Home / Comparisons / WooCommerce vs Shopify
Affiliate program comparison

WooCommerce vs Shopify

Compare WooCommerce vs Shopify by commission, attribution, approval, audience fit, restrictions and current first-party source evidence.

Ecommerce ToolsWooCommerce
Commission
Up to 30% on eligible Automattic/WooCommerce referrals; current program materials distinguish first-time and returning…
Attribution
30 days
Model
Sale
VS
Ecommerce PlatformsShopify
Commission
Location-dependent payout on eligible full-price Basic, Grow and Advanced plan referrals; current public page…
Attribution
30-day click attribution; referral can remain eligible to convert…
Model
Sale
Choose WooCommerce when

WordPress, ecommerce, developer, agency and website-building audiences comparing store platforms and extensions.

First-party source checked · September 8, 2026
Choose Shopify when

Ecommerce educators, business publishers, agencies, creators and entrepreneurial audiences teaching people how to start or grow stores.

First-party source checked · September 8, 2026
Verify before you choose

Open the current program pages side by side.

Use the comparison to narrow the choice, then confirm the current qualifying event, attribution and promotion rules on each program before publishing a recommendation.

WooCommerce

WordPress, ecommerce, developer, agency and website-building audiences comparing store platforms and extensions.

Visit WooCommerce
Shopify

Ecommerce educators, business publishers, agencies, creators and entrepreneurial audiences teaching people how to start or grow stores.

Visit Shopify

Some outbound links may be affiliate links. If you sign up or purchase through one, this site may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Decision differences

Where the two offers actually diverge.

Only material fields that differ are shown here. Equal fields are left out so the page is easier to scan.

Commission
WooCommerce

Up to 30% on eligible Automattic/WooCommerce referrals; current program materials distinguish first-time and returning purchases

Shopify

Location-dependent payout on eligible full-price Basic, Grow and Advanced plan referrals; current public page advertises up to $150 per qualified referral

Attribution
WooCommerce

30 days

Shopify

30-day click attribution; referral can remain eligible to convert from free trial to full-price plan within the published 125-day referral window

Recurring duration
WooCommerce

Not publicly stated in the reviewed source

Shopify

One commission on an eligible full-price Basic, Grow or Advanced store-plan referral; not a recurring renewal commission.

Approval
WooCommerce

Apply to the Automattic affiliate program; account review applies

Shopify

Free application; Shopify says quality and relevance are reviewed and not every application is approved

Paid search / PPC
WooCommerce

Not publicly stated in the reviewed source

Shopify

Follow the current Impact contract and Shopify trademark/brand guidelines before using paid search; do not infer unrestricted branded bidding from general affiliate approval.

Geography
WooCommerce

Not publicly stated in the reviewed source

Shopify

Payout is merchant-location dependent: the current standard table pays $150 for the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, Japan, the United Kingdom, listed European markets and the Middle East, and $25 for Africa, India, Latin America, the rest of Asia and other countries.

Think twice about WooCommerce when

Eligible products and returning-customer rates can differ

Think twice about Shopify when

Payout depends on the referred merchant’s location

Full terms

Side-by-side research table.

“Not published” means the reviewed first-party source did not expose that field clearly enough to state it as fact.

FactorWooCommerceShopify
Current statusActiveActive
CategoryEcommerce ToolsEcommerce Platforms
Commercial modelSaleSale
CommissionUp to 30% on eligible Automattic/WooCommerce referrals; current program materials distinguish first-time and returning purchasesLocation-dependent payout on eligible full-price Basic, Grow and Advanced plan referrals; current public page advertises up to $150 per qualified referral
Attribution30 days30-day click attribution; referral can remain eligible to convert from free trial to full-price plan within the published 125-day referral window
Recurring durationNot published in the reviewed sourceOne commission on an eligible full-price Basic, Grow or Advanced store-plan referral; not a recurring renewal commission.
Payout timingNot published in the reviewed sourceShopify reports eligible actions through Impact. The previous month’s actions lock on the 21st and are paid to the Impact balance the following day; Impact then handles bank/PayPal withdrawal scheduling.
Minimum payoutNot published in the reviewed source$10 USD or approximate local-currency equivalent in Impact before withdrawal.
Paid search / PPCNot published in the reviewed sourceFollow the current Impact contract and Shopify trademark/brand guidelines before using paid search; do not infer unrestricted branded bidding from general affiliate approval.
GeographyNot published in the reviewed sourcePayout is merchant-location dependent: the current standard table pays $150 for the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, Japan, the United Kingdom, listed European markets and the Middle East, and $25 for Africa, India, Latin America, the rest of Asia and other countries.
ApprovalApply to the Automattic affiliate program; account review appliesFree application; Shopify says quality and relevance are reviewed and not every application is approved
Approval difficultyNot published in the reviewed sourceSelective — Shopify reviews audience quality, original content, channel activity and ecommerce relevance; not every application is approved.
Source reviewed2026-09-082026-09-08
Best fitWordPress, ecommerce, developer, agency and website-building audiences comparing store platforms and extensions.Ecommerce educators, business publishers, agencies, creators and entrepreneurial audiences teaching people how to start or grow stores.
WooCommerce

Strengths and checks

Reasons to consider it

  • WooCommerce fits a large existing WordPress audience
  • Current Automattic program supports multiple related brands under one application
  • 30-day conversion window is published

Verify first

  • Eligible products and returning-customer rates can differ
  • Do not imply every WooCommerce Marketplace transaction pays the same percentage
  • Use the live Automattic program terms for exclusions
Read the WooCommerce profile
Shopify

Strengths and checks

Reasons to consider it

  • Current public page advertises up to $150 per qualified referral
  • Affiliate program is free to join
  • Shopify documents a 30-day click window and a broader 125-day trial-to-full-price referral window

Verify first

  • Payout depends on the referred merchant’s location
  • Plus, Enterprise and Retail referrals are not eligible under the current standard affiliate payout table
  • Acceptance is not guaranteed and trademark bidding is restricted
Read the Shopify profile
If neither fits

Open a nearby alternative.

These suggestions come from category, audience and existing comparison relationships—not an opaque ranking.

Overlaps both audiences

Ecwid

Ecommerce, small-business and website publishers recommending hosted store functionality.

Compare with Shopify
Overlaps both audiences

Squarespace

Website-builder, design, creator-business and small-business audiences comparing hosted website platforms.

Compare with Shopify
Closest to Shopify

Gelato

Print-on-demand tutorials, ecommerce education, creator-business content and design audiences launching custom products.

Open profile