Everyone is talking about Shopify that doesn’t mean you will not get the best Shopify alternatives for your business.
Sure, Shopify’s got its perks for online stores. From digital storefronts to payment processing, Shopify can handle everything when it comes to creating a successful online presence.
But, do you need all the services and tools for your online store?
I am not sure, you are currently a Shopify customer or you are just looking for suitable alternatives for your business.
I have done a comprehensive guide for you to gift you the best and eCommerce-suitable Shopify alternatives.
In the end, you can also check the detailed comparison of each tool you will see here.
Online selling is personal, and there’s no single perfect solution.
So I think it’s smart to play around with different options to see what suits you best.
Contents
- 1 Shopify Alternatives by Business Size
- 2 9 Best Shopify Alternatives
- 3 Shopify alternatives for small businesses
- 4 Shopify Alternatives (Wix, Weebly, Ecwid): Users and Popularity
- 5 Shopify alternatives for medium businesses
- 6 Shopify Alternatives (Squarespace, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, PrestaShop): Users and Popularity
- 7 Shopify alternatives for large businesses
- 8 Shopify Alternatives (Shift4Shop, PinnacleCart): Users and Popularity
- 9 Compare Shopify Competitors
- 10 Conclusion
- 11 FAQs
Shopify Alternatives by Business Size
| Feature | Small Business | Medium Business | Large Business |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Wix, Weebly | Squarespace, Wix | Shift4Shop |
| Scalability | Ecwid, WooCommerce | BigCommerce, PinnacleCart | BigCommerce, PinnacleCart |
| Transaction Fees | Varies | Varies | Lower Rates |
| Pricing | $10-$30/month | $20-$50/month | $30+/month |
| Additional Features | Free Plans, Marketing Tools, Mobile-Friendly | Inventory Management, Built-in-SEO, App Marketplace | Advanced Analytics, Customizations, High Volume Support |
9 Best Shopify Alternatives
No matter what type of business you are running.
Maybe you are running a small business or medium business or a large sales business.
This post is categorized for each type of business.
Shopify alternatives for small businesses
You are a small business owner and want to dip your toes into international sales or want to create a specific regional audience, Wix is the best option for you.
With Wix, you can build your site with a simple drag-and-drop builder setup.
Wix is a cool website builder that’s a lot like Shopify and takes care of all the tricky tech stuff for you.
It’s a win for small businesses or if you’re watching your wallet.
You can start your selling journey with $27 where you will get a premium plan with payment options.
You are not ready to sell anything, you don’t need to pay anything.
Why would you choose Wix?
You can just copy and paste your existing content to make your site multilingual and don’t need to pay extra.
Blogs, portfolios, or landing pages are free to use. So, you can target a wide range of audiences for free.
If you are running out of your ad budget, Wix has a plan for you. Spend $500 on Wix and get $600 in ad vouchers.
You can use this $600 in Google ads ($500) and in Bing ads ($100) to promote your online store.
Pros:
- Build in SEO tools
- A free domain with any paid plan.
- Free SSL for security and no extra fees for using different payment methods.
- Tons of design options and secure ways to pay for your customers.
- You will get more than 800 templates for free
- Within 14 days, you can request for money back
Cons:
- You can’t use Apple Pay or Amazon Payments when you are using Wix
- No support via chat so be ready for the ticket or call
- Point of Sale is a no-go unless you’re in the US and use Wix’s gear.
Keep in mind, Wix is not for a complex e-commerce business that needs establishment in the international markets.
When you are searching for ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and a broader website presence Weebly will good fit for you.
Like Wix, you can go with a free plan that Shopify doesn’t allow. Their paid plans start at $9 a month, where you can use your own domain name.
For $16 a month, you get more business tools. And for an online store, there’s a $ 29-a-month plan. The more you pay, the more features you get.
Weebly is super user-friendly, right from the start.
It’s one of the more budget-friendly choices out there, making Weebly a solid pick for any business that’s just stepping into the online world.
Why would you choose Weebly?
If you have already read about Wix then why you will choose Weebly? The reason is simple.
Weebly has a free plan for eCommerce that Wix hasn’t. Now Weebly has more focus on e-commerce
Like Wix, you can use blogs, portfolios, or landing page benefits without money. Weebly is a gift for restaurants or local businesses.
Pros:
- Perfect for newbies with its straightforward design.
- A bunch of cool themes that work on any device.
- You can work on it with your team and even set up member areas.
- Easy on the budget with a free option to start.
- Weebly has 30 day money back guarantee
Cons:
- The checkout process could be better.
- Might not be the best for selling worldwide.
Just by adding a few lines of code, you can convert your existing site to a store.
After integration, utilize up to 10 products completely free of charge. Pretty cool, right?
Doesn’t matter if your website is on Blogger, WordPress, Tumblr, or Joomla, it works on almost all platforms.
Till now, you are getting all the features for free.
If you go with a paid plan then your store will look like Shopify colon.
Drag-and-drop is a common feature that you have already gotten from Wix and Weebly but here you will get more.
Unlimited bandwidth and GDPR compliance are the extra features that you will not get from Wix and Weebly.
Want more?
Here Ecwid goes, digital products, store management app, inventory management, discount coupons, and live chat support will come to your hand when you are in the paid area.
Why would you choose Ecwid?
You are making up your mind to add a store to sell something on your existing website which means your website’s traffic will increase.
Just adding a store can’t attract traffic but what if you run ads or you have already recognition?
Obviously, your website traffic will be boosted.
But when you are using the Ecwid paid plan, you will get unlimited bandwidth, which is important for handling website traffic without incurring additional fees.
Most importantly, you are just adding a few lines of code to add eCommerce functionality.
You are not redisigning, not making any big changes but you are good to go.
Last but not least, even Ecwid’s paid plans are generally cheaper than Shopify’s basic plans.
So, if Ecwid sounds good to you, it might just be the Shopify alternative you’re after.
Pros:
- Transform any website into an online store
- Simple and user-friendly interface ( Don’t need to know to code)
- Paid plans include mobile POS
- Unlimited bandwidth
- You can sell digital and physical products
- Get multiple payment getaways
Cons:
- Sorry to say, no support for the free plan
- App dependency for advanced features
- If you want to create a custom order, you have to go with a business plan or higher
- Limited marketing tools in the free plan
Shopify Alternatives (Wix, Weebly, Ecwid): Users and Popularity
| Platform | Estimated Users | Top Countries |
|---|---|---|
| Wix | Millions | US, UK, Brazil |
| Weebly | Millions | US, Canada, UK |
| Ecwid | 1.5 Millions | Worldwide |
Shopify alternatives for medium businesses
Squarespace is a hosting platform along with a website builder but when you choose an eCommerce plan, you are choosing one of the best Shopify alternatives.
No design experience? Don’t worry.
Squarespace has a powerful drag-and-drop website builder.
SSL security and unlimited bandwidth are waiting for you when you choose an annual plan and also you will get a free domain.
The interesting part is, that you can start your eCommerce selling journey with $16 but if you need more like complex website features then need to go with a business plan or higher.
Don’t worry, it’s not pricy. You will get that complex feature at $23/mo.
Why would you choose Squarespace?
Squarespace integrates seamlessly with content management tools, allowing your store to be part of a larger website.
Sounds cool?
Wait has more.
Squarespace’s all-in-one pricing can be more economical for simple stores compared to Shopify’s separate fees for website hosting and e-commerce features.
Powerful drag-and-drop website builder tool helps 4.3 million unique designers and creatives subscribers to make their beautiful online stores without code.
Pros:
- Best for medium business
- You can get a dropshipping integration facility
- Get free domain and SSL with annual plans
- Build in SEO features
- Award-winning templates
- Inventory management
- Email marketing
Cons:
- Business plan purchase charge takes a 3% transaction fee
- Video storage is limited, only 30 minutes
- App Marketplace (Limited compared to Shopify)
For WordPress fans ready to set up shop, WooCommerce is a solid pick. It’s one of the most reliable plugins for WordPress, making it easy to add selling features to your site.
Plus, it’s open-source, which is different from other online store tools that play nice with WordPress.
WooCommerce is like a building block for your website, not a whole toy set.
But guess what?
It’s still a big deal in the online store world.
It works with WordPress, which is super popular for making websites, with thousands of them out there.
This no-cost Shopify alternative is cool because you can change it however you want. And it’s free to start!
It can even help you keep an eye on who’s leaving their shopping carts behind.
Why would you choose Woocommerce?
Having 140 payment gateways including PalPal, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, Stripe, and Square makes it’s more easy when it comes to collecting money.
Like Ecwid, you don’t need to do anything extra. The only thing you need to do is, install a plugin.
Some people are saying, you will need SSL, hosting, and domain.
Man, you are already running a WordPress website, where you are installing a Woocommerce plugin to convert your website to a store along with website features.
It’s free to use I have already told you. When you do the transaction, it will cost you only 2.9% and 30 cents.
If you want quick access to your money, just need to quick deposit for a 1.5% fee.
Pros:
- Free to use
- Highly Customizable
- Scalability
- Large and Active Community
- Multiple Payment Gateways
Cons:
- WordPress is necessary
- Just one ready-made theme to make your own.
- You’ve got to find your own security features.
BigCommerce is a big name in the online store game, offering all the standard stuff plus some cool extras.
For $29.95 a month, you get a solid Shopify alternative that’s great for bigger businesses.
Every plan includes a blog section that will help you with SEO and extra traffic.
It’s a top pick in the SaaS world for creating custom websites.
BigCommerce lets you manage your online store, point-of-sale system, and popular marketplaces (like Amazon, eBay, and Walmart) all in one place.
Plus, you can sell directly on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google Shopping. No matter where your customers are, you can reach them!
With over 55 payment gateways including all the popular gateways will give you more comfort.
Don’t need to worry about fees. Bigcommerce payment gateways are free to use.
This builder is awesome because it gives you tons of options to work with, helps your store show up in searches, and gives you lots of ways for customers to check out.
Why would you choose BigCommerce?
No limits! Sell as many products as you want with unlimited storage for all your files and pictures.
Plus, you’ll never run out of bandwidth, and you can create accounts for your whole team to help you run your business.
Abandoned cart recovery, product filtering, and SEO tools are the best features for eCommerce business and you already know, all this you will get from BigCommerce.
You are already on a truck and need to scale your sales, BigCommerce will be the best option for you.
Pros:
- You can make your store easy to find on the web with customizable web addresses and
- It’s got visual tools to make building your store a breeze.
- You can forget about transaction fees.
- Enjoy unlimited space, endless bandwidth, and lots of product choices.
- A big collection of free apps.
- Options for customers to review and rate products.
Cons:
- Setting things up might take some effort.
- Abandoned cart recovery requires a plus or higher plan
PrestaShop is another freebie for medium businesses that’s packed with features.
It’s cool because you can choose to use their hosting service or do it yourself.
Sure, you’ll buy add-ons, but starting off doesn’t cost a dime. It’s definitely in the ring with Shopify.
It’s a bit like WooCommerce, letting you plug in extras for stuff like Google Analytics, eBay, Amazon, and more.
But here’s the kicker: you don’t need a WordPress site to get PrestaShop going – it plays nice with other website builders too.
Since it’s open-source, if you’re good with code, you can make your shop look and do whatever you want.
Keep in mind, that you’ve got to handle your own hosting, security, and following the rules online.
And while the tool’s free, things like web hosting, expert help, and secure checkout (that’s SSL) are on you.
But if you know a bit about coding, PrestaShop might be right up your alley.
Why would you choose PrestaShop?
Complete control and customization are waiting for you and lower overall costs will be beneficial for you.
You are doing medium-level business doesn’t mean you don’t need to save your money.
Everyone needs to do but PrestaShop’s international features will be going to help you a lot.
On the other hand, large and active communities are there to help you out if you face any issues.
Pros:
- Totally free open-source platform.
- Loads of ways to make it yours.
- Easy start for newbies.
- You can use it with just a little tech know-how.
- Supports lots of currencies and languages.
- You pick your hosting service.
Cons:
- You’re on your own for hosting and back-end stuff.
- You won’t have customer support to call on.
Shopify Alternatives (Squarespace, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, PrestaShop): Users and Popularity
| Platforms | Estimated Users | Top Countries |
|---|---|---|
| Squarespace | Millions | US, Canada, Australia |
| WooCommerce | Millions | Worldwide |
| BigCommerce | Hundreds of Thousands | US, UK, Australia |
| PrestaShop | Millions | Worldwide |
Shopify alternatives for large businesses
Shift4Shop is the best option for medium to large business models.
Shift4Shop offers a more cost-effective option than Shopify, with plenty of features built-in, saving you money on apps.
The best feature of Shift4Shop is, that you can run your business on a budget, and critical for a person who is running their business with a target, with a goal.
You can use its Payment gateways for free but if you want to use yours, you can do this with the $29 plan that comes with PayPal.
Some platforms provide the same templates for different businesses but here you will get a specific template for your specific business.
Every template you will use is SEO and mobile-friendly.
So, why are you waiting for? If you are willing to start your business without spending a lot of money, you should check out Shift4Shop.
Why would you choose Shift4Shop?
You might choose Shift4Shop over Shopify for several reasons and one of the best features is an all-in-one solution.
Shift4Shop offers hosting, website building, payment processing, and more in just one platform. So, you can simplify management and reduce your need for multiple services.
Shift4Shop offers a more straightforward pricing structure with most features included in the base plans.
Unlike Shopify, Shift4Shop doesn’t charge extra transaction fees if you use a different payment processor.
Shift4Shop packs more features into their base plans compared to Shopify.
This can include things like abandoned cart recovery, product filtering, and real-time shipping rates.
Pros:
- Mobile-friendly shopping cart
- By using Shift4Shop’s payment process, you will be free from a subscription fee
- Get free domain
- Strong SEO tools
- Abandoned cart recovery automation
- 24/7 support system
Cons:
- For best customization, one needs to know HTML or CSS
- The number of staff users is limited, $10 per month for a new user
Are you looking to control your storefront and for additional SEO features? If yes, PinnacleCart is the best platform for you.
PinnacleCart is a shopping cart solution designed for strong focused marketing.
Unlike Shopify’s limitations on product variants, PinnacleCart offers unlimited storage, bandwidth, and product listings on all plans.
Plus, manage an unlimited inventory. Unlimited staff accounts are there.
PinnacleCart offers a flat monthly fee structure with no additional transaction fees, regardless of your payment processor.
This can save you significant money on processing costs, especially for businesses with high sales volume.
Shopify, on the other hand, charges transaction fees unless you use their own payment gateway.
Why would you choose PinnacleCart?
Unlimited storage, bandwidth, and product listings on all plans are major advantages for businesses with a large or ever-growing inventory, especially compared to Shopify.
This is particularly true on lower plans.
You have the freedom to manage an unlimited number of products without worrying about restrictions.
PinnacleCart offers more control over the design and functionality of your store compared to Shopify’s base plans.
Built-in SEO tools and cost-effective marketing are already there.
Pros:
- Choosing PinnacleCart or managing hosting, the choice is yours.
- Pro blogging features
- Mobile-friendly shopping cart
- Strong built-in marketing tools
- Integrations with various platforms
- 24/7 customer support
Cons:
- Start your 14-day trial
- Technical Knowledge for Customization
- The partner network is limited
- 12 themes to use
Shopify Alternatives (Shift4Shop, PinnacleCart): Users and Popularity
| Platforms | Estimated Users | Top Countries |
|---|---|---|
| Shift4Shop | Tens of Thousands | US, Canada |
| PinnacleCart | Tens of Thousands | US |
Compare Shopify Competitors
| Feature | Wix | Weebly | Ecwid | Squarespace | WooCommerce | BigCommerce | PrestaShop | Shift4Shop | PinnacleCart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | Yes | Yes | Yes (Limited | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Mobile-Friendly | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Inventory Management | Basic | Basic | Basic | Basic | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in-SEO | Basic | Basic | Basic | Basic to good | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| App Marketplace | Limited | Limited | Limited | Moderate | Extensive | Extensive | Limited | Moderate | Moderate |
| Drag and Drop | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Best For | Beginners | Beginners | Adding to the existing site | Design & Ease of Use | Entrepreneurs, Developers | Large Businesses | Tech-Savvy Businesses | Medium to Large Businesses | Marketing-Focused Businesses |
| Support | Basic | Basic | Email, Chat | Email, Chat | Varies | 24/7 Phone | Community, Paid Support | Email, Chat, Phone | Email, Chat, Phone |
Conclusion
I must say that Shopify is great. But, sometimes you need something different. Maybe you’ve grown too big for it, or you just want more control.
If you’ve got a WordPress site, WooCommerce is a solid pick. For a growing business,
BigCommerce is a top choice that’s a lot like Shopify.
These platforms are popular around the globe, so you’re likely to find one that fits what you need.
Don’t just hunt for the “best” or “worst” Shopify alternatives.
Think about what your shop needs, what you can do, and your budget. Keep these in mind, and picking the right platform will be easy.
And, if you are looking for free alternatives, let me tell you that none of the alternatives to Shopify are totally free.
WooCommerce and PrestaShop don’t cost anything to use, but you will need to pay for web hosting.
You might also need to spend on extra plug-ins, modules, or designs. Wix lets you build a website for free, but you need to grab an eCommerce plan to actually sell anything online.
Every eCommerce platform has strengths and weaknesses.
But, they all offer the basics for online selling. The right choice really depends on what’s special about your business.
FAQs
Are there better alternatives to Shopify?
There are definitely strong alternatives to Shopify, depending on your specific needs and priorities. Wix & Weebly, Squarespace, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Ecwid are the best alternatives to Shopify.
Who is Shopify’s biggest competitor?
Based on market share WooCommerce, with similar features and functionalities to BigCommerce, and based on user-friendly experience Wix and Squarespace are Shopify’s biggest competitors.
What is the Shopify equivalent in India?
No, there isn’t. But Dukaan and Shoppiko are strong contenders in India.
What app is similar to Shopify?
There is no similar app that can compete with Shopify. But you can use the Wix app.
Why big companies don’t use Shopify?
Great question! While Shopify is fantastic, some big businesses need highly customized features or prefer in-house control over their online store.
