Dokan vs WCFM Marketplace…yes it’s time to compare WCFM marketplace to Dokan. Both Dokan and WCFM are multi-vendor marketplace plugins based on WooCommerce. You can create multi-vendor marketplace by using any of these plugins. But which one is best?

All marketplace plugins cannot fulfill your complete requirements. Some are good, some are very good to use according to customer reviews and ratings. We are also going to make a comparison between Dokan vs WCFM Marketplace. The comparison which we are going to make here is not for promoting purposes. Rather just to help you to choose the best WooCommerce multi-vendor plugin.

Dokan Multivendor vs WCFM Marketplace: General Overview

General Overview of Dokan Multivendor

Dokan is a multi-vendor WordPress plugin that is powered by WooCommerce. It is the pioneer of WordPress-based online marketplace solutions. The plugin was developed by weDevs.

With Dokan multi-vendor plugin you can easily create a multi-vendor marketplace website like Amazon or eBay. Dokan users can give online vendors a space on the internet where they can set up and run their own store, manage all aspects of their operations, and grow their business.

According to statistics, Dokan is becoming a tough competitor to popular eCommerce marketplaces like Magento, BigCommerce, Shopify, etc.

With some powerful features like Single and Multiple Product multi-vendor, Earn from each sale, Easy withdrawal system, Easy Refund process, Coupon management, and stylish front-end will take your eCommerce marketplace to another level.

Experience Advanced modules like WPML Integration, WC Vendor Migrator, Invoice, Duplicate Product, Color Scheme, Vendor Review, Store Support, Seller Verification, Subscription, Stripe Connect, Ajax Live Search, Single Product Multi-vendor, Follow Store, Moip, Return and Warranty Request, Vendor Staff Manager, Export Import, Product Enquiry, Geolocation, WC Booking Integration, Live Chat, ShipStation, Auction, Vendor Vacation, Wholesale, Printful Integration will make business for your vendors easier. 

Dokan is compatible with most (100+) WooCommerce plugins and more than 50+ fully compatible themes on ThemeForest making it easier for online vendors to set up their stores without having to start from scratch.

The active users of Dokan are 50,000+ and have downloaded more than 5,72,000 times.

Download Dokan from Dokan store.

General Overview of WCFM Marketplace

WCFM Marketplace is also a multi-vendor plugin powered by WooCommerce. This plugin was developed by WC Lovers. Initially, they started with WCFM, a front-end manager for WooCommerce, and added support for all the major multi-vendor plugins like WC Vendors, WC Marketplace, and Dokan gradually. 

Some customized features like a Review and Refund system, Flexible commission, Store Invoice, Single product multi-vendor, Seller verification, Ledger Book, and Inquiry module will give you a new look at your eCommerce store.

Along with WooCommerce Bookings, WooCommerce Appointments, WooCommerce Rental & Bookings System, WooCommerce Subscriptions, and WP Job Manager, you will also get some advanced modules like Support Ticket, Shipment Tracking, Product Importer & Bulk Stock Manager by using WCFM – Ultimate.

Till now they have active users of 20,000+ and have lifetime downloaded 178000+

Download WCFM Marketplace from here.

Now Let’s dig deep to make the comparison.

Dokan vs WCFM Marketplace: Side by side Comparison

Dokan vs WCFM Marketplace

Features	WCFM Marketplace	Dokan Multivendor
General Important Points
1. Demo	✓	✓
Single site demo for all features & extensions	✓ single site demo for all features & extensions	✓ single site demo for all features & extensions
Scores	2 out of 2	2 out of 2
2. Detailed Documentation	✓	✓
Scores	1 out of 1	1 out of 1
3. Support	✓	✓
- Live chat	✓	✓
- Ticket & emails	✓	✓
- Contact forms	X	✓
- Forums	✓	X
- Facebook group	✓	✓
Scores	5 out of 6	5 out of 6
4. Built-in Multilingual support	✓	✓
Scores	1 out of 1	1 out of 1
5. Multiple widgets & custom theme	X	✓
Scores	0 out of 1	1 out of 1
6. Pricing bundles	X	✓
- Price	$49-$139	$149-$499
- Sites	3	5
- Compatible Plugin	32	67
Total Scores in this category	5 out of 8	7 out of 8
Admin Dashboard
7. Admin dashboard overview with meaningful marketplace data & insights	X	✓
Scores	0 out of 1	1 out of 1
8. Withdrawals	✓	✓
- Allow vendors to request for withdrawals by default	✓	✓
- Withdrawal threshold and minimum number of days to pass before disbursement	X	✓
- Withdraw threshold	X	✓
- Minimum withdraw limit	X	✓
- Order status for withdraw	✓	✓
Scores	3 out of 6	6 out of 6
9. Restrict vendors from accessing admin back-end	X	✓
Scores	0 out of 1	1 out of 1
10. Built-in Refund Management	X	✓
- Built-in system in front-end for vendors to request for customer order refunds	X	✓
- Built-in system in backend for admins to review refund reasons, amount, approve, reject and manage in other ways	X	✓
Scores	0 out of 3	3 out of 3
11. Admin reports	✓	✓
-Displays logs of all orders	✓	✓
- Graphical display of store stats by vendor	X	✓
Scores	2 out of 3	3 out of 3
12. Extensions	✓	✓
Scores	1 out of 1	1 out of 1
13. Handy tools	X	✓
- Automatically create pages	X	✓
- Scan for duplicate orders	X	✓
- Re-builds order sync table	X	✓
Scores	0 out of 4	4 out of 4
14. Upgrade license from back-end	✓	✓
Scores	1 out of 1	1 out of 1
15. Built-in customizable vendor registration form	✓	✓
- Email verification during registration	✓	✓
Scores	2 out of 2	2 out of 2
16. Search items using product GTIN	X	✓
Scores	1 out of 1	1 out of 1
Total Scores in this category	24 out of 42	40 out of 42
Vendor Dashboard
17. Product Categories	✓	✓
- Vendors can add multiple categories	X	✓
- Vendors can create categories from back-end	✓	X
Scores	2 out of 3	2 out of 3
18. Product Tags	✓	✓
Scores	1 out of 1	1 out of 1
19. Product inquiry form on store page	✓	✓
Scores	1 out of 1	1 out of 1
20. Zone-wise shipping	✓	✓
Scores	1 out of 1	1 out of 1
21. Vendor-Admin Contact Form	X	✓
Scores	0 out of 1	1 out of 1
22. Vendor overview	✓	✓
- Store insights: total sales, earnings, no. Of orders	✓	✓
- Store traffic & visitors’ map	✓	✓
- Product sales report & product stats	✓	✓
- Announcements, reviews and status-wise orders	✓	✓
Scores	5 out of 5	5 out of 5
23. Store SEO	✓	✓
Scores	1 out of 1	1 out of 1
24. Coupon management	✓	✓
- Built-in feature	✓	✓
- Vendors can grant store-wide discount	X	✓
- Restrict by emails and categories	X	✓
- Limit usage by user and number of items	X	✓
Scores	2 out of 5	5 out of 5
25. Upload different product types	✓	✓
- Simple	✓	✓
- Variable	✓	✓
- Grouped/Bundles	✓	✓
- External	✓	✓
- Affiliate	✓	✓
- Accommodation	✓	✓
- Simple & Variable Subscription	✓	✓
Scores	8 out of 8	8 out of 8
26. Vendor reports	✓	✓
- Top selling and top earning	X	✓
- Statement	✓	✓
- No. of items purchased, worth of coupons used & spent on shipping charges	X	✓
Scores	2 out of 4	4out of 4
Total Scores for the Best WooCommerce Vendor Dashboard	23 out of 34	29 out of 34
Advanced Features to customize & create different types of marketplaces
27. Vendor dashboard Color Scheme Customizer	X	✓ Vendor dashboard Color Scheme Customizer
Scores	0 out of 1	1 out of 1
28. Store Support	✓	✓
- Manage user queries from front-end in ticket system	✓	✓
- Admins can view and reply to queries	✓	✓
- Close & reopen tickets	X	✓
- Smooth & easily understandable dashboard to store & keep track of customer queries	X	✓
Scores	3 out of 5	5 out of 5
29. Vendor Subscriptions	✓	✓
- Create unlimited membership packages using custom attributes	X	✓
- Add trial functionality in subscription packages	X	✓
Scores	1 out of 3	3 out of 3
30. Vendor Bookings	✓	✓
Scores	1 out of 1	1 out of 1
31. Vendor Auctions	✓	✓
- Admin controls	✓	✓
Scores	2 out of 2	2 out of 2
32. PDF Invoices	✓	✓
- Packing slips and vendor invoice	✓	✓
- Select template, what to show, send via email, add terms & conditions by vendors & admins	✓	✓
Scores	3 out of 3	3 out of 3
33. Vendor Vacation	✓	✓
Scores	1 out of 1	1 out of 1
34. Store opening & closing time	✓	✓
- Set hours of operation for every day of the week	✓	✓
- Set opening and closing notice	X	✓
Scores	2 out of 3	3 out of 3
35. Vendor Verification	✓	✓
- SMS verification	X	✓
- Social profiles	✓	✓
- Photo ID and address	✓	✓
- Separate verification requests page in backend	X	✓
Scores	3 out of 5	5 out of 5
36. Importer & Exporter	✓	✓
- Upload and download products in csv format directly from front-end dashboard	X	✓
Scores	1 out of 2	2 out of 2
37. Staff Manager	✓	✓
- Detailed privacy settings for individual staff members	X	✓
- Comprehensive range of permission controls	✓	✓
- Frees admins of extra work	✓	✓
Scores	3 out of 4	4 out of 4
38. Stripe & PayPal	✓	✓
- Automatic refunds via stripe	✓	✓
Scores	2 out of 2	2 out of 2
39. MOIP	X	✓
- Automatic payments	X	✓
- Direct checkout using credit card and bank transfer	X	✓
Scores	3 out of 3	3 out of 3
40. Product Duplicator for vendors	X	✓
Scores	0 out of 1	1 out of 1
41. Single Product Multi Vendor (SPMV)	✓	✓
- Admins can set the layout and text of the buttons	✓	✓
Scores	2 out of 2	2 out of 2
42. Ajax live search	X	✓
- Instant results while typing	X	✓
Scores	0 out of 2	2 out of 2
43. Live chat	✓	✓
- Real time chatting from anywhere around the marketplace	✓	✓
- Mail notifications of conversations and offline messages	X	✓
- Store and track all live chat messages in vendor dashboard	X	✓
Scores	2 out of 4	4 out of 4
44. Follow Store	✓	✓
- Stay updated about favorite stores via email	X	✓
Scores	1 out of 2	2 out of 2
45. Return & Warranty Request	✓	✓
- Return, exchange, get partial or full refunds and refund as store credit	✓	✓
- Add warranty for global and specific products	X	✓
- Vendors add return policy and reasons for return	X	✓
Scores	2 out of 4	4 out of 4
46. Wholesale	✓	✓
- Add wholesale price and quantity front-end	✓	✓
- Allow customers to apply as wholesale customers	X	✓
Scores	2 out of 3	3 out of 3
47. Geo-location	✓	✓
- Customers can search for products and vendors in a specific area or radius	X	✓
Scores	1 out of 2	2 out of 2
48. Vendor reviews	✓	✓
- Vendors can manage reviews from front-end	X	✓
- Shows aggregate number of reviews and rank on store-front	X	✓
Scores	1 out of 3	3 out of 3
49. ShipStation	X	✓
- Vendors can import WooCommerce shipping orders, manage, generate labels and manage it all without a hassle from a single place	✓	✓
Scores	1 out of 2	2 out of 2
Total Scores for WooCommerce Multi Vendor Advanced Features	37 out of 60	60 out of 60
50. Customer Satisfaction	99%	80%
The Best Multi Vendor WordPress Plugin →	WCFM Marketplace 89 out of 144	Dokan 136 out of 144

Where Dokan is Ahead of WCFM?

Dokan is a better multi-vendor marketplace solution than WCFM. It has special features like Printful integration, easy-to-use tools, and helpful analytics. These make it simpler for marketplace owners and vendors to manage their stores and grow their businesses.

Printful Integration Exclusivity: Dokan is the only marketplace plugin that offers direct integration with Printful, allowing vendors to manage print-on-demand products seamlessly, eliminating the need for third-party plugins or manual order handling.

Separate Vendor Commissions for Subscription Products: Dokan provides unique commission settings for subscription products, allowing marketplace owners to set distinct commission rates for recurring subscriptions, a feature not available in WCFM.

Vendor Analytics and Insights Dashboard: Dokan includes a built-in vendor analytics dashboard that provides insights into sales performance, customer behavior, and product popularity, offering vendors actionable data that WCFM lacks in a consolidated format.

Product Add-ons and Customization: Dokan supports product add-ons that allow vendors to offer customizable options directly on product pages, such as engraving or gift wrapping, without needing external plugins, whereas WCFM requires additional customization or plugins for this feature.

Built-in Vendor Vacation Mode: Dokan provides a vendor vacation mode that allows sellers to temporarily disable their stores with customizable messages and reactivation options, a convenience that WCFM does not offer as a native feature.

Subscription and Membership Modules: Dokan offers a subscription module that enables marketplace owners to create membership plans with specific benefits and restrictions for vendors, providing an additional revenue stream, a feature not natively supported by WCFM.

Shipping Zone and Carrier Integration: Dokan supports advanced shipping zone management and integrates directly with multiple carriers for real-time shipping rates, offering a more comprehensive shipping solution than WCFM’s basic shipping features.

Multi-Step Checkout Process Customization: Dokan allows customization of the multi-step checkout process, enabling marketplaces to offer a tailored checkout experience, and improving conversion rates, a flexibility not available in WCFM.

Proactive Fraud Prevention Tools: Dokan includes built-in fraud prevention tools that help marketplace owners identify and mitigate fraudulent activities through order reviews and vendor monitoring, a layer of security that WCFM does not provide inherently.

Dokan vs WCFM Marketplace: It’s Your Choice

In eCommerce, a platform with a long history and solid background isn’t always a more viable solution over a newer one to start up.

WCFM Marketplace has some powerful tools and features but some handy tools are missing that are essential to run a functional multi-vendor marketplace in WordPress. They have the limitation of compatible plugins also.

On the other hand, Dokan has almost all the powerful tools and features to run a marketplace. Meanwhile, you will also get some free extensions to customize your marketplace.

Now, it’s your turn to select the best one. If you have any comments, put them on the reply box.