Shopify vs Custom Store for Dropshipping in 2024 [Ultimate Guide]

Are you torn between choosing Shopify vs Own Website for your dropshipping venture? Wondering which platform will give you the edge in 2024?

This article dives into the pros and cons of both, without giving away all the answers just yet. You’ll discover which route fits your business best, whether you need quick setup, custom features, or better scalability.

Ready to make the right choice? Let’s dive in.

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Shopify vs Own Website: Which Way to Build Your Ecommerce Website?

As someone who has been in the e-commerce industry for quite some time now, I’ve learned that choosing between Shopify and building your own website can be daunting.

While Shopify is a popular e-commerce platform, building your own website gives you the freedom to customize it as you want.

In this article, I’ll share my thoughts on Shopify vs Own Website and which method is better for building an e-commerce website.

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What Are The Differences Between Shopify Vs Own Website?

👉Read about How to Build an E-commerce Website from Scratch – Our Process.

But are there any similarities between Shopify vs Own Website?

Despite the differences of Shopify vs own website, there are a few similarities between Shopify and custom websites as ecommerce platforms. Both offer marketing tools upsells and cross-sells, secure shopping carts, and other website features like blogs

In my experience, I find that Shopify is better suited for those who are just starting out with their online business or those who prefer a more user-friendly approach.

However, for those who have the technical knowledge and resources to build their own custom website, it can offer more creative control and flexibility. Now, let’s dive into the Shopify vs custom store comparison.

Shopify Vs. Your Own Store For Dropshipping? – How To Decide What’s Right For You?

Are you stuck in a dropshipping dilemma? Choosing between Shopify and a custom website can leave you feeling overwhelmed by the variety of ecommerce platforms available.

Fear not, as I dive into the key factors to weigh up in this epic battle of eCommerce options. Buckle up and let’s explore the pros and cons together!

Shopify Vs Custom-Built Websites: Key Factors

As someone who’s been running an online business for several years now, I’ve had a chance to explore different platforms for selling.

Shopify and custom stores are two ecommerce platforms that come to mind when it comes to dropshipping. Here are some key factors to consider when comparing the two.

1. Setup Speed

I can confidently say that setup speed is one of the most significant differences between the two options. So, let’s see the setup differences for Shopify vs own website!

🔹 Shopify Setup

➡ Setting up a Shopify account is incredibly fast and straightforward. In just a few clicks, you will find yourself in the account creation process. Here you can start uploading products and setting up your store’s details right away. So, the setup process on Shopify is easy. 

• Step 1 – Sign up for an account with Shopify by going to their website and clicking on the “Get Started” button.👇

•  Step 2 – Choose a pricing plan that fits your business needs and budget.
• Step 3 – Customize your store’s design by selecting a theme from the Shopify Theme Store or creating a custom design using Shopify’s built-in tools. 👇

• Step 4 – Add your products to your store by uploading product images, descriptions, and pricing information.👇

• Step 5 – Set up payment and shipping options by configuring your payment gateway and shipping settings.👇

• Step 6 – Configure your store’s settings, including taxes, checkout options, and customer accounts.
• Step 7 – Launch your store by selecting a domain name and publishing your website.

👉 Learn How To Set Up Your First Store On Shopify [For Dropshipping Beginners]

Plus, Shopify’s user-friendly interface means that even if you’re not technically skilled, you can still get started with ease.

🔹 Custom Website Setup

On the other hand, setting up a custom-built website can be a daunting task, particularly for those without technical skills. Often, hiring a web designer is necessary to achieve a professional and functional site.

Thus, finding a reliable web host, integrating an ecommerce platform, and figuring out payment gateway processes can take considerable time even though custom-built websites offer more flexibility. However, this flexibility comes with added complexity.

For example, one of my favorite software for building a website is WordPress. It is a free and open-source content management system allowing users to easily create and manage websites.

Also, it is the most popular website builder platform in the world, powering over 39% of all websites.👇

This process can be time-consuming and complicated, especially if you’re not familiar with coding or website design.

💡 Tip: Read about WoodMart WordPress Theme Review: Is WoodMart Good for Dropshipping?

2. Costs

🔹 Shopify Costs

Shopify Pricing

Shopify offers subscription-based pricing plans that include all of these features in an all-in-one package. While the upfront costs of these plans may seem higher, they can ultimately be more cost-effective in the long run.👇

Many of these costs are included in Shopify’s basic plan, which starts at just $32 per month. Shopify also offers its own payment gateway, reducing the need for third-party providers and transaction fees.

 Plus, with Shopify, all updates and bug fixes are handled automatically, eliminating the need for extensive technical knowledge or coding skills. Plus, Shopify offers built-in email marketing and eCommerce functionality, saving you money on additional software and services.

👉 Read about the Shopify Pricing Plans: What’s The Cost Of Dropshipping With Shopify

🔹 Custom-Built Costs

Custom-Built Website Costs

When it comes to Shopify vs own website, costs are a major factor to consider.

Therefore, building and maintaining your own website can be expensive, with costs associated with domain registration, website hosting, SSL certificates, learning courses, training, theme costs, templates, custom site design, eCommerce functionality, and email marketing software.

For example, if you choose WordPress to build a custom website, the monthly price range starts at $0 to $70.

However,  building the website with the web host and all other expenses can go high as $100 to $500 to $3000, to even as high as $30,000 or more.

For example, a basic 5-page website, consisting of the home, blog, contact, about, and pricing pages, can cost between $500 to $1,500 for the initial setup and design as a one-time fee.

3. Ease of Use

After all, as a business owner, I don’t want to waste my time and energy on a platform that requires extensive technical knowledge or coding skills.

That’s why convenience plays a huge role in my choice of platform for my dropshipping business.

🔹 Shopify

In my experience, Shopify appears to be the most convenient platform to use, especially for beginners. Its user-friendly interface and range of features make it easy to set up an online store and start selling products right away.

Even if you have no prior experience in eCommerce, Shopify’s drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to create a professional-looking online store. 

👉 Learn How To Change Themes On Shopify: A Guide For Dropshippers

🔹 Custom-Built Website

On the other hand, building a custom website from scratch requires technical knowledge, especially if you’re using a CMS like WordPress.

You’ll need to find a hosting provider (e.g., Bluehost, GoDaddy) and install plugins to achieve eCommerce functionality, such as WooCommerce for WordPress.

The flexibility of a custom website allows you to tailor every aspect of your store. However, the learning curve is steeper, and you may need to hire a developer or designer if you lack the necessary skills.

For instance, WooCommerce may require more hands to manage it. While it’s certainly a powerful eCommerce platform, it can be quite challenging for beginners to use.

This is partly because it’s a WordPress plugin, so you’ll need to be familiar with both platforms to make it work.

Of course, there are Custom eCommerce development platforms that allow for more customization options.

However, developers often prefer different technologies to make such a platform fully customized, which can lead to more complexity and a steeper learning curve for beginners.

4. Webpage Design & Themes

Regarding webpage design and themes, there’s a noticeable difference between Shopify vs own website.

🔹 Shopify

Firstly, Shopify offers a wide range of responsive and mobile-friendly web layouts specifically designed for eCommerce.

Check out the 11 Best Free Shopify Themes For Dropshipping Stores.

If you choose to go with Shopify, you can browse their various themes on their website or the Shopify Marketplace. The themes on Shopify range from free to paid, and the cost of the paid ones varies from $180 to $360.

Once you find the theme you want, you can customize it by changing fonts and colors, adding or removing blocks and sections, adding categories, buttons, and more.

🔹 Custom-Built Website

On the other hand, custom websites require more time and effort to find the optimal theme and will require a reliable platform and software to build the store.

However, custom websites provide unlimited space for customization and are more flexible than Shopify.

When it comes to custom-built websites, there are plenty of platforms to find themes, such as ThemeForest or Creative Market. For example, prices on ThemeForest can vary widely, ranging from under $29 to over $1000.

Ultimately, the decision to go with Shopify vs own website comes down to individual needs and preferences.

Also, a custom-built website gives you complete freedom to create exactly what you envision. Want to build a website with a fully interactive homepage?

Or a unique navigation system that gives users a completely different experience based on their interaction with your site? With a custom-built website, the sky’s the limit—you can make your website look and function however you want.

A custom-built website is your go-to choice if you want a completely customized website. However, website builders are your option if you want faster and no coding choice.

5. eCommerce Features

Regarding eCommerce, both Shopify and custom-built websites provide different features, and choosing between these ecommerce platforms can be overwhelming.

🔹 Shopify

Firstly, Shopify is an all-in-one eCommerce platform, and its wide range of features is impressive. With Shopify, you get:

• Online Store Builder
• Payment Gateway Integration
• Inventory Management
• Shipping Options
• Marketing and SEO Tools
• Customer Management
• Analytics and Reports
• Customer Support

Plus,  you get all this without having to install additional plugins/extensions.

Thus, the Shopify app store offers over 9,700 apps that meet your needs. Plus, it’s easy to install: Just click on the “Install” button, and the app is yours.

In addition, Shopify allows you to link multiple sales channels, including online and offline. This allows you to streamline your sales processes and increase your online presence.

Moreover, Shopify boasts a team of Shopify Experts who can help you solve any technical or marketing difficulties you might face.

🔹 Custom-Built Website

On the other hand, depending on the selected CMS, custom-built websites may require additional plugins/extensions to acquire these eCommerce features. This can take up significant time and resources, hindering your online business.

WordPress offers a variety of plugins that are super useful for e-commerce sellers and dropshippers. Besides WooCommerce, you can use plugins like Yoast SEO, WP Rocket, Imagify, and Duplicator to enhance your website.

The platform also offers a range of free and paid extensions, depending on your business needs.

These tools are great for improving your online store and making it more user-friendly. You can find extensions for checkout processes, shopping carts, search functionality, payments, shipping, marketing, and SEO.

For instance, Yoast SEO is really helpful for optimizing content. It gives me tips on improving things like keyword placement, readability, and whether I’m using the right headings and images.

Hence, they provide unlimited customization space and are more flexible than the Shopify platform, which might be essential for businesses that require a tailor-made solution for their eCommerce operations.

Conversely, researching and integrating the right third-party services may take more time and effort when building a custom website.

6. Security

Security should be a crucial factor when choosing between Shopify vs own website.

🔹 Shopify

Shopify manages security measures within its platform, including implementing Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology. SSL technology encrypts all customer data during online transactions, which prevents eavesdropping on sensitive information. This technology is an effective method of providing reliable security for online transactions.

However, developers are responsible for security measures on self-hosted platforms like WooCommerce. These developers must install and manage third-party plugins to ensure security measures are in place.

Due to the varying reliability of each plugin, security can become a concern. It is up to the developers to stay abreast of potential vulnerabilities and to adopt new solutions quickly.

🔹 Custom-Built Website

Developers are also responsible for implementing security measures for custom-built websites. This process often requires a thorough understanding of security best practices and coding skills.

As a result, the platform’s security depends entirely on the developers’ technical skills and experience. Ensuring that transactions are protected from fraud or other online scams can be more challenging.

7. Web Hosting And Domain Services

🔹 Shopify Custom Domain and Web Hosting

When you use Shopify, the platform handles your domain and hosting in a streamlined, hassle-free way.

Once you sign up, Shopify offers you a free subdomain, like yourstorename.myshopify.com, which you can use to get started immediately.

However, if you want to purchase a custom domain to make your store more professional, like www.yourstore.com,you can buy one directly through Shopify or connect one you’ve purchased elsewhere (from providers like GoDaddy or Bluehost).

🔹 Custom-Built Website Domain and Web Hosting

When you build a custom website with WordPress, you have much more control over the domain and hosting, but you must handle each part separately.

Like Shopify, you can purchase a custom domain from a third-party provider (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap) or WordPress if you use their platform.

However, you’ll need to manually configure the domain to link it to your WordPress site, which can involve adjusting DNS settings—this can be a bit technical for beginners.

Also, when it comes to hosting, you must choose your hosting provider, so you have numerous options. My top three choices are Bluehost, SiteGround, and HostGator.

However, keep in mind these things:

1. Self-Managed Hosting: You’ll be responsible for managing your own hosting plan, which means you need to choose a package based on your store’s expected traffic and storage needs. Hosting plans vary widely in price, from basic shared hosting (around $3-$10/month) to more advanced options like VPS or dedicated hosting, which can go up to $100+/month.
2. Bandwidth Limits: Unlike Shopify, hosting providers may limit your bandwidth depending on the plan you choose, which could impact your website’s performance during traffic spikes.
3. SSL Certificate: With WordPress, you must purchase an SSL certificate separately (although many hosting providers now include a free SSL certificate). Managing SSL certificates, along with other security measures, is your responsibility.

8. Support

As a dropshipper, having reliable support is crucial to ensure the smooth operations of your online business. When choosing between Shopify and a custom-built website, support is a significant factor to consider.

🔹 Shopify

In my opinion, Shopify stands out in terms of support. With 24/7 customer service available through various channels, including phone, email, live chat, along with a vast library of help articles,Shopify community, tutorials, and forums, Shopify provides excellent assistance to its users.

🔹 Custom Built Websites

On the other hand, the quality of support for custom-built websites may vary depending on the developer’s skill and experience.

However, finding a reliable developer who can provide the necessary support to ensure the website’s smooth operation can be challenging.

What’s the catch here? Finding reliable answers can take time, and you’ll likely have to sift through outdated or conflicting advice.

If you hire a developer, support will depend on their availability, and hiring them for ongoing maintenance could add to your expenses.

For instance, imagine your custom site crashes during a sale. Unless you have a dedicated support team, you might spend hours searching forums or waiting for a freelance developer to fix the issue.

9. Security

🔹 Shopify

Security is a major concern for any online store, and with Shopify, you can relax knowing it’s handled for you.

Your Shopify plan includes SSL encryption, PCI-DSS compliance, and regular security updates, ensuring that your store and customer data are always protected.

Shopify even takes care of fraud analysis to prevent fraudulent transactions, so you can focus on growing your business without worrying about security breaches.

For example, when customers make a purchase on your Shopify store, they’ll see the SSL padlock next to your URL, giving them peace of mind that their payment information is safe.

🔹 Custom Website: Security is Your Responsibility

With a custom-built website, security falls squarely on your shoulders. You’ll need to purchase and install an SSL certificate, ensure your website is regularly updated, and manage security plugins. This can be a daunting task if you’re not tech-savvy.

If something goes wrong—like a malware attack—you’ll need to handle it yourself or hire an expert, which can be both time-consuming and costly.

For example, suppose you’re running a custom ecommerce website and forget to update your security plugins. In that case, you might leave your site vulnerable to hackers, risking both your data and your customers’ information.

10. SEO Capabilities

🔹 Shopify

Shopify provides a variety of built-in SEO tools that make it easy to optimize your store. You can adjust meta tags for your products and pages, automatically generate sitemaps, and even integrate your store with Google Search Console for better visibility.

For example, if you’re selling products like shoes, you can easily edit your meta title and meta description to include keywords related to your products.

Thanks to its hosted platform, Shopify automatically handles things like sitemaps and server performance, ensuring that your site loads quickly and efficiently. This is especially important because Google prioritizes fast-loading, mobile-friendly websites.

One of the major advantages of Shopify is that it’s a fully hosted platform, meaning you don’t have to worry about server optimization or content delivery networks (CDNs). Shopify manages all of this for you, resulting in fast page loading times, which is a key factor for both user experience and SEO.

Shopify themes are generally designed to be mobile-responsive, which is crucial because Google favors mobile-friendly websites when ranking them. This means your site will look great on any device, improving both user experience and search engine ranking.

However, one downside is the limited control over certain advanced SEO elements like URL structure, robots.txt files, and more complex server-side optimizations. Additionally, if you’re using a lot of third-party apps for SEO, it can sometimes cause performance issues or conflicts, making it tricky to manage.

🔹 Custom-Built Website

On the other hand of Shopify vs own website, with a custom-built website, you have complete control over every aspect of your SEO. You can fully customize your URL structure, meta tags, sitemap creation, and even control the robots.txt file.

This level of control allows you to implement highly advanced SEO strategies tailored specifically to your target audience and business needs.

For instance, if you’re running a travel blog, you could create custom URLs that match your blog’s structure, optimize each page with unique meta descriptions, and manually create your sitemaps for better search engine crawling.

The downside to this is that SEO optimization on a custom website can be time-consuming and requires ongoing effort to stay updated with the latest SEO best practices.

In short, while Shopify simplifies the SEO process by handling much of the backend work, a custom-built website offers more flexibility but requires significantly more effort and expertise.

Ecommerce Website Example Stories Of Using Shopify vs Custom Built Website

1. Gymshark

Previous Platform: Gymshark initially launched its online store using WooCommerce on WordPress. As their ecommerce business proliferated, they encountered significant challenges with inventory management, site speed, and web hosting.

Their custom website struggled to handle the volume of visitors, especially during major sales events.

Migration to Shopify Plus

Gymshark made the switch to Shopify Plus to take advantage of the Shopify platform’s built-in scalability and ecommerce features. Shopify stores offer a variety of Shopify themes from the Shopify Theme Store, which Gymshark utilized to improve their site design and speed up website setup.

The seamless integration with third-party apps from the Shopify App Store helped them manage their business processes more efficiently, allowing them to focus on growing their ecommerce business.

The Result?

After migrating to Shopify, Gymshark saw significant improvements in site performance and customer experience. Moreover, Shopify’s built-in features, including fraud analysis and Shopify payments, helped them streamline operations.

Additionally, the migration allowed them to scale globally without worrying about web hosting issues, which had been a major challenge with their custom ecommerce website.

2. MVMT Watches

MVMT Watches started on Shopify, but as its brand grew, it wanted more control over the custom development of its ecommerce store.

They needed greater flexibility to customize their own website and expand their content strategy, which was limited by the Shopify store setup.

Migration to WordPress (WooCommerce)

The team moved to WordPress and WooCommerce to build a custom-built website that gave them complete control over their online store’s design and business needs.

By using a self-hosted solution, they could manage their own hosting and domain services through a separate hosting provider.

This migration also allowed them to implement a more sophisticated content management system (CMS) and develop custom features that better aligned with their brand.

The Result?

After migrating to WordPress, MVMT Watches had the flexibility to fully customize its ecommerce website and better integrate its ecommerce plugins with its content.

This provided a richer user experience, and they saw a 15% increase in organic traffic due to improved SEO capabilities.

The move also reduced their reliance on third-party services and gave them more control over website maintenance.

3. Organic Olivia

Organic Olivia launched its online store on Shopify but soon realized it needed a more flexible e-commerce platform to integrate its content marketing efforts better and optimize them for SEO.

Shopify’s off-the-shelf solutions limited their ability to create the custom landing pages and personalized experiences they envisioned.

Migration to WordPress (WooCommerce)

Organic Olivia moved to a custom-built website on WordPress to gain more custom e-commerce features and control. So, that’s their choice about Shopify vs own website.

This allowed them to use a variety of WordPress plugins, including Yoast SEO, to improve their site’s performance.

By selecting their own hosting provider, they had more control over site speed and bandwidth.

They also gained access to custom domain management and reliable payment gateways, improving both user experience and conversion rates.

The Result?

The migration to WordPress allowed Organic Olivia to offer a more personalized experience for their customers.

They were able to better integrate their blog with their ecommerce store, which increased user engagement and boosted organic traffic by 20%.

Moreover, the ability to customize every aspect of their own store was a game-changer, helping them build deeper connections with their audience.

4. Satori

Satori, an eco-friendly yoga product brand, initially built its ecommerce store on Shopify. Although Shopify’s basic Shopify plan allowed them to start selling quickly, they eventually found the transaction fees and reliance on third-party apps were cutting into their margins.

They also wanted more customization for their checkout process and product pages.

Migration to WordPress (WooCommerce)

Satori moved to WordPress to create a custom ecommerce website that offered them greater control over their store’s layout and functionality.

With WooCommerce, they were able to set up custom product filters, optimize their SEO, and reduce reliance on Shopify’s App Store for essential features.

This gave them more flexibility to manage their payment gateways and build a store that better reflected their eco-conscious brand.

The Result?

After migrating to WordPress, Satori saw improved customer satisfaction and a boost in sales.

By eliminating Shopify’s transaction fees and gaining control over their custom site design, they were able to reinvest savings into marketing and product development.

The custom-built website also enabled them to offer more personalized store design and unique user experiences, which wasn’t as easy on the Shopify platform.

5. Bohemian Traders

Previous Platform: Bohemian Traders, an Australian fashion brand, began their journey on Shopify. While Shopify’s themes and built-in features worked for a while, the brand quickly outgrew the platform.

They found the limited design flexibility and high reliance on third-party services were not meeting their evolving needs.

Migration to WordPress (WooCommerce)

To meet their growing business needs, Bohemian Traders migrated to WordPress and built a custom ecommerce website using WooCommerce.

This enabled them to create a custom store and gain more control over the site’s design, product pages, and customer journey.

They also opted for their own hosting and domain services to manage traffic spikes better and ensure their site remained fast and reliable.

The Result?

The migration gave Bohemian Traders the freedom to build a highly customized shopping experience. They improved their SEO strategy, increased site speed, and created a more immersive brand experience. The brand also benefited from lower operational costs by reducing its dependency on Shopify and taking full control of its custom website.

Shopify Vs Own Website FAQs

1. Is it better to use Shopify or build your own website?

It depends on your business needs. Shopify is ideal for beginners or those who want a hassle-free solution with built-in tools.

A custom-built website is better suited for businesses that require more flexibility and unique features and have the technical skills or budget to maintain it.

2. What are the disadvantages of using Shopify?

While Shopify is user-friendly, it can become expensive with higher-tier plans and additional app fees. You may also have limited customization options compared to building your own website from scratch.

3. Do people actually make money with Shopify?

Absolutely! Many people have built successful businesses on Shopify. Whether you’re starting a small side hustle or aiming to scale a full-blown online store, Shopify gives you the tools to succeed.

For example, brands like Gymshark and MVMT Watches started small on Shopify and are now making millions. Success depends on your effort, product selection, marketing, and customer engagement—but yes, it’s very possible!

4. Can I use Shopify if I already have a website?

Yes, you can! If you already have a custom website, you can still use Shopify for its ecommerce features by adding Shopify’s Buy Button to your existing site.

This way, you don’t have to rebuild everything from scratch—you can keep your website design and simply integrate Shopify payments and checkout features.

5. Is building a website on Shopify hard?

Not at all! Shopify is designed to be user-friendly, even for beginners. You don’t need any technical knowledge to set up your Shopify store.

It’s a simple process: choose a theme from the Shopify Theme Store, customize it using drag-and-drop tools, and add your products.

Plus, there are tons of tutorials, and the Shopify community is always there to help.

6. Should I host my website on Shopify?

If you’re building an ecommerce store, hosting your website on Shopify can be a great choice. Shopify takes care of everything—hosting, security, SSL certificates, and updates—so you don’t need to worry about managing a hosting provider.

It’s a smooth, hands-off solution that lets you focus on running your business instead of handling the technical side.

7. How much does it cost to build a website like Shopify?

To build a website like Shopify from scratch would involve custom website development, which can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $30,000 or more, depending on complexity.

With Shopify, however, you can get started for as little as $39/month with the Basic Shopify plan. It includes hosting, security features, and ecommerce tools, making it a much more affordable and time-saving option.

8. Should I use Shopify for my small business?

Definitely! Shopify is ideal for small businesses because it’s easy to use and scalable. Whether you’re just getting started or already established, Shopify has the tools you need—like inventory management, payment gateways, and discount codes.

Also, you can grow your business without the headaches of managing a custom-built website or dealing with technical expertise.

9. Is buying a domain from Shopify worth it?

Buying a domain from Shopify is convenient because it automatically connects to your Shopify store. You don’t have to deal with tricky configurations or linking it manually.

While it might cost slightly more than buying from third-party registrars like GoDaddy, the hassle-free setup can be worth it, especially if you’re new to online business.

10. Is it better to create your own website or use Shopify?

This depends on your business needs. Building your own might be better if you want a custom-built website with complete control over every detail (like unique checkout experiences or highly personalized designs).

However, if you want a fast, reliable, and easy-to-use e-commerce solution without dealing with the technical side, Shopify is an excellent choice. It’s great for businesses of any size, especially if you want to focus on selling rather than managing your website.

11. Can I switch from Shopify to my own website?

Yes, you can! If you start with Shopify and later decide to move to a custom-built website (like WordPress), you can export your data and make the switch.

Remember, though, that migrating might require some technical knowledge or help from a developer to ensure a smooth transition.

12. Can I use Shopify as a normal website?

Yes, you can use Shopify for more than just an ecommerce store. While Shopify is mainly designed for selling products, you can create informational pages (like blogs or about pages) to make it function more like a traditional website.

However, its strength lies in eCommerce, so if you’re not selling anything, platforms like WordPress might be better suited for a content-focused site.

13. Do I need a website if I have Shopify?

Technically, Shopify is your website! When you create a Shopify store, it functions as both your ecommerce platform and your website.

You don’t need a separate website unless you want to run a blog or offer additional services beyond what Shopify offers.

14. Is Shopify just a website builder?

Nope! Shopify is much more than just a website builder. It’s a full-fledged ecommerce platform with tools for managing your products, customers, inventory, payment gateways, and shipping.

Plus, it integrates with tons of third-party services like marketing tools, accounting software, and social media platforms, making it an all-in-one solution for your ecommerce business.

15. Can I bring my own website to Shopify?

Yes! If you have an existing website, you can integrate it with Shopify. Shopify allows you to use their ecommerce features—like the Shopify Buy Button—on your custom website.

This means you can keep your current design and content while using Shopify to manage your store online.

16. Is WordPress or Shopify better?

It depends on your goals. Shopify is better if you want a simple, all-in-one solution for running an online store without needing technical expertise.

It’s designed for eCommerce, so it handles everything from payments to inventory management. WordPress with WooCommerce, on the other hand, gives you more control and flexibility to customize every part of your site, but it requires more hands-on management, like web hosting, security, and updates.

If you prefer simplicity, go with Shopify. If you want complete control and are comfortable managing more technical aspects, WordPress might be a better fit.

17. Can you have your own website and still use Shopify?

Yes! You can integrate Shopify’s eCommerce functionality into a custom website using Shopify’s Buy Button, allowing you to use Shopify’s powerful sales tools while maintaining your own website’s design and content.

Conclusion: Which Is Better?

After thoroughly comparing Shopify and building a custom website, I’m convinced that Shopify is the superior choice for dropshipping.

To start, Shopify provides a robust eCommerce platform designed to help store owners easily sell their products online. With its comprehensive suite of features, Shopify supports businesses of all sizes in launching and scaling their online stores.

Additionally, its seamless integration with third-party apps further boosts store functionality, enabling automation, marketing, and inventory management to drive growth.

In contrast, creating a custom website demands significant technical expertise and coding skills, both for initial setup and ongoing maintenance.

The level of support you receive depends heavily on the developer or agency you work with, and finding a reliable partner can be a daunting task. This adds unnecessary complexity and risk to running your store smoothly.

In my view, Shopify is the clear winner for dropshipping. While custom websites offer more flexibility, they come with steep learning curves and technical challenges. So, when it comes to Shopify vs. a custom-built website, which one will you choose?