $39/mo | $0/mo | WordPress |
| True Monthly Cost | $519/mo | $105/mo | WordPress |
| Hidden Fee Total | +$480/mo | +$105/mo | WordPress |
| # Hidden Fees | 4 | 3 | WordPress |
| Confidence Score | 84% | 78% | Shopify |
| Pricing Tiers | 4 | 0 | — |
| Affiliate Program | Up to $150 per referral (varies by plan) | None | — |
Try the tool that fits your needs. Both offer free trials or free tiers.
Shopify advertises $39/mo and WordPress advertises $0/mo. However, when you include hidden fees, Shopify has 4 documented hidden fees adding +$480/mo, while WordPress has 3 hidden fees adding +$105/mo. Based on true cost, WordPress is typically 100% cheaper.
Shopify has 4 documented hidden fees: Transaction Fees (Non-Shopify Payments), App Store Cost Accumulation, Premium Theme Purchase, Shipping Label Markup. These add approximately +$480/mo on top of the $39/mo advertised price.
WordPress has 3 documented hidden fees: Hosting Required, Premium Plugins, Theme & Maintenance. These add approximately +$105/mo on top of the $0/mo advertised price.
Choose Shopify if: E-commerce platform for online stores. $39/mo sounds simple but transaction fees, app costs, and the. Choose WordPress if: The world's most popular CMS powering 43% of all websites. Free and open-source, but hosting, themes. The right choice depends on your team size, usage volume, and which features you need most.
This comparison is based on manual research of official pricing pages, terms of service, and user reports. Shopify data has a 84% confidence score and WordPress has 78%. Prices were last verified in April 2026. For the most accurate estimate, enter your specific usage in our calculator.
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