WooCommerce review
Updated September 28, 2026 · ForgeCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
WooCommerce suits small stores that want a free plan and no transaction fee, which is rare in the website builders group. It suits owners ready to run a store themselves rather than buy a hosted all-in-one suite.
Key facts
- Best for
- Small businesses wanting a free store with no transaction fee
- Free plan
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Transaction fee
- 0% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Builder type
- Store (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- WooCommerce, Inc. (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2011 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Audience
- Beginners, Small business, Enterprise
- Pricing model
- Free plan
- Official website
- woocommerce.com
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- Google Play
Pros and cons
Pros
- A free plan is included, so entry cost is nothing
- No transaction fee on what you sell, 0%
- Ranks at the top on transaction fee, 1 of 78 brands
- Built as a store builder, aimed at beginners, small business and enterprise
Cons
- Support runs on help centre and community, with no paid channel beyond the help centre and community
- Pricing rests on the free plan model, so hosting and extensions come from elsewhere
- Aimed at beginners, small business and enterprise, so the fit narrows as stores grow larger
Who it suits
- Small businesses selling online who want a free starting point
- Beginners who want to own the store rather than rent a hosted platform
- Enterprise teams weighing self-hosted control against hosted suites
Who should look elsewhere
- Shopify buyers who want hosted setup and a paid plan only
- ClickFunnels users who want sales funnels rather than a store
- Ko-fi supporters who sell digital goods with a tip-based model
Plans and pricing
WooCommerce has a free plan, so you can start a store at no cost. The transaction fee is 0%, which means no cut of each sale. Paid extensions and hosting sit outside the free plan, so the entry price is free but the running cost depends on what you add. Support is limited to help centre and community.
Who runs it
WooCommerce is run by WooCommerce, Inc., founded in 2011. It is built as a store builder for beginners, small business and enterprise. Help goes through help centre and community, so most questions are answered in the help centre or by the community rather than by a direct support line. No licence or regulator is listed for the service.
How WooCommerce compares
8.9 vs 9.2
8.9 vs 9.2- 8.9 vs 9.1
- 8.9 vs 9.3
8.9 vs 8.6- 8.9 vs 9.4
- 8.9 vs 9.2
8.9 vs 9.2- 8.9 vs 9.1
- 8.9 vs 9.2
- 8.9 vs 9.1
8.9 vs 8.7
8.9 vs 9.1
8.9 vs 9.3
8.9 vs 9.5
8.9 vs 9.4
8.9 vs 9.4
8.9 vs 9.3- 8.9 vs 9.3
8.9 vs 9.2
8.9 vs 9.2
8.9 vs 9.1
8.9 vs 9.0
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free plan?+
Yes. WooCommerce has a free plan, so you can build and run a store without a subscription. You will need hosting and, often, paid extensions on top, which are separate from the plan price.
Does WooCommerce take a cut of each sale?+
The transaction fee is 0%, so no share of each order goes to the platform. That is the clearest cost advantage here, and WooCommerce ranks at 1 of 78 brands on this measure.
What is this site built for?+
It is a store builder, so the focus is selling online rather than landing pages or funnels. The audience it is aimed at covers beginners, small business and enterprise, so most buyers are small operations rather than one-off experimenters.
How do I get help?+
Support runs through help centre and community. That means a help centre and a community rather than a direct support channel, which suits owners who are comfortable searching documentation and asking other users.
Who runs WooCommerce?+
The service is run by WooCommerce, Inc., founded in 2011. Its terms are published under the same company, which matters if you want to know who stands behind a store you build on it.
Is it better for beginners or large teams?+
Both ends are covered, since the audience includes beginners, small business and enterprise. Beginners get a free plan to start on, while enterprise teams can self-host, though the guidance is written for people comfortable with the underlying platform.
How does WooCommerce compare with a paid platform?+
Shopify has no free plan, and ClickFunnels has no free plan either, so both ask you to pay before you start. WooCommerce keeps the platform fee at 0% and lets hosting and extensions be the only spend.
Is there a free trial?+
The pricing model is free plan, so there is a free plan rather than a time-limited trial. You can run a store on the free plan for as long as it suits, and decide on paid extensions later.
Sources
- woocommerce.com/about checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded
“In 2011 they launched the WooCommerce plugin, enabling users to transform their WordPress site into a professional ecommerce storefront.”
- woocommerce.com/contact-us checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“Our Happiness Engineers will be glad to help.”
- woocommerce.com/pricing checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Builder type, Free plan, Pricing model, Transaction fee
“Build a custom online store and only pay for the added features you use”
- woocommerce.com/woocommerce checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience
“thousands of builders, developers, and creatives supporting Woo merchants of all sizes”
- wordpress.com/tos checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Legal entity
“If you reside outside of the Designated Countries: WooCommerce, Inc.”
Compiled from 5 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Price from, E-commerce plan price.