An eCommerce platform helps businesses handle all aspects of online product and service sales. By integrating an API into your chosen eCommerce platform, you are adding an extra level of security and additional features that will streamline interacting with your customer base. If you are interested in learning more about APIs, keep reading for a handy list of the best eCommerce platforms for API.

What is API?

Application Programming Interface (API) is a software mediator that enables two external applications to communicate. For example, when you are using your mobile device to check your email, open Instagram, or send a message, you are using an API. When that application is opened, it then connects and sends data to an online server.

That server then interprets the data, executes the steps internally, and transmits it back to your mobile device. In turn, the application understands the data and showcases the information you had requested visually.

Nowadays, implementing APIs has become an integral part of several businesses’ revenue streams. The latest API technology has adopted specific qualities that make them a vital element of running a business online. From enticing marketing features to powerful search engine optimization tools, multi-channel features, and more, there is something for any business. We put together a list of the industry’s best eCommerce APIs.

The 13 Best eCommerce APIs

Let’s take a closer look at these top eCommerce platforms for API.

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amazon

1. Amazon – Best overall

Amazon is a formidable force to be reckoned with, servicing over 310 million customers every month. The Amazon API allows SaaS app developers to retrieve reviews, product details, seller profiles, vendor feedback, and various other product and customer-related data.

The Amazon API is a traditional software and requires prior experience in using APIs. Working with goods, shipments, and other data requires using a CSV or XML format. You can get information on customer items based on their ASIN codes on Amazon and queue up to 15,000 requests using the Collections API. Overall, Amazon’s API is a robust eCommerce solution. A few additional features include:

  • Increase in sales
  • International expansions
  • Low marketing costs
  • Free

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shopify

2. Shopify – Best for ease of use

Shopify has accumulated over one million active users from across the world. Its API software also supports JSON and XML. The eCommerce platform operates with various methods, including Category, Customer, Order, Product, and so on.

The disadvantage of Shopify’s API is that it is often modified, so you will have to remember to check to be sure you’re working on the latest version. Shopify, paired with a powerful API, will only enable you to form a stronger relationship with your online store.

The API will ensure the store is updated and provide unique features such as traffic and conversion integration, multiple payment gateways, one-click purchases, all of which are valuable tools in interacting with your customers. A few additional features include:

  • Easy to use
  • Excellent customer service
  • User-friendly
  • Innovative dashboard
  • Free

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ebay

3. eBay – Best for SaaS developers

eBay is the second-largest marketplace after Amazon, with over 170 million monthly users. Its API provides SaaS developers access to various features and functionality that are popular with purchasing, searching, selling, and more.

The eBay API is quite simple to navigate and easy to understand. It is not a uniform platform for starters, meaning that different resources have different data formats. There are some minor bugs and defects in the Sandbox. Since most of these failures are unspecific, the builders must often contact eBay professionals to fix a dispute. Some additional features include:

  • Business development environment
  • Excellent SEO advantage
  • Listing with a fixed price
  • Listing with an auction
  • Lower fees

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woocommerce

4. WooCommerce – Best for security

WooCommerce is among the most popular eCommerce sites on the market, with over 2.4 million active users. Since it uses the REST framework, its API is more secure than other APIs. Developers can use the WooCommerce REST API to introduce additional products quickly, retrieve product details, reserve inventory, filter orders, and conduct various other tasks.

However, it is essential to note that few developers can find many API variants, complex PHP plugins, and the scarcity of local guides to be overwhelming. The add-on supports over 100 generate data, enabling users to prioritize their preferred form of payment while subscribing to every target market.

WooCommerce allows site owners or admins to add feedback for SEO purposes, and the packages have no recurring fees, so it is an inexpensive solution. A few additional features include:

  • Compatible with WordPress, Amazon, Magento, and Shopify
  • Easy switch between subscription plans
  • Users can purchase several subscriptions with different billing periods

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magento

5. Magento – Best for smaller businesses

Magento is a popular shopping cart platform that over 250,000 retailers worldwide use. Magento API gives developers access to various tools, including products, requests, customers, and types. Magento embraces both JSON and XML and uses the POST, PUT, GET and DELETE HTTP processes. Magento also has a SOAP API, a more advanced version that uses the XML-RPC server.

This platform is best for smaller businesses with a proven market and the expertise to create their own website. The framework is robust, with a library of over 5,000 plugins, but it takes more resources to build than its counterparts. A few additional features include:

  • Ability to add items, set rates, and create premium services, as well as automation
  • Features an android interface, enabling users to access items on mobile devices, which come in a range of screen formats
  • A growing community of developers working on expanding the features of the software

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bigcommerce

6. BigCommerce – Best for scalability opportunities

About 150,000 merchants use BigCommerce to sell their goods and enter new markets from all over the world. This platform, headquartered in Austin, TX, provides incredible scalability opportunities and a slew of unique features to any business looking to take its operations to the next level.

The BigCommerce API offers several SDKs that enable developers to extend the functionality of their applications. It uses the REST API, which supports all CRUD methods and is encoded in UTF-8. A few extra features include:

  • Highly scalable and adaptable
  • Multi-channel marketing
  • Exceptional SEO tools that deliver promising results

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squarespace

7. Squarespace – Best for user-friendly interfaces

Squarespace is a New York-based software business that helps consumers create and host websites in addition to eCommerce stores. Customers can build web pages using the drag-and-drop features and pre-built website designs.

Squarespace features over 100 unique templates to build a website and make it your own. Using Squarespace API allows you to build applications that manage the commerce aspect of your online store, including inventory, orders, products, profiles, transactions, and more.

Squarespace is among the most user-friendly interfaces available on the market. No matter what level of experience you have, putting together and modifying your eCommerce platform has never been so easy. Squarespace is best for startups and small businesses looking for simple eCommerce functionality.

The eCommerce platform is helpful, but it can only be used in conjunction with the leading website creator. Business owners with more sophisticated online retail needs or those who manage a significant supply quantity will make a great fit with Squarespace. A few additional features include:

  • Subscription inventory control
  • Outstanding 24/7 customer support
  • Fantastic return on investment
  • Gift subscription services
  • Various web & mobile integration choices

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wix

8. Wix – Best for simplicity and easy to understand

Wix is a cloud-based web platform that embraces the drag-and-drop software capability to enable developers customize their online store. It possesses many models and designs, which create a persuasive and usable website for newcomers and resource-strapped entrepreneurs.

For smaller companies without access to a professional web developer, Wix is the leading eCommerce platform. The site builder is simple to use and understand. It also has the functionality to meet basic requirements. While plugins can help enhance performance, companies with extensive or complex product categories can benefit from a centralized eCommerce platform. A few additional features include:

  • A ton of free, unique themes
  • Simple to use and set up
  • Includes marketing automation

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bigcartel

9. Big Cartel – Best for newcomers

Big Cartel is an artist-run eCommerce site catered to creative individuals. This SaaS site builder creates a world where artists can showcase and sell their artwork, clothes, jewelry, and more. It might be considered an alternative to Etsy, specializing in handmade goods. Big Cartel is a straightforward eCommerce site developer that is convenient to use and handle. Its setup wizard is very helpful, and you can get up and running much faster than with competitors like Shopify.

Big Cartel is well recognized in its field and provides a straightforward process to create the perfect online business. Big Cartel API enables developers extend Big Cartel’s core features to make a unique and well-rounded experience for customers. A few additional features include:

  • Constantly developing as a platform
  • Introducing additional features regularly
  • Simple to use as a newcomer

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salesforce

10. Salesforce Commerce Cloud – Best for large companies with various requirements

Salesforce Commerce Cloud, known initially as Demandware, is an entrepreneurship eCommerce platform with a comprehensive range of attributes and functionality that make it a suitable match for multinational businesses that handle vast amounts of generated revenue in sales. Salesforce Commerce Cloud is one of the best eCommerce platforms ideal for large companies with various requirements.

It is a complex yet powerful platform with enough customizations to handle almost any application software, whether B2B or B2C. Commerce Cloud, as a Salesforce tool, has integrations with just about every other Salesforce service in the market. Salesforce API uses the REST form, which provides a robust and convenient web service that is compatible with the Lightning Platform. A few additional features include:

  • Simple setup
  • Ease of integration and development
  • Optimized for extensive sets of data
  • Detailed analytics available

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volusion

11. Volusion – Best for entrepreneurs and small businesses

Volusion is hands-down one of the largest eCommerce sites on the market, established in 1999. Despite the entry of recent rivals such as Shopify and Wix, Volusion remains successful and reliable with over 30,000 stores that use the platform and have generated over 28 billion in sales.

Volusion is the best eCommerce platform for entrepreneurs and small businesses looking to get up and running fast and efficiently while still having a space to expand inside their proposed solution. Volusion is a platform that has stood the test of time and proven itself as one of the most reliable platforms out there. A few additional features include:

  • Customers can control their own service choices
  • Features that allow you to build your box
  • Flexible recurring billing
  • Mods, plugins, and add-ons can all be integrated

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opencart

12. OpenCart – Best for vendors with numerous independent products

OpenCart is a user-friendly, open-source online marketplace platform. It is perfect for managing over one online store from a single admin account while modifying and localizing each one. This is useful for vendors with many independent products and cross-border sellers.

For companies who want attentive service and support, OpenCart offers a $99 per month service. A few additional features include:

  • Control of shopping charts, email integration, blogging, and localization
  • Over 13,000 plugins and themes to choose
  • Management is easy
  • Quick setup
  • Resourceful community forum

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commerce tools

13. Commerce tools Best for tech companies focused on APIs

As an alternative to a completely custom build, commerce tools offer cloud-native APIs for large enterprise clients. It is a microservice-based solution that could be helpful to developers.

For process management, commerce tools depend on a customer’s existing enterprise BPS infrastructure, which requires extensive developer knowledge.

It works best for technology companies with a solid, agile developer community and a focus on APIs. This direction is exceptionally elastic and at a fraction of the price of constructing a similar approach in-house.

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Summary

Integrating with each of these eCommerce APIs is beneficial for businesses looking to break into fresh territory in their niches and reach a much larger audience. The splendid news would be that you don’t have to spend time and resources manually completing every integration.

By integrating with only a single service, they can now link your API to any of the top eCommerce platform APIs. API2Cart is a single API that enables you to bind your app to the APIs of over 40 systems instantly. You can avoid the time-consuming task of creating a separate link for each shopping platform by using API2Cart, which can be a cost-saving solution.

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