Shopify is arguably the most well-known and one of the most highly recommended ecommerce platforms on the market. So, why even consider going with something different?
Although Shopify is great for many businesses, some 2may need more options when it comes to features and design capability.
For those looking for alternatives, the following list is for you: the best ecommerce platform alternatives to Shopify in 2023.
How do you pick the right Shopify alternative?
Choosing the right ecommerce platform can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.
With a sea of options, how do you know which one will best suit your needs?
Well, the selection process gets much easier if you consider some key factors:
- Ease of use. Is the platform user-friendly? Can you easily set up and manage your online store without a computer science degree? Shopify and Wix are known for their intuitive interfaces.
- Customization. Can you tailor your store to your brand's aesthetic and functionality needs? WooCommerce offers great customization options.
- Pricing. What's your budget? Compare the costs of different platforms, including subscription fees, transaction fees, and any additional charges. Shift4Shop and Ecwid have competitive pricing plans.
- Integrations. Does the platform seamlessly integrate with the tools and services you already use or plan to use, such as payment gateways, shipping providers, or marketing apps? Most platforms, like Shopify and WooCommerce, offer various integrations.
- Scalability. Can the platform grow with your business? As your store gains traction, you'll want a platform to handle increased traffic and sales volume. Shopify and BigCommerce are known for their scalability.
- Support. How reliable is the platform's customer support? You'll want a platform with responsive, helpful support when issues arise. Shopify and BigCommerce offer excellent customer service.
Are you still feeling overwhelmed?
If so, take our ecommerce platform quiz to get a personalized recommendation based on your needs:
You can discover your perfect ecommerce platform today and start building your online store!
14 Alternatives to Shopify for your ecommerce store in 2023 (free & paid)
Shopify isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, and for some people, it just doesn't fit all their requirements.
Fortunately, other ecommerce platforms fill the gaps that ecommerce platforms like Shopify have left unattended.
Let's see if you like these alternatives more than Shopify!
Are you ready?
Let's go!
1) WooCommerce
Let's start this list of Shopify alternatives with WooCommerce.
You have probably heard of WordPress and WooCommerce before, but if you haven't, then I suggest reading How to Open a WooCommerce Dropshipping Store in 2023?
WooCommerce is there for people who want more freedom with their online store. I've explained it all in the article I've linked above!
What is the price of WooCommerce and do they offer a trial?
WooCommerce and WordPress are both free to use!
Although, not everything is free because you will need to pay for your own hosting, and some plugins could cost you money (same as with Shopify apps).
For example, with most ecommerce platforms like Shopify, the hosting is free (as you can see above).
You can click here to learn more about how much the hosting will cost you!
2) Sell The Trend Shops
Sell The Trend Shops is a free ecommerce platform that allows you to start a dropshipping store in just a few minutes.
Some great pros of Sell The Trend Shops include that:
- It's the fastest road to a ready-for-sales dropshipping store.
- It comes with Sell The Trend, one of the best product research tools out there.
- It's mobile-optimized.
- It has built-in conversion- and revenue-boosting features.
- It has quick page loading times.
Interested in learning more about Sell The Trend Shops? Take a look at our full review of it here!
What is the price of Sell The Trend Shops and do they offer a trial?
Sell The Trend's monthly plan costs $39.97 per month:
However, the amazing thing is that currently, you don't actually need a regular Sell The Trend subscription to use Sell The Trend Shops.
In other words, you can use Sell The Trend Shops for free!
If you are also interested in Sell The Trend, they have a free 7-day trial available; you can find it here!
3) ShopBase
The next Shopify alternative on the list is called ShopBase.
ShopBase is one of the latest ecommerce platforms. It’s also the first white label, dropshipping, and print on demand (POD) platform out there.
As you can see in the screenshot above, one of the main things that they are focused on are dropshippers. You can read more about what they offer dropshippers on this page here.
With its automated store builder, you don’t need to create your storefront from scratch; ShopBase does the job for you, right after you sign up for an account. It will ask which kind of online store you want to build and build that store for you automatically.
They've even got a demo store available for you. You can check it out by clicking here or copying the link below:
https://pet-supplies.onshopbase.com
Also, they have an in-house fulfillment service which helps you deliver your products within 6-14 days. You can click here to learn more about this service.
What is the price of ShopBase and do they offer a trial?
The current price of ShopBase is $19, $59, or $249 per month. Do you see now why I included them on this list?
Because most ecommerce platforms charge around $30 per month (like Shopify).
If I wanted to include all the features in each pricing plan, it would be a long screenshot for sure. So, if you want to see their current pricing and all their features for each plan, then I suggest clicking here.
And yes, they do offer a free 14-day trial, so you can try out ShopBase without risking any of your money.
4) BigCommerce
Next up is BigCommerce!
BigCommerce is another ecommerce giant like Shopify. The thing that sets BigCommerce apart is that they've got many built-in features.
With Shopify, you will need to add a lot of these things by using Shopify apps.
Another thing that is great with BigCommerce is their SEO optimization. (Source)
BigCommerce is similar to Shopify in a lot of ways, but as I said above, not everyone likes the same features and design.
So, I suggest looking at their trial so you can check it out for yourself.
What is the price of BigCommerce and do they offer a trial?
The current price of BigCommerce is $30, $80, or $300 per month. And yes, I rounded the number – it's 5 cents less.
Also, they will give you up to a 10% discount if you pay yearly instead of monthly.
Here you can see their pricing plans:
If I had to screenshot all their features in that image, it would be a really long screenshot.
So I suggest you click here to go to their pricing tab and see it for yourself!
I do have some great news for you.
They offer a free 15-day trial for you, so you can try BigCommerce out without risking any money!
Tip: Ready to try out BigCommerce? Make sure to check out this article here to learn more about the BigCommerce trial — to pick the right one for your business.
5) Volusion
Next up is Volusion.
Volusion is another ecommerce-specific website builder, providing lots of payment options while focusing on analytics and customer insights. Yes, these two features are great, but the builder lacks in other departments.
From Website Builder Expert
Volusion has some great different features, but the platform is not as easy to use when you're just beginning. (Source)
What is the price of Volusion and do they offer a trial?
The price of Volusion is almost the same as BigCommerce; it's either $29, $79 or $299 per month.
Or you will get up to a 10% discount when you pay yearly instead of monthly.
In the screenshot below, you can see most of the features that you would get with each plan:
If you want to see all their features and current pricing, then I suggest clicking here to go to their pricing tab.
Also, you might have seen this one already on my homepage screenshot, but they do offer you a free 14-day trial to try Volusion without risking any money!
Awesome those trials, right?
6) Adobe Commerce (Formerly Magento)
Let's continue with the Shopify alternative list with Adobe Commerce.
Adobe Commerce is more for stores that are making a lot of money because it's pricey, as you will see below.
Here's an example from Helly Hansen:
What is the price of Adobe Commerce and do they offer a trial?
If you have never heard of Adobe Commerce before, then it could be a bit hard to figure out how much it costs. That's why I suggest reading this article to learn more about their pricing!
In case you don't want to click to find out right now, here is a bit about their pricing:
First, you have to decide which Megento edition you want. This will already have a big impact on your budget.
Magento Open Source is free, however, it comes without support. Any customization has to be taken care of by you, an agency, or freelancers.
The Enterprise Edition is not free. For example, the Gold Support package costs more than $22,000 a year.
In return, you get support, improvements, and features that speed up the webpage, database management, and so on.
Conclusion: Adobe Commerce (or Magento) could be great for you when your store is going great (as you read above with the store example), but I don't suggest you start with them when you don't have any experience yet or if you don't have a budget of more than $22,000!
7) Shift4Shop (Formerly 3dcart)
In 2000, Gonzalo Gil, now the CEO of Shift4Shop, developed Infomart, which then became 3dcart in 2001.
Shift4payments (a payment processing provider) acquired 3dcart in 2020 and transformed it into Shift4Shop.
With that acquisition, Shift4Shop entered a competitive field and engineered its platform to take on the competition (like Shopify) in a big way.
If you're interested in learning more about Shift4Shop, you can read their Shopify alternatives article here. Or you can check out our Shift4Shop review here!
What is the price of Shift4Shop and do they offer a trial?
Shift4Shop's pricing plans are innovative because they significantly lessened the barriers to entry for the dropshipping entrepreneur, timid about entering into the world of ecommerce.
The downside?
Well, if you have a sharp eye, you have already seen it in the small letters at the bottom of the pricing page.
The free plan is only available for US customers!
So, if you don't qualify for the free plan, you may end up paying a monthly fee similar to Shopify:
Again, if you're new to dropshipping, the Basic Store plan is a good place to start at $29/month. It offers everything you need to get started.
Shift4Shop also offers some fantastic bonuses when picking any of their plans:
So, looking to try out Shift4Shop? Get your ecommerce store started for free here!
8) Ecwid
Let's continue with Ecwid.
Ecwid is one of the best free options in the market right now.
But free is not always the best!
For example, you can only adjust the store's design by changing colors, fonts, and so on. Not like with other ecommerce platforms where you can change the theme of your store.
There's also no support on the free plan, and you can only have up to 10 products.
But don't worry, they've also got paid plans available with way more options and support!
You can read the Ecwid vs. Shopify comparison made by Ecwid.
Don't forget that it's made by them, but you can still see why they think they are a great Shopify alternative!
What is the price of Ecwid and do they offer a trial?
You might have seen it already in the screenshot of their homepage, but they offer a plan that is completely free.
But they know that ecommerce store owners need more features after some time (or maybe even straight away), and that's why they have normal monthly plans as well!
Their plans range from $15, $35 to $99 per month.
And you will get a discount on your plan if you pay yearly instead of monthly.
You can click here to see all the features of each plan of Ecwid.
As you can read above, they offer a free account with some basic features so you can try out Ecwid yourself!
9) Squarespace
Next up on this Shopify alternatives list is Squarespace.
As you can see on their homepage, they know how to brand.
They focus mostly on designers, makers, creators, and small businesses.
Their pricing is cheaper than Shopify, but they also have fewer tools available for ecommerce store owners! (In comparison to Shopify)
What is the price of Squarespace and do they offer a trial?
The current price of Squarespace is $16, $26, $30, or $46 per month.
Plus, you will get up to 30% discount if you pay yearly!
Here are some of the features that you will get with each plan:
You can click here if you want to see all the features of each plan.
It's good news if you're a fan of free trials; they offer a free 14-day trial if you want to try out Squarespace without risking any money!
10) Wix
Let's continue this list with Wix!
You might know Wix from the easy website builder:
But they also have a service especially made for ecommerce store owners.
With Wix, you can drag-and-drop everything you want to design the perfect website.
If you want to read more about why Wix is better than Shopify for some people, then I suggest reading this Wix vs Shopify comparison article.
But keep in mind that Wix might not be the best for dropshipping stores.
What is the price of Wix and do they offer a trial?
The price of Wix is currently $17, $25, or $35 per month.
Do keep in mind that you will need to pay yearly with Wix and not monthly!
You can click here to go to the pricing tab of Wix yourself.
You will need to pay yearly, but they do still have a 14-day money-back guarantee.
So, if you don't like Wix and it's within 14 days, you can get 100% of your money back.
Also, they do have a free version available of Wix, but you can't connect your custom domain name, plus you can't accept any online payments, and they will place some ads on your website.
11) Weebly
Let's continue this list with Weebly!
Weebly and Wix have a lot of common. If you're interested in learning the difference between them, I suggest reading Wix Vs Weebly – Battling To Be The Best Website Builder by Website Tool Tester.
But this is about the ecommerce part.
I can't say it better than Website Builder Expert:
Shopify is a dedicated ecommerce platform designed to help you build your own online store. It has everything you need to run your business. Weebly, on the other hand, is a website builder with optional ecommerce functions – this means it's less powerful than Shopify, but simpler to set up.
From Website Builder Expert
What is the price of Weebly and do they offer a trial?
The current price of Weebly for online stores is €10, €20, or €30 per month.
Do keep in mind that these prices are for yearly plans.
If you want to pay monthly, you can expect to pay a bit more than that.
Although, I'm not sure how much that is for online stores, or if that's even possible!
So, let me know if you know more.
You can click here to see their features and pricing for yourself.
Also, they've got a free account available for you, so you can check out some of the features of Weebly without paying.
12) Big Cartel
Next up is Big Cartel.
I'd personally never heard of Big Cartel before creating this article.
The platform itself looks great, and it's awesome that you can start selling online for free (more on that below).
If you want more information about Big Cartel, then I suggest reading this Big Cartel Review by Merchant Maverick.
What is the price of Big Cartel and do they offer a trial?
The current price of Big Cartel is $10, $20, or $30 per month.
You can click here to go to their pricing tab.
They've got a limited feature plan available for free.
This way, you can try Big Cartel yourself to see if it's something for you!
13) PinnacleCart
Next up on this list is an ecommerce platform called PinnacleCart.
This is another costly ecommerce platform.
PinnacleCart is a PHP shopping cart and website builder application that allows you to create, manage, and market your store online.
They currently power 842 websites. Shopify powers 271,395 websites. (Source)
I don't suggest you start with them when you're just opening your store, but it might be a perfect fit for you once your store is earning some money.
What is the price of PinnacleCart and do they offer a trial?
The current pricing of PinnacleCart is $80 or $200 per month.
You can click here to see all their features.
Another option is to host PinnacleCart yourself, then you just need to purchase a license off PinnacleCart.
Plus, you will need a host.
Also, they offer a free trial account with access to some features so you can see if this ecommerce platform is something for you!
14) OpenCart
And the last ecommerce platform of this Shopify alternatives list is called OpenCart.
It's a bit like WooCommerce. (At the beginning of this article)
What I mean is that it's free to use!
If you want to learn more about the features of OpenCart, then I suggest reading this article.
Do keep in mind that there is not much information available about dropshipping with OpenCart.
What is the price of OpenCart and do they offer a trial?
OpenCart is an open source and free!
Awesome, right?
The only thing, like with WooCommerce, is that you will need to take care of the hosting yourself. You can click here for more information.
You can click here to see all the features of OpenCart.
Why do people choose Shopify for their ecommerce store?
A lot of people choose Shopify for their ecommerce stores, but why?
Let's find out!
1) Easy to get started
If you're a total beginner in the ecommerce space and you don't know much about WordPress or something like programming, then opening your online store on an ecommerce platform like Shopify is perfect for you!
You can literally open your Shopify store in a few minutes and have it up and running in no more than an hour (if everything goes right).
You also have a great customer support team that will help you with anything you need.
2) Reliable hosting
Yes, in the case of Shopify, you will pay around $39 per month, but the hosting you will get in return is great!
It will be fast and reliable, and it's specifically built for ecommerce stores.
If you host your store on an ecommerce platform, you will probably not have any downtime.
3) Shopify is built for ecommerce stores
Shopify is there to make the life of ecommerce store owners easier.
If you pick an ecommerce platform like Shopify, you can have a peaceful heart in trusting that they will do everything to keep you and your customers protected.
They also guide you with what kind of legal pages you will need on your ecommerce platform.
Plus, they've created a whole checkout system for you, so you don't have to worry about a security leak.
They take care of all that and much more!
For example, GDPR for ecommerce stores, they made a whole post, ‘How does the GDPR affect you?‘ to help people be GDPR compliant.
Shopify wants to help place merchants in the best possible position to comply with the law. This article includes questions you should consider to help you assess your obligations to make sure that you have set up your store in a way that complies with the law.
From Shopify
Do you see now why people choose Shopify for their online store?
If that’s going to be you as well, I suggest clicking here to get a free 3-day trial + pay $1/month for the first 3 months!
Conclusion
So, there you have it! 14 alternatives to Shopify in 2023.
If you were not sure yet which ecommerce platform to choose for your online store, then I hope this article helped you further!
And don't forget that you can also start without a website. However, that will take a bit more time and effort.
Plus, for more information about these ecommerce platforms, check out this detailed article here!
If you've got any suggestions for this article or if you have any questions, let me know by commenting below or contacting me directly by pressing the “Contact Us” button at the top.
So, what ecommerce platform are you going to use? Shopify or something else? Let me know in the comments below!
Good luck with everything!
Also, if after reading about these alternatives you still want to start with Shopify, then you can click here to get a free 3-day trial + pay $1/month for the first 3 months!
2 Comments
Very nice article! Thanks for sharing information of the best platforms.
Hi,
That’s amazing to hear 😊 Good luck with everything!
– Richard