12 Shopify Alternatives That are Better (Free and Paid) by 2022
Shopify is an e-commerce platform that is used by millions of merchants. There are some drawbacks that can make people turn off on the platform. Many merchants churn due to the cost of a monthly subscription especially when their store isn't profitable yet. Many leave because other costs like app purchases creep up and eat away at profits. And some find the site too complicated, especially for those who are new to the site. So, while Shopify could be a great option for certain types of customers users, it's an excellent suggestion to explore other Shopify alternatives to make sure you've selected the correct ecommerce platform for your needs as an owner of a business. So, let's get closer to some Shopify alternatives.
What is Shopify?
Shopify is an online marketplace that specializes in selling physical items. No matter if you want to dropship or wholesale, you can find Shopify applications that permit the search for products to offer on your website in order to become an online retailer the same day. Shopify has ecommerce options, such as hosting on the web, a no-cost domain under their subdomain as well as over 100 payment gateways, unlimited items, and much other. However, there isn't a free plan with Shopify, just a 14-day no-cost test, which means this venture can cost quite a bit at the beginning.
4 Benefits of Using Shopify Rivalry Instead
1. To find a more affordable alternative
Out of their traditional pricing structures, Shopify's economical plan is their Basic plan that starts at $29/month. But, Shopify also offers a $9/month option, however you won't have your own website; instead, you'll have to market your products through social media, a third-party website, or some other way. Unfortunately, Shopify doesn't offer an affordable plan for merchants who haven't generated revenue. With the cost of themes, a monthly subscription, apps, and marketing, you'll be investing an enormous amount of money starting out, but there is the nil chance of success if you select the best niche or products to sell. However, nobody can build an empire as large like Kylie Cosmetics or Fashion Nova. And so, Shopify alternatives could be an excellent option to those who are looking for a budget-friendly option.
2. For a greater revenue
Another reason people may be interested in Shopify alternatives is that they can earn greater profits in online sales. Apart from the monthly subscription that you pay for, there are monthly charges for apps, as well as transaction charges that are 2.9% + 30 cents on the basic plan. Based on the source of your products, you may have to pay for shipping, product costs, and the app subscription. And that's all before you start marketing your items. With so many fees being taken before making the first couple of dollars, it can make it difficult to maintain your margins. Then, you begin advertising. It has an expense for marketing that is higher over other types of marketing , to generate the sales. But ads don't always convert profitably. The process requires trial and error, product-market ability, and knowledge in running an effective e-commerce store. This can be a huge burden for those who are just trying to make some additional money to supplement their income. You can certainly succeed However, certain e-commerce platforms are too expensive upfront charges, which may cause financial harm to a person.
3. Find a platform that is easier to use
Shopify offers drag-and-drop capabilities that makes it fairly easy for newbies. However, building a website isn't the most challenging aspect of operating an online shop. Selling your product is the hardest part of being the proprietor of an online store. The variety of options a platform provides is an added benefit, but the marketing features have a significant impact. Having a way to connect to the people you want to reach more efficiently and faster is the thing that many ecommerce platforms fail to take into account. But, it's possible to find an ecommerce platform that acts as a marketplace so that buyers come to you instead of you doing all the heavy lifting. For store owners searching to find a reliable marketing platform such as Shopify, the Shopify alternative could be a good fit.
4. To ease your frustrations
To writing numerous product descriptions, to issues with the transfer of information from one platform to next, to a lack of a reliable Content Management System (CMS) and the excessive cost There are a variety of reasons why someone would look for an alternative to Shopify alternative. An ecommerce store is not only a site, it's also a business. The simpler it is to run your business rather than simply creating it, the more likely people are likely to choose the one that is most suitable for them. Shopify offers customer support to all its merchants however for some, that's not enough to make sales.
12 Shopify Alternatives That Are Superior (Free or Paid)
1.
On , you can accept transactions from everywhere. So if you want to market via social media, on your blog or other site, you are able to. The checkout on your site is designed for conversions, so you convert better in your online store. Furthermore, when buyers place orders through you, they'll get immediate download. You can finally end the long waiting times for shipping.
securely hosts your content files They'll be able to download the files once they've arrived on your download page after purchasing. In addition, unlike the major e-commerce platforms you don't have to wait to get paid. Instead, you can earn income through PayPal or Stripe instantly.
2. BigCommerce
Alternatives to Shopify similar to BigCommerce can also be used to build an online store. BigCommerce has a wide range of options, including hosting for websites. But the best advantage BigCommerce is able to offer over Shopify is that there are zero transaction charges for their pricing plans. BigCommerce permits you to create up to 600 variations for every product, whereas Shopify can only allow 100 variations per product. BigCommerce has a more trial time as compared to Shopify to enable you to explore the platform and build your online store. BigCommerce additionally has more extensive drag-and-drop functionality that allows you to design your online store using any element quickly. BigCommmerce also has more than just free themes as well as paid ones than Shopify offers, making it one of those Shopify alternatives to check out.
3. WooCommerce
Shopify alternatives like WooCommerce are perfect for anyone who want to create an online store that has the highest customisation capabilities. If you're looking to build an ecommerce business, WooCommerce is an open-source platform which makes it completely available for free. In addition, WooCommerce can be a WordPress plug-in. So, if you've been thinking of building out your site to include a massive blog on it to increase organic traffic this is the best Shopify alternative to do it. The only thing you'll have to do is pay for your own web hosting however. This means you're free to make your making your own. WooCommerce is one of the biggest Shopify rivals, with more than 3 million customers compared to Shopify's green bags.
4. Etsy
If you're looking for marketing features, Etsy is one of the Shopify alternatives worth a look. Etsy offers an online platform in which people can purchase and sell their products. Although you do not own an online store, customers will discover you by searching through Etsy which makes it a great choice to those who struggle with marketing. It doesn't require a subscription to be paid monthly, but that doesn't mean Etsy has no fees. There are charges for listing that amount to $0.20 per added product along with the 6.5 percent transaction cost. In addition, you'll need to pay payment processing fees according to the payment service. But considering you won't need to pay for expenses for marketing, it's an worth considering a Shopify alternative for companies selling physical items.
5. PinnacleCart
Unlike Shopify, PinnacleCart offers a no-cost plan for those who earn upwards of $250,000. You can add as many as five administrator accounts on this free plan too. This ecommerce platform is stacked with over 400 ecommerce features that allow you to personalize and build your shop to your own specifications. There are no transaction costs for all their plans. Shopify alternatives like this offer an QR code generator, reviews feature, a wish list for customers, as well as gift message when you place an order. You don't have to install an app in order to include these features in your ecommerce store.
6. Wix
Wix is one of the very few Shopify alternatives that include ads in their monthly plan so you can run your online shop and concentrate on what matters: getting the sales. You can run subscription services within the Wix account, which makes it one of the most advanced options that online merchants can incorporate into their websites. The e-commerce company you run can allow you to install as many as 250 items when dropshipping via Modalyst. Beyond sales of products, ecommerce solutions like Wix allow the creation of individual websites, small businesses, and freelance ones as well as selling tickets to occasions. Restaurants frequently use Wix because it allows customers to place orders online for food. Hotel reservations can be made through Wix also. So it goes a bit more than just creating your own online store.
7. PrestaShop
Another Shopify alternative, which uses an open source e-commerce platform is PrestaShop. Since it's an open source and self-hosted platform, it's totally free to use for online stores. However, there are business expenses with running online stores, even when using e-commerce solutions like PrestaShop. However, the platform is user-friendly and allows store customization. You can edit all source files, whereas on Shopify changing the code of your theme could render your business unsuitable for any future upgrade. PrestaShop offers more than 2,000 themes on their website, and Shopify offers less than 100.
8. Elementor
The ecommerce solution Elementor is an alternative to Shopify alternative worth considering. With over 300 professionally designed templates, you'll have the ability to have a stunning web-based business. The Shopify alternative also allows the user to make edits that are responsive which means you can alter your website's appearance from seven devices at once. Additionally, you can live edit your website for quick fixes. With auto-save, you won't need to update your website manually as you make changes to it. In addition, as opposed to Shopify it is possible to build multiple pages, such as landing pages, pop-up templates block templates, about us pages, and much more using distinct designs.
9. Square
Alternatives to Shopify when it comes to point-of sale systems are none other than Square. It is popular with local restaurants, brick-and-mortar businesses and small retailers. If you use the Square application for transactions, it's completely free. The only cost is 2.65 per card tap. Unlike Shopify, you can also get a cash register installed in the physical location for your store's cashiers to punch into orders. Businesses that generate over $250,000 in annual revenue can get discounts on managing their POS solution through Square.
10. Squarespace
Shopify alternatives like Squarespace let you do more with your online store. Squarespace has better blogging capabilities as compared to Shopify in order to incorporate blogs into their ecommerce store. Additionally, you can find numerous free templates available on Squarespace in comparison to Shopify which gives you more choice for a theme. The Shopify option also lets users to create more variations per product, up to 250, versus Shopify's 100. Additionally, you can get your domain name for no cost when you purchase an annual subscription of a Squarespace plan.
11. Poshmark
Poshmark is an ecommerce platform which allows you to sell to its customer base. If you're in search of Shopify alternatives, with their marketplace, Poshmark is a great alternative, especially for brands that sell products in the fashion or beauty. Online stores or brick-and-mortar retailers that have excess inventory may use Poshmark to sell their products at more affordable prices. Poshmark also has Posh Stories, where you are able to promote your products using videos and images via their application. While you don't have your own store online on Poshmark however, you'll have the ability to interact with the company's user base.
12. WordPress
The Shopify alternative similar to WordPress permit e-commerce capabilities through making use of plug-ins. However, if you're looking to start an online store for example, like one that is an Amazon affiliate website, WordPress could be a good choice. The best CMS you'll find online is WordPress. A lot of people utilize WordPress to create websites even though they may not be specialized in the e-commerce aspect, there are many methods to do this. As an example that there are more WordPress themes than any other platform for e-commerce, since it's the largest. It's because this Shopify alternative is free and lets you customize your site to suit your needs to create a unique online store. While Shopify has more than 1,000,000 customers, WordPress manages over 455 million websites.
FAQ
Are there any free alternatives to Shopify?
Yes! is a no-cost alternative to Shopify. Sign up to's Free Forever plan. It's a free option, and there is only a five% transaction fee when you generate a sale. On the Free Forever plan you'll be able to use the full range of features available, allowing you to build your store online in the manner you want.
Which are the Shopify's biggest competitors?
The main rivals of Shopify are digital goods, Square for point-of-sale solutions, Etsy for marketplace sellers as well as BigCommerce and WooCommerce for physical goods.
Is Shopify really worth the cost?
It depends. Shopify can be a great e-commerce option for some however, beginners may encounter the costs too high when the beginning of a business with Shopify. For example, alternatives like offer a no-cost plan that includes one month that comes with all the tools needed to build your online store.