Compare · Online shop platform
Alternative to Shopify
Shopify is a popular platform for online shops. Hoila is something else: an assistant that looks after your website. You write what should change — in the app, by e-mail or on WhatsApp — and Hoila makes the change as a draft, shows it to you and only publishes it when you say yes.
What Shopify is good at
Shopify is a hosted platform for online shops: products, payments, shipping and a large app store in one place.
- Built for selling: checkout, payments, stock and shipping.
- A large app store and many themes for shops.
- It grows with large catalogues and many orders.
When Shopify is the better choice
- Selling online is the heart of your business, with many products.
- You need shop features like shipping rules and stock across channels.
When Hoila is the better choice
- Your business mainly needs a good website, with a few things to pay or book online.
- You already sell with WooCommerce on WordPress and want prices and stock changed by message.
- You want menus, opening hours and news updated in seconds.
Shopify and Hoila side by side
| What you compare | Shopify | Hoila |
|---|---|---|
| How you make a change | In the admin area | Write a message: in the app, by e-mail or on WhatsApp |
| Starting with your current website | Rebuild it in their editor | Keep it: Hoila works with it or copies it |
| Draft, preview and undo for every change | Depends on the tool and setup | Always, nothing goes online by surprise |
| Where your website is hosted | Chosen by the provider | In Europe, or stays with your own host |
| Technical skills needed | Little: drag and drop | None: you write in your own words |
| Updates and upkeep | Done by the provider | Done by Hoila, with undo |
| Your own web address | Yes | Yes, registered in your name (paid plans) |
| Taking your website with you | Limited: mostly content, not the design | Yes: download everything, with every version |
Moving from Shopify to Hoila
For a large shop with many products, stay with Shopify. For a smaller business, Hoila can run your website with payment links for a few products or bookings, or look after a WooCommerce shop on WordPress.
Questions about Shopify and Hoila
Is Hoila a shop system?
Not a full one. Hoila changes prices and stock in WooCommerce shops and can add payment links for a few products or bookings.
Can I use both?
Yes. Many businesses keep the shop where it is and run their main website with Hoila, linking to the shop.
Can I try Hoila for free?
Yes. The free plan includes one website or app. You can upgrade or cancel any time, and take everything with you.
Who makes the changes in Hoila?
An AI assistant (Claude, made by Anthropic) does the work, and you decide what goes online. Every change is a draft first, and every earlier version is kept, so you can always go back.
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Shopify and the other names on this page are trademarks of their owners. This page compares kinds of tool, not every feature, and reflects our understanding at the time of writing.
Try Hoila for free
Change your website by sending a message: in the app, by e-mail or on WhatsApp. Nothing goes online until you say yes.