Best Shopify alternatives in 2026: tested and compared

Shopify is one of the best known ways to start selling online, but it's far from the only one, and for plenty of businesses it's not the cheapest or the most flexible. Maybe you've balked at stacking app fees, found the design options too rigid or simply want a platform that does more than ecommerce. Whatever brought you here, I've built test stores across the leading options so I can tell you how they really compare rather than parroting feature lists. My aim is to help you find the Shopify alternative that fits your products, your budget and your plans, starting with Wix and AI Website Builder, then working through seven more strong contenders. Below you'll find a quick comparison table, honest reviews of each platform, guidance on choosing and an FAQ that answers the questions sellers ask most.

Best Shopify alternatives: quick comparison

Here's how the nine platforms I tested stack up at a glance, ranked with Wix first for its all round mix of selling tools and design freedom. Pricing reflects published rates at the time of writing, so always check the current rate before you commit.

Platform	Best for	Top features	Starting price
Wix	All round selling and design	Drag and drop store, abandoned cart recovery, subscriptions, dropshipping	Free plan, ecommerce from $29/mo
AI Website Builder	A fast, free AI start	Free AI site generation, store builder with payments and inventory, hosting and a free first year domain	Free to start, paid from $17/mo
Squarespace	Design led stores	Polished templates, clean checkout, inventory tools	From $16/mo
WooCommerce	WordPress and control	Open source, no platform fees, huge plugin range	Free plugin, hosting extra
BigCommerce	Scaling and B2B	Deep native features, no transaction fees, B2B tools	From $29/mo
Hostinger	Tight budgets	Cheap store builder, hosting included, AI tools	From $2.99/mo
Webflow	Designers	Pixel level control, clean output, CMS	Paid from $18/mo
Square Online	In person sellers	Free plan, Square POS sync, unified inventory	Free plan available
Ecwid	Adding a store to a site	Embeds anywhere, social and marketplace selling	Free plan available

Start selling with Wix free

For most sellers who want one platform that handles a real store alongside a proper website, Wix is the alternative I'd reach for first. The rest of the list each win for a specific situation, from WordPress devotees to bargain hunters, which the reviews below break down in detail so you can match the tool to your store.

Why look for a Shopify alternative

Shopify is capable, but its costs add up in ways that catch people out, since many features you expect arrive through paid apps that bill monthly on top of your plan. For a small or growing store, those extras can turn an affordable looking plan into a much larger bill. That's the single most common reason sellers start shopping around.

Design flexibility is the other big driver, because Shopify themes can feel constraining once you want a site that does more than list products. A lot of businesses also want a real website with a blog, bookings or service pages around the store, not just a checkout. If any of that sounds familiar, the alternatives below give you more freedom, a lower entry cost or both.

It also helps to remember that the best platform depends on what you sell and how you like to work, so there's no single winner for everyone. A maker with ten products has very different needs from a brand scaling into thousands of orders a month. Keeping your own situation in mind as you read will make the right choice obvious.

It's also worth being honest about how much you enjoy the technical side, because some alternatives hand you more control in exchange for more upkeep. If tinkering with hosting and plugins sounds fun, that opens up options like WooCommerce, while if it sounds like a chore, a managed platform will keep you happier. Matching the tool to your appetite for admin is just as important as matching it to your products.

The best Shopify alternatives reviewed

Here's a closer look at each platform, what it's best at and where it falls short, starting with Wix. Each section covers the selling tools, the design experience, the pricing and the kind of seller it suits.

1. Wix: the top pick among Shopify alternatives

Wix is an all-in-one online store creator that lets you build a business-ready storefront in minutes, which makes it the most rounded Shopify alternative for most sellers. You get a genuine drag and drop website wrapped around your store, so the shop feels like part of a real brand rather than a bolted on checkout. For anyone who wants design freedom and selling tools in one place, that combination is hard to beat.

Wix offers an all-in-one online store builder with fully customizable storefronts, and it backs that up with the business features a growing shop needs, including abandoned cart recovery, multiple payment options, subscriptions and dropshipping. Wix supports multiple business models on a single backend, so you can sell physical products, services, memberships or digital goods without juggling separate tools. If you want a primer on the wider platform first, our explainer on what is an AI website builder is a useful starting point.

On price, Wix starts free and its paid plans run from $17 a month, with ecommerce enabled from the Core plan at $29 a month, which undercuts Shopify's $39 a month Basic tier while bundling hosting and a free first year domain. That makes it a strong value pick as well as a flexible one. For sellers who want room to grow without stacking app fees, Wix is the alternative I'd try first.

Pros	Cons
Real website and store in one drag and drop platform	Free form editor takes a little time to master
Strong selling tools with no added Wix transaction fee on paid plans	Very large catalogs may prefer a dedicated commerce platform
Hosting and a free first year domain included

Build your store with Wix

Learn more: Wix vs Shopify

2. AI Website Builder: best for a fast, free AI start

AI Website Builder is the quickest free route to a working online store, and it's the option I'd reach for right after Wix when speed and budget lead. You describe your business and it generates a complete, multi page site in minutes, with written content, images and full sections, then hands you a simple drag and drop editor to refine anything you want. It's free to start with no credit card required, and you can build and publish as many sites as you like before deciding to upgrade.

For sellers it covers the essentials too, since you can build a functional store with AI including integrated payments, product catalogs and inventory management. Every plan includes hosting and a free first year domain, and ecommerce arrives on the Core and Business tiers, with paid plans starting at $17 a month. It's the fastest way to get a credible store online today, though because it runs on the Wix platform it overlaps with the number one pick.

Pros	Cons
Generates a complete store free in minutes, with no credit card needed	Built on the Wix platform, so it overlaps with the number one pick
AI store builder with payments, product catalogs and inventory	The deepest selling features still sit on the higher paid tiers
Hosting and a free first year domain included on paid plans

Generate your store free with AI Website Builder

3. Squarespace: best for design led stores

Squarespace is the alternative to reach for when presentation matters as much as the products themselves, since its templates are polished and consistently tasteful. It suits makers, artists and boutique brands whose visuals do a lot of the selling. You trade some advanced features for a look that feels considered straight out of the box.

Its commerce tools cover the essentials cleanly, with inventory, discounts and a tidy checkout, though it offers fewer advanced selling features and integrations than Wix or Shopify. Pricing starts at around $16 a month for a website, with commerce focused tiers costing more. For a focused, beautiful catalog it's a lovely place to sell, while larger or more complex stores will feel the ceiling sooner.

Where Squarespace really shines is the unboxing of your brand online, since its galleries, typography and layouts flatter products without much effort from you. That makes it a favorite for creatives who would rather spend time on their work than on configuration. If your store is small and your visuals carry the sale, it's a genuinely strong Shopify alternative.

Learn more: Squarespace vs Shopify

4. WooCommerce: best for WordPress and control

WooCommerce is the open source plugin that turns WordPress into a store, and it's the alternative of choice when you want maximum control and no platform fees. The software itself is free, and you pay only for hosting, a theme and any extensions you add. That can make it the cheapest route at small scale, though costs and complexity climb as you bolt on more.

The trade off is that you manage everything yourself, from hosting and security to updates, which is empowering for the technical and daunting for everyone else. If you already live in WordPress or want to own your stack outright, WooCommerce is unmatched. If you'd rather not be your own sysadmin, a hosted builder like Wix will save you real time.

The upside of all that control is that nothing is off limits, since the plugin ecosystem can bend WooCommerce to almost any requirement you can imagine. The downside is that every plugin is one more thing to maintain, update and keep secure over the years. For a technical owner that's a fair trade, while for a busy founder it can quietly become a second job.

5. BigCommerce: best for scaling and B2B

BigCommerce is built for stores that expect to grow, with a deep native feature set and, notably, no platform transaction fees on any plan. It handles large catalogs, complex tax and shipping rules and B2B selling without leaning heavily on third party apps. For an ambitious operation, that depth out of the box is a genuine advantage.

The flip side is that it can feel like more than a small shop needs, and its themes are fewer and less flexible than some rivals. Pricing starts at around $29 a month, which is competitive for the feature set. If you're scaling fast or selling wholesale, BigCommerce earns its place, while a simple boutique may find it heavier than necessary.

It's worth highlighting the no transaction fee policy again, because at higher volumes those saved percentages add up to real money over a year. Combined with strong multichannel selling, that makes BigCommerce a sensible home for a store with serious momentum. Just go in knowing you're buying capacity you may not fully use on day one.

6. Hostinger: best value among Shopify alternatives

Hostinger is the budget champion, pairing a drag and drop store builder with hosting in one very cheap package. Its ecommerce plan is among the lowest priced anywhere, which makes it ideal for a first store or a side project on a tight budget. For sellers testing an idea, the low risk entry point is the whole appeal.

The trade off is a lighter feature set and no sprawling app market, so very specific needs can be harder to meet. Plans start at around $2.99 a month, with the Business tier at $3.99 a month adding ecommerce and AI tools. For a simple, affordable store that still looks credible, Hostinger punches well above its price, while serious scaling belongs on Wix or BigCommerce.

Its AI tools also help you get a store online quickly, generating layouts and copy from a few prompts so you're not starting from scratch. That speed suits anyone who wants to be selling this week rather than next month. Just plan to grow into a more featured platform if the shop takes off.

7. Webflow: best for designers

Webflow appeals to designers who want pixel level control and clean, professional output, and its ecommerce sits on top of that powerful visual canvas. For a brand that treats its store as a design project, the creative ceiling is high. It's the most design forward option on this list after Squarespace.

The cost is complexity, since Webflow expects you to understand layout structure, which makes it overkill for a quick shop. Paid plans begin at around $18 a month, with ecommerce on higher tiers. If a polished, custom storefront is the goal and you're comfortable with the learning curve, Webflow rewards the effort, while beginners will move faster on Wix.

Webflow also produces clean, standards based code, which designers and developers appreciate when they want a fast, maintainable site. That technical quality is part of why agencies favor it for client work. For a solo seller without that background, though, the same power can feel like more rope than they need.

8. Square Online: best for in person sellers

Square Online is the natural alternative if you already use Square to take payments in a shop, market or cafe, because it syncs your online and in person sales out of the box. It even offers a free plan to get started, which lowers the barrier to selling online. For businesses that live at the point of sale, that unified inventory is genuinely handy.

The website side is simpler than Wix or Squarespace, so design options are more limited and the store can feel basic. It's best thought of as an easy online extension of a physical business rather than a full website platform. For pure online brands, the other options here give you more room to build.

The big win is unified inventory and reporting, since a sale in your shop and a sale on your site draw from the same stock automatically. For a cafe, market stall or boutique with a counter, that saves real admin every day. As an online first platform, though, it's the most basic builder on this list.

9. Ecwid: best for adding a store to an existing site

Ecwid is the alternative to choose when you already have a website you like and just want to add selling without rebuilding. It drops a store into almost any existing site and even sells across social channels and marketplaces from one place. For sellers who don't want to migrate, that flexibility is the main draw.

Because it's a bolt on rather than a full builder, your design and content still live on your existing platform, which keeps Ecwid focused purely on the cart. There's a free plan to start, with paid tiers as you add products and features. If a rebuild is off the table, Ecwid is the pragmatic pick, while a fresh start is better served by Wix.

It also scales reasonably, letting you add staff accounts, more products and extra sales channels as you grow without changing your main site. That makes it a low disruption way to test whether selling online works for you. If it takes off and you want a purpose built store, moving to a full platform is the natural next step.

Cost, fees and what to watch for

The headline plan price is only part of the picture, so it pays to look at the full cost of running a store before you commit. Watch for app or extension fees, payment processing rates and whether hosting and a domain are included, since these quietly shape what you actually pay each month. Platforms like Wix and Hostinger bundle hosting in, while WooCommerce leaves it to you, which changes the math.

Transaction fees deserve special attention, because a small percentage on every sale adds up fast as you grow. Shopify applies extra fees unless you use its own payments, whereas Wix and BigCommerce avoid adding a platform cut on top of standard card processing. Over a busy year, that difference alone can outweigh a few dollars of monthly plan price.

Finally, think about the cost of switching later, since migrating a store mid growth is disruptive and easy to underestimate. Choosing a flexible platform you'll not outgrow, like Wix for most sellers, saves you that pain down the line. Spending a little time on this now is far cheaper than rebuilding once you've momentum.

How to choose a Shopify alternative

The right platform comes down to what you sell, how much you want to spend and how much control you want over design and hosting. If you want one flexible home for a real website and a growing store, Wix is the safest all rounder and the one I recommend for most sellers. It keeps your costs predictable and your options open as the business grows.

From there, match the tool to your situation. Pick WooCommerce or BigCommerce if you need maximum control or serious scale, Squarespace or Webflow if design leads, Hostinger if budget is everything and Square Online or Ecwid if you're extending an existing setup. Our guide on how to choose an AI website builder walks through the same trade offs in more detail, and our breakdown of how much an AI website builder costs helps you plan the full budget.

Whatever you lean toward, try your top two with a handful of real products before committing, since the feel of the dashboard matters as much as the spec sheet. Most of these platforms let you start free or on a trial, so the cost of testing is low. That hands on hour usually settles the decision faster than any comparison.

The verdict

Every platform here can run a credible online store, so there's no truly wrong choice for the right seller. For the best blend of selling tools, design freedom and predictable pricing, Wix is the Shopify alternative I'd point most readers to first, because it gives you a real website and a capable store on one platform you'll not quickly outgrow. Search visibility also matters for a shop, and our look at which AI website builder is best for SEO is worth a read before you launch.

If your needs are narrower, the rest of the list still has clear winners, from WooCommerce for control to Hostinger for value and Square Online for in person sellers. Decide what matters most for your store, test your shortlist with real products and commit to the one that feels right. The best platform is the one that gets you selling and keeps your costs under control as you grow. If you're still torn, you can spin up a free store on Wix in an afternoon, add a few real products and see how the dashboard feels before you commit any money to a plan.

Start your store with Wix

Shopify alternatives FAQ

Is there a cheaper alternative to Shopify?

Yes, several alternatives undercut Shopify's $39 a month Basic plan. Wix enables ecommerce from $29 a month with hosting included, Hostinger starts at a few dollars a month and WooCommerce is a free plugin where you only pay for hosting. The cheapest option depends on whether you value an all in one platform or are happy to manage hosting yourself.

Which Shopify alternative is best for beginners?

Wix is the most beginner friendly alternative, because it pairs a guided, drag and drop builder with a full store and bundles hosting so there's nothing to wire up. Squarespace is also approachable if design is your priority. Both let you start without technical setup, which Shopify also does, so the deciding factor is usually price and design freedom.

Can you switch from Shopify to another platform?

Yes, you can move to another platform, though it takes some planning rather than a single click. You export your products and customer data, recreate or import them on the new platform, then point your domain across once the new store is ready. Most builders, including Wix, offer import tools and guides that make the move smoother than people expect.

Do Shopify alternatives charge transaction fees?

It varies by platform, so it pays to check before you commit. Shopify charges extra fees unless you use its own payments, BigCommerce charges no platform transaction fees on any plan and Wix doesn't add its own transaction fee on paid plans beyond standard payment processing. Always read the payment terms, since processing fees from the card networks still apply everywhere.

Which alternative is best for a large or growing store?

BigCommerce and Wix are the strongest picks for stores that expect to scale, since both handle large catalogs and growing order volumes without leaning on endless apps. BigCommerce adds native B2B tools and no transaction fees, while Wix keeps a real website and marketing tools in the same place. For most growing brands, either will carry you well beyond a starter store.

Can you sell on social media with these platforms?

Yes, most modern alternatives let you sell across social channels and marketplaces from one dashboard. Wix, Square Online and Ecwid all connect to channels like Instagram and Facebook, syncing inventory so you don't manage stock twice. That multichannel reach is one of the quiet advantages of moving to a flexible platform.

Is Wix a good Shopify alternative for a small business?

Yes, Wix is one of the strongest alternatives for a small business, because it gives you a real website and a capable store on one platform without stacking app fees. You can start free, enable ecommerce from $29 a month and add bookings, a blog or memberships as you grow. That flexibility means a small shop rarely outgrows it, which keeps things simple as the business expands.

Do you need technical skills to move off Shopify?

For most of these alternatives you don't need technical skills, since hosted builders like Wix, Squarespace and Hostinger handle the setup for you. WooCommerce is the main exception, as it expects you to manage hosting and updates yourself. If you want the move to be as simple as possible, a hosted all in one platform is the path of least resistance.

Which Shopify alternative has the best free option?

Square Online and Ecwid both offer genuine free plans for getting started, and Wix has a permanent free plan for building a site before you enable paid ecommerce. Free tiers come with limits like branding or a smaller feature set, so most sellers upgrade once they're serious. Still, they're a low risk way to test selling before committing any money.