Do you want to create a dynamic, ergonomic and responsive ecommerce site that encourages customers to make a purchase? Are you looking for an efficient CMS that integrates a wide range of functionalities to run your business without problems? To help you make a quality choice, a comparative study is conducted between Prestashop and WordPress, two plugins that are very popular in e-commerce. Find out why Prestashop or WordPress for your project, the advantages of each of them, what makes them special and what to expect if you use them to create your site.
What is a CMS?
The CMS(Content Management System) is a very popular software in the field of information technology. It is used to design and update websites or multimedia applications. Thanks to it, it is also possible to structure content (categories, pages, articles) by assigning precise titles. In addition, the CMS is used to give specific authorisations such as administrator, simple user or contributor.
There are currently two types of CMS on the web: Open Source and Proprietary. In either case, this type of software fulfils three essential criteria, namely
- the possibility of being used by several Internet users simultaneously;
- the availability of a publishing chain for content;
- the possibility of managing both the content and the form of the content produced
That said, it should be noted that content management systems do not dictate the design of a site. In order to make it user-friendly, it is therefore necessary to use extensions, which are either paid or free.
Focus on Prestashop and its features
Prestashop is a pre-designed and modular open source platform. It is a reference in the field of e-commerce and has been growing rapidly for several years.
Prestashop: what is it?
Developed by five students trained at the prestigious EPITECH university in 2005, Prestashop is a well-known CMS. It is a website composed of two distinct parts. On the one hand, there is a front office which is the part visible to Internet users. On the other, you find the back office or administration interface accessible to the administrators and contributors of the site. On Prestashop, there are more than 3,000 plugins (the majority of which are paid) and thousands of graphic themes. There are currently more than 250,000 e-boutiques worldwide.
The main features of Prestashop
On the Prestashop CMS, there are several features. Some of them allow a better management of the product catalogue with the possibility to add categories and stock management. On this last point, this software offers a user-friendly interface that can be modified in one click. Also, the user has the possibility to choose the number of products to display on each web page and to create product categories.
You also have e-commerce shop management features that allow you to customise your invoices and choose the language of the site. Better still, you can quickly create and modify the content of a specific page and make updates in one click. In addition, the CMS offers features for caching, site speed and managing employees.
In addition, Prestashop includes order and delivery management features such as one-click ordering. The site owner can also offer customers the option of saving their shopping carts and proceeding to purchase when ready. In addition, there are features for discounted shipping costs and different billing and delivery addresses.
Advantages of the Prestashop CMS
If the Prestashop CMS is so widely used around the world, it is because it is full of advantages. First of all, it should be noted that it is a free, open source e-commerce solution. You can therefore make changes to the source code without any financial contribution in return.
Secondly, it is important to note that Prestashop offers a responsive format, which means that it is accessible on mobile. This meets a major need insofar as 60% of traffic on e-commerce shops is made via his device. In parallel, the software offers a default theme that is very ergonomic and optimised for smartphones.
In addition to providing these many privileges, Prestashop is beneficial in terms of natural referencing. Indeed, it integrates SEO tools that allow you to modify the meta tags of pages and categories. In addition, Prestashop offers the possibility to interact with social networks and build customer loyalty.
Focus on WordPress and its features
WordPress is an open source software available for free to all Internet users. It is now one of the most widely used CMS in the world due to the services it offers.
What is WordPress?
WordPress is an open source CMS that is very popular for creating websites. It can be a blog, a directory, an exchange platform, a social network and even an e-commerce shop. Created by Michel Valdrighi, it is written in PHP and works with a MySQL database. With this software, you can find hundreds of themes to customize your site. The creations with WordPress are responsive and SEO-friendly, guaranteeing a better visibility. In just a few years, it has become the most widely used plugin for creating websites on the internet.
The main features of WordPress
WordPress includes most of the features found in blogging CMS. With this CMS, you have the ability to structure and prioritise content and even import content from other CMS. Beyond that, it allows you to reshape the look of a style with the use of CSS styles in just a few clicks.
With WordPress, website owners also have access to native spam protection and numerous extensions. In addition, there is browser interoperability, compliance with XHTML and CSS standards , and the availability of a workflow. WordPress sites are SEO-friendly, updates are simple and the interfaces are user-friendly. For a better use, this CMS provides an easy administration system (administrator, contributors, etc.).
The benefits of WordPress
The first asset of WordPress is the large community built around the network. Today, it is difficult not to find a satisfactory answer to your concerns about the functioning of your site. No matter what the problem is, there are a multitude of guides to help you correct malfunctions very quickly.
In addition to this, note that WordPress is fully customisable. You can make changes to the source code to customise it to your own taste. By the way, there are many free and paid themes that you can use. The best part is that you don't have to pay for a subscription before using it.
On the SEO side, WordPress also offers interesting resources for its site. With the available plugins, you can improve your visibility on search engines. You can generate more long-term customers for your business and maximise your revenue.
Prestashop or WordPress: comparison of the two CMS
To get an idea of the potential of each CMS, the potential should be compared on a number of important points.
Ease of use: Prestashop or WordPress?
For a first comparison of WordPress and Prestashop CMS, it is necessary to analyse their ease of use. Regardless of your level of understanding or expertise, it is always good to know which software could make your work easier.
WordPress
Overall, the administration interface offered by WordPress is satisfactory. Although it is not the best offer, it is possible to master it in a few days. This is also true for the Woocommerce plugin, which is particularly well suited to online shops. Whether it is for adding products, managing products, adding promo codes or deliveries, the procedures are mastered. When it comes to installing a website, WordPress only takes a few minutes, especially if you use a good web host.
Prestashop
For the Prestashop CMS comparatively, the taste and feelings are a little less clear among users. As far as mastery is concerned, note that you will need a little more time to fully master the site if you are a beginner. To go faster, you should therefore seek the assistance of a developer or someone who has mastered this software. On the other hand, the installation is done quickly as on WordPress if you subscribe to a good host.
CMS themes and designs
Apart from ease of use, it is also important to check the themes and designs available on the WordPress and Prestashop CMS. The challenge is to check whether the online shop really does offer a satisfactory design.
WordPress
In terms of themes and design, WordPress is the software that offers more options to its users. It is therefore not difficult to find a plugin that suits your taste without spending money. However, if you are looking for more customisation options, it is recommended to go for a paid plugin. In this case, the average budget is around €50. When it comes to customisation, however, note that WordPress allows you to make all the changes you want to make it fit your desires.
Prestashop
Like WordPress, the Prestashop CMS offers a number of website templates. As such, you will find hundreds of references accessible for free or after payment of a fixed subscription. For the first option, however (free), the choices are a little more limited than on WordPress. Just like WordPress, with Prestashop you can touch the source code and make all the changes you want to your e-commerce site.
CMS features, plugins and applications
Functionality is an essential point to analyse when choosing a CMS. It gives you an idea of the experience you can have with the website you want to create.
WordPress
The WordPress CMS offers enormous functionalities for both the use and management of its online shop. With this one, you will be able to have access to SEO functions, analytical data or marketing, nothing is missing. You also have access to Woocommerce, a practical plugin for managing stocks and products. It also allows you to manage deliveries and create promotional offers for your online business. In addition, you have the possibility to add functionality on the administrator or user side with plugins.
Prestashop
Prestashop is also very resourceful when it comes to editing the general and e-commerce parts of the site. You can therefore manage SEO, the writing of articles, stocks, deliveries and payments without any problem. On the other hand, this software is a bit behind in terms of plugins/additional templates with limited options. The free plugins are less present and are not as complete as on WordPress. To benefit from interesting functionalities, you have to pay money to get a paid plugin.
Payment options and fees on WordPress and Prestashop
As with functionality, it is important to analyse the payment options offered on each CMS before you start. This will make it easier for you to offer your services to customers around the world and generate more revenue.
WordPress
If your goal is to create an e-commerce shop, Woocommerce is the plugin to consider when evaluating the WordPress CMS. It allows you to offer your customers several payment methods such as Apple Pay, PayPal or credit cards. The icing on the cake, Woocommerce does not charge any commission on sales, which is beneficial.
Prestashop
Prestashop also allows its users to offer many payment methods to its customers. Among others, e-shop owners can opt for PayPal, Stripe, Amazon Pay and credit cards. Like WordPress, you also don't have to worry about having to pay commission fees on sales. That said, it should be noted that payment providers may charge a small fee at the time of payment.
Customer support: WordPress or Prestashop?
The responsiveness of the customer service department is very important when choosing a CMS for your e-commerce shop. It allows to solve computer bugsquickly in order not to slow down the customers during the purchase process.
WordPress
The WordPress CMS is certainly freely available. However, you cannot access the specialised technical teams to fix bugs. On the other hand, it is possible to expose your worries and difficulties on the platform dedicated to the omnipresent community. The members of the community offer a wide range of tutorials, modules, guides and relevant questions and answers. Whatever the problem you are facing, there is bound to be someone who has already dealt with it.
Prestashop
On Prestashop, the community is not as dynamic as on WordPress. As such, you won't easily find someone to discuss the bugs you encounter on your e-commerce site. Also, there are not enough guides and resources on certain topics. However, this CMS does offer paid customer support which allows you to talk directly to the technical teams in place. The latter provide personalised assistance in solving technical problems on the e-commerce site.
Rates/subscription forms : Prestashop VS WordPress
Another aspect to take into account when comparing WordPress and Prestashop CMS is the pricing. Beyond the available functionalities, the services provided should have a better quality/price ratio to convince customers.
WordPress
The WordPress CMS and its plugin Woocomerce are available for free if you have an account. Nevertheless, you will have to subscribe to a web hosting service and buy a domain name to make the shop accessible to everyone. This would also be beneficial for your referencing with the publication of optimised contents.
Prestashop
Prestashop is also a free CMS. Only the costs of a hosting company and a domain name are necessary. Therefore, analyse the offers of different providers in order to make a good choice. Also, you should not neglect the opinions of Internet users who have already subscribed to its services to analyse their reliability.
Which CMS to choose between Prestashop and WordPress for your e-commerce website?
To choose the ideal CMS for your online shop, you must first define your needs. What type of services, functionality and payment methods do you want to use? You should also think about the design to be implemented to make the platform user-friendly. The idea is to offer an attractive platform that attracts customers and encourages them to subscribe to its services.
At the same time, it is important to see during the choice of the CMS that offers a real community around its activities. This way, you will no longer have difficulties in solving computer problems that affect the performance of the site. In addition, you should not forget to evaluate how the CMS is handled for a quick mastery.
Prestashop or Wordpress: summary
In summary, we can say that WordPress and Prestashop are very interesting solutions for building a quality website. However, there are some differences in terms of functionalities and service fees. It is therefore necessary to take these aspects into account to make a choice according to your needs. Share your experience with us. What did you choose for your website?
