Choosing the right e-commerce platform is critical for your online store's success. From drag-and-drop builders to fully customizable solutions, this guide compares the best options for every business type.
Best E-commerce Platforms 2025
- Best Overall: Shopify ($39/mo) - Easy, powerful, huge app store
- Best for WordPress: WooCommerce (free + hosting) - Most flexible, open source
- Best for Growth: BigCommerce ($39/mo) - No transaction fees, B2B features
- Best for Beginners: Wix ($27/mo) - Easiest to use, beautiful templates
- Best Free Option: Square Online (free tier) - Great for local businesses
Top E-commerce Platforms Compared
| Platform | Starting Price | Transaction Fees | Best For | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | $39/mo | 0% with Shopify Payments | Most businesses | |
| WooCommerce | Free (+ hosting) | Payment processor only | WordPress users | |
| BigCommerce | $39/mo | 0% | High-volume sellers | |
| Wix | $27/mo | 0% | Beginners | |
| Squarespace | $33/mo | 0% on Business+ | Design-focused | |
| Square Online | Free | 2.9% + $0.30 | Local businesses |
Detailed Platform Reviews
TOP PICK
Shopify
- Pricing: Basic $39, Shopify $105, Advanced $399/mo
- Transaction fees: 0% with Shopify Payments, 0.5-2% with others
- Pros: Easiest to use, 8,000+ apps, excellent support, POS system
- Cons: Transaction fees with non-Shopify payments, app costs add up
- Best for: Businesses wanting all-in-one solution with growth potential
FLEXIBLE
WooCommerce
- Pricing: Plugin free, hosting $5-50/mo, extensions vary
- Transaction fees: Only payment processor fees (2.9% + $0.30 typical)
- Pros: Fully customizable, own your data, thousands of plugins
- Cons: Requires hosting, more technical, security responsibility
- Best for: WordPress users, developers, customization needs
NO FEES
BigCommerce
- Pricing: Standard $39, Plus $105, Pro $399/mo
- Transaction fees: 0% on all plans
- Pros: No transaction fees, built-in features, B2B capabilities
- Cons: Smaller app store, sales limits on lower plans
- Best for: High-volume sellers, B2B, avoiding transaction fees
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Shopify | WooCommerce | BigCommerce | Wix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Excellent | Moderate | Good | Best |
| Templates | 100+ (many paid) | Thousands | 12 free | 800+ |
| SEO | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Good |
| Multi-channel | Best | Via plugins | Excellent | Limited |
| POS | Built-in | Via plugins | Integrations | Limited |
| Dropshipping | Excellent | Good | Good | Limited |
Total Cost Breakdown
Year 1 Estimated Costs
- Shopify Basic: $468 (plan) + $50 (theme) + $240 (apps) = ~$758/year
- WooCommerce: $120 (hosting) + $50 (theme) + $200 (plugins) = ~$370/year
- BigCommerce: $468 (plan) + $0 (apps included) = ~$468/year
- Wix: $324 (plan) + $0 (apps included) = ~$324/year
- Squarespace: $396 (plan) = ~$396/year
Key Features to Consider
Product Management
- Product variants: Size, color, material options
- Inventory tracking: Stock levels and alerts
- Digital products: Downloads, subscriptions
- Bulk upload: CSV import for large catalogs
Payment Processing
- Payment gateways: Stripe, PayPal, Square, etc.
- Buy now pay later: Klarna, Afterpay, Shop Pay
- Multi-currency: Sell internationally
- Apple/Google Pay: Express checkout
Marketing & Sales
- Abandoned cart recovery: Email reminders
- Discount codes: Percentage, fixed, shipping
- Email marketing: Built-in or integrations
- Social selling: Instagram, Facebook shops
Platform by Business Type
Dropshipping
- Best: Shopify (Oberlo, DSers apps)
- Also good: WooCommerce (AliDropship)
Digital Products
- Best: Gumroad, Podia, Teachable
- Also good: Shopify, WooCommerce
Print on Demand
- Best: Shopify (Printful, Printify integration)
- Also good: WooCommerce
How to Choose
- Assess technical skills: Comfortable with code or need drag-drop?
- Count products: How many SKUs?
- Consider sales channels: Just website or also social/marketplaces?
- Calculate costs: Include apps, themes, transaction fees
- Think about growth: Will platform scale with you?
- Try free trials: Most offer 14-30 day trials