You’ve seen the booming of e-commerce, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic, envisioning yourself as a successful online retailer with revenue of millions of dollars. But you stumble at the very first step of choosing a top ecommerce website builder to launch your store. Don’t worry! you can turn this potential into a reality with the right guidance.
This comprehensive guide dives into the top eCommerce website builders of 2024, helping you find the perfect platform to turn your vision into a thriving online store. We’ll compare features, pricing, ease of use, and scalability to empower you to make an informed decision. So, cast aside your worries and prepare to unlock your eCommerce potential!
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Top eCommerce Website Builder
Selecting the right eCommerce website builder is a critical decision that can significantly impact the success of your online business. This section dives into the crucial factors to consider when choosing the perfect e-commerce website builder for your business needs.
- Ease of Use: Look for a drag-and-drop interface that lets you build without needing a tech degree.
- Pricing: Consider monthly fees, transaction fees, and how they scale with your business growth.
- Features: Essentials like product management, inventory control, secure payments, and shipping integrations are crucial.
- Growth: Choose a platform that scales with you, handling increasing traffic and product volume seamlessly.
- Support: Reliable support via live chat, email, or a knowledge base is essential when you need help.
- Marketing: Look for built-in SEO tools and marketing features to reach your target audience and boost sales.
We also based on these key factors to review and provide you with an honest and comprehensive comparison of these top e-commerce website builders below. Let’s see which is your best fit.
Top 6 Best ECommerce Website Builders Compared
1. Shopify: The Leading Top eCommerce Website Builder
Shopify is a top tier in the e-commerce platform space, renowned for its robustness and user-friendly nature. It caters to many businesses, from budding entrepreneurs to established brands looking to expand their online presence.
As an app developer on Shopify, we’ve seen Shopify evolve, continually adding features that keep up with market demands and often setting new standards for what an eCommerce platform can offer.
Ease of Use
Shopify shines in this department. Its intuitive and well-designed user interface makes it a breeze to set up your store even without prior coding experience. The drag-and-drop builder allows for easy customization, and Shopify’s plethora of resources and tutorials ensures you’re never lost.
We must say Shopify’s user-friendliness is exceptional. Even merchants with minimal technical background grasped the platform quickly. The minimal learning curve lets you focus on building your brand and adding products, not wrestling with complex functionalities.
Design and Customization
While Shopify offers a good selection of themes, the level of customization compared to some competitors might feel limited. However, these themes are well-designed and responsive, ensuring your store looks great across devices.
The strength lies in extending functionalities through a vast app store. With some exploration, you can achieve a unique look and tailored features for your store.
Features and Scalability
Shopify boasts a robust set of features right out of the box. Inventory management, built-in marketing tools, abandoned cart recovery, and secure payment processing are just a few highlights.
With over 10000 apps, the Shopify app store further expands your capabilities, allowing you to integrate features like customer loyalty programs, advanced analytics, and more. When it comes to scalability, Shopify caters well to medium-sized businesses.
While it might not be ideal for enterprise-level stores with highly complex needs, it can definitely handle significant growth.
Pricing
Shopify offers tiered pricing plans starting at $19 per month (based on countries). You can start your Shopify for free, then get your first for $1. The highest pricing plan costs $2.300/month for a 3-year term.
Who Should Use Shopify?
Shopify is an excellent choice for a variety of businesses:
- Beginners and Small Business Owners with minimal technical savvy
- Medium to Large E-commerce Businesses
- Businesses with Omnichannel Sales Strategies
- Merchants Seeking Customizable Themes
- Dropshipping Entrepreneurs
Overall, Shopify is a top contender for e-commerce website builders. It offers a user-friendly platform, a robust feature set, and excellent scalability. While design customization might be slightly limited, the vast app store compensates for that. If you’re looking for a powerful and reliable platform to launch and grow your online store, Shopify is a strong recommendation.
Read More: How to Set Up Your Shopify Store in 4 Parts
2. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a powerful, open-source eCommerce plugin designed for WordPress. It transforms any WordPress website into a fully functional online store, offering unparalleled flexibility and access to the vast ecosystem of WordPress plugins and themes.
Ease of Use
WooCommerce presents a bit of a double-edged sword in terms of ease of use. If you’re already comfortable with WordPress, adding WooCommerce feels like an extension of your existing skillset. The interface is familiar, and there’s a wealth of resources available.
However, for those new to both WordPress and e-commerce, the learning curve can be steeper. We recommend getting comfortable with WordPress first. The combined learning curve can be a hurdle.
Design and Customization
WooCommerce shines in this area. Since it leverages WordPress themes and plugins, your customization options are nearly limitless.
You can find themes specifically designed for e-commerce, and a vast marketplace of plugins caters to every design whim and desired functionality.
Features and Scalability
While the core feature set might seem basic compared to some competitors, WooCommerce’s scalability through plugins is unmatched. This allows you to build a feature-rich store without being locked into a specific platform’s limitations. As your business grows, you can strategically add plugins to address new challenges.
Pricing
WooCommerce itself is free, open-source software. However, there are associated costs to consider. You’ll need WordPress hosting, a domain name, and potentially premium themes and plugins to achieve your desired functionality.
Basically, a WooCommerce store costs from $130 to $360/year, but the price can change based on your needs and requirements.
Who Should Use WooCommerce?
Here’s where WooCommerce shines:
- Experienced WordPress Users
- Large and Scalable Stores
- Those Seeking Design Flexibility
Overall, WooCommerce is a powerful e-commerce toolkit for those comfortable within the WordPress ecosystem. Its free core software and exceptional scalability make it a compelling choice, but the initial learning curve can be steeper for complete beginners. If you have the WordPress foundation in place and value extensive customization options, WooCommerce is a platform worth serious consideration.
3. Wix
Wix has carved a niche for itself in the e-commerce website builder market with its user-friendly approach and focus on design. Here’s a close look at Wix’s e-commerce features, along with our honest review from both user and expert’s perspective:
Ease of Use
Wix excels in ease of use. Its drag-and-drop builder is intuitive and requires no coding knowledge. Even users with minimal technical experience can set up a beautiful online store quickly. The interface is well-designed and guides you through the process effortlessly.
Design and Customization
Wix boasts a collection of stunning and trendy templates specifically designed for online stores. While the number of templates geared towards e-commerce is not as vast as their overall selection, the quality and design focus are undeniable.
Customization options within the templates allow for some tweaking, but it’s important to note that switching templates later can be difficult due to Wix’s underlying structure.
Features and Scalability
Wix offers a good foundation for basic e-commerce needs. You can manage product inventory and handle secure payments. Marketing tools like email campaigns and social media integration are also included.
However, Wix’s e-commerce features may not be as robust as some competitors in terms of complex product variations, advanced shipping options, or intricate inventory management. Scalability for larger stores with a high volume of products or complex needs might be an issue.
Pricing
Wix’s pricing is fair, especially for beginners who don’t need many features. Paid plans start at $17/month and offer increased features and storage capacity for e-commerce functionalities.
Who Should Use Wix?
- Beginners with limited technical savvy
- Businesses Selling Digital Products
- Those Prioritizing Design
Overall, Wix is a solid option for beginners or those creating a store with a focus on aesthetics and selling a limited range of products. Its user-friendly interface and beautiful templates make it easy to get started. However, if you have complex product needs, require extensive features, or plan for significant growth, Wix might not be the most scalable solution.
4. Magento
Magento is renowned for its immense power and flexibility for e-commerce website builders, but we have to say that it is not for beginners. The reasons for this will be unveiled in the complete review below.
Ease of Use
This is where Magento differs significantly from the previously discussed platforms. Magento is not designed for beginners.
It’s a complex platform that requires significant development expertise to set up, customize, and manage. If you choose Magento, expect to involve a developer or has a strong technical background.
Design and Customization
For developers and those who value complete design freedom, Magento is a dream. You can achieve any design or functionality imaginable with the right development skills or extensions.
However, this level of control can be overwhelming for users who prefer a more user-friendly visual editor.
Features and Scalability
Magento is a feature powerhouse. Out of the box, it offers robust functionalities for product management, inventory control, marketing automation, SEO optimization, and much more.
The true strength lies in its scalability. Magento can handle massive online stores with complex product variations, high-volume traffic, and intricate business needs. It’s the platform of choice for many enterprise-level businesses.
Pricing
Magento itself is open-source software, so it’s free to download and use. However, the real costs lie elsewhere. You’ll need to factor in web hosting, which can be expensive for Magento stores due to their resource demands. Most importantly, developer fees for setting up, customizing, and maintaining your store can be significant.
Magento isn’t for the budget-conscious. The free software is just the tip of the iceberg. The true cost lies in development and ongoing maintenance. It can be a worthwhile expense for large businesses with the resources to invest. The cost can be prohibitive for smaller businesses or those just starting out.
Who Should Use Magento?
Magento is ideal for:
- Large, Enterprise-Level Businesses
- Businesses with In-House Development Teams
- Those Prioritizing Scalability and Customization
Overall, Magento is a powerful e-commerce platform that allows those with technical expertise and resources to leverage its capabilities. Its robust features and exceptional scalability make it ideal for large businesses. However, for beginners or those on a tight budget, the complexity and cost can be significant deterrents.
5. Squarespace
Squarespace is a sophisticated website builder known for its stunning design templates and intuitive drag-and-drop interface. Here’s a comprehensive look at Squarespace’s e-commerce features, along with our comprehensive review:
Ease of Use
Squarespace offers a user-friendly interface with a drag-and-drop builder. While it’s not quite as intuitive as Wix, it’s still accessible to those with minimal technical experience. The learning curve is manageable, and Squarespace offers good customer support and tutorials.
Design and Customization
Squarespace is known for its beautiful and modern website templates. These translate well to the e-commerce side, offering a professional and aesthetically pleasing starting point for your online store.
Customization options exist within the templates, but they are more limited compared to some competitors. Squarespace doesn’t offer the same level of code editing freedom as platforms like WooCommerce.
Features and Scalability
Squarespace offers a decent foundation for basic e-commerce needs. You can manage products and inventory, as well as process payments securely. There are also built-in marketing tools like email campaigns and social media integration.
However, Squarespace’s e-commerce features may not be as robust as dedicated e-commerce platforms regarding complex product variations, advanced shipping options, or intricate abandoned cart recovery functionalities. Scalability for larger stores with a high volume of products or complex needs can be an issue.
Pricing
Squarespace offers plans with e-commerce functionalities starting at $16/month with a 14-day free trial. Squarespace’s pricing is fair, especially for users who prioritize a beautiful store and don’t need many advanced features.
However, the transaction fees on lower plans can add up quickly for stores with high sales volume. Upgrading to higher tiers can help mitigate those fees, but it increases the overall cost.
Who Should Use Squarespace?
Here’s where Squarespace shines:
- Those Prioritizing Stunning Template Design
- Businesses Selling a Limited Product Range
- Users Who Want a User-Friendly Platform
Overall, Squarespace is a solid option for users who prioritize a beautiful and user-friendly e-commerce website. Its well-designed templates and intuitive interface make it easy to get started. However, if you have complex product needs, require advanced features, or plan for significant growth, Squarespace might not be the most scalable solution.
6. BigCommerce
BigCommerce has some similarities with Shopify. It is also designed for those businesses without a need for solid technical savvy. Let’s see what BigCommerce’s strengths and limits are and who it is best for.
Ease of Use
BigCommerce offers a good balance between ease of use and advanced features. While it might have a steeper learning curve than Wix or Shopify, it’s still manageable for users with some technical comfort. The interface is well-designed and intuitive, with helpful tutorials and guides available.
We found BigCommerce to be user-friendly for users with some basic technical understanding. The learning curve is not as smooth as Shopify, but it’s significantly gentler than Magento. BigCommerce offers a good balance – it’s powerful enough for serious stores yet accessible for users who can invest some time in learning the platform.
Design and Customization
BigCommerce offers a good selection of themes, but the overall design flexibility might feel slightly limited compared to some competitors. However, the themes are well-designed and responsive, ensuring your store looks great across devices.
The true strength lies in the app marketplace. With a vast array of apps, you can extend functionalities and achieve a unique look and feel for your store.
Features and Scalability
BigCommerce boasts a feature-rich set. Built-in inventory management, marketing tools like abandoned cart recovery and email campaigns, multi-channel selling options, and built-in SEO tools are just a few highlights.
The app store further expands your capabilities, allowing you to integrate features like customer loyalty programs, advanced analytics, and more. When it comes to scalability, BigCommerce excels. It can handle medium-sized to high-volume stores with ease.
Pricing
BigCommerce offers tiered pricing plans, starting at $29/month. Higher tiers offer features like abandoned cart recovery, lower transaction fees, and increased product storage capacity.
Who Should Use BigCommerce?
- Businesses Selling a Large Volume of Products
- Those Needing Advanced Features & Multi-Channel Selling
- Businesses Looking to Scale
Overall, BigCommerce is a strong contender for serious e-commerce businesses. It offers a user-friendly interface, a robust feature set, excellent scalability, and a vast app marketplace for extensibility.
While design flexibility might be slightly limited compared to some competitors, the app marketplace compensates for that. If you’re looking for a powerful and scalable platform to launch and grow your online store, BigCommerce is a serious recommendation.
Choosing the Right Top eCommerce Website Builder for You
Having explored the top e-commerce website builders, it’s time to translate these insights into action. The ideal platform depends on your specific needs, technical comfort level, and business goals. Here’s a breakdown to help you make an informed decision:
Beginners with Limited Technical Experience
- Shopify, Wix & Squarespace can be a great choice if you prioritize ease of use with a drag-and-drop builder and beautiful templates. Ideal for those who want a user-friendly platform focusing on aesthetics.
Businesses with Design Priorities
- Squarespace & Wix: If you are looking for beautiful and modern website templates. Well-suited for creating a visually appealing online store.
Businesses Selling a Large Volume of Products
- BigCommerce: Can handle complex inventory management and high-traffic volumes. Ideal for businesses with a large and ever-growing inventory.
- Shopify: A good option for businesses selling a wide variety of physical products and needing a scalable platform.
Entrepreneurs with Complex Needs and Advanced Features
- WooCommerce: With the right plugins, WooCommerce can handle intricate product variations, advanced shipping options, and robust customer management functionalities. Ideal for businesses with complex operational requirements.
- Magento: The most scalable and feature-rich platform on this list. Suitable for enterprise-level businesses with significant development resources and complex needs.
Those on a Budget
- WooCommerce: The core software is free and open-source, making it a cost-effective option. However, keep in mind hosting, theme, and plugin costs.
- Wix: Offers a free plan with limited features, allowing you to experiment and build your store before committing.
Businesses with Growth Aspirations
- BigCommerce: The robust feature set, scalability, and app marketplace make it ideal for businesses planning to expand their online presence.
- Shopify: A good option for medium-sized businesses with growth potential. Its user-friendly platform and feature set can support expanding businesses.
Remember, there’s no single “best” platform. The ideal choice depends on your unique circumstances. Consider the factors above, and don’t hesitate to explore free trials or demos offered by many platforms. With careful consideration, you can choose the e-commerce website builder that empowers you to launch and grow your online business.
The Wrapping Up
To wrap up, the journey toward selecting the top eCommerce website builder is a nuanced process that demands a deep dive into your business’s specific needs, aspirations, budgetary considerations, technical capabilities, and the essential features that will drive your online store’s success.
While the “perfect” platform depends on your specific needs, Shopify is a compelling choice for many businesses. Shopify’s user-friendly interface makes it accessible to beginners, while its robust feature set and app store cater to growing businesses.
So, are you ready to launch your e-commerce journey? Explore Shopify’s free trial and see how it can simplify your online selling experience. Let us know if you have any questions in the comment section below!
