WooCommerce vs Shoptet: which e-shop solution in 2026?

On the Slovak market, when building an e-shop you most often choose between two paths: a rented platform (Shoptet) or a custom e-shop (WooCommerce on top of WordPress). Both work - but for a different type of company. Here is an honest comparison.

The short answer

• Shoptet - when you want to launch fast, have a standard product range and do not want to deal with the tech. You pay monthly, in exchange for convenience and limitations.
• Custom WooCommerce - when you want to own your e-shop, tailor it and connect it to your systems. A higher upfront investment, but full control.

A comparison by what matters

Pricing in numbers

Shoptet has a clear price list with five tiers (Slovakia) that differ by product limit and feature scope. You will find the specific monthly amounts and limits in the current price list at shoptet.sk/cennik (prices change over time; figures are approximate as of June 2026):

• Free - a free tier with the lowest product limit.
• Basic - the entry paid tier for smaller e-shops.
• Business - a mid tier with a higher product limit.
• Profi - a popular tier for growing e-shops.
• Enterprise - the top tier with the widest scope.

Pay annually and you get a 10% discount, for two years a 20% discount. Also count on add-ons (payment gateways, SMS notifications, integrations) that add 10-50 € per month.

A custom WooCommerce costs from 2 500 € upfront, then you only pay for hosting (5-20 €/month) and optional maintenance (100-200 €/month). The difference flips after a few years of operation, depending on the chosen tier and add-ons.

Costs - where the catch is

Shoptet looks cheaper in the first year, but the flat fee grows with add-ons and higher tiers, and you pay it forever, as long as the e-shop runs. When you move to Business or a larger set of add-ons it easily reaches 80-100 € per month.

WooCommerce has a higher upfront investment, but you own your e-shop - it is yours, not rented. Over a long horizon (3+ years) the difference often flips in favor of WooCommerce.

Flexibility and growth

If you have a standard store, Shoptet is enough. The moment you come up with something non-standard - a product configurator, B2B prices for logged-in customers, a warehouse integration or custom shipping logic - you hit the ceiling of a rented platform. WooCommerce has no ceiling, because it is open-source and we build it to order.

SEO and performance

Both platforms can do fine in Google. The difference is in control: with a custom e-shop we handle speed (Core Web Vitals), URL structure, schema and technical SEO exactly as needed. On a rented platform you work within what it allows.

When Shoptet is objectively better

It is not just marketing. Shoptet has real advantages if:

• You want to launch fast. From sign-up to a live site in days, not weeks. If you need to be online within a few days, Shoptet is a fast choice.
• You have a standard product range. 100-5000 products with classic categorization and filters? Shoptet handles it perfectly without customization.
• You do not want to deal with the tech. Updates, security, backups, database know-how - all handled for you. You are a business owner, not a developer.
• You only have a budget for flat fees. No 2500 € upfront, no long-term contract with a studio. An e-shop in an hour, with no risk.
• You want local support. Shoptet has an SK team and runs a community. You solve problems with people who speak your language.

WooCommerce vs Shoptet vs Shopify

All three have their place. A quick overview:

• Shopify (the global standard) - similar to Shoptet, but pricier (29-299 USD/month), dominant in English-speaking markets. They have better apps and fewer limits than Shoptet, but Slovak support is weak. A choice if you plan to sell abroad.
• Shoptet (the local favorite) - cheaper than Shopify, a Czech-Slovak team, simplified integration with common Slovak payment gateways (for example TrustPay, GoPay, Comgate). Good for small to mid-sized stores without specific requirements.
• WooCommerce (tailor-made) - the only choice if you need (B2B prices, a configurator, a custom shipping algorithm, integration with your CRM/ERP, branding without limits). A pricier start, but full extensibility and ownership.

When each makes sense

Choose Shoptet if: you want to launch within a week, have a common product range, do not want to deal with the tech and are fine with a monthly flat fee.

Choose custom WooCommerce if: you treat the e-shop as a long-term channel, want to own it, tailor it and connect it to your systems - and want it to look like your brand, not like a template.

Can't decide? Get in touch - we will tell you straight which solution pays off for your product range and plans. More about building e-shops.