Launching an online store doesn’t require a big upfront investment. Cheap ecommerce platforms help small business owners set up online stores with lower upfront costs.
To find the best low-priced ecommerce solution for your needs, compare each plan’s transaction fees, product limits, store design tools, and AI features. These details show what’s included at each price point.
This guide compares cheap ecommerce platforms by price and features, so you can choose the right one for your online business.
Why use an ecommerce platform?
Online shopping is one the rise. US retail ecommerce sales reached $1.23 trillion in 2025, up 5.4% from 2024, accounting for 16.4% of total retail sales, according to US Census data.
An ecommerce platform is a software that helps you start and run an online store. Brands of all sizes use them, including dropshippers, brick-and-mortar shops, and large enterprises.
These platforms centralize inventory, sales, marketing, and customer service. Sellers manage operations in one place while buyers browse and purchase through a clear interface.
For small businesses, this involves moving to a site that accepts payments. While 82% of small businesses have their own website, only 19% accept payments through it, according to the 2025 Small Business and Technology Survey by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).
Ecommerce platforms have tools for building websites and managing store operations:
- No-code ecommerce website builders. Build a site without coding experience or technical skills.
- Customizable templates. Create a professional site without design expertise.
- Inventory management. Track product levels and units sold.
- Payment gateways. Accept major payment methods through native tools or integrations.
- Shipping and fulfillment. Calculate shipping rates, print labels, and track deliveries through native tools or integrations.
9 cheap ecommerce platforms compared
Here are nine common cheap ecommerce platforms:
The table below summarizes entry cost and ideal use case for each platform at a glance to help you narrow down your search.
| Platform | Entry cost | Ideal for |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify | $5/month | Brands ready to scale |
| WooCommerce | $0 plus hosting costs | WordPress users |
| BigCommerce | $29/month | Complex operations |
| Wix | $29/month | Beginners |
| Big Cartel | $0/month | Creators with few products |
| Ecwid | $0/month | Adding ecommerce to existing blogs |
| PrestaShop | $0 plus hosting costs | Developers |
| Square Online | $0/month | Square POS users |
| Gumroad | $0/month | Creators selling digital products |
1. Shopify
Shopify is the world’s leading ecommerce platform, with 23.5% market share, according to data from ECDB. With affordable plans, beautiful website designs, and selling tools, Shopify helps businesses sell online, in person, on social media, in AI conversations, and on marketplaces.
Use the AI store builder to create a free store design in minutes or customize one of many ready-built themes for your brand.
Each Shopify store comes with unlimited product listings, the world’s best-converting checkout experience, shipping and fulfillment tools, robust ecommerce analytics, access to more than 16,000 apps, and 24/7 customer support.
Who it’s for
Shopify is built for ecommerce businesses of all sizes.
Features
- AI tools. Use Shopify Sidekick to customize store elements through natural language commands, create custom apps, build automated workflows, edit product photos.
- Integrated payment processing. Shopify Payments is an integrated payment gateway that accepts all major payment methods. Plus, there are more than 100 compatible third-party payment providers.
- Extensive app store. Access the Shopify App Store for more than 16,000 add-ons and integrations, including dropshipping apps that connect you with suppliers worldwide.
- Agentic commerce. Use Agentic Storefronts to make products discoverable in AI channels like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, AI Mode in Google Search, and the Gemini app.
- B2B commerce. Manage wholesale and direct to consumer (DTC) from one platform with native business-to-business (B2B) features available across Shopify plans, including company profiles, custom catalogs with tailored pricing, volume discounts, and payment terms.
- Shopify Collective. Use Shopify Collective to source and sell products from other Shopify brands without holding inventory, making it easy to start dropshipping with high-quality products from respected suppliers.
- Customizable checkout. Offer customers a variety of payment options, including express checkout, in-store pickup, discount codes, and Shop Pay—the internet’s highest-converting checkout option.
- Shopify Messaging. Use Shopify Messaging to send targeted messaging with list segmentation, improve your email marketing strategy with analytics, and save time with prebuilt email templates and email automations.
- Shopify POS. Integrate with physical retail through Shopify POS, blending online and offline sales channels. With POS Hub, connect card readers, printers, scanners, and cash drawers to iOS or Android tablets with reliable wired or wireless connections
- Shipping and fulfillment. Built-in order, inventory, and shipping tools generate labels, collect import taxes, provide tracking information, manage returns, and more.
- Abandoned cart recovery. Boost sales with automated tools for recovering abandoned shopping carts.
- Automation capabilities. Built-in marketing automations and a native app (Shopify Flow) to create workflows for inventory management, marketing campaigns, and more. Use Sidekick to build and visualize Flow automations by describing what you want to accomplish in plain language
- Advanced analytics. Track sales, customer behavior, and other essential ecommerce metrics with analytics and reporting features. Use Rollouts to schedule, test, and ship storefront changes within the Shopify Admin, with insights to improve conversion and revenue growth.
- Advanced customization and API access. While coding isn’t required, you can tailor your storefront and back-end systems to meet your unique needs with extensive customization options and API support.
- Omnichannel and multichannel commerce capabilities. Ensure a consistent customer experience and manage inventory seamlessly across desktop, mobile, social media, marketplace, and in-person retail.
- 24/7 customer support. Enjoy round-the-clock support via email, live chat, and phone.
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.4
Plans and pricing
Shopify offers a wide range of plans, from $5 to $299 per month, with web hosting included. When you sign up, you can start with a three-day free trial, no credit card required. After that, the first three months cost $1 per month. The Starter plan is $5 and comes with tools to sell on social media.
To get an idea of how much you’ll spend overall, here’ an example. Say you’re on the Basic plan for $29 per month (paid annually). Your card rate is 2.9% plus 30¢ for online transactions when using Shopify Payments.
2. WooCommerce
WooCommerce turns WordPress sites into ecommerce stores. WordPress has AI website building tools and customizable templates, but they aren’t purpose-built for ecommerce.
The platform includes inventory management, order tracking, payment processing, and analytics. Businesses can list unlimited products.
Added functionality like AI tools and appointment booking requires plug-ins, which increase costs. Businesses must secure their own web hosting.
Who it’s for
WooCommerce is for small and medium-sized businesses, but they run on WordPress, a platform originally built for bloggers.
Features
- Payment processing with WooPayments and standard processing fees
- Checkout customization for adjusting the buying experience
- Email automation with AutomateWoo for $159 per year
- POS options including tap-to-pay and card reader hardware
- Shipping tools for automating order detail entry
- Extensions and integrations for platforms like Amazon and Etsy
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.4
Plans and pricing
WooCommerce is a free platform, but hosting costs $25 to $350 per month for most stores, according to WooCommerce’s pricing page. Extensions for added features require separate subscriptions, which range from $29 to $299 per year.
3. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is an open software-as-a-service (SaaS) ecommerce platform, meaning you can use it out of the box or customize your storefront and integrations. BigCommerce has plans for small and medium-sized businesses with unlimited product listings, but it caps revenue at each subscription level.
BigCommerce’s small business offering includes basic features like a drag-and-drop website builder, SEO tools, and multichannel selling. Customizable themes are available; some are free while others are paid.
BigCommerce offers some AI tools and partner integrations, though store owners may still need apps or custom work for broader AI workflows.
Who it’s for
BigCommerce’s primary product is for enterprises.
Features
- POS integrations with systems like Clover and Square
- Payment gateway integrations for accepting major payment methods
- Checkout customization for adjusting the buying experience
- Email automation for basic messages like abandoned cart recovery reminders
- Reporting tools for tracking order trends and in-store searches
- API access for custom changes to the online store’s code
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.2
Plans and pricing
BigCommerce pricing ranges from $29 to $299 per month, when billed annually. It ties each plan to trailing 12-month online revenue: Standard up to $50,000, Plus up to $180,000, and Pro up to $400,000, then an additional $150 per month per additional $200,000. Exceeding a revenue cap triggers an automatic upgrade to the next tier.
4. Wix
Wix is a website builder with ecommerce functionality on higher-tier plans. Its AI tools help design site layouts and create images and text, and offers customizable templates to start a site.
Ecommerce plans support listings for up to 50,000 products. Lower tiers lack automated sales tax collection, multicurrency support, and loyalty programs.
Who it’s for
Wix is for people building non-commerce websites or entrepreneurs looking for a basic ecommerce platform.
Features
- Payment processing with Wix Payments and major payment methods
- Checkout customization for adjusting the checkout page
- Email automation for messages like abandoned cart recovery reminders
- App integrations through the Wix App Market
- Analytics tools for understanding site traffic patterns
- 24/7 customer support
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.2
Plans and pricing
Wix’s current pricing page shows ecommerce plans around $29, $39, and $159 per month when billed annually, with prices/currency varying by location and final taxes shown at checkout.
5. Big Cartel
Big Cartel launched as a platform for indie bands to sell merch.
Big Cartel offers website building tools and mobile-friendly free themes with its unpaid plan. It also limits the number of products you can sell to 500 on the Diamond plan.
Who it’s for
Big Cartel is for artists, makers, and small creators.
Features
- Payment processing with PayPal and Stripe
- In-person payments with Stripe Terminal hardware and the Big Cartel mobile app
- Email automation for abandoned cart recovery on the Diamond plan or through Mailchimp
- Integrations directly through Big Cartel and through Zapier
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.2
Plans and pricing
Big Cartel offers three plans:
- Gold supports up to five physical products for free
- Platinum is $15 per month for up to 50 products
- Diamond is $30 per month for up to 500 products
6. Ecwid
Ecwid by Lightspeed is an ecommerce platform with two main use cases. It can help businesses build a basic online store from scratch, or add ecommerce functionality to an existing website built on platforms like WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, or other site builders.
Ecwid offers an Instant Site builder, more than 70 templates, a mobile-responsive shopping cart, inventory tools, payment options, and order management tools.
Who it’s for
Businesses that want to add ecommerce functionality to existing websites or want to build a simple ecommerce site.
Features
- Payment processing with Lightspeed Payments or external processors like PayPal and Square
- Checkout customization for online stores
- Email marketing for messages like abandoned cart recovery reminders
- POS tools through Lightspeed Retail POS
- Multichannel selling through extensions like M2E Multichannel Connect
- App integrations through the Ecwid App Market
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.7
Plans and pricing
Ecwid plans range from $5 to $149 per month when billed monthly. Annual billing brings the monthly price to $5 for Starter, $29 for Venture, $49 for Business, and $119 for Unlimited. You’ll need the Unlimited plan to remove product listing limits and access POS integrations.
7. PrestaShop
PrestaShop is an open-source ecommerce platform. The Classic version is free to download and install. PrestaShop has Hosted and Enterprise options for businesses that want more support or a managed setup.
With PrestaShop, businesses get more control over the store’s code, but they’ll need more technical knowledge than a hosted ecommerce platform like Shopify.
Customize PrestaShop with themes and modules from the PrestaShop Marketplace. Some modules are free, while others require one-time or recurring fees.
Who it’s for
PrestaShop is for business owners with technical know-how or developer support.
Features
- Payment processing through PrestaShop’s PayPal-powered native checkout
- Email automation through Klaviyo with a separate Klaviyo subscription
- Unlimited product listings
- Store customization with more than 2,400 modules
- Multichannel selling on platforms like TikTok and Instagram through apps
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.3
Plans and pricing
PrestaShop Classic is free to download and use, but you’ll need to pay for hosting, a domain, paid modules, themes, payment processing, and developer support. PrestaShop has Hosted and Enterprise options for businesses that want a managed setup, from €24 and €2,115, respectively.
8. Square Online
Square Online is an ecommerce website builder that integrates with Square POS for in-person selling, pickup, and delivery.
Paid plans have features like site customization, subscriptions, real-time shipping rates, reporting, and 24/7 phone support. Square Online is for restaurants, service businesses, retailers, and local sellers that need online ordering, pickup, delivery, appointments.
Who it’s for
Local businesses already running on Square POS that want a website.
Features
- Website building with Square’s ecommerce site builder and SEO tools
- Multichannel selling through search and social channels
- QR code ordering and subscription management on the Plus plan
- Built-in payments, messaging, marketing, and loyalty tools
- Custom processing rates through Square Pro for high-volume businesses
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.2
Plans and pricing
Square Online has a Free plan and paid plans for businesses that need more ecommerce features. The Free plan has no monthly cost, but businesses pay a 3.3% plus 30¢ fee for every payment.
The Plus plan is $49 per month per location, and the Premium plan is $149 per month per location. Square has custom-priced Pro plans for businesses processing more than $250,000 per year.
9. Gumroad
Gumroad is a commerce platform for creators selling digital products, memberships, courses, and physical goods. They charge a fee for each sale rather than a monthly subscription. Creators start selling without upfront software costs, though per-transaction fees increase as volume grows.
Gumroad charges 10% plus 50¢ per direct sale. This fee doesn’t include credit card or PayPal processing fees.
Sales made through Gumroad Discover, the platform’s marketplace, cost 30% per transaction. They provide tools for product pages, file hosting, memberships, and affiliate links.
Who it’s for
Individual creators and small teams selling downloads, courses, or memberships who want per-sale pricing.
Features
- Digital product sales for downloads, courses, and memberships
- Membership tools with recurring billing and tiered pricing
- File hosting on the platform
- Paid product uploads up to 16 GB for products priced above 99¢
- Email marketing with broadcasts and automated workflows
- Store owner-of-record tax handling for transactions
- G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.2
Plans and pricing
Gumroad has no monthly subscription fee. For sales through direct links, they charge 10% plus 50¢ per transaction.
Creators pay only when they sell. A $100 direct sale results in a $10.50 platform fee plus payment processing costs.
How to choose an ecommerce platform
Choose an ecommerce platform that balances your budget with the tools you’ll need as your business grows. For most small businesses, their website is their largest revenue source.
According to a 2026 Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) survey, other digital and ecommerce channels account for a median 20% of sales. The same survey found that 47% of small businesses plan to add more channels this year.
Here’s how to choose a platform for your online business by considering:
- Ease of use
- Cost
- Customization
- POS systems
- Payment processing
- Scalability
- Support
- Integrations
- Inventory management
- Marketing and SEO tools
Ease of use
Assess your technical skills and the time you’re willing to spend securing web hosting, designing layouts, and managing apps before picking an ecommerce platform. Platforms with built-in hosting, customizable templates, payment tools, and email software simplify setting up and running your site.
Cost
Compare costs across low-cost ecommerce platforms by looking beyond subscription prices. Budget plans often need paid integrations for more features, making them more expensive than platforms with built-in tools.
Built-in features can reduce your reliance on paid add-ons, so compare what’s included in the base plan before deciding which platform has the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO).
Evaluate these services to calculate your TCO:
- Monthly software. This is the base plan fee.
- Add-ons and apps. These are subscriptions for features like social selling, email marketing, and bookings.
- Hosting. This cost applies to open-source or site-builder plans that don’t include hosting.
- Payment gateway. Some gateways charge a monthly fee.
- Transaction percentage fee. Gateways charge this fee per order.
- Per-order fixed fee. This is a flat fee added to each transaction.
The above are fixed costs, or expenses you pay every month regardless of how much you sell. There are also variable costs, which change based on your sales volume and number of orders.
Use this example to see how calculations work:
- Monthly sales (gross merchandise value, or GMV): $12,000
- Number of orders: 300
- Card rate: 2.9% plus 30¢ per transaction
- Plan: $49 per month
- Apps: $90 per month
First, calculate the percentage fee, or the 2.9% part. Multiply your total monthly sales by this percentage.
2.9% x $12,000 = $348
Then calculate the fixed fee, which is the 30¢ part. Multiply this fee by your total number of orders for the month.
.30 x 300 = $90
Add together your software costs.
$49 (plan) + $90 (apps) = $139
Determine your total cost of ownership.
TCO = $348 + $90 + $139 = $577
While the plan is advertised at $49 per month, the total cost to run the business is $577.
Recalculate these figures using your estimated rates and volumes. Keep GMV and order counts consistent when comparing platforms to see the true monthly total.
Customization
Prebuilt templates and themes work if your store doesn’t have complex design needs. To reflect your brand identity or meet layout needs, choose a platform that lets you customize your website theme and checkout.
POS systems
Selling in person at events like pop-ups and craft fairs lets you interact directly with customers. Shopify has a mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) system so you’re able to accept payments on-site. The portable POS system works with existing inventory management to sync sales across online and retail locations.
Payment processing
Choose an ecommerce platform with a payment gateway that accepts your customers’ preferred payment methods, including credit cards, Shop Pay, Apple Pay, and PayPal.
Confirm they don’t charge high processing and transaction fees. Shopify has a built-in payment gateway. Using a built-in gateway simplifies your site because you don’t have to integrate separate tools.
Scalability
If you plan to scale your business, choose a platform that supports your strategy and handles increased demand. Some platforms charge high subscription fees for versions that manage heavy traffic. Check these details early so you don’t have to switch platforms later.
Support
Select a platform with customer support to resolve issues before they affect customers. Shopify offers a Help Center with step-by-step guides, FAQs, and a Virtual Help Center Assistant.
Store owners also find answers through the Shopify Community, where they connect with fellow business owners to share insights and experiences. Forums provide a place to source tips and ask questions.
Integrations
Store owners plan for business needs, but sometimes they require advanced features. Ecommerce platforms like Shopify have more than 16,000 paid and free apps that add features to a website.
Review the native automations a platform has. Many have abandoned cart emails, tagging and segmenting, or native workflow tools like Shopify Flow. Developers can use the platform’s APIs to create custom triggers.
When comparing options, evaluate these factors to ensure the platform can handle your future marketing and operational complexity:
- Automation limits for events, emails, or segments to avoid hitting throttles or unexpected costs as your customer list grows.
- Requirements for paid apps or upgraded plans to access basic logic, which can increase your monthly overhead.
- Task-based pricing structures for automation tools so you aren’t penalized financially for running high-volume automated workflows.
Inventory management
An ecommerce platform will show you inventory data from a single hub. Platforms like Shopify let you easily track sales and inventory from your admin dashboard.
While most ecommerce platforms offer basic inventory tools, advanced inventory tracking tools go further: They can suggest products for discounts, project future sales by identifying trends, and categorize inventory across sale types (e.g., subscriptions, in-person, and B2B).
Marketing and SEO tools
Marketing tools like email marketing software help attract customers and encourage repeat sales.
SEO tools help shoppers find products through search engines and AI search experiences. Look for platforms that let you customize page titles, meta descriptions, and URLs so your store ranks in search results.
Choose an ecommerce platform that has these tools natively.
Read more
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- How To Sell on Etsy in 6 Easy Steps (2024)
- 23 Essential Shopify Black Friday Apps for Ecommerce Stores (2024)
- How To Start Your Own Cricut Business in 8 Steps
- Grow Your Business Globally With Shopify Markets (2024)
- 9 Etsy Alternatives To Sell Your Crafts On (2024)
- 11 Best Ecommerce Platforms for Your Business in 2024
- What Is Ecommerce? A Comprehensive Guide (2024)
- Customer Testimonials: How To Use Them + Examples
Cheap ecommerce platforms FAQ
Do you need an ecommerce platform to sell online?
No, but using an ecommerce platform simplifies the process of selling products online. It’s often more cost-effective and user-friendly to use an ecommerce platform than to manually set up an online store on a standard website.
What is the cheapest ecommerce platform?
The cheapest options for those just starting out are platforms with $0 monthly fees, such as Big Cartel, Square Online, and Gumroad. While these have no upfront software costs, they often have higher transaction fees or limit your product count, which can become expensive as your business grows.
What is the cheapest Shopify plan?
The cheapest Shopify plan is the Shopify Starter plan for $5 per month. It includes bare-bones features to help you get started with multichannel social selling without committing to a fully developed ecommerce website. You can start this plan on a free trial, after which it costs $1 per month for the first three months, so you can try it before you buy.
How do transaction fees affect total cost of ownership?
Transaction fees are variable costs, so they grow as your sales volume increases and directly add to your total monthly cost. Because you pay them on every single order, these fees often add up to be a much larger expense than your fixed monthly platform subscription.
What is the cheapest way to have an ecommerce website?
The cheapest way to incorporate Shopify into a website is to use the Shopify Starter plan ($5 per month) to add a Buy Button to an existing free or low-cost platform like a WordPress blog or a simple landing page. For an even lower entry point, you can take advantage of introductory promotions that offer the first three months for just $1 per month.
