Banikh vs WooCommerce
WooCommerce is genuinely free software with total control over your code and data — but "free software" isn't the same as a "free store." Hosting, a developer to set it up, plugins for bKash/Nagad and courier booking, and someone to maintain it all add up as recurring bills. Banikh is fully managed, BD-native out of the box, and has no monthly fee at all.
Build your free store →Verdict
| Banikh | WooCommerce | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | None. First 25 delivered orders free, then ৳5 or 1.5% of order value (whichever is higher) — only when an order is delivered. Currently free for everyone during our launch offer. | The plugin itself is free, but hosting is a recurring monthly or yearly bill on top |
| Setup cost | None — sign up and add products yourself, no developer needed | Often needs a developer or agency to set up properly; a one-time build quote that varies by how custom it is |
| Hosting and maintenance | Fully managed — updates, security, and backups all handled for you | You're responsible: pick a host, keep plugins updated, patch security issues, and fix the site when something breaks |
| Cash on Delivery | Live on every store today, with phone-OTP verification to screen out fake orders | Possible, but usually needs a plugin, and no native phone-OTP fake-order screening |
| bKash and Nagad | Rolling out through payment gateways (not yet live) | Possible via SSLCommerz or a custom plugin, which you configure and maintain yourself |
| Courier booking | Steadfast and Pathao built into the dashboard — one-click booking and status sync | Needs a courier plugin or manual booking through each courier's own portal |
| Security and updates | Handled by Banikh — nothing for you to patch | An unpatched WordPress or plugin is a common attack target; keeping it updated is on you |
| Product catalog limit | None — add as many products as your store needs | None — the software itself has no cap, limited only by your hosting capacity |
| Language | Fully bilingual Bangla/English storefront and dashboard, by default | English-first; Bangla needs a translation plugin and manual setup |
WooCommerce the plugin costs nothing, and that's real — you get full ownership of your code and data, which some merchants genuinely need. But running a store on it means paying for hosting every month, renewing your domain every year, and often paying a developer for the initial build if you're not technical yourself. None of that shows up in "WooCommerce is free." Banikh has no monthly fee: your first 25 delivered orders are free, and after that you pay ৳5 or 1.5% of the order value — whichever is higher — only when an order is actually delivered. Right now, during our launch offer, every order is free.
With WooCommerce, you — or whoever you hire — are responsible for keeping WordPress core, the theme, and every plugin updated. An unpatched site is a common target for attacks, and if something breaks after an update, someone has to fix it, usually for a fee. Banikh is fully managed: hosting, security patches, and backups are handled on our side, so there's nothing on your end to maintain or patch.
WooCommerce can support Cash on Delivery, bKash and Nagad (usually through SSLCommerz or a custom plugin), and courier booking for Steadfast, Pathao, or RedX — but you're the one finding, configuring, and maintaining each plugin, and there's no native phone-OTP screening to catch fake COD orders before a courier is booked. Banikh ships with Cash on Delivery and phone-OTP verification live on every store today, plus Steadfast and Pathao booking built directly into the dashboard. bKash, Nagad, and card payments through payment gateways are rolling out on Banikh.
WooCommerce is the right call if you already have a developer or agency, want total control over your code and hosting, or need a specific plugin from its enormous ecosystem that only WordPress can offer. Banikh is built for merchants who'd rather not hire a developer or manage hosting and security themselves — everything from COD verification to courier booking works out of the box, and you only pay once an order is actually delivered.
The WooCommerce plugin itself is free and open source. But running a store on it means paying for hosting, your domain, and usually a developer or agency for setup — plus plugins for payments and courier booking. The software is free; the store is not.
A developer-built WooCommerce site is its own quote that varies by how custom it is, plus recurring hosting, domain renewal, and plugin costs on top. Agencies also commonly offer a monthly maintenance retainer for updates and fixes — ask for a current rate. Banikh has no monthly fee at all: your first 25 delivered orders are free, then it's ৳5 or 1.5% of the order value, whichever is higher, only when an order is delivered.
Yes, but not natively — you'd typically connect SSLCommerz or a custom plugin, and configure and maintain it yourself. Banikh is rolling out bKash, Nagad, and card payments through payment gateways.
You do, unless you're paying an agency retainer for it. That means keeping WordPress core, your theme, and every plugin updated, patching security issues, and fixing the site if it breaks. Banikh is fully managed — hosting, security, and backups are handled for you.
If you already have a developer you trust, want total control over your code and data, or need a very specific plugin only WooCommerce's ecosystem offers, it's a genuinely solid choice — that's exactly what it's built for.
Bangladeshi merchants are launching real stores in minutes — bKash, Nagad, courier integrations, and your own domain. No monthly fee — pay a small flat rate per order, free during launch.
