12 Shopify Alternatives Which are Better (Free or Paid) in 2022

Shopify is an e-commerce platform used by millions of sellers. But a few drawbacks cause people to stay away with the site. A lot of merchants fail due to the cost of a monthly subscription particularly when their business isn't yet profitable. Many leave because other costs like app purchases creep up and eat the profits. And some find the site too complicated, especially for people who aren't experts. So, while Shopify might be a good choice for some but it's a great option to consider some Shopify alternatives to make sure you've selected the correct ecommerce platform that meets your requirements as the owner of your business. So, let's get closer to some Shopify alternatives.

What exactly is Shopify?

Shopify is an ecommerce platform that is specialized in the sale of physical goods. No matter if you want to dropship or wholesale or wholesale, there are Shopify apps that allow you to locate products that you can sell on your store so that you can become an online retailer the within the same day. Shopify offers ecommerce features, such as web hosting, a complimentary subdomain domain as well as over 100 payment gateways, unlimited items, and much more. But there's no free plan with Shopify, just a 14-day no-cost trial. This means that this project will cost you a significant amount early on.

4 Reasons to Use Shopify Rivalry Instead

1. For a less expensive option

In their standard pricing structures, Shopify's affordable plan is its Basic plan that starts at just $29 per month. But, Shopify also offers a 9-month subscription, but it doesn't come with an website; instead, you'll have to sell products via websites, social media platforms, a third party website, or another method. Unfortunately, Shopify doesn't offer an inexpensive plan for businesses that haven't generated revenue. If you're paying for themes, a monthly subscription as well as apps and marketing, you'll be investing lots of cash into beginning your journey, and there's the nil chance of success if you select the best area or product to sell. However, nobody can build a brand as big such as Kylie Cosmetics or Fashion Nova. Therefore, alternatives like Shopify can be a great choice to those seeking a less expensive plan.

2. In order to make a bigger profit

Another reason people may look towards Shopify alternatives is the possibility of earning a more significant profit margin when selling online. Alongside the monthly subscription that you pay for, there are monthly app fees, and transactions fees that are 2.9% + 30 cents on the Basic plan. Depending on where you source the products you sell, you might have to pay for delivery, costs for the product as well as the app subscription. That's prior to launching your items. There are so many costs paid before you've made the first couple of dollars, it will reduce your profit margin. So, you start marketing, which comes with an expense for marketing that is higher than other forms of marketing to get the sales. But ads don't always convert profitably. The process requires trials and errors, market fitting, and years of experience to successfully run an ecommerce store. The costs are often overwhelming for beginners who simply want to earn a little extra cash on the side. There is no reason to be unable to make it However, certain e-commerce platforms are too expensive upfront expenses, which could cause financial harm to a person.

3. For a simpler platform

Shopify features drag-and-drop functions, which makes the platform fairly easy for newbies. However, building a website isn't the most challenging part of running an online shop. Marketing your products is the hardest part of being an online store owner. The variety of options a platform provides is always an advantage, but the marketing features have a significant impact. Being able to get connected to your target audience more efficiently and faster is the thing that many ecommerce platforms fail to account for. But, it's possible to locate an platform that acts as a marketplace, allowing customers visit your site instead of you doing all the heavy lifting. And for store owners looking to find a reliable marketing platform such as Shopify, the Shopify alternative could work well.

4. So that you can ease your pain

From writing numerous product descriptions, to issues with the transfer of information from one platform to the next, to a lack of a reliable Content Management System (CMS) with excessive costs There are many motives to look to alternatives to Shopify alternative. A store that sells online isn't just a website; it's a business. The easier it is to run your business rather than just making it, the more likely people are likely to choose the one that works best for them. Shopify gives support for all merchants on its platform However, for certain people they don't have enough support for them to generate revenue.

12 Shopify Alternatives That Are Superior (Free or Paid)

1.

On , you can accept transactions from everywhere. If you wish to market via social media, on your blog or other site, you are able to.  Its checkout system is optimized to maximize conversions, which means you convert better in your online store. Plus, when customers order through you, they'll get the item immediately. You can finally say goodbye to long waiting times for shipping.

securely hosts your content files The users will only be given the file once they've landed on the download page following purchasing. In addition, unlike these major platforms for e-commerce, you don't have to wait for payment. Instead, users earn income from PayPal or Stripe instantly.

2. BigCommerce

The Shopify options like BigCommerce are great options for building an online store. BigCommerce offers a range of features, such as web hosting. But the best advantage BigCommerce offers over Shopify is the fact that they charge no transaction costs for their pricing plans. BigCommerce allows you to add as many as 600 different variations to each product, while Shopify only allows 100 variations per product. BigCommerce also offers a longer trial as compared to Shopify to enable you to investigate the platform as well as build your own online store. BigCommerce is also equipped with larger drag-and-drop function that allows you to design your online store using any elements quickly. BigCommmerce is also a better choice for free themes and paid themes than Shopify has, which makes it one of the Shopify alternatives to look into.

3. WooCommerce

Shopify alternatives such as WooCommerce are perfect for anyone seeking to set up an online store that has the highest customization functionality. If you're serious about building an ecommerce business, WooCommerce is an open-source platform that is accessible for use at no cost. Additionally, it's a WordPress plugin. Therefore, if you've contemplating building your site with a massive blog on it for organic traffic to it, this is the most suitable Shopify solution to achieve that. It is necessary to purchase your own web hosting, though. However, this also means that you have the freedom of choice. WooCommerce is one of the most popular Shopify competitors as it has more than 3 million customers compared to that green bag of shopping.

4. Etsy

If you're in search of marketing features, Etsy is one of the Shopify alternatives to check out. Etsy operates as an internet-based marketplace that allows users are able to buy and sell items. Even though you don't have an website, your customers are likely to come across you naturally when browsing through Etsy which makes it a great choice for those struggling with marketing. There's no monthly subscription, but it doesn't mean Etsy is free of charge. You'll need to pay the listing fee of $0.20 per item you list as well as a 6.5 per cent transaction fee. In addition, you'll need to pay payment processing fees dependent on your chosen company that you choose to use for your payment. In the event that you do not have to pay for advertising costs, it's a worthwhile Shopify alternative for companies selling physical goods.

5. PinnacleCart

Like Shopify, PinnacleCart offers a free plan for users with a salary of upwards of $250,000. There is the option of adding more than five accounts for admin on this free plan too. The e-commerce platform comes with over 400 ecommerce features, allowing you to customize and build your store to suit your needs. They offer zero transaction fees with all plans. The Shopify alternative plans like this provide the ability to generate QR codes, a reviews feature, a wish list for customers, and even gift messages when you place an order. It's not necessary to install an app in order to include these features in your ecommerce store.

6. Wix

Wix is among the very few Shopify alternatives that includes ad vouchers in their monthly subscription so that you can manage your online store and focus on the most important thing: generating the sales. The ability to offer subscriptions on the Wix account, which makes it one of the most advanced options that online merchants can incorporate into their stores. The e-commerce company you run can allow you to install up to 250 products when droppingshipping through Modalyst. Beyond sales of products, ecommerce solutions such as Wix can allow the creation of your own websites, businesses that are freelance, and even offer tickets to events. Restaurants often make use of Wix because it allows customers to place orders online for food. Hotels can also make reservations through Wix as well. It goes more than just creating your own online store.

7. PrestaShop

Another Shopify alternative, which uses an open-source ecommerce platform is PrestaShop. Because it's an open-source, self-hosted solution, it's available for free online shops. However, there are business expenses with running online stores, even when using e-commerce solutions such as PrestaShop. However, the platform is simple to use and allows store customization. It is possible to edit the source files, whereas with Shopify altering your theme's code can make your online business not eligible for upgrades in the future. PrestaShop also has over 2,000 templates available on their website, whereas Shopify is home to only 100.

8. Elementor

Elementor, an online storefront solution Elementor is an alternative to Shopify alternative that you can consider. With over 300 professionally designed templates available, you'll be able to create a beautiful web-based business. This Shopify solution also lets the user to make edits that are responsive which means you can alter your website's appearance from seven devices at once. You can also live edit your website for quick fixes. With auto-save, you won't need to update your website manually as you make changes to it. In addition, as opposed to Shopify it is possible to build multiple pages, such as the landing page, templates for pop-up windows, block templates, about us pages and many more, all with distinctive features in design.

9. Square

The Shopify alternatives to point-of sale systems are the only one that is Square. The Square app is loved by local restaurants, brick-and-mortar businesses, and smaller retailers. If you're using the Square app for your sales, it's cost-free. It's only 2.65 per card tap. Contrary to Shopify, you can also get a cash register installed in your physical store for your store's cashiers to punch into orders. Businesses that generate over 250,000 dollars annually could get discounts on running their POS system via Square.

10. Squarespace

Alternatives to Shopify like Squarespace allow you to create more features for an online retailer. Squarespace has better blogging capabilities as compared to Shopify for those looking to incorporate blogs into their online store. You'll also find numerous free templates available on Squarespace in comparison to Shopify and give the customer more choices for a design. It's a good thing that the Shopify alternative also allows users to create more variations for each product. This can be up to 250, as opposed to Shopify's only 100. You can also obtain your domain for no cost when you purchase an annual subscription of an Squarespace plan.

11. Poshmark

Poshmark is an e-commerce platform that lets you offer your products to their customers. If you're in search of Shopify alternatives with their marketplace, Poshmark is a great choice, mainly for brands that sell products in the fashion or beauty. Retailers who are brick and mortar or online with excess inventory can use Poshmark to sell their products for less money. This ecommerce platform even has Posh Stories, where you could promote your product using videos and images via their app. 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

Shopify alternatives such as WordPress allow ecommerce functionality by the use of plug-ins. But, if you're planning to create an online store, such as one that is an Amazon affiliate site, WordPress could be a suitable alternative. The most effective CMS that you can find on the internet is WordPress. Many people use WordPress to build a website, so while they might not specialize in ecommerce functionality There are numerous options to approach this. For example, there are more WordPress themes than any other eCommerce platform, as it's the largest. This Shopify alternative is open-source which allows you to modify your website in any way to create a unique online store. Although Shopify has more than 1,000,000 customers, WordPress manages over 455 million sites.

FAQ

Are there alternatives for free to Shopify?

Yes! is a free alternative to Shopify. You can sign-up for 's Free Forever plan, where there is only a five per cent transaction cost when you generate a sale. Even on this Free Forever plan, you'll have access to all of 's features which allow you to create your online store the way you want.

What are Shopify's primary competitors?

The primary competitors of Shopify include digital items, Square for point-of-sale solutions, Etsy for marketplace sellers as well as BigCommerce and WooCommerce for physical products.

Is Shopify worthwhile?

It depends. Shopify is an excellent e-commerce platform for some people However, newbies often face the costs too high when starting a business on Shopify. For example, alternatives like offer a no-cost plan that includes one month that comes with all the tools needed to create your online store.