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It's easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of starting an online store. But choosing the right eCommerce platform can save you hassle, headaches and time with making an ecommerce website that not only looks great but runs well in the background, complete with all the tools you need to grow your business.
For entrepreneurs and eCommerce aficionados, there’s never been a better time to open an online store. There is a wide range of options available to launch your venture, and we’ve curated a list of the best platforms to help you get started in creating a successful eCommerce website.
In this article, we’ll cover 10 different eCommerce platforms and review their features to help you decide the best solution for starting your eCommerce business.
What is an eCommerce platform?
An eCommerce platform is a software application that allows businesses to create and manage online stores, facilitating the buying and selling of goods and services over the internet. These platforms provide a comprehensive set of eCommerce tools and features to support various aspects of your operations, including product catalog management, online payment processing, order fulfillment, inventory management, marketing and customer relationship management.
10 best eCommerce platforms of 2024
01. Wix
Having full control over your website isn't just a luxury, it's essential. And Wix ensures that with its intuitive eCommerce interface.
To start, Wix's industry-renowned website builder makes creating a site simple. It's perfect for those who may not have a technical background, offering hundreds of customizable online store templates, plus a powerful AI website maker for creating a fully functional site in minutes. If you do have a more technical background, you can start from scratch as Wix is built on an open platform that allows you to create your own customized solutions via code.
Wix’s eCommerce platform provides you with a comprehensive suite of professional tools to establish, design, manage and grow your online store. You can sell products across multiple sales channels, including native mobile apps, physical point-of-sale (POS) systems, external eCommerce marketplaces and social media platforms.
In addition, Wix’s all-in-one approach to eCommerce goes beyond just how to make a website. It enables you to manage all aspects of running your online store from end to end, covering everything from sourcing products, managing inventory, accepting payments and fulfilling and shipping orders. Plus, built-in marketing and analytics tools mean even less reliance on outside systems. Beyond that, the platform also includes hundreds of native and third-party app integrations to further curate a custom eCommerce experience. While many apps are free (or have free plans available), some do come at an additional monthly cost.
Another key feature of Wix is that your business model isn’t limited to an online store, as the platform supports all manner of business websites. “Wix is not only an eCommerce website builder,” says Oren Inditzky, vice president and general manager of online stores at Wix. “It covers all types of business, and as such, it can allow you to further grow and expand your business. In addition to selling products, you can also offer services to book, events to attend, blogs to read and so on.” No matter how large (or small) your business is, whether it's serving directly to consumers or operating as an B2B eCommerce business, Wix’s infrastructure also promises industry-leading speed, scalability and enterprise-grade security.
Thanks to the wide array of features, tools and integrations, Wix is your best overall choice when it comes to launching and maintaining a successful eCommerce store.
Key Wix features
Offers comprehensive, built-in end-to-end merchant and merchandising solutions
Integrates with hundreds third-party apps
Supports omnichannel selling across a variety of marketplaces and social media platforms
Offers hundreds of customizable online store templates
Has advanced AI capabilities for site building, content generation and more
Offers 24/7 support
Price
Free and multi-solution premium plans available
02. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a good option for eCommerce businesses of various sizes and types, including enterprise operations. The platform has the fundamental tools for running a successful eCommerce store, such as SEO tools, setting up a blog and detailed order and inventory management. When you need the extra push to earn more sales, you can easily implement features like discount codes or side-by-side product comparisons to take things to the next level.
For small businesses just dipping their toes, the Standard plan is a good place to start. And while it's ready to use straight out of the box with a nifty site builder, the tech-savvy can have fun tweaking the CSS and HTML code for that extra oomph.
When it comes to larger businesses, BigCommerce has been highly focused on building out its suite of enterprise tools, complete with options for wholesaling, international shipping and more. You will need to contact a sales representative to discuss pricing for the Enterprise plan.
Key features of BigCommerce
Advanced sales and marketing tools for enterprise businesses
Includes a "Buy Online and Pick Up in Store” (BOPIS) feature
Offers a 15-day free trial
Price
Standard plans start at $39 per month
03. Squarespace
Popular amongst sellers whose first priority is creating a handsome, modern-looking site, Squarespace is a website builder with eCommerce functionality, offering options for various business owners, creatives and artists to showcase their work. Getting started is straightforward, with an assortment of elegant website templates that can be customized to your liking via simple drag-and-drop interface.
The platform offers two Commerce plans, each coming with a suite of built-in merchandising and analytics tools. For the more advanced plan, you also have access to additional shipping and discount tools, plus the ability to sell subscriptions.
One thing of note is that Squarespace does not currently offer multichannel-selling capabilities, so there is no direct integration with other online marketplaces. Users can only use PayPal, Stripe and Afterpay for online store payments. However, you can accept in-person payments via Square if you download the Squarespace app.
Key features of Squarespace
No transaction fees under the Commerce plans
Provides an uncomplicated and beginner-friendly interface
Offers a 14-day free trial
Price
Commerce plans start at $36 per month
04. Shopify
In deciding you want to start an eCommerce business, you’ll find there are dedicated eCommerce platforms as well as multi-faceted website builders with eCommerce capabilities. Shopify falls into the former category.
Selecting your store's look is a simple process, courtesy of over 100 professionally-designed templates. While there are free themes available, choosing one of Shopify’s premium themes will come at an additional cost. Shopify's templates offer the basic framework you need to get started, and users can add additional functionality to their store via the platform’s diverse app store.
As for the app store, Shopify offers more than 6,000 third-party app integrations to ensure that you can tailor the platform to your specific needs. This includes community support, marketing tools, payment processing options and more. Note that many of these apps also come at an additional monthly cost.
Key features of Shopify
Offers 24/7 support
Integrates with more than 6,000 apps
Supports omnichannel selling across online and offline platforms
Price
Basic plans start at $39 per month
05. WooCommerce
WooCommerce offers a way to add eCommerce functionality to an existing WordPress site. The plugin is free to install and use, but you'll need to pay for your hosting and domain name, in addition to any extensions you decide to add. WooCommerce offers more than 800 extensions that handle things like return and warranty requests, shipping, accepting online bookings and more. These extensions range in price from free to $299 each.
Design freedom is a major plus here, as there are thousands of website themes in the WordPress library that you can customize into your own digital storefront. But if technical know-how isn’t your strong suit, WooCommerce might feel somewhat challenging.
After the initial setup, you're on your own. Maintenance and upgrades are all on you. But if you've got the will, WooCommerce is a canvas ready for your masterpiece.
Key features of WooCommerce
Open-source flexibility that works with WordPress
More than 800 eCommerce extensions and integrations
Offers users full control over the design and functionality of their online store
Price
Plugin is free; extensions range from free to $299
06. Weebly
It’s often best to keep things simple when you’re ready to start a business. Weebly, which is owned by Square, is a good option if you’re in that boat.
Weebly's drag-and-drop website editor is known for its simplicity; there’s no technical know-how required. The platform intuitively provides all the basics you need to get your eCommerce site up and running fast.
While Weebly's simplicity is its strength, it's a bit limited in design options compared to some of the bigger eCommerce and website builders on the market. Where it shines, however, is in the fact that it offers a robust free plan that lets you set up a store without breaking the bank, complete with unlimited items, in-store pick up, automatic tax calculator and more. But, the free plan comes with one caveat: if you want a custom domain name (which you likely will), you’ll have to upgrade to a paid subscription.
All in all, for those who want a straightforward, no-frills approach to eCommerce, Weebly is a solid choice.
Key features of Weebly
Very simple interface that works well for beginners
Offers a robust free plan (though you cannot connect a domain name)
Provides budget-friendly premium plans
Price
Free and premium plans available starting from $13 per month
07. Shift4Shop
Ever heard of 3dcart? It's now called Shift4Shop, and it's a good option for folks wanting a free eCommerce solution, no matter what type of business they run.
Shift4Shop is a fully hosted shopping cart, so you won't have to worry about coding or technical setup. You can create as many product pages as you like, plus you have access to a built-in blog, SEO tools, email marketing, coupon system, gift registry setup and more.
One of the star features of Shift4Shop is that there are no transaction or setup fees. In fact, you can run your online store entirely for free if your monthly sales are $500 or more. If you process less than that, you may be charged a monthly software as a service (SaaS) fee.
Shift4Shop offers free domain name registration for all plans. However, it’s worth noting that this platform is for U.S.-based sellers only.
Key features of Shift4Shop
Does not charge transaction fees (though you may pay a monthly SaaS fee)
Offers free domain name registration for all plans
Stores processing over $500 pay nothing for the platform
Price
Free for businesses that process at least $500 per month; $29 per month otherwise
08. Big Cartel
If you’re a creative type, you probably want to spend less time and effort figuring out how to sell online and more time, well, creating. Big Cartel stands out as an affordable option for artists who want to sell their pieces online, making your creations the star of the show.
Big Cartel does this by making it really simple to set up a basic site with the essentials. You can list up to five products for free, or upgrade to a paid plan to list between 50 and 500 products. All plans allow you to use a custom domain name and come with an assortment of basic eCommerce tools, including real-time stats, shipment tracking and sales tax automation.
To note, Big Cartel only offers a handful of templates and themes to choose from. But if you're an artist or creative person and want a platform that's simple and straight to the point, Big Cartel is a good choice.
Key features of Big Cartel
Offers a budget-friendly option for creatives
Users can accept payments in-person with the Big Cartel app
Integrates with Facebook Shop for cross-channel selling
Price
Free and premium plans available starting at $9.99 per month
09. Centra
One of the newer kids on the eCommerce block, Centra has already caught the eye of accessory and apparel brands like Nudie Jeans, Ideal of Sweden, Stronger, Eton Shirts and Sandqvist.
With Centra being a headless SaaS tool, you can craft any front-end experience you desire without compromising on back-end efficiency. Its user experience and interface are designed not just for looks but for intuition, guiding you through the setup process relatively easily.
As for products, whether you're offering bundled deals or individual items, Centra offers robust product and catalog management. Native support ensures that the journey from ideation to product listing is smooth.
In the vibrant world of fashion and direct-to-consumer brands, Centra stands out as a quality contender, merging simplicity with efficiency.
Key features of Centra
Provides an effective eCommerce solution for fashion and lifestyle brands
Options for direct-to-consumer and digital wholesale commerce
Offers five-star support
Price
Not publicized; contact Centra for a quote
10. Ecwid
Thinking about how to start an online store for your small business? Or maybe you have a blog and want to add a shop to it? Ecwid might be what you're looking for.
At its core, Ecwid is a shopping cart tool for websites. The platform allows you to build an online store that integrates right into your existing website or blog, including your Wix website. There's also a newer feature called "Instant Sites" that allows users to create a standalone landing page quickly, which is useful if you need a special page for a product or an event.
If you're just starting out and have five or fewer products to sell, Ecwid's free plan has you covered, albeit with very basic functionality. Paid plans are available for 100 up to unlimited products and offer additional eCommerce tools such as automated tax calculations, POS integration, an abandoned cart saver and more.
Key features of Ecwid
Does not charge setup or transaction fees
Offers a simplified approach to online selling
Provides quick integration of an online store into an existing blog or website
Price
Free and premium plans available starting at $19 per month
Eager to start selling? Sign up for Wix today and test drive our site builder for free.
How to choose the best eCommerce platform
Choosing the best eCommerce platform for your business means identifying your specific needs, budget and long-term goals. Here are some steps to help you make an informed decision about what's right for starting your business:
Define your requirements: Start by identifying your business requirements, including the type of products you sell, expected sales volume, desired features, scalability needs, budget constraints and technical expertise. Consider factors such as ease of use, customization options, integrations and support.
Research available options: Research different eCommerce platforms available in the market, considering factors such as features, pricing, user reviews and industry reputation.
Consider ease of use: Assess the platform's ease of use from both the administrator and customer perspectives. Look for intuitive interfaces, drag-and-drop functionality and user-friendly tools for managing products, orders and other essential tasks. Consider whether the platform offers customizable templates and themes to match your branding.
Evaluate features: Compare the features and flexibility offered by each platform, including product catalog management, payment processing options, shipping and fulfillment capabilities, marketing tools, analytics and scalability. Determine whether the platform supports your desired integrations with third-party apps, payment gateways and shipping carriers.
Assess pricing: Consider the pricing structure of each eCommerce platform, including setup fees, monthly subscriptions, transaction fees and additional costs for add-ons or premium features. Calculate the total cost of ownership over time, factoring in your projected sales volume and growth trajectory. Look for transparent pricing and scalable plans that align with your budget.
Review customer support: Evaluate the level of customer support and resources offered by each eCommerce platform, including documentation, tutorials, community forums and dedicated support channels. Consider whether the platform provides responsive customer support, ongoing updates and training resources to help you succeed.
Test drive: Take advantage of free trials or demo accounts offered by eCommerce platforms to test their features, functionality and user experience firsthand. Use this opportunity to explore the platform's capabilities, experiment with customization options and assess whether it meets your expectations.
Consider long-term scalability: Anticipate your business's future growth and scalability needs when choosing an eCommerce platform. Select a platform that can accommodate increasing traffic, sales volume and product offerings over time without significant disruptions or costly migrations. Look for platforms that offer scalability, flexibility and room for expansion.
Key features of eCommerce platforms
It's important you make sure you have access to all the features you need to build your eCommerce site. Here are the key ones:
Storefront creation: Tools for designing and customizing the look and feel of the online store, including templates, themes and layout options.
Product management: Capabilities for adding, editing and organizing product listings, including descriptions, images, pricing and inventory levels.
Shopping cart: Secure shopping cart functionality that allows customers to add items to their cart, review their selections and complete the purchase process with integrated checkout and payment gateways.
Payment processing: Support for various payment methods, such as credit/debit cards, digital wallets, bank transfers and alternative payment options, ensuring secure and convenient transactions.
Order management: Tools for managing orders, including order tracking, status updates, invoicing and fulfillment processes, to streamline operations and ensure timely delivery.
Inventory management: Features for tracking and managing product inventory levels, including stock alerts, backorders and automatic inventory syncing across multiple sales channels.
Marketing and promotion: Built-in marketing tools, such as email campaigns, discount codes, loyalty programs and SEO optimization, to attract customers, drive traffic and increase sales.
Analytics and reporting: Reporting and analytics tools, like Wix Analytics, to track key performance metrics, monitor sales trends, analyze customer behavior and make data-driven decisions to optimize business performance.
Security and compliance: Built-in website security measures, such as SSL encryption, PCI compliance and fraud detection, to protect sensitive customer information and ensure secure transactions.
Best eCommerce platforms FAQ
Which ecommerce platform is best for beginners?
For beginners looking to start an eCommerce business, it's important to choose a platform that's user-friendly, comes with strong customer support and offers essential features without being overly complicated to setup and run. For example,
Ease of use: Wix is known for its intuitive drag-and-drop website builder, making it easy for beginners to design and set up an online store without any coding knowledge.
Templates: Wix offers a wide range of professionally designed templates specifically for eCommerce.
Tools: Wix covers all the eCommerce essentials, including payment gateways, inventory management and marketing tools.