7 Best Shopify Alternatives to Use in 2023

7 Best Shopify Alternatives to Use in 2023

Shopify is popular. From its easy-to-use interface to its remarkable customer service, there are countless reasons entrepreneurs rely on and recognize the power of this eCommerce platform. Some Shopify alternatives can do certain things better.

Why are we talking about Shopify alternatives?

Although there are some drawbacks to Shopify, it would be intelligent to investigate other possible solutions for building and managing your online store.

These alternative solutions are not necessarily inferior; they’re different and offer unique advantages.

Fortunately, there are a plethora of fantastic alternatives that allow you to choose the best option for your specific business needs.

So don’t be afraid to explore them all – it may make all the difference in establishing a successful online presence!

Why Choose Shopify?

But first, let’s consider why Shopify is king.

If you’re tech-challenged and lack the resources to employ a web developer, look no further than Shopify.

This comprehensive platform boasts an array of stylish templates that are not only plug-and-play but also rich in features and completely scalable.

Performance and reliability are the crowning achievements of this product’s overall flexibility and ease of use.

Benefits of Shopify

• It is user-friendly
• It comes with attractive themes.
• It performs well in all kinds of scenarios.
• Certified partner support
• It has tons of apps.
• It can do dropshipping.
• It delivers value with pricing plans.

Why Try Shopify Alternatives?

Shopify is a handy tool, but there are certain conditions that it can’t fulfill due to its versatility.

If you’re already shelling out for a CMS like WordPress, it can be not very reassuring to have to pay once more for another platform.

Additionally, creative people may need to spend on components they don’t desire or know how to use.

You’re in luck! There are many providers out there who have filled the void left by giants like Shopify.

Why not give some of these alternatives a try? You might find that one works better for your business than Shopify does!

Some common issues with Shopify include:

• Be aware that unless you go with Shopify’s in-house payment processing, additional transaction fees of up to 2% may be applied for every purchase.
• Shopify’s Liquid coding template markup language may be tricky to understand and use.
• You may need to opt for one of their higher-tier plans to access the most innovative features, such as real-time shipping rates and gift card acceptance.
• Be aware that utilizing some advanced features leads to increased monthly expenditure.
• A rigid URL structure and a WordPress plugin utilizing iFrames will not result in the best SEO ranking, especially for substantial websites needing Information Architecture.
• You don’t have complete control over your checkout page’s design.

Shopify Alternatives

These are some solutions that power the most popular eCommerce platforms you use every day.

Whether you need to add a payment processor, a shopping cart, web hosting, or anything – these Shopify competitors come with advanced features that will have your online business up and running within minutes.

BigCommerce

If you want a stress-free journey and the convenience of an easy drag-and-drop editor, BigCommerce may be your ideal choice. This provider delivers full- cycle solutions for all eCommerce websites.

There are only seven free themes available, some of which are truly breathtaking. Yet if you desire more than the complimentary selection, be ready to invest in superior designs.

With content-marketing tools at your fingertips, you can advertise your product effectively online and capture more conversions.

On top of that, the hundreds of already included features mean you won’t have to spend nearly as much in the app store compared to what Shopify would cost.

With BigCommerce, selling across multiple channels is a breeze! You can conveniently manage all your stores via Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and Pinterest from one central platform.

You don’t have to worry about syncing up inventory levels or overstocking; it’s automatically taken care of for you.

On the other hand, when I performed loading speed tests on BigCommerce websites, certain ones loaded very slowly. Furthermore, one particular website even resulted in a bandwidth error during testing.

The subscription fee for their services ranges from $29.95/mo to $249.95/per month – which can be costly, considering that an annual sales volume limit is embedded within each plan.

If you exceed this cap without upgrading first, your monthly web costs will double!

Therefore, it’s important to remember that if you try selling more than $50k annually, you need to upgrade yourself quickly before hitting the restriction set by BigCommerce.

Pros:

• Made for adaptable business models
• Great for SEO
• Include products with no limits
• Attractive themes
• Feature-packed
• No extra transaction fees
• Multi-Channel selling
• Fast-loading mobile store
• Hosted

Cons:

• Very expensive for big stores
• Learning Curve is steep
• A limited number of free themes
• Speeds could be better

If you’re seeking to run a great eCommerce platform and SEO is essential for your success, BigCommerce is a perfect choice.

Zyro

If you’re looking for a cost-effective Shopify alternative, Zyro is an excellent choice.

All of their plans offer the same features that Shopify does and come at significantly more affordable rates – with the basic plan starting as low as $4.99/month and their Advanced Store Plan coming in cheaper than Shopify’s Basic option!

For just under $16/month, you can get access to all of Zyro’s top-tier services.

Like Shopify, Zyro provides a slick drag-and-drop page builder and an assortment of eye-catching themes that help you start selling online.

Furthermore, the app marketplace offers invaluable aid for dropshipping, print-on-demand services, and helpful marketing features.

As far as eCommerce software with basic eCommerce features goes, you can’t go wrong with Zyro. It is better than Shopify in many respects.

Pros:

• AI tools are the perfect solution to create a website, develop content, design a logo, and beyond – all with minimal effort.
• Cost-effective plans where you can save even more the longer your register for them!
• No transaction fees
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• Supports over 70+ payment methods.
• It is easy to set up and manage recurring billing.
• Automate your content curation and reduce the time spent prepping posts.
• Engage more customers by offering multiple languages to communicate with them.
• An eCommerce solution that will provide you with the necessary tools to achieve your business goals.

Cons:

• Limited product lineup
• Multi-channel selling and abandoned cart recovery are contingent on higher-priced plans
• Slow mobile speeds

Wix

Wix has perfected the art of web design with its easy-to-use interface and affordable plans that provide all you need.

With over 100 attractive templates, various apps, customizable themes, and a smooth editor available to users at any level – Wix is easily one of the most reliable solutions for creating a fantastic website experience.

You don’t need coding knowledge to start making your online storefront.

Wix gives you two options for creating your website: ADI and Wix Editor.

The automated assistant, ADI, guides you through a series of questions to determine your site’s suitable themes and features.

However, if you want full control over every aspect of design, go with Wix Editor – it’s incredibly user-friendly so that any content can be dragged and dropped anywhere on the page.

With 280+ apps, add-ons, and plugins accessible in Wix’s app store, it has a considerable advantage over Shopify regarding affordability.

You can easily embed social media feeds live chats, and payment gateways with coupons for your customers’ convenience and HTML codes and light boxes with various button styles – all at very reasonable prices.

For just $5/month, an unbeatable plan offers you 1GB bandwidth and 500MB storage, and the capacity to link to a custom domain – making it ideal for many e-commerce businesses.

Meanwhile, Wix’s eCommerce package at an economical rate of only $16.50/mo delivers 10GB bandwidth and 20GB storage plus a complimentary domain name and some extras not offered elsewhere.

Going one better is their VIP subscription which provides limitless traffic for merely $24.50/mo — a cost that’s cheaper than Shopify.

Pros:

• Drag-and-drop editor
• Very easy to learn with tutorials
• Jam-packed with features
• 100+ templates
• Supports third-party payment gateways
• A free plan is included

Cons:

• Bandwidth and traffic limits
• Support for limited apps
• Weak SEO capabilities

Sellfy

Sellfy is a perfect eCommerce platform for creative entrepreneurs selling digital products such as illustrations, music, and even video courses.

With its cloud-based system, monthly subscription fee, and separate credit card processing fees similar to Shopify, Sellfy offers an all-in-one solution for monetizing your digital content.

If you’re looking for a simple solution to add products and buy buttons onto an existing website, then Sellfy is a perfect choice as it provides a 14-day free trial – no credit card required.

The pricing ranges from $29 to $129/month ($19 to $89/month on an annual plan), making it just as accommodating as Shopify’s Lite plan with buy buttons.

It is one of the best Shopify alternatives you can use today with advanced content marketing features.

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Great for selling digital and physical products
• Take advantage of the time-saving benefits of automated payments and product downloads.
• Easy-to-use integration options
• With the Wix app, selling downloads is effortless if you already have a website created on Wix.

Cons:

• Supports only two integrated payment processors, i.e., PayPal and Stripe.
• Design options are limited to changing your colors and logo only
• Expensive

Shift4Shop

With its vast suite of powerful features and cost-effective pricing, Shift4Shop is the ideal eCommerce platform for businesses looking to scale.

It offers unlimited product storage capacity and guarantees security thanks to its rock-solid infrastructure.

Depending on your preference, their prices range from a low of $19/mo to a high of $229/mo. These fees will grant you access to various features, including basic SEO tools, coupons, customer subscriptions, drop shipping tracking capabilities, and much more!

If you’re a novice, Shift4Shop’s expansive capabilities and in-house web design team will undoubtedly assist you as they can customize your shop’s user interface, user experience, and SSL certificates for a small fee.

Pros:

• Over 70 payment gateways supported
• Product listings are virtually unlimited
• Load times are snappy
• Mobile store speeds are good
• No extra transaction fee

Cons:

• Dated themes
• Limited features
• Passable mobile UX
• Upgrading is not easy
• Tech support is a hit or miss

WooCommerce

Perfect for WordPress users, WooCommerce is a free and open-source eCommerce platform that provides an unforgettable visitor experience.

If you already have your eCommerce platform on a WordPress site, then Woocommerce deserves a look.

Although scaling may be tricky, the free package with it is more than enough to yield sites of equal quality as those built using costly carts.

You can purchase advanced functionality without breaking your budget, such as advanced inventory management, SEO tools, seamless integration with WordPress websites, and more.

Harness the power of WooCommerce and easily create a mobile-friendly site with little effort while paying just for hosting.

For those looking to add extra features at an affordable price, Product Bundles cost only $49, giving you the luxury to choose which extensions will make your website stand out even more.

The WooCommerce Freshdesk plugin ($79) is a sophisticated tool that allows you to insert a ticketing system on your store, enabling customer service directly from the platform.

Moreover, they offer an extensive array of plugins compatible with WordPress, facilitating seamless integrations.

Unlike Shopify, WooCommerce offers its premium add-ons for one low price – either a one-time payment or an annual subscription. You will also need to pay for a web host in some cases.

However, when it comes to troubleshooting and customer support, WooCommerce falls short.

Comparatively, the Shopify team performs better by taking ownership of any problem that arises and resolving them swiftly with no hassle.

Pros:

• No additional transaction fees
• Free plans available
• Easy to set up and use
• Seamless WordPress integration
• Post-purchase/1-Click upsells available

Cons:

• Lack of hosting support
• Need technical know-how to set up
• Phone support leaves a lot to be desired

Looking to launch a content-rich eCommerce website? Look no further than WooCommerce. This software is perfect for any store that offers physical products, digital downloads, and affiliate links all in one place – something Shopify can’t provide.

Using WooCommerce’s powerful features and integrations with other tools will make your business more efficient while still providing the best customer experience possible.

Nexcess StoreBuilder

If you are considering utilizing WooCommerce for your eCommerce store, but feel restricted by a lack of technical knowledge, then Nexcess StoreBuilder may be the perfect option.

Though it’s not meant to serve as an exclusive platform for online stores, this service facilitates managed hosting along with premium plugins and themes so that all your needs can be met.

It is excellent to upgrade your existing websites to sell digital products.

Pros:

• Built with WooCommerce
• Great SEO capabilities
• Comes with managed web hosting
• Online payments made easy

Cons:

• You will need to customize templates before using it
• No demo account
• No multi-channel support
• Lack of email accounts

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some popular Shopify alternatives?

Several e-commerce platforms are popular alternatives to Shopify, including:

• WooCommerce (WordPress plugin)
• BigCommerce (Cloud-based platform)
• Wix (Website builder with e-commerce capabilities)

How do the costs of Shopify alternatives compare to Shopify?

The costs of Shopify alternatives can vary, but many have similar pricing structures to Shopify. Some platforms, such as WooCommerce, are free to use but require additional costs for hosting and plugins, while others, such as Magento, have more expensive enterprise pricing plans. It’s important to compare the costs and features of each platform to determine which one is the best fit for your business.

Can I still use my existing website with a Shopify alternative?

Yes, many Shopify alternatives can be integrated with existing websites, allowing you to continue using your current domain and design while also adding e-commerce functionality to your site. For example, WooCommerce is a plugin for WordPress websites and Magento can be integrated with other platforms as well. However, it’s important to check the compatibility of the platform you’re considering before making a decision.

Conclusion

These Shopify alternatives can help you upgrade your online stores. Some of these choices work as a complete SaaS eCommerce platform with a helpful website builder, unlimited product support, a better way to process Shopify payments, and even unlimited bandwidth. So if you want to sell online or create an online store from scratch, these alternatives to Shopify are more than deliverable. Setting up your online store doesn’t get easier than this!