When planning to run an eCommerce website, you might think about Shopify at once, and for a good reason. Shopify is one of the most powerful site builders for online stores, and it ranks among the top eCommerce solutions available in the market.
Although the software is actually great, you should not limit your possibilities to Shopify only. In this review, I’m going to extend your options by showing Shopify alternatives, both reliable and capable of implementing your ideas more effectively.
Square Online – For POS Integrations
| Product Name: | Square Online |
| Official Website: | https://squareup.com |
| Founded: | 2009 |
| Number of Websites: | 88,822 |
| Complexity: | Complex |
| Free plan: | Yes |
| Paid plan: | From $29/mo |
The closest analog to Shopify is Square Online. At first glance, both solutions have similar website editors, app integrations, transaction fees, security features, and so on. However, Square Online’s eCommerce capacities are narrower and more specific. You cannot expect Shopify’s customization freedom from Square Online either.
Why Square Online Can Be a Good Shopify Alternative
While Shopify offers a wider range of eCommerce features and design options, Square Online has everything to create a simple but well-equipped online store without much trouble:
- an easier-to-use website editor;
- integration with all the necessary add-ons;
- a built-in Point-of-Sale system available across all plans;
- a free plan – once built on Square Online, your website will be yours forever.
These advantages make Square Online a better alternative for individuals and small online stores that need to start selling things fast and in a reliable way.
Pricing
Unlike Shopify, Square Online offers a free plan, and the features included in it can actually fit your eCommerce. It includes inventory management tools, unlimited products, multiple payment solutions available, social media sales, and many more. Still, be ready to pay for extra add-ons. There are two paid plans here, too: Plus ($29 per month) and Premium ($79 per month). All plans are good value for money.
BigCommerce – For Scalability
| Product Name: | BigCommerce |
| Official Website: | bigcommerce.com |
| Founded: | 2009 |
| Number of Websites: | 150,399 |
| Complexity: | Medium |
| Free plan: | Free 15-day trial |
| Paid plan: | From $29.95/mo |
Want to base a fast-growing business on an advanced website ready to scale up? Consider BigCommerce as a workable software for your project. The tool is definitely not for a starter in website building, but it offers truly magnificent opportunities.
Why BigCommerce Can Be a Good Shopify Alternative
With twin-like pricing systems, Shopify and BigCommerce offer huge packages of eCommerce features. BigCommerce beats Shopify with the following options:
- no transaction fees applied;
- a simpler design editor;
- built-in features instead of apps that need additional installations;
- more features to ensure the fast growth of an eCommerce website.
If you have certain skills in web design or are ready to hire a professional, BigCommerce will arm you with a powerful set of instruments enough to build, maintain, and grow a large or complex online business.
Pricing
Like Shopify, BigCommerce offers three prepaid plans: Standard ($29.95 per month), Plus ($79.95), and Pro ($299.95.) There’s also an Enterprise plan with a custom price, too (at Shopify, it goes at $2,000+ per month.)
The platform offers a 15-day free trial. So, you can expect practically the same prices as on Shopify here. The only difference is that your website-building possibilities will be much wider.
Volusion – For Analytics
| Product Name: | Volusion |
| Official Website: | volusion.com |
| Founded: | 1999 |
| Number of Websites: | 7,596 |
| Complexity: | Average |
| Free Plan: | 14-day free trial |
| Premium Plan: | From $29/mo |
When learning your customers’ behavior and market analytics are the key factors in your project, Volusion may suit you more than Shopify. Of course, this site builder cannot outdo the latter in the eCommerce feature supply and design possibilities. Still, the software has significant upsides, which you should definitely know.
Why Volusion Can Be a Good Shopify Alternative
Volusion is one of the strongest platforms for working with online content. Its benefits include the following:
- a convenient and powerful content editor;
- an abundance of analytical tools;
- a nice choice of built-in selling instruments and payment gateways;
- access to HTML & CSS;
- built-in extras like the slideshow feature, searching tools, and more.
In the eCommerce feature battle, Volusion can scarcely beat Shopify. Yet, the platform is successfully used by many companies whose key need is to build a content-rich website with easy access to dynamic data.
Pricing
Volusion’s cheapest plan is $35 per month. The other two, Pro and Biz, will cost you $79 and $299 per month, respectively. There’s also an option of Prime, a custom-price package with extended possibilities. The platform allows a 14-day free trial for all the plans.
Ecwid – For Existing Websites
| Product Name: | Ecwid |
| Official Website: | https://www.ecwid.com/ |
| Founded: | 2009 |
| Number of Websites: | 949,571 |
| Complexity: | Medium |
| Free plan: | Yes |
| Paid plan: | From $15/mo |
In case you have a website, and your goal is to turn it into a successful eCommerce, you’re welcome to try Ecwid. This Shopify alternative will offer you the best set of tools to push your project into reality.
Why Ecwid Can Be a Good Shopify Alternative
The most precious functions Ecwid can power your website with are as follows:
- a mobile app builder;
- easy connection to loads of sales channels;
- convenient tools for global eCommerce (like the multi-language option, etc.);
- no fees for transactions within all plans;
- full supply with instruments to take orders, deliver goods, calculate taxes, accept payments, and more.
Take Ecwid as a kind of widget. This is not a common website builder that allows creating a website from zero ground. However, your possibilities in turning your existing site into an eCommerce project will be practically endless.
Pricing
Ecwid is one of the best platforms in terms of good value for money. It offers a free plan which will suit the simplest online stores. For more advanced eCommerce activities, you have a choice of the Venture ($19 per month), the Business ($39 per month), and the Unlimited ($99 per month) packages.
There’s no free trial on the platform. However, you can try the software by subscribing to its free plan. In case you like the result, you can choose one of the premium packages.
WooCommerce – For WordPress Websites
| Product Name: | WooCommerce |
| Official Website: | https://woocommerce.com |
| Founded: | 2011 |
| Number of Websites: | 37,447 |
| Complexity: | Complex |
| Free plan: | Free plugin |
| Paid plan: | Hosting – from $2.95/mo |
Many users consider WooCommerce as an eCommerce plugin for WordPress, and they are right to a great extent. The tool is ideal for WordPress professionals for whom complex site building and management are not a problem.
Why WooCommerce Can Be a Good Shopify Alternative
Powered by WordPress and WooCommerce, your online store can cope with any of your design, structure, or function ideas. The key advantages of the site builder include the following:
- open-source soft;
- full design freedom;
- access to incalculable apps and plugins;
- great tools for international sales;
- no traction fees.
Although Shopify grants enough freedom in customizing an online store, it cannot beat WooCommerce in this respect. Have skills in website building or can afford to hire a professional? Ready to spend a little time creating the online shop of your dreams? Then, WooCommerce is the #1 choice for you.
Pricing
The software is free. That is, you won’t need to subscribe to any plan to access the platform. However, WooCommerce – like WordPress – is all about plugins, many of which are paid. So, you’ll definitely need to buy extras to power up your online store. Still, when bearing in mind that WooCommerce sets no limits to your ideas, the software is great value for money.
Shift4Shop – For All-in-One eCommerce
| Product Name: | Shift4Shop |
| Official Website: | shift4shop.com |
| Founded: | 1997 |
| Number of Websites: | 23,235 |
| Complexity: | Average |
| Free plan: | Yes |
| Paid plan: | From $29/mo |
With twenty years of experience and a new owner since 2020, the Shift4Shop software (ex-3DCart) is still evolving. For most customers, this brand remains unfamiliar. However, it is ready to offer your online store solid eCommerce solutions right now.
Why Shift4Shop Can Be a Good Shopify Alternative
The platform is one of the most dynamically growing site builders in the industry. Its feature supply is changing, but you can expect these options for sure:
- many specific eCommerce features are available right from the free plan;
- 100 free templates;
- built-in CRM;
- a fully-equipped app store;
- a genuine blogging system, and more.
If you haven’t heard much about Shift4Shop, it doesn’t mean the software is weak. Instead, the platform offers piles of great sales, marketing, SEO, and other tools. Its only drawback is the lack of customization freedom. However, its simplistic store builder is a plus for most beginners.
Pricing
A great option from the platform is the Free Enterprise plan. Do not doubt its power – the plan offers more features than many paid packages, including the cheapest ones from Shopify.
If you wish to get a premium plan, be ready for prices starting at $499. The Enterprise solution will cost you $1,999. With all prepaid packages, you can request a free demo.
Squarespace – For Simple Online Stores
| Product Name: | Squarespace |
| Official Website: | https://squarespace.com |
| Founded: | 2003 |
| Number of Websites: | 4,092,388 |
| Complexity: | Average |
| Free plan: | 14-day free trial |
| Paid plan: | From $12/mo |
Squarespace belongs to universal site-building solutions. You can create a personal site, a business site, a professional blog, and whatever. The platform offers an eCommerce toolkit as well, so building an online store is also an option with Squarespace.
Why Squarespace Can Be a Good Shopify Alternative
As to the eCommerce feature supply, Shopify remains unbeaten here, and no wonder: Shopify was initially an online-store builder. However, Squarespace may be a better choice for you in case the following options are important to you:
- top-quality, professional, and beautifully designed templates for free and on a paid basis;
- an inner POS;
- an easy-to-use website editor,
- a 360° representation of products;
- numerous options beyond the online store sphere.
So, Squarespace cannot be taken as equal to such a serious shop builder as Shopify. With its help, you can build a gorgeous website capable of running various activities (a blog, a photo gallery, etc.) It will let you sell a smaller number of goods in a pretty simple way.
Pricing
Your success with Squarespace depends on your choice of plan. The two cheapest ones are Personal ($23 per month) and Business ($33 per month.) They are good for individuals and small companies with the simplest eCommerce needs.
A more sophisticated online store will require one of the commercial plans. These are Basic Commerce ($36 per month) and Advanced Commerce ($65 per month.) All packages go with a free trial.
PrestaShop – For Unique Medium & Large eCommerce
| Product name: | PrestaShop |
| Official website: | https://www.prestashop.com |
| Founded: | 2008 |
| Number of Websites: | 296,016 |
| Complexity: | Easy |
| License: | Free |
| Cost: | Free |
PrestaShop is an open-source, PHP-based software that offers fantastic creative freedom to a user. When compared with Shopify, the platform is surely harder to use since it requires expertise in site-building and web design. It is self-hosted. That is, among other extra purchases, you’ll need to buy hosting for your PrestaShop website.
Why PrestaShop Can Be a Good Shopify Alternative
If you are a professional developer or have one in your team, you’ll definitely benefit from the following strong points of PrestaShop:
- the software itself is free;
- unprecedented design freedom;
- great scalability for a growing eCommerce;
- multiple stores available;
- smooth access to international markets (language & currency choices, etc.).
Are you scared away by the need to search for a host? But it won’t be a problem with such a hosting supplier as HostGator. The host offers the broadest choice of hosting solutions, including the ones tailored for big platforms like WordPress, Joomla, and, surely, PrestaShop. It also offers the built-in tool of QuickInstall that lets users launch their new PrestaShop website with a simple click.
Pricing
As was already stated, the PrestaShop site-building platform is free. But extra costs are inevitable when planning a full-power eCommerce based on this software. So, be ready to pay for premium themes, add-ons, a domain name, and hosting. The latter won’t require too much money when ready to deal with HostGator: your hosting plan may cost you as little as $5.95 per month.
OpenCart – For Unique Small & Medium eCommerce
| Product Name: | OpenCart |
| Official Website: | opencart.com |
| Founded: | 2005 |
| Number of Websites: | 958,545 |
| Complexity: | Complex |
| Free plan: | Free system |
| Paid plan: | Paid extensions |
One more open-source, self-hosted software with great eCommerce potential is OpenCart. The platform has everything you need to build a 100% original and powerful online store.
Why OpenCart Can Be a Good Shopify Alternative
Provided Shopify offers plenty of themes and apps, OpenCart can offer you much more! The list of the OpenCart benefits is truly long, but let me note the most significant of them:
- a free platform that does not require subscriptions;
- 500+ professional themes, over a hundred of which are available for free;
- access to 14,000+ extensions, most of which are eCommerce-oriented;
- the multi-store option;
- convenient interface and admin panel.
Again, although the site builder is free of charge, you’ll need to pay for certain extras. The first one to think of is hosting. The most reliable and budget-saving solution here is Bluehost. This hosting company offers a range of plans and allows quick integration with such a CMS as OpenCart.
Pricing
Free by its essence, OpenCart does not offer any plans. Still, expenses are necessary: you’ll have to purchase a domain name, hosting, and – most probably – certain plugins and paid templates. As to hosting, Bluehost is one of the most secure and affordable solutions in the market. You can buy a home for your website for only $2.75 per month.
Wix – For Beginners
| Product Name: | WIX |
| Official Website: | https://wix.com |
| Founded: | 2006 |
| Number of Websites: | 4,565,423 |
| Complexity: | Very easy |
| Free plan: | Yes |
| Paid plan: | From $13/mo |
We’d like to finish this overview with a universal site builder, Wix. The software can help users with any experience build a website for any purpose, including an online store. For a beginner searching for an easy-to-use instrument to create a simple eCommerce website, this might be the #1 alternative to Shopify.
Why Wix Can Be a Good Shopify Alternative
The strongest points of Wix are its simplicity and good feature supply. The following options of the software may play a decisive role when choosing between Shopify and Wix:
- two editors with options for more experienced users and total beginners;
- 800+ templates;
- multi-store and POS options;
- a variety of plans, among which any budget user is sure to pick a suitable one.
From an app integration perspective, Wix cannot beat Shopify since the latter offers a much bigger number of add-ons with an eCommerce orientation. However, Wix can create a simple but reliable online shop for you in minutes. Thanks to Wix ADI, an AI editor, the software can build the very website you need – you’ll only have to give a couple of instructions.
Pricing
Wix offers seven plans. They are divided into two groups: for professional websites and for businesses/eCommerce. The Pro Website packages include Combo ($16 per month), Unlimited ($22 per month), Pro ($27 per month), and VIP ($45 per month.)
The Business & eCommerce section contains the Basic, Unlimited, and VIP plans available at $27, $32, and $59 per month, respectively. A 14-day free trial can be requested for any plan.
What’s Your Best Alternative to Shopify?
I have gathered the best site-building solutions for eCommerce available in the industry today. The idea was to show you that there’s an extended choice of website builders, and your choice may be made with pinpoint accuracy.
For justice’s sake, I admit that Shopify continues to take the leading position among other competitors. For many projects, it has been the best solution so far. Yet, you can find loads of successful non-Shopify eCommerce websites these days. So, it’s up to you to decide which of the above brands is the #1 software for your online store.
