Shopify vs WooCommerce in Singapore: Costs and Fees
Short answer: Shopify suits stores that want hosting, security and updates handled for a fixed monthly fee, from S$29 a month on yearly billing. WooCommerce suits stores already on WordPress that want full control and can maintain plugins and hosting. For a catalogue of a few products, a custom site with Stripe Checkout can cost less than either.
Shopify prices below are from Shopify's Singapore pricing page. WooCommerce figures are from woocommerce.com. All checked October 2026.
How much does Shopify cost in Singapore?
Shopify publishes Singapore prices in SGD. Plus is quoted in USD.
| Plan | Yearly billing | Monthly billing | Online domestic card rate | Online international card rate | Third-party provider fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | S$29 a month | S$39 a month | 3.2% + S$0.50 | 3.6% + S$0.50 | 2% |
| Grow | S$99 a month | S$132 a month | 3.1% + S$0.50 | 3.6% + S$0.50 | 1% |
| Advanced | S$399 a month | S$531 a month | 3% + S$0.50 | 3.4% + S$0.50 | 0.6% |
| Plus | From US$2,300 a month | Not published | 2.9% + S$0.50 | 3.3% + S$0.50 | 0.2% |
Source: shopify.com/sg/pricing, checked October 2026. The page also offers 3 days free, then S$1 a month for 3 months.
The card rates apply when you use Shopify Payments. If you use another payment provider, Shopify adds the third-party fee in the last column on top of that provider's own fees.
How much does WooCommerce cost?
WooCommerce is free and open source. The costs sit around it.
- Plugin: free, with "0% revenue share" and "no monthly subscription", per WooCommerce pricing.
- Hosting: WooCommerce puts hosting at US$25 to US$350 a month for most stores.
- Extensions: US$29 to US$299 a year per paid extension.
- Payments: WooPayments fees for Singapore are 3.40% + $0.50 for domestic cards, plus 1.50% for international cards and 2.00% for currency conversion. WooPayments adds 9% GST on its fees, with an exemption for GST-registered merchants that qualify.
- Maintenance: WordPress core, the theme and every plugin need updates. Someone has to apply and test them, either you or a paid provider.
Managed WordPress plans bundle some of this. WordPress.com lists its Commerce plan at US$45 a month on annual billing, and its Business plan at US$25 a month on annual billing with WooCommerce supported.
Side by side
| Factor | Shopify | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Software fee | S$29 to S$399 a month on yearly billing | Free plugin |
| Hosting | Included | Paid separately, US$25 to US$350 a month per WooCommerce |
| Updates and security | Handled by Shopify | Your responsibility or your provider's |
| Card fees | 3% to 3.2% + S$0.50 domestic on Shopify Payments | 3.40% + $0.50 domestic on WooPayments |
| Extra fee for other gateways | 0.6% to 2% on Basic to Advanced | None from WooCommerce |
| Code ownership | Theme files only; the platform stays with Shopify | Full code and database |
| Moving away | Export products and orders; rebuild the theme | Move files and database to any host |
Does each platform support PayNow?
PayNow is how many Singapore customers prefer to pay. The two platforms handle it differently.
Shopify
Shopify's list of local payment methods does not include PayNow. It lists GrabPay in early access for eligible Singapore stores accepting SGD.
To add PayNow, stores install a third-party app. HitPay's Shopify app charges its PayNow rate of 0.65% + S$0.30 for orders of S$100 and above, or 0.9% with a S$0.20 minimum below S$100, plus 0.5% for the Shopify integration. Because HitPay is a third-party provider, Shopify's third-party transaction fee also applies, 2% on Basic.
WooCommerce
HitPay publishes a free WooCommerce plugin with PayNow, cards and GrabPay. It charges the same PayNow rates plus a 0.2% plugin fee. WooCommerce adds no fee of its own.
For a full fee comparison across Stripe, HitPay and PayPal, see payment gateways for websites in Singapore.
What does a month of sales cost in fees?
A worked example: S$5,000 in sales from 50 domestic card orders of S$100 each.
| Setup | Calculation | Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify Basic with Shopify Payments | 3.2% of S$5,000 + 50 × S$0.50 | S$185 |
| WooCommerce with WooPayments | 3.40% of S$5,000 + 50 × S$0.50 | S$195, plus GST on fees if not exempt |
| Custom site with Stripe Checkout | 3.4% of S$5,000 + 50 × S$0.50 | S$195 |
Add the Shopify subscription, or WooCommerce hosting and extensions, to compare total cost. At this size, the subscription and upkeep move the total more than the card rate.
When does Shopify fit?
- You sell 50 or more products and expect the catalogue to grow.
- You want inventory, shipping rates, discounts and abandoned-cart emails without building them.
- No one on the team wants to manage hosting or plugin updates.
- You are content to pay a monthly fee in exchange for less upkeep.
See Shopify website design for how a Shopify build is scoped.
When does WooCommerce fit?
- Your site already runs on WordPress and the content team knows it.
- You need custom product logic that Shopify apps do not cover.
- You want full ownership of the code and database.
- You have a developer or provider who applies updates each month.
When does a custom site with Stripe fit?
For a small catalogue, a store platform can be more than the business needs. Examples: a clinic selling 3 treatment packages, a consultant selling 2 workshops, a bakery taking deposits on custom cakes.
- No store subscription. Stripe's Singapore pricing is 3.4% + S$0.50 per successful domestic card payment, with no monthly fee on standard pricing.
- PayNow included. Stripe supports PayNow for Singapore accounts at 1.3% per payment, through Checkout and Payment Links.
- No plugin stack. There are no third-party plugins to update.
- Limits. Inventory, shipping rules and order management have to be built or kept simple. Past about 20 to 30 products, a store platform is usually the better choice.
See e-commerce website design for how each option is scoped.
Which should you choose?
- Count your products and your expected orders per month.
- Decide who will maintain the site after launch.
- Check which payment methods your customers use, especially PayNow.
- Add up 12 months of subscription, hosting, extensions and fees for each option.
- Check what you can take with you if you leave the platform.
How cense handles store builds
Our website package is from S$2,000 one-off with S$0 a month maintenance, and the client owns the domain, code and hosting. Migration from WordPress is included, with every indexed URL kept or redirected. Send your current store for a free website analysis, or see e-commerce website design and pricing.
Is Shopify or WooCommerce cheaper in Singapore?+
WooCommerce has no subscription, but you pay for hosting, paid extensions and upkeep. Shopify Basic is S$29 a month on yearly billing with hosting included. For most small stores the running costs end up close; the difference is who does the maintenance.
What does Shopify charge per sale in Singapore?+
With Shopify Payments, online domestic card rates are 3.2% + S$0.50 on Basic, 3.1% + S$0.50 on Grow and 3% + S$0.50 on Advanced. Using a third-party provider adds a 2%, 1% or 0.6% transaction fee on those plans.
Can Shopify accept PayNow?+
PayNow is not listed among Shopify Payments local payment methods. Singapore stores add it through a third-party app such as HitPay, which then triggers Shopify's third-party transaction fee.
Can WooCommerce accept PayNow?+
Yes, through a plugin. HitPay publishes a free WooCommerce plugin with PayNow, with a 0.2% plugin fee on top of its transaction fees.
When is a custom site with Stripe better than either?+
For a small catalogue of a few products or services. Stripe Checkout or Payment Links handle cards and PayNow, so there is no store subscription and no plugin stack to maintain.
