Best Shopify Alternatives (2026)
Mara Whitfield
Senior tools analyst at Tolodora. Ten years reviewing software, roughly nine of them spent arguing with chatbots so you don't have to.
Shopify is the default ecommerce platform for good reason — it's polished, reliable, and easy to start. But "default" doesn't mean "best for everyone." Maybe you're tired of transaction fees, want full control of your store, or just need something more design-led for a small catalog.
We tested the leading Shopify alternatives on what actually matters when you're selling: ease of setup, scalability, fees, and how much control you really get. Here's the honest breakdown.
How we rated them
Four scores per tool — pricing, functionality, ease of use and support — based on building real stores, not sales pages.
BigCommerce
- Pricing
- 8.0/10
- Functionality
- 9.0/10
- Ease of use
- 8.2/10
- Support
- 8.0/10
What I like
No transaction fees on any plan, and the built-in features go deep — especially for B2B. You grow into it instead of bolting on a dozen paid apps.
Best for
Growing and B2B stores that want power built-in and hate per-sale fees.
BigCommerce is the closest like-for-like Shopify alternative, with a big difference: no transaction fees, ever. It ships with more advanced features out of the box (especially for B2B and larger catalogs), which means fewer paid apps to stitch together. The trade-off is a slightly steeper learning curve, but for stores that plan to scale, it's a compelling swap.
WooCommerce
- Pricing
- 8.8/10
- Functionality
- 8.8/10
- Ease of use
- 6.4/10
- Support
- 6.2/10
What I like
Total control. It's open-source, runs on WordPress, and your store is truly yours — no platform gatekeeping what you can build or sell.
Best for
WordPress users and tinkerers who want to own and customize everything.
WooCommerce turns WordPress into a fully-featured store, and because it's open-source, you own the whole thing. The flexibility is enormous and the core plugin is free. The catch: you're responsible for hosting, security, and updates, so it's more hands-on than a hosted platform. For developers and control-lovers, that's a price worth paying.
Squarespace
- Pricing
- 8.2/10
- Functionality
- 7.4/10
- Ease of use
- 9.3/10
- Support
- 7.8/10
What I like
The templates are gorgeous and everything just looks good by default. For a small, design-led store you can be live in an afternoon.
Best for
Creators and small catalogs that want a beautiful store with minimal setup.
Squarespace is design-first commerce: stunning templates, an intuitive editor, and a store that looks premium without a designer. It's not built for huge catalogs or complex ecommerce logic, but for creators, boutiques, and service businesses selling a focused range of products, it's the fastest path to a store you'll be proud of.
The verdict
Want Shopify-style ease without the transaction fees (and strong B2B features)? BigCommerce. Want total control and own your store outright? WooCommerce. Want a beautiful store for a small catalog with minimal fuss? Squarespace. Pick based on how much control — and how much maintenance — you actually want.
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