Choosing the Right Free Shopify & Ecommerce Platform

When selecting a free Shopify & ecommerce platform, several factors should be considered to ensure a smooth and successful online store launch.

• Limitations and Restrictions: Many free plans have limitations on product listings, bandwidth, and storage. If you plan on uploading a lot of files or scaling your business quickly, be aware of these restrictions.
• Customization Options: Flexibility in customizing your online store is essential. Ensure the platform offers branding options, funnel building features, and the ability to create follow-up pages for optimal customer engagement.
• Mobile Responsiveness: Mobile devices are now the primary browsing tool for many users, so ensuring your website is optimized for mobile responsiveness is crucial. Choose a platform that offers mobile-friendly designs and features.
• Support and Customer Service: Along the way, you may encounter questions or need assistance. Look for platforms with reliable customer support, accessible through various channels like phone, email, or chat.

Top 10 Best Free Shopify & Ecommerce Website Builders

Here are 10 of the best free Shopify & ecommerce website builders available:

Square

Square Online is an eCommerce website builder from Square. You can set up a store that accepts online and in-person payments within a few minutes with Square Online. Its websites are mobile-friendly and offer an app-like shopping experience.

• Features: SEO tools, selling on social media platforms, sync with Square POS, pickup, local delivery, and shipping, personalization, subscriptions, accepts multiple payment types.
• Pricing: Free - $0/mo + (2.9% + 0.30) per transaction, Plus - $29/mo + (2.9% + 0.30) per transaction, Premium - $79/mo + (2.9% + 0.30) per transaction.
• Pros: Free setup without a trial, SEO tools included, unlimited product listings.
• Cons: Square as the payment processor, paid plan required for PayPal, custom pricing not supported.

Jimdo

Jimdo offers business owners digital tools to create a customized website, an online store, and other resources. This eCommerce website builder lets you create mobile-optimized pages and use a flexible layout to easily incorporate your branding. You can book appointments on your website and will not have to worry about transaction fees.

• Features: Shipping and local pickup options, sales and discounts, sell on Instagram and Facebook, book appointments on your website.
• Pricing: Play - $0/mo, Start - $9/mo (domain included and ad-free), Grow - $14/mo (visitor stats, SEO, and personalized support within four hours), Online Store “Business” - $18/mo (product variants, social marketing, and social selling), Online Store “VIP” - $24/mo (unlimited storage and professional design review).
• Pros: No transaction fees, receive payments via Stripe or PayPal, SSL included in all plans.
• Cons: Grow monthly plan required for visitor stats, free version displays advertisements, Play account limited to five web pages.

Weebly

Weebly is an eCommerce tool by Square that offers several features for its free plan. Business owners can unlock additional features by switching to a paid plan, but you can get most of what you need with the free option. Weebly runs ads on websites that use the free plan. It’s one of the most affordable options for businesses that want to launch online stores.

• Features: Free SSL security, ability to add a third-party embed code, unlimited items, inventory management, in-store pick-up, automatic tax calculator, coupons, SEO and lead capture.
• Pricing: Free - $0/mo, Personal - $10/mo, Professional - $12/mo, Performance - $26/mo.
• Pros: Many features in the free version, no limit on product listings, lead capture is free, create coupons and gift cards.
• Cons: Free plans have Square ads, free plans are not eligible for phone support, fewer customization options than other eCommerce website builders.

WooCommerce

WooCommerce is a free WordPress plugin that has hundreds of extensions and themes. Some of the extensions and themes cost money, but you can get started with an online store as long as you have a WordPress website. Using the plugin makes it easier to add eCommerce to your existing website instead of creating a separate website that exists outside of your WordPress website.

• Features: Supports automatic rebilling on failed subscription payments, subscribers can manage their plans without intervention, detailed reports, over 25 payment gateways, enables automatic recurring revenue.
• Pricing: Free, some extensions have one-time payments or monthly subscriptions, generate recurring revenue, set up free trials and sign-up fees.
• Pros: Hundreds of extensions available, over 70 themes available, integrate with your WordPress site through the plugin.
• Cons: WordPress site required, extensions can get expensive, several extensions may be needed for desired experience.

Ecwid

Ecwid is an eCommerce website builder powered by Lightspeed that lets businesses sell on social networks, Amazon, and eBay. The platform offers introductory features in the free plan that lets you do business and sell products, but the paid plans have far more features. You can build a new online store with Ecwid’s software or connect to any website in seconds. Business owners can even sell on the go with the company’s app for iOS and Android devices.

• Features: Online advertising - Facebook, Google, Pinterest, and Snapchat. TikTok ads for paid plans, tax invoices, mobile responsive shopping cart, instant site builder, sell simultaneously on multiple websites.
• Pricing: Free - $0/mo, Venture - $14.08/mo, Business - $29.08/mo, Unlimited - $82.50/mo.
• Pros: Free account supports an online store, unlimited bandwidth, free website templates.
• Cons: Paid plan required for selling on social networks, Amazon, and eBay, only five products listed with a free account, only chat or phone support with a paid plan.

Site123

Site123 is a beginner-friendly website builder that makes it easy to get started. The drag-and-drop editor has room for customization and can help you launch an eCommerce store quickly. The website builder has several SEO and marketing tools and robust plugins that give your website more capabilities.

• Features: Analytics, social media integrations, SEO resources, website backups, free SSL.
• Pricing: Free - $0/mo, Premium - $12.80/mo.
• Pros: Easy to use, marketing tools for visibility, great customer support.
• Cons: Paid plan required for an eCommerce store, 250 MB storage and bandwidth in the free plan, less advanced tools compared to other website builders.

Wix

Wix is an eCommerce website builder that lets you quickly launch websites and open online stores. The company offers a mix of advanced features and affordable plans. Wix offers a free plan and free website hosting, but you will have to pay to access eCommerce features.

• Features: Free domain hosting, abandoned cart recovery, customized reports, over 200 app integrations available, Site Booster improves your SEO.
• Pricing: Free - $0/mo, Light - $16/mo, Core - $27/mo, Business - $32/mo, Business Elite - $159/mo, Enterprise - Contact for pricing.
• Pros: 24/7 customer care, lists up to 50,000 products, enables payment plans and recurring payments, Site Booster helps you get discovered on Google.
• Cons: Free plans have ads and limited capabilities, storage limits on all plans, limited video hours on most plans, Core plan required for eCommerce features.

Shopify

Shopify is one of the best eCommerce website builders. The software has many features that help it stand out, but there is no permafree plan. You can get a three-day free trial and then pay $1/mo for the first three months for certain plans. After that three-month test run, you will have to pay for a monthly plan to continue using Shopify.

• Features: Over 1,200 apps and plugins, staff accounts, eCommerce automations, inventory locations, shipping discounts.
• Pricing: Starter - $5/mo, Basic - $39/mo ($1/mo for the first 3 months), Advanced - $399/mo ($1/mo for the first 3 months), Plus - $2,000/mo.
• Pros: List your Shopify catalog on social media and online marketplaces, 24/7 customer support, point of sale system, easy online store building, 1-click checkout.
• Cons: More expensive than other website builders, limited customization, challenges of switching to another platform, no email hosting.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce is another top eCommerce website builder that has plenty of great features but no permafree plan. You can get a 15-day free trial but thereafter must choose one of the plans if you want to continue using the platform. BigCommerce has affordable plans that make it easy to create websites and sell your products. All plans have 0% transaction fees and unlimited product listings.

• Features: Sell on social networks, Amazon, eBay, and Walmart, mobile responsive website, single-page checkout, multiple payment methods, reporting tools, abandoned cart saver, built-in blog.
• Pricing: Standard - $29/mo, Plus - $79/mo, Pro - $299/mo, Enterprise - Contact for pricing.
• Pros: Unlimited product listings, bandwidth, and storage, unlimited staff accounts, drag-and-drop page builder.
• Cons: No permafree plan, limited typefaces, no support for custom typefaces, limited variety in free themes.

Squarespace

Squarespace has a 14-day free trial before you have to commit to one of the company’s paid plans. The Business Plan lets you accept payments and provides additional resources to grow your audience. You can access some of the best-in-class templates with any Squarespace plan and quickly launch your website.

• Features: Mobile optimized websites, free custom domain, advanced website analytics, fully integrated eCommerce, merchandising resources to increase revenue.
• Pricing: Personal - $16/mo, Business - $23/mo, Commerce Basic - $27/mo, Commerce Advanced - $49/mo.
• Pros: Many high-quality templates available, SEO and marketing tools, easy to use.
• Cons: Limitations on customization, less plugins and extensions compared to other builders, multi-currency selling not supported.

Get the Right Shopify & Ecommerce Website Builder for Your Business

An eCommerce website builder provides greater exposure, allowing you to sell products through an online store and increase web traffic with SEO and social media. While some eCommerce website builders offer sufficient free features to get started, investing in additional features can be beneficial for growth and scalability. Choose a platform that aligns with your business goals and budget to maximize your online success.

FAQs

Can you sell anything on a free eCommerce website?

Yes, you can sell almost anything on a free eCommerce website. Each company has its own rules regarding what you can and cannot sell, but most businesses will be fine.

Can you accept payments on a free eCommerce website?

Yes, you can accept payments on a free eCommerce website.

Do you need any technical skills to create a free eCommerce website?

No, you do not need any technical skills to create a free eCommerce website. Many tools make this entire process seamless.

Can you use your own domain name for a free eCommerce website?

In some cases, you can use your own domain name for a free eCommerce website.

Are there any transaction fees associated with free eCommerce websites?

Free eCommerce websites often have transaction fees.