Ava AbbottFounded in 2006, Ontario-based Shopify Inc. provides a cloud-based, multi-channel commerce platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses. Merchants use Shopify’s software to offer their products and services via web and mobile storefronts, online marketplaces, physical retail stores, and social media storefronts.
In 2020, Shopify was used by roughly 30% of eCommerce websites in the US making it the biggest eCommerce software in the market. Shopify’s top competitors in the market include WooCommerce, Wix, and SquareSpace, with at least 10% of the market each. [1]
Since it was founded, Shopify has generated a total of $55 billion in sales for its merchants. As of January 2021, companies using Shopify support 1.4 million full-time jobs globally. It recently diversified its services and now offers Shopify designed for SMBs and Shopify Plus for large enterprise businesses.
Shopify Plus costs between $2,000 and $40,000 per month, while Shopify’s plans range from $29/month to $299/month. [2] In FY 2020, Shopify’s revenue was around $1.5 billion and increased by 50% from the previous year. Its Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) was $61 billion, and its brand value is growing steadily at 2.45%.
Shopify has to fend off stiff competition from website builders, cloud-based enterprise solutions, eCommerce systems, and marketplaces like Amazon. [3]
Here is an extensive list of the top Shopify competitors and alternatives.
1. Amazon
As of early 2020, Amazon commanded about 37% of US eCommerce sales. Shopify was in second place with a 6% market share. Amazon’s marketplace has more than 8 million sellers, while Shopify has nearly 1 million eCommerce merchants on its platform.
However, Shopify is catching up to Amazon quickly and achieved an incredible 50% CAGR in 2020. Amazon has immense financial resources to counter Shopify’s maneuvers and protect its dominance.
For example, Shopify announced plans to invest $1 billion over five years to build out a fulfillment network and reduce Amazon’s competitive edge in package delivery. In comparison, Amazon spent $64 billion on logistics and shipping in 2019 alone. Amazon is a worthy top Shopify competitor for many reasons. [4]
2. WooCommerce
According to Statista, WooCommerce is the leading eCommerce software platform globally, with a market share of 28.24% compared to Shopify’s share of 10.98%. WooCommerce is also the best solution for WordPress websites.
The fact that WordPress is the leading website builder is an advantage for WooCommerce over Shopify. Its merchants have access to a wide variety of WordPress plugins for Google Analytics, SEO management, and more.
On the other hand, Shopify users have to pay monthly subscriptions to access the plugins they need. WooCommerce is ideal for big and small businesses, but merchants are responsible for their website hosting, compliance, and security because it is open-source. Looking at all these factors, WooCommerce is a powerful Shopify competitor. [5]
3. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is the top Shopify competitor, particularly among big businesses. Its competitive advantages over Shopify include its wide selection of out-of-the-box capabilities and a plugin for WordPress sites for blogging to improve SEO.
Its standard plan costs $29.95/month, which is slightly higher than $26/month for Shopify’s Basic plan. BigCommerce also offers a Plus plan for $79.95/month, a Pro plan for $199.95/month, and Enterprise plans for up to $299.95/month.
BigCommerce’s biggest advantage over Shopify is that it does not charge additional transaction fees. Its merchants only pay transaction fees to the payment service provider, while Shopify users have to pay 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction and 2% additional fees to third-party payment services. [6]
4. Magento
Launched in 2008, Culver City-based Magento was the top choice for building online stores long before Shopify and BigCommerce came to the scene. This open-source platform is part of the Adobe Commerce cloud experience, which gives users all the benefits of operating in a global ecosystem.
Magento has one of the largest marketplaces in eCommerce that offers everything from ERPs to CRM systems. It allows for unlimited product uploads. Merchants can use either a paid version or a free open-source version.
The paid version costs 10s of thousands of dollars per month and is only meant for large enterprises. Although Magento’s open-source version is free, it requires an experienced developer to implement and maintain it.
Magento’s price and complexity weaken its competitive advantage over Shopify, but it is still a strong competitor. [7]
5. Salesforce Commerce Cloud
Salesforce Commerce Cloud is a feature-rich enterprise eCommerce software that allows merchants to operate across digital channels without worrying about servers, customization, or security.
It is cloud-based and provides solutions for both B2C and B2B commerce. Salesforce’s pricing is based on the “Shared Success” model. Merchants who earn $20 million or less can pay $350,000 to $600,000 per year. Its biggest clients pay between $500,000 and $1.5 million per year.
Shopify also bases its pricing package on revenue, but most SMBs earn $800,000 or less per year and have to pay $2,000 per month. In terms of pricing, Shopify has the upper hand. [8]
6. SAP
Walldorf-based SAP is one of the top enterprise commerce solutions that cater to large businesses. The company recently transformed its SAP Hybris solution to SAP Cloud Commerce to meet the increasing demand for cloud-based by enterprises.
SAP Cloud Commerce is highly scalable and can support millions of online transactions during peak hours without crashing. The cost of using the platform is customized for each client depending on their needs. Some of its clients include Target, Costco, and Asics. They can afford to pay over $50,000 per year.
SAP is more expensive than Shopify. In 2020, SAP announced that it is shifting customers to lower-margin cloud hosting from its expensive option after a decline in the number of users in the third quarter decreased its revenue by 4%.
SAP’s cheaper cloud hosting option can reduce its overall cost and poach some businesses from Shopify. [9]
7. Oracle
Oracle offers enterprise commerce solutions that allow businesses to design and deploy feature-rich, customizable storefronts for both desktop and mobile devices. Oracle CX Commerce is a cloud service designed to enhance online shopping experiences.
It is highly scalable, automated, and comes with robust features to streamline eCommerce operations. This cloud-based solution competes directly with Shopify Plus.
In 2020, companies like ABC Fine Wine and Spirits saw a 2,000% growth in online sales after adopting Oracle CX Commerce to overcome shutdowns due to the crisis. But, it is way more expensive than Shopify. [10]
8. Wix
When it comes to eCommerce website building, Wix is one of Shopify’s top competitors. It comes with user-friendly tools like a drag-and-drop builder and beginner-friendly eCommerce features geared towards small online stores with less than 100 products.
However, users have to sign up for Wix’s $17/month plan before they can build their eCommerce website on the platform. Wix’s Business Basic plan starts at $23/month, which is cheaper than Shopify’s $29/month Basic plan. [11]
9. Volusion
Volusion has been in the eCommerce sector for over 15 years and has helped its merchants make more than $24 billion in sales. It has more experience than Shopify, but both platforms are very similar.
Volusion caters primarily to SMBs and offers five plans starting with Volusion Personal for $29/month, Volusion Professional for $79/month, Volusion Startup for $179/month, and Volusion Business costs $299/month.
Its prices fall within Shopify’s price range. But, Shopify has an edge because it also offers Shopify Lite for only $9. [12]
10. Shift4Shop
Founded in 1997, Shift4Shop (formally known as 3DCart) is a cloud-hosted shopping cart solution that is very similar to Shopify. It is self-hosted, each plan offers unlimited product capacity, 100s of payment methods, and comes with a variety of features like Shopify.
Shift4Shop is appealing for SMBs because it offers robust add-ons and extra services, like affiliate marketing. It offers five plans ranging from Dropshipping for $9.99/month, Startup Store for $19/month, Basic Store for $29/month, Plus Store for $79/month, and Pro Store for $229/month.
In terms of pricing, Shift4Shop and Shopify are on the same level. However, Shift4Shop has an edge because it does not charge a per-transaction fee. [13]
11. Big Cartel
Founded in 2005, Big Cartel has grown to serve over one million creative SMBs like artists and fashion enthusiasts. It has facilitated more than $2.5 billion in total sales since it was founded and offers user-friendly tools for monitoring performance, managing orders, and running promotions.
Big Cartel’s pricing plans range from free to $29.99 per month. Merchants with less than five products can use the free plan and upgrade to sell up to 300 products. Big Cartel’s free plan can entice merchants from Shopify, which makes it the perfect competitor. [14]
12. Weebly
Weebly stands out among Shopify’s competitors as one of the most user-friendly alternatives. The platform is easy to use out of the box and the company offers personalized services to help users to launch their brand quickly.
It offers a free plan that is only available in the US, a Personal plan for $6, a Professional plan for $12, and a Performance plan that costs $26.
Weebly owns Square Online Store, which is also a top Shopify competitor and increases its competitive advantage. [15]
13. PrestaShop
Launched in 2007 in Paris, PrestaShop is geared towards international selling. It offers thousands of mobile responsive website templates that cost between $50 and $530 each. Merchants can use either its cloud-based package called PrestaShop Ready or a free open-source downloadable.
While the service is free to access, users have to pay for hosting, web developers to implement it, and other expenses to get their store up and running.
In terms of growth, PrestaShop has stagnated over the years while businesses built on Shopify experienced a 50% increase in online sales in 2019. [16]
14. Square Online Store
Square Online Store an eCommerce store-building solution that allows merchants to develop their websites for free, which is enough to poach some clients from Shopify. It comes with an in-built Square Point of Sale system, unique themes, and a selection of customization options.
Sellers can easily open a Square Online store, list products for sale, process payments, and deliver orders via curbside pickup, or local delivery. Users have to pay 2.5% for every transaction just like Shopify. Its association with Weebly increases its advantage over Shopify. [17]
15. Pinnacle Cart
Founded in 2004, Pinnacle Cart is a feature-rich commerce platform that comes with more built-in features than Shopify.
Users get all-in-one eCommerce website and hosting, which has enticed high profile clients like NBA, HBO, and Discovery Channel. Users can also host their Pinnacle Cart website on other platforms. Pinnacle Cart’s cheapest plan costs 19.99/month, which is more expensive than Shopify’s $9 plan. [18]
16. ECWID
Ecwid is an eCommerce widget that incorporates into most pre-established websites. Since it was founded in 2009, Ecwid has supported over 2 billion stores and serves millions of merchants from over 175 different countries.
This global eCommerce platform offers three affordably priced plans that range from $15/month to $99/month, which is way cheaper than Shopify. [19]
17. Zoey Commerce
Founded in 2014, Zoey offers both cloud-based and on-premise solutions for B2B and wholesale. Zoey offers greater functionality than Shopify.
It comes with advanced features that enhance search accuracy for B2B selling. In terms of usability, Zoey Commerce and Shopify are both on the same level.
Pricing for Zoey is based on user requirements. [20]
18. NetSuite
NetSuite offers a wide range of B2B/B2C solutions, including SuiteCommerce Advanced for SMBs. It powers thousands of online businesses around the globe.
This solution is integrated with CRM, ERP, and other backend operations. On the other hand, Shopify merchants have to use third-party applications for integration with ERP and CRM platforms. [21]
19. FastSpring
FastSpring was founded in 2005 as an e-commerce solution for selling desktop software. It has grown to become one of the key players in the eCommerce sector.
In 2020, FastSpring acquired SalesRight, a Halifax startup that offers tools for B2B sales teams. The startup offers interactive quoting and digital signature tools, which boost FastSpring’s competitive edge. [22]
20. Miva Merchant
Founded in 1997, Miva is a cloud-based eCommerce platform that caters to both big and small businesses.
Since it was launched, the company has served over 500,000 merchants and completed over $100 billion in transactions.
Miva provides dedicated cloud hosting, which allows users to add additional resources like storage or processing power quickly in just 60 seconds. [23]
References & more information
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- Sisson, P. (2020, Jan 23). Shopify, the e-commerce company that’s coming for Amazon. VOX
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- Editorial Staff (2021, Jan 1). How Much Do Ecommerce Websites Cost in 2021? WP Beginner
- Warnimont, J. (2020, Dec 13). Magento vs. Shopify: Which Is the Absolute Best? Ecommerce Platforms
- Zuckerman, A. (2020, July 15). Shopify vs. Salesforce Commerce Cloud Comparison 2020. Compare Camp
- Busvine, D. (2020, Oct 25). SAP dumps mid-term targets, cuts 2020 view as coronavirus bites. Reuters
- Currey, L. (2020, Sep 3). 5 Companies Take On The Changing Challenges Of Ecommerce. Forbes
- Garcia, J. (2020, Dec 28). Shopify Vs Wix – Ecommerce Champion or Website Builder Superstar? Website Tool Tester
- Editorial Team (2020, June 18). Volusion vs Shopify, which is best? Style Factory Productions
- Antonio, N. (2020, Jan 21). 3dcart: Why It Might be a Hidden Gem of Ecommerce. Negosentro
- Hoots, K. (2020, Oct 30). Big Cartel VS Shopify: Which Is Better For Your eCommerce Business? Merchant Maverick
- Pinggera, A. (2020, Feb 21). Weebly Ecommerce: The Easiest Way to Sell? Website Tool Tester
- Liu, S. (2020, Dec 7). Shopify-supported businesses vs. the global e-commerce market: online sales growth 2019. Statista
- Brophy, M. (2020, Aug 26). How To Set up a Free Square Online Store. Fit for Small Business
- Ecommerce Editorials (2020, Aug 5). PinnacleCart Review: They boast big clients, but is it a good choice for you? Digital
- Porter, D. (2020, Dec 2). Ecwid Reviews: Is it the Best Free Ecommerce Solution? Ecommerce Platforms
- Hull, L. (2020, Jul 15). Zoey Commerce Review. Merchant Maverick
- Srivastava, G. (2020, July 25). Getting Started with NetSuite SuiteCommerce Advanced (SCA) in 2020. Absolute Vision Tech
- Arsenault, A. (2020, Nov 19). FastSpring buys Halifax’s SalesRight to grow its e-commerce business. The Telegram
- Hull, L. (2020, Sep 13). Miva Merchant Review. Merchant Maverick
- Featured Image by Roberto Cortese
Kevin Johnson
Brianna Parker
S.K. Gupta
Well written.
Shopify is a great choice for most businesses, but most competitors offer compelling features.