There are many differences between Magento 2 and Woocommerce. For users of both platforms, the primary difference lies in the modules they use to manage their
e-commerce websites. Both Woocommerce and Magento 2 allow you to add a great amount of extensions to your store and make it more efficient, but Magento 2 is the preferred choice for e-commerce entrepreneurs who don’t have a lot of time or web
developer experience. There are some important differences between the two that will help you determine which platform to use for your e-commerce business. These differences also allow users to consider which platform is best suited for their own
needs.
Both Woocommerce and Magento have the inbuilt functionality to build customized themes and customize its display. Both have built-in functionality to allow search engine optimization (SEO), built-in admin panels, and both have advanced security features. While both of these platforms also allow you to add additional extensions to
your store, Magento 2 has significantly more premium add-ons that come with hosting. Because of this, many users prefer to use Woocommerce for their extensions and customization needs. Users with advanced technical knowledge and lower levels of technical support tend to choose Magento.
The way in which themes and extensions are added to the stores differ dramatically between the two platforms. For example, in Magento 2, the user has the ability to add customizations to their stores through a system of modules. These modules are stored in the “modules” directory inside the root of the store. There are several different types of modules and most of them do not require any special server configuration.
The major differences in terms of extensions center on the number of pre-installed “themes” and “extensions”. As compared to Magento 1.5, there are far more extension and theme selection options available in Magento 2. In Woocommerce, the only way to add new themes is by downloading and installing Woocommerce themes. Once the installation is done, you can modify and add new extensions to your stores. Similarly, the basic security features that are part of Magento 1.5 are not present in Woocommerce and this can be considered as a disadvantage.
Another significant difference between the two platforms is the way in which one utilizes multiple plugins. Since Magento 2 uses a simplified approach to storing and managing extensions and themes, it is easier to add new plugins than it is in the former. On the other hand, Woocommerce requires you to sign up for an official WordPress site and then download and install a plugin called “WordPress Express”. This plugin makes it possible for you to access various WordPress themes and extensions from within a WordPress site. Consequently, there is no need to download and install additional extension and plugin solutions.
One more notable difference between the two platforms is that Magento stores require web hosting whereas Woocommerce stores require a content management system (CMS) solution. The former platform allows you to add modules and extensions through an inbuilt interface while the latter has no such facility. You can neither install WordPress extensions nor can you browse for suitable themes and extensions on its own. You will also find it difficult to use third-party plugins because these are not supported on Woocommerce. Consequently, many online entrepreneurs have switched over to Magento templates since they provide Magento themes and modules with a professional look without any compatibility issues.
In addition, Magento hosting provides a wide range of add-ons besides the standard default themes and widgets. There are several themes from which you can choose according to your business needs. For example, if you run an online shop, you can get one of the Magento themes that are tailor made for online shops. Similarly, if you
intend to employ SEO techniques to boost your rankings, you can opt for the SEO optimized Magento themes that help Magento optimize the content of your website for search engines.
The most important advantage of both the platforms is that there is absolutely no compatibility issue between the two systems. Both employ secure sockets layer (SSL) and checks for X-HTML code at module level. With Magento, it is possible to build secure pages without using any X-HTML codes. On the other hand, Woocommerce
ensures proper implementation of all X-HTML codes. Consequently, both the Magento themes and extensions work seamlessly with each other.