This article was updated in March, 2017 to bring it up to date with the current state of the hosted eCommerce platform market.
eCommerce platforms are always evolving. With several options available in the market, you’ve got to decide which one suits your needs best!
There’s always been a lot of contention over which self-hosted eCommerce software is the best, and as the hosted space fills out, things are heating up there as well.
Here are the top 11 hosted eCommerce platforms that we think are best for the undecided.
1. Shopify
Example: EatBoutique Shop
Shopify is one of the most famous online shopping cart tools. It’s popular with small shops because that is the market Shopify is aiming to serve.
Benefits
One of the reasons for Shopify’s success is an app store that makes it simple to expand the abilities of your default web store. Shopify offers hundreds of apps, more than any other competitor. It also offers a nice selection of professional themes.
Shopify features abandoned cart recovery, which sends a reminder to customers who didn’t check out. Unfortunately, this option is only available when you pay $79 a month or more.
Shopify comes with unlimited products and bandwidth, which isn’t as common as you might think.
Noteworthy features
- Easily integrate with shipping carriers, fulfilment centers and dropshipping companies
- A mobile app for both accepting payments and managing your store
- A point-of-sale system to handle transactions in your physical shop
- Shopify Experts to help you setup your store
Pricing starts at $29 per month for the most important features, with a limited starter plan called Shopify Lite at $9 a month.
For more on Shopify, check out this behind-the-scenes look.
2. Site123
Site123 is an eCommerce platform with a pricing system that is very easy to understand, and its standout feature is its sidebar-based website builder, which makes laying out pages much more efficient than traditional drag-and-drop builders. Site123 is the perfect option for those who want to get their store up and running without any development skills, and who want to be sure that they won’t be priced out of the market as they build their businesses.
Benefits
Site123’s pricing model is simple: you can get started for free, with 500MB of storage, 1GB of bandwidth per month, as long as you don’t need to use your own domain name (free sites are hosted on Site123 subdomains). However, you won’t be able to engage in eCommerce until you upgrade to the Premium plan. For $9.80 per month, a free domain is included for one year, you’re provided with an ample 10GB of storage and 5GB of bandwidth, Site123 branding is removed and you can sell as many items as you wish.
Site123 supports 80 currencies, and you can offer PayPal and wire transfer payment methods easily. Coupon, analytics and robust shipping and tax features are all included.
Site123’s standout features include its free website builder, and its collection of free website templates to help you get started.
Noteworthy features
- A unique, efficient page builder
- Responsive templates with modern aesthetics
- Prompt 24/7 support
3. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is the most popular online shopping cart in the “top million sites” category, which means it’s popular for small- to medium-sized web stores. It offers more features to grow your sales than almost any other shopping cart software on the market.
Benefits
While the pricing seems comparable to Shopify, its feature set is a bit better for each plan. Features like real-time shipping quotes, gift cards and 24/7 phone/mail/chat support are included in its base plan for $29.95 a month. Too bad you still have to upgrade to a more expensive plan for the abandoned cart recovery.
The great thing about its pricing is that you don’t need more than the Gold plan at $79.95 a month. It comes with all of the features as well as unlimited products, storage and bandwidth.
Noteworthy features
- Google Trusted Store certification assistance
- Support assistance 24/7
- Easily integrate with eBay, Google Shopping and more
Pricing starts at $29.95 per month for almost all features, with unlimited everything for $79.95 a month.
I wrote an article on BigCommerce before, in a head-to-head comparison with Volusion.
4. Volusion
Example: SlickWraps
Volusion is the second most used online shopping cart, right after Yahoo Store. It is popular in all ranges, from the top 10,000 sites to the entire Internet.
Benefits
It is the “cheapest” cart to offer abandoned cart recovery, as this feature comes with the starter plan at $15 a month. This plan is actually all you need if you want to test the waters. It is limited to just 100 products and 1GB of data usage, but has all the necessary features to get started.
I wrote about Volusion’s feature set before here on SitePoint when I compared it to BigCommerce. With the Pro plan you get some professional features for $75 a month.
Noteworthy features
- Built-in loyalty program (MyRewards)
- Built-in Deal of the Day option
- eBay and Amazon integration
Pricing comes in at just $15 a month for what I believe is a decent starter plan. The best goodies are included in its $75/month plan.
5. Wix
Example: Seven Grams Caffe
Wix is essentially a free website builder, quickly gaining popularity and aggressively funded. What many people don’t realize is that it also offers eCommerce features as part of its premium packages.
Benefits
Wix eCommerce doesn’t impress with its features, but there’s enough to get your store up and running. What really sets Wix apart is its brilliant visual design interface, which you can use to position every element of your site in any color you like.
Particularly if you are selling a limited number of products, you might want to take the time to make beautiful sales pages in a far more convenient way than any other tool.
Noteworthy features
- Visual editor (worth mentioning again) with live examples and template reference
- Low pricing and easy setup, perfect for testing the waters
- No transaction costs, just the monthly fee
You’re best off paying for a full year, which is priced just over $120.
6. 3dcart
Example: Ideal Baby
3dcart is one of the lesser-known online eCommerce solutions, yet it is feature rich. It even has some features specifically built for Web designers, should you be doing research for a client.
Benefits
3dcart has no transaction fees, which is always a big plus. It also offers both a mobile front-end and a mobile back-end. What’s interesting is that it also has a full suite of web store related services, like SEO or Facebook marketing. That’s not common for a shopping cart provider but could come in handy. I would advise you to look at some other pages on the site as well, since there are some excellent resources there (like a shopping search engine comparison).
Too bad its pricing is a bit outdated. While you get a decent number of features in its starter plan, it is limited at 4,000 visitors (actually it’s limited on bandwidth, but it does the math for you). It’s also limited at 100 products, which equals 20 visits per product. That’s not enough for a decent conversion rate. Even when you pay $129.99 a month you only get 90,000 visitors, which isn’t that much. Its High Traffic Plus plan will give you up to 500,000 visitors (at a staggering cost of $499.99/month).
Noteworthy features
- Useful features for Web designers, like the option to sell re-branded stores and an extensive permission system
- Tons of shipping options, far more than any other competitor
- Many, many more features included even in the starter plan
The starter plan is $19.99 a month, but for a reasonably popular web store you will be looking at $99.99 per month.
7. Big Cartel
Example: Tattly
Big Cartel is a much smaller company than some of the others on this list (like Shopify), but it is quickly growing in popularity, especially among niche sellers. It promotes itself as a cart “built for makers” and much like Etsy, tend to target artists and indie brands.
Benefits
Big Cartel’s price points are on the lower end, and comparable with the likes of Shopify and Wix. It has a free plan that gives you 5 products with unlimited features, and its paid plans start at $9.99 a month and go up to $29.99.
The only downside is that its highest priced plan only gives you 300 products, which may be ideal for smaller merchants. But it may not be ideal if you’re looking for more products and higher traffic.
Noteworthy features
- Ideal for small merchants, artists, or “makers”
- Quick setup and integration for selling in-person
- All features and integrations are included with each plan
The starter plan is free, but for a decent sized store you will be looking at $29.99 per month.
8. Squarespace
Example: Grovemade
Squarespace was originally launched in 2004 as a basic drag-and-drop website builder, and now boasts over 1 million users, which is a testament to its durability and focus on customer satisfaction. In addition to traditional websites, Squarespace has a fully loaded eCommerce solution.
Benefits
Squarespace is a highly visual platform that is perfect for stores that want beautiful, rich imagery and designer templates alongside its product listing. Both of its plans offer unlimited products, which is a huge benefit for merchants of any size.
One downside, however, is that it has limited integrations for payment gateways. Currently it only offers Stripe integration, which is not always available to merchants from smaller countries.
Noteworthy features
- Unlimited products on both Basic and Advanced plans
- Unlimited pages, galleries, and blogs with unlimited bandwidth, storage, and contributors
- Drag-and-drop site builder
Squarespace’s Basic plan is $26 a month and its Advanced plan costs $40 a month.
9. X-Cart Cloud
Example: X-Cart Demo
X-Cart Cloud is bundle that includes an X-Cart license and fully managed VPS Hosting by X-Cart. It’s the hosted version of X-Cart Downloadable, which I covered in a comparison with Magento in the past.
Benefits
X-Cart is an open source product, and the X-Cart team actively works with developers to improve the product. They are a bit more conservative in pushing updates to the hosted version, which is understandable given the scale they operate on.
Still, they are keen on keeping ahead, like with the recently introduced Cloud Search functionality to speed up product search. Too bad they didn’t include layered navigation in all membership levels; it’s only available at the $99.95 a month level.
Noteworthy features
- Cloud Search, where products appear instantly in the search box when typing them in
- No transaction fees, where most popular alternatives charge anything from 0.5% to 2.5% per transaction
- A point-of-sale module included with its Standard Edition
The starter plan is $19.95 a month, but you will probably want the Standard Edition at $59.95 per month.
10. Etsy
Example: IlluminatedPerfume
I’ll conclude this list with something totally different. If you want to sell vintage items, handcrafted goods or craft supplies and want to tap into a community of millions of buyers, you should consider Etsy.
Benefits
Etsy makes it easy to list specific products in a way that is appealing to your target audience. You are automatically connected to its highly-trafficked marketplace, while still having a place of your own within the site.
You get plenty of ways to present yourself and your products and really make a brand out of yourself. Buyers can favorite your product, or ask you questions about the products you’re offering. While this all seems a bit “small town market place,” there is some serious money to be made.
Etsy doesn’t give you all the freedom of the other providers, but if you’ve got a suitable offering it’s a good way to start (and move on to your own domain when successful). It is a safe way of beginning to sell online, as long as you are selling products within its guidelines.
Noteworthy features
- Plenty of opportunities to establish yourself as a brand
- Etsy currently has 30 million users you can access
- Professional design with lots of social interactions
Payment is simple. You only pay 3.5% per transaction and a one-time fee of $0.20 for each item listed.
Wrapping It Up
Depending on what your needs are, how many users you anticipate will visit your website, and the number of SKUs you’re planning to showcase, you’ll need to decide which platform is ideally suited to your needs. So do your homework, and make a choice from the top ten eCommerce platforms!
Frequently Asked Questions about Ecommerce Platforms
What are the key features to look for in an ecommerce platform?
When choosing an ecommerce platform, there are several key features to consider. First, the platform should be user-friendly with an intuitive interface that makes it easy to add products, create categories, and manage inventory. Second, it should offer a variety of payment options to accommodate all customers. Third, it should have robust security features to protect customer data and transactions. Fourth, it should offer SEO features to help your online store rank higher in search engine results. Lastly, it should provide comprehensive customer support to assist you in case of any issues or queries.
How important is mobile responsiveness for an ecommerce platform?
Mobile responsiveness is crucial for an ecommerce platform. With the increasing number of people shopping on their mobile devices, having a mobile-responsive platform ensures that your online store is accessible and user-friendly on all devices. This not only improves the shopping experience for your customers but also helps to boost your search engine rankings as Google prioritizes mobile-friendly websites.
Can I customize my online store on an ecommerce platform?
Yes, most ecommerce platforms allow you to customize your online store. This includes changing the layout, colors, and fonts, adding your logo, and more. Some platforms offer a drag-and-drop editor, making it easy for you to customize your store even if you don’t have any coding skills. However, the level of customization varies from platform to platform, so it’s important to choose one that suits your needs.
How does an ecommerce platform handle shipping and taxes?
Ecommerce platforms typically have built-in features to handle shipping and taxes. They can calculate shipping costs based on factors like weight, size, and destination. They can also calculate sales tax based on the customer’s location. Some platforms even integrate with popular shipping carriers to provide real-time shipping rates and allow you to print shipping labels directly from your dashboard.
What kind of support can I expect from an ecommerce platform?
The level of support provided by ecommerce platforms varies. Most platforms offer 24/7 customer support via email, live chat, or phone. Some also provide a comprehensive knowledge base with articles, tutorials, and videos to help you navigate the platform. Additionally, some platforms have a community forum where you can ask questions and share tips with other users.
How does an ecommerce platform help with SEO?
Ecommerce platforms often come with built-in SEO tools to help your online store rank higher in search engine results. These tools can help you optimize your product descriptions, meta tags, and URLs. Some platforms also offer features like automatic XML sitemap generation and integration with Google Analytics.
Can I sell digital products on an ecommerce platform?
Yes, most ecommerce platforms allow you to sell both physical and digital products. For digital products, the platform will typically provide a secure way for customers to download the product after purchase. However, the process for selling digital products may vary from platform to platform, so it’s important to check this before making a decision.
How can I measure the success of my online store on an ecommerce platform?
Most ecommerce platforms provide analytics tools to help you measure the success of your online store. These tools can track metrics like total sales, conversion rate, average order value, and more. Some platforms also integrate with Google Analytics for more detailed insights.
Can I integrate my ecommerce platform with other tools and software?
Yes, most ecommerce platforms can be integrated with other tools and software. This includes email marketing software, CRM systems, accounting software, and more. These integrations can help streamline your operations and improve the efficiency of your online store.
What is the cost of using an ecommerce platform?
The cost of using an ecommerce platform varies depending on the platform and the plan you choose. Most platforms offer a range of plans with different features and pricing. Some also offer a free trial so you can test out the platform before committing. It’s important to consider not only the upfront cost but also any transaction fees, payment processing fees, and other costs associated with running your online store.
Akshay is a passionate marketer and enjoys providing innovative and valuable insights to the blog. He is currently the Founder of a Global Content & Growth Marketing Agency, and loves to help startups, agencies and marketing managers grow their business. Interests that excite him include innovation, startups, health & fitness, meaningful experiences, golf & meditation.
Jacco Blankenspoor is a website developer from the Netherlands, and is currently just building lots of different websites. When he is not working on HIPAAHQ.com you might catch him grinding coffee.