PrestaShop vs Shopify (Let’s Compare These eCommerce Platforms)

Commerce has seen tremendous growth over the last decade.

According to Statista, the global eCommerce market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.95% between 2024-2028, reaching over $5 trillion by 2028.

Another report forecasts global B2C eCommerce revenue to grow to $5.5 trillion by 2027, representing a steady 14.4% annual growth.

In the US specifically, eCommerce revenue is projected to increase by $614 billion between 2023-2028, as reported by Statista.

The eCommerce industry has seen tremendous growth over the past decade and is expected to continue expanding rapidly in the coming years.

Overview of PrestaShop

PrestaShop started in 2005 as a student project within the EPITECH IT School in Paris, France.

Originally named phpOpenStore, the software was first available as an open-source e-commerce solution in its version 1.0 in August 2007.

PrestaShop SA Company was founded in 2007 by two people passionate about the Internet, Igor Schlumberger and Bruno Lévêque.

PrestaShop was born from their joint desire to create an innovative project within the open-source community.

Over the years, PrestaShop has gone through many major version releases.

PrestaShop 1.0 was the initial version released in August 2007.

Version 1.5 was released in September 2012 with a focus on scalability and performance improvements.

Version 1.6 came out in November 2013 with an emphasis on an improved back office.

The latest major release is PrestaShop 1.7 which debuted in November 2016 with a redesigned front office and streamlined back office.

Overview of Shopify

Shopify was founded in 2004 by Tobias Lütke, Daniel Weinand, and Scott Lake after attempting to open an online snowboard equipment store called Snowdevil.

Dissatisfied with the eCommerce solutions at the time, Lütke decided to build his own, which eventually became Shopify.

The first Shopify store was the founders’ own snowboard equipment shop. Launched over a decade ago, the store sold snowboards online.

However, Lütke and his co-founders struggled with the eCommerce platforms available at the time, which led them to build their own solution that eventually evolved into Shopify (Shopify).

After launching the Shopify platform in 2006, the company saw rapid growth, raising over $120 million in venture capital funding by 2013.

Shopify went public on the NYSE in 2015 under the ticker symbol SHOP.

Today, Shopify powers over 1 million businesses in approximately 175 countries.

Features Of These eCommerce Platforms

PrestaShop and Shopify have different focuses when it comes to their main features.

PrestaShop is open-source and offers more built-in features for managing an online store out of the box, like inventory management, shipping, and analytics.

It also includes a drag-and-drop theme customizer for modifying store design and layout without coding.

However, some more advanced customizations may require developer skills.

Shopify provides an easier-to-use interface and setup process, with thousands of app integrations available on their app store to add extra functionality like shipping and marketing tools.

Shopify themes are also optimized for modification without coding knowledge.

However, core customizations to Shopify require a developer.

Both platforms support multilingual and multi-currency stores, though PrestaShop offers this by default while Shopify requires an app.

PrestaShop also includes native dropshipping features while this requires an app on Shopify.

Overall, PrestaShop provides more built-in eCommerce features while Shopify makes adding extra features easy through their app store.

However Shopify’s interface and ease of use makes it better for non-technical users.

Ease of Use For Shopify And PrestaShop

Both PrestaShop and Shopify aim to provide intuitive platforms that are easy for store owners to use, but Shopify has a slight edge when it comes to overall ease of use.

Shopify’s dashboard is designed to be simple and user-friendly from the start, allowing you to easily add products, customize the store design, view reports and analytics, and manage orders and shipping.

The setup process is straightforward with templates and no coding required.

Everything is laid out in a logical manner in the Shopify backend.

PrestaShop can require more initial effort to set up and has a steeper learning curve, though the open-source nature provides more control.

The backend interface isn’t as polished as Shopify’s, and customizing the store design requires working with theme templates and code.

However, once you get the hang of it, PrestaShop does provide powerful customization capabilities.

Overall, Shopify’s superior UI and intuitive admin make it quicker and easier for eCommerce beginners to launch their online store.

However experienced users may appreciate PrestaShop’s open-source flexibility despite the less intuitive interface.

Design Flexibility

When it comes to design flexibility, PrestaShop and Shopify offer different strengths.

PrestaShop has a wider selection of free and paid themes available, with over 300 options to choose from.

However, Shopify’s themes are purpose-built for eCommerce sites and optimized for conversion.

Shopify also makes it easier to customize themes without coding knowledge – you can edit colors, fonts, and design elements directly from the Shopify interface.

PrestaShop gives developers more control to heavily customize themes and code their own changes.

But for small businesses without dedicated developers, Shopify’s simple customizations may be more beginner-friendly.

Ultimately, PrestaShop offers more overall design flexibility for advanced users, while Shopify simplifies design changes for eCommerce newcomers.

Supported Payment Gateways

Out of the box, PrestaShop supports integrations with over 50 payment gateways and methods including PayPal, Stripe, Authorize.Net, and Skrill.

It also allows local payment methods for specific countries. New payment modules and integrations are frequently added to PrestaShop.

Shopify has its own built-in payment gateway called Shopify Payments which supports credit cards and debit cards.

It also offers integration with over 100 external payment gateways and methods through apps, including PayPal, Stripe, and Amazon Pay.

The transaction fees vary based on which payment gateway is used (source).

In summary, both PrestaShop and Shopify offer extensive payment options through integrations, but Shopify also provides its own proprietary payment gateway.

PrestaShop may have more flexibility for niche local payment methods.

SEO Capabilities

When it comes to SEO, both PrestaShop and Shopify offer some built-in features to help optimize your store.

PrestaShop comes with a built-in SEO module that lets you edit page titles and meta descriptions for better optimization.

You can also optimize URL slugs and set up 301 redirects.

Additionally, PrestaShop generates semantic structured data markup for richer indexing 1.

On the other hand, Shopify also offers some SEO features like custom page titles and meta descriptions, canonical tags, and the ability to customize URL slugs.

However, you need to install third-party apps for more advanced SEO capabilities like schema markup.

Overall, PrestaShop seems to have a slight edge over Shopify when it comes to built-in SEO optimization features.

The SEO module allows for easy setup of important on-page optimizations. Shopify still offers decent SEO capabilities, but you may need extra apps to reach the same level as PrestaShop.

Support and Community

PrestaShop has an extensive support forum where users can get help from other merchants and developers.

There is also detailed documentation available.

However, there is no official support team from PrestaShop – users need to rely on the community forums for assistance.

Shopify has much more extensive support options, including 24/7 phone and chat support.

There are also detailed help articles and tutorials in the Shopify Help Center. Additionally, Shopify offers a thriving community forum for asking questions and troubleshooting.

Overall, Shopify offers far superior support compared to PrestaShop’s community-driven model.

Pricing and Transaction Fees

PrestaShop is an open-source eCommerce platform, so the core software is free to download and use.

You will need to pay for web hosting, a domain name, and any add-ons or themes.

There are no transaction fees on PrestaShop itself.

You may pay transaction fees depending on your payment gateway.

Some popular PrestaShop payment gateways include PayPal, Stripe, and Mollie.

Transaction fees vary by gateway.

Shopify has a monthly subscription model starting at $29/month for the basic Shopify plan.

There are no transaction fees if you use Shopify Payments, which charges 2.9% + 30¢ per online transaction.

If you use an external payment gateway, you’ll pay their transaction fees plus an additional 1% Shopify transaction fee.

The higher-tier Shopify plans have lower transaction fees but cost more per month.

So in summary, PrestaShop itself has no transaction fees but you’ll pay gateway fees.

Shopify has transaction fees unless you use Shopify Payments.

Shopify’s monthly subscription fees can add up over time.

Key FAQ For Prestashop Vs Shopify

Q: How much does Prestashop cost?

A: Prestashop is an open-source platform, meaning it’s free to download and use. However, keep in mind that you’ll still need to cover other costs like web hosting, domain registration, and any premium modules or themes you might want to add to your Prestashop store.

Q: What’s the pricing for Shopify?

A: Shopify offers different pricing plans to fit the needs of businesses of all sizes. The Basic Shopify plan starts at $29 per month, which gives you access to essential features and support to run your online store. From there, you can choose the Shopify plan at $79 per month, or Advanced Shopify at $299 per month, depending on the level of features and support you require for your business.

Q: Are there any additional fees with Prestashop?

A: While the Prestashop software itself is free, you should be aware of additional costs that may arise. These include costs for web hosting, domain registration, premium modules/themes, and any developer services you might need to customize or maintain your Prestashop store.

Q: What about additional fees with Shopify?

A: With Shopify, the pricing plans include most of the features you’ll need to run your online store. However, there are a few additional costs to consider. Transaction fees apply when you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments, ranging from 0.5% to 2% depending on your pricing plan. If you use Shopify Payments, these transaction fees are waived. Additionally, if you choose a premium theme or purchase apps from the Shopify App Store, those costs will be additional.

Q: Do both Prestashop and Shopify offer payment gateways?

A: Yes, both Prestashop and Shopify offer various payment gateways for your online store. Prestashop supports multiple payment options, including PayPal, Stripe, and more. Similarly, Shopify has its own payment gateway called Shopify Payments, as well as integrations with over 100 third-party payment providers.

Q: How do I get support for Prestashop and Shopify?

A: Prestashop and Shopify provide support options to help you in different ways. With Prestashop, you can access their community forums, developer documentation, and resources to troubleshoot any issues or find answers to your questions. Shopify offers 24/7 customer support through phone, live chat, and email, ensuring you have assistance whenever you need it.

Q: Can I customize my store’s design with Prestashop and Shopify?

A: Both Prestashop and Shopify offer customization options, but there are some differences. Prestashop allows you to choose from numerous themes and customize them to match your brand’s look and feel. Shopify offers a similar range of themes, and you can also customize the design to some extent using their built-in editor or by editing the HTML/CSS code directly.

Q: Which platform is more suitable for beginners?

A: Shopify is often considered more beginner-friendly due to its user-friendly interface and intuitive tools. The platform provides easy-to-use features and guides to help you set up your online store quickly. Prestashop, while powerful, may require a steeper learning curve if you have limited technical expertise.

Q: Does Prestashop or Shopify offer multi-channel selling?

A: Shopify offers robust multi-channel selling capabilities, allowing you to sell your products not only on your online store but also on marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and social media platforms. Prestashop also supports integrations with various marketplaces, but setting up multi-channel selling may require additional modules or custom development.

Conclusion On This Shopify Vs Prestashop Comparison

After testing and understanding each platform is obvious Shopify is going to be the better option when it comes to building out an eCommerce platform.

One thing that makes the decision easier is the overall community involved with Shopify and the resources offered to support an eCommerce store

And:

Find answers to questions you have too with professionals willing to help you out that are dedicated Shopify experts.

Now, just because I recommend it doesn’t mean I don’t think you should take PrestaShop for a good test drive to see for yourself.

There is nothing more valuable than doing this in my opinion.