If you're planning to sell online, you've probably considered both Framer and Shopify. They're very different tools with different strengths.

This comparison will help you decide which platform fits your needs.

Quick Overview

Framer is a design-first website builder. It gives you complete creative control and, with the right plugins, can handle ecommerce.

Shopify is a dedicated ecommerce platform. It's built specifically for selling online and has extensive features for merchants.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Design Flexibility

Framer: 10/10

Framer offers unlimited design possibilities. You can create literally any layout, animation, or interaction you imagine. There are no templates constraining you. Every pixel is under your control.

This matters if your brand relies on unique visual presentation—think fashion brands, creative agencies, artists, or anyone where standing out visually is important.

Shopify: 6/10

Shopify uses themes. While you can customize them, you're working within a framework. Most Shopify stores have a recognizable "Shopify look."

Yes, you can hire a developer for a custom theme, but that adds significant cost and complexity.

Winner: Framer

Ecommerce Features

Framer (with plugin): 7/10

With a plugin like FramerFlo, Framer handles the ecommerce essentials:

• Product management

• Shopping cart

• Checkout

• Order management

• Multiple payment processors

• Basic analytics

What's missing compared to Shopify: advanced inventory management, native abandoned cart emails, built-in shipping label printing, and extensive app ecosystem.

Shopify: 9/10

Ecommerce is Shopify's entire purpose. You get:

• Advanced inventory with multi-location support

• Abandoned cart recovery

• Built-in shipping labels

• Tax automation

• 6,000+ apps for any feature you need

• Multi-channel selling (Amazon, Facebook, Instagram)

• Comprehensive analytics

Winner: Shopify

Pricing

Framer + FramerFlo:

• Framer Pro: ~$20/month

• FramerFlo: $20/month

• Total: ~$40/month

Plus standard payment processing fees (2.9% + $0.30)

Shopify:

• Basic: $29/month

• Shopify: $79/month

• Advanced: $299/month

Plus transaction fees if not using Shopify Payments

Winner: Depends on plan

For basic needs, they're similar. For advanced features, Shopify costs more but offers more.

Learning Curve

Framer:

Framer has a learning curve. It's a powerful tool with many features. If you've used design tools like Figma, you'll adapt quickly. Complete beginners need more time.

Shopify:

Shopify is easier to start. Pick a theme, add products, you're selling. The interface is straightforward and well-documented.

Winner: Shopify for beginners; Framer for designers

Performance

Framer:

Framer sites are fast. They're statically generated and optimized. This benefits both user experience and SEO.

Shopify:

Shopify performance varies by theme and apps. Some stores are fast; others bog down with too many apps. Liquid templating can create bottlenecks.

Winner: Framer generally edges ahead

SEO Capabilities

Framer:

Good SEO fundamentals. You control meta titles, descriptions, URLs. Adding a blog requires CMS setup. Structured data needs manual implementation.

Shopify:

Solid SEO features built in. Blog included. However, URL structure is inflexible (/products/, /collections/ prefixes), which bothers some SEO purists.

Winner: Tie — both are capable

Who Should Choose Framer?

Framer is ideal if you:

• Prioritize unique, custom design

• Already know and love Framer

• Sell a focused product line (not thousands of SKUs)

• Want your store and marketing site unified

• Don't need advanced inventory management

• Value performance and design over extensive features

Best for: Design studios, creative brands, artists, small product businesses, anyone where visual differentiation matters.

Who Should Choose Shopify?

Shopify is ideal if you:

• Need extensive ecommerce features

• Sell high volume or large catalogs

• Want plug-and-play simplicity

• Need multi-channel selling

• Require advanced inventory management

• Plan to scale to large operation

Best for: High-volume retailers, businesses with complex inventory, dropshippers, anyone prioritizing ecommerce features over design uniqueness.

Can You Use Both?

Yes. Some businesses:

• Use Framer for their marketing website

• Connect to Shopify for store functionality via plugins like Framer Commerce

This gives you Framer's design freedom with Shopify's ecommerce power. The tradeoff is managing two platforms and paying for both.

The Verdict

There's no universal answer. The right choice depends on your priorities.

Choose Framer if design differentiation and creative control matter most. With a plugin like FramerFlo, you get solid ecommerce capabilities while maintaining complete design freedom.

Choose Shopify if you need maximum ecommerce features and don't mind templated design. It's the safer choice for high-volume operations.

For many creative businesses, small brands, and design-conscious sellers, Framer offers the better balance. You get enough ecommerce functionality for most use cases while keeping the visual presentation that makes your brand unique.