Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce and Wix power a large share of small business online stores. Shopify is the hosted market leader. WooCommerce is free, open-source ecommerce on WordPress. BigCommerce includes more features out of the box. Wix offers an all-in-one site and store for smaller catalogues.
Total cost depends on apps, themes, hosting, payment fees and your time. This guide compares all four.
The bottom line
Choose Shopify for the best all-round hosted ecommerce platform. Choose WooCommerce for full control on WordPress. Choose BigCommerce for more built-in features and B2B. Choose Wix for a small store alongside a business website.
The contenders
- 1
Best overall ecommerce platformShopify8.8Editorial score 8.8 out of 10 - 2
Best for controlWooCommerce8.1Editorial score 8.1 out of 10 - 3
Best built-in featuresBigCommerce8.3Editorial score 8.3 out of 10 - 4
Best for small storesWix8.2Editorial score 8.2 out of 10
Scores are editorial assessments based on research. Prices are indicative.
Shopify
ResearchedExcellent checkout, POS and the largest app ecosystem.
Shopify provides a hosted store with themes, checkout, payments, POS and an extensive app store. It scales from first product to large brands.
Ideal for: Most online stores.
Watch out for: App costs add up.
Pros
- Excellent checkout
- Huge app store
- POS for in-person selling
Cons
- App costs add up
- Transaction fees without Shopify Payments
WooCommerce
ResearchedFree, open-source and fully customisable on WordPress.
WooCommerce turns a WordPress site into a store. The plugin is free, with paid extensions for payments, shipping and subscriptions. You own your data and can customise anything.
Ideal for: WordPress users and developers.
Watch out for: You manage hosting and updates.
Pros
- Free and open source
- Complete control
- Huge extension ecosystem
Cons
- You manage hosting and updates
- Extension costs add up
BigCommerce
ResearchedStrong native features and B2B tools.
BigCommerce includes many features natively — product options, B2B tools, multi-storefront — with no platform transaction fees, but revenue thresholds affect plan pricing.
Ideal for: Growing and B2B stores.
Watch out for: Sales thresholds by plan.
Pros
- Rich native features
- No transaction fees
- B2B capabilities
Cons
- Sales thresholds force upgrades
- Smaller app ecosystem
Wix
ResearchedEasy design with built-in store and business apps.
Wix lets you build a website by dragging elements anywhere on the page, with templates, AI site generation, ecommerce, bookings and a large app market.
Ideal for: Small businesses selling alongside services.
Watch out for: Less scalable for large catalogues.
Pros
- Very flexible editor
- Large app market
- Bookings and ecommerce
Cons
- Templates hard to switch after launch
- Can feel cluttered
Comparison table
| Tool | Best for | Score | From (indicative) | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Best overall ecommerce platform | 8.8 | From around $29–39 / month (Basic) | No |
| WooCommerce | Best for control | 8.1 | Free plugin; hosting and extensions extra | Yes |
| BigCommerce | Best built-in features | 8.3 | From around $29–39 / month | No |
| Wix | Best for small stores | 8.2 | Free plan with Wix branding; paid from around $17 / month | Yes |
Feature matrix
| Feature | Shopify | WooCommerce | BigCommerce | Wix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | ~ $29 / month | Free plugin + hosting | ~ $29 / month | ~ $17 / month (store on business plans) |
| Hosted | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Extra transaction fees | None with Shopify Payments | None (gateway fees) | None (gateway fees) | None (gateway fees) |
| App ecosystem | Largest | Very large | Large | Large |
| POS | Shopify POS | Integrations | Integrations | Wix POS |
| B2B features | Plus / apps | Extensions | Strong | Limited |
| Best fit | Most stores | Control | Growing / B2B | Small stores |
Based on vendor documentation and public plan pages; features change often, so confirm on the plan you intend to buy.
Migrating between platforms
All four platforms import products and customers from CSV, and Shopify, BigCommerce and WooCommerce have importers or apps for each other's data. Orders, reviews and URL structures are harder: plan 301 redirects for every product and collection URL, test checkout end to end and switch at a quiet time. Expect to rebuild the theme and re-select apps or extensions rather than moving them.
Hosted vs self-hosted
Hosted platforms (Shopify, BigCommerce, Wix) handle servers, security and updates for a monthly fee. Self-hosted WooCommerce gives you full control and ownership, but you are responsible for hosting, performance, backups and security.
Total cost of ownership
- Platform subscription
- Theme (free or paid)
- Apps or extensions
- Payment processing fees
- Hosting (WooCommerce)
- Developer or agency time
How we chose
- We compared the four ecommerce platforms small businesses shortlist most often, using vendor documentation, public plan pages, trust pages and our full reviews of each product.
- Scores are the same weighted scores shown on each review; the overall score is calculated from six criteria and is never typed in by hand. Affiliate relationships have no influence on scores or order.
- We compared built-in features, app costs, payment fees, hosting and scalability.
- Matrix entries describe typical plans as of the update date. Features and limits change frequently — confirm details on the exact plan you intend to buy.
Read our full scoring methodology →
Start with your catalogue
Product count, variants and sales channels influence the right platform.
Check payment options
Compare processor fees and supported payment methods.
Test checkout
Run test orders on mobile and desktop.
Plan for SEO
Check URL structures and redirect tools.
See every option we rank in Ecommerce Platforms.
Buying checklist
Before you commit, confirm each of these on the exact plan you will buy:
- Payment options and fees
- Tax and shipping tools
- Inventory and variants
- App/plugin ecosystem
- Multichannel and POS
Avoid these mistakes: Comparing plan prices but not payment and transaction fees. Installing many apps that slow the store and add monthly costs. Not checking tax and shipping support for your markets.
Frequently asked questions
Which ecommerce platform is best for small business?
Shopify for most stores; Wix for small stores with a business website; WooCommerce for WordPress users.
Is WooCommerce free?
The plugin is free; hosting, themes and extensions cost extra.
Is BigCommerce better than Shopify?
BigCommerce has more built-in features; Shopify has a larger ecosystem and POS.
Can I sell in person?
Shopify and Wix offer POS; WooCommerce and BigCommerce integrate with POS systems.
Which is easiest?
Wix and Shopify are easiest for beginners.
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