Best Ecommerce Platforms in 2026: 12 Tools Compared by Company Size and Requirements

Top picks by situation

• A growing brand that wants hosting handled

  Shopify

  Four tiers run from Basic up to Plus, with staff seats rising to unlimited and card fees dropping on higher plans, so the brand can grow without replatforming.

  From: $29/month billed yearly ($39 monthly) for Basic

• A mid-market brand selling to businesses

  BigCommerce

  Customer groups come with Growth and up, Price Lists with Performance, and the embedded payment provider fee falls to none on the top tier.

  From: $29/month billed yearly (Core), $39 monthly

• A WordPress site adding unusual checkout logic

  WooCommerce

  The core is free, you choose your own host, and extensions are sold individually, which suits teams with developer time and no wish to share revenue.

  From: Free (core)

• A design-led creator selling digital goods

  Squarespace Commerce

  The vendor targets brands and creators who prioritize templates, and its store fee drops to 0% from the Core plan onward.

  From: EUR 12/month (Basic, lower of the two shown figures)

• A shop with a Square register adding web orders

  Square Online

  Point of sale and online ordering share one Square account, and the entry tier is free with fees charged per payment.

  From: Free

• A business with a site that needs a cart

  Ecwid by Lightspeed

  Ecwid is built as a store widget for existing sites, with tiers priced by product count and marketplace listings from the Business tier.

  From: $5/month (Starter)

Ecommerce Platforms comparison table

Ecommerce Platforms compared

Tool	Best for	Starting price	Free plan	Free trial	G2 rating
Adobe Commerce (Magento)	Large merchants with in-house or agency developers	Contact sales	No	No	4.0 (570 reviews)
Shift4Shop	Small to mid sellers who want many built-in features at a low flat price	$41/month (as advertised on homepage)	Not stated	Not stated	3.9 (36 reviews)
Salesforce Commerce Cloud	Enterprise teams already on Salesforce who want sales-quoted B2C or B2B commerce	Contact sales	No	No	4.3 (572 reviews)
PrestaShop	European merchants wanting open source control	Free (source code download)	Yes	No	4.3 (160 reviews)
BigCommerce	Growing stores wanting B2B tools and open APIs on a hosted platform	$29/month billed yearly (Core), $39 monthly	No	Yes	4.2 (574 reviews)
Wix eCommerce	Small shops and service businesses that want site and store in one editor	Free plan	Yes	No	4.2 (1,801 reviews)
Big Cartel	Artists and small makers who want a cheap flat-fee store	$15/month (Platinum)	Yes	Yes	4.2 (27 reviews)
Shopify	Small and mid-size brands that want a hosted store without managing servers	$29/month billed yearly ($39 monthly) for Basic	No	Yes	4.4 (4,964 reviews)
Square Online	Existing Square POS merchants adding an online store	Free	Yes	Not stated	4.2 (478 reviews)
WooCommerce	Merchants already on WordPress who want full code control	Free (core)	Yes	No	4.4 (1,278 reviews)
Squarespace Commerce	Brands and creators that prioritize templates and design	EUR 12/month (Basic, lower of the two shown figures)	No	Yes	4.4 (1,135 reviews)
Ecwid by Lightspeed	Sites that already exist and need a cart added	$5/month (Starter)	No	Not stated	4.7 (402 reviews)

What are ecommerce platforms?

Online stores run on ecommerce platform software, which keeps product data, renders the storefront, collects payment at checkout and passes orders to shipping. Staff use it daily to publish listings, adjust prices, pack parcels and review revenue. Vendor-hosted products look after servers and upgrades themselves. Open-source ones, such as WooCommerce or PrestaShop, give a company the source code and also the maintenance chores. Everyone from independent makers to wholesalers and global retailers depends on an ecommerce platform, but the depth they need varies enormously.

Core capabilities

• Product catalog management

  Stores products, variants, images and prices, and lets staff update them in bulk.

• Checkout and payments

  Takes card and wallet payments through a built-in processor or an outside gateway, and applies taxes and discounts.

• Order and shipping handling

  Tracks each order from purchase to delivery and prints labels or hands data to fulfillment partners.

• Storefront themes and design control

  Provides templates and code access so the shop matches the brand.

• Sales channels and marketplaces

  Pushes products to social networks, marketplaces and a physical point of sale.

• Apps, extensions and APIs

  Adds features such as marketing, accounting or ERP links without custom development.

The 12 best ecommerce platforms, reviewed

1

Adobe Commerce (Magento)

Contact sales

Developer-heavy retailers pick Adobe Commerce, the Magento-based product sold strictly by quote. It handles intricate catalogs and B2B rules. Tiny shops without technical budget, and anyone who wants a published price list, will struggle.

• 1-10: poor fit
• 11-50: poor fit
• 51-500: strong fit
• 500+: strong fit

Best for

• Large merchants with in-house or agency developers
• Complex catalogs and B2B needing deep customization

Look elsewhere if

• Small stores without developer budget
• Buyers needing published prices

Key features

Hosted versus self-hosted

Cloud-hosted or self-managed (not confirmed by the vendor)

Pricing model and transparency

Quote-based

Target company size

Enterprise / upper mid-market

Full Adobe Commerce (Magento) profileRequest an offer

2

Shift4Shop

$41/month (as advertised on homepage)

Once called 3dcart, Shift4Shop advertises one flat plan at $41 a month. Listed extras include 100+ free themes, free SSL, free domain registration and Facebook, eBay and Amazon links. Request written contract terms before signing.

• 1-10: strong fit
• 11-50: strong fit
• 51-500: workable
• 500+: no data

Best for

• Small to mid sellers who want many built-in features at a low flat price

Look elsewhere if

• Teams that need verified pricing terms before buying

Key features

Hosted versus self-hosted

Hosted SaaS

Themes and customization

100+ free themes, free SSL, free domain registration

Multichannel and marketplace selling

Facebook, eBay, Amazon integrations

SEO and site performance

SEO-optimized templates

Pricing model and transparency

Single advertised unlimited plan at $41/month

Full Shift4Shop profileRequest an offer

3

Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Contact sales

Enterprise teams that already run on Salesforce buy Commerce Cloud through sales quotes only. The B2C Premium and B2B Growth editions are sold separately. Small shops looking for public self-serve pricing will find no fit.

• 1-10: poor fit
• 11-50: poor fit
• 51-500: strong fit
• 500+: strong fit

Best for

• Enterprise teams already on Salesforce who want sales-quoted B2C or B2B commerce

Look elsewhere if

• Small shops that need public self-serve pricing

Key features

Hosted versus self-hosted

Salesforce-hosted SaaS

B2B and wholesale features

Separate B2B Growth Edition is sold

Pricing model and transparency

Contact for pricing; separate B2C Premium and B2B Growth editions

Target company size

Mid-market and enterprise (inferred from quote-only sales; not stated by vendor)

Full Salesforce Commerce Cloud profileRequest an offer

4

PrestaShop

Free (source code download)

From France comes PrestaShop, open-source software whose core is a free download. Modules, themes and hosting cost money, with thousands of modules on offer. European merchants and developers who accept technical upkeep in return for control are its core audience.

• 1-10: workable
• 11-50: strong fit
• 51-500: strong fit
• 500+: no data

Best for

• European merchants wanting open source control
• Developers building customized stores

Look elsewhere if

• Merchants wanting a fully managed platform with no technical upkeep
• Teams needing a huge ecosystem of US apps

Key features

Hosted versus self-hosted

Self-hosted (open source) or vendor-hosted offer

Themes and customization

Marketplace modules and themes

App and integration ecosystem

Thousands of modules and themes per vendor homepage

Pricing model and transparency

Free core, paid modules and hosting

Target company size

Small to mid-size

Full PrestaShop profileRequest an offer

5

BigCommerce

$29/month billed yearly (Core), $39 monthly

Sales volume decides which BigCommerce plan you sit on, because caps track trailing twelve month revenue and Scale adds a 0.9% overage. Core is $29 monthly when billed yearly. Growing merchants like its built-in B2B tooling and open APIs.

• 1-10: workable
• 11-50: strong fit
• 51-500: strong fit
• 500+: strong fit

Best for

• Growing stores wanting B2B tools and open APIs on a hosted platform
• Merchants that want no transaction fee on embedded payment providers
• Mid-market brands expecting to cross sales tiers

Look elsewhere if

• Merchants who dislike sales-based plan caps and forced upgrades
• Tiny stores wanting the cheapest possible plan

Key features

Hosted versus self-hosted

Hosted SaaS

Payment processing and transaction fees

Card rates from 2.89% + $0.29 (Amex 3.50%); Open Payment Provider fee 2.0% / 1.0% / 0.6% / none by plan

B2B and wholesale features

Price Lists on Performance only; customer groups on Growth and up

Scalability and checkout limits

Sales caps: $30K, $100K TTM GMV, $33,333/month on Scale; 0.9% overage on Scale

Pricing model and transparency

Tiered with GMV caps, about 25% discount yearly

Target company size

Small to enterprise

Full BigCommerce profileRequest an offer

6

Wix eCommerce

Free plan

Wix eCommerce turns the familiar Wix editor into a shop through the Core, Business and Business Elite plans, with storage of 50 GB, 100 GB or unlimited. Owners who lack a developer and want bookings beside products like it. Large B2B or ERP-heavy catalogs outgrow it.

• 1-10: strong fit
• 11-50: strong fit
• 51-500: poor fit
• 500+: poor fit

Best for

• Small shops and service businesses that want site and store in one editor
• Owners with no developer
• Businesses that need bookings next to a store

Look elsewhere if

• Large catalogs needing complex B2B or ERP workflows
• Teams wanting self-hosting

Key features

Hosted versus self-hosted

Hosted SaaS

Scalability and checkout limits

Storage 50 GB / 100 GB / unlimited by plan

Pricing model and transparency

Yearly prepaid tiers; domain voucher only on first purchase

Target company size

Small business

Full Wix eCommerce profileRequest an offer

7

Big Cartel

$15/month (Platinum)

Makers and artists are the audience for Big Cartel. Gold is free, Platinum is $15 and Diamond is $30 per month, and Diamond unlocks Zapier links to 7,000+ apps. B2B needs and multichannel selling are not what this builder is for.

• 1-10: strong fit
• 11-50: workable
• 51-500: poor fit
• 500+: poor fit

Best for

• Artists and small makers who want a cheap flat-fee store

Look elsewhere if

• Teams needing B2B or multichannel features

Key features

App and integration ecosystem

Zapier connections to 7,000+ apps on Diamond

Pricing model and transparency

Flat monthly plans: free Gold, $15 Platinum, $30 Diamond

Target company size

Small sellers and makers (inferred)

Full Big Cartel profileRequest an offer

8

Shopify

$29/month billed yearly ($39 monthly) for Basic

Plan names on Shopify run Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus, with Basic at $29 per month on yearly billing. Card fees shrink on pricier plans, whereas outside gateways add 2% on Basic. Staff seats move from none to unlimited on Plus.

• 1-10: strong fit
• 11-50: strong fit
• 51-500: strong fit
• 500+: strong fit

Best for

• Small and mid-size brands that want a hosted store without managing servers
• Merchants that will use Shopify Payments to avoid the third-party gateway fee
• Brands that need a path from a cheap plan to Plus without replatforming

Look elsewhere if

• Merchants that must use an outside payment gateway at low volume (2% extra fee on Basic)
• Teams needing full server-level control of code and data
• Anyone expecting SSO details on the public pricing page (not stated there)

Key features

Hosted versus self-hosted

Hosted SaaS

Payment processing and transaction fees

Shopify Payments online card 2.1% + EUR 0.30 on Basic down to 1.3% + EUR 0.30 on Plus; third-party gateways add 2% / 1% / 0.6% / 0.2% by plan

Scalability and checkout limits

Staff seats rise from none (Basic) to 5, 15 and unlimited (Plus)

Pricing model and transparency

Four tiers, about 25% cheaper when paid yearly; fees fall as plan rises

Target company size

Starter stores to enterprise (Plus)

Full Shopify profileRequest an offer

9

Square Online

Free

Merchants with a Square register can add web orders through Square Online, which shares one account with point of sale and payments. The free tier charges per payment, and Plus reduces processing fees. It is a natural next step for existing Square users.

• 1-10: strong fit
• 11-50: strong fit
• 51-500: no data
• 500+: no data

Best for

• Existing Square POS merchants adding an online store

Look elsewhere if

• Merchants who want to use a third-party processor (not confirmed by the vendor)

Key features

Multichannel and marketplace selling

POS plus online ordering or booking site in one Square account

Pricing model and transparency

Free tier with pay-per-payment fees; Plus plan lowers processing fees

Full Square Online profileRequest an offer

10

WooCommerce

Free (core)

WordPress site owners can bolt WooCommerce on at no license cost and keep full control over code. What you actually fund is a host, paid add-ons (each between $29 and $299 yearly) and a payment processor. If nobody can handle upgrades and security, it turns into a burden.

• 1-10: workable
• 11-50: strong fit
• 51-500: strong fit
• 500+: strong fit

Best for

• Merchants already on WordPress who want full code control
• Stores with unusual product or checkout logic that justifies developer time
• Merchants wanting no platform revenue share

Look elsewhere if

• Teams without anyone to handle hosting, updates and security
• Merchants wanting one vendor to call for everything

Key features

Hosted versus self-hosted

Self-hosted on WordPress (host of your choice)

Payment processing and transaction fees

WooPayments about 2.50-2.90% + 30 cents; other gateways add no WooCommerce fee

App and integration ecosystem

Extensions sold a la carte at $29-$299/year each

Scalability and checkout limits

No product variant limits per vendor page; depends on your hosting

Pricing model and transparency

Free core, costs shift to hosting, extensions and processor

Target company size

Small to large, developer-led

Full WooCommerce profileRequest an offer

11

Squarespace Commerce

EUR 12/month (Basic, lower of the two shown figures)

Brands and creators pick Squarespace Commerce for its templates. Core, Plus and Advanced plans add selling, with store fees and card rates falling as plans rise and code injection arriving at Core. A 14-day trial is offered, though app choice is narrow.

• 1-10: strong fit
• 11-50: strong fit
• 51-500: poor fit
• 500+: no data

Best for

• Brands and creators that prioritize templates and design
• Small stores wanting site and store from one vendor
• Sellers of digital content or memberships

Look elsewhere if

• Stores wanting extensive app marketplaces or advanced B2B
• Basic plan users needing custom code (not included)

Key features

Hosted versus self-hosted

Hosted SaaS

Payment processing and transaction fees

Basic 2% store fee + 2.0% + EUR 0.25 card; Core 0% store fee; Advanced card 1.5% + EUR 0.25

Themes and customization

CSS/JS and code injection from Core up

Scalability and checkout limits

Unlimited product sales on Basic per vendor page

Pricing model and transparency

Four tiers, fee falls as plan rises

Target company size

Small business

Full Squarespace Commerce profileRequest an offer

12

Ecwid by Lightspeed

$5/month (Starter)

Ecwid by Lightspeed works as a store widget dropped onto a site you already have, or as a standalone store. Tiers follow product count (10, 100, 2,500, unlimited). Marketplaces open up on Business and point of sale on Unlimited. No free plan exists.

• 1-10: strong fit
• 11-50: strong fit
• 51-500: workable
• 500+: no data

Best for

• Sites that already exist and need a cart added

Look elsewhere if

• Merchants needing a free plan

Key features

Multichannel and marketplace selling

Instagram/Facebook from Venture; Amazon, eBay, Walmart marketplaces from Business; POS from Unlimited

B2B and wholesale features

Wholesale pricing groups from Business; no separate B2B plan

Scalability and checkout limits

Staff accounts: 2 on Business, unlimited on Unlimited

Pricing model and transparency

Flat tiers by product limit (10 / 100 / 2,500 / unlimited)

Full Ecwid by Lightspeed profileRequest an offer

How to choose ecommerce platforms

Feature coverage at a glance

A check means the vendor documents the capability publicly (hover for the detail). A dash means we found no public documentation, which is a question to put in your request, not proof the feature is missing.

Ecommerce Platforms requirements checklist

Use this list to write down what your team actually needs. Sorting requirements into must-have, should-have and nice-to-have is what lets vendors quote accurately instead of pitching their biggest plan.

Turn this checklist into a request

Questions vendors will ask you

Have answers ready for these, and your first conversation with a vendor starts at pricing instead of discovery.

1. What is your expected yearly online revenue and order volume?Some plans are capped by sales and card fees depend on volume.
2. How many products and variants will you list at launch?Product limits and import effort differ between platforms.
3. Do you sell to consumers, to businesses or both?B2B price lists and net terms often need a specific edition.
4. Which payment provider do you want to use?Third-party gateways can add an extra fee on lower plans.
5. Do you have developers, or should the vendor or an agency build the store?Open-source and enterprise products assume technical staff.
6. Which systems must connect, such as ERP, accounting or a warehouse?Integration needs decide between app stores and custom API work.

Example request

Write your own request

More vendors listed on SaaSBid

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Ecommerce Platforms FAQ

The bottom line

Start by deciding whether you want a hosted platform or software you maintain yourself, then remove products that lack your must-haves such as B2B pricing or channel support. Two or three finalists usually remain. A clear request on SaaSBid lets vendors quote the right plan, payment setup and migration scope, so the offers are easier to compare.

Related categories

• Website Builders
• POS Systems