What predefines the future success of an online store?
There is no doubt that the answer to the question is complex and comprises of various factors. One of the subcomponents of failure or advancement is the choice of a suitable eCommerce platform.
The combination of knowledge of specific business needs and the main advantages of systems allows for business owners to make the right choice.
Magento and WordPress are two of the main players on the market of open-source solutions that are loved by businesses of all sizes. By the end of the article, you will know which one is better suited for your company. The article unveils the following question:
- what are Magento and WordPress
- functions and purposes of websites built with Magento and WordPress
- vital considerations when choosing between Magento vs WordPress
Magento and WordPress: The Main Purpose Behind Platforms
Any Magento vs WordPress comparison should start with the overall overview of both. Both are open-source platforms that allow building online websites, including online stores. The open-source status is the main among Magento and WordPress similarities.
Now, let’s move to the basic differences between Magento and WordPress.
Magento was created specifically for online stores and had all the features centered around the eCommerce industry. It is designed to build and run robust and high-performance stores with wider sales-centered functionality.
In comparison, WordPress was designed as a Content Management System (CMS) with all the features aimed to simplify the process of content creation and management. However, the eCommerce functionality can be added with the help of additional plugins like WooCommerce, Etsy, etc.
To get a better picture of the solutions, let’s look at the statistics of Magento vs WordPress.
In terms of popularity, WordPress is leading the game. It is an engine behind 34% of all websites worldwide. When we talk about CMS-based websites, their number has reached 60%. There is a high chance that you have visited a website or two that had been built with WordPress.
Due to its more specific nature, the use of Magento is lower. It powers 1.2% of the internet and 12% of all online stores. It is the second most popular eCommerce platform in the world and is popular among businesses of all sizes.
Comparing Magento and WordPress: Spheres of Use
What is the purpose of your website?
Unless you know the answer to the question, you will not be able to make the right choice between Magento and WordPress. Below are listed the main spheres where the platforms can be used and bring the best results:
- Physical products
Opening an online store is associated with a variety of difficulties, like adding payment gateways, delivery options, orders tracking, etc.
When comparing Magento and WordPress, it becomes clear that the first one is better suited as the basic features are built-in. It is even possible to expand them with additional plugins.
- Services
Selling virtual services is unlike dealing with regular ones. They do not require the addition of shipping options and order tracking. Due to the difference in the approach to the development of such online stores, it is possible to create them both with Magento and WordPress. In the latter choice, there will be a need for additional plugins, which can potentially increase the time for development.
- Marketplace
Marketplaces are another eCommerce solution that can be developed with the help of the right tools. Adding functionality that will enable sellers to get register with a marketplace and list products, there is a complex project that requires dedicated tools. Such solutions are offered out-of-the-box by Magento.
This is one of the main Magento and WordPress differences that should be taken into account during the initial stages of exploring the idea of a marketplace creation.
From the above Magento vs WordPress comparison, it is not difficult to conclude that Magento is better suited for complex solutions that require reach functionality and specific eCommerce-centered features. WordPress, on the other hand, is better suited for simple stores. However, these are not all differences that are inherent to each platform.
3 Main Magento and WordPress Differences
The platforms are similar and different in many ways. Before making a choice between Magento and WordPress, it is important to get an in-depth idea of how they can benefit your business and which shortcomings can prevent you from implementing all plans.
The main distinction between Magento and WordPress is as listed below.
- User-centric
This is an important consideration for sellers who are just exploring the idea of the online store building. In this aspect, Magento and WordPress are entirely different.
Magento was designed for dealing with eCommerce and complex solutions. It is a go-to solution for thousands of companies and is in second place among the most popular platforms in the eCommerce world. From the development point of view, Magento offers a more advanced choice of features and, at the same time, is more difficult to use. Without previous technical and coding experience, it is challenging to set up a store, add features, and optimize it to specific business needs. That is why it is recommended hiring professionals who will do the job.
WordPress is an entirely different story. The first thing that should be noted is user-friendliness. It is designed to make the process of setting up a website and managing content smooth and fast. Even beginners with little to no coding experience can do the job themselves. However, to add functionality to run an online store, it is required to install additional plugins. That is where all the difficulties begin as there is a need to build features step-by-step with various additional solutions.
- Security matters
Comparison of Magento vs WordPress would not be fully covered without the mentioning of security. eCommerce operations and storage of confidential information of customers require a high level of protection against data breaches.
Both WordPress and Magento have built-in security systems that ensure a high level of protection. It is possible to choose Magento Commerce Cloud and rely on hosting provided by Magento, thus ensuring an even higher level of security.
The main concern is not about the platforms but about the plugins, add-ons, and themes that might be needed for the development of an online store. In such a case, you will have to rely on third-party solutions that can jeopardize security efforts.
- SEO compatibility
SEO plays a huge role in the performance of any website. If a store is not SEO optimized, it is absolutely futile to wait for great results. When trying to find products, shoppers often turn to search engines. A website which is created with disregard to the best SEO practices has to chance to rank high and enjoy the benefits of generating a lot of organic traffic. It might be the best idea to never overlook the importance of SEO.
In the Magento vs WordPress opposition, there is no winner as both provide integrated SEO features. Additional plugins for WordPress will help to bring in more advanced features. When using Magento and WordPress together, you get the ease of content management and SEO optimization. We will talk about the advantages of such a combination later in the article.
Below you can see a Magento vs WordPress comparison table that summarizes everything said above.
| Magento | WordPress | |
|---|---|---|
| Sphere of use | Complex online stores, marketplaces with multi-vendor support | Simple online store (can be built only with third-party plugins) |
| User-friendliness | More complex installation process | Easy to install and use as a CMS |
| Development | Built-in functionality for eCommerce Requires technical background |
eCommerce features can be added only with third-party plugins |
| Security | Advanced data protection | Basic data protection |
| SEO | Built-in tools for basic and advanced SEO optimization The range of functions can be expanded with third-party marketing solutions |
Basic tools for SEO adjustments |
Bottom Line: Magento and WordPress Combination
In the never-ending Magento vs WordPress battle, both platforms strongly hold their ground. Even though they are powerful solutions, they are aimed at solving different tasks.
As we have already mentioned, Magento was shaped around eCommerce needs. It is a powerful platform that allows creating online stores of different complexity. WordPress, on the contrary, is designed first of all for easy creation and management of content. Even though eCommerce functionality can be added with third-party APIs and plugins, the capabilities will be limited to basic ones.
Magento vs WordPress – which is better?
The answer depends on the purpose of development. The best solution might be a combination of both. Magento can be used to power all eCommerce operations, ensure high performance and security. At the same time, WordPress can be used to power the blogging part of your website. By doing so, you will make your store optimized for content marketing and other activities aimed at the promotion of your store.
The integration of the two solutions is quite difficult and requires experience in web development.
