Why Stack
Stack vs Shopify vs Pesapal. Honestly.
We get asked this every week, so we wrote it down. Stack is built for one specific kind of business: WhatsApp-first, M-Pesa-first, delivery-driven commerce in Kenya and similar markets. If that is not you, one of the alternatives below is the right call. We will say so on the call.
| Feature | Stack | Shopify | Pesapal | Selar | IntaSend | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WhatsApp ordering, native In Kenya most orders happen on WhatsApp. Either the platform handles that, or you do it manually and miss orders. | ||||||
M-Pesa STK push at checkout Native Daraja integration. The phone buzzes; the customer types their PIN; the money lands in your Paybill. | Via third-party app Adds aggregator markup and external dependency. | Via plug-in Plug-in quality varies. You patch it. | ||||
Funds straight to your M-Pesa account If the platform holds your money before passing it on, you have a counterparty risk and a delay. | Depends Via app. May or may not pass directly. | Depends on plug-in Configurable, varies. | ||||
Inventory + stock auto-hide When an item runs out, it disappears from the menu so you stop selling things you cannot ship. | Basic | |||||
Delivery zones + rider hand-off Set zones, set fees, one tap to WhatsApp the rider the address. Critical for Nairobi commerce. | Via app Global apps not built for Nairobi rider economics. | Via plug-in | ||||
Monthly cost (entry) What you actually pay each month before transactions. | Free up to 30 orders Then KES 1,500/mo. | ~KES 4,800/mo Basic plan, USD billed. | Free Transaction fees only. | Free Transaction fees only. | Free Transaction fees only. | Hosting cost Plus plug-ins, themes, developer. |
Transaction fee on Stack paid tier What gets taken out of each paid order. | 1% All-in. No card-network surcharge. | 2-3%+ Plus payment provider fees stacked on top. | 2-3.5% | 5%+ Plus payout fees. | 1.5-3% | Plug-in fees Per-plug-in pricing. |
Built for Kenya / mobile-money-first markets The team that built it lives here and runs commerce here. Not a flag retrofitted onto a global product. | Africa-wide | |||||
We help you onboard, free During the closed beta, an actual human walks you through Daraja, your shop, your team, and your first order. | Docs only | Support tickets | Help center | Docs only | Community | |
Own your data + portable Export products, orders, customers any time. No lock-in. | Partial | Partial |
Last reviewed May 2026. Pricing accurate at publication. Aggregator fees and Shopify plan pricing change frequently; double-check on each vendor's site before deciding.
When Stack is not the right fit
Plain answers.
We'd rather you pick the right tool than sign up with us, regret it in two months, and churn.
Shopify
You ship physical goods internationally, your customers pay by card, you have an in-house developer.
Read the full Shopify comparison →Pesapal or IntaSend
You already have a working website (Squarespace, Webflow, custom) and you only need a hosted checkout. You do not need ordering, inventory, deliveries, or WhatsApp.
Read the full Pesapal or IntaSend comparison →Selar
You sell digital products (PDFs, courses, templates) to a creator audience. Physical inventory and delivery are not in your model.
Read the full Selar comparison →WooCommerce
You already run on WordPress, you have a developer on retainer, and you enjoy the plug-in ecosystem.
Read the full WooCommerce comparison →The honest summary
Three sentences.
One: If your customers WhatsApp you to order and pay on M-Pesa, Stack is the lowest-friction system on the market in Kenya right now.
Two: If you need an international, card-first, multi-channel platform with a thousand apps, choose Shopify.
Three: If you only need a hosted M-Pesa checkout and you already have a site, choose Pesapal or IntaSend. We will not be offended.
Next step
Still not sure?
Book a 20-minute call. We'll look at your operation and tell you honestly which tool fits, even if it is not Stack.