If you want to expand your Ecommerce services to the online market, you need a well-designed and functional website. But unfortunately, building an ecommerce website from scratch can be daunting, especially if you lack technical expertise. This is where ecommerce website builders come to the rescue.

Ecommerce website builders are powerful tools that empower business owners and entrepreneurs to create their online stores without coding or design skills. They offer a range of templates, tools, and features that make setting up and managing an online store easier than ever. 

However, with many available options, choosing the right ecommerce website builder can take time and effort. Worry not; this article aims to be your ultimate guide to selecting the best ecommerce website builder for your specific business needs. So, let’s dive in.

Which is the Best Ecommerce Website Builder?

To kick things off, let’s delve into the most critical question: Which is the best ecommerce website builder? This question is without a one-size-fits-all answer, as choosing the best platform largely depends on your unique requirements, goals, and budget.

Let’s examine some of the top ecommerce website builders in the market to help you make an informed decision:

Shopify

Shopify website builder is one of the most popular and user-friendly tools available. It boasts a wide range of customizable templates, making it suitable for Businesses of all sizes. 

Shopify provides essential ecommerce features, such as inventory management, payment processing, and mobile responsiveness. It also offers a Shopify landing page builder to create an effective website. 

The platform is an excellent choice for those who want an all-in-one solution and are willing to pay a reasonable monthly fee.

WooCommerce

If you prefer the flexibility of WordPress, WooCommerce might be the right choice for you. As a WordPress plugin, WooCommerce seamlessly integrates with your existing WordPress website. 

WooCommerce is highly customizable and offers a vast selection of themes and plugins. While it’s cost-effective, you must handle hosting and domain registration separately.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce is a robust ecommerce platform known for its scalability and advanced features. It’s an excellent option for businesses with ambitious growth plans. 

With BigCommerce, you can manage extensive inventories, handle multiple sales channels, and leverage powerful SEO tools. It’s not the cheapest option, but it’s a solid investment for businesses aiming to scale quickly.

Wix

Wix is a popular ecommerce website builder with features suitable for small businesses and startups. It offers an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface, making it ideal for beginners. 

Wix provides various templates and a straightforward setup process. While it may lack some of the advanced features of other platforms, it’s a budget-friendly choice.

Magento

Magento is an open-source platform often chosen by larger enterprises and businesses with complex ecommerce needs. It provides exceptional customization options, extensive scalability, and a strong focus on SEO. 

However, Magento’s complexity and technical requirements can be challenging for beginners and small businesses.

As you can see, there are plenty of options for ecommerce website builders. The “best” choice for you depends on your business’s specific needs, your level of technical expertise, and your budget. 

You can quickly test the effectiveness of a website builder through tools like Trident AB. Simply add it to your Shopify ecommerce store, test different web elements through A/B testing, and create fantastic user experiences.

Easiest Websites for Ecommerce

Now that we’ve introduced you to some of the top ecommerce website builders, it’s essential to consider another critical aspect: ease of use. Not all business owners are tech-savvy, and many may prefer a straightforward, user-friendly platform for building and managing their online store. 

Here are some ecommerce website builders known for their ease of use:

Shopify

Shopify takes the lead in user-friendliness. Its intuitive interface, simple drag-and-drop design, and vast library of themes and templates make it accessible even to those with minimal technical skills. Shopify website builder also provides a variety of tutorials and customer support to help users at every stage.

Wix 

Wix is another excellent choice for beginners. It’s famous for its WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, which allows you to design your site visually. You don’t need coding skills to create a professional-looking online store. 

Wix’s user interface is so intuitive that it simplifies the entire website-building process.

BigCommerce

While BigCommerce offers powerful features, its user interface is designed to be user-friendly. It provides a straightforward setup process and an intuitive dashboard that simplifies store management. This platform is a great choice if you want a robust ecommerce solution without the headache of a steep learning curve.

WooCommerce

If you’re comfortable with WordPress, WooCommerce is relatively easy to use. It seamlessly integrates into the WordPress environment, and you can leverage the familiar WordPress dashboard for managing your online store. 

However, remember that you may need to install additional plugins to access all the required features.

Squarespace

Squarespace is a website builder known for its elegant and user-friendly designs. While it may have fewer ecommerce features than other platforms, it’s an excellent choice for a visually appealing and easy-to-manage online store. Its simple drag-and-drop editor allows you to create a beautiful storefront without hassle.

When selecting an ecommerce website builder based on ease of use, consider your comfort level with technology and design. If you’re a beginner or have limited technical skills, platforms like Shopify and Wix might best fit you. 

On the other hand, if you have experience with WordPress, WooCommerce offers a level of familiarity that can be advantageous.

Price Comparison of Best Ecommerce Website Builders

Price is a significant consideration when selecting an ecommerce website builder, especially for businesses operating on tight budgets. Let’s examine the pricing structures of some of the top ecommerce platforms:

Shopify

Shopify offers various pricing plans to accommodate different business sizes. Each has varying features and costs. 

• Basic: $25/mo, including basic reports, up to 1,000 inventory locations, and 2 staff accounts.
• Shopify: $65/mo, including professional reports, up to 1,000 inventory locations, and 5 staff accounts.

• Advanced: $399/mo, including custom report builder, up to 1,000 inventory locations, and 15 staff accounts.

Additionally, there’s a Shopify Plus plan for large enterprises, starting from $2,000/mo for 3 months. Remember that transaction fees may apply if you use external payment gateways.

Wix

Wix has a range of pricing plans:

• Business Basic: $17/mo, including custom domain, free domain for 1 year, storage space of 20 GB, 5 video hours, and more.
• Business Unlimited: $25/mo, including a custom domain, free domain for 1 year, storage space of 35 GB, 10 video hours, and more.

• Business VIP: $35/mo, including a custom domain, free domain for 1 year, storage space of 50 GB, unlimited video hours, customized reports, and more.

All these plans are tailored to different business needs. It also offers a free plan with limited features, which can be a good starting point for small businesses. However, to unlock more advanced ecommerce capabilities, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce offers the following plans:

• Standard Plan: $29/mo, including up to 3 multi-storefront channels. Additional storefronts will cost around $30/mo.

• Plus Plan: $79/mo, including up to 5 multi-storefront channels. Additional storefronts will cost about $50/mo.

• Pro Plan: $299/mo, including up to 5 multi-storefront channels. Additional storefronts will cost about $100/mo.

BigCommerce also offers an Enterprise plan for large businesses at a custom price. While the platform doesn’t charge transaction fees, it’s generally more expensive than others. This makes it more suitable for businesses with substantial budgets.

WooCommerce

WooCommerce itself is free to use as it’s a WordPress plugin. However, you’ll need to consider the costs of hosting, domain registration, and any premium plugins or themes you choose to enhance your online store. These costs can vary widely depending on your choices.

Squarespace

Squarespace offers three pricing options for ecommerce: 

• Business: The Business plan is designed for small businesses and starts at a $23 monthly fee, including mobile optimized websites, templates, free custom domain, and advanced website analytics.
• Basic Commerce: The Basic Commerce plan is priced at $27/mo, including mobile-optimized websites, templates, free custom domain, domain checkout, advanced website analytics, and powerful merchandising.

• Advanced Commerce: It is priced at $49/mo, including advanced shipping, advanced discounting, and subscription selling in addition to the Basic Commerce plan’s features. 

When comparing pricing, it’s crucial to consider the monthly or annual fees and the long-term costs associated with your choice. Additionally, factor in transaction fees, payment processing fees, and any additional features or plugins you might need. 

Remember, while a low-cost or free plan may seem appealing, it could have limitations in functionality, customization, and branding.

Free Ecommerce Website Builders

While many ecommerce website builders come with subscription fees and associated costs, there are options available that won’t dent your budget. Free ecommerce website builders can be attractive, especially for small businesses, startups, or those who want to test the waters before committing to a paid platform. 

Below are the best ecommerce website builders that are not heavy on the pocket:

Wix 

As mentioned earlier, Wix offers a free plan that allows you to create a basic online store. While it’s a limited version, it’s an excellent way to get started without any upfront costs. You can explore the Wix App Market to add functionality to your store, but remember that certain advanced features may require a paid plan.

Weebly

Weebly provides a free plan that’s perfect for small online stores. It offers a drag-and-drop website builder, ecommerce capabilities, and basic SEO tools. However, the free plan includes Weebly-branded domain names and ads on your site, which can be a drawback for more professional or established businesses.

Square Online

Square Online is a free ecommerce website builder, a great choice for businesses looking to start selling online without spending money on website creation. Square Online’s free plan includes features like online ordering, order pickup, and unlimited products. Transaction fees apply to free plan users, but you have the option to upgrade to a paid plan for a more seamless experience.

Ecwid

While not exactly a website builder, Ecwid is an ecommerce platform that integrates with existing websites and social media. Ecwid offers a free plan to add a basic online store to your existing website or social media page. It’s an excellent choice if you already have an online presence and just want to add ecommerce functionality.

WordPress with WooCommerce 

If you’re familiar with WordPress, you can create an online store with WooCommerce for free. WordPress and WooCommerce are open-source, meaning you have complete control over your website. However, you’ll need to handle hosting and domain registration costs, which can add up over time.

Before committing to a free ecommerce website builder, carefully evaluate your business needs and long-term goals. Free plans can be an excellent starting point, but as your business grows, you may need to upgrade to a paid plan to unlock more advanced features and improve your branding.

Best Ecommerce Website Builders for Small Businesses

Small businesses are the backbone of the global economy, and they often have unique requirements regarding their online presence. These requirements include affordability, ease of use, scalability, and the ability to compete effectively in the digital marketplace. 

Let’s explore the best ecommerce website builders for small businesses and discuss why they’re a solid choice.

Shopify

Shopify offers a variety of plans suitable for small businesses. The Basic plan, in particular, is budget-friendly and provides essential ecommerce features. It’s an excellent choice for small businesses looking to create a professional online store without breaking the bank.

Wix

Wix is known for its user-friendliness and flexibility, making it an ideal choice for small businesses that want to establish an online presence quickly. The Business Basic plan is affordable and offers ecommerce features that can help small businesses get started.

Squarespace

Squarespace offers a Business plan that’s designed with small businesses in mind. It provides a robust set of ecommerce features, including inventory management, secure checkout, and the ability to sell physical and digital products.

Weebly

Weebly’s free plan suits small businesses, while the Business plan offers more advanced ecommerce features and a custom domain name. It’s an affordable option that caters to small business owners who want to establish an online store without a significant upfront investment.

Ecwid

Ecwid is a flexible choice for small businesses. It can integrate with your existing website or social media page, making it a suitable solution for businesses to add more ecommerce functionality.

When choosing the best ecommerce website builder for your small business, keeping costs in check is important. Always invest in a platform that offers the right features and support that can lead to long-term success.

Conclusion

Selecting the best ecommerce website builder is a crucial decision for your business. Whether you’re just starting or looking to upgrade your existing online store, numerous options are available, each with its own set of features, pricing, and ease of use.

Remember that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to which ecommerce website builder is the best. Your choice should align with your business goals, budget, and technical expertise. 

As you progress in your ecommerce journey, consider conducting trials or taking advantage of free plans to get a feel for the platform that resonates with you the most.

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