Have you heard of the e-commerce CMS Shopify and Prestashop? Are you having trouble choosing between the two solutions and are looking for a comparison between Prestashop and Shopify ? Then welcome to this new article, which will take stock of the strengths of each of these two e-commerce solutions.
Prestashop vs Shopify Menu
- Presentation of Shopify and Prestashop solutions
- Comparison between Shopify and Prestashop
- Review: Prestashop VS Shopify
Why the Prestashop vs Shopify match?
Before we begin to detail the two leading solutions on the market, let's take a moment to consider the benefits of comparing these two e-commerce solutions.
There are several good reasons to compare PrestaShop vs. Shopify, the first being that they occupy the same market segment. Basically, they target, in part, the same target market.
Prestashop is very SME/VSE oriented and Shopify is very present in this market segment even if with Shopify Plus it also targets a clientele generating more turnover. This means that a company the size of a SME or VSE looking to create an e-commerce site is very likely to be offered one of these two solutions as a tool for creating an e-commerce site.
Knowing what each offers is therefore fundamental to making the right choice because even if Shopify and PrestaShop have the same objective, namely to allow you to create an E-commerce site, their philosophy and the way to achieve this are fundamentally different!
Even though Shopify's positioning is much more spread out, it is interesting to compare the two software programs head to head to answer this question: Which to choose between Shopify and PrestaShop?
And if you are interested in other e-commerce solutions on the market, you can read our full article " Choose your e-commerce solution in 5 minutes flat "
Presentation of Shopify and Prestashop solutions
Shopify
Shopify is a SaaS e-commerce solution, meaning you rent the solution monthly and in exchange, you don't need to worry about servers or the "core" part of the software. Updates are automatic, allowing you to focus on the marketing side of your e-commerce site.
Shopify is a solution that originated in Canada over 15 years ago and has since conquered the world. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Shopify boasts over one million active e-commerce sites.
Prestashop
Prestashop is a French e-commerce solution created around 2008 and which is open source. This means that it is up to you to download the site's source code, install it on a server and manage the technical aspects (bugs, updates, etc.). In return, Prestashop is free. You do not have to pay a license to Prestashop every year. Magento 1 worked on exactly the same principle.
As the technical side can be a problem for many e-commerce merchants, many Prestashop agencies have emerged to create Prestashop sites for their clients.
Which is better between Prestashop vs Shopify?
The best e-commerce solution for you may not be your neighbor's or the one recommended by an agency unfamiliar with both solutions. We've worked with PrestaShop for over 10 years and Shopify for over 3 years. This allows us to truly assess the pros and cons of each solution.
Comparison between Shopify and Prestashop
Shopify versus Prestashop
Shopify VS Prestashop: Getting Started Getting Started with Shopify
Shopify is super easy to use, the interface is clear and fluid, the main functions of an e-commerce site like the dashboard, order management, product management are accessible. The interface may even seem a little simple at first glance, but the essentials are nevertheless there.
Getting started with Prestashop
The interface of the latest version of Prestashop has had a facelift. Images loaded by drag and drop (finally!), clear interface. Focus on productivity. This version has the merit of being more functional than the previous ones. Prestashop has always been very behind in the ergonomics of its back office but is gradually catching up.
Advantage: Shopify
A slight advantage that has been greatly reduced thanks to the work of the Prestashop team, but the ergonomics and handling of the Shopify back office remain a step ahead.
Daily Use: Prestashop vs Shopify
We have done several tests to measure the difference between Prestashop vs Shopify for
Create a product (1 image, 1 title, 1 description, 1 reference, 1 price, 1 stock)
Create a product with variable (1 image, 1 title, 1 description, 3 variables, 3 prices, 3 stocks)
Create a category and add it to the menu
Edit the homepage to highlight a product
Advantage: Shopify
Shopify was the fastest CMS in our tests. Note that this may vary depending on your hosting plan. A PrestaShop back office hosted on a dedicated server may have been faster.
Shopify VS Prestashop: The Feature Match
The list of default features of both solutions is extremely long. You can obviously create a product in Prestashop and in Shopify, place an order, create categories and subcategories, manage your sitemap, have customer accounts, create discount vouchers, manage your orders and inventory, etc.
Shopify Features
Here are some Shopify features that Prestashop doesn't have by default:
- Reviving abandoned carts
- A mobile application to manage your store
- A “Point of Sale” application to create a physical store with its e-commerce catalog.
- A default SSL certificate
I have deliberately only listed the functions available in France to date and only those of Shopify basic (the $30/month version).
Prestashop Features
What Prestashop features does Shopify not have by default?
- More varied translation packs
- Mass inventory modification without using a CSV
- Custom fields (you need an app to display them in Shopify)
- SEO redirect options if the product is unavailable.
Advantage: 50/50
The list of "core" features just shows that these two solutions have prioritized different points in their strategy. Moreover, with the huge catalog of applications and modules for each, it is possible to easily counterbalance this. So, equality on this point.
Updates Shopify Update
Continuously, in silent mode, you log in one morning and you have new features. Shopify is unbeatable in this regard because it's the main advantage of SaaS e-commerce solutions. There's no versioning of the solution or technical updates. The solution is constantly evolving without the need for intervention.
Prestashop Update
You'll need to entrust the update of your store to your e-commerce agency or do it yourself. You'll need to download the new version, back up your site and database, set up a pre-production run, install the new version, upload your data, verify everything, fix bugs, and finally, go live if all goes well.
It's long, expensive, technical, and it's the weak point of all open source solutions.
Advantage: Shopify
Shopify, having chosen the SaaS model, has a huge advantage when it comes to updates. Say goodbye to endless upgrade phases.
Security Security at Shopify
Shopify handles the technical and hosting aspects. The servers are located at Google (presumably). Shopify doesn't communicate much about this. It's therefore difficult to obtain precise information on security. However, the law now requires all service providers to communicate if intrusions have occurred. So far, no security breaches have been detected on Shopify sites.
Security at Prestashop
Security at Prestashop is your responsibility. But the community is watching. If a problem is detected, information circulates quickly and bug fixes arrive quickly. That said, it's certainly an advantage to be informed, but many stores don't upgrade (because it's difficult, time-consuming, and expensive). In addition, Prestashop suffered several critical flaws in early January 2020, and the management of user rights in the back office is, let's say, very permissive.
What appears to be a good idea, transparency and access to the code, is, for the moment, more of an inconvenience or a cost for merchants.
Advantage: Shopify
For the peace of mind it can bring you as a merchant. When you see that some Prestashops are still in 1.5 on old versions of outdated PHP on old, unupdated servers, this cannot be considered an advantage for Prestashop.
Export data Export Shopify data
Shopify allows for relatively easy data import/export with CSV and its impressive API. Almost everything is exportable in one format or another. This is especially noteworthy since this is not always the case with SaaS solutions. Note that it is possible with applications like Matrixify to export absolutely the entire Shopify database, including metafields .
Exporting Prestashop data
With Prestashop you have access to databases and source code. It is therefore theoretically possible to extract any data from your Prestashop site. This is one of the advantages of open source: having access to everything "without constraints" other than technical. Note, however, that the Prestashop business model is very limited on this point. Indeed, Prestashop exports are tedious and/or very limited by default. This can obviously be improved with the right plugins, but they are all paid. And of course, to do a database export, you will need to have SQL as a web skill .
Advantage: Prestashop
Even with the best APIs and CSV exports in the world, it's impossible for a SaaS solution to be more "open" than open source. Got data stuck deep in a database? Prestashop leaves the door (half) open for you to retrieve it.
The gap is, however, much smaller if we consider the requirement to have a plugin or application for Prestashop or Shopify .
Speed Speed of Shopify
Shopify is always fast, it is hosted on cloud servers, and yes it is Cloud Commerce, and even if we do not have the precise technical structure, transparency is required with “Shopify Status”:
Speed of Prestashop
Prestashop's speed will depend heavily on your hosting and the technical expertise of your web agency. An incompetent agency can significantly degrade the quality of your pages and make your Prestashop site slow down. Conversely, a high-performing agency can optimize your site for a larger budget to make it ultra-fast. Of course, this will also depend on your site's traffic. Few Prestashop sites can handle a flood of TV traffic without saying anything.
Advantage: 50/50.
Shopify may offer more guarantees on average performance speed, while Prestashop allows, depending on the agency's talent, to get the best and the worst out of it. The Shopify vs. Prestashop match is fairly balanced on this point, but as is often the case, you will need significant skills, including expensive ones, to optimize your Prestashop, whereas on Shopify, this is included in your package without having to lift a finger.
Ergonomics of themes Ergonomics of Shopify
Shopify consistently offers responsive and feature-rich themes, including free themes . The themes on Shopify's website, both free and paid, have all been carefully curated.
It is possible to modify the entire theme, to create a custom theme, it is one of our jobs at Pikka for example, by modifying the CSS and the Liquid
It is possible to find themes on other platforms like templatemonster or ThemeForest but in this case they are not certified by Shopify.
Prestashop Ergonomics
Prestashop's default theme is also responsive and user-friendly. Themes on the Prestashop marketplace vary in quality more than those on Shopify, but some are very good.
Note that it is possible to find Prestashop themes at Templatemonster and ThemeForest as well.
Advantage: 50/50
I personally have a stronger attraction to Shopify themes, but objectively, many e-commerce agencies create themes for both CMSs. Neither Prestashop nor Shopify really stands out in this regard.
App Store Shopify App Store
Shopify's app store is global. Many companies based in the United States, Poland, Vietnam, and elsewhere contribute to creating apps for every need. Responsiveness is often key, and it's easy to connect with developers.
Adding an app is done instantly on your Shopify e-commerce site, although you generally need to configure them or have a customer account to use the app. Note that app pricing is based on a monthly recurring payment that includes several trial days to test the app.
Prestashop App Store
The PrestaShop app store is at least as extensive as Shopify's, but may be more geared toward the French or European market. The apps are generally of good quality, but it's impossible to test them. Indeed, you generally have to purchase the app to install it. The initial cost is therefore higher, and if the add-on isn't suitable, too bad.
Advantage: Shopify
The richness of the Prestashop addons marketplace initially made me think that Prestashop had an advantage in this regard. Perhaps in the French market in any case. But once you've tasted the ease of testing an app on Shopify, you can't go back. Shopify has an advantage over Prestashop, then.
Price Shopify Price
Shopify is paid monthly. It ranges from $30 to $300, plus a percentage of sales and the monthly app price, so the total price of Shopify can vary quite a bit . App prices vary greatly depending on the site, so it's difficult to average out.
Prestashop Prices
Prestashop is free, so it definitely has an advantage in that regard, right? Yes and no. Yes, because Prestashop is truly free. No, because there are hidden costs: essential add-ons (credit card payment) are sometimes paid. You absolutely need hosting to run your Prestashop site. There are often maintenance costs. In short, breaking down the real price of a Prestashop is more complicated than the initial "it's free."
Advantage: 50/50
The price of an e-commerce solution is an important element in the strategy and choice of a Prestashop or Shopify solution. To get an idea of the real cost, we often use the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), which we calculate over two years. An article dedicated to the cost of ownership of Prestashop vs. Shopify will be published soon.
Prestashop VS Shopify: The Bottom Line
With 5 advantages in its favor against only one for Prestashop and 4 ex acqueo, Shopify is clearly ahead of Prestashop in our comparison. Please note, our comparison is primarily based on a “merchant” point of view.
French merchants, on the other hand, have clearly made their choice with this clear evolution in searches to the advantage of Shopify over the past few years.
This is also why we abandoned Prestashop projects and focused everything on Shopify. The ease of work for Shopify experts and merchants allows for increased productivity and therefore increased sales for many merchants.
If you want complete technical mastery, then Prestashop may be the solution for you. If you want to focus on sales and invest in marketing, then Shopify is clearly the right solution for you.
We obviously hope that the Prestashop VS Shopify match is not over and that the two e-commerce solutions still have many surprises in store for us, providing even more modularity and added value for merchants and agencies!
