No, WordPress and WooCommerce are not the same thing. They are connected but not the same. WordPress is the platform where you create and manage your website. WooCommerce is a plugin that adds e-commerce functionalities to WordPress.
Now you may ask, what is a plugin? A plugin is an extra add-on that we install inside WordPress to add more features like e-commerce.
Think of WordPress as a house, providing the structure and room for your website. WooCommerce is the furniture that turns it into a functional online store.
Now let’s deep dive into these two terms: “WordPress” and “WooCommerce”.
What is WordPress?
WordPress is free software that helps users build websites without needing to know coding. In fancy words, it’s a Content Management System (CMS). It provides an easy-to-use dashboard for managing your website.
WordPress started primarily as a specialized platform for blogging, but now it can build almost all types of websites, like blogs, businesses, e-commerce, podcasts, real estate, etc.
Thanks to plugins like WooCommerce and many more, which help WordPress extend its functionalities.
WordPress is incredibly popular. As of today, 43% of websites on the internet are built with WordPress. You can say 43% of the internet is owned by WordPress. Just imagine!
WordPress is so popular because it’s free, easy to use, and suits basic to advanced users. WordPress is open-source, so lots of developers from around the world make contributions to each update. This is also one of the reasons for its popularity.
WordPress is technically free, but there are some additional costs when you use it. The cost is not for the software itself but for the domain and hosting. Whether you use WordPress or not, you need a domain and hosting to make a website live on the internet.
When you purchase a hosting package, it comes with WordPress software included. Using the cPanel, you can easily install WordPress onto your domain.
If you just want to try it out or build a basic website, you can go to wordpress.com where you can use WordPress for free and also get a free subdomain. But the options are limited there. You do need to pay to get more options.
Therefore, I don’t recommend paying on wordpress.com. With that money, you can buy a custom domain and hosting and can use WordPress to its full extent.
There’s also a confusing part. Many people get confused between WordPress and WordPress.com. It’s a whole new explanation. If you want to know more, read this article: WordPress vs WordPress.com
What is WooCommerce?
I think you already have an idea of what WooCommerce is. WooCommerce is a plugin that adds e-commerce functionalities to WordPress.
WooCommerce basically turns WordPress into an e-commerce platform like Shopify but in a more extendable way. WooCommerce is also free. 90% of your e-commerce needs will be covered by the free version.
By default, WooCommerce offers options for Product & Inventory Management, Payment Methods Integration, Shipping & Taxes, Marketing Tools, etc.
For the front, it offers user pages like Account, Cart, Checkout, and Recipients. If you need to add more features, there are lots of extra plugins (paid and free) to support it.
Using WooCommerce, you can not only sell physical products but also digital products. As I told you before, the extensibility is huge.
You have complete control over your e-commerce website.
Key differences between WordPress and WooCommerce:
- WordPress is a platform. WooCommerce is a plugin for it.
- WordPress is for creating different types of websites, but WooCommerce is mainly for adding the ability to sell stuff online.
- You need WordPress to use WooCommerce. Without WordPress, you can’t use WooCommerce
- WordPress is for everyone who wants a website. WooCommerce is just for people who want to sell things online.
- WordPress provides the foundation of a website, and WooCommerce enhances the foundation.
FAQ- WordPress & WooCommerce
Is WooCommerce included in WordPress?
No, WooCommerce is not included in WordPress by default. WooCommerce is a separate plugin that needs to be installed separately on a WordPress website if you want to add e-commerce functionalities, like selling products or services online. While WordPress itself provides the foundation for building websites, WooCommerce extends its capabilities specifically for online selling.
Can I use WooCommerce without WordPress?
No, you can’t use WooCommerce without having a WordPress website first. WooCommerce is like an add-on that works together with WordPress to help you sell things online. So, you need WordPress as the foundation before you can use WooCommerce.
Do I need WooCommerce to sell on WordPress?
No, you don’t have to use WooCommerce to sell on WordPress. There are other plugins and ways to sell things on WordPress, but WooCommerce is popular because it works well with WordPress and has lots of features.
Is WooCommerce only for eCommerce?
Yes, WooCommerce is primarily designed for e-commerce purposes. It provides the necessary tools and features to set up and manage online stores within WordPress websites. Although it can handle other types of transactions like bookings or memberships, its main purpose is e-commerce.
Is WooCommerce paid or free?
WooCommerce itself is free to use. Most of the core features are free. However, you need to pay if you want to get more features.
Conclusion
I believe the differences are now clear as day and night. You should now know where to start building your website.
Here is a beginner’s guide to creating a website in WordPress.
If you are planning to add WooCommerce, I recommend following this comprehensive guide.
If you have any questions or want to know more about any other WordPress topic, feel free to comment below. If you found this helpful, please share this post with your friends.
