Starting an E-commerce business in Nepal is easier today than ever before. Whether you're selling clothing, electronics, groceries, books, or homemade crafts, having your own website gives your business a new life. But before you jump in, there’s a big decision waiting at the door:
Which platform should I use to build my E-commerce website?
Most Nepali entrepreneurs hear three names again and again: Shopify, WooCommerce, and Custom-built websites. Each option has its pros and cons. Each one works best in different situations.
As a
leading website design and development agency in Nepal, we’ve helped hundreds of local businesses go online. In this blog, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know so that you don’t get lost in tech terms or make the wrong decision.
Let’s go step-by-step and keep things simple.
What Are Shopify, WooCommerce, and Custom Websites?
Let’s quickly define these platforms in a way that’s easy to understand:
- Shopify is like a ready-made shop. You rent it, decorate it using their tools, and sell your items. You don’t have to build anything. Just sign up and start.
- WooCommerce is like buying land and building a shop using your own tools. It's a plugin that works with WordPress (the most popular website platform). It gives you more control but needs a bit more effort.
- Custom Website means hiring engineers to build a shop just for you, from the ground up. Everything is made to your exact needs. You own the land, the shop, and all the tools.
Shopify vs WooCommerce vs Custom Build E-commerce Website; Which one is the Best?
1. Ease of Use – How Easy Is It to Get Started?
Shopify is made for non-tech people. It handles everything; from web hosting to product pages to shopping carts. You don’t need to write code or install anything. You sign up, pick a design, add products, and go live. Even if you’ve never built a website before, you can launch your store in 1-3 days.
WooCommerce, on the other hand, needs a little more work. You need to:
- Get web hosting
- Install WordPress
- Install WooCommerce
- Configure payments and shipping
You don’t need to be a developer, but it’s better to have someone technical by your side. A good Nepali agency or freelancer can help you set it up quickly.
Custom Website is for those who want something special. But it takes time. You can’t do it yourself unless you’re a developer. Every part, from design to features, is built from scratch. It might take weeks or months to launch. But in return, you get exactly what you imagined.
From our agency’s experience:
Shopify works best for people who want to go live quickly with fewer decisions. WooCommerce is great for those who want flexibility but don’t mind a little learning. Custom is best when your business has complex needs or big dreams.
2. Cost – How Much Will It Cost You in Nepal?
Let’s talk money. Every business has a budget. Here’s how each option stacks up.
Shopify runs on a
subscription model. You pay every month. The basic plan starts around NPR 3,000/month. But that’s just the start. Themes, apps, and transaction fees can push your monthly cost up to NPR 10,000 or more as your business grows. Also, some features you may need are locked behind paid apps.
WooCommerce is technically free. But you will spend money on:
- Domain (around NPR 1,000/year)
- Hosting (starts from NPR 1,000/month)
- Premium theme (optional but recommended)
- Developer support (if needed)
Still, WooCommerce gives more value for money, especially for small and medium stores. Once set up, the ongoing costs are lower than Shopify.
Custom Website is a long-term investment. You pay a large amount upfront to build the website. In Nepal, a custom e-commerce website can cost anywhere between NPR 100,000 to NPR 500,000+ depending on features. After that, you just pay for maintenance and hosting. It’s costly at first but pays off over time, especially if you plan to scale big.
As professionals in this field:
If you're testing the waters or have limited funds, WooCommerce is a smart start. If you're ready to invest for long-term growth or unique features, custom is the way. Shopify gives a smooth ride but charges you monthly, forever.
3. Design and Customization – How Much Can You Control the Look and Feel?
Shopify gives you pre-made themes. Some are free, many are paid. They look clean and modern. But your ability to customize is limited unless you hire a Shopify expert. Also, Shopify themes are often used by many stores worldwide, so your site may look similar to others.
WooCommerce offers endless design freedom. Since it runs on WordPress, you can use thousands of themes and plugins. You can tweak every corner of the design even change how the cart works. You just need someone who knows how to do it safely.
Custom Websites your playground. You dream it, we build it. Everything from fonts, colors, layout, filters, to checkout flow can be tailored for your users. If your brand needs to stand out or you want to deliver a truly unique user experience, this is your best option.
From our experience:
If you care deeply about branding, user experience, or conversion optimization, nothing beats a custom website. WooCommerce gives good balance. Shopify is beautiful but less flexible.
4. Support for Nepali Payments and Delivery Services
This is where local businesses often get stuck.
Shopify does not support popular Nepali payment gateways like eSewa, Khalti, or Fonepay by default. You need workarounds or third-party apps (which often don’t work smoothly). Similarly, integration with Nepali delivery providers is very limited.
WooCommerce is well-supported in Nepal. Many Nepali developers have created plugins to connect with eSewa, Khalti, and local couriers. You can offer Cash on Delivery, card payments, or QR code-based payments without trouble.
Custom Website gives you total control. As long as your developer knows the payment gateway API, they can build any feature you want; from auto delivery tracking to multiple wallet systems.
Pro tip from our agency:
If you're targeting local customers in Nepal, WooCommerce or Custom wins. Shopify works better for international sales where Stripe or PayPal is allowed.
5. SEO – Will Your Website Rank on Google?
Your website’s visibility matters. If people can’t find you online, they won’t buy from you.
Shopify has decent built-in SEO tools. But you can't control everything. Some parts of your site’s code and structure are locked, making advanced SEO hard.
WooCommerce is excellent for SEO. It runs on WordPress, which is loved by search engines. You can use powerful plugins like
Rank Math or
Yoast to manage SEO easily. You can customize URLs, titles, descriptions, and more.
Custom Website depends completely on your developer. If your agency builds it with SEO in mind, you can have a high-performing site. But if they ignore SEO best practices, it will be hard to rank even if your design looks perfect.
From our experience as SEO specialists:
If SEO is part of your business growth plan (and it should be), go with WooCommerce or a properly optimized custom site.
6. Scalability – Will It Grow With Your Business?
Shopify can handle large amounts of traffic and products. But as you grow, costs go up. If you need custom features later, you may hit limits.
WooCommerce grows with your hosting. You can upgrade your server, install new features, and scale gradually. It’s great for growing businesses.
Custom Websites are designed for your future. You can add new modules,
integrate mobile apps, and handle huge volumes of traffic with the right setup. If you plan to grow beyond Nepal and add warehouses, POS systems, or mobile apps, a custom build makes sense.
Advice from experience:
Think long-term. If your vision includes expansion, franchising, or complex logistics, custom is your foundation.
7. Ownership and Freedom – Who Really Controls Your Store?
Shopify hosts your site and controls the platform. You don’t own the code. If Shopify shuts down your store or changes policies, you have limited control.
WooCommerce gives you full ownership. Your site, your data, your rules. You can change hosts, developers, or plugins whenever you want.
Custom Website offer total freedom. The entire system belongs to you. You are never tied to one provider.
As a Nepali agency focused on digital independence:
We always encourage businesses to own their online presence. You’ve worked hard to build your brand; don’t rent your future.
Final Thoughts: Which One Is Best for You?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Here’s how to decide:
- Choose Shopify if you want to start immediately, don’t want to think about technology, and are okay with monthly fees.
- Choose WooCommerce if you want flexibility, better SEO, local payment support, and budget control.
- Choose a Custom Ecommerce Website if you want to build something powerful, future-ready, and unique to your brand.
At the end of the day, your e-commerce website is not just a website but a digital shop. Invest wisely.
Need help choosing the right platform for your online store?
We’re one of Nepal’s leading website design and development agencies. With deep expertise in WooCommerce, Shopify, and custom builds, we don’t just build websites but build businesses online.
