Shopify vs WooCommerce vs custom: which is right for your Nigerian store?

Most Nigerian stores selling under 200 products with simple delivery should start with Shopify or WooCommerce. Shopify is the fastest to launch but charges monthly fees in dollars. WooCommerce has no platform fees and works well with Paystack and Flutterwave, but needs good hosting. Choose a custom build for marketplaces or deep POS and ERP integrations.

The platform you choose affects your monthly costs, how fast you can launch and how easily you can grow. Here is how the three options compare for a store selling in naira.

At a glance

Shopify

Shopify is a hosted platform. You pay a monthly fee and Shopify handles hosting, security, backups and updates, so a store can be live within days.

1. Payments. Shopify's own payment service is not available in Nigeria, so Nigerian stores take cards through a provider such as Paystack. On the Basic plan, Shopify adds a 2% fee on orders paid through outside providers, on top of the provider's own fee. Higher plans charge less.
2. Costs in dollars. The plan, most themes and most apps bill in dollars, so the naira cost rises when the exchange rate moves.
3. Apps fill the gaps. Local delivery partners, WhatsApp ordering and bank transfer confirmation usually need apps, each with its own monthly fee.

Shopify suits brands that want to launch quickly with little technical help.

WooCommerce

WooCommerce turns a WordPress website into a store. The plugin is free, and you own the site and its data.

1. Payments. Paystack and Flutterwave both have official WooCommerce plugins, with no platform fee on top of their charges. Paystack's fee for local payments is 1.5% plus ₦100, capped at ₦2,000 per transaction, and the ₦100 is waived under ₦2,500.
2. Hosting matters. A cheap host makes the store slow, and slow stores lose sales. Budget for good hosting with daily backups.
3. Maintenance is your job. WordPress, WooCommerce and every plugin need regular updates to stay secure.

WooCommerce suits stores that want control and a blog alongside the shop, and have a team or partner to look after it.

Custom build

A custom store is built for how your business works, with the payment gateway connected directly.

1. When it makes sense. Marketplaces with many sellers, unusual pricing such as wholesale tiers, subscriptions, or close links to a POS, ERP or warehouse system.
2. Costs. A higher upfront build cost, then hosting and support. There is no platform fee or cut of each order beyond the payment gateway's.
3. Control. You own the code and can change anything, but you rely on your developer to make the changes.

What matters for Nigerian stores

1. Payment options. Customers expect card, bank transfer and USSD. Check that your gateway offers all three at checkout.
2. Delivery. Decide early whether you will use a delivery partner, your own riders or pickup points, and price delivery by area.
3. Mobile data. Most shoppers browse on phones with limited data. Compress product images and keep pages light.
4. WhatsApp. Many customers want to ask a question before they pay. A WhatsApp button on product pages answers them where they already are.

Should you choose Shopify, WooCommerce or a custom build?

Start with Shopify if speed matters most and you want no technical upkeep. Choose WooCommerce if you want lower running costs and already use WordPress or have someone to maintain it. Choose a custom build when your business model does not fit a standard store, or when platform fees and app costs would add up to more than a custom build over two or three years.

If you are unsure, our e-commerce team can look at your products, payments and delivery and recommend the platform that fits.

Sources: Paystack transaction pricing, Shopify pricing