Details of The Top eCommerce Platforms
As several E-Commerce platforms are available online, picking up the right one may feel overwhelming. And, every platform has some distinctive feature that sets them apart from the rest.
This post gives a detailed outline of the Best Ecommerce Platforms and their features. Each platform comes with its fair share of pros and cons, and we have covered both, so you can then decide which one is right for your business and your customers.
Let’s dive right in!
01. Shopify
Shopify has taken the market by storm and is counted among one of the best eCommerce platforms available online at present. It is so easy to use and offers so many features to help you sell your products, making it one of the favorites for all who intend to start an online business.
It helps sellers set up their personalized storefront with just a few simple clicks. It also supports designing your store in various themes, customized checkout forms, cart integration with social media sites such as Facebook & Twitter, etc.
Shopify manages carts and orders automatically, making it a very reliable platform. However, the only downside to using Shopify is that it charges a fee for each sale you make.
But, the user interface, the overall store management, and product management become quick with Shopify.
Features of Shopify:
- Easy to use and customize
- Many themes to choose from
- Cart integration with social media sites
- Automated order management
Shopify Pricing:
The basic plan starts at $29 per month, and the advanced subscription for large businesses starts at $299 per month.
02. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is an eCommerce platform that helps you set up your online store quickly and easily. It offers a customizable storefront, product catalog, unlimited products, bandwidth, etc.
It also supports integration with various payment gateways and shipping carriers. You may also use multiple apps from the BigCommerce app store to extend the functionality of your store.
One great advantage of using BigCommerce is that it does not charge any transaction fees on your sales.
Also, it has a very user-friendly interface which makes it easy for you to manage your store. If you are looking for the scalability factor, then BigCommerce can be a good option for your business.
The company is closely working on adding various new features to make it easier for store owners to offer a better buying experience to their customers.
Features of BigCommerce:
- No transaction fees on
- Customizable storefront
- Product catalog with unlimited products and bandwidth
- Integration with payment gateways and shipping carriers
BigCommerce Pricing:
The basic plan starts at $29.95 per month, and if you need a pro plan for your business, it will cost you 299.95 per month.
03. Site123
Site123 has been around since 2016 and is one of the most user-friendly website builders on the market. The platform enables users to create professional-looking websites with no prior experience or design knowledge.
There are over 100 templates to choose from, and you can easily drag and drop content into place. Site123 also offers a wide range of features, including contact forms, eCommerce tools, and SEO optimization.
Site123 for eCommerce
If you’re looking to create an online store, Site123 is a good option. The platform offers a wide range of features for eCommerce, including product catalogs, shopping carts, and payment processing.
Site123 also makes it easy to manage your inventory and orders, and you can even sell digital products such as music or ebooks.
If you’re looking for a simple and easy-to-use eCommerce platform, Site123 is a great option.
SEO Optimization with Site123
Site123 offers a range of features to help you optimize your website for search engines. The platform includes SEO tools such as keyword research and site analysis.
Site123 also makes it easy to create sitemaps and submit your website to search engines. If you’re looking for a platform that can help you optimize your website for SEO, Site123 is a good option.
Site123 Pricing
Site123 offers a free plan and paid plans starting at $5.80 per month. The paid plans include more storage and bandwidth, as well as additional features such as a custom domain and email accounts.
04. Wix
Wix is a famous website builder that also offers E-Commerce solutions. It is simple to use and helps you quickly create a professional online store.
You can choose from among 100s of templates and designs to make your store and use the Wix Editor to customize it further. The best part about Wix is that it does not require any design or coding skills.
Wix provides eCommerce features such as unlimited products and bandwidth, secure payment gateways, shipping integration, etc.
However, it does not support marketing or SEO features which can be a disadvantage for some businesses. Additionally, it also charges a commission on sales made through its platform.
Wix is your ultimate choice if you are looking for a platform that doesn’t require any technical knowledge to set up.
Features of Wix:
- User-friendly interface
- No design or coding skills required
- 100s of templates and designs to choose from
- Commission on sales made through the platform
Wix Pricing:
The monthly plan starts at $23 per month which is ideal for small businesses. In addition, the Wix VIP plan starts at $39 per month which adds priority support.
05. Squarespace
Squarespace is another popular E-Commerce platform that you can use for eCommerce functionalities like multi-currency transactions. However, you need to pay additional money if you want this feature.
It offers several options for web hosting, which makes it suitable for businesses with bigger budgets since they do not have to stick to a particular hosting provider or search around.
It has high-security standards, and SSL certificates come pre-installed with every plan. However, Squarespace does not support third-party SEO plugins, so it may affect your website’s ability to get organic traffic in the long run.
However, you can optimize your website and products from its in-built features. One of the best things about using this platform is that you don’t need any coding knowledge to use it effectively, as everything is easy to do through their user-friendly interface.
Features of Squarespace:
- SSL certificates come pre-installed with every plan
- No coding knowledge is required to use effectively
- User-friendly interface
- Supports multi-currency transactions
Squarespace Pricing:
The basic plan starts at $18 per month, in which you also have to pay the transaction fees. If you need a plan without transaction fees, it starts from $26 per month.
06. Volusion
Volusion is a popular eCommerce platform that offers everything you need to set up and run your online store. It provides unlimited products and bandwidth, SSL security, fraud protection, etc.
Volusion also offers various apps from its app store that can extend the functionality of your store.
One most helpful thing about Volusion is that it comes with a very user-friendly interface which makes it easy for you to manage your store. Additionally, it does not charge any transaction fees on sales made through its platform.
The only downside to using Volusion is that its pricing plans are a little expensive compared to other E-Commerce platforms. However, if you are looking for quick setup, top-notch security, and ease of use, then Volusion is an ideal pick for you.
Features of Volusion:
- Unlimited products and bandwidth
- Secure transaction processing
- Various apps for adding new functionalities to your store
- User-friendly interface with drag & drop features
Volusion Pricing:
The basic plan starts from $29 per month to sell 100 products. In addition, the $79 monthly program lets you sell 5000 products. If your sales are higher than 5000 products, you can buy a customized plan.
07. 3DCart
3DCart is a shopping cart software that helps you set up your store quickly and easily. It provides features such as unlimited products, bandwidth, etc. One great thing about using 3DCart is that it also offers professional support to its users free of cost.
Additionally, the user interface of this platform is straightforward to use, which makes it perfect for beginners.
The only downside to using 3DCart is that it charges transaction fees on each sale made through its platform. Also, the app’s functionality covers only essential functions that may not be sufficient for some businesses out there.
However, if you are a beginner in E-Commerce and are not looking for advanced features for your store, 3DCart is the best platform for you.
Features of 3DCart:
- Unlimited products and bandwidth
- User-friendly interface with drag & drop features
- Transaction fees on each sale made through the platform
- Multiple shopping cart options
3DCart Pricing:
3DCart offers a freemium model, and the paid plans start from $29 per month and go up to $229 per month.
08. BigCartel
BigCartel is an open-source eCommerce platform that makes it easy to set up your store quickly. Another advantage of using BigCartel is offering a free plan, albeit with fewer features.
You can buy additional packages according to your needs. One great thing about this platform is that it allows you to accept payments in any currency without customization. Its user interface is easy to use, making it perfect even for beginners.
However, since BigCartel also follows the freemium business model, you may have to pay more if you want some advanced features in your store. Also, it does not provide advanced marketing or SEO features which can be a disadvantage for some businesses.
Features of BigCartel:
- Open-source platform
- Accept payments in any currency
- Extremely simple and easy to use user interface
- Minimalistic and user-friendly setup for store owners
BigCartel Pricing:
The free plan lets you add and sell five products. If you have more than five products, the paid plan starts at $9.99, enabling you to add 50 products.
09. Weebly
Weebly is a famous website builder that allows you to create your online store quickly. In addition, it offers features such as SSL security, unlimited products, and bandwidth, etc.
One good thing about Weebly is that it also provides free domain names and hosting for one year, along with its paid plans. Therefore, it makes it easier for new users to explore their options without worrying about the expenses involved with starting up an online store.
The only downside of using Weebly is that it does not offer any advanced e-commerce functionalities like other platforms like multi-currency transactions.
However, if you are new to the E-Commerce business, then Weebly should not be a problem since it is effortless to use.
Features of Weebly:
- SSL security for safe transactions
- Unlimited products and bandwidth
- You get a free domain name and hosting for one year along with paid plans
- Offers a highly user-friendly interface even for beginners
Weebly Pricing:
The Weebly platform is free, but for E-Commerce functionality, you need to buy the paid plans starting from $12 per month which goes up to $38 per month for big businesses.
10. WooCommerce
If you are using WordPress, you must’ve heard about WooCommerce. It is one of the most popular eCommerce platforms that seamlessly integrates with WordPress.
In addition, it offers advanced eCommerce functionalities like multi-currency transactions, which is excellent for online stores that expand globally.
However, since WooCommerce requires WordPress, it may not be suitable for businesses that do not use it already. You can turn your standard WordPress website into an eCommerce website with WooCommerce, but it may not be the best option for every business out there.
On the other hand, if you are a WordPress user and planning to launch your E-Commerce site, then WooCommerce is an ideal choice for you. You can import all products together and customize the store layout as per your requirements with minimum tweaks.
Features of WooCommerce:
- Advanced eCommerce functionalities like multi-currency transactions
- Integrates seamlessly with WordPress CMS
- It let you quickly import products in bulk
- Highly SEO-friendly as it’s based on WordPress
WooCommerce Pricing:
WooCommerce plugin is free to use as you only need to install it on your WordPress website.
11. Ecwid
Ecwid is a stand-alone site builder plugin for e-commerce. It offers all of the basic eCommerce functionalities like unlimited products and bandwidth, but it does not provide advanced functionalities found in other platforms.
One good thing about Ecwid is that it has a very user-friendly interface which makes it perfect for beginners. Another feature worth mentioning here is that you can easily use third-party payment gateways through this platform. This platform is more flexible than many other E-Commerce options.
Ecwid offers a seamless user experience to both store owners and customers so that you can easily manage your growing store. It’s similar to the WooCommerce plugin, but it supports several other platforms than WordPress.
Features of Ecwid:
- Unlimited products and bandwidth
- Very user-friendly interface
- Supports several other platforms than WordPress
- Payment gateways supported by Ecwid are more flexible than many other platforms
Ecwid Pricing:
The free plan lets you only sell a selected range of products. If you need to sell more products, the paid plans start from $15 per month.
12. Magento
Magento is one of the most popular E-Commerce platforms used by many large businesses. It offers many features and options for companies to expand their reach to new customers.
Magento is a compelling platform, and it can be a little challenging to use for beginners. However, with its vast library of extensions and themes, you can easily customize your store according to your needs.
One downside of using Magento is that it can be expensive to hire a developer to get started. Additionally, it requires regular maintenance to keep your store running smoothly.
On the other hand, it’s an advanced platform that offers you several enterprise-level features for business scaling.
Features of Magento:
- Compelling platform with a vast library of extensions and themes
- Perfect for enterprises that are looking for advanced eCommerce functionalities
- Highly SEO-friendly, so you don’t have to worry about your brand’s visibility
- More stable than many other E-Commerce platforms
Magento Pricing:
The open-source version of Magento is free to use. On the other hand, if you are an enterprise and the sales are in millions, the pro plan starts from $22,000.
13. OpenCart
OpenCart is an open-source platform where you can create a professional eCommerce store. It offers a wide range of features and extensions that you can use to increase the functionality of your store.
Additionally, it is one of the most SEO-friendly platforms that you can find. Finally, you can easily manage your products, orders, and customers through its simple interface.
In addition, OpenCart offers regular updates to stay up-to-date with the latest security threats and changes in the E-Commerce industry. OpenCart is an excellent choice for you if you have basic coding knowledge and want to manage your website without any help from a developer.
Features of OpenCart:
- SSL certificates come pre-installed with every plan
- Highly SEO-friendly platform that is updated regularly to stay up-to-date with the latest changes and security threats
- Offers regular updates for business owners who have basic coding knowledge
- No monthly charge is required, so it’s easy on your wallet as well
OpenCart Pricing:
OpenCart is free to use.
14. Salesforce Commerce Cloud
Salesforce Commerce Cloud, formerly known as Demandware, is a platform used by many large businesses around the world. It offers many features and options for companies to expand their reach to new customers.
In addition, it integrates well with other Salesforce applications and can be easily customized according to your needs.
One of the downsides of using this platform is that it can be expensive, and you need a lot of technical knowledge to use it effectively. Additionally, it’s not as SEO-friendly as some of the other available platforms on the market.
However, if you’re looking for a platform that can offer you many features and scalability, then Salesforce Commerce Cloud is an excellent choice for you.
Features of Salesforce Commerce Cloud:
- Quick to scale and add more products
- Integrates well with other Salesforce applications
- SSL certificates come pre-installed with every plan
- You get regular updates from the company
Salesforce Commerce Cloud pricing:
The annual licensing fee of Salesforce commerce cloud starts at $150,000.
15. SuiteCommerce
SuiteCommerce is the platform you can use to create your customized eCommerce store. It allows easy customization of designs and themes through its simple drag-and-drop interface.
Additionally, it supports multi-currency transactions, product reviews, and other SEO-friendly features so customers can easily find out about your products online.
You need to have some coding knowledge, but SuiteCommerce offers excellent documentation, so beginners should get started with no problems. However, if you want an E-Commerce website where the platform itself will manage everything, this is not the right choice.
Features of SuiteCommerce:
- Drag-and-drop interface for easier customization
- Supports-currency transactions
- SSL certificates come pre-installed with every plan
- Regular updates to ensure that you’re always up-to-date with the latest features
SuiteCommerce Pricing:
SuiteCommerce pricing starts at $40,000, and the company don’t offer a free version
16. CoreCommerce
CoreCommerce is a platform where you can create your professional eCommerce store. It offers a wide range of features and extensions that you can use to increase the functionality of your store.
Additionally, it is one of the most SEO-friendly platforms that you can find. Finally, you can easily manage your products, orders, and customers through its simple interface.
CoreCommerce is an excellent choice for you if you have basic coding knowledge and want to manage your website without any help from a developer. In addition, if you are looking for a platform that offers both E-Commerce and blogging functionality, then CoreCommerce is the best fit for you.
Features of CoreCommerce:
- SSL certificates come pre-installed with every plan
- You can manage your products, orders, and customers through a simple interface
- One of the most SEO-friendly platforms that you can find
- Offers a wide range of features and extensions
CoreCommerce Pricing:
The basic plan starts at $29 per month and lets you add ten products. If you need a plan with unlimited products, you can opt for their business plan which costs you $229 per month.
Wrapping up!
There is no such platform that is perfect for every business. So, based on your E-Commerce requirements, pick the right platform and get started.
