Shopify is a popular way to run an online store, but it is not the only structure that makes sense. The right alternative depends on how you want to host your store, how much control you need over checkout and data, and what your long-term costs look like across payments, apps, and operations. This page focuses on measurable differences: pricing signals, fee models, hosting responsibility, and the types of businesses each platform typically serves.
How People Usually Narrow It Down
If you want a hosted platform with a full admin panel, compare Shopify with options like BigCommerce, Squarespace Commerce, Wix, Square Online, Ecwid, and Shift4Shop. If you want self-hosted control and flexible architecture, options like WooCommerce, Magento Open Source, PrestaShop, and OpenCart are common shortlists.
Shopify as a Baseline
To compare alternatives fairly, it helps to anchor the discussion with Shopify’s published plan structure and fee signals. Shopify lists plans such as Basic, Grow, Advanced, and Plus, along with plan-based card rates and third-party payment provider fees. The pricing page also includes a promotional period and displays example rates (for example, card rates shown as starting values and plan prices shown with yearly billing on the page). [Source-1✅]
Reading Shopify’s pricing like a spreadsheet: treat the plan price as only one line item. The full monthly picture usually includes payment processing, optional apps, domain costs, and operational add-ons.
What Usually Changes Total Spend
Across most ecommerce platforms, total spend shifts based on a few repeatable variables: subscription, payment acceptance, and which “extras” move from built-in features to add-ons. Shopify’s own documentation breaks down plan charges into categories such as monthly plan price, credit card rates, and third-party transaction fees, and it also explains when third-party transaction fees apply (including notes tied to store credit and gift cards for newer stores). [Source-2✅]
- Platform subscription: monthly or annual billing, plus enterprise contracts where applicable.
- Payment processing: card-present vs online rates, local methods, payout schedules, and currency conversion.
- Platform-level transaction fees: some platforms add a fee on top of processing when you use certain gateways or plans.
- Extensibility costs: apps, extensions, automation tools, and premium themes.
- Infrastructure responsibility: hosting, performance tuning, backups, and updates (mostly relevant for self-hosted platforms).
Shopify Alternatives Compared
This table is designed for fast filtering. The goal is not to rank platforms, but to match operating model and cost pattern to your store’s needs.
| Platform | Hosting Model | Typical Cost Pattern | Common Fit | Decision Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BigCommerce | Hosted SaaS | Subscription tiers; enterprise quotes | Growth-focused catalog stores | Built-in tools vs app dependence |
| Squarespace Commerce | Hosted SaaS | Website + commerce plans | Design-first brands and services | Template-driven storefront approach |
| Wix | Hosted SaaS | Premium plans; optional business features | Small businesses needing an all-in-one builder | Editor workflow and built-in business suite |
| Square (Online) | Hosted SaaS | Free tier available; processing-driven economics | Retail and omnichannel sellers | POS-first operations with inventory sync |
| Ecwid | Hosted SaaS | Plan tiers; embed/storefront options | Adding commerce to an existing site | “Sell anywhere” integration posture |
| Shift4Shop | Hosted SaaS | Single published plan; enterprise-style feature set | Merchants wanting many features in one plan | All-in-one feature density |
| WooCommerce | Self-hosted | Free core; hosting + extensions vary | Content-heavy stores on WordPress | Ownership and customization range |
| Magento Open Source | Self-hosted | Free software; engineering-driven build | Complex catalogs, custom commerce logic | Developer resources and build flexibility |
| PrestaShop | Self-hosted | Open source; hosting + modules vary | International sellers needing modules | Marketplace module ecosystem |
| OpenCart | Self-hosted | Self-managed infrastructure | Simple admin-first store operations | Admin structure and extension approach |
Hosted Platforms Similar to Shopify
Hosted platforms usually bundle infrastructure: hosting, core updates, and baseline security are part of the service. Your comparison work shifts to plan tiers, built-in vs add-on features, and payment options.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce positions its plan tiers with clear published price points for Standard, Plus, and Pro, and it describes Enterprise pricing as based on a customer’s online sales. That makes it a useful alternative for sellers who want a hosted platform but also want more built-in commerce features before adding apps. [Source-3✅]
Often Chosen When
- You want hosted operations with a commerce-first admin.
- You plan for scaling catalogs, promotions, and reporting.
- You prefer plan tiers that publish clearer boundaries.
Numbers to Verify for Your Case
- Annual online sales thresholds (if Enterprise is relevant).
- Which integrations are included vs paid add-ons.
- International selling needs (tax, currency, shipping rules).
Squarespace Commerce
Squarespace is often evaluated as an alternative when store owners care about design consistency and want commerce inside a website-builder workflow. Its pricing page presents plan-based packaging rather than an app-market-first approach, which can simplify budgeting for stores that want a smaller moving parts model. [Source-4✅]
If you compare Squarespace to Shopify, focus on transaction fee rules per plan and how payment processing is handled for your region. Those details can matter more than the headline plan label.
Wix
Wix is commonly shortlisted when the priority is a drag-and-drop builder with business features available through premium plans. The Wix plans page notes that creating a site is free, and it describes premium plans as a path to connecting a custom domain and removing Wix branding, with a stated cancellation/refund window for initial upgrades. [Source-5✅]
- Good Fit Small catalogs, services, and mixed content sites that want commerce without heavy configuration.
- Decision Signal How much you want to standardize workflows inside one editor.
- Compare Checkout customization expectations vs what is provided in the platform.
- Compare Multi-currency, shipping logic, and any advanced tax setup needs.
Square (Online)
Square can be a strong Shopify alternative for sellers who already operate a POS flow or want a payments-first system. Square’s pricing page describes a free plan option with no monthly subscription costs, where you pay processing fees when taking payments, and it also references paid plan tiers with trial terms. [Source-6✅]
What to compare directly with Shopify: inventory synchronization between in-person and online, refund and exchange workflows, and how reporting is consolidated across channels.
Ecwid
Ecwid is frequently evaluated when a business wants to add ecommerce to an existing site or sell across multiple surfaces. Its pricing page shows plan-based packaging and lists product limits and features such as an unlimited products tier, POS integrations, staff accounts, and promotions under higher plans. [Source-7✅]
Shift4Shop
Shift4Shop stands out in Shopify alternative lists because it presents a single published plan price alongside an “enterprise-grade” positioning. The Shift4Shop site lists an unlimited plan for $41/month and frames it as a feature-dense option compared with multi-tier plans elsewhere. [Source-8✅]
Self-Hosted and Open-Source Options
Self-hosted platforms can be a good Shopify alternative when you need architecture flexibility or prefer to manage infrastructure and code changes directly. The budgeting logic changes: you trade a single subscription line item for hosting, development time, and a set of extensions that match your operations.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is widely used for ecommerce on WordPress. The WordPress.org plugin listing describes WooCommerce as an open-source ecommerce platform for WordPress and notes that the core platform is free, with the freedom of open source tied to ownership of store content and data. [Source-9✅]
Cost reality check: self-hosted does not automatically mean cheaper. The key comparison is predictable subscription pricing vs flexible infrastructure and extension spend.
Magento Open Source
Magento Open Source is typically evaluated when a store has complex catalog structure, custom pricing logic, or bespoke integrations. Adobe’s Magento Open Source page describes it as a free eCommerce platform aimed at flexible commerce builds, supported by a broader community and developer resources. [Source-10✅]
PrestaShop
PrestaShop is an established open-source option, often evaluated for modular commerce builds and international selling needs. Its ecommerce platform page describes the solution as open source, mentions multi-language and multi-currency capabilities, and includes published ecosystem figures such as a community of 1,000,000 members and a statement about 300,000 customers distributing products worldwide. [Source-11✅]
OpenCart
OpenCart is commonly assessed as a straightforward admin-led platform for store management. Its documentation positions the user guide as a practical resource for setting up and maintaining a store, including navigating core admin areas such as catalog, extensions, sales, system settings, and reporting. [Source-12✅]
Enterprise and Multi-Brand Commerce
Some Shopify alternatives are evaluated because they fit enterprise procurement patterns: procurement needs, multi-brand catalogs, B2B requirements, or advanced workflows. In these cases, price is often quote-based and depends on scope.
Adobe Commerce
Adobe Commerce is typically compared when a business needs enterprise packaging and expects a consultative pricing process. Adobe’s pricing page explicitly frames pricing as customized and tied to how the product is used for global, multi-brand, B2B, and B2C commerce experiences. [Source-13✅]
How to compare fairly: treat enterprise alternatives as a different buying motion. Compare contract scope, support model, implementation timelines, and integration ownership alongside feature lists.
Payments and Fee Structures
When someone says “platform fees,” they may be mixing three different things. Keeping them separate makes comparisons cleaner, especially across Shopify alternatives.
| Fee Type | What It Is | Where It Usually Appears | What to Ask Before Switching |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processing fee | Card/network processing and gateway charges | Almost everywhere | Local methods, payout speed, currency conversion, and in-person vs online rates |
| Platform transaction fee | Extra percentage added by the ecommerce platform in certain scenarios | Plan-dependent on some platforms | Which gateways trigger it, and how it changes by plan |
| Add-on payment features | Extras like advanced fraud tools, invoicing, subscriptions, or terminals | Optional extensions or higher plans | What is included vs billed separately |
Two official examples show how different the “platform fee” conversation can be. BigCommerce states in its enterprise pricing FAQs that it does not charge additional transaction fees. [Source-14✅]
Squarespace publishes a dedicated help-center guide explaining transaction fees and payment processing rates, including how fees vary by plan and payment setup. That is the type of page worth checking for any Shopify alternative you shortlist. [Source-15✅]
For WooCommerce stores using WooPayments, WooCommerce publishes a country-structured fees document that also notes how taxes like VAT/GST may apply in applicable regions. [Source-16✅]
Data Migration and URL Continuity
When switching from Shopify to an alternative, the core question is not only “Can I move my products?” It is whether you can preserve store structure and keep SEO equity through stable URLs and redirects.
Data Commonly Exported
- Products, variants, SKUs, and inventory
- Collections/categories and navigation structure
- Customer records (where allowed by your policy)
- Orders and fulfillment history
- Discount rules and gift card policies
SEO and Tracking Items to Plan For
- URL format differences (products, categories, blog paths)
- 301 redirects for legacy URLs
- Structured data output and metadata mapping
- Analytics tags, pixels, and consent configuration
- Feed formats for marketplaces and ad channels
A clean migration plan usually starts with a simple question: do you want your next platform to behave like managed software (hosted) or like infrastructure you own (self-hosted)? Once that choice is clear, feature comparisons become much easier to verify.
FAQ
Which Shopify alternative feels closest to Shopify’s hosted experience?
Hosted platforms like BigCommerce, Squarespace Commerce, Wix, Square Online, Ecwid, and Shift4Shop usually feel closest because they bundle hosting, core updates, and a unified admin. The practical differences are plan packaging, payment options, and how much customization is exposed in the editor and checkout.
Which options offer the most control over code and data?
Self-hosted options like WooCommerce, Magento Open Source, PrestaShop, and OpenCart are commonly evaluated when a business wants deeper control over architecture, custom logic, or hosting decisions. The trade is that infrastructure and updates become part of your operating model.
Do Shopify alternatives charge extra transaction fees?
It depends on the platform and plan. Some ecosystems separate payment processing fees from platform-level transaction fees, and the rules can vary by plan or gateway choice. Comparing official fee documentation is the most reliable way to verify how a specific setup behaves.
What costs are easiest to miss during comparison?
The most commonly missed items are paid extensions/apps, premium themes, advanced shipping tools, email/SMS automation, multi-currency needs, and any paid support or development work required for custom workflows. These can outweigh the base subscription price over time.
Can I keep my domain and SEO value when switching?
In most migrations, the domain can be kept, but URL structures often change between platforms. Preserving SEO usually depends on mapping old URLs to new ones with redirects, carrying over metadata, and verifying that critical pages remain accessible to search engines.