If you want to start an online business or if you're dissatisfied with your current website host, you've got to be wondering: 'What is the best ecommerce platform?'
It's a critical question.
What's more, many of the top ecommerce platforms have similar features and fees. And at first, it can be incredibly challenging to spot the differences between them.
And even once you manage to identify the differences, how can you tell which ecommerce platform provider is best for your business?
This article will guide you through the essential aspects of choosing an ecommerce platform. In it, we'll explore 8 of the most popular ecommerce platforms and what they're each particularly suited for.
But first, what exactly is an ecommerce platform?
What Is An Ecommerce Platform?
Many people think of ecommerce platforms as simple online store builders. In reality, the top ecommerce platforms are software applications that enable businesses to manage online and offline sales channels, business operations, marketing, sales, and more.
Think of them as business command centers. For example, top ecommerce platforms like Shopify provide a way to do things like:
- Purchase a domain name and create a mobile-responsive ecommerce website
- Customize your website's appearance with pre-designed themes using a website builder
- Extend the functionality of your website with apps
- Sell physical products, digital products, and services
- Sell through popular online sales channels and social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Google, Amazon, and Walmart Marketplace
- Promote your offerings with digital marketing tools, discounts, and gift cards
- Sell in-person with an integrated point-of-sale (POS) solution
- Process online and offline sales using many different payment gateways
- Process orders and refunds, manage inventory, and create shipping labels
- Handle large volumes of website traffic and sales
- Translate your website into multiple languages and expand your operations internationally
- Automate tax and online security
8 of the Best Ecommerce Platforms in 2026
Now that you understand the basics, let's check out eight of the best ecommerce platforms:
1. Shopify
Best all-round ecommerce platform with everything you need to start and grow a successful business.
Shopify is the world's premier hosted solution for online retail. It provides everything you need to go from occasionally making a few sales to running a multi-million dollar ecommerce business.
You can sell on every major sales channel—from Facebook to Amazon—and get email and phone support whenever you get stuck. Plus, there are more than 8,000 Shopify apps that you can use to customize your marketing, sales, and operations until your heart's content.
It gets better: Shopify POS and Shopify hardware let you integrate your online and offline operations seamlessly.
The platform now includes powerful artificial intelligence capabilities through Shopify Magic, which helps with tasks like writing product descriptions and creating landing pages. Sidekick acts as your personal business advisor, available around the clock.
Shopify pricing is competitive and straightforward:
- Starter: $5/month
- Basic: $29/month
- Grow: $79/month
- Advanced: $299/month
- ~$15/year for a domain name
- Free trial: available
2. Wix
Best for building beautiful websites with essential ecommerce features.
Wix is primarily a hosted drag-and-drop website builder popular with small businesses in the creative space. However, it also provides ecommerce functionality.
Wix offers all the main features expected from an ecommerce platform, such as the ability to accept online payments, sell via multiple channels, track orders, and create abandoned cart campaigns.
However, it lacks many things that many ecommerce businesses would consider necessary, such as low stock alerts.
The Wix Core plan with basic ecommerce features starts at $27 per month when paid annually.
3. BigCommerce
Best for enterprise businesses that need access to many third-party integrations.
Like Shopify, BigCommerce is a hosted ecommerce platform that's simple to set up.
However, BigCommerce is focused primarily on enterprise businesses. In fact, the website's homepage is dedicated to enterprises so you'll need to click the 'Small Business' tab at the top of the page to learn more about its offerings for small and medium-sized businesses.
BigCommerce provides all the essential features of a top ecommerce platform, such as marketing tools and multichannel selling via social media sites and third-party marketplaces.
BigCommerce also has many partnerships with other services that extend its functionality. For example, it integrates with five different POS solutions. However, this means that you'll likely need to manage multiple integrations with third-party services as your business expands.
One consideration is that BigCommerce automatically upgrades your plan when your revenue exceeds certain limits. Also note that only 12 free themes are available, compared to the larger selection on other platforms.
Plans with BigCommerce start at $29 per month when billed annually.
4. Adobe Commerce
Best for larger enterprise businesses with significant technical resources and a need for granular control over their ecommerce platform.
Adobe Commerce is a popular self-hosted ecommerce platform for enterprise businesses.
It's ideal for developers who want a flexible system and complete control over every aspect of their ecommerce platform. However, Adobe Commerce also demands advanced coding and development skills.
This platform doesn't come with ready-made ecommerce capabilities out of the box. Setting up features for international transactions or connecting to various sales channels requires technical expertise. There's no mobile application for store management, and you won't find an integrated point-of-sale option either.
To learn more about Adobe Commerce's pricing, you'll need to contact sales for a custom quote.
5. WooCommerce
Best ecommerce platform for WordPress websites.
WooCommerce is a widely-used self-hosted solution for online retail.
It's actually a WordPress plugin rather than a standalone platform. For this reason, it's ideal for those who'd like to start selling through their existing WordPress website.
This flexible open-source ecommerce platform is very developer-friendly and can integrate with virtually any service.
The plugin itself is free, though you'll need to account for WordPress hosting expenses and any additional extensions you want to add. WordPress's Commerce hosting plan runs $45 monthly. Remember that extra features often require paid add-ons, and these costs can accumulate quickly.
6. Squarespace
Best drag-and-drop website builder with ecommerce functionality.
Squarespace is a website builder that provides a highly intuitive drag-and-drop editor that makes it simple to create beautiful websites.
Like Wix, Squarespace is a website builder first and an ecommerce platform second. For this reason, the functionality is somewhat limited compared to fully-fledged top ecommerce platforms like Shopify.
Still, Squarespace provides all the main ecommerce features and integrates with numerous ecommerce services, such as Stripe, PayPal, FedEx, and USPS.
One limitation is that Squarespace can only display prices in a single currency at once, which may pose challenges for businesses targeting customers across different countries. The platform also has a smaller selection of add-ons compared to competitors.
The Basic plan starts at $16 per month when billed annually.
7. Big Cartel
Best simple ecommerce platform for small-scale businesses.
Big Cartel is a hosted ecommerce website builder designed for artists and creators.
Compared to the most-used ecommerce platforms like Shopify, it has limited features. For example, you're limited to just 5 images per product.
However, Big Cartel's minimalist approach makes it very simple and easy to use. Plus, it still provides the essentials: domain registration, customizable templates, and basic marketing tools.
Big Cartel's bases its pricing on the number of products you sell:
- 5 products: Free (limited to 1 image per product)
- 50 products: $12/month when paid annually (5 images per product)
- 500 products: $24/month when [aid annually (25 images per product)
8. Square Online
Best for merchants already using Square's payment system who want to expand online.
Square Online, previously called Weebly, offers a straightforward approach to building an online store for small businesses. It works particularly well when paired with Square's payment solutions, creating a unified system for both digital and physical retail locations.
The platform features an easy-to-navigate interface and designs that adapt to mobile devices. You can begin without any upfront costs, though accessing your own web address and removing platform advertisements requires upgrading to a paid tier.
Design flexibility is more restricted on the no-cost option, and features like real-time shipping calculations only become available at higher subscription levels.
A free plan is available with transaction fees only. Paid plans start at $29 per month when billed annually.
The 2 Different Types of Ecommerce Platforms
Perhaps the most fundamental choice you need to make when choosing an ecommerce platform is whether to go with a hosted or self-hosted solution.
Here's the thing: Your choice will have enormous repercussions, so it's crucial that you make the right decision for your business.
So, which should you go with? And what is hosting exactly?
Every website is 'hosted' on a physical server somewhere. You can think of website hosting like the land a high-street store is on—it's where your ecommerce platform 'lives.'
Right, so what's the difference between self-hosted and hosted ecommerce platform providers?
1. Self-Hosted Ecommerce Platforms
This is when websites 'rent' server space from a third-party hosting provider. When you do this, you're responsible for purchasing hosting, installing your ecommerce platform of choice, and then maintaining your website's technical foundations.
In other words, self-hosting is a bit like renting a piece of land and then building a store on it—you're responsible for every aspect of the build and maintenance.
What's more, just like when building a brick-and-mortar store, you'll often need to source different things from many providers to get your website working in the way that you want. Most of these tools charge a monthly fee, and depending on the features you need, these costs can rack up pretty quickly.
Here's a real-life example of how you could set up a self-hosted ecommerce platform:
- Purchase a domain name and hosting from a third-party provider like BlueHost, GoDaddy, or SiteGround.
- Install and configure WordPress—an open-source content management system that provides a basic website framework.
- Source a website theme to customize your website's appearance. You can find many themes built by third-party developers on sites like Theme Forest.
- Install the WooCommerce ecommerce plugin.
- Add your products and begin selling
The core benefit of self-hosting is total freedom and flexibility—everything is entirely customizable.
However, self-hosted solutions also come with lots of complexity, technical demands, and responsibilities—such as managing updates, general maintenance, and bug fixes.
Consequently, self-hosting may be a good choice for you if you want granular control over every aspect of your ecommerce platform. However, you need to be technically-minded or have the budget to outsource the development and maintenance of your site to a third-party.
2. Hosted Ecommerce Platforms
Hosted ecommerce platforms take the hassle out of creating and maintaining an ecommerce platform.
Hosted providers are an all-in-one, out-of-the-box solution—every tool you need is under one roof. In other words, all you need to do is signup and sign in and your ecommerce website will be ready and waiting.
This means that you don't need to manage technical responsibilities or site maintenance as those are all handled by the ecommerce platform providers' experts.
To continue with our analogy, choosing a hosted ecommerce platform is like renting retail space in a mall. You don't need to build or maintain a property. As a result, you can focus all your attention on growing your business.
That said, some hosted solutions still enable you to customize virtually every aspect of your site's functionality. For example, the Shopify App Store is full of apps optimized to integrate with your Shopify store effortlessly.
Here's what it's like to get started with Shopify’s hosted ecommerce platform:
- Sign up for Shopify
- Log in to Shopify
- Customize your website's appearance
- Add your products and begin selling!
Bottom line, hosted solutions are designed for those who would prefer to focus on growing their business, leaving the technical aspects of setting up and managing an ecommerce platform to the experts.
Must-Have Features for Choosing Your Perfect Ecommerce Platform
When you're shopping for an ecommerce platform, think of it like making a wish list for your business. You need a platform that can handle what you do now and what you plan to do later. Here are the core features you absolutely need to check off:
Secure Checkout and Different Payment Options
Your checkout must be rock-solid secure so customers feel safe, and lightning-fast so they don't bail. Make sure the platform plays nice with all the popular payment options your customers already use and trust.
Multichannel Selling Capabilities
A good platform doesn't just manage your website;=, it lets you sell everywhere your customers are. This means connecting smoothly with your physical store (if you have one), syncing with marketplaces like Amazon, and making sure your inventory count is always accurate, no matter where a sale happens.
AI-Powered Tools
Modern ecommerce platforms use AI to take the boring stuff off your plate. Look for built-in AI help for things like writing product descriptions, cleaning up photos, and giving you smart insights about your business.
Simple Inventory and Shipping Management
Pick a platform that makes tracking stock levels, managing orders, and automating the shipping process painless. Great options for courier integrations and flexible delivery methods are non-negotiable for happy customers.
Marketing and Growth Tools
Look for features that help you get noticed on Google (SEO), connect with customers via email and social media, and easily gather those all-important customer reviews. Bonus points for cool features like loyalty programs and personalized product suggestions.
Top-Notch Security Features
Protecting your business and your customers' data is huge. Your platform needs strong defenses: think SSL certificates, the option for two-factor authentication, and compliance with all the standards required for handling payments.
Reliable Customer Support
Tech glitches happen, so you need a provider who has your back. Choose a platform that offers help 24/7 through your preferred channel—phone, email, or live chat. Plus, helpful guides and knowledge bases are great for quick fixes on your own.
Summary: Choosing the Right Ecommerce Platform
Choosing an ecommerce platform for your business can feel overwhelming at first. However, by thoroughly exploring the available options, it's possible to identify which platform suits your needs most.
In summary, here's a list of ecommerce platforms to consider in 2026:
1. Shopify: Best all-round ecommerce platform with everything you need to start and grow a successful business.
2. Wix: Best for building beautiful websites with essential ecommerce features.
3. BigCommerce: Best for enterprise businesses keen to continue using their existing third-party services.
4. Adobe Commerce: Best for enterprise companies with significant technical resources who want granular control over their ecommerce platform.
5. WooCommerce: Best ecommerce platform for WordPress websites.
6. Squarespace: Best drag-and-drop website builder with ecommerce functionality.
7. Big Cartel: Best simple ecommerce platform for small-scale businesses.
8. Square Online: Best for merchants already using Square's payment system.
Remember, there are two main types of ecommerce platforms: hosted and self-hosted.
If you're technically-minded or have the resources, choosing a self-hosted platform like WooCommerce provides ultimate control. On the other hand, if you'd prefer to focus all your attention on growing your business, it's best to choose a hosted ecommerce platform like Shopify.
Best Ecommerce Platforms FAQ
What Is the Best All-Around Ecommerce Platform for Starting a Business?
Shopify is generally considered the best all-around platform. It is a hosted solution that offers a complete, user-friendly package with essential features for sales, marketing, and growth.
What Is the Difference Between Hosted and Self-Hosted Ecommerce Platforms?
A hosted platform (like Shopify) is all-in-one; the provider manages the hosting, security, and maintenance. A self-hosted platform (like WooCommerce) requires you to manage your own hosting, security, and updates.
Which Ecommerce Platform Is Best for Businesses Already Using WordPress?
WooCommerce is the best option as it is a free, open-source plugin that transforms an existing WordPress website into a fully functional online store.