How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Shopify remains the best all-round ecommerce platform for most small businesses, starting at $29 per month billed annually for Basic, with the largest app ecosystem.
- WooCommerce is free and open source, making it the best platform for WordPress users who want full ownership, though hosting and extensions cost extra and maintenance falls to you.
- BigCommerce suits growing stores avoiding transaction fees, with no platform fee on any payment gateway and strong built-in features that reduce app spending.
- Wix and Squarespace suit design-first small stores, while Ecwid and Square Online suit adding a store to an existing site or starting free with no subscription.
- Watch transaction fees, not just subscriptions: platform fees and payment processing can add 3 to 5 percent to every order, which dwarfs subscription differences.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Shopify | Most small businesses | $29/mo | Free trial |
 WooCommerce | WordPress users, full control | Free plugin | Yes |
 BigCommerce | Growing stores, no platform fees | $39/mo | 15-day trial |
 Wix | Design-first small stores | $29/mo | Yes, no ecommerce |
 Squarespace | Beautiful stores for creatives | $19/mo | 14-day trial |
 Adobe Commerce | Enterprise B2B and B2C | See website | No |
 Ecwid | Adding a store to an existing site | $5/mo | Yes |
 Square Online | Local sellers already using Square | Free | Yes |
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#1Shopify
Best for: Most small businesses4.4/5 on
G2 (5,144 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit shopify.com
Starting price$29/mo
Free planFree trial
Shopify remains the best all-round ecommerce platform for most small businesses, starting at $29 per month billed annually for Basic, or $39 per month billed monthly. The app ecosystem is the largest, checkout converts well, and the platform removes almost all technical work, which suits teams without developers.
The trade is monthly fees plus an extra transaction fee if you do not use Shopify Payments, at 2 percent on Basic, plus app costs that add up as you scale. For most new stores, Shopify is the right call, with the least technical work, the biggest app ecosystem, and pricing that scales predictably from $29 to $299 per month.
What we like- Largest app ecosystem
- High-converting checkout
- Least technical work
- Scales from Basic to enterprise
Watch out for- 2 percent fee on Basic if you use an outside payment provider
- App costs add up
- Monthly fees plus transaction fees
#2WooCommerce
Best for: WordPress users, full control4.4/5 on
G2 (1,283 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit woocommerce.com
Starting priceFree plugin
Free planYes
WooCommerce is free and open source, making it the best platform for WordPress users who want full ownership, though hosting and extensions cost extra. The plugin turns WordPress into a shop with no platform fee and complete control over data and design, plus full SEO control that content-driven stores value.
You pay in hosting, plugins, and maintenance rather than subscription, with hosting estimated at $25 to $350 per month by guides and total monthly costs of $50 to $400 by another guide. For a business built on content and organic search, WooCommerce repays the extra technical ownership with unmatched SEO control, though you maintain it yourself.
What we like- No platform fee
- Full control over data and design
- Full SEO control
- Huge WordPress plugin ecosystem
Watch out for- Hosting costs $25 to $350 per month by guides
- You maintain it
- Costs shift to hosting and plugins
#3BigCommerce
Best for: Growing stores, no platform fees4.2/5 on
G2 (580 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit bigcommerce.com
Starting price$39/mo
Free plan15-day trial
BigCommerce suits growing stores avoiding transaction fees, with no platform fee whichever payment gateway you use, which becomes a significant advantage at higher volumes. Built-in features reduce reliance on paid apps, and native SEO strength plus B2B and international tools suit scaling brands.
Core costs $39 per month, or $29 per month billed yearly by some guides, and covers up to $30,000 in yearly sales before auto-upgrading, so watch sales thresholds. For a store scaling toward mid-market or B2B, BigCommerce gives managed hosting with stronger native features than Shopify.
What we like- No platform fee on any payment gateway
- Strong built-in features
- Native SEO strength
- B2B and international strength
Watch out for- Core covers up to $30,000 in yearly sales, then auto-upgrades
- Outside payment providers carry a fee on some guides
- Mid-market learning curve
#4Wix
Best for: Design-first small stores4.2/5 on
G2 (1,888 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit wix.com
Starting price$29/mo
Free planYes, no ecommerce
Wix suits design-first small stores, adding commerce to a website builder that suits businesses where the site matters as much as the shop. Core costs $29 per month billed annually as the first ecommerce tier, and the builder is easier than Shopify to make look distinctive, though less capable underneath.
The platform runs weaker at scale with a smaller app ecosystem, and the $17 Light plan does not list payments, so selling needs Core or above. For small, beautiful stores you can launch this week, Wix is the easiest design-first pick.
What we like- Easy and visually flexible
- Design freedom
- Simple builder
- Fast launch for small stores
Watch out for- Weaker at scale
- Smaller app ecosystem
- $17 Light plan does not list payments
#5Squarespace
Best for: Beautiful stores for creatives4.4/5 on
G2 (1,133 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit squarespace.com
Starting price$19/mo
Free plan14-day trial
Squarespace suits beautiful stores for creatives, with design-led templates and a content-first workflow that suits photographers, designers, and writers selling alongside content. Basic costs $19 per month billed annually with a 2 percent online store fee, while Core at $29 per month removes the platform fee, and some guides cite $25 to $27 per month for commerce tiers.
The app ecosystem runs smaller than Shopify, and scale runs weaker than BigCommerce. For a design-led brand with a small catalogue that values look above app depth, Squarespace is the best-looking ecommerce platform here.
What we like- Beautiful templates
- Content-first design
- Simple workflow
- 0 percent fee from Core plan
Watch out for- 2 percent online store fee on Basic
- Smaller app ecosystem than Shopify
- Weaker at scale than BigCommerce
#6Adobe Commerce
Best for: Enterprise B2B and B2C4.0/5 on
G2 (624 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit adobe.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Adobe Commerce suits enterprise B2B and B2C, with complex catalogue handling and enterprise depth that smaller platforms cannot match. Hosting runs self-managed or on Adobe Cloud, and the platform leads enterprise B2B by several guides.
Pricing is quote-only, with one guide citing $2,000 plus per month and another citing $12,500 plus per month, so budget through an enterprise quote. Setup is complex and needs developers, so Adobe Commerce fits only when enterprise complexity demands it.
What we like- Enterprise B2B and B2C depth
- Complex catalogue handling
- Self or Adobe Cloud hosting
- Enterprise leader status
Watch out for- Quote-only pricing, $2,000 plus per month by one guide and $12,500 plus per month by another
- Complex setup
- Needs developers
#7Ecwid
Best for: Adding a store to an existing site4.7/5 on
G2 (405 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit ecwid.com
Starting price$5/mo
Free planYes
Ecwid suits adding a store to an existing site, embedding a shop into any website without rebuilding it, with 0 percent platform fee on any plan. Starter costs $5 per month billed annually and caps at 10 products, while higher tiers run $19 to $25 per month by some guides, and a free tier covers light use.
As a standalone store, Ecwid runs weaker than Shopify or BigCommerce, since it was built to embed rather than replace a site. For a business with an existing site that wants to start selling without a rebuild, Ecwid is the cheapest and simplest add-on.
What we like- Embeds in any existing site
- 0 percent platform fee on any plan
- Free tier
- Low entry price
Watch out for- Starter caps at 10 products
- Paid tiers from $19 to $25 per month by some guides
- Weaker as a standalone store
#8Square Online
Best for: Local sellers already using Square4.2/5 on
G2 (482 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit squareup.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Square Online suits local sellers already using Square, with a free plan to start and Square payments integration that suits in-person sellers moving online. Setup is simple for Square users, and the free tier lets a local shop test online selling without a subscription.
Online fees run 3.3 percent plus 30 cents on the free plan, and the app ecosystem runs weaker than Shopify. For a local seller already on Square who wants a zero-cost start, Square Online is the obvious pick.
What we like- Free plan to start
- Local seller fit
- Square payments integration
- Simple setup for Square users
Watch out for- 3.3 percent plus 30 cents online on free plan
- Weaker app ecosystem
- Now includes Weebly, which complicates the brand
How we chose
We compared ecommerce platforms on subscription price, transaction fees, hosting model, app ecosystem, SEO control, design flexibility, scale fit, and B2B depth, using vendor pricing pages and October 2026 ecommerce guides. We favored platforms with published pricing and flagged where guides conflict, since prices change often and sales thresholds affect real costs.
Start with your size and skills, then your fees. Most small businesses should shortlist Shopify first. WordPress users should shortlist WooCommerce. Growing stores watching fees should shortlist BigCommerce. Design-first small stores should shortlist Wix and Squarespace. Existing sites should shortlist Ecwid. Local Square sellers should shortlist Square Online. Enterprises should shortlist Adobe Commerce.
Count total cost, not just subscription
Watch transaction fees, not just subscriptions: platform fees and payment processing can add 3 to 5 percent to every order. Model your monthly sales volume against each platform fee structure, including outside-gateway fees, app costs, and hosting where relevant, since the cheapest subscription today is rarely the cheapest platform after a year of sales.
Decide for where revenue will be in two years
A WebFX report cited by guides shows 39 percent of small businesses try free website builders first, while 70 percent migrate to scalable platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce within 2 years. Pick a platform that fits where your revenue will be in two years, not just where it is today, since migration costs time, SEO rankings, and customer data, and a second migration costs more than the first.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best ecommerce platform?
Shopify, for most small businesses, with the largest app ecosystem, a high-converting checkout, and predictable pricing from $29 per month billed annually. WooCommerce suits WordPress users, BigCommerce suits growing stores avoiding fees, and Wix suits design-first small stores.
Is WooCommerce really free?
The plugin is free, but hosting costs $25 to $350 per month by guides, plus extensions and maintenance, for total monthly costs of $50 to $400 by another guide. WooCommerce has no platform fee, but it is not free to run at scale, since hosting and maintenance add up.
Which ecommerce platform has no transaction fees?
BigCommerce charges no platform fee on any payment gateway, and Ecwid charges 0 percent platform fee on any plan, though payment processor fees still apply on both. Shopify charges 0 percent only with Shopify Payments, and 2 percent on Basic with outside providers, which matters at volume.
Can I start selling for free?
Yes. Ecwid and Square Online offer free tiers, WooCommerce plugin is free with hosting costs, and Wix free plan does not include ecommerce. Free tiers suit testing, while paid tiers suit real sales volume and checkout features.
When should I choose Adobe Commerce?
Only when enterprise complexity demands it, such as large complex catalogues, B2B pricing rules, or multi-store enterprise needs. Adobe Commerce pricing runs $2,000 plus to $12,500 plus per month by guides and needs developers, so smaller stores should pick Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce instead for lower cost and simpler setup.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://www.shopify.com
- https://woocommerce.com
- https://www.bigcommerce.com
- https://www.wix.com
- https://www.squarespace.com
- https://www.adobe.com/commerce
- https://www.ecwid.com
- https://squareup.com/online-store
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.