About 19; min
You need to sell products online. Shopify charges $39/month. Squarespace charges $23/month. WooCommerce is technically free. BigCommerce claims zero transaction fees. We compared 7 e-commerce platforms on what actually matters for small businesses: total cost, ease of setup, transaction fees, and the point where each one starts holding you back.
All pricing verified March 2026 from official websites.
Best E-Commerce Platforms, Ranked
| # | Platform | Starting price | Transaction fee | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shopify | $39/mo | 0% (Shopify Payments) | Best overall for most businesses |
| 2 | WooCommerce | Free (+ hosting) | Payment gateway fees only | Full control, WordPress users |
| 3 | Squarespace | $23/mo (Core) | 0% (Core+) | Design-focused brands |
| 4 | BigCommerce | $29/mo | 0% (all plans) | Growing stores, multi-channel |
| 5 | Wix | $29/mo | 0% | Simple stores, beginners |
| 6 | Ecwid | Free (5 products) | Payment gateway fees only | Adding a store to existing site |
| 7 | Square Online | Free | 2.9% + 30¢ | Brick-and-mortar going online |
1. Shopify — Best Overall
Shopify powers 4.8 million stores. There’s a reason it dominates: it works. Set up a store in an afternoon, start selling by evening, and scale to millions in revenue without switching platforms.
Pricing:
- Basic: $39/mo (2.9% + 30¢ card rate)
- Shopify: $105/mo (2.6% + 30¢)
- Advanced: $399/mo (2.4% + 30¢)
- Plus: $2,300/mo (enterprise)
Why it wins:
- Shopify Payments eliminates third-party transaction fees. Use any other payment gateway and Shopify charges 2% on top. Use their gateway? 0% extra.
- 9,000+ apps in the ecosystem. Subscriptions, dropshipping, print-on-demand, reviews, loyalty — there’s an app for everything.
- Built-in POS for physical retail. Same inventory, same customers, online and offline.
- Checkout converts. Shopify’s checkout has been optimized across billions of transactions. Conversion rates are measurably higher than most competitors.
The catch: $39/month is the sticker price. Add a premium theme ($180-350 once), 2-3 paid apps ($30-100/month), and transaction processing — your real monthly cost is $80-150. And Shopify charges 2% extra if you don’t use Shopify Payments, effectively locking you into their payment system.
$100-150/month (not the $39 they advertise)
Basic plan: $39/mo
2-3 paid apps (reviews, email, upsells): $40-80/mo
Premium theme: ~$15/mo amortized
Payment processing (2.9% + 30¢ on $10K): $320/mo
Total: ~$430/mo including processing on $10K revenue
2. WooCommerce — Best for Full Control
WooCommerce is a free WordPress plugin. The software costs $0. Everything else costs money.
Pricing:
- Plugin: Free
- Hosting: $10-50/month (shared to managed)
- Domain: $10-15/year
- SSL: Free (Let’s Encrypt) or $50-100/year
- Extensions: $0-300+ depending on needs
Why it wins: Total ownership. No platform takes a cut. No monthly subscription to the platform itself. Choose any payment gateway. Customize anything — themes, checkout flow, functionality. If you’re a developer or have one on staff, WooCommerce is the most flexible option.
The catch: You’re the IT department. Hosting, security updates, plugin conflicts, backups, speed optimization — it’s all on you. A WooCommerce store that runs smoothly requires ongoing maintenance. Shopify handles all of that for $39/month.
True cost comparison: A WooCommerce store on managed hosting ($30/mo) with a few paid extensions ($50/mo) and Stripe processing costs roughly the same as Shopify Basic. You’re not saving money — you’re trading money for control.
3. Squarespace — Best for Design-First Brands
Pricing:
- Basic: $16/mo (no e-commerce)
- Core: $23/mo (full e-commerce, 0% transaction fee)
- Plus: $35/mo (subscriptions, abandoned cart)
- Advanced: $52/mo (advanced shipping, lower card rates)
Why it wins: The templates are stunning. If your brand is visual — fashion, art, food, photography — Squarespace makes you look professional without hiring a designer. Core at $23/month is the cheapest all-in-one e-commerce solution with no transaction fees.
The catch: Limited app ecosystem compared to Shopify. Fewer payment options. Less flexible for complex stores (variants, large catalogs, multi-currency). Squarespace is perfect for selling 10-500 products. At 5,000+ products, you’ll feel the limitations.
4. BigCommerce — Best for Growing Stores
Pricing: Standard $29/mo, Plus $79/mo, Pro $299/mo, Enterprise (custom).
Why it wins: Zero transaction fees on all plans — no matter what payment gateway you use. Shopify charges 2% for third-party gateways. BigCommerce charges 0%. For stores processing $50K+/month through non-Shopify gateways, this saves thousands annually.
Built-in features that Shopify charges extra for: product reviews, real-time shipping quotes, multi-currency, unlimited staff accounts.
The catch: Revenue caps on plans. Standard limits you to $50K/year in online sales. Plus caps at $180K. Hit the cap and you’re forced to upgrade. Shopify has no revenue caps on any plan.
5. Wix — Best for Simple Stores
Pricing: Core $29/mo, Business $36/mo, Business Elite $159/mo.
Why it wins: AI site builder generates a store from a text description. Drag-and-drop editor is the easiest in the market. For someone who wants to sell a few dozen products without learning e-commerce, Wix is the gentlest path.
The catch: Once built, templates can’t be switched without rebuilding. The app ecosystem is decent but not as deep as Shopify’s. Performance can lag with large product catalogs. Wix is great for small stores. It struggles at scale.
6. Ecwid — Best for Adding a Store to Any Website
Pricing: Free (5 products), Venture $19/mo, Business $39/mo, Unlimited $99/mo.
Ecwid isn’t a website builder. It’s a widget you embed in any existing site — WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, a custom HTML page. Already have a website and just want to add a shop? Ecwid drops in with a few lines of code.
7. Square Online — Best for Physical Stores Going Online
Pricing: Free (2.9% + 30¢ per transaction), Plus $29/mo, Premium $79/mo.
If you already use Square POS in a physical store, Square Online syncs inventory and orders automatically. Free plan includes unlimited products with no monthly fee — you only pay per transaction. The simplest path from “I have a store” to “I also sell online.”
Cost Comparison: First Year
| Platform (entry e-commerce plan) | Year 1 cost | Transaction fee |
|---|---|---|
| Square Online (Free) | $0 + processing | 2.9% + 30¢ |
| WooCommerce | ~$360 (hosting + domain) | Gateway fees only |
| Squarespace Core | $276 | 0% + card processing |
| BigCommerce Standard | $348 | 0% + card processing |
| Wix Core | $348 | 0% + card processing |
| Shopify Basic | $468 | 0% (Shopify Payments) |
Squarespace is the cheapest full-featured option at $276/year. But cheapest doesn’t mean best. Shopify at $468/year has a larger ecosystem, better checkout conversion, and scales further. The $192/year difference is worth it for most businesses that plan to grow.
Who Should Pick What
Most small businesses: Shopify Basic ($39/mo). Best ecosystem, highest checkout conversion, scales to millions. The default choice for a reason.
Budget-first, under 100 products: Squarespace Core ($23/mo). Beautiful templates, no transaction fees, $16/month cheaper than Shopify.
WordPress user / need full control: WooCommerce (free + hosting). Own everything, customize everything, maintain everything.
High-volume, multiple payment gateways: BigCommerce. Zero transaction fees on all plans regardless of gateway — saves thousands at scale.
Non-technical, selling a few items: Wix ($29/mo). AI builder gets you selling in minutes. Don’t overthink it.
Already have a website: Ecwid. Embed a store without rebuilding your site.
Physical store going online: Square Online (free). Syncs with Square POS. Pay nothing until you sell something.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shopify worth $39/month for a small store?
If you sell more than $500/month, yes. Below that, Squarespace Core ($23/mo) or Square Online (free) make more sense. Shopify’s value increases with volume — the ecosystem, apps, and checkout optimization pay for themselves as you grow.
Can WooCommerce really be free?
The plugin is free. But you need hosting ($10-50/mo), a domain ($10-15/yr), and likely paid extensions ($0-300+). “Free” WooCommerce typically costs $15-80/month. It’s not cheaper than Shopify — it’s differently priced.
Which platform has the best SEO?
WooCommerce (full WordPress SEO flexibility) and Shopify (clean URLs, fast loading, structured data) lead. Squarespace and Wix have improved but still offer less SEO control than WordPress or Shopify.
Can I switch platforms later?
Yes, but it’s painful. Products migrate via CSV. Customer accounts, order history, and SEO rankings don’t transfer cleanly. Pick the right platform first — switching costs weeks of work and temporary traffic loss.
All pricing verified March 2026 from official websites. Card processing fees apply on all platforms.
