Simple, artist-friendly e-commerce platform designed for makers, artists, and small boutiques. Allows selling a limited number of products (free plan up to 5 products) with easy setup. Focuses on simplicity and creative community, not as feature-heavy as others but very easy to use.
A powerful e-commerce system for more advanced needs. Magento Open Source is free (self-hosted) and highly customizable, while Adobe Commerce (paid) provides cloud hosting and support. It offers rich features (multi-store, complex product options) and scalability for growing businesses – though it requires technical expertise to set up and maintain.
Another popular open-source shopping cart. Particularly strong in Europe, PrestaShop allows extensive customization and has a wide range of modules. Good for SMBs that need flexibility and own hosting. Offers a hosted option (PrestaShop Edition) for easier start.
Long-standing SaaS e-commerce solution focused on small businesses. Provides store templates, inventory management, and marketing tools. Volusion has no transaction fees and offers straightforward pricing, but has lost ground in recent years to Shopify/BigCommerce. Still a viable option for basic online stores.
Part of GoDaddy’s website builder, tailored for quick web store setup. great for very small businesses or brick-and-mortar stores going online. Offers integration with GoDaddy’s domain and hosting, and a unified dashboard to manage orders, inventory, and even sync with marketplaces like Amazon/eBay.
E-commerce platform by Lightspeed (known for POS systems). Geared towards retailers who want an omnichannel solution – it ties in with Lightspeed’s in-store POS for unified inventory and sales. Good in verticals like retail and restaurant (after acquiring Upserve). Focus on integrated online/offline operations.
A global online marketplace (not a SaaS platform you host, but a service) popular for handmade and vintage goods. Entrepreneurs can open an Etsy shop to reach Etsy’s large customer base. While not a standalone e-commerce site builder, it’s an important online sales channel for craftspeople and small brands.
Amazon’s marketplace platform allows businesses to list and sell products on Amazon’s site. While not traditional SaaS, it’s a crucial online channel for many SMBs. Offers huge customer reach, fulfillment services (FBA), and tools for inventory/pricing. Sellers must comply with Amazon’s rules and fees, but gain access to millions of customers.
WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin that transforms websites into customizable online stores. It offers product management, payment integration, and extensive extensions. Ideal for businesses wanting flexibility and control. Requires hosting, technical setup, and ongoing maintenance, which may challenge beginners.
Squarespace provides an all in one platform for building professional websites with elegant templates, drag and drop tools, and integrated ecommerce. It is user friendly and visually polished. Limited advanced customization and higher pricing may restrict developers and budget conscious users.
Wix eCommerce enables small businesses to create online stores using drag and drop tools, customizable templates, and integrated payment solutions. It is beginner friendly and affordable. Scalability, advanced features, and third party integrations are more limited compared to dedicated ecommerce platforms.
The world’s leading all-in-one e-commerce platform, powering millions of online storesshopify.com. Merchants get a website store builder, secure checkout, product catalog management, payment processing, and a vast app ecosystem. Scales from small shops to large brands, with plans from starter ($5) to advanced stores.
