E-commerce platforms provide your online store, product catalogue, checkout, payments and order management. The platform you choose shapes your conversion rate, fees and how easily you can sell across marketplaces and social channels.
Compare total cost per order — subscription plus payment processing plus transaction fees plus apps — rather than headline plan prices. Apps and themes can add more cost than the plan itself.
What to look for
- Hosted checkout with multiple payment methods
- Inventory and variant management
- Shipping rates and label printing
- Tax calculation
- Multichannel selling (marketplaces, social, POS)
- App ecosystem and APIs
How pricing works
- Monthly plans plus payment processing fees
- Extra transaction fees may apply if you use a third-party payment gateway
- Paid themes and apps add recurring costs
- Enterprise plans often move to revenue-based pricing
Model three-year cost with our total cost of ownership calculator.
Commonly evaluated E-commerce Platforms providers
Selected by our editors as a starting point — not ranked, and not paid placements. Ratings appear only after genuine reviews pass moderation.
Shopify
BigCommerce
WooCommerce
Squarespace Commerce
Wix eCommerce
Ecwid
Questions to ask every vendor
- What transaction fee applies if we use our own payment processor?
- Which features we need require paid apps?
- How are taxes calculated for cross-border orders?
- Can we migrate products, customers and order history out?
- What checkout customisation is allowed on our plan?
Red flags
- Hidden transaction fees on external gateways
- Core features only available via paid apps
- Limited export of customer data
- Checkout you cannot customise or test
Frequently asked questions
Hosted platform or self-hosted store?
Related guides
- How to choose business software: a 7-step buying framework
- CRM buyer's guide for small and mid-sized businesses
- The hidden costs of SaaS: total cost of ownership explained
Editorial content written by the BusinessReviews.com team following our editorial policy. Vendor names are trademarks of their owners. Verify current pricing and features with each vendor.