9 Best Ecommerce Platforms of 2026

This list is for small businesses choosing where to sell online. Platforms are ranked by value first, then features, then ease of use. Prices are the cheapest paid plan in USD as shown on each vendor's pricing page; several platforms showed local currency to our checker, and those prices are marked pending. Square's starting price is per location. Remember that payment processing, apps and themes add to every plan price.

1. 01Top value

   

   Shopify

   8.7/10

   A hosted ecommerce platform for selling online, in person and through marketplaces and AI chats.

   Price

   $29per month

   Basic $29 per month billed annually ($39 monthly); 3-day free trial, then $1 per month for 3 months

   “The most popular plan, Shopify Basic, costs $29 per month when billed annually.” Quoted from the pricing page, November 4, 2026.

   Free plan

   No

   Free trial

   3 days

   Value (40%)

   8.0

   Features (35%)

   9.4

   Ease of use (25%)

   9.0

   Best forMost new and growing online stores that want the widest app and theme choice.

   Shopify is the default choice for a reason: it covers online, in-person, marketplace and AI chat sales from one admin, with the largest theme and app ecosystem in this list. The pricing page shows four plans, Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus, with staff accounts rising from up to 5 on Grow to 15 on Advanced and unlimited on Plus, and card rates falling as you move up. Marketplace syncing is free for 50 orders a month, then 1% up to $99 USD a month. Shopify's own setup guide prices Basic at $29 a month billed annually, or $39 billed monthly, and new stores get a three-day free trial followed by three months at $1 a month. The pricing page itself served local currency to our checker, so we took the USD figure from that guide. Real costs come from apps, themes and payment fees on top of the plan, so add those before comparing. We compared documented features and published plan details, not live stores.

   • ✓Largest app and theme ecosystem in this list
   • ✓Online, in-person and marketplace sales in one admin
   • ✓Clear plan ladder from Basic to Plus

   • ✕The pricing page shows local currency outside the US, so we took the USD price from Shopify's own setup guide
   • ✕Card rates and apps add to the monthly plan fee
   • ✕Staff accounts are limited until Grow and Advanced

   Plans:

   Basic, Grow, Advanced, Plus

   Basic:

   $29 per month billed annually, $39 monthly

   Free trial:

   3 days

   Staff accounts:

   Up to 5 on Grow, 15 on Advanced, unlimited on Plus

   Marketplace orders:

   50 synced orders per month free, then 1% up to $99 USD per month

   Point of sale:

   Up to 200 POS Pro locations on Plus

   Bottom line: Shopify is the safest all-round pick for a store that plans to grow. Budget for apps and payment fees, not just the plan.

   Visit shopify.com ↗

2. 02

   

   BigCommerce

   8.4/10

   A hosted ecommerce platform with built-in B2B, multi-storefront and catalog features.

   Price

   $29per month

   Core from $29 per month billed annually; Growth $79, Scale $299; 15-day free trial

   “Core New businesses with up to $30K in annual sales. $29 Save 25% per month, billed annually” Quoted from the pricing page, November 4, 2026.

   Free plan

   No

   Free trial

   15 days

   Value (40%)

   8.2

   Features (35%)

   9.0

   Ease of use (25%)

   7.8

   Best forGrowing stores with large catalogs or B2B buyers.

   BigCommerce prices by sales volume, which makes its entry plan good value for new stores. The pricing page lists Core at $29 a month billed annually for businesses with up to $30K in trailing 12-month sales, Growth at $79 up to $100K, Scale at $299 and Enterprise from $1,499 a month. Annual billing saves 25%. Plans auto-upgrade when you pass the sales cap, so a fast-growing store can jump tiers within a year. In return you get zero platform fees with embedded payment providers, 24/7 chat and email support from Core, multi-location inventory and strong catalog and B2B tools. The 15-day trial is fully functional and can take real payments. The theme and app ecosystem is smaller than Shopify's. We compared documented features and published prices rather than building a store.

   • ✓Fully functional 15-day trial that can take real payments
   • ✓Strong catalog and B2B features
   • ✓25% off on annual billing

   • ✕Core caps sales at $30K over trailing 12 months, then auto-upgrades
   • ✕Growth costs $79 per month and Scale $299
   • ✕Fewer themes and apps than Shopify

   Free trial:

   15 days, fully functional

   Cheapest paid plan:

   Core, $29 per month billed annually

   Core sales cap:

   $30K trailing 12-month GMV

   Other plans:

   Growth $79, Scale $299, Enterprise from $1,499 per month

   Annual discount:

   25%

   Bottom line: BigCommerce is a strong value pick for stores under $30K a year that expect catalog or B2B needs. Watch the sales caps that trigger upgrades.

   Visit bigcommerce.com ↗

3. 03

   

   WooCommerce

   8.4/10

   A free, open-source ecommerce plugin for WordPress that you host yourself.

   Price

   Freeper month

   Free plugin with $0 platform fee; you pay for hosting ($25 to $350 per month for most stores) and extensions

   “Monthly platform and hosting fees $0 platform fee Choose the host that makes sense for your business” Quoted from the pricing page, November 4, 2026.

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   9.0

   Features (35%)

   8.8

   Ease of use (25%)

   6.8

   Best forWordPress users and developers who want full control and no platform fee.

   WooCommerce is the value leader if you can run your own site. The plugin is free and open source, and WooCommerce's own pricing page puts the platform fee at $0. You pay instead for hosting, which the page estimates at $25 to $350 a month for most stores, extensions at $29 to $299 a year each and your payment processor's fees. That makes WooCommerce cheap for a simple store and flexible for a complex one, since you own the code and data and can use any WordPress theme. The cost is work: updates, backups, security and performance are your responsibility or your host's. For a non-technical owner, Shopify or Square Online will be faster to launch. We compared documented features and published costs and did not build a test store.

   • ✓$0 platform fee
   • ✓Full ownership of code and data
   • ✓Huge range of extensions and WordPress themes

   • ✕You manage hosting, updates and security
   • ✕Hosting costs $25 to $350 per month for most stores, per WooCommerce
   • ✕Extensions cost $29 to $299 per year each

   Platform fee:

   $0

   Hosting estimate:

   $25 to $350 per month for most stores

   Extensions:

   $29 to $299 per year each

   Payments:

   Choose your own processor

   Requires:

   WordPress

   Bottom line: WooCommerce gives the lowest platform cost and the most control for WordPress users. Owners who do not want to manage hosting should choose a hosted platform.

   Visit woocommerce.com ↗

4. 04

   

   Big Cartel

   8.2/10

   A simple hosted store builder for artists, makers and musicians.

   Price

   $15per month

   Free limited Gold plan; Platinum $15 per month after a 7-day trial; Diamond $30 per month

   “Platinum $0 To Start Tools to grow your sales Start free trial 7 days free, then $15/mo” Quoted from the pricing page, November 4, 2026.

   Free plan

   Yes

   Free trial

   7 days

   Value (40%)

   9.0

   Features (35%)

   6.6

   Ease of use (25%)

   9.0

   Best forMakers and artists selling a small range of products.

   Big Cartel keeps ecommerce small and cheap. The pricing page offers Platinum at $15 a month after a seven-day free trial and Diamond at $30 a month, with a free, limited Gold plan for testing. Platinum covers custom domains, physical and digital products, shipping labels and tracking, shop design and print-on-demand apps. Diamond adds abandoned cart recovery, scheduled product drops, password-protected products, Zapier connections and priority support. There is no commitment, and you can sell in person from the mobile app. For an artist or a band selling merch, that is everything needed at a flat price. Stores with large catalogs, complex variants or B2B needs will outgrow it quickly. We compared documented features and published prices rather than running a shop.

   • ✓Low, flat monthly prices
   • ✓Free limited Gold plan
   • ✓No commitment and cancel anytime

   • ✕Fewer features than full platforms
   • ✕Abandoned cart recovery requires Diamond at $30 per month
   • ✕Not built for large catalogs

   Free plan:

   Yes, limited Gold plan

   Cheapest paid plan:

   Platinum, $15 per month

   Free trial:

   7 days

   Top plan:

   Diamond, $30 per month

   Commitment:

   None, cancel anytime

   Bottom line: Big Cartel is the cheapest simple way for makers to run a shop. Growing stores will need a fuller platform.

   Visit bigcartel.com ↗

5. 05

   

   Ecwid by Lightspeed

   8.2/10

   A store builder that adds a shop to an existing site or social profile, or runs as its own site.

   Price

   Check price

   See vendor pricing (USD check pending)

   US price check pending. Vendor pricing page

   Free plan

   No

   Value (40%)

   8.4

   Features (35%)

   7.6

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.6

   Best forOwners who want to add a store to a site they already have.

   Ecwid's main idea is portability: you can embed its store in an existing website, a social profile or its own Instant Site. Plans step up by product count. Starter allows up to 10 products on a company.site domain, Venture up to 100 plus digital goods and selling on Instagram and Facebook, Business up to 2,500 with marketplace selling and subscriptions, and Unlimited adds POS integration and unlimited staff accounts. Annual billing saves 16%. The pricing page showed a multi-currency table to our checker rather than a clean USD figure, so the price is marked pending; the page's multi-currency table lists Starter at 5 in dollars, pounds and euros alike. For an owner who already has a site, Ecwid is a quick add-on. Larger stores will prefer Shopify or BigCommerce. We compared documented features rather than building a store.

   • ✓Very low entry plan
   • ✓Works with an existing website builder
   • ✓Clear product limits per plan

   • ✕Starter allows only 10 products
   • ✕Prices were shown in several currencies to our checker
   • ✕Social selling needs Venture or above

   Plans:

   Starter, Venture, Business, Unlimited

   Starter limit:

   Up to 10 products

   Venture limit:

   Up to 100 products plus e-goods

   Business limit:

   Up to 2,500 products

   Annual discount:

   16%

   Bottom line: Ecwid is the easiest way to bolt a store onto an existing site. Confirm the USD price on the vendor page.

   Visit ecwid.com ↗

6. 06

   

   Square Online

   8.2/10

   Square's online store builder, included in every Square plan and tied to Square payments and point of sale.

   Price

   $49per location per month

   Square Free plan at $0; Square Plus $49 per month per location; 30-day free trial of Plus

   “With Square Plus and Square Premium, the monthly fee applies to each location you run. $0/mo. per location $49/mo. per location $149/mo. per location” Quoted from the pricing page, November 4, 2026.

   Free plan

   Yes

   Free trial

   30 days

   Value (40%)

   8.6

   Features (35%)

   7.4

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.8

   Best forRestaurants and retailers already using Square in person.

   Square Online makes the most sense for businesses already using Square in person. Square now includes its online store features in every plan, so the $0 Square Free plan builds a working store with SEO tools, pickup, local delivery, shipping and selling on search and social, all tied to Square's payments and inventory. Square Plus costs $49 per month per location and adds abandoned cart emails and item subscriptions online, along with more tools across the rest of Square. Square Premium at $149 per location adds real-time shipping rates at checkout and the lowest processing fees. There are no locked-in contracts, and Square says Plus and Premium each come with a 30-day free trial. Because the fee is charged per location, a business with several shops pays more for the same online store. For a cafe or shop that wants online ordering quickly, the free plan is hard to beat; for a brand-led online store, Shopify offers more design and app choice. We compared documented features rather than testing a store.

   • ✓Free plan for a working store
   • ✓Syncs with Square point of sale
   • ✓No locked-in contracts

   • ✕Abandoned cart emails need Square Plus at $49 per month per location
   • ✕Fewer themes and apps than Shopify
   • ✕Best value only if you already use Square

   Free plan:

   Yes, Square Free at $0 per month

   Square Plus:

   $49 per month per location

   Square Premium:

   $149 per month per location

   Contracts:

   None, cancel or switch anytime

   Fulfillment:

   Pickup, local delivery and shipping

   Bottom line: Square Online is the obvious choice for Square merchants who want online ordering for free. Pure online brands have better options.

   Visit squareup.com ↗

7. 07

   

   Wix

   8.1/10

   A drag and drop website builder with ecommerce on its higher plans.

   Price

   Free plan

   Free website plan; store plans: see vendor pricing (USD check pending); 14-day money-back guarantee

   US price check pending. Vendor pricing page

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   7.6

   Features (35%)

   8.2

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.8

   Best forSmall businesses that want a designed website first and a store second.

   Wix is a website builder first and a store second, and that shapes its value. The free plan lets you build and publish a site, but accepting payments starts on Core, not the entry Light plan, so a store needs at least the second paid tier. Core adds basic ecommerce, scheduling, a marketing suite and 50 GB of storage; Business and Business Elite raise storage, collaborators and ecommerce features. A 14-day money-back guarantee applies. The drag and drop editor and template range give more design freedom than Shopify or BigCommerce, which suits restaurants, studios and service businesses with a small shop. The plan page served prices to our checker in a non-USD format, so the price is marked pending. Larger catalogs belong on a dedicated platform. We compared documented features rather than building a store.

   • ✓Strong design flexibility
   • ✓Free plan for building and testing a site
   • ✓14-day money-back guarantee

   • ✕Payments start on Core, not the entry Light plan
   • ✕Prices served to our checker were not in USD
   • ✕Ecommerce depth trails dedicated platforms

   Free plan:

   Yes, website only

   Plans:

   Light, Core, Business, Business Elite

   Accept payments:

   From Core

   Collaborators:

   2 on Light, 5 on Core, 10 on Business

   Guarantee:

   14-day money-back

   Bottom line: Wix suits design-led small businesses with a modest product range. Price the Core plan, since payments are not on Light.

   Visit wix.com ↗

8. 08

   

   Squarespace

   8.0/10

   A website builder with polished templates and built-in commerce, courses and memberships.

   Price

   Check price

   See vendor pricing (USD check pending); 14-day free trial

   US price check pending. Vendor pricing page

   Free plan

   No

   Free trial

   14 days

   Value (40%)

   7.5

   Features (35%)

   8.0

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.8

   Best forCreatives and service businesses that want a polished site with a store.

   Squarespace is the design pick. Its templates are polished, and every site includes commerce, courses and memberships. The pricing page states there is no free plan, but every site starts with a 14-day free trial without a credit card, and annual plans include a free custom domain. The entry Basic plan charges a 2% transaction fee on online store sales and 7% on digital content and memberships, Core cuts the store fee to 0% and the digital fee to 5%, and Advanced cuts the digital fee to 0% and adds the lowest payment processing rates. One-click checkout and purchase limits start on Core. For a photographer, coach or small brand, the fee on Basic may be acceptable at low volume. At higher sales it is cheaper to move up a plan. The page served local currency prices to our checker, so the USD price is marked pending. We compared documented features rather than building a store.

   • ✓Polished templates out of the box
   • ✓14-day free trial with no credit card
   • ✓Courses and memberships built in

   • ✕Basic plan charges a 2% online store transaction fee
   • ✕No free plan
   • ✕Prices served to our checker were not in USD

   Free plan:

   No

   Free trial:

   14 days, no credit card

   Plans:

   Basic, Core, Advanced

   Transaction fee on Basic:

   2% on online store sales

   Digital content fee:

   7% on Basic

   Bottom line: Squarespace is the best-looking option for creatives with a small store. Check whether Basic's 2% transaction fee costs more than upgrading.

   Visit squarespace.com ↗

9. 09

   

   Volusion

   7.3/10

   A hosted ecommerce platform with plans tiered by yearly sales and product count.

   Price

   $35per month

   Personal from $35 per month; Professional $79 per month; Business $299 per month with annual payment

   “Personal $ 35 /month Buy Now Professional $ 79 /month” Quoted from the pricing page, November 4, 2026.

   Free plan

   No

   Value (40%)

   7.2

   Features (35%)

   7.4

   Ease of use (25%)

   7.4

   Best forEstablished small stores that want simple hosted ecommerce with live chat support.

   Volusion is a long-standing hosted platform with a plain pricing ladder. The pricing page lists Personal at $35 a month, Professional at $79 and Business at $299 with annual payment ($399 monthly), plus a Prime plan priced on sales volume. Personal covers up to $50K in yearly GMV, 100 products and one staff account, with live chat and email support. Professional raises the product limit to 5,000. Hosting, unlimited bandwidth and PCI compliance are included. The structure is easy to read, but the entry plan costs more than BigCommerce Core or Big Cartel and offers less, and the app and theme range is narrower than Shopify's. It suits an established store already on Volusion more than a new one. We compared documented features and published prices rather than testing the platform.

   • ✓Simple plan structure
   • ✓Hosting and PCI compliance included
   • ✓Professional allows 5,000 products

   • ✕Personal caps sales at $50K per year and 100 products
   • ✕Personal includes one staff account
   • ✕Business costs $399 per month without annual payment

   Cheapest paid plan:

   Personal, $35 per month

   Personal limits:

   $50K GMV per year, 100 products, 1 staff account

   Other plans:

   Professional $79, Business $299 per month with annual payment

   Business monthly:

   $399 per month

   Hosting:

   Free web hosting, unlimited bandwidth

   Bottom line: Volusion is a workable hosted option, but newer platforms give more for the money. Compare BigCommerce Core before choosing it.

   Visit volusion.com ↗

Questions or corrections: editorial@rankozo.comSee our disclosure. Prices change; confirm on the vendor page before buying.