Thinking about starting up a new e-commerce store, but unsure which platform to use?
Or perhaps you already have a store and are considering migrating to leverage more features, but are still trying to figure out what the options are?
This guide will break down 4 of the major e-commerce website builders. We’ll examine their pros and cons, pricing, as well as each platform's features to help you make the right choice for your business.
So grab a coffee and let’s dive in!
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And The Winners Are…
Want to know the answers right away?
Alright, you win! - I’ll break down all the options in more detail in a second, so you can make the best choice. However, if I had to choose the best options for either a solopreneur or a small business (even one that’s expanding rapidly), then I recommend either WooCommerce or Shopify.
Why?
Well, both are incredibly popular with millions of users each, but they also have specific strengths:
- Best for WordPress users - WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin, so it's fairly easy to add directly to a pre-existing WordPress site. If you already have a WordPress blog, then you’ll find WooCommerce incredibly easy to use, and won’t have any issues dealing with cross-platform connections.
- Best for beginners - Shopify. If you have no prior experience in building a site or online store or pre-existing blog, then you can’t go wrong with Shopify. It takes you through every step of the setup and has thousands of dedicated e-commerce plugins to help add in automations and sales systems, so you can remove bottlenecks in your day-to-day work.
- Best for businesses scaling through growth - Shopify can also scale to accommodate huge daily traffic. So if you suddenly run a social media campaign, or send an email to your list sharing a new product, you know it’ll be able to handle the bandwidth.
Both of these are customizable, so if you have tech skills and want to tweak them you can. And because of their large user base it's incredibly easy to find freelance developers who can create custom designs or features if needed.
However, no platform is perfect, so it is important to keep reading and check out the other options, as well as the pros and cons of each below.
Also, all of the POWR plugins that we offer, work with each of the platforms below and can help fill out missing features, so be sure to check them out!
Source: POWR
How can POWR plugins help?
POWR Form Builder, Popup, and Social Feed plugins can add custom forms, interactive galleries, and event booking functionalities, which can offer similar features at a lower cost (or even free) when compared to similar platform-specific apps.
With that out of the way, let’s look at each platform…
1. Shopify
Source: Shopify
If you’ve watched any major US sports event or listened to a podcast, you’ve likely heard of Shopify.
Shopify is a hosted e-commerce platform designed to help businesses of all sizes set up and run an online store. It is known for its ease of use and extensive app ecosystem.
What does hosted mean?
It means that Shopify takes care of the web hosting, meaning you don’t need to purchase separate hosting services. This includes server maintenance, software updates, and security management.
Also, as a hosted platform, Shopify can handle traffic spikes and scaling needs without requiring you to upgrade or manage servers.
Not bad right?
Features
Store Management:
- Unlimited Products: You can list an unlimited number of products in your store, making it suitable for businesses with extensive inventories.
- Multiple Sales Channels: Shopify allows you to sell on various channels, including your online store, social media platforms, and marketplaces like Amazon and eBay.
Customization:
- Themes: Shopify has over 100 professional themes that can be customized to fit your brand.
- Drag-and-Drop Editor: The platform includes an intuitive editor that lets you design your store without needing to write code.
Security and Hosting:
- SSL Certification: Built-in SSL certification ensures your store is secure and trusted by customers.
- Domain Hosting and Custom Domains: Shopify provides domain hosting services and allows for custom domain names.
- Abandoned Cart Recovery: This feature helps recover lost sales by reminding customers to complete their purchases.
Payment and Shipping:
- Payment Gateways: Supports over 100+ payment gateways, including PayPal, Bitcoin, Shop Pay, and integrated Shopify Payments.
- Shipping: Offers real-time shipping calculations and discounts with major carriers.
Marketing and SEO:
- Email Marketing and SEO Tools: Built-in tools help optimize your store for search engines and manage email marketing campaigns.
- Social Media Advertising: Integrates with social media platforms for advertising and selling products.
Analytics and Reporting:
- Comprehensive Dashboard: Provides detailed analytics and sales reports to help you understand your store's performance.
- Customer Insights: Offers tools to track customer behavior and preferences.
Unique Features
- Shopify Payments: This integrated payment solution eliminates the need for third-party processors, simplifying transactions.
- Shopify POS: Integrates in-person sales with your online store, offering a seamless multi-channel sales experience.
- Integrated AI (Magic): Utilizes AI to generate product descriptions, email subject lines, and headings, streamlining content creation.
Pricing
Pricing starts at $29/month for their basic plan, to custom pricing for their enterprise plan.
Pros
- Easy to Set Up and Use
- Extensive App Store
Source: Shopify
- Customization
- Reliable Customer Support
- Scalable for Businesses of All Sizes
Cons
- Transaction Fees if Not Using Shopify Payments
- Extra Costs: If you choose to use a third-party payment gateway instead of Shopify Payments, additional transaction fees apply.
- Limited Customization Compared to Open-source Platforms.
- Higher Costs at Advanced Tiers:
- Pricing: The basic plan is affordable, but the costs increase significantly at higher tiers, with the Advanced Shopify plan at $299/month and custom pricing for Shopify Plus.
2. WooCommerce
Source: WooCommerce
WooCommerce is an open-source e-commerce plugin for WordPress, enabling users to build and manage an online store within their existing WordPress site.
It is highly customizable, allowing for extensive modifications through themes and plugins. That being said, they also have direct access to developers if you want to customize further.
Features
Product Management:
- Unlimited Products: Supports an unlimited number of products, categories, and attributes, making it suitable for diverse inventories.
- Product Types: Allows the sale of physical, digital, and affiliate products, providing flexibility for different business models.
Customization:
- Themes and Plugins: Offers thousands of themes and plugins for extensive customization, enabling users to tailor their store's appearance and functionality to their specific needs.
Source: WooCommerce
Payment and Shipping:
- Payment Gateways: Integrates with major payment gateways such as PayPal and Stripe, ensuring secure and diverse payment options for customers.
- Shipping Options: Supports various shipping options, including flat rate, free shipping, and real-time calculations from shipping carriers.
SEO and Marketing:
- SEO Capabilities: Leverages WordPress's strong SEO capabilities to help improve the store’s search engine rankings.
- Marketing Tools: Includes tools for creating discounts and coupons, and managing email marketing campaigns to boost sales and customer engagement.
Analytics and Reporting:
- Performance Tracking: Built-in tools provide insights into sales performance, customer behavior, and product popularity, helping store owners make data-driven decisions.
Unique Features
- Source Code Access: Provides full access to the source code, allowing for custom development and modifications.
- Seamless Integration: Integrates seamlessly with WordPress, making it an ideal choice for users already familiar with the platform.
Pricing
WooCommerce Core Plugin is free of charge but additional costs apply for hosting (between $3 - $100+) as well as varying costs for extensions and themes.
Pros
- Highly Customizable
- Large Community Support:
- Community Resources: A large, active community of users and developers provides extensive resources, tutorials, and support forums to help solve issues and improve store functionality.
Source: WooCommerce
- Cost-Effective for Small Businesses
Source: WordPress
Cons
- Requires Some Technical Knowledge
- Can Become Costly with Premium Extensions
- Performance May Depend on Hosting Quality:
- Hosting Requirements: WooCommerce’s performance is closely tied to the quality of your hosting service. Poor hosting can lead to slow load times and a subpar user experience.
- Scalability Issues: As the store grows, higher-quality hosting solutions may be required to ensure optimal performance, which can increase costs.
3. Wix eCommerce
Source: Wix
Wix eCommerce is an extension of the Wix website builder, and is perfect for small businesses and solopreneurs who prioritize design and ease of use.
It’s an excellent choice for those who need to set up a store quickly without extensive technical knowledge.
However, it does come with some built-in essential tools for managing an eCommerce business, including order tracking, online payment acceptance, multi-channel selling capabilities, and abandoned cart campaigns.
Features
Store Management:
- Unlimited Products: Wix eCommerce supports an unlimited number of products, making it great for businesses with diverse inventories.
- Customizable Product Pages: Users can create unique product pages that match their brand’s aesthetic, which can help with sales.
- Inventory Tracking: The platform provides tools for tracking inventory levels and managing stock efficiently - which is always helpful!
Customization:
- Designer-Made Templates: Offers over 500 professionally designed templates that are customizable to fit any business needs.
Source: Wix
- Drag-and-Drop Editor: The intuitive drag-and-drop editor allows users to easily customize their site’s layout, colors, text, and images without needing coding knowledge.
Payment and Shipping:
- Payment Gateways: Supports multiple payment options, including Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Afterpay, ensuring secure and versatile transaction methods.
- Real-Time Shipping Rates: Integrates with major shipping carriers to provide real-time shipping rates and options for customers.
Marketing and SEO:
- Built-in SEO Tools: Helps optimize your store for search engines to improve visibility and drive organic traffic. I’ll be honest though - every platform has this capability.
- Email Marketing: Includes tools for creating and managing email marketing campaigns to engage customers and boost sales.
- Social Media Integration: Seamlessly integrates with social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google Shopping, allowing users to promote their products and reach a wider audience.
Analytics and Reporting:
- Sales and Traffic Analytics: Provides detailed insights into sales performance, customer behavior, and website traffic, helping businesses make data-driven decisions.
- Customer Management Tools: Helps track customer interactions and preferences for better customer management and personalized marketing efforts.
Unique Features
- Wix Ascend: An all-in-one business solution for marketing automation, including email campaigns, social posts, and SEO tools.
- AI-Powered Onboarding Chatbot: Assists users in setting up their store quickly and efficiently.
Source: Wix
- Generative Text: Utilizes AI to generate product descriptions and meta tags, streamlining content creation.
- Multi-Channel Selling: Seamlessly integrates with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Google Shopping, and eBay, enabling multi-channel sales capabilities. Have your customers purchase directly inside of Facebook.
- Point of Sale Solution: Offers a built-in point of sale (POS) system for physical store sales.
Pricing
Paid tier options range from $27/month for Business Basic to $159/month catering for personal and large business websites.
Pros
- User-Friendly Interface
- Wide Range of Design Options
- Affordable Pricing:
- Competitive Plans: Wix offers several pricing plans that are affordable for small businesses and solopreneurs. The basic plan starts at $27/month, which is competitive compared to other eCommerce platforms. It’s still not free though, like WooCommerce is.
- Value for Money: The pricing plans include various features such as unlimited products, multiple payment gateways, and marketing tools, providing good value for the cost.
- Integrated Marketing Tools:
- SEO Tools
- Email Marketing
- Social Media Integration
Cons
- Limited Scalability for Very Large Stores
- Fewer Advanced eCommerce Features Compared to Shopify or BigCommerce
- Dependency on Wix’s Platform Limits Flexibility:
- Platform Lock-In: Users are dependent on Wix’s ecosystem, meaning they have to use the tools and features provided by Wix, which can limit flexibility compared to open-source solutions or platforms with extensive third-party integrations.
- Migration Challenges: Moving an online store from Wix to another platform can be challenging and time-consuming, as it may require significant adjustments and data transfers.
4. BigCommerce
Source: BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a hosted eCommerce platform designed for scalability and robust performance, catering to both small businesses and large enterprises.
It provides a comprehensive storefront with web hosting and customization options, making it ideal for businesses seeking flexibility and control over their online presence. BigCommerce also supports international selling, multi-channel sales capabilities, and a wide range of payment options.
Features
Store Management:
- Unlimited Products: Supports an unlimited number of products, allowing businesses to scale their inventories without limitations.
- Multi-Channel Selling: Enables sales across various platforms, including social media and online marketplaces.
- Advanced Inventory Management: Offers tools for managing large and complex inventories effectively.
Customization:
- Themes and Page Builder: Provides multiple themes and a drag-and-drop page builder for easy customization and a visually appealing storefront.
Source: BigCommerce
- Visual Editor: Includes a visual editor with drag-and-drop functionality for effortless site customization.
- Customizable Themes: A library of customizable themes is available to suit any business needs.
Payment and Shipping:
- Payment Gateways: Supports various payment gateways, including Amazon Pay, Apple Pay, and more, with no transaction fees on any plan.
- Shipping Options: Offers advanced shipping options and automated shipping setup as part of the onboarding process.
Marketing and SEO:
- SEO Tools: Comprehensive SEO tools help optimize the store for search engines.
- Marketing Integrations: Includes marketing integrations and tools for abandoned cart recovery to boost sales.
- International Selling: Features optimized stores for international markets and multi-channel sale capabilities.
Source: BigCommerce
Analytics and Reporting:
- Detailed Analytics: Provides detailed analytics and custom reports for real-time insights into sales performance and customer behavior.
Unique Features
- No Transaction Fees: Unlike many platforms, BigCommerce does not charge transaction fees on any plan.
- Strong SEO Capabilities: Built-in SEO tools and features enhance the store's search engine visibility.
- Digital Wallet Payments: Supports digital wallet payment options for streamlined transactions.
Pricing
Pricing starts at $29.95/month for their Standard plan to $399/month. For those wanting to take out long term subscriptions, they offer discounted annual subscriptions that are billed monthly.
Pros
- Highly Scalable
- Strong SEO Performance:
- Built-In Tools: Comprehensive SEO tools help improve search engine rankings and drive organic traffic.
- No Transaction Fees
- Robust Feature Set for Large Inventories
Cons
- Can Be Complex for Beginners
- Higher Cost at Advanced Tiers:
- Pricing: The cost of advanced plans can be high, which may be a barrier for small businesses or startups with limited budgets.
- Design Flexibility is Somewhat Limited Compared to Wix
Which Is The Best Option For You?
Choosing the right e-commerce platform is essential for launching your online store quickly and effectively.
And while Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix eCommerce, and BigCommerce can all help you sell online, my recommendation for solopreneurs and small businesses is Shopify or WooCommerce:
- Shopify is easy to use and scalable, making it ideal for beginners and rapidly growing businesses. Its extensive app ecosystem and reliable customer support are major advantages, despite its higher cost.
- WooCommerce has deep customization options and integration with WordPress. It requires some technical knowledge and investment in quality hosting and premium plugins. That being said, if you’ve played around with your own WordPress theme, you can pick this up pretty quickly. Learn some basic HTML and CSS coding and you can quickly customize it to your heart's content.
All that’s left now is to pick one, set it up, and then ‘powr’ it up with our plugins 😜.
Author Bio
With a background in retail and guest services, Kelsey knows how to build genuine relationships and elevate brand presence. Her graduate program honed her skills in link building and digital PR, turning insights into actionable strategies. Currently, she's contributing to the growth of Zero To Mastery through innovative content creation and strategic digital collaborations. When she's not optimizing online presence, she's enjoying movies/series, exploring new restaurants, or sharing travel adventures on Instagram.
