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Review: E-commerce Platforms Comparison

Published Date: 19th January, 2024   Written by: Admin future of digital marketing

Introduction

Starting an online store can be an overwhelming process. The ecommerce platform you choose will significantly impact your budget, features, design flexibility, and growth potential. In this review, we’ll compare five top solutions - Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Squarespace, and Wix.

Shopify Overview

Shopify powers over 1 million online stores with an intuitive, fully-hosted platform. Choose from 70+ professional templates and sell across multiple sales channels.

Key Features:

  • Easy customization and drag-and-drop editor
  • Mobile optimized sites and POS integration
  • Abundant apps, themes, and integrations
  • Built-in payment, shipping, and tax calculators
  • Blog and content management abilities

Pros:

Ideal for any type of ecommerce business. Extremely user-friendly with robust features. Lots of resources and support. Scales with your business growth.

Cons:

Transaction fees on top of monthly subscription fees. Limited base themes and customization. Lacks built-in multilingual abilities.

Pricing:

Starts at $29/month for a basic shop. Mid-tier plan is $79/month. Plus 2.0% transaction fee.

Best For:

Beginner to mid-sized online retailers who want an all-in-one hosted platform. Suitable for fashion, accessories, cosmetics, gear, hobby stores, and more.

WooCommerce Overview

Open-source WordPress plugin transforms standard sites into ecommerce stores. Currently powers 43% of online stores.

Key Features:

  • Free base plugin
  • Works with any WordPress theme
  • Complete design and template control
  • Access to thousands of plugins and add-ons
  • Built for scalability and flexibility

Pros:

Completely free open-source foundation. Ability to fully customize site and user experience. Easier multilingual and multi-currency abilities.

Cons:

Requires own WordPress hosting and setup. Steeper learning curve. Additional work for features like taxes, shipping, and POS. Potential security risks.

Pricing:

Free plugin. Paid extensions start at $49/year for shipping and table rate shipping.

Best For:

Developers, designers, and established retailers who want control over site customization and UX. Also popular with multi-language sites.

BigCommerce Overview

Robust SaaS ecommerce platform combined with customizable design, themes, and features. Used by over 60,000 online stores.

Key Features:

  • 100+ theme options and open-source design tools
  • Centralized product, order, and customer management
  • Built-in accounting, shipping, tax, and POS
  • SEO, email marketing, and automation abilities
  • Secure scalable enterprise-level architecture

Pros:

Flexibility to customize and expand. Everything needed for inventory, order processing, fulfillment, and traffic/sales growth in one platform. Easier to manage than Shopify as you scale.

Cons:

Monthly fees in addition to transaction fees. Less apps and support than Shopify. Limited free themes without building from code.

Pricing:

$29.95/month starter plan. Standard plan $79.95/month. Plus volume-based transaction fees.

Best For:

Mid-market and enterprise ecommerce businesses. Suitable for any type and size of online store.

Squarespace Overview

All-in-one content management and ecommerce hosting platform. Emphasis on aesthetics and design. Used by over 1 million sites.

Key Features:

  • Beautiful designer templates
  • Intuitive drag and drop builder
  • Integrated ecommerce and booking capabilities
  • Built-in SEO, analytics, and email campaigns
  • Photo galleries, blogs, and website management

Pros:

Gorgeous modern designs and seamless user experience. Everything needed for building an aesthetically pleasing site. Active community and helpful support.

Cons:

Limited design customization ability. No ability to export or migrate sites later. Fewer third-party integrations. Higher fees for advanced features.

Pricing:

Basic plan $12/month. Online store plan $26/month. Business plan $40/month. Transaction fees 2.5%-3.5%

Best For:

Photographers, restaurants, designers, and small retail businesses who value beautiful sites with minimal effort.

Wix Overview

Website builder with AI design tools and 500+ designer templates. Drag and drop editor makes building sites easy.

Key Features:

  • ADI (artificial design intelligence) for smart templates
  • Free mobile optimized sites, SEO, and analytics
  • Native payment processing and member subscriptions
  • Email marketing, live chat, and appointment booking
  • Hassle-free blog, portfolio, and store capabilities

Pros:

Extremely easy and intuitive even for beginners. No coding skills required. Very affordable pricing for robust all-in-one website management.

Cons:

Limited support and integrations compared to advanced platforms. Transaction fees on top of subscriptions for stores. Difficult to migrate away later.

Pricing:

Free basic website. Premium plans from $14-49/month. Online store plans $23-49/month. Transaction fees apply.

Best For:

Microbusinesses, artists, photographers, restaurants, and other small businesses with basic online needs.

Key Takeaways

  • Shopify - Best overall hosted platform with abundant support, features, and scalability.
  • WooCommerce - Best for developers wanting flexibility and customization on WordPress.
  • BigCommerce - Best for established mid-market and enterprise retailers.
  • Squarespace - Best for aesthetically focused small businesses.
  • Wix - Best for total beginners wanting the easiest all-in-one builder.

Consider your technical skills, design needs, and business model when choosing between these robust ecommerce platforms. Each caters to a slightly different audience, but all provide ample tools for building successful online stores. With the right foundation, you can focus on your products, customers, and growing your business without technical limitations.