/The one that actually matters
WordPress and Shopify solve different problems. WordPress is the world's most flexible CMS for content-led sites. Shopify is the world's best ecommerce platform. Pick the one that matches how your business makes money.
/Choose Shopify when you sell products
If more than 30% of revenue runs through online transactions, Shopify wins. Ecommerce infrastructure, payments, inventory, tax, apps and support all ship on day one. NZ retailers, DTC brands, direct manufacturers, subscription and speciality products all belong here.
/Choose WordPress when content is the product
Content-heavy businesses, publishers, professional services, healthcare, education, membership sites, larger blogs and multi-language sites lean WordPress. The flexibility is unmatched, and the SEO capability with plugins like Rank Math or Yoast is deep.
/Where the answer gets fuzzy
A trades business with a small online shop, a professional service with a membership area, a boutique retailer running a strong content strategy: any of these could go either way. Decision framework below.
/Decision framework in three questions
1) Will you take payment for products or subscriptions online? If yes, Shopify unless there's a strong reason not to. 2) Will content and SEO be your primary growth channel? If yes, WordPress. 3) Do you need both? Consider a Shopify storefront + a WordPress content sub-site, or Shopify with a strong content blog.
/Total cost of ownership
Shopify: platform fees $50 to $600+/month depending on plan, plus apps ($20 to $200+/month), plus theme + build cost. WordPress: hosting $30 to $200/month, premium plugins $200 to $800/year, plus theme + build cost. Twelve months in, the two are usually within a few thousand dollars of each other.
/SEO capability compared
Both are excellent, honestly. Shopify has closed the SEO gap dramatically. WordPress still edges ahead for content architecture, category depth and technical SEO customisation. Either can rank if built properly.
/Editing experience
Shopify's admin is famously easy. WordPress with a modern page builder (Bricks, Elementor, Gutenberg) is nearly as clean but requires setup. If non-technical staff will edit weekly, both work; if you want the least-friction option, Shopify.
/Performance
Shopify hosts everything on world-class CDN, so speed is a strength out of the box. WordPress speed depends on hosting, plugins and build discipline; done well it's just as fast.
/Migration reality
Moving between platforms is not trivial: URLs, product data, redirects, SEO equity all need care. Get the choice right up front, and factor migration cost only when the platform is actively blocking growth.
/Our default recommendation
Ecommerce-led NZ business: Shopify. Content-led NZ business: WordPress. Both: usually Shopify plus a strong blog is faster to run than juggling two platforms. As an Official Shopify Partner we build both, and we'll tell you honestly which one fits.
