Short answer: hosted platforms such as Shopify, Salla or Zid are the fastest start with the least technical work. WooCommerce gives the most control but needs hosting, maintenance and usually a developer. Choose by what you need to integrate, not by the logo.
What to compare
- Total cost: subscription, transaction fees, apps or plugins, hosting, and a developer’s time. Compare the total for the first year, not the starting price.
- Payments: which gateways and cash-on-delivery options work with your bank and your customers.
- Shipping: which Egyptian carriers connect directly, and what the cash-on-delivery terms are.
- Language: whether the admin and the storefront work well in Arabic, including right-to-left layout.
- Control: how much you can change the design, checkout and data.
Shopify
A hosted, global platform with a large app store. It suits stores that sell internationally or want a large app ecosystem. Check the Egyptian payment and cash-on-delivery options, and the cost of the apps you need, before you commit, because those costs add up.
Salla and Zid
Both are platforms with Arabic interfaces and integrations built for Gulf-market merchants. Their integrations with Egyptian payment and shipping providers vary, and their pricing is published in their own plans. Egyptian sellers should ask each platform directly which Egyptian gateways and carriers it supports today. The search results we reviewed were mostly from Saudi and vendor sources, so treat their claims as starting points.
WooCommerce on WordPress
A free plugin that turns a WordPress site into a store. You pay for hosting, the plugins you add, and maintenance. It gives the most control over design and checkout, and it suits businesses that already have a website or need custom features. Plan for a developer to set it up and keep it updated.
How to choose
- Choose a hosted platform if you want to launch fast with a small team and standard features.
- Choose WooCommerce if you need custom checkout, custom product logic, or you already run a WordPress website.
- Choose any platform only after you have tested its cash-on-delivery and shipping flow with a real order.
Before you decide
Write down the five features your store cannot do without, then ask each platform to show them working for an Egyptian store. Test one full order from product to delivery. Keep your product data in a format you can export, so moving later is possible. Our WooCommerce vs Shopify comparison goes deeper on those two.
Frequently asked questions
Which platform is cheapest? The answer changes with the plan, the number of products, and the apps you need. Calculate the first-year total for your own store.
Can I switch later? Yes, but it takes work. Export products, customers and order history, and keep URLs redirected so search visibility is kept. See our migration guide.
