Best Shopify alternatives in 2026
These are the 6 closest tools to Shopify that we track, ordered by what they cost to start. Each entry says how its pricing differs from Shopify's — based on the numbers we hold, not on who pays us. We do not publish a quality score, because we do not have one we can stand behind.
Of the 6 alternatives on this page, 2 publish a price we could verify. The cheapest paid step among them is Ecwid at $5/mo, while Shopify starts paid at $19/mo billed annually.
Why people leave Shopify
- Transaction Fees: Charges extra commission if you don't use Shopify Payments.
- App Costs: Monthly subscription costs for apps can add up very quickly.
- Customization Limits: Deep design changes require knowledge of the 'Liquid' code.
These are the drawbacks listed in our own Shopify review — not complaints we invented for this page.
- BigCommerce
Modern headless commerce.
vs Shopify: pricier to start ($29/mo billed annually vs $19/mo billed annually).
First paid step: Core at $29/mo billed annually
Why switch to BigCommerce
- No Transaction Fees: Does not take extra commissions from your sales, unlike Shopify.
- B2B Ready: Features for wholesale are strong even in its more basic tiers.
What you give up
- Templates: The number of free themes is lower and they may not look as modern as Shopify's.
Best for: Growing Brands and B2B-Focused Retailers.
- Ecwid
Add a store to any existing website.
vs Shopify: cheaper to start ($5/mo vs $19/mo billed annually).
First paid step: Starter at $5/mo
Why switch to Ecwid
- Adds commerce without rebuilding your site
- Free tier for a few products
What you give up
- Storefront is constrained by the widget model
Best for: Businesses with a site they like that now need to sell a few things.
- Magento
Flexible enterprise commerce.
vs Shopify: priced differently (Quote only vs $19/mo).
Why switch to Magento
- Infinite Flexibility: Total control over every single line of code and customization.
- B2B Strength: A market leader in features for wholesale and dealer management.
What you give up
- Extreme Complexity: Requires an expert developer team for setup and management.
Best for: Large Corporate Brands and Complex B2B Businesses.
- Shopware
Open-source commerce platform from Germany.
vs Shopify: priced differently (Free tier vs $19/mo).
Why switch to Shopware
- Open source with full code access
- Strong B2B commerce features
What you give up
- Implementation usually needs a partner
Best for: European merchants with complex requirements who need control.
- Snipcart
Drop-in shopping cart for custom sites.
vs Shopify: priced differently (Usage-based vs $19/mo).
Why switch to Snipcart
- Works with any stack or static site
- No platform to migrate onto
What you give up
- Percentage of sales rather than flat fee
Best for: Developers adding commerce to a custom or static site.
- WooCommerce
Open-source store plugin for WordPress.
vs Shopify: priced differently (Free tier vs $19/mo).
Why switch to WooCommerce
- No platform fee on sales
- Full control over data and hosting
What you give up
- You own updates, security and performance
Best for: Businesses already on WordPress that want a store without platform fees.
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