Published on February 9, 2023 by Simon Wright
Shopify is a well-respected e-commerce platform for creating and managing online stores quickly and easily. However, did you know some great Shopify alternatives are available that may suit you better?
This article will look closely at seven of the most popular alternatives to Shopify. Then, we will compare them using factors like ease of use, features, cost, integration capabilities, etc. Finally, we will give an overview of the factors to consider when choosing Shopify alternatives so that you can select the most suitable one for your business.
Shopify is a cloud-based e-commerce platform providing businesses and individuals with everything they need to sell products online. Its features include a user-friendly interface, pre-made store templates, design tools, and integrations with popular payment gateways and shipping providers.
Shopify has a reputation for ease of use and scalability. Moreover, a range of pricing plans and options make it a good choice for businesses of all sizes.
While Shopify has become one of the ‘go-to’ solutions for e-commerce businesses, some entrepreneurs might need a different platform:
Let’s now look at seven of the best Shopify alternatives currently available.
WooCommerce is an open-source plugin for WordPress that allows businesses to either create a fully-featured e-commerce store from scratch or add web store functionality to an existing WordPress site. It is known for being easy to use and versatile. Moreover, an impressive range of customization options, payment gateway, and shipping provider integrations make it ideal for all business types.
Overall, WooCommerce is one of the best options for businesses looking for an affordable and highly customizable e-commerce solution. While it may not have as many advanced features as platforms like Adobe Commerce, it is a good choice for those needing a well-supported, cost-effective solution for selling their products online.
Weebly is a Shopify alternative that provides businesses and individuals with everything necessary to start selling products online. It has a simple drag-and-drop editor and integral templates to help you get your web store online as quickly as possible.
Weebly is a great option for new entrepreneurs setting up their first online store or for smaller businesses looking for something relatively cheap and easy to use.
Wix is a well-known website builder that offers e-commerce functionality, allowing businesses to sell their products online. It requires no technical know-how and being cloud-based, you do not need to arrange hosting for your e-commerce store.
Overall, Wix is a good option for businesses looking for an affordable and easy-to-use e-commerce platform. While it doesn’t have as many advanced features as other platforms, it’s great for businesses needing a simple, cost-effective solution for selling online.
Formerly known as Magento, Adobe Commerce is an e-commerce platform that leverages the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced data-sharing capabilities to create exceptional online experiences for B2B and B2C businesses and their customers.
Despite being more complex and expensive than some rivals, Adobe Commerce is a good option for businesses looking for a robust e-commerce platform with good customization options.
BigCommerce is a customizable cloud-based e-commerce platform that integrates easily with popular payment gateways and shipping providers. Moreover, integral SEO and marketing tools make it ideal for businesses looking for a comprehensive, scalable e-commerce solution.
BigCommerce is ideal for businesses needing an all-in-one e-commerce solution. Despite being more expensive and having less support than WooCommerce, it has excellent functionality and can grow easily with your business.
Ecwid (which stands for e-commerce widget) is a popular SaaS (software as a service) e-commerce solution that allows businesses to add e-commerce capabilities to a range of sales channels, such as social media and marketplaces.
Ecwid is a good option for businesses looking for an affordable and easy way to sell their products online across multiple channels. It particularly suits those looking to add e-commerce capabilities to an established online presence.
Squarespace is like Wix in that it is a fully hosted website builder platform with plenty of e-commerce features. Being easy to set up and use, it is ideally suited to businesses looking to get a web store off the ground quickly.
Squarespace is a good option for businesses looking for a user-friendly and design-focused e-commerce platform.
Each Shopify alternative has its own strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, it is essential to carefully consider your specific needs and priorities when choosing a platform. By keeping the following factors in mind, you can select the one that best fits your business needs, budget, and technical expertise:
When choosing a Shopify alternative, it is important to consider how easy the platform is to use. Some, such as Wix, offer a drag-and-drop interface that makes creating and managing your online store easy. Others, like Adobe Commerce and WooCommerce, may require technical expertise to set up and manage.
Consider the features and functionality that are important to your business. For example, platforms like Adobe Commerce offer a wide range of advanced features and customization options. Conversely, others may be more limited in their capabilities.
As with everything in life, cost is a factor when choosing between Shopify alternatives. However, while some are free, they are usually self-hosted, so you must factor in that cost. Moreover, platforms like BigCommerce levy transaction fees and have a more expensive pricing model.
If you use other platforms or tools to run your business, it makes sense that your e-commerce solution should integrate with those. This will help ensure you can manage all aspects of your business from one place while significantly streamlining your operations. Popular integrations include payment gateways (PayPal, Stripe, ApplePay, etc.) and email marketing (such as MailChimp.)
Consider the help and resources available for the platform you are considering. For example, WooCommerce has a massive user community, plus its developer can provide support.
Shopify is an all-in-one eCommerce suite that includes hosting. However, not all its alternatives include hosting. Therefore, you must budget for that should you choose a self-hosted platform such as WooCommerce.
The main advantage of hosted platforms like Shopify and Wix is minimal technical knowledge is needed to create a store. However, this is a trade-off against the flexibility and security offered by self-hosted platforms.
Choosing hosting can be a challenge, particularly for newbies. For an explanation of the various types of hosting available, we suggest you read the following articles:
WP Bolt is an ideal hosting solution for online stores. This is because, unlike shared hosting, WP Bolt uses virtual private servers (VPS.) That means your websites and e-commerce stores get dedicated server space and resources, so you won’t have to contend with ‘noisy neighbors’ hogging server resources and bandwidth. The result is higher security, faster loading times, and less downtime. Your customers will always be able to quickly and easily browse and purchase products from your store, leading to increased sales and customer satisfaction.
WP Bolt offers a range of competitive pricing options, making it easy to find a robust hosting solution that fits your budget and business needs.
Final Thoughts on Shopify Alternatives
Choosing a Shopify alternative is an important decision for any business looking to establish an online store. Therefore, with so many options available, you must carefully consider the specific needs of your business and match them to the available options.
If we were pressed to recommend one Shopify alternative, it would be WooCommerce. This is because it is highly customizable, well-supported, free, and can turn any existing or new WordPress website into an e-commerce store. However, whatever you decide to do, just keep in mind the key factors we discussed, and you will find the right Shopify alternative for you.
I’m a former construction industry professional who came out of the writer’s closet and am now totally comfortable with my creative side. My pronouns are smart, creative, witty, and dependable. I have written content in a number of niches including WordPress, plus I’m a blogger and affiliate marketer. If you’d like to know more about how I can help you, please head over to my website.
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