Best Shopify Competitors and Alternatives 2024, Forbes Consultant (empty)

Introduction

Shopify has long been a go-to platform for online stores – easy to launch, robust marketplace of themes/apps, good for a wide range of merchants. (stellarone.io)
But the reality is: it’s not perfect for every business. Whether it’s cost, flexibility, customisation, or specific business model needs (like B2B or enterprise), many merchants look for alternatives. For example:

• Some dislike the transaction fees / app-ecosystem costs.
• Others want deeper control or self-hosting.
• Some have very specific needs (multi-store, headless architecture, large SKU volumes) that push them beyond Shopify’s sweet spot.
  Hence: a full survey of strong alternatives is timely.

What to evaluate when picking an e-commerce platform

Before diving into alternatives, good to set what you should compare:

With those in mind, let’s look at the top alternatives to Shopify.

Top Shopify Alternatives: Reviews & Comparison

Here are 10 good candidates, with their review highlights, strengths and trade-offs.

1. Wix

Review snapshot: Forbes Advisor lists Wix as one of the best Shopify alternatives, especially for simpler stores and beginners. (Forbes)
Strengths:

• Very easy drag-and-drop builder. (TechRadar)
• Good value entry cost.
• Many templates; ideal for small/creative stores.
  Trade-offs:
• Less suited for large scale stores or stores with high complexity (many SKUs, extensive custom workflows).
• Backend/infrastructure may become limiting when scaling.

2. Squarespace

Review snapshot: Often praised for design & branding heavy stores, not strictly full-commerce heavy but very strong in its niche. (OptinMonster)
Strengths:

• Excellent visual templates, strong branding potential.
• Good for stores that also focus on content/media/portfolio + ecommerce.
  Trade-offs:
• Less built-for-commerce feature depth than a pure e-commerce platform.
• If you’re scaling fast or need complex integrations, you may hit limits.

3. BigCommerce

Review snapshot: Frequently listed as one of the strongest Shopify competitors for scaling merchants. (OptinMonster)
Strengths:

• Rich built-in features for e-commerce (SEO, multi-channel, B2B) with less reliance on apps. (Santrel Media)
• Designed for growing stores, possibly enterprise.
  Trade-offs:
• Learning curve can be higher.
• Cost and complexity may be greater than “simple” platforms.

4. WooCommerce

Review snapshot: The WordPress plugin solution, very popular for those with WP sites already. (Santrel Media)
Strengths:

• Highly customisable, many plugins, self-host flexibility.
• Lower entry cost for basic store (if you manage hosting).
  Trade-offs:
• You’ll likely need more technical overhead (hosting, security, updates).
• Maintenance burden higher compared to fully managed-platforms.

5. Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento)

Review snapshot: Recognised as a stronger fit for enterprise, large scale, very customised setups. (Gelato)
Strengths:

• Ultimate control, custom workflows, large multi-store/global setups.
• Very high scalability.
  Trade-offs:
• Requires significant dev resources, cost of ownership is high.
• Overkill if you’re a smaller/simple store.

6. Ecwid

Review snapshot: Mentioned in lists of Shopify alternatives for smaller stores or for integration into existing websites. (Gelato)
Strengths:

• Works as an “add-on” store (e.g., integrate into other sites).
• Good for small/medium size, or website + store hybrid.
  Trade-offs:
• Not as full-featured for large scale commerce as direct competitors.
• Fewer advanced features for enterprise level.

7. Shift4Shop (formerly 3dcart)

Review snapshot: Appears in alternative lists as a budget-friendly option for e-commerce. (Gelato)
Strengths:

• Affordable entry, decent feature set for smaller stores.
  Trade-offs:
• Less market share, ecosystem maybe smaller.
• Might lack the polish or breadth of larger platforms.

8. Square Online

Review snapshot: For merchants who have physical stores (POS) + online store synergy; simple/cheap entry. (Santrel Media)
Strengths:

• Strong integration of offline/online sales (thanks to the Square ecosystem).
• Good for local businesses transitioning online.
  Trade-offs:
• Maybe less suited for very large or complex ecommerce operations.
• Features may not match full-commerce platforms.

9. PrestaShop

Review snapshot: Mentioned in some sources as open-source alternative; less high profile but viable. (HulkApps)
Strengths:

• Open-source, good for custom/ multilingual / multi-currency markets.
  Trade-offs:
• Requires more technical support, hosting, maintenance.
• Ecosystem and polish may lag top SaaS players.

10. Volusion

Review snapshot: Occasionally appears among budget / small merchant alternatives. (Shopify)
Strengths:

• Entry-friendly for small stores; may provide basic features.
  Trade-offs:
• Might not scale well; ecosystem may be limited compared to top platforms.

Summary Table: “Which one is right for you?”

Here is a comparative table summarising each platform (excluding Shopify itself) with key attributes.

What about Shopify itself – why still consider it?

While this post is about alternatives, it’s worth noting why Shopify remains a strong choice for many:

• According to Forbes Advisor: Shopify “provides everything you need to launch an online store, even if you have no coding or design experience.” (stellarone.io)
• It has a large ecosystem of themes/apps, strong user-friendliness, good for plug-and-play.
• If your needs are moderate and you prefer a “hosted, managed” experience with minimal technical burden, Shopify likely remains one of the most straightforward choices.

However: if your needs exceed what Shopify covers comfortably (cost, scale, customisation, international complexity), then looking at the alternatives above makes sense.

Recommended Approach for Choosing

Here is a suggested step-by-step approach:

1. Define your business model – number of SKUs, digital/physical, B2C or B2B, international presence.
2. Estimate growth – Do you expect rapid scaling? Multi-store? Global language/currency?
3. Set your budget & resources – Do you have a dev team? Will you manage hosting/maintenance? Or prefer fully-hosted?
4. Map key features – Do you need headless commerce, POS integration, multi-channel, heavy custom workflows?
5. Trial platforms – Many offer free trials or low-cost entry. Build a small piece of your store to see how the UX & admin feel.
6. Consider migration / exit cost – If you start small, will you be able to move later? Or will you be locked in?
7. Pick with buffer – Choose the platform that not only fits today but also scales with you for the near future.

Final Thoughts

Choosing your e-commerce platform is a foundational decision with long-term impact. While Shopify remains a strong default choice, as your business’s complexity, size or technical ambition grows, the alternatives listed above offer compelling benefits: deeper customisation, different cost models, stronger global/multi-store support, or simpler / cheaper entry for certain types of business.

In short: evaluate your specific needs rather than simply choosing the most popular. The “best” platform isn’t universally Shopify or universally another one—it’s the one best aligned with your commerce model, resources, growth trajectory and complexity.