The Best Free eCommerce Platforms & Shopping Carts
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Are you looking to start selling online? With a steady increase in the popularity of online shopping, developing your own online store is crucial to ensuring you meet the needs and expectations of your customers.
But for many new online sellers (including those who already operate a brick-and-mortar business as well as those who are just beginning), the costs of running an online store can feel overwhelming. There’s the monthly subscription rate that you pay to your eCommerce platform as well as transaction fees, payment processing, software extensions, and integrations.
Fortunately, you can ease some of the costs of opening an online store when you use a free eCommerce platform. Although you still have to pay for other expenses related to online selling (such as the cost of payment processing and software extensions), at least you won’t have to pay to use the actual selling software. This reduction in costs can lower the barrier to entry and help many businesses take the first steps to start selling online.
Free eCommerce software tends to come in two forms. Some software is available as a free plan on an all-inclusive cloud-based software. These free plans tend to give users the basic features they need for online selling while placing limits on product listings and advanced features. The other form of free eCommerce software is downloadable open-source software. This software is always free to use, and it does not limit its users in any way. That said, it is not nearly as user-friendly as cloud-based software, and the software does not include web hosting or customer support.
It’s clear that each type of free eCommerce software offers its own advantages and disadvantages. Fortunately, both cloud-based software and open-source software are great options for sellers who are looking to get started with a free eCommerce platform.
Learn More About Our Top Picks
| Company | Summary | Next Steps |
|---|---|---|
 | Best for makers and artists who plan to list only a few items at a time. | |
 | Best for small to mid-size businesses that want to add an online store to their WordPress site. | |
 | Best for mid-size businesses that can handle a technical challenge and need a way to sell internationally. | |
 | Best for sellers who already use Square to process in-person payments. | |
 | Best for individuals and beginning sellers who need an easy-to-use platform. |
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.
Best Free eCommerce Platforms
In this article, we’ll cover the best free eCommerce platforms on the market. Some of these options are free plans for cloud-based eCommerce software, while others are free, open-source eCommerce software. All of the free eCommerce platforms in this list meet our standards for security, available features, customer 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 that is 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 simple and easy to use, which 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 makes it accessible for everyone. Using this 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. Keep reading to learn more about what’s available with Big Cartel’s free plan.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Geared toward artists
- Customer support available for all users
Cons
- Limited products
- Not scalable
- Limited integrations
Pricing
In this article, we will be focusing primarily on Big Cartel’s free plan, but it’s important that you know about its paid plans as well. Big Cartel keeps pricing for 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
- Use your own domain
- Google Analytics
- Full code customization
- Inventory tracking
- Discount codes
- Automatic tax calculations
- Advanced tax settings
- Product option groups
Features
As we’ve mentioned, Big Cartel is a simple selling solution. It aims to provide sellers with an easy-to-use platform, and part of the way Big Cartel accomplishes this mission is by including only the features that most merchants need to sell online. You won’t find any fancy bells and whistles here — just the basics. Here are a few of the features you can expect from Big Cartel:
- Sell on Facebook
- Inventory management
- SEO features, such as plain-text URLs and automatic sitemap generation
- Google Analytics
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. If you have some specific needs that you are trying to solve, Big Cartel might not be the right option. Also, Big Cartel 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 the blog — are useful resources for figuring things out on your own.
When To Use Big Cartel
We think that Big Cartel is best for small businesses and artists. Because of the limits on product listings, the free plan, in particular, is best suited to hobby sellers or artists who sell only a few pieces at a time.
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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 WordPress. 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. Keep reading to learn more about why we love WooCommerce.
Pros
- Always free
- Customizable
- Scalable
- Numerous integrations available
Cons
- Limited customer support
- Site hosting not included
- Add-ons often necessary
- Steep learning curve
Pricing
WooCommerce is an open-source WordPress plugin that’s free to download and use.
That said, there are a few expenses you should account for as you implement WooCommerce. You still have to pay for your WordPress site, along with your web hosting and 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 a generally well-liked software, there are a few downsides to the platform. One downside is the learning curve that users must overcome. 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. There are 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, WooCommerce is best for businesses that want to add an online store to their WordPress site. 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.
PrestaShop is an open-source eCommerce solution with an international reach. PrestaShop allows users to sell their goods across the globe with multiple available currencies, languages, and international payment processors. As an open-source solution, PrestaShop is free to download and use, although you’ll still have to foot the bill for web hosting, support, and extensions.
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. Keep reading to learn what we like best about PrestaShop.
Pros
- Always free
- Highly customizable
- Numerous integrations
- Excellent support materials
- 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 account 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:
- Inventory management
- Filtered search
- Tax calculation
- Create coupons and discounts
- Sell internationally
- Reports and analytics
Despite these positives, however, PrestaShop is not a perfect solution. The 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 needed. Also, to get the best use of the software, you need to understand how to code.
Similarly, PrestaShop is like most open-source software in that 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 challenge involved with using the software, PrestaShop is best suited to mid-size businesses that have the resources to hire a developer. PrestaShop is great 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. Now, Square is expanding its offerings to provide sellers with an omnichannel selling platform. You can now create an online store that connects seamlessly with Square’s 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 it also offers a few paid plans that include additional features and payment processing options. We’ve been impressed with Square Online Store 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
- Only one payment option
Pricing
Square Online Store’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 $16/month to $79/month. These paid plans include additional features, storage, and payment processing options (lower processing rates and access to PayPal processing).
Square Online Store’s free plan includes:
- 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (via Square)
- Unlimited products
- Automatic inventory, orders and items sync with Square POS
- Instagram integration
- Pinterest integration
- Free SSL security
- 500MB storage
- Inventory management
- Order status text alerts
- In-store pickup
- Automatic tax calculator
- Coupon codes
- Square gift cards
- SEO features
- Lead capture and contact forms
- Order customization
- Support via a community forum, email, chat, and phone
Features
Square Online Store’s free plan gives users access to only the basic features that you need for online selling. Here’s a quick list of some available features:
- Sell digital and physical products
- Sell memberships, services, and carry-out orders
- Sync with Square POS
- Automatic tax calculator
- Create coupons and discounts
- Sell and accept gift cards
As with all free plans, Square Online Stores comes with limitations. You can only process payments through Square, and you do not get access to real-time shipping rate calculations.
Fortunately, there are no limitations placed on customer support. Customer support is available via phone, email, and live chat. There’s also the 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 Store
Square Online Store is best for merchants who already sell using Square Point Of Sale 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 the paid plan to small businesses.
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 allows you to add an 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 your pre-existing website by just copying-pasting a couple of lines of code. Ecwid allows you to sell on multiple different channels at the same time, including on social media sites, on marketplaces (such as Amazon and eBay), and in-person.
Ecwid is a very affordable platform, with the highest pricing plan set at just $30/month. It also offers a free plan, which we’ll be discussing here. Ecwid is user-friendly, which makes it 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 get access to the full selection of features, you have to subscribe to a paid plan. These plans range in price from $15/month to $35/month. Each step up in pricing includes more features, more product listings, and more available sales channels.
Here’s what’s available in Ecwid’s free plan:
- Online store
- List 10 products
- Advertising on Facebook, Google, Pinterest, and Snapchat
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Instant Site builder
- Sell on multiple sites
- Facebook pixel
- Apple Pay (via Stripe)
- GDPR compliance
- Self-help support options
Features
Ecwid’s free plan includes only the fundamentals of online selling. You can list up to ten 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:
- Sell on multiple websites and in-person
- Social media integrations
- List product variants, such as size and color
- Automatically translate your store in 50 different languages
Although Ecwid certainly has a lot to offer its users, it has a few limitations as well. The biggest drawback of Ecwid’s free plan 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 ten product listings. That makes Ecwid’s free plan suitable only for the smallest 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 their products online. Growing sellers will quickly have to transition to a paid plan, but Ecwid’s free plan is a great starting point for many.
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6. Magento
Magento
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Best for mid-size 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. In this article, we are focusing on Magento Open Source (formerly called Magento Community Edition), which is free, downloadable selling software. Magento Open Source is completely customizable, and it comes with loads of features already built-in.
As an open-source solution, Magento is not known for its ease of use. 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 mid-size businesses that have a team of software professionals on hand.
Pros
- Free to download
- Impressive feature set
- Highly customizable
- Highly 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.
However, Magento is not a “cost-free” selling solution. To get your online store running, you’ll have 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 incredible number of features, even without any add-ons. Here are a few available features:
- Coupons and discounts
- Share on social buttons
- Sell digital products and bundles
- Multi-site capabilities
- Filtered search
- Tax and shipping calculations
Unfortunately, to access these features, users have to overcome a steep learning curve. Without the support of a developer, this learning curve may be too much for some businesses. 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 Shopping Carts VS Open-Source eCommerce
All of the solutions we present above fall into one of two categories: a free plan on 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.
What Is Open-Source eCommerce?
Open-source eCommerce software platforms are software options that are made available to the general public. You can typically download the software for free, and all of the documentation that was used to build the software is available for public use. In general, open-source software is highly customizable, with strong features. Typically, companies that create open-source software make money on software extensions and technical support, rather than the sale of the software itself.
The Pros & Cons Of Open-Source eCommerce Platforms
Take a look below for the common advantages and disadvantages of open-source eCommerce platforms:
Pros
- Free to download
- Feature-rich
- Customizable
- No monthly subscription costs
Cons
- Web hosting not included
- Users manage their own security
- No personalized customer support
- More difficult to learn and use
- Developer support often required
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.
What To Look For With Good Free eCommerce Software
Here’s how to identify a secure, high-quality free software option:
- Open-Source: For open-source software, look for an option that is free to download and doesn’t make you pay for software updates. Look for lots of built-in features and a strong user community. Dive into the community forum and online reviews of the software to find out if the general opinion of the software is positive or negative.
- Cloud-Based: When it comes to free plans on cloud-based software, you should look for the ability to list at least five to ten products. Double-check that the software offers free hosting and domain names as well as customer support options. It’s also a good idea to look for affordable paid plans in case you need to upgrade from the free plan in the future.
As you look for a free eCommerce software, you should also keep your eyes peeled for warning signs that a particular software may not be worth your time. Be wary of free plans that are so limited they are largely unusable. You should also be cautious of any software that is not well-reviewed online. Software without a significant number of reviews or software with a large number of negative reviews is often out-dated and clumsy to use.
FAQs
Look below for answers to some frequently asked questions regarding free eCommerce software.
Which Free eCommerce Software Is Best?
We think the best free eCommerce software overall is WooCommerce. WooCommerce provides the tools that most businesses need to sell online, and it is relatively easy to use. For sellers who prefer an all-in-one selling solution, however, we recommend Square Online Store. This software has the advantage of including web hosting, even though the feature set is much more limited than WooCommerce’s.
Are There Free Website Builders With eCommerce Built-In?
BigCartel, Ecwid, and Square Online Store (built on Weebly’s software) all offer elements of both website building and eCommerce. However, many popular website building software, such as Wix, Weebly, and Squarespace, do not offer any free eCommerce features.
Do Any Free eCommerce Platforms Have Unlimited Products?
All open-source eCommerce platforms allow users to list an unlimited number of products. Square Online Store is the only cloud-based eCommerce solution we know of that has limitless products on its free plan (although the company does place a limit on data storage).
When Would I Have To Upgrade To Paid eCommerce Software?
Typically, you have to upgrade to paid eCommerce software to list more than ten products and access features such as real-time shipping and tax calculation. This only applies to cloud-based software since most open-source platforms are always free.
How To Choose The Right Free eCommerce Platform
Choosing the right eCommerce platform for your business is a process that involves careful consideration. To land on a great choice, you’ll have to make a number of smaller decisions along the way.
The first choice you should make is between cloud-based software and open-source software. This decision should be based on your technical experience and your preferences regarding customization. Sellers who’d 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.
Now that you’ve decided between cloud-based and open-source software, you should take some time to come up with a list of features that your business absolutely must have to be successful. These should include key features, such as 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 — make sure that your business can manage with the support options available.
Once you’ve found a few software options that might work for your business, dive into the available customer reviews. Find out if users have a generally positive experience with the platform. If not, look elsewhere!
Finally, 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 on this list, we feel confident that 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.
A Last Look At Our Top Picks
- Big Cartel
Summary - Best for makers and artists who plan to list only a few items at a time. - WooCommerce
Summary - Best for small to mid-size businesses that want to add an online store to their WordPress site. - PrestaShop
Summary - Best for mid-size businesses that can handle a technical challenge and need a way to sell internationally. - Square Online Store
Summary - Best for sellers who already use Square to process in-person payments. - Ecwid
Summary - Best for individuals and beginning sellers who need an easy-to-use platform. - Magento
Summary - Best for mid-size and large businesses that want a customizable solution and can handle a technical challenge.
Liz Hull
Liz Hull is a writer for Merchant Maverick. In her three years with Merchant Maverick, she has tested and reviewed over 40 eCommerce platforms and published two ebooks on the topic of online selling. Liz has also been published in Startup Nation and Home Business Magazine Online. Liz has a BA in English and Spanish from George Fox University.
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