Volusion vs. Shopify

+DISCLAIMER

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, we will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that we have experience with all of these apps, and we recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy one. Please do not spend any money on these apps unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.

Join our newsletter and we'll send you our guide of how to create high-converting product pages.

April 17, 2017

Volusion and Shopify are two of the more popular online store builders. And if you have narrowed down your choices between these two, it is a good idea to know how each one stacks up against the other as well as the pros and cons of each option.

In the Volusion vs. Shopify contest, which will stand out? Here's a head to head comparison of the two based on a few critical factors.

Price
Shopify has five pricing plans, ranging from the Lite plan which costs $9 per month to the Shopify Plus plan, the pricing of which depends on requirements.

Volusion, on the other hand, offers four plans. The cheapest, Volusion Mini, costs $15 per month while the most expensive is the Volusion Premium which will set you back $135 per month.

But if you look at the prices alone, you are looking at an incomplete story. Shopify may seem to offer the lower entry level plan at $9 but that plan only allows you to set up buy buttons on external media (Facebook, Wordpress, etc). With Volusion's entry level plan, you can set up your own online shop. However, there are a few crucial limitations, including the amount of products you can sell as well as the allocated bandwidth.

Core features
Out of the box, both platforms offer a few similar features including the use of templates, catalog creation, store management using a CMS, search optimization for products, and different payment platforms.

One area where Shopify stands out over Volusion is in the fact that the former has a blogging tool which you can use for your content marketing. It is possible to link your blog with your Volusion store but that can take a lot of technical work, making it less ideal for shop owners with limited skills.

Apps
Apps increase the functionality of an online store. Shopify boasts over 1,200 apps while Volusion pales in comparison, offering only 75 apps.

Payment options
Shopify has over 70 payment gateways while Volusion has only 38. Out of the box, both platforms have their own payment solutions. Shopify's Stripe can be used by merchants from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Volusion Payments, on the other hand, is available only to American merchants.

Point of sale If you also have a physical store, it is worthwhile to compare Volusion and Shopify in their point of sale capabilities. Shopify can be used to process credit card payment and facilitate point of sale transactions. It is possible to do the same things with Volusion but as an added service. You also need to find hardware compatible with Volusion while Shopify’s works with iPads.

Templates
Shopify offers about 140 templates while Volusion only has 81. All of Shopify's templates are responsive while Volusion only has 23 responsive themes. And in terms of price, Shopify's templates are considerably cheaper.

Support
Shopify's phone support is available to all plans. Volusion has online support available to all plans. If you need phone support for your Volusion plan, you need to be prepared to spend $35 per month.

If Shopify is the right choice for you, we offer conversions from Volusion (or whichever platform you use). Just contact us to get started. We will also give you an unlimited free trial, so you don't have to pay your monthly fees (in both places) until you are launched. You can keep that unlimited trial whether you work with us or not. If you want the regular 14 day trial, just click the banner below: