Launching an ecommerce business doesn’t have to drain your wallet. Many budget-friendly ecommerce platforms allow small business owners to set up their online stores with minimal upfront investments.
That doesn’t always mean you’ll get a barebones storefront, either: Many platforms let you utilize native time-saving AI design tools as part of your core subscription. But not all platforms are created equal.
This guide shows you how the best cheap ecommerce platforms compare on price, features, and overall value—and how to use that information to choose the right ecommerce platform for your business.
Why use an ecommerce platform?
An ecommerce platform is a software that helps you start and run an online store. They’re used by ecommerce businesses of all sizes and stages of growth—from solo dropshippers to enterprises to brick-and-mortar shops transitioning to online sales.
These platforms enable sellers to manage inventory, sales, website marketing, and customer service in one place, while making it easy for buyers to explore and purchase products through a user-friendly interface.
Ecommerce platforms offer a number of tools and features that simplify the process of both website building and online store operations, including:
- Easy-to-use no-code ecommerce website builders. These platforms give you the power to create a website without coding experience or advanced technical skills.
- Pre-built, customizable templates. These let you create a professional-looking site quickly and without design expertise.
- Inventory management. Ecommerce platforms offer tools to help you keep track of the products you have on hand and the units you’ve sold.
- Payment gateways. Ecommerce platforms either host these tools natively or offer integrations with common payment gateways that accept major payment methods.
- Shipping and order fulfillment software. Ecommerce platforms offer calculated shipping rates, printable labels, and fulfillment software to track your deliveries. These tools are either native to the platform or available through integrations.
11 cheap ecommerce platforms
Here are eleven popular cheap ecommerce platforms:
- Shopify
- WooCommerce
- BigCommerce
- Wix
- Volusion
- BigCartel
- Ecwid
- PrestaShop
- Spree Commerce
- Square Online
- Gumroad
1. Shopify
Shopify is the world’s leading ecommerce platform. With affordable plans, beautiful designs, and powerful selling tools, Shopify is the easiest, most reliable way to bring your business online. Its comprehensive website builder has helped millions of businesses sell online, in person, on social media, and on marketplaces.
Use the AI store builder to create a free store design in minutes or get started with one of many ready-built themes that you can customize for your brand. Each Shopify store comes with unlimited product listings, the world’s best-converting checkout experience, shipping and fulfillment tools, robust ecommerce analytics, access to more than 16,000 apps, and 24/7 customer support.
Who it’s for
Shopify is built for ecommerce businesses of all sizes, from solopreneurs to large enterprises.
Features
- AI tools. Use Shopify Magic to streamline your online store design process, create landing pages and product listings, and receive guidance on everything from shipping to analytics.
- Integrated payment processing. Shopify Payments is an integrated payment gateway that accepts all major payment methods. Plus, more than 100 third-party payment providers are compatible.
- Extensive app store. Access the Shopify App Store for more than 16,000 add-ons and integrations, including dropshipping apps that connect you with suppliers worldwide.
- Shopify Collective. Use Shopify Collective to source and sell products from other Shopify brands without holding inventory, making it easy to start dropshipping with high-quality products from respected suppliers.
- Customizable checkout. Offer customers a variety of payment options, including express checkout, in-store pickup, discount codes, and Shop Pay—the internet’s highest-converting checkout option.
- Shopify Email. Use Shopify Email to send targeted messaging with list segmentation, improve your email marketing strategy with analytics, and save time with prebuilt email templates and email automations.
- Shopify POS. Integrate with physical retail through Shopify POS, blending online and offline sales channels.
- Shipping and fulfillment. Built-in order, inventory, and shipping tools generate labels, collect import taxes, provide tracking information, manage returns, and more.
- Abandoned cart recovery. Boost sales with automated tools for recovering abandoned shopping carts.
- Automation capabilities. Built-in marketing automations and a native app (Shopify Flow) to create workflows for inventory management, marketing campaigns, and more.
- Advanced analytics. Track sales, customer behavior, and other essential ecommerce metrics with analytics and reporting features.
- Advanced customization and API access. While coding isn’t required, you can tailor your storefront and back-end systems to meet your unique needs with extensive customization options and API support.
- Omnichannel and multichannel commerce capabilities. Ensure a consistent customer experience and manage inventory seamlessly across desktop, mobile, social media, marketplace, and in-person retail.
- 24/7 customer support. Enjoy round-the-clock support via email, live chat, and phone.
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.4
Plans and pricing
Shopify offers a wide range of plans from $5 to $299 per month, with web hosting included. When you sign up, you can start with a three-day free trial, no credit card required. After that, the first three months cost $1 per month.
To get an idea of how much you’ll spend overall, here is an example. Say you’re on the Basic plan for $29 per month (paid annually). Your card rate is 2.9% plus 30¢ for online transactions when using Shopify Payments.
If you make $25,000 in monthly sales and process 500 orders, your processing fees will cost:
- Percentage fee: 2.9% × $25,000 = $725
- Fixed fee: 30¢ × 500 orders = $150
- Total processing = $875
So, your total monthly cost after the promotional period would be $875 (processing) + $29 (subscription) = $904.
2. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is an open-source, free ecommerce platform built on WordPress. Essentially, it’s a tool that turns WordPress sites into ecommerce stores. WordPress offers AI website building tools and customizable templates, but they’re not purpose-built for ecommerce. The free ecommerce platform includes standard ecommerce features like inventory management tools, order tracking, payment processing, and basic analytics. Product listings are unlimited.
For added functionality such as AI tools and appointment booking, you’ll need to use plug-ins, which can be costly. You’ll also need to secure web hosting yourself. Although WooCommerce is a free ecommerce platform, the hosting will cost you $120 annually.
Who it’s for
WooCommerce is for small and medium-sized businesses, but it runs on WordPress, which was originally built for bloggers.
Features
- WooPayments payment gateway is free and accepts major payment methods.
- WooCommerce lets you customize your checkout.
- AutomateWoo offers basic email automation for $159 per year. You can also integrate Klaviyo, but you’ll need to pay for a Klaviyo subscription.
- POS systems, including tap-to-pay and card reader hardware, are available.
- Woo’s shipping tool provides basic functionality like automating the process of filling in order details.
- More than 1,000 extensions and integrations with platforms like Amazon and Etsy are available.
- You can access your site’s API to connect it to external apps.
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.4
Plans and pricing
WooCommerce is a free ecommerce platform, but you’ll need to pay for hosting ($120 per year). You’ll also need to pay for extensions if you want features like appointment booking ($249 per year), subscriptions ($279 per year), product recommendations ($99 per year), and enhanced versions of free tools like email (WooCommerce suggests an integration with Klaviyo for email marketing automation, which costs up to $60 per month).
If you factor in all the costs associated with running on WooCommerce, including hosting, it can amount to $122.25 per month alone in software subscriptions.
Add on payment processing fees with WooPayments at 2.9% plus 30¢ per online order, $25,000 in monthly sales across 500 orders adds about $875 in fees, bringing your total to $997.25 per month for everything.
3. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is an “open software-as-a-service (SaaS)” platform, meaning you can use it out of the box or customize your storefront and integrations. BigCommerce has plans for small and medium-sized businesses with unlimited product listings (although revenue is capped at each subscription level). BigCommerce’s main product, however, is best suited for enterprises.
BigCommerce’s small business offering includes basic features like a drag-and-drop website builder, SEO tools, and multichannel selling. Customizable themes are available; some are free while others are paid.
BigCommerce doesn’t offer AI capability in its core products, so you’ll need to pay for extensions if you want to incorporate AI into your workflow. The extensions library offers about 1,200 apps. BigCommerce also offers personalized coaching and technical assistance to get online store owners up and running, although packages start at $499.
Who it’s for
BigCommerce’s primary product is for enterprises.
Features
- There are no native POS systems, but you can integrate common POS systems like Clover and Square.
- You can accept major payment methods via payment gateway integrations.
- You can customize your checkout.
- BigCommerce’s native email tool lets you send basic automated messages like abandoned cart recovery reminders.
- Reporting tools track data points like order trends and in-store searches.
- You can integrate more than 1,300 apps to sell products on platforms like TikTok, some of which are free.
- You can access your online store’s API if you want to make custom changes to the code.
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.2
Plans and pricing
BigCommerce plans range from $29 to $299 per month when billed annually. It ties each plan to trailing 12-month online revenue: Standard up to $50,000, Plus up to $180,000, and Pro up to $400,000, then an additional $150 per month per additional $200,000. Exceeding a revenue cap triggers an automatic upgrade to the next tier.
4. Wix
Wix is a website builder with ecommerce functionality on higher-tier plans. The platform’s suite of AI tools can help you design the layout of your site and generate images and text. Wix also has customizable templates to help you get started.
You can list up to 50,000 products on any plan with ecommerce functionality. But other aspects of the ecommerce experience are limited or unavailable at the lower tiers, such as automated sales tax collection, the number of currencies you can accept, the number of products you can dropship, and your ability to offer loyalty programs.
Who it’s for
Wix is for people building non-commerce websites or entrepreneurs looking for a basic ecommerce platform.
Features
- The native Wix Payments gateway accepts major payment methods.
- You can customize your checkout page.
- Wix’s native email software lets you send automated messages like abandoned cart recovery reminders.
- Wix App Market offers over 800 apps for your website.
- Wix offers a POS system for accepting in-person payments.
- Analytics tools help you understand traffic patterns on your site.
- You can sell on platforms like Amazon and Instagram from your Wix dashboard.
- You can access your site’s API to connect it to external apps.
- Wix offers 24/7 customer support.
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.2
Plans and pricing
Wix plans with ecommerce functionality cost $29 to $159 per month.
5. Volusion
Volusion is an ecommerce platform for small and medium-sized businesses. It includes basic ecommerce features like SEO tools and fraud protection, but lacks features such as blogging and digital product sales. Like other platforms, Volusion has free themes and a drag-and-drop site builder that lets you quickly create a storefront and access more than 80 apps, but it does not have an AI site builder.
Who it’s for:
Volusion is for small and medium-sized businesses looking for a simple ecommerce platform.
Features
- Volusion has prebuilt, customizable templates.
- An integrated payment gateway is powered by Stripe.
- An integration with Mailchimp provides automated email functionality, but you’ll need to pay for a Mailchimp subscription.
- You can install an extension to sell on platforms like eBay and Amazon. Pricing starts at $169.
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 3.2
Plans and pricing
Volusion plans cost $35 to $299 per month.
6. Big Cartel
Big Cartel launched as a platform for indie bands to sell their merch. It’s still tailored toward artists, from jewelry makers to photographers to painters. Big Cartel offers simple website building tools and 12 free themes with its unpaid plan, but you’ll need to upgrade in order to customize themes. Big Cartel also limits the number of products you can sell (you get 500 on the most expensive plan), which could pose a problem if you intend to scale.
Who it’s for
Big Cartel is for artists and makers.
Features
- You can choose between two payment processors—PayPal and Stripe. Both accept all major payment methods.
- You can accept in-person payments with the Stripe Terminal POS hardware and the Big Cartel mobile app.
- You can send automations like abandoned cart recovery emails with the $30 per month Diamond Plan or add a Mailchimp integration.
- More than 60 apps available to integrate with your store.
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.2
Plans and pricing
Big Cartel offers a free plan, and its most expensive plan is $30 per month.
7. Ecwid
Ecwid is an ecommerce platform with two functions: It’s a from-scratch ecommerce website builder, and it’s a plug-in that adds ecommerce functionality to existing websites on platforms like Weebly and WordPress. There’s no AI website builder if you’re creating your site from scratch, but you can choose between customizable templates that are categorized by industry.
You’ll need to purchase higher-tier Ecwid plans for features like social selling and custom checkout. You’ll also be limited by listing restrictions on lower plans.
Who it’s for
Businesses that want to add ecommerce functionality to existing websites or want to build a simple ecommerce site.
Features
- You can accept major payment methods with the native Lightspeed Payments or integrate external payment processors like PayPal and Square.
- You can customize your online store’s checkout.
- Ecwid’s free email software lets you send marketing messages like abandoned cart recovery reminders.
- The native Lightspeed Retail POS has reporting and inventory and sales management functionality. Integrations with PayPal and Square let you sell from the Ecwid mobile app.
- You can sell on platforms like Amazon and Walmart, but you’ll need to purchase an additional subscription from an extension like the M2E Multichannel Connect app.
- You can find more than 40 free and freemium apps in the Ecwid App Market.
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.7
Plans and pricing
Ecwid plans range from $5 to $105 per month when billed annually. You’ll need to spend $105 per month to get unlimited listings.
8. PrestaShop
PrestaShop is an open-source ecommerce platform with a large presence in Europe and Latin America. The platform offers a basic layout that you can customize as much or as little as you like. Since it’s open source, you’ll have more opportunities for customization, but you’ll need some technical knowledge.
While PrestaShop is free, you’ll need to pay for web hosting and modules that let you do things like sell on online marketplaces and social media platforms.
Who it’s for
PrestaShop is for business owners with technical know-how.
Features
- PrestaShop’s native checkout is built on PayPal’s payment gateway and accepts major payment methods.
- An integration with Klaviyo lets you send automated marketing emails, but you’ll need to pay for a Klaviyo subscription.
- No limits on product listings.
- Over 3,000 modules available to customize your store.
- You can sell on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, but you’ll need to install apps, some of which have initial download and recurring subscription fees.
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.3
Plans and pricing
PrestaShop is free, but you’ll need to pay for web hosting and modules to extend functionality for social commerce.
9. Spree Commerce
Spree Commerce is a headless ecommerce platform, meaning that you or your developer can attach any front end to Spree’s back-end software. The platform’s newest free version includes front-end functionality, too, including a no-code site builder that lets you create a storefront and integrate apps without extensive technical knowledge. You can customize the default storefront or import your own.
Who it’s for
Spree Commerce is for business owners who want to fully customize their online store’s setup and tech stack.
Features
- Spree Commerce integrates with Stripe for in-person payments.
- You can customize your checkout.
- A marketing email integration with Klaviyo is available with the enterprise plan.
- You can add an integration with ShipEdge (custom pricing) or set up shipping yourself, although the latter requires coding.
- No limits on product listings.
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 3.7
Plans and pricing
Spree is free, but you’ll need to pay for the custom-priced enterprise version for additional security, more integrations (like email software), and functionality such as buy now, pay later orders.
10. Square Online
Square Online is a website builder with ecommerce functions available on paid tiers. It integrates with Square POS for in-person selling, pickup, and delivery.
The platform provides restaurant-specific online ordering features and routes marketplaces like DoorDash and Postmates into the POS. If you want to extend Squares functionality, it has more than 400 native integrations available, which is significantly lower than other platforms like Shopify.
Who it’s for
Local businesses already running on Square POS that need a website with minimal customization.
Features
- Online ordering with in-store pickup, curbside, and local delivery.
- Delivery partners like DoorDash and Nash connect to POS.
- Subscriptions available on Plus tier.
- Built-in analytics and basic marketing options through Square.
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.2
Plans and pricing
Square offers a free plan with elevated payment processing fees at 3.3% and 30¢. The Plus plan is $49 per month, and the Premium plan comes in at $149 per month, both with the standard 2.9% and 30¢ processing fee.
Square’s free plan can get maxed out quickly. The 0.4% higher processing fee means that once monthly online sales reach roughly $12,250, the extra percentage you pay on Free (about $49) equals the Plus subscription, so Plus becomes cheaper on fees alone.
11. Gumroad
Gumroad is a commerce platform for selling digital goods, memberships, and simple physical goods like books or artwork. It has no monthly software fee and instead charges per transaction. Gumroad also includes a built-in email marketing platform for broadcasts and workflows and a basic analytics dashboard.
Creators can run memberships with tiered pricing and recurring billing, enable affiliates, and list products in the Gumroad Discover marketplace for more exposure.
Who it’s for
Individual creators and small teams selling downloads, courses, or memberships who want per-sale pricing.
Features
- Digital files, variants, and memberships with tiers and recurring billing.
- File hosting limits—16 gigabytes per paid product; 250 megabytes for free products.
- Email broadcasts and automated Workflows (includes abandoned-cart email).
- Merchant-of-record tax handling.
- Affiliate links and an optional Discover marketplace.
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.2.
Plans and pricing
No monthly subscription. Gumroad charges a flat 10% + 50¢ per transaction via your own pages and links. If someone finds your products via the Discover marketplace, it charges 30% per transaction.
How to choose an ecommerce platform
- Ease of use
- Cost
- Customization
- POS systems
- Payment processing
- Scalability
- Support
- Marketing tools
- Integrations
- Inventory management
Selecting the right ecommerce platform involves balancing cost with the features and tools you need right now—and those you expect to need in the future.
Here’s how to choose the right ecommerce platform for your online business:
Ease of use
Before you pick an ecommerce platform, assess your technical know-how and the amount of time you’re willing to spend learning and performing tasks like securing web hosting, designing page layouts, and working between multiple extensions. Platforms with built-in hosting, extensive libraries of customizable templates, native payment gateways, and email software can streamline the process of setting up and running your site.
Cost
Comparing the costs of different cheap ecommerce platforms requires more than just looking at subscription prices. Often, low-cost plans require a number of paid ecommerce integrations for increased functionality, which can make them more expensive than platforms that have those features built into higher-priced subscription plans.
Before you settle on a platform, determine each one’s total cost of ownership. Look at the services you’ll actually be paying for:
- Monthly software. Includes the fee for your plan.
- Add-ons and apps. Subscriptions for features like social selling, email, subscriptions, bookings, etc.
- Hosting. Only for open-source or site-builder plans that don’t include it.
- Payment gateway. Some gateways may charge a monthly fee (many don’t).
- Transaction percentage fee. The fee charged per order.
- Per-order fixed fee. A flat fee added to each transaction.
The above are fixed costs, or expenses you pay every month regardless of how much you sell. There are also variable costs, which change based on your sales volume and number of orders; they are almost always related to payment processing.
Here is an example with some real numbers to see how it works.
- Monthly sales (gross merchandise value, or GMV): $12,000
- Number of orders: 300
- Card rate: 2.9% plus 30¢ per transaction
- Plan: $49 per month
- Apps: $90 per month
First, you’ll calculate the percentage fee, or the 2.9% part. Multiply your total monthly sales by this percentage.
2.9¢ x $12,000 = $348
Then calculate the fixed fee, which is the 30¢ part. You multiply this fee by your total number of orders for the month.
30¢ x 300 = $90
Then add together your software costs.
$49 (plan) + $90 (apps) = $139
Then determine your total cost of ownership.
TCO = $348 + $90 + $139 = $577
✨The takeaway: So, while the plan might be advertised at $49 per month, the trust cost to run the business is $577.
Always recalculate with your estimated rates and volumes. If you’re comparing two platforms, keep GMV and order count the same, then swap in each platform’s plan price, required apps, hosting, and payment rates to see the true monthly total.
Customization
If you run a simple ecommerce site with basic design requirements, prebuilt templates and themes will suffice. But if you want your site to accurately reflect your brand identity, or if you have specific layout needs, look for ecommerce platforms with front-end customization features like the ability to customize your website theme and checkout process.
POS systems
Selling in person at events like pop-ups and craft fairs can be a great way to cultivate word-of-mouth marketing and build meaningful connections with your customers. Platforms like Shopify offer native point-of-sale (POS) systems that let you accept payments in person. POS systems work with your existing inventory management systems, streamlining the sales process across virtual and physical touchpoints.
Payment processing
Make sure your ecommerce platform has a payment gateway that accepts the forms of payment your audience likes to use—like credit cards, Apple Pay, and PayPal—without charging you high payment processing and transaction fees. Some ecommerce platforms, like Shopify, also have native payment gateways. Using a platform with a native payment gateway can simplify your site by eliminating the need for an additional integration.
Scalability
If you plan on growing your business, you’ll need an ecommerce platform that can support your growth strategy and keep up with demand. Some platforms might not be able to handle heavy traffic on the back end, or might charge hefty subscription fees for versions that do. Keep an eye on these elements so you don’t need to switch ecommerce platforms down the line.
Support
Now and then, you might run into a problem you can’t solve by yourself. If you ever experience an issue, you’ll want to get it resolved as quickly as possible so it doesn’t affect your customers. Look for platforms that offer 24/7 customer support, like Shopify.
You might also consider choosing a platform with a large community of users. Popular platforms like Shopify offer robust peer-to-peer resources, whereas smaller ecommerce platforms might not. You can use forums to source ecommerce tips and best practices (and you can ask questions, too).
Marketing tools
Marketing tools like SEO features and integrated email marketing software can help you effectively—and efficiently—get the word out about your business, attract new customers, improve conversion rate optimization, and encourage repeat sales. For simplicity, look for cheap ecommerce platforms that natively host these tools.
Integrations
As much as you plan for your business’s needs, you might eventually find that you require more advanced features, like dropshipping apps or widgets for customer reviews. Popular cheap ecommerce platforms like Shopify have hundreds of thousands of apps that can add a wide range of features to your website.
You’ll also want to consider the native automations a platform provides. Many offer abandoned cart emails, tagging and segmentation, or even native workflow tools, like Shopify Flow. If you have a knack for coding, maybe you’ll want access to the platform’s APIs to create custom triggers or experiences.
When comparing your options, consider:
- Automation limits for events, emails, or segments
- Whether workflows require paid apps and/or an upgraded plan
- Whether pricing is determined by the number of tasks you complete, which can add up quickly
Inventory management
The best ecommerce platforms will show you everything you need to know from a single hub. Platforms like Shopify let you easily track sales and inventory from your admin dashboard.
While most ecommerce platforms offer basic inventory tools, advanced inventory tracking tools go further: They can suggest products for discounts, project future sales by identifying trends, and categorize inventory across sale types (e.g., subscriptions, in-person, and B2B).
Read more
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- How To Sell on Etsy in 6 Easy Steps (2024)
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- How To Start Your Own Cricut Business in 8 Steps
- Grow Your Business Globally With Shopify Markets (2024)
- 9 Etsy Alternatives To Sell Your Crafts On (2024)
- 11 Best Ecommerce Platforms for Your Business in 2024
- What Is Ecommerce? A Comprehensive Guide (2024)
- Customer Testimonials: How To Use Them + Examples
Cheap ecommerce platforms FAQ
Do you need an ecommerce platform to sell online?
No, but using an ecommerce platform simplifies the process of selling products online. It’s often more cost-effective and user-friendly to use an ecommerce platform than to manually set up an online store on a standard website.
Is it free to sell on Shopify?
No, but Shopify offers a three-day free trial and charges $1 per month for the first three months. Shopify offers four robust plans, which start at $29 per month.
What is the cheapest Shopify plan?
The cheapest Shopify plan is the Shopify Starter plan for $5 per month. It includes bare-bones features to help you get started with social selling without committing to a fully developed ecommerce website. You can start this plan on a free trial, after which it costs $1 per month for the first three months, so you can try it before you buy.
How do ecommerce platform transaction fees affect the total cost of ownership?
Transaction fees are variable costs, so they grow as your sales volume increases and directly add to your total monthly cost. Since you pay them on every single order, these fees often add up to be a much larger expense than your fixed monthly platform subscription.
What’s the difference between platform fees and payment processing fees?
A platform fee is the fixed monthly subscription you pay for the ecommerce software itself. Payment processing fees are charged by a payment gateway on each transaction for securely handling the customer’s money.
