Features, Security, and Requirements CMS Comparison: Magento vs. Opencart vs. Woocommerce: In-Depth Analysis

• By Olivia Cuthbert
• 21-06-2021
• E-commerce

The world of e-commerce is rich in profit and offers a wealth of technological and functional opportunities. Those who want to sell online can choose from a wide range of practical solutions, from fully closed hosted services to flexible and adaptable open-source systems.

Some top choices come up very often for those who want the freedom of open-source software, and I will compare the three main competitors, so let's look at Magento vs. OpenCart vs. WooCommerce.

Let's see how they differ and what conclusions we can draw about which one to choose for your e-commerce site, especially regarding their security levels, flexibility, and features.

Here's an in-depth illustration of Magento vs. OpenCart vs. WooCommerce:

| Magento 

Magento has been around for a decade, has undergone significant changes in recent years, and is currently available in two different configurations: Magento Commerce and Magento Open Source. The difference between the two is that the past is entirely free, while the latter comes with official licensing and support (and hosting if you want a cloud version). However, since both options are technically open source, we'll look at them both here.

Magento has gained a lot of ground in the enterprise world - Magento Commerce used to be called Magento Enterprise. It is a compelling platform with a vast range of native features and is easily extensible by developing extensions (or buying them through the Magento Commerce platform).

However, it can be challenging because Magento is a bit tricky to web and app development. The developer community is substantial, but not huge, and you can expect to spend more money developing Magento than any other system.

| Security overview

The Magento team has understood security very seriously since the first version. Every version of Magento is PCI compliant; updates are released regularly (even for older versions). While there are many options in Magento (which introduce vulnerabilities), there are so many Magento transactions that the Magento team has all the information it needs to patch holes constantly.

However, the emphasis on flexibility means that updates cannot be pushed very hard, so users must pay close attention to the availability of patches and promptly implement essential updates. A non-updated installation is a huge security risk.

Overall rating

| Benefits
The tier system makes it easy to go from a simple self-hosted installation to a comprehensive cloud-hosted structure with a simple status update.

It provides access to a wide range of extensions through Magento Marketplace.

It is incredibly customizable - if you invest enough time, effort, and money in Magento, you can achieve almost anything.

The main admin panel is quite user-friendly - you shouldn't have much trouble setting Magento permissions or changing your favorite Magento icon.

With hardware that's powerful enough, it scales incredibly efficiently, so it can easily support growth from an e-commerce startup to a major retailer.

It is now owned by Adobe, making it very stable.

Updates are released regularly and given their intended use, and security should be strong.

Disadvantages
If you need non-standard features or want to make changes to the basic functionality, you will probably need an expensive developer.

It is a very comprehensive package, and it can be too complex and cumbersome for companies that do not need as many options.

It isn't easy to install and deploy.

Perhaps because so many older versions are still in use, the available documentation is surprisingly inconsistent and difficult to follow.

The protection of the system depends on what you do with it. If you don't know what you are doing, you can easily make the system vulnerable.

| OpenCart

The first version of OpenCart released in 1999, so it has been around for a long time, and the latest stable version is about a year old. Unlike Magento, for example, OpenCart was designed with simplicity and usability in mind: it offers a solid set of features and makes them as easy to use as possible.

On the one hand, this simplicity makes OpenCart a much better proposition for business owners who have no technical skills, have no intention of learning, and want to run their basic webshops without spending a lot of time configuring them (which is why OpenCart's market share is still substantial). On the other hand, this additionally makes it very limited. The system is not designed for large-scale growth or customization (although there is a robust extension repository with many extensions available).

| Security classification

The simplicity of OpenCart works in its favor from a security perspective, as the more complex the system, the easier it is to develop a vulnerability. In addition, because the core system has been in place for so long, the primary security is reasonably well established (although this simplicity also makes it easier for hackers to understand).

However, the main problem with OpenCart's security is that extensions are not as well controlled as extensions developed for other platforms and are therefore more vulnerable. As a result, anyone attempting to extend OpenCart depends on the extension developer to have taken care of security, which is a dangerous prospect.

General criticism
Benefits
It does everything a primarily online shop should do, without the frills.

Hardware requirements are pretty modest, so you don't need high-end hosting.

Setting up an OpenCart shop is very simple. Once you have set up your hosting, all you have to do is follow the clear video instructions on the OpenCart website.

The host system has been thoroughly checked and repaired over several years.

Disadvantages

Although the system is relatively lightweight, it does not offer high performance and is not ideal for scaling, even on a solid hosting platform.

It does not offer much customization and is not a popular system among developers, limiting users to using existing extensions or buying generic developers at a high price.

It offers basic functionality which may not be sufficient for the more ambitious reseller.

Extensions are less strictly controlled and may be inappropriate or even dangerous.

| WooCommerce

WooCommerce, first released in 2011, is the leading WordPress ecommerce plugin. How does WooCommerce work? Well, anyone with a WordPress installation can install it for free and turn their website into an online store with a competitive range of ecommerce features. Because WordPress has a significant market share, it is vastly profitable.

Because WooCommerce tied to WordPress can work with existing plugins, although there is no guarantee of compatibility. Also, WooCommerce reviews tend to emphasize the ease of installation, but this assumes you have WordPress installed - if you don't, instead of being more manageable than its competitors to install, WooCommerce becomes significantly more complicated (or at least more laborious).

| Security Assessment

WooCommerce is reasonably secure, but that doesn't mean everything. WooCommerce security problems are more likely to be caused by user errors and vulnerabilities related to WordPress and web hosts. For example, a weak add-on that remains active on an underlying WordPress account can give hackers access to an otherwise secure WooCommerce site.

On the other hand, there are security plugins for WordPress, some specifically designed to work with WooCommerce, so all is not bad.
If updates are still a risk, you can set them to install automatically (which is only recommended if you do regular backups) or, more sensibly, set aside time each week to check for available updates and ensure they install correctly.

General classification

Benefits

WooCommerce itself is reasonably secure.

Because it is so successful, there is a massive amount of support and documentation online.

WooCommerce does not include any paid components. There are paid extensions, but they are entirely optional.

Although it is "just" an add-on, it is a full-fledged e-commerce system that works on a large scale.

It provides access to the enormous WordPress plugin library.

Disadvantages
Plugin compatibility is not guaranteed, and if it exists, it can break at any time and cause inconvenience and security breaches - unlike other e-commerce systems that have plugins specifically designed for them.

For example, you will probably have to pay if you want a fancy theme or extra features.

Anyone without an existing WordPress installation will have to go through two installation processes to get their store up and running.

| Conclusions

What conclusions can we pick after looking at these three popular open source ecommerce platforms? Well, I don't see much reason to go with OpenCart if you have ambitious goals, as the flexibility comes from the plugin suite, but it pales in comparison to WooCommerce. And since it has nothing exceptional to offer in terms of security, I would choose Magento over WooCommerce.

The most significant difference between Magento and WooCommerce is size and scale. Magento is a system for entrepreneurs or large businesses who want to have complete control over their plans, and it's worthwhile for anyone with the ambition (and budget) to take advantage of its immense power and extensive customization options.

But for the ordinary e-commerce business with limited financial resources and ambitious goals that are likely to change and expand over time, WooCommerce is the alternative of choice for some. The WordPress platform offers considerable support and flexibility. While there are risks involved, you can avoid these if you carefully review the plugins you use and follow the best administrative tasks.

Finally: Magento vs. Opencart vs. Woocommerce: Magento vs. Opencart vs. Woocommerce

Overall, however, each of these is a good option for someone who wants to set up an online store quickly and easily.
While you can always get started quickly by using a hosted service to search for a niche market of your choice to sell in and customize it to suit your needs, starting from scratch with a CMS like Magento, OpenCart or Woocommerce is a good option in the long run if you want to retain the freedom of convenient open source.

Whichever you choose, you can find some good security tips to help mitigate potential risks: advice on Magento, OpenCart, and WooCommerce (which is essentially WordPress) is available here, so take a look if you need help. In addition, the web application firewall is an essential security feature for your online store.

And if you want a robust, web site-wide security system that checks your settings and protects you from threats constantly, you can try Astra. But, again, several packages are available to suit different needs, so get in touch with the Astra team, and they'll point you in the right direction.

Magento, OpenCart, and WooCommerce are all robust and widely used open-source e-commerce systems, and any of them could work well for you. So check out their pros and cons, see which one best suits your circumstances, and get started - you won't regret it.If you still have doubt which one to choose there are many software outsourcing companies that may help you in choosing the right platform according to your needs.