Unlock Success with the Top 10 Ecommerce Platforms for Small Businesses

As you know, setting up your online store can be very difficult these days. From routine business, you now need to figure out the best e-commerce strategy to help you sell more online. But it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the many options. If you’ve made up your mind or are ready to create a small business, you’ve come to the right place! In this guide, BSS Commerce will introduce you to the 10 best eCommerce platforms for small businesses like yours. For each, we’ll discuss key features, pricing information, ease of use, and more. By the time you have finished reading, we hope you’ll have a clearer idea of ​​which platform might best suit your specific needs and budget. Let’s get started.

What Is an E-Commerce Platform?

Do you know how those big online retailers are able to sell so many things so easily on the internet? Well, they use a really useful tool called an e-commerce platform. Essentially, an ecommerce platform is like an all-in-one online store management system. It gives you everything you need to display your products, take payments, track orders, ship items, and more. The best thing is you don’t have to know any code. Leading ecommerce platforms for small businesses include Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce.

An ecommerce platform is a digital store manager that helps you build your store in an easy way. It brings all the important online selling pieces together in one convenient place. Now you have no excuse not to start your own online store!

Top 11 Best Ecommerce Platforms For Small Business

Platform	Start Price	Rating	Best For	Free Trial	Channel Integration for Sales
Magento 2	$0	4.6/5	Large online store	15 days	Shopify, BigCommerce, Amazon, eBay, Walmart
Shopify	$29/month	4.4/5	Dropshipping, Multi-channel	3 days	Google, Walmart, eBay, Amazon, Facebook, Instagram.
Wix	$17/month	4.2/5	Individual business, No coding exp	No free trial	Yandex Metrica, Google Ads, Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel
Shift4Shop	$0	4.2/5	Enterprise merchants	No free trial	Most major marketplaces and POS systems
Square Online	$0	4.3/5	Startups, Seamless online-offline	30 days	Google Shopping, Instagram, and Facebook
BigCommerce	$39/month	4.2/5	Large eCommerce stores	15 days	eBay, Amazon, Google Shopping, Facebook, Etsy, Instagram
Weebly	$0	4.1/5	Small business, Inventory management	No free trial	Facebook, HubSpot, Gmail, ActiveCampaign, Google Sheets, Salesforce
Squarespace	$16/month	4.4/5	Designer, Photographer, Artists	14 days	Amazon, Etsy, eBay, Google Actions
Ecwid	$0	4.4/5	Individual retailers, SMB	No free trial	eBay, Amazon, Walmart, Facebook, Tiktok
WooCommerce	$0	4.4/5	WordPress users	14 days	Google Shopping, Etsy, eBay, Facebook, Amazon, Pinterest, Walmart
CoreCommerce	$0	4.1/5	Mid-large size eCommerce	15 days	eBay, Amazon, Google, Facebook

Magento 2

Magento 2 – one of the Top 7 B2B Open Source ECommerce Platforms – offers a flexible ecommerce platform for small businesses with robust product management and powerful promotions to help drive online sales. As a customizable open-source platform, small businesses can use Magento 2’s drag-and-drop page builder and extensive extension library to design a unique online storefront within their budget. Its multi-store and currency features allow small businesses on Magento 2 to easily expand into new markets and reach more customers internationally as their business grows.

Key Features:

• Flexible design and layout configurations
• Robust product management
• Advanced promotions and discounts
• Multi-store and website support
• SEO-friendly URLs and sitemaps
• Payment and shipping integration
• Robust reporting and analytics
• APIs and integration capabilities

Pros:

• Highly customizable and flexible
• Large ecosystem of extensions
• Robust development services
• Supports B2B, B2C, and hybrid commerce
• Scalable for high traffic volumes
• API for integrations and customizations

Cons:

• Complex to set up and maintain
• Steep learning curve for non-developers
• Expensive for small merchants
• Slow performance without optimization
• Requires developers for custom work
• Not suitable for small businesses

Pricing:

• Magento Open Source: Free and open source
• Magento Commerce Cloud: Subscription starts at $40,000 annually
• Includes support, updates and upgrades
• Pricing depends on store size, sales volume and customization needs
• Additional costs for extensions, hosting, updates etc. may apply

Looking to enhance your online store’s performance and capabilities? Explore the world of BSS Commerce Magento 2 development services! Our experts are here to empower your e-commerce business with top-notch solutions, customizations, and enhancements. Elevate your Magento 2 store to new heights. Let’s build success together!

Shopify

Shopify is one of the top ecommerce platforms for small businesses and startups. It requires no technical skills to build an online store using their drag-and-drop theme editor and app extensions. Shopify also handles the complex backend functions like payments, fulfillment and customer support. With scalable plans starting free and only charging fees once a sales threshold is met, Shopify is the most affordable and user-friendly Dropshipping platform for beginners to test their online concepts.

Key Features:

• No coding skills needed.
• Offers many payment gateway and shipping carrier integrations.
• Includes various customizable themes and templates.
• Built-in tools like analytics and reports for marketing, SEO and insights.
• Many apps and extensions.

Pros:

• Easy to use for those new to ecommerce.
• Customizable without technical knowledge.
• Scales well as businesses grow without limits.
• Good security and compliance.
• Provides Shopify analytics and reporting.
• Excellent support options available.

Cons: 

• Expensive transaction fees
• Limited control compared to self-hosted ecommerce platforms
• More costs for more advanced features and customization
• Can be overwhelming with huge app selection
• Extra money for some themes and templates

Pricing:

• Free 14-day trial
• Basic Shopify plan: $29/month
• Shopify plan: $79/month
• Advanced Shopify plan: $299/month
• Shopify Plus (enterprise): Custom pricing
• Additional costs for apps, custom themes, extensions
• Transaction and storage fees vary by plan

Wix

Wix is  among top best free website builder for ecommerce that allows anyone to create an attractive ecommerce storefront or online presence regardless of technical experience. Business owners can customize their site visually using Wix’s drag-and-drop editor and large library of templates and design elements. Wix also offers basic ecommerce tools and integrations for managing orders, inventory and payments. With plans starting at a low monthly rate, Wix provides an affordable all-in-one top ecommerce platform for small businesses to establish and maintain an online presence without backend knowledge.

Key ​​Features:

• AI-powered visual editor for responsive design.
• Integrated SEO tools like keywords, images and analytics.
• Robust blogging with publishing workflows.
• Host events, live chat and online communities.
• Sell subscriptions, memberships and dropship printed goods.
• Payment processing and email marketing.
• Mobile-first templates for all devices.
• Intuitive interface without coding.

Pros:

• Intuitive interface for beginners
• All-inclusive pricing with domain & hosting
• Unlimited bandwidth, storage and products
• Large catalog of templates
• Affordable starter plans
• Robust help center and forums
• Automatic updates and backups

Cons:

• Design and customization limits
• Storage capped at 50GB in basic plans
• Expensive for unlimited storage
• Limited integrations vs Shopify
• No in-person point of sale system

Pricing:

• Free plan with ads and storage limit
• Combo plan: $13/month
• Business basic: $17/month
• Business Unlimited: $25/month
• Business VIP: $35/month (500GB storage)

Shift4Shop

Shift4Shop is an online store builder and payment processing platform that offers merchants a complete ecommerce solution in one integrated system, making it one of top ecommerce platforms for small business. The fully hosted platform allows users to set up an online store without website development skills. Shift4Shop also seamlessly handles the complexities of payment processing, thereby saving retailers time and money. With simple monthly plans and competitive transaction rates, Shift4Shop provides small brands an affordable single platform to sell digitally and manage orders, inventory and finances.

Key Features:

• Robust free plan for US customers
• Built-in payment processor Shift4Payments
• Advanced ecommerce and business features similar to Shopify
• 50+ mobile-responsive themes
• Built-in blog
• Facebook Shop integration

Pros:

• Full-featured free plan for qualifying US merchants
• No transaction fees when using Shift4Payments
• Advanced sales and marketing options included

Cons:

• Mixed customer reviews on support
• Dashboard and website builder reported as outdated/clunky
• No mobile app
• Free plan limited to US merchants

Pricing:

• End-to-End (Free) – Unlimited users, no sales limit. Shift4Payments transactions at 2.9% + 30 cents fee. US merchants only.
• Basic ($29/month) – Two users, up to $100k annual sales
• Plus ($79/month) – Five users, up to $250k annual sales, marketing options
• Pro ($229/month) – Five users, up to $1M annual sales, same features as free plan except fraud protection

Square Online

Square Online is a versatile ecommerce platform that allows merchants to build customized online stores to complement their physical business or enable sole proprietors to sell entirely online. Startups can get up and running at no cost with Square’s free starter plan that supports basic selling tools. Square also provides commerce APIs and development resources that allow technical founders to customize functionality to their specific needs. Overall, Square Online’s flexibility and lack of setup fees make it a top ecommerce option as one of the best ecommerce platforms for startups.

Key Features:

• Sell online and in-person from same platform
• Sync online and offline sales
• Pickup, delivery and local shipping options
• Embedded shopping cart for existing sites
• Native shipping tool and label printing

Pros:

• Integrated POS and online store
• Free basic website and store
• One-click in-app purchases
• Local selling and fulfillment features

Cons:

• Basic site builder and customization
• Limited third-party integrations
• Square branding on free plans
• Premium plans can get pricey

Pricing:

• Free ($0) – Basic website builder and store
• Performance ($29/month) – Add PayPal, customized store
• Premium ($79/month) – Real-time shipping rates

BigCommerce

BigCommerce offers powerful features such as marketing automation, inventory management, and native apps. Merchants can choose optimized store templates or customize the design without code. As a fully-hosted platform with affordable monthly plans, BigCommerce provides small businesses with a complete online selling solution. As a result, it is one of the best online ecommerce platforms for small businesses.

Key Features:

• 65+ payment gateway options
• Zero transaction fees
• Best-in-class product management
• 15 days free trial
• Integrations with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Google Shopping etc.
• Seller tools for order, customer and inventory management via mobile app
• Third party POS integrations available

Pros:

• No transaction fees
• Advanced customization options
• Robust SEO and social selling capabilities
• Multicurrency and multi-storefront support
• Real-time shipping quotes available on basic plan

Cons:

• Customization tools aren’t beginner friendly
• Plans have sales volume limits
• No abandoned cart recovery in Standard plan

Pricing:

• Standard plan: $39/month (up to 3 stores, payment integrations)
• Plus plan: $105/month  (abandoned cart saver, up to 5 stores)
• Pro plan: $399/month  (product filtering, up to 8 stores)
• All plans include unlimited products, storage, bandwidth and third party support

Weebly

Weebly is a top ecommerce platform for small businesses due to its user-friendly website building tools that allow anyone to create an attractive online storefront or website. It offers many free store templates and customization options without coding knowledge. For a low monthly fee, Weebly gives small shops an affordable solution to design and launch a successful online business.

Key Features:

• Drag-and-drop website and store builder
• 500+ themes and templates
• Integrations with APIs, CRM systems, and payment gateways
• Built-in ecommerce features like inventory management and sales reports
• Mobile-optimized responsive design

Pros:

• Intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes it easy for non-technical users
• New customizable store pages and product blocks added for better design
• Perks like SEO tools, chat integration, email marketing
• Affordable pricing even on basic plans

Cons:

• Limited customization options compared to self-hosted platforms
• Basic plans have limitations on storage, products, page views
• Customer support could be better for business users
• Missing advanced features of top platforms like Shopify

Pricing:

• Free 0$: 500MB storage, 3% transaction fee
• Personal ($13/month): Includes 10GB storage, 500 pageviews/month
• Professional ($16/month): Unlimited storage, products, pageviews and marketing tools
• Performance ($29/month): Includes all Professional features, up to 100 memberships

Squarespace

Squarespace is highly rated as one among top best ecommerce platforms for small businesses since it enables anyone to look professionally online quickly via beautifully designed store templates. Merchants gain tools for selling, inventory management, and promotions through the intuitive interface without tech skills. As a complete hosted platform starting at $16 per month, Squarespace presents small brands an elegant and affordable way to establish and grow your online presence.

Key Features:

• Excellent, easy-to-use website builder
• Ability to sell physical, digital, services, subscriptions, memberships, and courses
• Custom work order tools
• Print-on-demand drop shipping
• Merchandising features
• Advanced SEO tools

Pros:

• Highly rated templates
• Easy to use
• Ability to sell on Instagram and Facebook

Cons:

• High transaction fees without upgrading
• Moderate customization freedom
• No phone support

Pricing:

• $16/month for Personal
• $23/month for Business plan (unlimited products but no shipping calculator or social media sales, 3% transaction fee)
• $27/month for Basic Commerce plan (removes extra fee, allows social media sales and more analytics)
• $49/month for Advanced Commerce plan (adds shipping calculator and abandoned cart recovery, sell subscriptions)

Ecwid

Small businesses can start selling on a website with an easy-to-use platform Ecwid. Its ecommerce store widgets can be embedded across numerous selling channels for unified multi-channel commerce. As a monthly subscription starting at just $9.95 per month, Ecwid is affordable and ideal for small companies needing a simple way to integrate selling capabilities into their existing websites.

Read more: The Best Platform To Sell Digital Products For Maximizing Profits

Key Features:

• The forever-free plan has no trial period, paid plans do not offer trials.
• It integrates with Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Walmart and eBay for sales.
• Apps allow for store management and in-person sales.
• Third party integrations exist for point-of-sale systems like Vend and Clover.
• Standouts include adding checkout to any site, unlimited variants, and free shipping calculators.

Pros:

• Products can be sold across various channels like websites, social media and in-person.
• The free version does not show ads.
• Shipping rates from major carriers are provided at no additional cost.

Cons:

• The free tier is limited in inventory and tracking abilities.
• Customer assistance options are constrained.
• Customization potential is restricted.

Pricing:

• The free option allows 10 products and store creation/integration.
• Venture at $19/mo permits 100 physical items and connecting to other venues.
• Business at $39/mo has the same features as Venture plus more inventory.
• Unlimited for $99/mo gives unlimited inventory and priority support.

WooCommerce

WooCommerce is widely used by small businesses. It is considered one of the top ecommerce platforms for small business due to the flexibility and controls it provides as a free and open-source WordPress plugin. Small businesses can create attractive online stores without technical skills and benefit from WooCommerce’s large library of extensions and integrations to customize functionality. The open-source nature and premium support options make WooCommerce highly scalable and cost-effective for growing small business needs.

Key Features:

• Open source – limitless customization, developer friendly
• Most feature-packed free ecommerce platform
• Ability to show customer product reviews and ratings
• Extensive third-party integrations and unlimited storage

Pros:

• Free to use
• Jam-packed ecommerce features at no cost
• Large developer community and plugins

Cons:

• Steep learning curve, meant for developers not beginners
• Requires self-hosting on WordPress, additional costs for hosting, domain, SSL certificate
• No free customer support

Pricing:

• WooCommerce itself is free
• However, require hosting, domain name, SSL certificate which have additional costs
• Hosting costs around $10-30 per month
• Domain name $10-35 annually
• SSL certificate $50-150 annually
• Paid plugins for additional features priced separately

CoreCommerce

As a flexible all-in-one ecommerce platform, CoreCommerce offers startups an effective solution to quickly launch and scale an online business. It provides the core features needed to start selling online along with opportunities for developers to customize functionality through its open API. With reasonable monthly pricing and a focus on small business needs, CoreCommerce presents one of the best ecommerce platforms for small business and startup.

Key Features:

• Drag and drop page builder and theme editor
• Product and inventory management
• Multi-vendor marketplace support
• Subscription and recurring billing options
• Integrations with over 100+ apps

Pros:

• Highly customizable through code-level customizations
• Robust analytics and reporting tools
• Dedicated success manager and email support
• Compliant with global tax and currency standards

Cons:

• Steeper learning curve than Shopify
• Expensive compared to Shopify
• Few free developer tools and integrations

Pricing:

• $0 – Free for new shopping cart clients
• $29/month – Pioneer for 10 products
• $79/month – Pro for up to 300 products
• $229/month – Pro Plus Unlimited for unlimited products

Read more: 10+ Best Wholesale ECommerce Platforms For B2B Business 

Wrap Up

And there you have it – our run-down of 10 top ecommerce options for small businesses in 2023. As you can see, there are definitely some great platforms out there. Choosing one will come down to really understanding your specific business goals and requirements. Remember that many of these providers let you test things out with a free trial before fully committing. So if you’re still unsure, be sure to give a couple a spin. Building an online business is an adventure, so finding the right tech partner to help guide your way is so important. We hope this guide has given you some valuable insights to feel confident in the choice that’s right for you and your customers.

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