External Store for Shopify vs Catalog for Woocommerce (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
External Store for Shopify
3.0K+ active installs
Free
Catalog for Woocommerce
1.0K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Catalog for Woocommerce has a higher user rating (4.5/5 from 6 reviews) while External Store for Shopify leads in active installations (3.0K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. External Store for Shopify has accumulated 97K+ total downloads while Catalog for Woocommerce has 45K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | External Store for Shopify | Catalog for Woocommerce | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 3.4/5 | ► | 4.5/5 |
| Total Reviews | 5 | ► | 6 |
| Active Installs | 3.0K+ | ◄ | 1.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 97K+ | ◄ | 45K+ |
| Support Resolution | 100% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 month ago | ◄ | 5 years ago |
| First Released | 2018 | 2016 | |
| Age | 8 years | 10 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.3+ | 4.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | false+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 1.6.0 | 1.2.0 |
Rating Breakdown
External Store for Shopify
Catalog for Woocommerce
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, External Store for Shopify averaged approximately 32 daily downloads while Catalog for Woocommerce averaged 4.
Recent Reviews
External Store for Shopify Reviews
Great plugin and support
Fahad has been incredibly helpful in getting the plugin setup and working best for our website. So appreciative!!
Not well documented
The documentation for this plugin is below all standards. The default reocmmendation when you click on the only help symbol in the plugin is a 1.5 min video where the author basically explains nothing
Working with the help of support
Had some issues to begin with but Fahad came to the rescue and resolved my issue very quickly. Would be nice to have some warnings to indicate that there is a connection issue, but other than that, I
Catalog for Woocommerce Reviews
Helpful support
We have paid version – I’m glad to bought this plugin. I recommend! If you have any problems, support will help you! Great work, thanks! 🙂
if you hide the add to cart, variations dissapear
thats the main problem… i want to keep the variations so its easy to understand wich is wich, but user can’t use that function since it dissapears when you want to hide the add to cart.
Glad to use the plugin
5 stars for everything.
More Catalog Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as External Store for Shopify and Catalog for Woocommerce
eCommerce Product Catalog is a powerful and free plugin to sell with a beautiful eCommerce or request for a quote WordPress website.
Add a product catalog to your site with blocks or shortcodes. Works with WooCommerce or standalone. Flexible and customizable, works with any theme.
OnSale Page is an extension for Woocommerce which enables you to have real on sale page with paging, sorting and filtering.
Embed PDFs into your WordPress site as interactive flipbooks. Attractive and trackable, flipbooks are a great alternative to static PDFs.
Turn your WooCommerce store into a simple online catalog or alternatively, only allow store access to customers once they're logged in.
Catalog plugin with fully customizable responsive design, search and categories. Best for product catalog and services or portfolio presentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is External Store for Shopify or Catalog for Woocommerce more popular?
Which has better ratings — External Store for Shopify or Catalog for Woocommerce?
Are External Store for Shopify and Catalog for Woocommerce free?
Which plugin has better support — External Store for Shopify or Catalog for Woocommerce?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.