Next.js Headless
WooCommerce
Shopify
Performance (Lighthouse)
95–100
30–60 (plugin overhead)
50–75
Security
Very high
Low (plugin risks)
High (managed)
Maintenance Effort
Low
Very high (plugins)
Low (managed)
Transaction Fees
None
None (Stripe fees)
0.5–2 % with third-party
Customisability
Unlimited
High, but complex
Limited by Liquid template
GDPR Compliance
Full control
Good (own server)
US servers (restricted)
Next.js Headless wins in 5 of 6 categories
Vorteile
- Consistent Lighthouse performance of 95–100
- No plugin security risks
- No platform lock-in
- No transaction fees
- Full GDPR control on your own servers
- Scales without performance loss
Nachteile
- Higher initial cost (from €8,900)
- WooCommerce plugins not directly usable
- No ready-made plugin ecosystem
Best for: Companies with growth ambitions, performance requirements and a desire for full data control.
WooCommerce shop with performance issues and high maintenance effort
Next.js HeadlessWooCommerce performance issues are structural and cannot be solved. Switching to headless fixes the problem permanently.
New online shop, small budget, no technical resources
ShopifyShopify is the fastest and simplest entry without a technical team. You can migrate later once you grow.
WordPress site with an attached WooCommerce shop
WooCommerce (keep) or migration to Next.jsIf the content part dominates and performance isn't a priority, keep WooCommerce. Otherwise: migrate.
B2B shop with tiered pricing and ERP integration
Next.js HeadlessNeither WooCommerce nor Shopify can fully cover B2B requirements. Custom headless is the only scalable solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
WooCommerce is based on WordPress and inherits its plugin architecture. Every plugin loads extra CSS and JavaScript, runs its own database queries and slows the page down. These performance issues are structural and cannot be fully solved through optimisation.
Yes, completely. We migrate all products, categories, order history, customer data and media. The migration runs automated and lossless — with a full redirect map for SEO protection.
Shopify is the cheapest start, but becomes expensive long-term due to monthly fees and transaction fees. Next.js Headless costs more initially (from €8,900) but has significantly lower ongoing costs.
WooCommerce itself can be run GDPR-compliantly because it runs on your own server. GDPR issues often come from third-party plugins (analytics, marketing), not from WooCommerce itself.
A typical WooCommerce migration takes 6–12 weeks. Simpler shops (up to 500 products) are ready in 6 weeks; more complex ones with ERP integration need 10–16 weeks.
