If you’re running a business in India and are deciding between WordPress and Shopify, it’s important to look beyond just design and features. One of the most overlooked aspects is website maintenance—a key factor that can impact your site’s performance, security, and user experience over time.
In this article, we compare WordPress vs Shopify from a website maintenance perspective, especially for Indian businesses, startups, and e-commerce store owners.
WordPress powers over 40% of the web—and with good reason. It’s open-source, customizable, and perfect for businesses that want full control. But with great power comes great maintenance.
- Full Control: You can manage every part of your site—from themes to plugins.
- Thousands of Plugins: Choose tools for backups, SEO, speed optimization, etc.
- Large Community: Easier to find developers and solutions for India-specific issues.
- Frequent Updates: You need to regularly update plugins, themes, and the core WordPress files.
- Security Risks: Vulnerable to malware if not maintained properly.
- DIY or Developer Required: Unless you hire a maintenance agency, managing backups, uptime, and performance can be time-consuming.
Ideal for: Service providers, agencies, blogs, or custom-featured websites who want flexibility and don’t mind some hands-on care or a professional maintenance plan.
Shopify is a fully hosted platform, built for e-commerce. It handles most of the maintenance for you—but with less customization than WordPress.
- Managed Hosting: No need to worry about server maintenance or security patches.
- Automatic Updates: Shopify rolls out updates automatically.
- Built-in Performance & Security: SSL, mobile optimization, and PCI compliance are part of the package.
- Limited Customization: You can’t fully control the backend or add every plugin you want.
- Third-party App Costs: Some essential features require paid apps that need occasional manual configuration.
- Theme Maintenance: Any theme customization may still require developer help.
Ideal for: E-commerce businesses and startups looking for a plug-and-play solution with minimal ongoing maintenance.
Aspect | WordPress | Shopify |
Hosting | ₹1,000 – ₹5,000/month | Included |
Maintenance Services | ₹2,000 – ₹15,000/month | ₹1,500 – ₹10,000/month |
Security Updates | Manual or via plugin | Automatic |
Support | Community or paid agency | Shopify support |
Custom Development | Easier access to Indian developers | More costly and app-limited |
Note: Many Indian agencies offer bundled WordPress maintenance plans that include hosting, security, backups, and performance optimization. Shopify’s ecosystem is less flexible but more beginner-friendly.
If You Prioritize | Choose |
Full design & feature control | WordPress |
Low maintenance & faster launch | Shopify |
Custom development | WordPress |
Pre-built e-commerce system | Shopify |
Working with Indian freelancers or agencies | WordPress (more accessible talent) |
Budget-friendly packages | WordPress (but needs a maintenance partner) |
There’s no one-size-fits-all. If you’re a tech-savvy business or want custom features, WordPress with a local website maintenance agency is your best bet. But if you’re an e-commerce startup that wants fast setup with minimal hassle, Shopify offers a simpler maintenance experience.
Regardless of platform, investing in professional website maintenance services—especially from an agency familiar with Indian business needs—will ensure your site is fast, secure, and optimized for growth.
At Codewitty, we offer tailored WordPress and Shopify website maintenance packages for Indian businesses—whether you’re a growing startup or a thriving online store.
✅ Monthly & annual plans
✅ Speed, security & SEO optimization
✅ Platform-specific support & upgrades
