So you’re looking to launch an online store but not sure which eCommerce platform is best for the job. When picking the best cheap eCommerce platforms that suit your business needs, it is important to consider a few factors that can make or break your experience as an online retailer.
Such factors include the investment and key features available to both you and your customer base. Keep in mind, what might work successfully for one brand may not perform as sharply for your online business.
When the eCommerce industry was first introduced, the cost to launch and run an online store would cost thousands of dollars, discouraging many business owners from taking their storefront to the market.
Fortunately, today there is now a considerable amount of innovative eCommerce platforms that not only provide impressive features to help build, manage, and market an online store but at an affordable price that can work with almost any budget.
This article provides a comprehensive comparison of the best and cheapest eCommerce platforms available at your fingertips. There might not be such a thing as an entirely free eCommerce solution. These reputable platforms are top in their industry for a reason.
They provide exceptional service and fluid online experiences that make every penny worth the investment in your business.
We have laid out the benefits and unique features of each platform to help you make an informed decision based on the needs of your online business. Here is a list of the industry’s best and cheapest eCommerce platforms:
The 9 Best Cheap eCommerce Platforms 2021
- Squarespace – Best for design templates and CSS editing
- Shopify – Best for beginners
- WooCommerce – Best for WordPress websites
- Weebly – Best for small businesses
- Wix – Best for template designs
- BigCommerce – Best for medium to large-sized eCommerce businesses
- Shift4Shop – Best for businesses in the U.S.
- Big Cartel – Best for creative entrepreneurs
- Volusion – Best for all-in-one feature
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1. Squarespace – Best for design templates and CSS editing
Recognized throughout the world, Squarespace is a trailblazer in the eCommerce industry. Squarespace is equipped with award-winning web design templates with CSS editing capabilities. This platform is easy to navigate and reaches stellar performance levels.
Squarespace delivers an all-in-one experience with the necessary tools and resources to help make your online store unique and stand out from the competition in your field.
Squarespace is highly customizable, cross-browser compatible, as well as mobile-friendly optimization. Users have the ability to launch product catalogs that entice and convert leads into long-lasting customers.
The platform offers several key features, including detailed website analytics, free custom domains, and an intuitive interface with high-performance functionality, to name a few.
Not only is Squarespace a robust platform, but it also offers affordable payment plans starting as low as $12/month with the Personal plan.
By purchasing a year upfront, you receive savings of up to 30%. Additional payment plans include the Business, Basic Commerce, and Advanced Commerce, with each offering extra services that can help take any online business to the next level.
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2. Shopify – Best for beginners
Made to support any size business, Shopify renders a fully hosted drag-and-drop interface that is easy to navigate, making it perfect for beginners just entering the world of eCommerce.
Shopify’s goal is to help users launch an excellent-looking storefront with an extensive selection of stunning web design templates. The platform also offers plenty of plugin features and add-ons to fully optimize your online business and increase the chance of a higher conversion rate.
Suppose you’re looking for a platform with as little website development as possible. In that case, Shopify is an excellent place to start considering there is no programming experience required to run a Shopify store.
Shopify makes it easy for users to make updates to the store and back-end functionalities that help you run your business effortlessly with its drag-and-drop interface.
Additionally, Shopify is packed with powerful SEO tools, marketing resources, blog integration features, and over 73 mobile-friendly templates to choose from.
Unlike many eCommerce sites, Shopify extends a 14-day free trial for new users to test out the interface and make the transition into eCommerce as smooth as possible.
Shopify offers three payment options starting with their Basic Plan at $29/month. Considering the impressive key features and functionality behind this platform, the price is competitive and promising.
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3. WooCommerce – Best for WordPress websites
WooCommerce is an external free plugin that is built to integrate directly with WordPress. So if you already have a site hosted on WordPress, installing WooCommerce is quite simple and can be done like any other plugin.
Today, WooCommerce is considered to be one of the industry’s most popular eCommerce platforms. The only catch is you have to have a website hosted elsewhere, preferably WordPress, since WooCommerce does not provide hosting services. Additional hosts that industry experts recommend are Bluehost and SiteGround.
It is straightforward to get started using WooCommerce and allows you to create an online store in no time with little to no eCommerce experience. WooCommerce does not charge users any transaction fees, which can sometimes be uncommon in the industry.
A few features include, but are not limited to, enhanced customization, inventory management, marketing integration sales channels, hundreds of extensions, and more.
This open-source eCommerce software is free to use. However, keep in mind the additional costs that accrue, considering you will have to invest in a domain name, hosting service, and any other plugins and extensions to help maintain the success of your online store.
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4. Weebly – Best for small businesses
Weebly is one of the lesser-known eCommerce platforms but a leading eCommerce solution among small businesses.
With Weebly, you can sell any kind of product in your store, whether physical or digital goods. The platform uses a drag-and-drop interface with roughly 100 different template designs to choose from and edit to make it your own.
If you’re looking for a simple eCommerce solution with minimal marketing tools, Weebly is a good choice to consider. However, it’s not a platform that is meant for scalability. Meaning, as your business grows, there may come the point where you have to consider upgrading to a more robust eCommerce platform.
With that said, if you’re looking to grow in the long-term, it’s probably best to start with one of the other platforms such as Squarespace or Shopify.
Weebly is exceptional for those looking to launch a quick campaign or host a simple storefront with few products and not much focus on marketing.
Similar to Shopify, Weebly offers a free trial period so users can test out the platform before fully committing. Four different payment tiers start with the Basic plan, which is entirely free but offers only Free SSL security and 3rd party embed code.
If you’re looking for more features to help launch a well-rounded site, consider the Personal, Professional, or Performance plans.
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5. Wix – Best for template designs
Hands-down one of the best eCommerce platforms out there, Wix is known for helping small businesses make a lasting impact. This cheap eCommerce website builder supplies over 500 sophisticated scroll-stopping template designs compatible with all browsers and devices.
Impressive key features include robust SEO tools, versatility, drag-and-drop simplicity, and unlimited bandwidth. Wix covers everything needed to launch and grow an eCommerce business.
Included are several additional features such as blog integration, email marketing, fantastic customer support, and all available at a price that suits any budget.
Wix plans include four different tiers starting with their Combo plan at $14/month, but we recommend to opt-in for the Pro plan at $23/month to get the best value truly.
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6. BigCommerce – Best for medium to large-sized eCommerce businesses
If you have a medium to large-sized eCommerce business, BigCommerce could be a great website builder for you. Suitable for any niche, this powerful platform supports thousands of online stores across the globe.
BigCommerce prepares online storefronts with multiple payment methods, custom shipping, and fulfillment solutions, as well as social media integration.
This all-in-one eCommerce platform also offers a free trial to help get you started on setting up your shop. A bonus is there is no credit card required to subscribe for the free trial making it a stress-free and affordable experience.
If you like what you see and are ready to invest in your online business, get started with one of their three payment plans beginning with their Standard plan at $29.95/month.
While BigCommerce is a bit more expensive than the other platforms on this list, it certainly is one of the best and cheapest eCommerce platforms out there.
Depending on the needs of your business, carefully consider the key features that come with each tier, including assets such as analytics, payment processing, SEO performance, multichannel sales, and more.
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7. Shift4Shop – Best for businesses in the U.S.
Formerly known as 3dcart, Shift4Shop is an eCommerce solution that has been around since 1997. If your business resides solely in the United States and in need of an excellent and easy-to-use eCommerce platform, Shift4Shop is a great place to start.
They offer a unique pricing structure that differs from the USA and for online businesses from another country. The free plan is only available for US customers only at this time, but the only catch is sellers must strictly use Shift4 Payments to process transactions.
Shift4Shop is a trusted eCommerce platform utilized by many top brands such as The UPS Store, Hickory Farms, among many others. The platform is built with all necessary features at no extra cost, so there is no worry or need for external applications.
Some of these assets include AI-driven fraud protection, product and order management, and loyalty rewards. Its built-in search engine optimization tools help aid in marketing tactics and social media and email marketing integration.
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8. Big Cartel – Best for creative entrepreneurs
Artists designed this creative eCommerce platform for artists, focusing on helping creative entrepreneurs launch their online shop, whether it be fit for fashion, beauty, photography, jewelry, or custom artworks.
Big Cartel has a powerful interface that helps small businesses scale with confidence. One of the biggest perks of using this platform is their free plan does not have any transaction fees from Big Cartel. With the free plan, you can have only up to 5 products available in your store.
By upgrading to one of their paid plans starting at $9.99/month, there are plenty of additional perks such as custom domains, inventory tracking, at least 50 product slots, and google analytics, to name a few.
Big Cartel offers four plans, including their free Gold plan. Pricing starts at $9.99/month with their Platinum up to their Titanium tier at $29.99/month. These prices make Big Cartel one of the most well-rounded and cheapest eCommerce solutions for online businesses with a creative niche.
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9. Volusion – Best for all-in-one features
Volusion is an industry favorite and all-in-one platform in the eCommerce industry. It possesses an innovative drag-and-drop interface that helps make website building seamless and efficient. Volusion provides the vital tools and resources needed to launch an online business quickly.
Its mobile-friendly web pages share great customization qualities to help make your website as true to your brand as possible. Volusion is perfect for those just starting in the industry and who want to cover just the basics for now.
Essentially, Volusion is an excellent starting point, but if you’re looking to expand, it might be best to consider one of the other platforms available. Some enticing features include detailed Google Analytics, unlimited storage, and products, a variety of free template designs, no transaction fees, and built-in SEO tools.
Volusion also offers new users a 14-day free trial to help test out the software to see if it is a good fit. Starting at just $29/month, you can have an online store up and running in no time.
Their starting plan includes 100 product listings, unlimited capacity, and practical website editing tools.
Additionally, its overall responsive design and affordability enable small businesses to start a new business or migrate an existing one with ease and equipped with the bells and whistles that come along with running an online business.
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Making the big decision
We covered the industry’s best and cheapest eCommerce platforms that can help any online business flourish. So, which is the best affordable eCommerce platform for your business? It really all depends on what your needs are. If you want to start small, consider Big Cartel, Squarespace, or Wix.
If you have an existing online store but are seeking a better eCommerce alternative, consider WooCommerce, Big Commerce, and Shopify. Each of these platforms can help online storefronts of any size get recognized and operate effortlessly.