Top 7 Best eCommerce Platforms For Your Business In 2023

Here, you’ll find a comparison of the 5 most popular, best eCommerce platforms and advice for selecting the ideal one for your business.

Now is a better time than ever to open an online store. The most effective e-commerce systems make it easy for businesses of all sizes to sell goods and services online.

Businesses no longer need to worry about how much stock they have or how many sales they make.

Whether you’re starting a business from scratch or putting an existing one online, we’ll make sure you have nothing to worry about thanks to our comprehensive support services. No matter the circumstances, this book will be of assistance to you.

What is an eCommerce platform?

The piece of software that an online store uses to manage all of their merchant buying needs, as well as their own seller needs, is referred to as an eCommerce platform.

These requirements consist of things like product pages, reviews, transactions, order fulfillment, customer assistance, and return policies.

It all boils down to the specifics of your business model and expansion strategy to determine which e-commerce platform is the best.

This article provides a summary of some of the finest eCommerce platforms for 2022 to assist you in determining which option is the most suitable for your company.

The Top 5 Best eCommerce Platforms List

Now that you have a better idea of what to look for in eCommerce website-building tools, we can start comparing some of the leading options.

Keep in mind that some of the best goods for business owners are those listed here. But it doesn’t imply they’re the best choice for your situation.

After all, every company is unique in its own way.

1. Shopify

These days, a discussion on online shopping or commerce would be incomplete without mentioning Shopify. Shopify’s e-commerce platform is among the best available, thanks to a plethora of innovative features and a robust app market with several useful extensions.

Shopify’s specialized e-commerce platform is a great choice if you intend to make a go of it in the online retail business. Shopify is a SaaS-based software platform made to assist those in creating the best possible virtual storefront.

In comparison to rivals like Wix and Squarespace, it provides more cutting-edge marketing and sales features at no extra cost, and it also has an SSL certificate installed by default for further security.

You can take advantage of sales, have questions answered at any time, and make payments without leaving the site. Similarly, you can synchronize your stock and orders across several marketplaces.

The use of add-ons also enables access to cutting-edge marketing approaches, such as drop shipping.

Shopify Pricing

After a free trial period of 14 days, the basic Shopify experience will cost you $29 per month thereafter. The Advanced Shopify plan costs $299 per month to subscribe to.

Pros

• There’s a free trial to help you get started.
• There is a wide variety of motifs from which to choose.
• You can choose from a huge number of plugins.
• All plans have unlimited items.
• Payment options that work together
• Great for every type of business plan

Cons

• Fees can add up quickly
• There aren’t many ways to blog.

2. Wix

Wix is a top pick for eCommerce companies since it provides excellent performance at a reasonable price. Wix is a website builder that aims to make the website-building process easy and fun, even if you have no prior experience in creating an online store.

Wix’s eCommerce plans include a drag-and-drop store builder, a library of premade designs, and a focus on mobile compatibility.

Multiple safe payment options are available to you during the checkout process. In addition, your sophisticated store administration features allow you to make eye-catching product galleries.

You can also calculate taxes and international shipping costs in the backend, which is a great feature. Unlike Shopify, Wix isn’t solely dedicated to online commerce, thus it naturally lacks some of the more advanced shopping tools.

Wix isn’t the most sophisticated platform for creating an online store, but it’s a great place to begin.

Wix Pricing

You may utilize the free version of Wix that is funded by advertisements if you do not mind seeing Wix advertisements on your website. You will need to upgrade to the Business Basic plan, which will cost you an extra $23 per month, in order to be able to sell items on your website.

Pros

• To give your website its own identity and personality, you may choose from a wide variety of high-quality themes.
• Customers can pay you in a number of safe ways.
• A lot of apps and plugins to choose from
• can begin for free
• There are many coupons and ways to save money.

Cons

• Few online shopping options
• No way to get your information out.
• It’s hard to add more features because it’s not open source.

3. BigCommerce

BigCommerce could be the ideal solution if you want to open up an internet store and sell through several mediums. BigCommerce is an e-commerce platform that can expand your business, making it a good fit for startups and midsize organizations.

However, the complexity of its features and functions might make it a challenge to master for novices.

BigCommerce offers a plethora of options to play with. This means that your software likely has most of the features you’ll ever need already integrated. There is less of a need to rely on third-party app stores like Shopify.

Whether you do business via Amazon, Instagram, Square, eBay, Facebook, or Pinterest, BigCommerce can assist you in growing your company while reducing associated expenses. This is true regardless of the platform on which you choose to conduct business.

BigCommerce has many different types of sales tools available, so it’s important to have the right people on staff that can help you maximize the platform’s potential.

You’ll also have access to powerful Search Engine Optimization tools to boost your site’s visibility in search engines.

BigCommerce Pricing

BigCommerce’s price plans begin at an affordable $29.95 per month for the most basic option. When you take into account all of the amenities that come with this purchase, the price that you pay is actually rather reasonable.

Pros

• Visual selling tool built right in
• No fees to do business
• You can buy, store, and use as much data as you want.
• Several ways to rate and review a product
• There is a diverse selection of free applications available for download.
• Great for selling through many different channels.

Cons

• Pricing is something that might be a bit confusing to find out.
• Not as simple to configure as some other tools.
• There are just a few free themes to choose from.

4. Squarespace

For businesses that value artistic freedom, Squarespace is an outstanding e-commerce platform. Compared to Wix, this cloud-hosted website builder is more advanced because it can connect to several social media platforms without any problems.

Squarespace is a great choice if you want to make a website for your business or portfolio that looks professional and good. Because of the numerous modern and sleek design themes available, you can change your look whenever you want.

There aren’t nearly as many e-commerce options accessible with this platform compared to Shopify. Any yearly subscription comes with free domain registration and SSL encryption.

The checkout process is mobile-friendly, and there are no additional costs associated with making a purchase.

Squarespace Pricing

With prices beginning at around $18 per month, Squarespace is a choice that falls into the more cheap price range. Sadly, there is no option for a free plan.

Pros

• Excellent use of social media.
• There is a large selection of high-quality templates available for selection.
• Budget-friendly plans
• Good for people who need customer service all the time.
• Plans for a year come with a free domain name.

Cons

• Expensive transaction costs
• It is only possible to pay using Stripe, PayPal, or Apple Pay at this time.
• No app market

5. Square Online

Intent on merging your offline and online sales efforts, but not sure how? An eCommerce builder may be just what you need. In such a case, you should look into Square Online, Square’s website-creation tool.

With an existing Square POS, you can get a free website from Square. However, because the shop builder is backed by Weebly, you’ll be subject to the same constraints on personalization as applied to your Weebly store.

The Square Online system, much like Weebly’s e-commerce platform, is as user-friendly as it gets for those just getting their feet wet in the world of e-commerce.

In a matter of minutes, you can have fully functioning, expert-looking shops ready to sell your wares. Plus, thanks to the seamless integration with your Square POS, you have access to cutting-edge stock management tools.

When an item is purchased online, the system automatically adjusts stock levels in the back end. Square’s store builder likewise makes use of A.I. for its design.

This means that you can enjoy a more cutting-edge adventure without breaking the bank. Getting started is risk-free thanks to the free plan, and you can easily add products and features to your store.

Square Online Pricing

It costs nothing to get started, but there is always the opportunity to upgrade to a more sophisticated shopping experience.

Pros

• Great if you already use other parts of the Square ecosystem.
• Easy for new users to use.
• combines selling online and in person
• Great tools for keeping track of stock
• Great for AI design

Cons

• There aren’t enough customization options, especially at the checkout.
• There are limits to how you can process payments.

6. Weebly

Weebly is an emerging service for modern small business owners, but it is already larger than some of the other eCommerce systems we’ve discussed.

To put it simply, it’s the best online tool for making a simple website. The learning curve is low, and you can get started with little in the way of spare time or technical know-how. Weebly also has low introductory prices, making it easy on the wallet.

However, compared to the other eCommerce systems we’ve reviewed, this one is limited in terms of scale. You’re restricted from selling on multiple marketplaces simultaneously (like Etsy and Facebook).

In addition, it is more difficult than it should be to customize important aspects of your website, such as the page that users see to complete their purchases. Weebly does not charge any additional fees for providing useful services like password security and blogging.

When it comes to making a splash in the digital marketplace, small businesses offering only a few things will find Weebly to be an excellent option.

When using this website creator, you will have access to a wide variety of carefully crafted, highly functional templates.

In addition, you can rest assured that you’re using a reliable payment system with Weebly because the company relies on Square to power its financial operations.

Weebly Pricing

The price structure starts out with a free tier that may be used for the very minimum of functionality. You also have the option to subscribe to the Pro version of the Weebly shop, which will cost you an extra $12 per month but will come with a free domain and $100 in Google AdWords credit. If you go this route, however, you will not be able to sell physical products via your online store.

Pros

• Extremely user-friendly, making it ideal for novices.
• There is a wide selection of responsive themes available for you.
• There is a large selection of pre-installed applications available for use.
• Membership areas and working together as a team
• Very affordable

Cons

• Very few layout possibilities, especially on the payment page
• Not recommended for sites targeting foreign audiences

7. Ecwid

Ecwid was developed as a robust e-commerce platform to assist businesses in selling their wares online. A new online account is free to create and can be maintained indefinitely without any additional fees.

If your company is looking for a solution that can be incorporated into your current website, social media profile, or company page, then Ecwid is the way to go.

You’ll only need one admin panel to keep track of all of your storefronts and keep them in sync. Ecwid’s cloud-based nature is one of the service’s most appealing features. It’s hosted for you, so there’s no need to set anything up.

Any website, whether it’s built with Drupal, Wix, Joomla!, or WordPress, can benefit from your Ecwid expertise by installing a plugin.

Features include a layout that adapts to the screen size of the user’s device, language detection that happens automatically, and the ability to publish your site simultaneously to several different web properties like blogs and social networks.

No initialization or transaction costs are incurred. Furthermore, there is a wide variety of safe payment options to select from.

Ecwid Pricing

There is a plan that is free forever that is perfect for small businesses who are just starting started with their web presence. You also have the option to purchase the Unlimited plan, which costs just $99 per month and includes everything you require to sell products online.

Pros

• Compatible with the website that you currently own and operate.
• There is a free plan, and the premium plans are not too costly in comparison to the free plan.
• The option to sell items on a variety of marketplaces and online social networking sites
• You are able to create a mobile app to submit to the app store.
• Automatic detection of language
• Secure payment options available

Cons

• Fees for integrated payments are pretty high.
• Not an eCommerce solution on its own (you need a website)
• On lower plans, there is no phone support or live chat.
• Back-end stats don’t tell you much.

Choosing the Most Effective Ecommerce Platform for Small Businesses

Which website builder should a small business choose, then? What you’re looking for is the determining factor. Each of the 15 possibilities listed above offers something special.

If you’re in the market for features that are tailored to boost your sales, Shopify is where it’s at. Squarespace and Volusion, on the other hand, are excellent options if you require a great deal of freedom of expression.

Square will equip you to sell both online and in person, and GoDaddy is a breeze to use. On the other hand, BigCommerce gives you all tools you need to succeed in multi-channel selling, while Wix offers outstanding value for the money.

In what kind of e-commerce platform do you plan to put your money this year?

Conclusion: Best eCommerce Platforms

There is a wide variety of software available to facilitate online business. Some of them are designed for international internet retailers that sell thousands of different items.

Some others are more appropriate for merchants who only have a few products to sell.

Although all of the top e-commerce platforms offer customers the opportunity to make purchases online, not all of them are designed to accommodate rapid growth.

Be conscious of the fact that if your site expands, so might your requirements. If you think it would be possible for you, you should select a platform that can expand along with your business as it develops.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)