Open source by industry / E-commerce & retail
WooCommerce
A store plugin for WordPress with products, orders, payments and an admin; further features come as extensions.
Does it fit your team?
- Consider it if
- You already run WordPress, or are happy to, and want a store open quickly: install one plugin from the admin and follow the setup wizard.
- Look elsewhere if
- You do not want to maintain WordPress, a theme and a stack of plugins, or most of what you need is a paid extension: recurring billing and bookings are both yearly purchases.
- Can you use it commercially?
- Yes
GPL. The repository license file says GPL version 2 or later, while the plugin readme lists GPLv3. Running your own store adds no obligations. If you distribute a modified version, it must stay under the GPL.
- Is it still maintained?
- Active
Last push on 2026-10-13. The repository is not archived.
- How hard is it to deploy?
- Easy
You need a WordPress site first. In its admin, search for WooCommerce on the plugins page, install and activate it, then follow the setup wizard. The stated requirements are PHP 8.3 or later, MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.6 or later, HTTPS, and a WordPress memory limit of 256 MB or more. The requirements page says WordPress 6.9 or later while the plugin readme says 7.0 or later; go by the plugin readme.
- What does it cost?
- Free core; hosting and extensions are extra
The plugin is free, with no platform fee and no revenue share. Woo’s own pricing page estimates hosting at $25 to $350 a month for most stores and extensions at $29 to $299 a year each. Marketplace prices in October 2026: Subscriptions for recurring billing $279 a year, Bookings $249 a year. Card processing fees are charged by whichever payment provider you choose.
- What to watch out for
- It is a WordPress plugin, not a standalone system
Running it means maintaining WordPress, your theme and every plugin you add. Features such as recurring billing and bookings are not in the free core; you buy them as yearly extensions from the official marketplace. The README says the GitHub repository does not handle support requests: extension customers use the paid support portal, everyone else the community forum on WordPress.org.
Last checked: .
If your priority is different
PrestaShopA long-established open-source online store with a ready storefront and back office, extended through modules and themes.Commercial useConditionsSetupEasy
BagistoAn open-source online store built with Laravel, with a ready storefront and admin panel.Commercial useYesSetupEasy
ShopwareAn open-source online store platform from Germany with a ready storefront and admin, and more than 3,100 extensions in its store.Commercial useConditionsSetupModerateYour industry is not here?
Tell me the industry and what you need solved. I will look at it next.