The 6 Best Free eCommerce Platforms To Save Businesses Money
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With more and more people shopping online, it’s clear that developing your own eCommerce strategy is a key part of meeting customers’ needs and expectations. But for many sellers, the expense involved in operating an online store can be overwhelming. Whether you’re already running a brick-and-mortar store or just starting as a vendor, the costs can be a barrier to entry.
What if you could avoid some of the expense of opening an online store? You can do just that — by creating your store on one of the best free eCommerce platforms available today. Although you can’t avoid all eCommerce expenses, like the costs of payment processing and adding a few extensions to customize your store, avoiding monthly subscription costs can keep your budget in check.
Free eCommerce software comes in two forms. Some software is available as an all-inclusive cloud-based platform. These types of free plans tend to deliver all the basic features you’ll need for online selling, while placing some limits on inventory and advanced features. The other type of free eCommerce platforms is downloadable open-source software. This software is always free to use and places no limits on users. However, it’s not nearly as user-friendly as cloud-based software, and it doesn’t include web hosting and security.
Each type of free eCommerce software offers its own advantages and disadvantages. If you’re ready to take advantage of the free price tag to set up your online store, take a look at the options below.
Learn More About Our Top Picks
| Company | Summary | Next StepsSummary |
|---|---|---|
 | Best for makers and artists who plan to list only a few items at a time. | Best for makers and artists who plan to list only a few items at a time.
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 | Best for small to mid-size businesses that want to add an online store to their WordPress site. | Best for small to mid-size businesses that want to add an online store to their WordPress site.
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 | Best for mid-size businesses that can handle a technical challenge and need a way to sell internationally. | Best for mid-size businesses that can handle a technical challenge and need a way to sell internationally.
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 | Best for sellers who already use Square to process in-person payments. | Best for sellers who already use Square to process in-person payments.
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 | Best for individuals and beginning sellers who need an easy-to-use platform. | Best for individuals and beginning sellers who need an easy-to-use platform.
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Other Featured Options:
- Magento: Best for mid-size and large businesses that want a customizable solution and can handle a technical challenge.
Read more below to learn why we chose these options.
Table of Contents
The Best Free eCommerce Platforms
Often, you get what you pay for. So is free eCommerce software worth using? When the choices include big names like WooCommerce, Big Cartel, Square, and Magento, the answer is definitely yes. All the free eCommerce platforms on this list meet high standards for security, features, support, and usability.
1. Big Cartel
Big Cartel
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Best for makers and artists who plan to list only a few items at a time.
Big Cartel is a cloud-based online store builder designed specifically with artists in mind. Content creators and makers of all types use Big Cartel to establish a website, build out an online store, and sell their digital and physical products. Big Cartel is incredibly easy to use, and that makes it an excellent option for anyone new to online selling.
Additionally, Big Cartel is a great alternative to marketplace selling, and its free option leaves it accessible for everyone. Using the free plan, sellers can list up to five products on their online stores, and they gain access to Big Cartel’s most basic selling features.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Geared toward artists
- Customer support available for all users
Cons
- Limited products
- Not scalable
- Limited integrations
Pricing
Although we’re focusing on Big Cartel’s free plan, it’s important to know about its paid plans as well. After all, if things go well, someday you may be willing to sign on for a paid plan that helps you sell even more. Fortunately, Big Cartel keeps pricing for all its plans reasonably low, ranging from just $10/month to $30/month. Each increase in pricing gives users access to more product listings and features. At the highest-level plan, sellers can list up to 300 products.
Big Cartel’s Gold (free) Plan includes all of the features you need for basic online selling, although it limits users to just five product listings.
The Gold Plan includes:
- Five products
- One image per product
- Free customizable theme
- Sell online and in-person
- Use your own domain
- Google Analytics
- Shipment tracking
- Discount codes
- Automatic tax calculations
- Product option groups
Features
As we’ve mentioned, Big Cartel is a simple selling solution. It provides an easy-to-use platform and includes the basic features most merchants will need to sell online. You won’t find fancy bells and whistles here, just the basics. Here are a few of the features you can expect from Big Cartel:
- Sell on Facebook & Instagram
- Security
- Order management, including order tracking and confirmation emails
- SEO features, such as plain-text URLs and automatic sitemap generation
- Mobile app you can use to manage your store on the go
There are a few potential downsides to using Big Cartel. The first is the limited feature set and the reduced ability to customize your software. Big Cartel also has a relatively small selection of extensions and payment methods. This further limits your ability to customize the software to suit your business.
Fortunately, Big Cartel does a good job when it comes to customer support. Although the company does not offer any phone support, it does have a very efficient response time via email (we consistently receive replies in under two hours) and its self-help tools (such as the help center, the prerecorded live classes, and a blog) are useful resources for figuring things out on your own.
When To Use Big Cartel
We think that Big Cartel is a good choice for small businesses and artists and makers who want to add an online store to their sales mix. Because of the limits on product listings, the free plan is best suited to hobby sellers or artists who sell only a few pieces at a time. Musicians, in particular, should note that Big Cartel’s free Gold plan does not allow sales of digital products.
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2. WooCommerce
WooCommerce
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Best for small to mid-size businesses that want to add an online store to their WordPress site.
WooCommerce is an open-source shopping cart plugin designed for use on websites built using WordPress.org. WooCommerce is free to download and use, and it allows you to add an online store to your existing WordPress site easily. With over 84 million downloads, WooCommerce is incredibly popular. The software currently accounts for 26% of the top one million sites worldwide.
Although WooCommerce is free to download, it isn’t entirely free to operate. You’ll have to pay for your WordPress account as well as web-hosting, security, and extensions. That said, WooCommerce is still an excellent choice for many businesses and is one of our favorite open-source solutions. The open-source software is completely customizable and full of useful features for online selling. Although you will need coding knowledge to use WooCommerce, if you’re already working successfully on WordPress.org, you’ll likely find it easy to get used to WooCommerce.
Pros
- Always free
- Customizable
- Unlimited scalability
- Numerous integrations available
Cons
- Limited customer support
- Site hosting not included
- Add-ons often necessary
- Developer knowledge required
Pricing
WooCommerce is an open-source WordPress plugin that’s free to download and use.
However, there are a few expenses you can’t avoid as you implement WooCommerce. You still have to pay for your WordPress site, along with web hosting and your domain name. You also will likely need to purchase a few add-ons and extensions for your online store. These add-ons range in price from free to hundreds of dollars. Fortunately, they are all available as one-time purchases.
Features
WooCommerce follows a Core + Extensions model when it comes to features. To keep the software easy to use, the company offers only core features already built-in. These core features include everything the average merchant needs to get started. Any advanced features are available as extensions. Here are a few of the core features that come built-in with all WooCommerce downloads:
- Sell physical and digital products
- Shipping calculator
- Create coupons and discounts
- Product reviews
- Google Analytics
Although WooCommerce is generally well-liked, the software has a few downsides. For one, the learning curve that users must overcome is fairly steep. While it isn’t the most difficult software to use, it isn’t necessarily intuitive, and it will likely take some time to get the hang of daily use. What’s more, the cost of adding new features via extensions can quickly add up. If you aren’t careful, WooCommerce could become more expensive than a cloud-based software with a monthly payment plan.
When it comes to customer support, WooCommerce is like most open-source software. You’ll find very few options for personalized help from WooCommerce representatives. Instead, customer support takes the form of self-help resources. Available resources include a knowledgebase, developer documentation, and a community forum. If you need personalized assistance, you can also hire a WooExpert to help out.
When To Use WooCommerce
We recommend WooCommerce for small to mid-size businesses. In particular, it’s a great choice for businesses that already use a WordPress site and want to add an online store. Overall, WooCommerce works well for sellers who want a customizable solution and who don’t mind figuring things out on their own.
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3. PrestaShop
PrestaShop
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Best for mid-size businesses that can handle a technical challenge and need a way to sell internationally.
An open-source eCommerce solution with an international reach, PrestaShop helps users sell their goods across the globe with multiple available currencies, languages, and international payment processors. PrestaShop is free to download and use, although you’ll still have to foot the bill for web hosting, support, and any extensions you choose to add.
PrestaShop is one of the more technically complex options on this list. To get the best use of the software, you need a solid understanding of code, or you need the resources to hire someone who can manage the technicalities for you. In exchange for this complexity, however, you gain access to a robust selection of features and customization.
Pros
- Always free
- Highly customizable
- Numerous integrations
- Strong user community
Cons
- Expensive customer support
- Developer skills required
Pricing
PrestaShop is free to download and use.
That said, you will still need to budget for a few expenses related to running an online store. PrestaShop users pay for their own hosting, domain name, site security, payment processing, and technical support.
Features
PrestaShop offers over 600 features already built into its free software. Here’s a bit of what those features include:
- Multi-currency checkout
- Automated exchange rates
- Inventory, supplier, and manufacturer checkout
- Product variants and bundles
- Tax calculation
- Create coupons and discounts
- Reports and analytics
Despite these positives, PrestaShop software shares many of the drawbacks that are typical of open-source software. Although the program is free to download, users still have to account for the cost of hosting and integrations, as well as expenses related to hiring a developer if you don’t already know how to code.
Again as with most open-source solutions, PrestaShop support is available primarily through self-help resources. You can use the knowledgebase, user forum, and some web ticket support to find answers to your questions about the software. To get a dedicated support representative, however, you’ll have to pay an additional cost.
When To Use PrestaShop
Because of the technical challenges involved with using this open-source software, PrestaShop is best suited to mid-size businesses that have a developer on staff or the resources to hire one. It may not be the easiest solution, but PrestaShop can be worth it for businesses that need advanced features, including the ability to sell internationally.
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4. Square Online Store
Square Online Store
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Best for sellers who already use Square to process in-person payments.
Square is a payment processing company that has revolutionized the way small businesses can accept payments. Recently, Square has expanded its offerings to provide sellers with an omnichannel selling platform, so you can now create an online store that connects seamlessly with Square’s POS (point of sale) system. And the best part is this online store, with hosting, domain name, security, and customer support, is entirely free for merchants who use Square.
Square Online Store was designed using Weebly’s website building software. That means the software is incredibly easy to use. Square Online Store is available for free to anyone who processes their payments via Square, and Square also offers a few paid plans that include additional features and payment processing options. We’ve been impressed with Square Online as a free, cloud-based option for online selling. Keep reading to find out why.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Ideal for low-volume merchants
- Sell in person and online
- Integrates with the Square ecosystem
Cons
- Limited customization
- Limited features
- Limited payment options
Pricing
Square Online’s free plan includes a basic feature set, up to 500MB of storage, and the ability to process payments through Square. Three paid plans are also available, ranging in price from $12/month to $72/month. These paid plans include additional features, storage, and payment processing options (lower processing rates and access to PayPal processing).
Features
Square Online Store’s free plan gives users access to the basic features needed for online selling. Here’s a quick list of some available features:
- Sell digital and physical products
- Sync with Square POS
- Automatic tax calculator
- Create coupons and discounts
- Sell and accept gift cards
- Unlimited products
- Automatic inventory, orders and items sync with Square POS
- Multi-channel integrations
- Free SSL security
- Inventory management
- Order status text alerts
- In-store & curbside pickup
- Third-party delivery
- Automatic tax calculator
- Coupon codes
- Square gift cards
- SEO features
- Order customization
As with all free plans, Square Online Stores comes with limitations. For example, you can process payments only through Square. Fortunately, no limits are placed on customer support. It’s available via phone, email, and live chat. There’s also an online help center, community forum, and tutorial videos. We’re impressed that Square Online Store offers personalized support even on its free plan. This is a very uncommon benefit.
When To Use Square Online
Square Online is best for merchants who already sell using Square POS and who are looking for a way to take their store online. We recommend Square Online Store’s free plan to individuals and startups, and we recommend looking into the reasonably priced paid plan as well.
Get Started with Square Online Store
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5. Ecwid
Ecwid
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Best for individuals and beginning sellers who need an easy-to-use platform.
Ecwid is a cloud-based shopping cart widget that lets you add an free online store to any website. With Ecwid, you can choose to build an entire site from scratch, or you can add an online store tab to a pre-existing website by just copying and pasting a couple of lines of code. Ecwid lets you sell on multiple different channels at the same time, including on social media sites, on marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, and in-person. Ecwid integrations are available for WordPress, Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, Joomla, and other popular platforms.
Ecwid is a very affordable platform, with plans priced from $15/month to $99/month. Of course, there’s also a free plan that you can use to launch your eCommerce business for free. Ecwid is user-friendly, so it’s an excellent option for small businesses and startups. Many individual sellers will likely find that Ecwid’s free plan offers the features and usability they need to venture into online selling.
Pros
- Suited for startups
- Easy to use
- Add an online store to any existing site
Cons
- Not scalable
- Basic design tools
Pricing
Ecwid’s free plan comes with a pared-down feature set. To gain access to the full selection of features, you have to subscribe to a paid plan. These plans step up in price from $15/month to $35/month to $99/month. Each step up in pricing includes more features, more product listings, and more available sales channels.
Features
Ecwid’s free plan includes only the fundamentals of online selling. You can list up to 10 products, market your products on social media, adjust the look of your online store, accept payments, and process orders. Here are a few available features:
- List 10 products
- List digital goods, with a file size capped at 25GB per file
- Advertising on Facebook, Google, Pinterest, and Snapchat
- Mobile responsive shopping cart
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Instant Site builder with 70+ themes
- Sell on multiple sites
- Facebook pixel
- Apple Pay (via Stripe)
- POS options
- GDPR compliance
- Self-help support options
- Gift cards
Although Ecwid certainly has a lot to offer its users, it has a few limitations as well. The biggest drawback is the limit it places on available features. You do not get access to certain features, such as automatic tax calculation, inventory tracking, discount creation, or digital products. You are also restricted to just 10 product listings. That makes Ecwid’s free plan suitable only for the small online sellers, those who are just starting out, or artists who sell their pieces as a profitable hobby.
Support for users of Ecwid’s free plan is available via email. You can also find answers in self-help resources, such as the help center, tutorial videos, and community forums.
When To Use Ecwid
Ecwid’s free plan is best for individuals and beginning sellers who are looking for an easy way to take a limited number of products online. Growing sellers may find they soon have to transition to a paid plan, making Ecwid’s free plan a great starting point for many.
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6. Magento
Magento
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Best for mid-sized and large businesses that want a customizable solution and can handle a technical challenge.
Magento is a software company that offers multiple solutions for online selling. Magento Open Source is completely customizable, and it comes with loads of features already built-in.
It’s important to understand, right off the bat, that as an open-source solution Magento is not known for user-friendliness. In fact, you need to have a good amount of experience with software development to implement this platform. With that in mind, we recommend Magento primarily to larger businesses that have a team of software professionals on hand.
Pros
- Free to download
- Impressive feature set
- Highly customizable and scalable
- An active global user community
Cons
- Developer skills required
- Steep learning curve
- No customer support
Pricing
Magento is free for users to download and use.
That doesn’t mean Magento is a “cost-free” selling solution. To get your online store running, expect to pay for web hosting, a domain name, integrations and extensions, and payment processing. Also, if you don’t have experience with code (especially PHP), you’ll have to hire a developer.
Features
Magento offers an impressive number of features, even without any add-ons. Here are a few available features:
- Integrated checkout, payment, & shipping
- Mobile optimized website
- Global selling
- Catalog management
- Instant purchase
- Coupons and discounts
- Share on social buttons
- Sell digital products and bundles
- Multi-site capabilities
- Filtered search
Keep in mind that users have to overcome a steep learning curve before they can access those features. Without the support of a developer, this learning curve may be too much. Also, while Magento is free to download, the platform can quickly turn into an expensive option when you consider the cost of hosting and integrations, as well as the cost of hiring a developer.
Magento is also a challenge for some users because of its limited customer support. Magento does not offer any support through phone, live chat, or email. Instead, you have to figure things out on your own with the user guide, community forum, and developer documentation.
When To Use Magento
Magento is a great solution for mid-size to large businesses that need customizable and feature-rich selling software. Magento is only a good option for smaller businesses if they have the resources to hire a developer.
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Free VS Open-Source eCommerce Software: Which Is Better?
All the solutions we present above fall into one of two categories: a free subscription to cloud-based software or open-source, downloadable software. Let’s take a closer look at these two categories to find out which option is best for your business.
Open-source eCommerce software platforms are apps made available to the general public. You typically download the software for free, and all of the documentation used to build the software is available for public use. In general, open-source software is highly customizable, with strong features.
Businesses that benefit from open-source software are typically mid-size to large businesses. These businesses need customizable software, and they often have access to a developer.
Cloud-based shopping carts are generally easier to use for the average seller. Rather than dig into the code, you’ll be able to use pre-made templates and tools like drag-and-drop editors that allow you to customize your site, within set limitations. And if you build your store using a hosted software solution, you won’t need to arrange for site hosting, security, or a custom domain name, unless you choose to do so.
Choosing The Best Free eCommerce Software
Choosing the right eCommerce platform for your business is a process that involves careful consideration and a balancing act between price and functionality. Fortunately, in the software world, “free” doesn’t have to mean low value. You can access a variety of free eCommerce software that lets you dive into eCommerce without spending a lot of money on monthly subscription fees and other costs. But how can you be certain what type of free eCommerce software is right for your business needs?
To land on a great choice, you’ll have to make a number of smaller decisions along the way.
- Cloud-based software or open-source software? This decision should be based on your technical experience and your preferences regarding customization. Sellers who would prefer to have their site’s hosting and security managed on their behalf should choose cloud-based software, while sellers who prioritize customization should choose open-source software. If you choose open-source, look for an option that is free to download, has the built-in features you need so you don’t pay for add-ons, and doesn’t make you pay for software updates. If you choose cloud-based, look for the ability to list as many products as you will need, free hosting and domain name, customer support options, and affordable paid plans, in case you decide to upgrade in the future.
- What features does your business absolutely need to be successful? Think about the ability to list digital products, calculate taxes and shipping costs automatically, and track your inventory totals. You should also look into customer support options to make sure your business can manage with the support options available.
- How do customers rate the software? Go online and dive into the available customer reviews. Do users have a generally positive experience with the platform? Software without a significant number of reviews or with a large number of negative reviews is often outdated and clumsy to use. You can visit our website for full reviews of all the software mentioned here and more.
Once you’re narrowed your options to one or two platforms, take the plunge and sign up for (or download) the software. Since it’s free, you’ve got nothing to lose, and there’s no harm in testing multiple products. Trying out the software for yourself will give you a good understanding of whether or not it can work for your business.
If you choose to use any of the software apps on this list, we feel confident you’ll have a positive experience. Even if the software isn’t a perfect solution, it is free, and it’s hard to go too wrong with a free option! No matter which software you select, we wish you the best of luck in your venture into online selling.
For more information on setting up an online store, check out our complete guide to starting an online store for your brick-and-mortar business as well as our free eBook: The Beginner’s Guide To Starting An Online Store.
FAQs
Look below for answers to some frequently asked questions regarding free eCommerce software.
In Summary: The Best Free eCommerce Platforms
- Big Cartel: Best for makers and artists who plan to list only a few items at a time.
- WooCommerce: Best for small to mid-size businesses that want to add an online store to their WordPress site.
- PrestaShop: Best for mid-size businesses that can handle a technical challenge and need a way to sell internationally.
- Square Online Store: Best for sellers who already use Square to process in-person payments.
- Ecwid: Best for individuals and beginning sellers who need an easy-to-use platform.
- Magento: Best for mid-size and large businesses that want a customizable solution and can handle a technical challenge.
Kate Hoots
Writer
Kate Hoots is a writer for Merchant Maverick, taking on the topic of eCommerce. She brings a background in journalism as well as in business leadership and communication training. Kate has a degree in English Literature from Lewis & Clark College.
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