Getting an online store is an aim for many in 2023. However, with this wide selection of e-commerce platforms available in the market, choosing the right one for a business can be very challenging. To help you with this process, we performed an in-depth analysis and listed the very best e-commerce platforms of 2023. These platforms are suitable for different business sizes and have every feature you need to launch your store quickly.
Wix
Wix is a globally known e-commerce platform known for its easy drag-and-drop site editor. It offers a wide range of premium templates that you can choose according to your store. It offers a feature-rich store with the ability to sell unlimited products, an abandoned cart recovery option, and more.
However, on the downside, it does not have any free plans, limited drop-shipping integrations, and every plan has storage limits. This means that the user will have to switch their plan or pay additional monthly charges if they want to expand this limit. Moreover, once your website is live, you cannot change the existing template used to create your store.
Pros
- Easy drag-and-drop site editor
- Wide range of premium templates
- Sell unlimited products
Cons
- No free plans
- Limited drop-shipping integrations
- Storage is limited
- Inflexible template selection
Shopify
The solution that secures second place on this list is the well-known market giant, Shopify. Shopify is an e-commerce platform that provides a wide range of features to its users and is well suited for drop-shipping businesses with its wide range of drop-shipping integrations. It offers a slick onboarding process and provides a 3-day free trial with the first 3 months for only $1.
Generally, their basic plan (which costs $25 if billed monthly and $19 if paid annually) is enough for small businesses. It offers two staff accounts with shipping discounts and POS access. However, if you want to use payment providers other than Shopify, you will be charged a transaction fee of 2%, 1%, and 0.5% for their basic, Shopify, and Advanced plans, respectively.
Pros
- Suitable for drop-shipping
- 3-day free trial
- Affordable initial offer
Cons
- Transaction fees for external payment providers
- No free plan
- Must buy custom domain
- Limited free themes
BigCommerce
Securing third place is the well-known BigCommerce. It is an e-commerce platform where you can create your store with only a small learning curve. It offers a feature-rich store with features like unlimited staff accounts, ultimate storage, multi-storefronts, POS integration, responsive design, and more with no transaction charges at all.
However, on the downside, you will have a limit on the amount of annual sales that will vary based on your preferred plan. Moreover, the premium themes get very expensive, with no abandoned cart recovery feature included in the standard plan.
Pros
- No transaction fee
- Customizable themes
- Tons of built-in sales and marketing tools
Cons
- Monthly sales limit
- Expensive premium themes
- No abandoned cart recovery in the standard plan
- Should buy custom domain
Atcommerce
A well-known e-commerce platform known for its convenience and ease of use, Atcommerce is a platform that takes away all the hassles of the store creation process, even the hassle of drag and drop. It neither requires any coding experience nor drag-and drop to create your store. All you have to do to get your Atcommerce-powered store is telling them your requirements by filling out a form, and they will create your store.
You can add unlimited products to your store and have secured hosting with custom domain support, even for their basic plan. Moreover, you will have multiple payment methods, shipping calculators, and free themes.
Small businesses can operate their stores smoothly with the basic plan, which is only $19.99 if billed monthly, with an additional 10% discount if billed annually on top of the free onboarding month. On the downside, Atcommerce has limited themes and offers no free plans.
Pros
- Hassle-free onboarding
- Unlimited product listings
- Secured hosting with custom domain support
- Multiple payment methods and shipping calculators
Cons
- Limited theme options
- No free plans
Weebly
Weebly, known for its ease of use, is one of the most popular options available on the market. It is a beginner-friendly website builder that allows users to create websites without coding experience, thanks to its drag-and-drop editor. It allows users to sell unlimited products with free SSL security and third-party theme support within its free plan.
On the downside, you will only get phone support when you purchase a professional plan and above. You will have square ads in your store until or unless you shift to a professional plan.
Pros
- Unlimited product listings
- Free SSL security
- Third-party theme support
- Free plan offers e-commerce capabilities
Cons
- Limited support options
- Square ads in the store
- Cannot connect a custom domain to free plan
SquareSpace
Squarespace is a website builder known for its wide range of stunning templates. Just like the other options on the market, it also has an easy drag-and-drop editor to create your store. It offers everything needed to create a complete website, including a free custom domain name and email. Additionally, you can customize your site yourself using CSS or JavaScript.
While SquareSpace has many pros, there are some downsides to using this platform. For starters, the Personal Plan doesn’t support e-commerce features. You cannot use JavaScript or CSS to personalize your website if you have subscribed to its Personal Plan. Moreover, you will be charged an additional 3% transaction fee as a Business Plan subscriber.
Pros
- Stunning templates
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Customization options
Cons
- No e-commerce features for Personal Plan
- Customization options are limited to Commerce plans
- Hefty transaction fees in basic plans
Ecwid
Ecwid is entirely free for individuals who have limited products (up to 5) to sell with no transaction fee or credit card fee. It allows customers to instantly create storefronts for their existing website by adding HTML code to it. However, if you want to extend the number of products, use the inventory management feature, and use the POS feature, you need to upgrade your plan to a paid one.
Though Ecwid is considered one of the best platforms for its features, it has some drawbacks. For instance, Ecwid has limited templates, and the free plan only allows you to sell five products. Moreover, its stand-alone site option has only one page. The product variation feature is enabled only if you are a Business subscriber to Ecwid.
Pros
- Easy integration with existing websites
- Feature-rich platform
Cons
- Limited templates
- Product limitations on the free plan
- Stand-alone site limitations
- Designs are limited
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a popular e-commerce platform available exclusively on WordPress. It is a free plugin that turns WordPress websites into online stores. With this free plugin, you can create, market, sell, and manage your products, accept payments securely, and handle shipments with ease. Moreover, with WooCommerce, you get access to thousands of free templates that are mobile-friendly.
While you can do more with your WooCommerce store, creating one requires a lot of learning. Since it is a WordPress plugin, you need to learn WordPress before you can create your store. Additionally, you need to buy a WordPress domain and an SSL certificate.
Pros
- Free to use
- Many payment gateways are available
- Tons of extensions are available
Cons
- Learning curve for WordPress
- Must buy domain, hosting, and SSL certificate
Final Words
When it comes to online stores, there is no one size fits all. Since every business has its own priorities and requirements, it is best for you to take your time, evaluate your options, and find the platform that suits your e-commerce business.
