Shopify vs Prestashop: What to Know

Comparing Shopify & PrestaShop: What You Need To Know

It is imperative to select the appropriate platform to facilitate the setup and maintenance of an online store. If you’re contemplating selling your products over the internet or migrating your digital store to a superior eCommerce platform, you’ve come to the perfect spot. 

PrestaShop and Shopify are two premier eCommerce platforms providing excellent capability without requiring programming proficiency. Despite that, each platform boasts a collection of tools and features. However, it is always advised to hire PrestaShop developer for optimal results.

In this article, we’ll compare Shopify vs PrestaShop to aid you in determining which eCommerce platform is best for your business.

An Overview of Shopify

Launched in 2006, Shopify is a comprehensive eCommerce platform specifically built for business owners looking to set up, operate, and expand their online stores. Its streamlined approach makes it an excellent solution for anyone engaged in an eCommerce venture. Shopify is a hosted platform that offers an intuitive interface with various functionalities. 

Statistics:

• Shopify has facilitated the development of over 4.39 million ecommerce sites. 
• Online merchants in 175 countries leverage Shopify, and approximately two-thirds of them are based in the United States. (Sources: Shopify and Builtwith.com, respectively.)
• Shopify stores hold a market share of 10% in the worldwide ecommerce sector. (Source: Statista.)

An Overview of PrestaShop

Following its debut in 2005, PrestaShop quickly rose to prominence as an open-source eCommerce platform with multilingual capabilities in a short span of time. PrestaShop, an open-source CMS, provides online stores the flexibility to succeed and any additional functionality needed for your eCommerce site. The platform supports over a dozen languages.

Statistics:

• As of today, there are 249,644 live sites powered by the PrestaShop marketplace. (Source: Builtwith.com)
• PrestaShop stores grew by 2.4% during the first quarter of 2023. 
• With a market share of 0.38%, PrestaShop has a prominent presence in the eCommerce platform industry. 
• PrestaShop Customers by Geography (Source: 6sense.com)

An In-Depth Comparison: Shopify vs PrestaShop 

Shopify and PrestaShop are both popular eCommerce platforms, possessing several similar features. Nevertheless, there is a vast distinction in pricing; PrestaShop being open-source, while Shopify is hosted. 

Continue reading to learn more about the contrasts between the two.

Pricing

• Shopify Pricing

Three tiers of Shopify pricing are available for selection: Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify. No free plan is provided. However, a 14-day free trial is available to experience the full scope of features the Shopify store offers. Additionally, another additional package available is Shopify Plus. 

• PrestaShop Pricing

PrestaShop is distinctly different than Shopify since PrestaShop is an open-source cart that can be downloaded and installed for free. Nonetheless, merchants must consider additional costs, such as hosting services and an SSL Certificate, before opening their stores.

Support

• Shopify Support

Shopify provides remarkable support for its users. All Shopify plans include 24/7 support by email and live chat. Regarding email or live chat, the Shopify support team can connect in nineteen languages, assisting global store owners. Additionally, one can take expert advice from the Shopify development company and share their concerns.

• PrestaShop Support

PrestaShop offers two kinds of support, Presta Online Assistance & Presta Technical Assistance. With Presta Online Assistance, users and developers can access complimentary information sources, such as tutorials, guides, FAQs, and training courses. Nearly 80% of online assistance offers comprehensive guidance for potential problems. Moreover, customers have the option of Presta Technical Assistance for further help.

Ease of use

• Shopify

Shopify offers an approachable and reliable way for beginners to create an eCommerce website at an economical cost. It provides an all-inclusive experience, taking users through every step of the development process.

• PrestaShop

Installing PrestaShop is an effortless task, granting users the ability to construct a basic storefront for their business. If users seek to create an attention-grabbing, feature-packed website, you must hire Prestashop developer. 

Themes & customizability

• Shopify Themes

Customizing the look and feel of an online store is paramount to its success, for which Shopify provides 120 free and premium template choices.

• PrestaShop Themes

PrestaShop’s open-source capabilities offer unprecedented customization for merchants, allowing them to design and build their stores precisely as they please. To date, PrestaShop themes boast over 3,200 templates. A Prestashop agency technical prowess directly contributes to the design potential and functioning of the store.

Security

• Shopify security

Shopify’s hosted cart service offers outstanding security with every package. Included in the package are free SSL certificate and automatic updates. The authentication of your store will be strengthened through HTTPS, and an SSL icon will be placed next to the URL of your store to help create customer confidence. All data and customer information is highly secure on your Shopify platform.

• PrestaShop security

With the PCI-compliant downloadable setup file, PrestaShop is an excellent option for businesses when it comes to security. Store owners can also install additional modules, such as the Official GDPR Compliance, which guarantees adherence to EU data protection and privacy laws. The Security Lite module provides another layer of security and minimizes the chance of unauthorized access to the PrestaShop website.

Apps and addons

• Shopify 

The Shopify App Store offers an abundance of extensions and plugins to choose from, totaling over 5,000 that can expand your website’s potential with their complete functions. Such apps assist with shipping, marketing, accounting, and more functions.

• PrestaShop 

Conversely, PrestaShop stands out in its ability to create and manage multiple stores. It is renowned for PrestaShop Addons, which supplies over 4000 modules to fine-tune your website. These modules enable customers to tailor their online presence, improving conversion rates and building trust and loyalty.

Which One is Better: PrestaShop or Shopify?

It can be hard to decide between PrestaShop and Shopify when choosing the right platform for an online business. To summarize, Shopify is an excellent choice if you are a novice entrepreneur looking for a functional platform with top-notch eCommerce features. Its features include unlimited products, advanced functionalities, detailed reporting, and extensive outputs. 

Alternatively, if you are seeking a platform that offers flexibility and easy selling, PrestaShop could be a great option. It boasts thousands of additional modules and custom themes, is free to get started, and has no upkeep requirements.

Ultimately, it all comes down to what is best for your business. Shopify vs PrestaShop both have great features and advantages, so it is all a matter of what works best for you.

 In case you want to migrate data from PrestaShop to Shopify or vice versa, our professionals can help you out. Depending on your requirements, Connect with our Shopify and PrestaShop agency for expert advice today.