OpenCart Vs. WordPress – Who is the Winner?

In this era of innovation and modernization, the world can be beautifully compared with a global village. Seas of knowledge are on our fingertips with the blessings of Information Technology. With the development of technology, it became easier to shop around.

As a result, e-commerce got to rise and shine, helping us to get anything at our doorstep without any effort and hassle. The popularity of blogging and e-commerce gave rise to platforms such as WordPress and OpenCart. Anybody related to web development, blogging, and e-commerce must know and be familiar with these two content management platforms. Web-developers these days face a common dilemma of selection between these two.

To this end, I decided to help you out by sharing my two cents. Let us have a comparison of these two platforms, WordPress and OpenCart, along with critical and descriptive analysis for both of them.

Introduction to WordPress and OpenCart:

Before we start comparing these two, it is better to have a little introduction to both of these IT babies.

WordPress:

Developing a website was once a task doable for professionals only. All thanks to WordPress, web development has become a piece of cake, with the codeless process to get started. It is basically a content management system. The initial aim was to help in blog development. It further expanded to different uses, including e-commerce, by introducing extensions such as the WooCommerce. The open-source platform comes with different themes. You can simply change the look and working of the blog by just downloading and applying the desired theme. Don’t worry about the content! All this is surprisingly done without any changes in the content.

OpenCart:

Moving towards OpenCart, this is specifically designed to create e-commerce stores. You can establish and run the online store easily and cost-effectively with the extensive features of this software.

WordPress Vs. OpenCart:

Without any further ado, let us share our comparison of these two famous chicks of the e-world.

WordPress Vs. OpenCart; Main Difference:

WordPress is a multi-tasker. It works both in blog development and e-commerce setups. On the other hand, OpenCart solely works as the brick and mortar of the electronic world. And helps you create and manage your online selling setup.

WordPress Vs. OpenCart; Internal Frame Work:

• Do you want to develop an eCommerce store with WordPress? You just need to download a plug-in, WooCommerce, and you are ready to go. It will easily integrate with the WordPress website and without making you work up a sweat.
• OpenCart is an open-source software and works with PHP and MySQL. Unlike WordPress, it has just two hands and is only used for the creation and management of the e-stores.

WordPress Vs. OpenCart; User-friendliness:

Gone are the days when web-development was nothing less than a ‘Game of Thrones’. Today, with the help of such platforms, you can easily develop a blog or your e-selling setup without putting your blood and sweat. Coming towards the comparison, there is a win-win situation between the two. Both of them are pretty easy to use. People without any professional IT background can learn to download and use these applications to get the ball rolling.

• Are you looking to create an e-store on your existing WordPress Website? Simply, download the Woo-Commerce Plugin. As a next step, it is to be accessed through the main dashboard. It not only enhances the management system of the basic website. But also, helps you set up the important aspects of e-commerce like discounts, coupons, and other business implementations.
• Similarly, OpenCart gives a detailed idea about management options. Thus, you can easily use and move things around.

WordPress Vs. OpenCart; Added Features:

A variety of beneficial features are available in these software applications.

• WordPress provides easy management of the blog with the associated e-store through the WooCommerce plug-ins. It has complete content integration and pre-installed transaction links. Consequently, you can enjoy the effective connectivity of the e-store from the basic website. Moreover, it comes with additional valuable tools like tax calculators, multiple delivery/shipping options, and analytical services.
• In comparison, OpenCart comes with its own limitations. Still, it provides a complete set of features for the creation and management of any size of the e-store. These features include multiple shipment options (more than 8) and multiple currency conversions. Moreover, the flexible OpenCart supports both phone and ticket support, more than 20 different transaction platforms, tax management, and an unlimited number of products.

WordPress Vs. OpenCart; SEO services:

Search Engine Optimization is a hot cake these days. All the efforts of blogging and e-stores need viewers and visitors to make it a success. Basically, it is a set of techniques to attract the search engines, which further direct the traffic towards the website.

• WordPress, through the plug-in WooCommerce, lets you access the extensions to attract the search engines. The SEO effectiveness of the software dramatically enhances each day with the growth of the WordPress skill level of the user. In my opinion, WordPress grabs the lead here!
• As far as SEO is concerned, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that OpenCart is a bit ‘not a piece of cake.’ It may help in the adjustment of some features to attract traffic. However, you will owe the efforts to your head and hands! Thus, the effort requirement lowers the learning levels down. However, once the user learns and gets the grip, the baby becomes relatively easy to handle.

WordPress Vs. OpenCart; E-commerce level:

Considering the levels of e-commerce and size of the store, both these platforms have different suitability.

• Are you looking for a development and management platform for a small or medium level e-store? WordPress and WooCommerce are more suitable for you. Furthermore, if you want to lead your social media traffic towards the e-store, WordPress is your suitable match.
• A Large scale e-store, without any initial content blog or website, is your target? Simply, go for OpenCart.

WordPress Vs. OpenCart; Apple Devices Adaptability:

The iPhone and iPad are one of the most ‘in fashion’ devices of the current age. A successful software should get along well with these ‘tycoons of IT.’

• Unlike the OpenCart, the WordPress and WooCommerce, get a +1 by having adaptability with the iPhone and iPad devices.
• Alternatively, a large number of Apple users find OpenCart unsuitable for them because they can’t use and access their store through their latest Apple devices.

Apart from the above, there are some features which are equally beneficial in both of the platforms. Let us have an outlook at these features for your better understanding and decision.

WordPress Vs. OpenCart; Cost Price:

Wise men say ‘Cost is the half introduction.’ Thus, if you want to compare the two platforms, the cost can’t be neglected. The user has to see and manage the budget.

• Initially, you can get these soft wares for free. However, further plug-ins, and extensions will need you to spend some bucks. A majority of commercial plug-ins need annual subscriptions and maintenance charges. Thus, the experts always add up-gradation and maintenance expenses in the initial budget. This will help you to get a better idea of the total annual expenses. In turn, you can have a better understanding and management of your budget.

Thus, it is again a tie between the two.

WordPress Vs. OpenCart; OS, Transaction, and Shipment Adaptabilities:

Both of these platforms work well with all of the undermentioned;

• The famous Operating systems, such as Mac and Windows.
• Both of the famous International Transaction systems such as PayPal and Stripe.
• A large number of delivery services and shippers, including FedEx and UPS.

So, this is a 1-1 score for both of the platforms.            

Summary:

WooCommerce is a multifunctional platform that enables the complete and easy development of your website or the blog. Additionally, with the help of plug-ins like WooCommerce, you can build and manage your e-store. We recommend it for blogging and small to medium level e-commerce management. This is easy to learn, user-friendly, flexible, iPhone, and iPad adaptable and comes with several other useful features. Alternatively, OpenCart is a typical E-commerce platform. It is a standalone option suitable for users of PHP networks. We recommend it for the sole development and cost-effective management of high-level e-stores. Prominent features of OpenCart include integration, flexibility, and multiple currencies and delivery options.

I hope this article is helpful for your understanding and selection between these two popular E-buddies. All the best!!