12 Shopify Alternatives That Outperform (Free or Paid) in 2022 -
Shopify is a popular ecommerce platform used by millions of sellers. However, there are a few issues that cause people to stay away with the site. Many merchants churn due to the cost of a monthly subscription particularly when the store hasn't made a profit yet. Some leave due to too many additional costs, such as app purchases are rising and eating the profit margins. And some find the site to be too complex, particularly for people who aren't experts. Therefore, even though Shopify might be a good choice for some but it's a great suggestion to explore other Shopify alternatives to make sure you've selected the correct ecommerce platform that meets your requirements as a business owner. We'll take an in-depth look at the Shopify rivals.
What exactly is Shopify?
Shopify is an e-commerce platform that is specialized in the sale of physical items. Whether you dropship or wholesale, you can find Shopify apps that allow you to locate products that you can offer on your website to make you an online seller the very next day. Shopify has ecommerce options including hosting on the web, a no-cost domain on their subdomain as well as over 100 payment gateways, unlimitable items, and much other. But there's no free plan and only a 14-day trial trial. This means that this project can cost quite a bit at the beginning.
Four Reasons to Choose Shopify Alternatives to Shopify
1. For a less expensive option
In their standard pricing tiers, Shopify's most economical plan is their Basic plan that starts at just $29 per month. But, Shopify also offers a $9/month plan, but it doesn't come with an online store; you'll need to market your products through social media, a third-party site, or some other method. However, Shopify doesn't offer an budget-friendly plan for retailers who aren't making any money. If you're paying for themes, monthly subscriptions applications, marketing, and apps, you'll be investing an enormous amount of money beginning your journey, and there's no guarantee that you will pick the appropriate product or niche to market. It's true that not every business can create brands as huge such as Kylie Cosmetics or Fashion Nova. Therefore, alternatives like Shopify can be a great choice to those who are looking for a budget-friendly option.
2. In order to make a bigger profit
One reason why people might consider Shopify alternatives is that they can earn greater profits for selling on the internet. Alongside the monthly subscription, you have monthly application fees and transactions fees that are 2.9 percent plus 30 cents on the Basic plan. Depending on where you source the products you sell, you might have to pay for shipping, product costs along with the app's subscription. This is prior to launching your items. There are so many costs paid before you've made those first few dollars, it could make it difficult to maintain your margins. Therefore, you decide to start marketing, which comes with an expense for marketing that is higher than other forms of marketing , to generate sales. But ads don't always convert profitably. You'll need trial and error, product-market fit, and experience to run a successful ecommerce store. This can be a huge burden for novices who just want to make some additional money by doing a side hustle. It's not impossible to succeed However, certain e-commerce platforms require too many upfront charges, which may hurt someone financially.
3. For a simpler platform
Shopify offers drag-and-drop capabilities making the platform relatively easy for beginners. However, building a website isn't the hardest aspect of operating an online store. The process of marketing your merchandise is the toughest aspect of becoming the proprietor of an online store. The variety of tools a platform has is an added benefit, but the marketing features matter. Connecting to the people you want to reach quicker and more effectively is something that many ecommerce platforms fail to make up for. But, it's possible to locate an solution that functions as a marketplace to let buyers are drawn to your store instead of you doing all the heavy lifting. And for store owners looking to find a reliable marketing platform, a Shopify alternative might be a good fit.
4. For easing your stress
From having to write many product descriptions and challenges with transferring from one platform to the next, or a deficiency of a reliable Content Management System (CMS) and too many costs, there are several reasons to search to an alternative to Shopify alternative. E-commerce stores are not only a site, it's also a business. It's easier to run your business rather than simply creating it and then letting it go, the more likely they will choose the platform which is the best fit for their needs. Shopify provides customer service for all merchants on its platform However, for certain people, that's not enough to make sales.
12 Shopify Alternatives That Are Superior (Free and Paid)
1.
You can take sales from anywhere. If you wish to promote your business via social media, on your blog, or another website, you're able to. 's checkout is optimized for conversions. This means that you will see better conversions when you're selling on your site. Additionally, when customers place an order from your store, they'll be provided with the item immediately. This means you can say goodbye to long shipping wait times.
securely hosts your content files The users will only be given your file after they've been on your download page after purchase. Plus, unlike some of the major e-commerce platforms you don't have to wait until you receive your money. Instead, customers earn money through PayPal or Stripe instantly.
2. BigCommerce
Alternatives to Shopify like BigCommerce can also be used for creating an online shop. BigCommerce provides a variety of services, like hosting for websites. The biggest advantage BigCommerce is able to offer over Shopify is the fact that they charge no transaction costs on the pricing plans. BigCommerce permits you to create as many as 600 different variations to each product, while Shopify can only allow 100 variations on each item. BigCommerce has a more trial than Shopify which allows you to explore the platform and build your own online store. BigCommerce also has a greater drag-and-drop feature which lets you design your website with any elements easily. BigCommmerce also has more than just free themes as well as paid ones than Shopify does, making this one of those Shopify alternatives to look into.
3. WooCommerce
Shopify alternatives such as WooCommerce are perfect for anyone looking to build an online store with maximum customization functionality. If you're determined to create an ecommerce business, WooCommerce is an open-source platform that is accessible for use at no cost. Plus, WooCommerce is an WordPress plug-in. If you've been thinking of building out your site to include the largest blog available to drive organic traffic, this is the best Shopify alternative to do it. You'll need to pay for the hosting for your website however. However, this also means that you're free to make your making your own. WooCommerce is one of the largest Shopify competitors as it has over 3,000,000 customers than that green bag of shopping.
4. Etsy
If you're in search of advertising features, Etsy is one of the Shopify alternatives to check out. Etsy operates as an internet-based marketplace that allows users can buy and sell products. Although you do not own an website, your customers are likely to discover you by searching on Etsy, so it's convenient for people who are struggling to market. There's no monthly subscription However, it doesn't mean Etsy is free of charge. There are the listing fee in the amount of $0.20 for each added product along with the 6.5 percent transaction cost. Additionally, you'll have to pay payment processing fees dependent on your chosen payment service. In the event that you do not have pay a lot of expenses for marketing, it's an worthwhile Shopify alternative for those selling physical products.
5. PinnacleCart
Like Shopify, PinnacleCart offers a free service for customers earning upwards of $250,000. There is the option of adding more than five accounts for admin in this free plan as well. This eCommerce platform comes with over 400 ecommerce features, allowing you to customize and design your online shop to your own specifications. There are no transaction costs on all of their plans. Shopify alternatives like this offer an QR code generator, the ability to leave testimonials, an wish list for customers, as well as gift message for orders. It's not necessary to install an app in order to get these features for your ecommerce store.
6. Wix
Wix is among the very few Shopify alternatives that offer advertising vouchers as part of their monthly service so you can run your online store while focusing on the most important thing: generating the sales. You can run subscription services through the Wix account, which makes it one of the top features online retailers can add to their stores. E-commerce businesses can allow you to install as many as 250 items when dropshipping via Modalyst. Beyond product sales, ecommerce solutions like Wix allow users to create your own websites, businesses that are freelance or even to sell tickets for occasions. Restaurants typically utilize Wix because it allows online orders for food. Hotel reservations can be made via Wix as well. This goes beyond just building your online store.
7. PrestaShop
Another Shopify alternative using an open-source ecommerce platform is PrestaShop. As an open-source and self-hosted service, it's completely accessible for use in online stores. But there are still associated business expenses with running online stores, even with ecommerce platforms like PrestaShop. Nevertheless, this platform is easy to use and permits customization of the store. It is possible to edit the of the source files. However, Shopify's Shopify changing the code of your theme could render your business unsuitable for any future upgrade. PrestaShop is also home to over 2,000 templates available on their website, and Shopify is home to less than 100.
8. Elementor
The ecommerce solution Elementor is one Shopify alternative worth considering. With more than 300 professionally created templates available, you'll be able to create a beautiful online business. The Shopify alternative also allows the user to make edits that are responsive that means you are able to adjust your site from up to seven different devices simultaneously. You can also live edit your website to make quick adjustments. With auto-save the website will not need to manually update your site as you make changes to the site. In addition, as opposed to Shopify, you can build many pages such as websites with landing pages and pop-ups block templates, about us pages, and much more using distinctive features in design.
9. Square
Alternatives to Shopify when it comes to point-of sale systems are none other than Square. It is popular with local eateries, brick and mortar businesses and small retailers. If you use the Square app for your sales, it's totally free. It's only 2.65% for every swipe. Unlike Shopify, you can also buy a register to the physical location for the cashiers in your store to punch into orders. Businesses that generate over 250,000 dollars annually could receive additional savings for operating their POS system through Square.
10. Squarespace
Shopify alternatives such as Squarespace let you create more features for the online shop you have created. Squarespace is more blog-friendly as compared to Shopify and Shopify for customers looking to add blogs to their online store. There are also numerous free templates available on Squarespace in comparison to Shopify, giving customers more options for template. It's a good thing that the Shopify alternative allows the user to include more options for each product. This can be up to 250, as opposed to Shopify's only 100. Additionally, you can get your domain name for no cost when you purchase an annual subscription of an Squarespace plan.
11. Poshmark
Poshmark is an online marketplace which allows you to sell to its customer base. So if you're looking for Shopify alternatives that have their marketplace, Poshmark is a great alternative, especially when you are selling brand name clothing and cosmetics. Retailers who are brick and mortar or online who have surplus inventory can utilize Poshmark to market their goods with lower prices. Poshmark also has Posh Stories, where you are able to promote your products using videos and images via their application. Although you'll not have your own store online on Poshmark, you'll be able to interact with the company's user base.
12. WordPress
Alternatives to Shopify like WordPress offer e-commerce features through the use of plug-ins. However, if you're looking to create an online store, such as an Amazon affiliate site, WordPress could be a suitable choice. The greatest content management system that you can find on the internet is WordPress. Millions of people choose WordPress to build a website and, while they may not specialize in ecommerce functionality, there are many options to approach it. For example the number of WordPress themes than any other eCommerce platform, as it's the largest. This Shopify alternative is free which allows you to modify your site to suit your needs for a truly unique online shop. Although Shopify has more than 1,000,000 customers, WordPress manages over 455 million sites.
FAQ
Are there alternatives for free for Shopify?
Yes! is a no-cost alternative to Shopify. Sign up to's Free Forever plan. This plan allows you pay only a 5 per cent transaction cost when you make a sale. With this Free Forever plan you'll be able to use every feature of the site that allow you to design your store online in the manner you want.
Which are the Shopify's biggest competitors?
The main rivals of Shopify are digital goods, Square for point-of-sale solutions, Etsy for marketplace sellers as well as BigCommerce as well as WooCommerce for physical products.
Are Shopify worth it?
It depends. Shopify is an excellent e-commerce platform for some people, but beginners often find the costs too high when starting a business on Shopify. Examples include alternatives that provide a cost-free plan with a monthly subscription with all the tools needed to create your online shop.