Choosing the right ecommerce software for your small business can determine whether your store gets a boost in sales and popularity — or it falls stagnant. In the online world, growing your digital sales footprint is as crucial as it is overwhelming. It’s difficult finding an ecommerce software that has all the tools to provide an attractive storefront, various payment gateways, seamless integrations, and secure transactions. Fortunately, there are many options to pick from.
To help narrow down the right choice for you, we’ve created a list of the top 8 best small business ecommerce software.
Top 8 Best Small Business eCommerce Software
- Shopify – Best Small Business eCommerce Software Overall
- Wix – Best Transaction-Free Small Business eCommerce Software
- Weebly – Best Small Business eCommerce Software for Beginners
- Squarespace – Best eCommerce Software for Very Small Businesses
- Zoho Commerce – Best Small Business eCommerce Software for Integrations
- Hello Retail – Best Small Business eCommerce Software for AI-Based Personalization
- Square Online – Best Small Business eCommerce Software for Free
- Ecwid – Best Small Business eCommerce Software for Existing Websites
1. Shopify – Best Small Business eCommerce Software Overall
PRICING: $29/month
There’s a reason Shopify is the biggest ecommerce platform around the world. If you’re looking for software that’s easy to use and rich with versatile features, Shopify’s drag-and-drop store builder, 100+ custom themes, automated marketing, and integrations with thousands of other platforms make it the perfect choice for you. It offers all the tools you’ll need to help your small business expand across the globe and increase its success. Plus, you’ll receive a free SSL certificate and fraud analysis tools to maximize security. If you’re just starting out and need some extra help, Shopify also provides tons of educational guides and even a business name generator.
KEY FEATURES:
- Discount codes
- Manual order creation
- Fraud analysis
- Universal POS
REASONS TO BUY:
- 14-day free trial
- Unlimited product inventory
- Large range of plugins and themes available
- Allows selling on many online platforms
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Ecommerce automation only available on Advanced plan
- Fees quickly add up
- Limited blogging platform
2. Wix – Best Transaction-Free Small Business eCommerce Software
PRICING: $27/month
Wix is one of the best options for you if you’re looking to pay zero transaction fees from third-party payment gateways without compromising your shop’s performance. For beginners just starting to build their store, Wix’s easy drag-and-drop builder helps you get set up in just minutes. You’ll also be able to boost your shop’s professionalism with a custom domain and removed Wix ads.
KEY FEATURES:
- Custom domain
- Ad vouchers
- Abandoned cart recovery
REASONS TO BUY:
- No Wix ads
- Unlimited product inventory
- Allows selling on social media platforms
- 14-day free trial
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Not open-source
- Limited ecommerce capabilities
3. Weebly – Best Small Business eCommerce Software for Beginners
PRICING: $6/month on a yearly plan
For beginners, Weebly makes it easy to set up shop by providing step-by-step guidance on how to build and launch your ecommerce store. Utilize its attractive templates and powerful tools to simplify your shipping and payment systems, and then boost your business’s growth with its advanced integrated marketing tools.
KEY FEATURES:
- Automated email campaigns
- Optimized mobile apps
- Blogging tools
REASONS TO BUY:
- Allows you to connect a custom domain
- Free version available
- Great for beginners
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Might be too basic for some businesses
- Design options are limited
4. Squarespace – Best eCommerce Software for Very Small Businesses
PRICING: $23/month on a yearly plan
Squarespace is a top contender on this list because of its affordable pricing and vast list of available features, themes, plugins, and more. It’s a great choice for particularly small businesses because it offers many of the same functionalities as premium ecommerce software without the high cost. Squarespace allows you to sell across multiple social channels, utilize Afterpay to increase sales, and use the POS system on its mobile app to make in-person sales. Its express checkout mode also lets customers bypass the shopping cart for single-product stores.
KEY FEATURES:
- Product image zoom
- Limited availability labels
- Flexible product variants
REASONS TO BUY:
- 14-day free trial without a credit card
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Mobile-optimized interface
REASONS TO AVOID:
- High transaction fees
- Mobile POS only available on iOS app
5. Zoho Commerce – Best Small Business eCommerce Software for Integrations
PRICING: $22/month on a yearly plan
Integrations are essential to running an efficient ecommerce store and increasing how conveniently customers access your business. If you’re looking for an ecommerce software that supports a wide range of integrations, Zoho Commerce integrates with many shipping carriers, payment gateways, marketing and analytic tools, CRMs, and more. Enjoy the benefits of a large integration ecosystem without compromising all the tools you need to build your website, take orders, manage inventory and shipping, and market your business, among other features.
KEY FEATURES:
- Smart recommendations
- Batch and serial tracking
- Ecommerce sales tax
REASONS TO BUY:
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Free hosting with SSL
- Tons of integration options
- Allows shopping in multiple currencies
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Starter plan limited to basic coupons
6. Hello Retail – Best Small Business eCommerce Software for AI-Based Personalization
PRICING: €150/month
Despite being a lesser-known ecommerce software, Hello Retail doesn’t hold back on its own unique features. Its AI-based personalized software aims to convert more customers and increase client loyalty by delivering an engaging experience from start to finish. Choose from its three price suites depending on the tools you need, whether it’s advanced customer segments, intelligent search and recommendations for your products, or personalized email experiences to increase your brand value. While it is more expensive than most competitors, the robust AI intelligence makes it a choice worth considering.
KEY FEATURES:
- Intelligent recommendations
- Personalized search
- Triggered emails
REASONS TO BUY:
- Free plan available
- Excellent AI-based software
- Attractive user interface
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Expensive
7. Square Online – Best Small Business eCommerce Software for Free
PRICING: Free
If you’re looking to build a high-quality ecommerce shop for free, one of your best choices is Square Online. This robust software has a generous free plan that allows various order and fulfillment options, payment gateways, and integration tools. Create coupons and lead-capture forms, manage multiple Square Online sites, and add custom embed code at no cost to you. Unfortunately, the free plan does limit you to 500MB of storage and bandwidth, and you’ll have to upgrade to a higher-priced plan if you want to accept payments via Paypal. You also won’t benefit from site or ecommerce analytics while on the free plan.
KEY FEATURES:
- Lead-capture forms
- Time-based categories
- Age confirmation
- Unlimited items
REASONS TO BUY:
- Affordable pricing for higher tiers
- Allows selling on social media platforms
- Excellent integration options
- Allows accepting donations
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Transaction fee is applied per sale
- Free plan limited to 500MB of bandwidth and storage
- No product reviews on free plan
8. Ecwid – Best Small Business eCommerce Software for Existing Websites
PRICING: $12.50/month on a yearly plan
While it isn’t a standalone option and doesn’t let you build your storefront within their software, Ecwid is the perfect platform for small businesses that already have a website but need some help expanding their selling range. With its cloud-based platform, you can easily sell your products on any online channel and integrate them with your website, social accounts, and business pages. These selling sources will then be consolidated into Ecwid’s intuitive software. The best part is that there are no transaction fees, so every sale you make is 100% yours.
KEY FEATURES:
- Automated tax calculations
- Access to app market
- Live chat support
REASONS TO BUY:
- Offers advanced SEO tools
- Allows discount coupons
- No transaction fees
- Free plan available
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Free plan limited to 10 products
- Doesn’t offer its own ecommerce storefront
References and Links
- https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/small-business/e-commerce/
- https://www.capterra.com/small-business-ecommerce-software/
- https://ecommerce-platforms.com/ecommerce-resources/best-ecommerce-platform-for-small-business
- https://www.fundera.com/blog/ecommerce-platforms
- https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-e-commerce-software
- https://www.shopify.com/
- https://www.wix.com/
- https://www.weebly.com/
- https://www.squarespace.com/
- https://www.zoho.com/commerce/
- https://helloretail.com/
- https://squareup.com/us/en/online-store
- https://www.ecwid.com/