Independent comparison
Ecommerce platforms compared
Twelve popular ways to sell online, compared on the things that don't change every month: what each is built for, how much tech it asks of you, and how far it scales. For prices, we link to each provider's official pricing page, because prices change often.
| Platform | Type | Best for | Ease | Scalability | Design freedom | Watch out for | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Hosted SaaS | Physical-product brands that want to grow; the largest app ecosystem | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | App costs add up; extra fees if you don't use the built-in payment processor | Official pricing |
| WooCommerce | Open-source (WordPress) | Content-heavy stores, custom builds and owners who want full control of code and data | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | You manage hosting, security, updates and plugin conflicts | Official site |
| Wix eCommerce | Hosted builder | Small, design-led stores and businesses mixing products with services or bookings | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | Switching templates later is hard; less suited to very large catalogues | Official pricing |
| Squarespace Commerce | Hosted builder | Creatives, portfolios, services and small premium catalogues | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | Fewer ecommerce add-ons than dedicated platforms | Official pricing |
| BigCommerce | Hosted SaaS | Large catalogues, B2B/wholesale and multi-storefront brands | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | Plans are tied to annual sales thresholds; steeper learning curve | Official pricing |
| Square Online | Hosted (with POS) | Cafés, restaurants, retail shops and market sellers who also sell in person | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | Limited design customisation; works best inside the Square ecosystem | Official pricing |
| Ecwid by Lightspeed | Embeddable widget | Adding a store to a site you already have, or selling across several sites and social channels | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | Store design is mostly inherited from the host site | Official pricing |
| Big Cartel | Hosted (minimal) | Artists and makers with small catalogues | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | Product limits by plan; few advanced features | Official pricing |
| Etsy | Marketplace | Handmade, vintage and craft supplies; testing demand with built-in buyers | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | You don't own the customer relationship; per-sale fees and fierce competition | Official fees |
| Payhip | Creator platform | eBooks, courses, memberships and coaching | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | Not built for large physical catalogues | Official pricing |
| Sellfy | Creator platform | Creators selling digital goods, subscriptions and print-on-demand merch | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | Simpler storefronts; plan limits tied to revenue | Official pricing |
| Gumroad | Creator platform + discovery | Selling a first digital product with almost no setup | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | Per-sale fees instead of a subscription; limited branding | Official pricing |
Ratings are our editorial assessment of each platform's general fit for small and growing stores, reviewed November 2026. They are opinions, not measurements, and we are not paid for placement. Click a column header to sort. Platform names are trademarks of their respective owners. See our editorial policy.
How to choose in five minutes
- Start from what you sell. Digital-only? A creator platform will be faster than any full store builder. Selling in person? Prioritise point of sale. Handmade? A marketplace can test demand cheaply.
- Be honest about maintenance. Open-source gives you control, but someone has to update it. Hosted platforms handle security and uptime for you.
- Model the fees at your expected volume with the fee calculator, not at today's zero.
- Check your must-haves: subscriptions, B2B pricing, product options, multiple currencies, local payment methods.
- Confirm you can export products, customers and orders, so you're never locked in.
Deep dives: How to choose an ecommerce platform and Shopify vs WooCommerce.