When it comes to setting up online stores, Shopify is a fan favorite with over 6000 applications on the Shopify app store to assist merchants along their way of building an e-commerce platform and improving online presence. Does that mean shopify is the only commerce platform you can count on to build your shop? The answer is a resounding no. There are several alternatives to Shopify that are worth checking out. That’s why we have brought a collection of platforms that you can use instead of Shopify in 2023. We will cover six Shopify alternatives that may help you set up your online venture.
Top Shopify Alternatives of 2023
Let’s look at some of the most promising Shopify competitors that can be more suitable for your needs and make a smaller hole in your pocket. This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are other tools that might be more suitable for your specific business needs. So, if we miss a Shopify competitor that you really like, please feel free to let us know. Let’s jump into the list, shall we?
1. WooCommerce
The first name that comes to mind while looking for competitors of Shopify is definitely WooCommerce. With payment acceptability from 140+ payment gateways, a free plugin, and easy integration with WordPress sites, WooCommerce hits the trifecta of e-commerce goodness. While WooCommerce is free and open source, you’d still need to pay for hosting, domain name, and an SSL certificate.
Pros
- It’s open source
- No monthly charges for using WooCommerce payment
- Instant deposit using WooCommerce payment.
Cons
- Only for WordPress sites
- Not the easiest to use
2. Ecwid
Ecwid stands for e-commerce widget. It is an easy-to-use Shopify alternative that has both free and paid plans. You can add Ecwid to your existing site across a range of frameworks by simply adding a few lines of code. It comes with a drag and drop interface, GDPR compliance, and unlimited bandwidth. The paid plan offers you services like inventory management, digital products, discount coupons, and whatnot. The paid plans start at $14.08 per month.
Pros
- Let’s you turn an existing site into a store
- State of the art drag and drop editor
- GDPR compliant
- Unlimited bandwidth even on free plans
Cons
- You need a business plan or higher to create custom orders.
Also Read – 5 Tools to Find Out Who Called You From This Number
3. Sellfy
Sellfy is a great Shopify alternative specifically for businesses that deal in print on demand (PoD) products like T-shirts, mugs, posters, and whatnot. It has an inbuilt print-on-demand feature which makes it an exciting Shopify alternative for businesses dealing in PoD products. With the paid plans that cost $19 per month when paid biannually, you get email marketing, and custom domains. On the higher-tiered plans you get features like cart-abandonment, product upselling, product migration, etc.
Pros
- 24/7 support
- Built-in print on demand
Cons
- Annual sales limits even on paid plans
4. Wix
Wix is one of the biggest Shopify competitors offering an intuitive drag and drop shop editor. It is especially suitable for DIY shop owners with a head full of ideas. Wix makes it quite easy for you to customize your store without breaking your bank. The paid plan costs $27 per month. It comes with cart abandonment and recovery, social selling, unlimited storage, video hours, etc.
Pros
- Over 800 free templates
- Free domain name if you pay for a whole year or more
- Leading drag and drop editor
- Mobile responsive stores
Cons
- Can’t accept payments on the free plan
5. Shift4Shop
Shift4Shop is a nice, affordable, well-rounded Shopify competitor which is great for small businesses. You can start selling your products on Shift4Shop by creating a mobile and SEO friendly store. You can customize your store using the templates or hire a Shop4Shift engineer to help you set your store up. The paid plan comes at $29 per month.
Pros
- Need not pay to use the payment gateway
- Special incentive for switching from other platforms
- 24/7 support
Cons
- Requires HTML and CSS knowledge for customization
6. Squarespace
Squarespace allows you to build beautiful and professional looking strefronts without an ounce of coding knowledge. It is highly customizable, has a bunch of templates, and offers 24/7 customer support. Squarespace comes for $16 per month. If you want to use the e-commerce feature, it costs $23 per month. The business plan comes with quite few upgrades and features.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Free domain name and SSL
- SEO feature for every plan
Cons
- E-commerce feature only for business plans.
FAQs about Shopify
How can I find out what shopify themes my competitors use?
It’s quite simple actually. Just follow the steps
- Go to a Shopify detector site
- Paste the URL for your favorite Shopify store
- Hit the Detect Theme button
- Get the theme name
- Log into Shopify and search for the theme name you discovered.
How to find my competitors on Shopify?
Go to Google and type, site:myshopify.com followed by your main target keyword. You will see who is leading in your niche. Shopify has over 600,000 merchants, but it is a good practice to keep an eye on your closest competitors.
What is the cost of using Shopify?
Shopify Basic costs $29 per month, with 2.9% + 30¢ per online transaction. The pricing is quite reasonable when you consider the other players in the market.
Wrapping up
The e-commerce business has burgeoned and ballooned up out of proportion over the last few years. Tools like Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace have made it possible for business owners to take their business online without hiring a whole team of IT professionals. Platforms such as these play a vital role in the well-being of small and midsize businesses that do not necessarily have a team to take care of online selling.
Now you know a bunch of fantastic tools that can give Shopify a run for its money. WooCommerce is the gold standard when it comes to Shopify competitors. Let us know what’s your favorite.
