20 best Shopify alternatives for building an ecommerce store

Navigating the world of eCommerce platforms can feel daunting, especially if you're searching for the best Shopify alternatives. You may be looking for something more flexible or curious about options that offer advanced features like AI eCommerce personalization. Whatever your reason, you're not alone. Many online retailers are exploring new platforms that align better with their unique needs. This article will guide you through some of the top Shopify alternatives, helping you find the right fit for your eCommerce store.

One option worth exploring is Instant's Shopify product page builder, a tool that simplifies the process and helps you easily create personalized shopping experiences.

Table of Content

• 20 Best Shopify alternatives for building an eCommerce store

• What to look for in a Shopify alternative for your online store

• Why you may want to consider a Shopify Alternative

• Optimize your Shopify store for conversions without breaking the bank with Instant's Shopify product page build

20 Best Shopify alternatives for building an eCommerce store

1. Instant: Revolutionize your Shopify experience

Instant is a user-friendly tool that transforms how you build your Shopify store. It allows eCommerce teams and agencies to create fully customizable and advanced pages without any coding knowledge. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, users can quickly design and publish high-converting:

• Landing pages

• Blog posts

• Product pages

• Sections

Taking control of your store's success

This maintains complete control over their store's design. Instant also offers seamless integration with Figma and other eCommerce tools, making it a versatile choice for enhancing online store performance and increasing conversions. 

Try Instant's Shopify product page builder today!

2. BigCommerce

BigCommerce is a good option for eCommerce businesses of various sizes and types, including enterprise operations. The platform has the fundamental tools for running a successful eCommerce store, such as SEO tools, setting up a blog, and detailed order and inventory management. When you need the extra push to earn more sales, you can quickly implement features like discount codes or side-by-side product comparisons to take things to the next level.

The Standard plan is a good place to start for small businesses just dipping their toes. And while it's ready to use straight out of the box with a nifty site builder, the tech-savvy can have fun tweaking the CSS and HTML code for that extra oomph. 

3. Squarespace

Popular amongst sellers whose priority is creating a handsome, modern-looking site, Squarespace is a website builder with eCommerce functionality. It offers options for various business owners, creatives, and artists to showcase their work. Getting started is straightforward, with an assortment of elegant website templates that can be customized via a simple drag-and-drop interface.

The platform offers two Commerce plans, each with built-in merchandising and analytics tools. For the more advanced plan, you can also access additional shipping and discount tools, plus the ability to sell subscriptions.

4. Zoho Commerce

Zoho Commerce offers the most robust analytics and reporting features on this list, including free hosting, SSL certificates, a responsive website builder, and marketing tools such as newsletter subscriptions and social media integrations. AI-powered forecasting tools and the ability to analyze orders and transactions stand out among its analytics and reporting functionalities.

As for customer support, there is a knowledge base with user guides and FAQs, email support with the option for a telephone callback, and Zoho Community forums to converse with other users.

5. WooCommerce

WooCommerce offers a way to add eCommerce functionality to an existing WordPress site. The plugin is free to install and use, but you'll need to pay for your hosting, domain name, and any extensions you add. WooCommerce offers more than 800 extensions that handle things like return and warranty requests, shipping, accepting online bookings, and more. These extensions range in price from free to $299 each.

Design freedom is a major plus here, as there are thousands of website themes in the WordPress library that you can customize into your digital storefront. But if technical know-how isn’t your strong suit, WooCommerce might feel somewhat challenging.

6. Weebly

It’s often best to keep things simple when starting a business. Weebly, which Square owns, is a good option if you’re in that boat. Weebly's drag-and-drop website editor is known for its simplicity; no technical know-how is required. The platform intuitively provides all the basics to get your eCommerce site up and running fast.

Weebly's simplicity is its strength, and it's limited in design options compared to some of the more significant eCommerce and website builders on the market. It shines, however, because it offers a robust free plan that lets you set up a store without breaking the bank, complete with unlimited items, in-store pick up, automatic tax calculator, and more. 

7. Shift4Shop

Ever heard of 3dcart? It's now called Shift4Shop, and it's a good option for folks wanting a free eCommerce solution, no matter what type of business they run.

Shift4Shop is a fully hosted shopping cart, so you won't have to worry about coding or technical setup. You can create as many product pages as you like and have access to a built-in blog, SEO tools, email marketing, coupon system, gift registry setup, and more.

8. Big Cartel

If you’re creative, you probably want to spend less time and effort figuring out how to sell online and more time creating. Enormous Cartel is an affordable option for artists wishing to sell their pieces online, making their creations the stars of the show.

Enormous Cartel only offers a handful of templates and themes. But if you're an artist or a creative person and want a platform that's simple and straight to the point, Big Cartel is a good choice.

9. Centra

One of the newer kids on the eCommerce block, Centra has already caught the eye of accessory and apparel brands like:

• Nudie Jeans

• Ideal of Sweden

• Stronger

• Eton Shirts

• Sandqvist

As for products, whether you're offering bundled deals or individual items, Centra offers robust product and catalog management. Native support ensures that the journey from ideation to product listing is smooth. Centra is a quality contender in the vibrant world of fashion and direct-to-consumer brands, merging simplicity with efficiency.

10. Ecwid

Ecwid might be what you're looking for. At its core, Ecwid is a shopping cart tool for websites. The platform allows you to build an online store that integrates into your existing website or blog, including your Wix website. A newer feature called “Instant Sites” also allows users to create a standalone landing page quickly, which is helpful if you need a unique page for a product or an event. 

If you're just starting and have five or fewer products to sell, Ecwid's free plan has you covered, albeit with fundamental functionality. Paid plans are available for 100 up to unlimited products and offer additional eCommerce tools such as automated tax calculations, POS integration, an abandoned cart save,r and more. 

11.  Adobe Commerce

Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento) is a leading enterprise-level eCommerce provider. It’s a self-hosted, open-source platform that gives you many integrations and workflows. It can handle traffic spikes without skipping a beat. And it can grow with you, all the way to enterprise scale.

Adobe Commerce clients include:

• Food Service Direct.com

• HP

• Liebherr

• SHOEBACCA

• Rossignol

12. PrestaShop

French open-source eCommerce platform PrestaShop was founded in 2007 as a self-hosted solution. However 2015, they launched a cloud version, providing merchants with both self-hosted and cloud options.

Prestashop is free to download as an open-source provider, but you’ll have to pay for hosting and add-ons. Be aware that setting up the self-hosted version takes some technical knowledge but allows for more customization.  

13. Volusion

Founded in 1999, Volusion is a fully hosted eCommerce solution that has powered over 180,000 online stores. It has responsive themes and a comprehensive site builder, so you can quickly build your eCommerce site without knowing code.

Prices start at $29 per month for a personal plan. For a business-level account, you’ll pay $299 per month. It also has an enterprise-level Prime account for high-volume eCommerce sites.

14. Zyro

Founded in 2019, Zyro is a fully-hosted website builder plus eCommerce platform and offers some of the most economical plans in the market.

Website review site WebsiteBuilderExpert gives Zyro generally positive reviews, but they don’t recommend it for larger stores because of scalability issues.

15. Amazon

As the leading eCommerce marketplace, Amazon has been on the cutting edge of most eCommerce innovations since 1994. In 2000, they launched their marketplace service, allowing small merchants and individuals to sell their products on the Amazon platform. The Sell on Amazon marketplace hosts more than six million third-party sellers. 

To sell on the Amazon marketplace, you’ll pay anywhere from 99 cents per item sold, for individual merchants, to $39.99 per month for a professional subscription. 

16. Etsy

Etsy has made a name for itself as a platform for small merchants who sell unique hand-crafted or vintage goods. In addition, it has an active, passionate global community of artists, designers, collectors, and crafters.

With over one million merchants, Etsy, like Amazon, has the advantage of a built-in audience of shoppers. Etsy shoppers look specifically for the hand-crafted or vintage items they can’t find on other online selling platforms.

17. Facebook Marketplace

With nearly three billion active users, Facebook has the most significant number of built-in users, though only a percentage are primed to buy, unlike Amazon’s 300 million users.

Originally designed to facilitate peer-to-peer selling, Facebook Marketplace has added merchant selling options through Commerce Manager. 

18. Web.com

If you’re selling intangible products, such as:

• Events

• Workshops

• Classes

Then Web.com may be a good fit as it offers an appointment scheduling feature. The eCommerce platform also has decent add-ons, such as social and email marketing tools and a professional email service, which are free for the first three months.

19. OpenCart

OpenCart offers an excellent free option but has drawbacks regarding features and functions. Fortunately, there’s no product limit, but hosting is only available with the OpenCart Cloud product, and no SSL is included. Some features, such as a tax calculator, the abandoned cart recovery tool, and shipping calculator, are only available with third-party plugins.

While there are many other free options on the market, OpenCart is the only one that doesn’t limit your product number and doesn’t come with conditions (like Shopify’s $1,000 monthly minimum). However, the paid option is among the most expensive at $59 per month, with no savings for annual billing plans.

What to look for in a Shopify alternative for your online store

Several aspects, from web hosting and bandwidth to inventory management and shipping partners, are factors when choosing an eCommerce platform. Here are a few points that warrant deliberation in this regard.

1. Security

Just as the way people shop is changing, so is the demand for online security. eCommerce platforms must protect the customer by ensuring their privacy and data protection. In 2022, it will be imperative that eCommerce platforms have strong security measures in place to address these concerns and to make sure they are doing everything they can to protect their customers' privacy.

See to it that the platform you select has features like:

• SSL certification

• Fraud prevention

• Data backups

• PCI compliance

In place. Because of the built-in security protocols that object-oriented programming languages provide, it is recommended that you use one of these platforms.

2. SEO capabilities

Most online shoppers start their online shopping journeys with a search engine. Make 

it a priority when choosing an eCommerce platform so that you can easily optimize your content for search. This includes everything from URLs and metadata to blogs and customer reviews.

3. Responsive website design

According to research from Google, 46% of customers use smartphones throughout their purchase.

Modern eCommerce stores would be better off adopting a responsive web design for their eCommerce platforms. This can save you the trouble of working on multiple websites. With a responsive web design, your eCommerce store website can be accessible on any device, including laptops, smartphones, and tablets.

4. Scalability

Your eCommerce store should be scalable, especially if you want to grow your business. Even if, at the outset, your store is small, make sure the eCommerce platform you select can scale along with your company.

5. Omnichannel marketing

Omnichannel marketing is the most effective way to reach customers and drive sales, mainly since modern customers are already accustomed to an omnichannel experience. Make sure the platform you choose allows you to leverage different channels and, in turn, increase customer engagement, retention, conversion rates, and revenue.

Weighing your options before deciding

As of April 2021, some of the top eCommerce platforms and technologies by market share globally include:

• Shopify

• Squarespace Online Stores

• WooCommerce

• Wix Stores

• Amazon

• Magento

Each platform offers a wide range of unique features, and you can choose based on the different considerations that apply to your business. New-age D2C brands can look at pricing, customer support, availability of knowledge and learning resources, and ease of use. 

Traditional businesses migrating to an online platform should consider inventory management, offline store integration, and analytics. Businesses looking to scale shortly must look for:

• Headless commerce

• Sales channel integration

• Availability of platform and app customization features

Even when it comes to some of the more widely used platforms, they're not perfect, and there may also be certain disadvantages to consider.

A no-code solution for building custom Shopify pages

Instant is a user-friendly tool that transforms how you build your Shopify store. It allows eCommerce teams and agencies to create fully customizable and advanced pages without any coding knowledge. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, users can quickly design and publish high-converting:

• Landing pages

• Blog posts

• Product pages

• Sections

Taking control of your store's success

This maintains complete control over their store's design. Instant also offers seamless integration with Figma and other eCommerce tools, making it a versatile choice for enhancing online store performance and increasing conversions. 

Try Instant's Shopify product page builder today!

Why you may want to consider a Shopify Alternative

Shopify starts with a strong foundation, but if you're seeking advanced features like upsells or custom checkout experiences, prepare for a trip to the app store. You'll likely stack third-party apps, which can inflate costs and possibly slow down your site. Some platforms have built-in features, sparing you the extra purchases and potential headaches.

Creative freedom: Do you have it?

Shopify’s section-based editor is user-friendly, it might cramp your style if you want total creative control over your store’s design. Tools like Instant exist to break free from these constraints, but relying on third-party solutions can get old fast. Some Shopify alternatives offer more design flexibility from the start, letting you craft a unique store without fussing over extra builders.

Theme expenses: Are you getting nickel-and-dimed?

Shopify does offer free templates, but let’s be honest: If you want a unique, professional look, you’ll probably have to shell out for a premium theme. These can cost anywhere from $150 to $350 or more. 

Other platforms might come with a broader range of free themes or allow for better customization without forcing you to start with a paid template. It’s worth considering if you’re on a budget.

Pricing: Is Shopify busting your budget?

Shopify’s plans start at $39/month, but costs can stack up quickly when you add transaction fees, premium apps, and paid themes. And with the free trial now reduced to three days, it hardly gives you enough time to fully explore the platform before committing. 

If budget is a concern, some alternatives offer more affordable plans or extended trial periods, giving you ample time to make an informed decision.

Optimize your Shopify store for conversions without breaking the bank with Instant's Shopify product page build

Instant is a game-changer for Shopify users who want to break free from the cookie-cutter mold. It offers a user-friendly approach to building Shopify product pages. You don’t need to be a tech wizard to use it. 

With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, anyone can create fully customizable and advanced pages without coding knowledge. You can easily design and publish high-converting landing pages, blog posts, product pages, and sections. And you get complete control over your store's design.

No code, no problem

Instant makes it possible for eCommerce teams and agencies to create beautiful Shopify product pages without any coding knowledge. This is a game-changer for businesses that want to break free from the cookie-cutter mold. 

Users can easily create fully customizable and advanced pages with its intuitive drag-and-drop interface. This means you can design and publish high-converting:

• Landing pages

• Blog posts

• Product pages

• Sections without hassle

And you get to maintain complete control over your store's design.

The Figma connection

Instant’s seamless integration with Figma and other eCommerce tools makes it a versatile choice for enhancing online store performance. This integration allows users to easily incorporate their design assets into Instant, creating a cohesive, professional-looking store. 

This is especially beneficial for businesses that use Figma as their primary design tool, as it eliminates the need to recreate assets in a different platform. It also makes maintaining consistency across your brand’s visual identity easier.

High-converting pages made easy

Instant makes it easy for businesses to create high-converting pages that drive sales and increase conversions. Its user-friendly interface and drag-and-drop functionality allow users to design and publish quickly:

• Landing pages

• Blog posts

• Product pages

• Sections optimized for conversions

And with Instant’s seamless integration with Figma and other eCommerce tools, businesses can create a cohesive and professional-looking store that enhances online performance.