Best eCommerce Platform for Small Business in 2026: Full Price Comparison
Shopify vs WooCommerce vs BigCommerce vs Wix vs Squarespace vs Square Online vs Ecwid -- real prices, transaction fees, hidden costs, and a clear verdict for small business owners.
Victor OgonyoChoosing an eCommerce platform is one of the most consequential decisions a small business owner makes. The wrong choice costs you money every month, limits your growth, and can lock you into a migration nightmare two years later. The right choice gets out of your way and lets you sell.
This guide compares every major eCommerce platform on what actually matters for small businesses: real monthly cost, transaction fees, hidden charges, ease of use, and which type of seller each platform genuinely suits. No affiliate rankings. No vague pros-and-cons lists. Just the numbers and a clear verdict.
The Platforms We're Comparing
- Shopify — the market leader, 4M+ stores
- WooCommerce — free WordPress plugin, self-hosted
- BigCommerce — Shopify's closest competitor
- Wix eCommerce — drag-and-drop builder with commerce
- Squarespace Commerce — design-first platform
- Square Online — best free plan, hybrid retail/online
- Ecwid by Lightspeed — add-on store, cheapest entry point
- Weebly — basic builder, now part of Square
Pricing at a Glance
Monthly Platform Fees (Annual Billing)
| Platform | Entry Plan | Mid Plan | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | $29/mo (Basic) | $79/mo (Grow) | $299/mo (Advanced) |
| WooCommerce | ~$10--25/mo (hosting) | ~$30--60/mo | ~$60--200/mo |
| BigCommerce | $29/mo (Standard) | $79/mo (Plus) | $299/mo (Pro) |
| Wix | $29/mo (Core) | $39/mo (Business) | $159/mo (Business Elite) |
| Squarespace | $16/mo (Basic) | $39/mo (Plus) | $99/mo (Advanced) |
| Square Online | Free | $49/mo (Plus) | $149/mo (Premium) |
| Ecwid | Free (5 products) | $29/mo (Venture) | $119/mo (Unlimited) |
| Weebly | $10/mo (Personal) | $12/mo (Pro) | $26/mo (Performance) |
Transaction Fees (Platform Fee on Top of Payment Processing)
This is where platforms make or lose their value for small businesses. A 2% platform transaction fee on $10,000/month in sales costs $200/month -- more than many plan subscriptions.
| Platform | Entry Plan Fee | Mid Plan Fee | Advanced Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | 2% (non-Shopify Payments) | 1% | 0.6% |
| WooCommerce | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| BigCommerce | 2% (from June 2026, Open Providers) | 1% | 0.6% |
| Wix | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Squarespace | 2% (Basic plan only) | 0% | 0% |
| Square Online | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Ecwid | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Weebly | 3% (all plans except Performance) | 3% | 0% |
Important: Shopify and BigCommerce charge 0% transaction fees if you use their built-in payment processors. The fees above apply only when using a third-party processor like PayPal or Stripe directly.
Built-in Payment Processing Rates (Online Sales)
When using the platform's own payment processor:
| Platform | Entry Rate | Mid Rate | Advanced Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify Payments | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.6% + $0.30 | 2.4% + $0.30 |
| BigCommerce (built-in) | 2.89% + $0.29 | 2.89% + $0.29 | 2.89% + $0.29 |
| Wix Payments | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Squarespace (Stripe) | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Square Online | 3.3% + $0.30 (Free) | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| WooCommerce (Stripe) | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Ecwid | Depends on gateway | Depends on gateway | Depends on gateway |
Most platforms converge on 2.9% + $0.30 for online transactions on paid plans. The real differentiator is the platform transaction fee, not the processing rate.
Platform-by-Platform Breakdown
Shopify
Monthly cost: $29--$299/month (annual billing)
Free trial: 3 days free, then $1/month for 3 months
Transaction fee: 0% with Shopify Payments, 0.6%--2% with third-party processors
Free plan: No
Shopify is the most complete eCommerce platform available. It handles everything -- storefront, checkout, payments, shipping, inventory, analytics, and an app ecosystem of 8,000+ tools. The infrastructure is enterprise-grade and the UI is polished enough for a non-technical founder to run a real store.
The catch: Apps are expensive. A functional Shopify store typically needs 5--10 apps for email marketing, reviews, upsells, SEO, and returns management. That adds $100--$400/month on top of the plan fee. The Basic plan at $29/month quickly becomes a $200--$300/month operation once you build it out properly.
Transaction fee trap: If you can't use Shopify Payments (it's not available in every country) you'll pay an extra 2% on every sale on the Basic plan. A store doing $15,000/month in sales pays $300/month in extra fees just for using PayPal. This alone makes Shopify expensive in markets where Shopify Payments isn't available.
Best for: Stores expecting to grow past $10,000/month in revenue, founders who want one platform that handles everything, and businesses in countries where Shopify Payments is available.
Avoid if: You're in a country without Shopify Payments access, you're selling very low volumes, or you need complex B2B functionality without a Plus subscription.
WooCommerce
Monthly cost: ~$10--$200/month (hosting + plugins, no platform fee)
Free trial: Hosting trials vary by provider
Transaction fee: 0% -- WooCommerce takes nothing
Free plan: Plugin is free; you pay for hosting
WooCommerce is a free plugin for WordPress. The plugin itself costs nothing. What you pay for is web hosting ($10--$100/month depending on traffic and provider), SSL certificate (often included in hosting), and any premium plugins you need.
The total cost is genuinely lower than Shopify for small stores -- if you're technical. A small WooCommerce store with good shared hosting, Stripe for payments, and two or three free plugins can run for $15--$30/month. That's hard to beat.
The real cost: Time and technical maintenance. WooCommerce requires you to manage software updates, security patches, plugin compatibility, backups, and server performance. When things break (and they do), you either fix them yourself or hire someone. A developer hour costs $75--$200. Two support incidents per year wipes out a year of savings compared to Shopify.
Plugin costs add up: Premium WooCommerce extensions for subscriptions, memberships, bookings, or advanced shipping cost $100--$300/year each with annual renewals. A well-equipped WooCommerce store can spend $500--$1,500/year on plugins alone.
Best for: Technically capable founders who want maximum flexibility, lowest platform costs, and full ownership of their store. Also good for businesses already on WordPress.
Avoid if: You're not technical, you don't want to manage servers, or you need reliable support when things break.
BigCommerce
Monthly cost: $29--$299/month (annual billing)
Free trial: 15 days
Transaction fee: 0% with preferred payment providers; 0.6%--2% with Open Providers (from June 2026)
Free plan: No
BigCommerce is Shopify's closest true competitor. The plans are priced identically ($29/$79/$299 annually), but the platforms differ meaningfully in what's included.
BigCommerce includes more features natively -- product reviews, gift cards, real-time shipping quotes, faceted search, and multi-currency -- without needing apps. This means a BigCommerce store often needs fewer third-party apps than an equivalent Shopify store, which reduces the real monthly cost.
The June 2026 change: BigCommerce is introducing transaction fees (2%/1%/0.6% by plan tier) for stores using "Open Payment Providers" (essentially any processor outside their preferred partner list). This significantly changes the value proposition for stores that previously chose BigCommerce specifically to avoid Shopify's third-party processor fees. Stores using BigCommerce's preferred embedded payment partners still pay 0% transaction fees.
Limits: BigCommerce has annual revenue caps per plan. Exceed them and you're automatically upgraded to the next tier. Standard plan is capped at $50,000/year in sales. Plus at $180,000/year. Pro at $400,000/year. For a fast-growing store, this can force unexpected plan upgrades.
Best for: Mid-market sellers who need strong built-in features without app costs, B2B sellers, and stores with complex product catalogs.
Avoid if: You're just starting out (15-day trial is short) or expect to exceed the revenue caps quickly.
Wix eCommerce
Monthly cost: $29--$159/month (annual billing)
Free trial: Free website plan (no eCommerce)
Transaction fee: 0% on all plans
Free plan: Website only, no eCommerce
Wix is the most beginner-friendly platform on this list. Its drag-and-drop editor is genuinely easy to use, and you can build a store without touching any settings that feel technical. The Core plan at $29/month gives you eCommerce, unlimited products, and 0% transaction fees.
What you give up: Wix's app market is smaller than Shopify's, advanced analytics are limited, and customisation is constrained by the drag-and-drop model. For stores with complex needs -- subscriptions, wholesale pricing tiers, complex inventory -- Wix runs out of capability quickly.
Payment processing: Wix Payments charges 2.9% + $0.30 for Visa/Mastercard, but 3.7% + $0.30 for American Express -- higher than Shopify on Amex. PayPal through Wix charges 3.49% + $0.49, which is steep.
Best for: Beginners selling under 200 products, service businesses with an online store component, and founders who prioritise design and ease of use over commerce features.
Avoid if: You expect significant volume, need complex product options, or sell internationally at scale.
Squarespace Commerce
Monthly cost: $16--$99/month (annual billing)
Free trial: 14 days
Transaction fee: 2% on Basic plan; 0% on Plus and Advanced
Free plan: No
Squarespace is the platform designers choose. Its templates are genuinely beautiful and the editor produces polished results without custom CSS. For brand-conscious small businesses -- photographers, jewellery makers, fashion boutiques -- it looks better out of the box than any other platform.
The 2% Basic plan fee is a problem. At $16/month, the Basic plan sounds affordable, but a 2% transaction fee on a $5,000/month store costs $100/month. The Plus plan at $39/month eliminates it. For any store doing more than $1,150/month in sales, the Plus plan pays for itself entirely through the saved transaction fee.
Commerce limitations: Squarespace lacks an equivalent to Shopify's app ecosystem. What you see is mostly what you get. Advanced features like abandoned cart recovery, subscriptions, and real-time shipping rates require higher tiers or aren't available at all.
Best for: Design-first businesses, photographers, portfolio stores, and small boutiques selling under 100 products.
Avoid if: You need extensive third-party integrations, complex inventory management, or expect rapid scaling.
Square Online
Monthly cost: Free, $49/month (Plus), $149/month (Premium)
Free trial: Permanent free plan available
Transaction fee: 0% on all plans
Free plan: Yes -- unlimited products, Square branding on site
Square Online is the only major platform with a genuinely useful free plan. You can sell unlimited products with no monthly fee. The catch is a higher processing rate on the free plan (3.3% + $0.30 vs 2.9% + $0.30 on paid plans) and Square branding on your store.
The real strength is hybrid retail. Square's ecosystem connects your online store to a physical point-of-sale seamlessly. Inventory syncs automatically between your in-store Square POS and your online store. For businesses with both physical and online presence, this integration is hard to replicate elsewhere without custom work.
Limitations: Square Online is not a serious eCommerce platform for pure online businesses. The storefront customisation is limited, the app ecosystem is thin, and SEO capabilities lag behind Shopify and WooCommerce.
Best for: Restaurants, cafés, local retailers, and service businesses that primarily sell in person but want an online presence. Also the best option for testing an idea before committing to a paid platform.
Avoid if: You're a pure online retailer expecting growth, or you need a professional brand presentation.
Ecwid by Lightspeed
Monthly cost: Free (5 products), $5/mo (Starter), $29/mo (Venture), $49/mo (Business), $119/mo (Unlimited) -- annual billing
Free trial: Permanent free plan
Transaction fee: 0% on all plans
Free plan: Yes -- 5 products, basic features
Ecwid's key differentiator is that it works as an add-on to any existing website -- WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, or a custom site. If you already have a website and just want to add a store, Ecwid is the cleanest way to do it without rebuilding everything.
The pricing is the most graduated on this list. The free plan supports 5 products, which is useless for most stores but fine for testing. The Venture plan at $29/month supports unlimited products and is functionally complete for most small stores.
No transaction fees at any tier. Ecwid takes nothing on top of payment processing, which is rare at this price point.
Limitations: Ecwid doesn't replace a full platform. It doesn't have its own CMS, blog, or marketing tools. You need to manage those elsewhere. Customer support is limited on lower tiers.
Best for: Businesses that want to add a store to an existing website, budget-conscious sellers, and anyone running a very small catalog.
Avoid if: You want a unified all-in-one platform or need strong built-in marketing tools.
Weebly
Monthly cost: $10--$26/month (annual billing)
Free trial: Free plan (limited eCommerce)
Transaction fee: 3% on Personal and Pro plans; 0% on Performance
Free plan: Yes, with 3% transaction fee
Weebly is the weakest platform on this list for serious eCommerce. The 3% transaction fee on all plans except the top tier is punishing -- a store doing $5,000/month pays $150/month in platform fees before payment processing costs. The Performance plan eliminates fees but at $26/month doesn't offer much over competitors.
Since Square acquired Weebly, development has slowed. The platform feels dated compared to modern alternatives.
Best for: Very small hobby stores or personal brand pages where volume is under $1,000/month.
Avoid if: You're serious about eCommerce. The 3% fee structure makes almost every other option better.
Total Real Monthly Cost Comparison
This is what matters: not the plan price, but what you actually spend to run a functioning store.
Scenario: New Small Business, $3,000/Month in Sales, 50 Products
| Platform | Plan Cost | Processing Fee | Platform Fee | Apps/Plugins | Total/Month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify Basic | $29 | $117 | $0* | $80 | $226 |
| WooCommerce | $20 (hosting) | $117 | $0 | $40 | $177 |
| BigCommerce Standard | $29 | $117 | $0* | $30 | $176 |
| Wix Business | $39 | $117 | $0 | $20 | $176 |
| Squarespace Plus | $39 | $117 | $0 | $0 | $156 |
| Square Online Plus | $49 | $117 | $0 | $0 | $166 |
| Ecwid Venture | $29 | $117 | $0 | $10 | $156 |
*Using built-in payment processor. Third-party processor adds 2% ($60/month) on Shopify Basic.
Scenario: Growing Store, $15,000/Month in Sales, 200+ Products
| Platform | Plan Cost | Processing Fee | Platform Fee | Apps/Plugins | Total/Month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify Grow | $79 | $420 | $0* | $200 | $699 |
| WooCommerce | $50 (hosting) | $435 | $0 | $100 | $585 |
| BigCommerce Plus | $79 | $434 | $0* | $80 | $593 |
| Wix Business | $39 | $435 | $0 | $60 | $534 |
| Squarespace Plus | $39 | $435 | $0 | $30 | $504 |
| Square Online Plus | $49 | $435 | $0 | $20 | $504 |
| Ecwid Business | $49 | $435 | $0 | $40 | $524 |
*Using built-in payment processor.
Feature Comparison for Small Businesses
| Feature | Shopify | WooCommerce | BigCommerce | Wix | Squarespace | Square Online | Ecwid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | Plugin free | No | No | No | Yes | Yes (5 products) |
| No transaction fees | Yes* | Yes | Yes* | Yes | Yes (Plus+) | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in blog | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited | No |
| Abandoned cart | Basic+ | Plugin | Standard+ | Business+ | Advanced | Plus | Venture+ |
| Subscriptions | App needed | Plugin | App needed | App needed | Advanced | No | Business+ |
| POS integration | Strong | Plugin | Third-party | Limited | Limited | Best-in-class | Third-party |
| App ecosystem | Excellent (8,000+) | Excellent | Good | Limited | Limited | Limited | Limited |
| Multi-currency | Yes | Plugin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| SEO tools | Strong | Strong | Strong | Good | Good | Weak | Limited |
| Ease of use | Good | Poor (technical) | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Good |
| Support quality | 24/7 | Community | 24/7 | 24/7 | 24/7 | Business hours | Limited |
*With built-in payment processor
The Verdict: Which Platform Is Best for Small Business Owners?
There is no single best platform. But there is a best platform for your specific situation.
Best overall for small businesses: Shopify
If you're launching a store and expect to grow, Shopify is the right default. It's not the cheapest entry point, but it's the most complete -- reliable infrastructure, the best app ecosystem, strong SEO, and a checkout experience that converts well. Use Shopify Payments to eliminate transaction fees and start on Basic. You can run a serious store for $150--$250/month all-in.
The one exception: if Shopify Payments isn't available in your country, the extra transaction fees make Shopify significantly more expensive. In that case, BigCommerce or WooCommerce is a better fit.
Best for lowest cost: WooCommerce (if technical) or Squarespace (if not)
WooCommerce has no platform fees and no transaction fees. At $15--$30/month for hosting, it's the cheapest way to run a real store -- if you're comfortable managing WordPress, keeping software updated, and troubleshooting when things break.
If you're not technical, Squarespace Plus at $39/month offers 0% transaction fees, beautiful templates, and no app complexity for a simple store. For stores doing under $8,000/month in sales, the total cost often beats Shopify.
Best for beginners with no budget: Square Online
The free plan is real. You can sell unlimited products with no monthly fee. Yes, the processing rate is higher (3.3% + $0.30) and the store looks basic, but for testing a product idea before committing to a paid platform, nothing else comes close.
Best for hybrid retail (online + physical store): Square Online
Square's POS integration is unmatched at this price point. If you sell in person and online, Square keeps your inventory, sales, and customer data in one place automatically.
Best for design-focused small businesses: Squarespace
Photography studios, jewellery brands, fashion boutiques, and design consultancies look better on Squarespace than anywhere else. The templates are genuinely superior and require no design skills to produce professional results.
Best for adding a store to an existing site: Ecwid
If you already have a website and just want to bolt on a store without rebuilding everything, Ecwid is the cleanest solution. It plugs into any existing site and charges 0% transaction fees.
What to Look For Before You Decide
1. Is the built-in payment processor available in your country?
Shopify Payments and Wix Payments are not available everywhere. If you're outside the US, UK, Canada, or Australia, check availability before choosing. A 2% transaction fee changes the entire cost calculation.
2. What is your expected monthly sales volume?
At under $2,000/month, the plan cost dominates. At over $10,000/month, the transaction fee and processing rate dominate. Calculate your expected total cost at your projected sales volume, not just the plan price.
3. Do you need physical retail?
Square Online is the clear choice for hybrid retail. Shopify POS is strong but more expensive. WooCommerce with a Square or Stripe terminal is workable but requires setup.
4. How technical are you?
WooCommerce can save you $100/month. It can also cost you 10 hours of frustration when a plugin breaks. Be honest about your technical capability and time cost before choosing the cheapest option.
5. Do you need subscriptions or memberships?
Most platforms require an expensive third-party app for subscription billing. Exceptions: Ecwid Business includes it natively, WooCommerce has WooCommerce Subscriptions ($199/year), and Squarespace Advanced includes it. If subscriptions are central to your model, factor this in.
Quick Decision Guide
| If you are... | Choose... |
|---|---|
| Launching your first store, expecting growth | Shopify Basic |
| Technical, want lowest cost, full control | WooCommerce |
| Testing an idea with zero budget | Square Online (Free) |
| Running a physical store + online | Square Online |
| Design-first brand, small catalog | Squarespace Plus |
| Adding a store to an existing website | Ecwid |
| Mid-size store, complex catalog, avoiding app costs | BigCommerce Standard |
| Beginner, simple store, easy to use | Wix Business |
The Bottom Line
For most small business owners launching in 2026, the decision comes down to three platforms:
- Shopify if you want the most complete ecosystem and expect to grow
- Squarespace if you want simplicity, good design, and low fees for a small store
- Square Online if you have zero budget or run a physical business
WooCommerce is the best option on pure cost -- but only if you're comfortable with the technical overhead. BigCommerce is a solid Shopify alternative for mid-market sellers, especially now that Shopify and BigCommerce match on pricing and BigCommerce includes more features natively.
Avoid Weebly for anything serious. The 3% transaction fee is too high to justify, and the platform hasn't kept pace with competitors.
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