Your choice of eCommerce platform is more than just a technical decision – it’s a strategic one. No matter what stage of business you find yourself in, entrepreneurs and established companies must consider platforms that meet their immediate needs and are adaptable to future trends and challenges.
However, for a lot of eCommerce businesses, not enough thought goes into what platform they choose in the early days. For some, they realise far too late that the platform they have built their foundations on isn’t up to the job as they scale. This is why it’s important now, more than ever, to take stock and consider your options.
In 2024, the main contenders for the best eCommerce platforms for UK businesses are WooCommerce, Shopify, BigCommerce, and Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento). Each platform offers unique advantages, so to help you work out which one is best for your business, we’ve identified their pros and cons to put together a comparison to help you make a well-informed choice.
Best eCommerce Platforms in the UK
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is the leading choice for businesses looking for a customisable and flexible eCommerce solution. Until recently, WooCommerce was only available as a plugin for WordPress websites, but with the release of Woo Express in 2023, you can now open an eCommerce store directly from WooCommerce too. With a huge collection of plugins and themes, WooCommerce allows for extensive customisation to cater to specific business needs, making it a great choice for businesses of any size.
WooCommerce Pros
- Highly customisable with numerous plugins and themes.
- Large community support.
- Seamless integration with WordPress websites.
- Free to use with WordPress websites.
- Excellent SEO capabilities (with the right plugins).
WooCommerce Cons
- No dedicated support (unless using Woo Express).
- Requires technical knowledge to set up.
- Advanced customisation requires a developer.
Shopify
Shopify is an all-in-one eCommerce platform, and its ease of use makes it a popular choice for entrepreneurs and businesses without a technical background. It offers a variety of features depending on your business needs, including multi-channel selling, point-of-sale tools and enterprise-level solutions with its Shopify Plus solutions. Store owners on all Shopify plans have access to a range of customisable templates and a large app marketplace to enhance the functionality of their online stores.
Shopify Pros
- Simple setup and management.
- Responsive and dedicated customer support.
- Extensive range of apps and themes.
- Advanced solutions to suit wholesale, international and retail businesses.
Shopify Cons
- Apps to add features are often subscription-based.
- Shopify Plus pricing starts at $2,000 (USD) per month.
- Transaction fees if not using Shopify Payments.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce is tailored for medium to large businesses focusing on scalability and growth. It offers a robust feature set, including strong SEO capabilities and multi-channel selling options. BigCommerce is a strong contender for businesses looking to scale quickly without the need for extensive custom development.
BigCommerce Pros
- Wide range of features for large-scale online stores.
- No transaction fees.
- Excellent SEO capabilities.
BigCommerce Cons
- Steep learning curve for beginners.
- Higher cost for accessing advanced features.
Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento)
Adobe Commerce is a powerful, scalable eCommerce solution best suited for large businesses and enterprises. Formerly known as Magento, it offers high levels of customisation and flexibility backed by a strong community of developers. Its advanced features cater to complex, large-scale eCommerce operations.
Adobe Commerce Pros
- Highly scalable and customisable.
- Strong community and developer support.
- Suitable for complex, large-scale eCommerce needs.
- AI tools for personalised upselling.
Adobe Commerce Cons
- Requires significant developer expertise.
- Higher hosting and development costs.
Best eCommerce Platforms Compared
Now we’ve reviewed the pros and cons of each platform, let’s take a look at them side-by-side to see how their features compare.
| WooCommerce | Shopify | BigCommerce | Adobe Commerce | |
| Ideal for | Businesses of all sizes | Businesses of all sizes | Medium to large businesses | Large businesses and enterprises |
| Ease of Use | Requires some technical knowledge | Very user-friendly | Moderately easy to use | Requires developer skills |
| Customisation | Plugins, themes & open-source for advanced code customisation | Apps, themes & code customisations | Apps, themes & code customisations | Apps, extensions, themes & code customisations |
| Pricing | Free (but some plugins & Woo Express come with a fee) | Subscription-based pricing & additional subscriptions for most apps | Subscription-based pricing | Free community version & paid enterprise version (customised) |
| Scalability | Good with the right website hosting | Good with Shopify Plus | Suitable for large-scale businesses | Suitable for large-scale businesses |
| Security | Prone to hacks without proper security features added | Built-in security features | Advanced security features | Advanced security features |
| Support | Community support & paid support available for WooCommerce plugins | 24/7 support | 24/7 support | Community and professional support |
| SEO Capabilities | Excellent with the right technical skills & plugins | Good with the right technical skills & apps | Excellent with the right technical skills | Excellent with the right technical skills |
| Multi-channel Selling | Available with plugins | Built-in | Built-in | Available with extensions |
Streamline Your Supply Chain with eCommerce Platform Integrations
Whether it’s WooCommerce, Shopify, BigCommerce, or Magento/Adobe Commerce, the best eCommerce platform for your UK business in 2024 depends on the unique needs and growth objectives of your business. As well as all the features we’ve covered in this post, you also need to consider how well these platforms will integrate with other parts of your business, like your supply chain and stock management.
At Delta Fulfilment, our warehouse systems provide advanced eCommerce platform integrations to streamline your online store with offline processes, such as syncing your stock levels with physical inventory numbers and processing orders within minutes of them being placed. Ready to learn more? Get a quote from our friendly sales team today and discover how Delta Fulfilment can help you scale your eCommerce business in 2024.