Best Cheap Ecommerce Platforms
We compared and tested 38+ providers to summarize the cheapest yet powerful ecommerce platforms in the following list.
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WooCommerce
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WooCommerce is a flexible, open-source ecommerce platform built on WordPress, ideal for businesses looking for customizable online store solutions. Its strength lies in its vast plugin ecosystem and adaptability, allowing users to extend functionality and tailor their sites to specific business needs, making it a popular choice for those who already use or are familiar with WordPress.
In top 3 for
Pros
Free to use
Developed app ecosystem
Extensive features available
Cons
Requires WordPress
Requires web hosting
Square
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Square Online integrates ecommerce capabilities with Square's popular payment processing system, catering especially to small businesses and retailers. This platform is particularly effective for those looking to unify their online and offline sales channels.
In top 3 for
Pros
Very user-friendly
Ability to directly sell on social media
Cons
Custom branding not available on base plan
Limited marketing features available
Vetrina Live
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Vetrina Live provides a streamlined ecommerce solution, designed with small businesses and individual sellers in mind. The platform focuses on quick setup and ease of use, with essential features like product catalogs, customizable themes, and basic marketing tools.
Pros
All currencies available
Delivery costs management
Placing in the online Mall
Unlimited Pictures per product
Product availability management
Cons
Low number of products allowed
Shift4Shop
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Shift4Shop, previously known as 3dcart, provides a comprehensive ecommerce solution with a wide range of features to support businesses of all sizes. It stands out for its extensive customization options, robust SEO tools, and a variety of integrated payment solutions.
In top 3 for
Pros
No subscription fee if more than $500/month is processed through the platform
Free migration service
Cons
Custom branding is not available for the base plan
Only optimal for users in the US
Ecomz
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Ecomz offers a platform that caters to the specific needs of small to medium-sized businesses. It distinguishes itself with customizable templates, a variety of integrations, and marketing tools, providing a flexible and user-friendly environment for businesses aiming to build a distinctive and efficient online store.
Cons
Limited features
- Our ranking applies to each individual plan that a provider offers. Subsequently, the scores of each plan are merged using a dynamically weighted model.
When looking for the right ecommerce platform, one of the things that could determine your final selection is the pricing. Typically, pricing is even the first thing people think about before considering features and attributes if working on a budget.
Let’s take a look at the points you should consider when choosing the cheapest ecommerce platforms.
What Makes the Best Cheap Ecommerce Platform?
The best cheap ecommerce platforms are platforms that do not undervalue performance and features in relation to price. Simply put, the most affordable ecommerce platforms are those platforms that do not compromise on the quality of the service they render regarding price.
Ecommerce platforms have many basic technical, functional, and operational features that aid the platform's effectiveness. Is it cheap when a platform offers anything short of these features in decent proportions at a lower cost?
The pricing attributes on an ecommerce platform revolve around the free trial, monthly/annual subscriptions, custom plans, trial length, and transaction fees.
Our expert analysts dive into the ecommerce platforms and explore their pricing attributes. To fully quantify these distinct pricing attributes, we use a scoring system to create an objective ranking.
Free Plan
Some ecommerce platforms include a free option to give you a taste of their software. It usually comes with minimal features to give you a feel of the platform and its functions.
Entry Price
Most ecommerce platforms offer monthly or annual pricing plans as subscription packages. The pricing plans are usually ranked from cheapest to most expensive while providing different features on all plans. For our ranking, we evaluate the platform's features based on the most affordable plans or “entry price.”
Transaction Fees
This is the platform's fee over the payment processing fee charged by the payment gateways being used. You can think of it as a transactional service charge.
If you are working with a tight budget, the pricing may be the first factor you consider. Still, it’s advisable to be open to the fact that higher pricing can ultimately come with better features and vice versa.
10 Best Cheap Ecommerce Platforms
How to Choose a Cheap Ecommerce Platform for Your Needs
When choosing the cheapest ecommerce platform, we highly recommend looking at the pricing and the features you need and weighing them against each other to select the best suitable option for you. Make sure to think about the future and choose the platform that can also serve you well in the long run.
If you’re still finding it hard to decide, you can visit our finder tool to get a personalized recommendation or try our comparison tool to help you compare the cheapest ecommerce platforms side by side.
Michael E.
Updated: Jul 25, 2024
I used to sell everything online. Today I teach others to do the same. As an ecommerce consultant, I explore opportunities and test new strategies to leverage what others have yet to see.