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
- Ecwid, now part of Lightspeed, is different from most alternatives: it drops a store widget into an existing website, blog or social page, rather than building a new site.
- Shopify at $29 per month on annual billing is the default full-store replacement, with the best-converting checkout and the largest app ecosystem.
- WooCommerce costs nothing as a plugin but needs hosting at $25 to $350 per month, while Square Online starts free and Shift4Shop is free for US merchants using Shift4 payments.
- Transaction fees decide the real cost: Shopify adds 2 percent on Basic with third-party gateways, BigCommerce charges no platform fee, and Squarespace charges 2 percent on Basic but 0 percent from Core.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Shopify | Most small businesses | $29 per month (Basic, billed annually) | Free trial |
 WooCommerce | WordPress users wanting full control | $0 (open-source plugin; hosting extra) | Yes |
 BigCommerce | Growing stores avoiding transaction fees | $29 per month (Core, billed annually) | Free trial (15 days) |
 Squarespace | Beautiful stores for creatives | $19 per month (Basic, billed annually) | Free trial (14 days) |
 Wix | Design-first small stores | $29 per month (Core, billed annually) | Yes (free plan; no ecommerce) |
 Square Online | Local sellers already using Square | $0 (free plan) | Yes |
 Shift4Shop | US sellers wanting no platform fees | $41 per month | Yes (free with Shift4 payments) |
 Sellfy | Creators selling digital products | $22 per month (Starter, billed annually) | Free trial (14 days) |
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The best Ecwid alternatives
#1Shopify
Best for: Most small businesses4.4/5 on
G2 (5,144 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit shopify.com
Starting price$29 per month (Basic, billed annually)
Free planFree trial
Shopify is the default recommendation for a full store, with Basic at $29 per month on annual billing or $39 month to month, including unlimited products, a full online store, discount codes, gift cards, abandoned checkout recovery and shipping label discounts up to 87 percent. The checkout is genuinely excellent, and every plan includes the same conversion-optimised flow that big brands use.
The ecosystem is the moat: if Shopify does not do something natively, an app does, from subscriptions to wholesale to advanced loyalty, but it is easy to end up paying $100 a month in apps on top of the subscription. Shopify fits most small businesses selling online that want the fastest path from zero to a professional store.
What we like- Best-converting checkout
- 8,000-plus app ecosystem
- Sells on social, marketplaces and in person from one dashboard
Watch out for- Paid apps stack up fast
- 2 percent third-party transaction fee on Basic unless you use Shopify Payments
#2WooCommerce
Best for: WordPress users wanting full control4.4/5 on
G2 (1,283 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit woocommerce.com
Starting price$0 (open-source plugin; hosting extra)
Free planYes
WooCommerce is the free open-source plugin for WordPress, with no platform subscription and no platform transaction fee, only payment processor fees. Hosting runs $25 to $350 per month by WooCommerce's own estimate, or $20 to $200 in another guide, and the store inherits WordPress's content strengths, which suits content-driven stores.
Self-management is the trade: updates, security, backups and performance are your responsibility, unlike hosted platforms. WooCommerce fits WordPress users who want full control of the stack and unlimited customisation, and who accept hosting and maintenance work.
What we like- No platform subscription
- Full WordPress integration
- Unlimited customisation
- No platform transaction fee
Watch out for- Hosting costs $25 to $350 per month by WooCommerce's own estimate
- Self-managed updates and security
#3BigCommerce
Best for: Growing stores avoiding transaction fees4.2/5 on
G2 (580 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit bigcommerce.com
Starting price$29 per month (Core, billed annually)
Free planFree trial (15 days)
BigCommerce suits growing stores that want to avoid transaction fees, with Core at $29 per month on annual billing or $39 monthly, and no platform transaction fee with embedded payment providers. Core covers up to $30,000 in yearly sales before auto-upgrading, and its B2B, multi-currency and international features suit mid-market sellers.
Open payment providers carry a fee of 2 percent of GMV on Core in one guide, falling to 1 percent on Growth and 0.6 percent on Scale, so check provider terms. BigCommerce fits mid-market, B2B and international sellers that want hosted simplicity without Shopify's third-party gateway fee.
What we like- No platform transaction fee with embedded providers
- Core covers up to $30,000 in yearly sales
- Strong B2B and international features
Watch out for- Auto-upgrades past the $30,000 Core threshold
- 2 percent of GMV with open providers on some plans
- Smaller app ecosystem than Shopify
#4Squarespace
Best for: Beautiful stores for creatives4.4/5 on
G2 (1,133 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit squarespace.com
Starting price$19 per month (Basic, billed annually)
Free planFree trial (14 days)
Squarespace is the design-first choice, with Basic at $19 per month on annual billing, Core at $29, and Advanced at $99 in one guide, plus standout templates with clean defaults that suit creatives, artists and portfolio stores. The 2 percent online store fee applies on Basic but drops to 0 percent from Core upward.
Commerce depth trails Shopify for complex catalogs, subscriptions and wholesale, and the app ecosystem is smaller. Squarespace fits creatives and service businesses selling products alongside their work, where design quality matters as much as checkout features.
What we like- Best-in-class templates
- Clean design defaults
- 0 percent transaction fee from Core at $29 per month
Watch out for- 2 percent online store fee on Basic
- Smaller app ecosystem
- Commerce features trail Shopify
#5Wix
Best for: Design-first small stores4.2/5 on
G2 (1,888 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit wix.com
Starting price$29 per month (Core, billed annually)
Free planYes (free plan; no ecommerce)
Wix suits small, design-led stores with a freeform no-code builder and no platform transaction fee added by Wix, only card processing fees. Core costs $29 per month on annual billing in most guides, or $27 to $29 in another, and it is the first tier that supports ecommerce, since the $17 Light plan does not list payments.
Commerce depth and app breadth trail Shopify for scaling stores. Wix fits beginners and small stores that prioritise design freedom and a simple builder over advanced commerce features.
What we like- Freeform no-code design
- No platform transaction fee added by Wix
- Core is the first ecommerce tier
Watch out for- $17 Light plan does not list payments
- Smaller commerce depth than Shopify
- Core cited at $27 to $29 across guides
#6Square Online
Best for: Local sellers already using Square4.2/5 on
G2 (482 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit squareup.com
Starting price$0 (free plan)
Free planYes
Square Online is the zero-cost start for local sellers already using Square, with a free plan, smooth POS-to-online integration, and Plus at $49 per location. Inventory, customers and sales sync between the shop floor and the online store without integrations.
The online card rate is 3.3 percent plus 30 cents on Free, falling to 2.9 percent plus 30 cents on Plus, which is higher than many processor rates. Square Online fits brick-and-mortar sellers with Square POS who want an online store without a new platform or monthly fee.
What we like- Free start
- Smooth POS-to-online integration
- Plus at $49 per location removes the higher card rate
Watch out for- Online card rate 3.3 percent plus 30 cents on Free, or 2.9 percent plus 30 cents on Plus
- Commerce depth trails Shopify
#7Shift4Shop
Best for: US sellers wanting no platform fees3.9/5 on
G2 (39 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit shift4shop.com
Starting price$41 per month
Free planYes (free with Shift4 payments)
Shift4Shop is free for US merchants who use its Shift4 payment processor, offering enterprise features at no monthly cost with only processor rates to pay. Paid plans run $41 to $229 per month for merchants not using Shift4 processing, with one plan listed at $41 in a small-business price table.
The free plan's tie to Shift4 processing is the catch: switching processors means paying for a plan. Shift4Shop fits US sellers who want enterprise features without a platform fee and are happy to process through Shift4.
What we like- Free for US merchants using Shift4 payments
- Enterprise features at no monthly cost
- Processor rates only
Watch out for- Free plan tied to Shift4 processing
- Paid plans from $41 to $229 per month
- US-focused
#8Sellfy
Best for: Creators selling digital products4.0/5 on
G2 (58 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit sellfy.com
Starting price$22 per month (Starter, billed annually)
Free planFree trial (14 days)
Sellfy suits creators selling digital products, with Starter at $22 per month on annual billing or $29 monthly, covering up to $10,000 in yearly sales. Setup is simple, and the platform handles digital delivery, subscriptions and print-on-demand without the complexity of a full commerce suite.
The Starter sales cap means growing creators upgrade sooner, and physical product features are thinner than Shopify or BigCommerce. Sellfy fits creators, musicians and educators selling downloads, courses and merchandise who want a simple store without platform complexity.
What we like- Built for digital products and creators
- Simple setup
- Up to $10,000 in yearly sales on Starter
Watch out for- Sales cap on Starter
- Smaller ecosystem than Shopify
- Physical product features thinner
How we chose
We compared platforms on entry price, transaction fees, hosting model, sales caps and the limits reviewers cite most often. Sources included a 17-platform small-business price table checked in September 2026, a CMS-for-ecommerce comparison, and a ten-tool ecommerce software guide. Prices are US list prices and change often, so confirm on the vendor's page before committing. We did not claim hands-on testing.
What to check before you sign
Start with the store model: Ecwid embeds into an existing site, while Shopify, BigCommerce, Squarespace and Wix build the site itself, and WooCommerce extends WordPress. If your site already exists and the store is the add-on, Ecwid's widget model is the path of least resistance; if you need a brand home from scratch, a full platform serves you better.
Next, model total cost including transaction fees, apps and payment processing, not just the subscription. Shopify's 2 percent third-party fee, BigCommerce's sales-threshold auto-upgrades, Squarespace's Basic fee and Square's higher card rate all change the real cost at your volume. Run your actual monthly sales through each fee structure before choosing.
Finally, check the sales caps and upgrade triggers. Ecwid Starter caps at 10 products, BigCommerce Core at $30,000 in yearly sales, Sellfy Starter at $10,000, and Volusion at $50,000 with 100 products. A cap that fits today may force an upgrade next quarter, so choose a tier with headroom for growth.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Ecwid alternative?
For a full store, Shopify at $29 per month. For WordPress control, WooCommerce free plus hosting. For no transaction fees, BigCommerce. For design, Squarespace. For a free start, Square Online. For digital creators, Sellfy. The right pick depends on whether you need a new site or a store added to an existing one.
Is Ecwid free?
Ecwid offers a limited free plan for tiny catalogs, with Starter at $5 per month on annual billing capped at 10 products, and paid plans from $19 per month in another guide. It charges no platform transaction fee on any plan.
How much does Shopify cost?
Shopify Basic costs $29 per month on annual billing or $39 month to month, with a 2 percent transaction fee if you use a third-party payment gateway instead of Shopify Payments, and 0 percent with Shopify Payments.
Should I use WooCommerce or Shopify?
Use WooCommerce if you already run WordPress, want full control and unlimited customisation, and accept hosting and maintenance work. Use Shopify if you want hosted simplicity, the best checkout and the largest app ecosystem without managing servers.
What are transaction fees in ecommerce?
A platform transaction fee is the platform's own cut, charged on top of normal card processing fees. Shopify charges up to 2 percent with third-party gateways, BigCommerce charges none with embedded providers, and Squarespace charges 2 percent on Basic but 0 percent from Core.
Can I add a store to my existing website without rebuilding it?
Yes, that is Ecwid's core strength: it embeds a store widget into your existing website, blog or social pages. Shift4Shop and Square Online also offer embed options, but Ecwid is built specifically for that job.
Sources we checked (6)
- https://www.Fulfill.com/blog-posts/the-top-ecommerce-platforms-to-use-in-2025
- https://techilu.com/best-cms-for-ecommerce/
- https://toolgrowth.com/best-ecommerce-platforms-for-small-business-2026/
- https://rankite.com/blog/best-ecommerce-software
- https://www.eesel.ai/blog/woocommerce-alternatives
- https://www.alidrop.co/blogs/best-ecommerce-website-builders
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.