Building an online store doesn’t have to be complicated. The right ecommerce platform can turn your vision into a profitable business with little technical hassle.
Today’s best ecommerce website builders offer more than just a pretty website. They provide sales tools, seamless checkout experiences, and marketing features that help you grow your online store.
We’ve evaluated 10 solutions based on pricing, features, and feedback to help you make an informed choice. Whether you’re starting your first business or expanding an established brand, this guide will connect you with the perfect platform for your needs.
Ready? Explore these 10 top ecommerce builders of 2025, and consider kicking off with a free trial.
10 best ecommerce website builders
| Ecommerce builder | Monthly plans from | G2 star rating |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify | $5 | 4.4/5 |
| Shift4Shop | $39 | 3.9/5 |
| Squarespace | $16 | 4.4/5 |
| BigCommerce | $29 | 4.2/5 |
| Wix | $29 | 4.2/5 |
| Volusion | $35 | 3.2/5 |
| GoDaddy | $9.99 | 4.1/5 |
| Hostinger | $3.99 | 4.4/5 |
| WooCommerce | Free | 4.4/5 |
| Square Online | Free | 4.2/5 |
- Shopify: Best all-in-one ecommerce and retail platform
- Shift4Shop: Designed for existing brick-and-mortar retailers
- Squarespace: Features a simple drag-and-drop builder
- BigCommerce: Aimed at enterprise-level retailers
- Wix: A free builder with paid ecommerce features
- Volusion: GMV-based pricing for large merchants
- GoDaddy: Provides built-in email marketing tools
- Hostinger: Lightweight plans with unlimited storage
- WooCommerce: An ecommerce plug-in for WordPress
- Square Online: Offers free and paid plans
1. Shopify
With affordable plans, beautiful designs, and powerful selling tools, Shopify is the easiest, most reliable way to bring your business online. Its website builder has helped millions of sellers create online stores without the need for coding skills or big budgets.
Why choose this ecommerce website builder?
Each Shopify store comes with everything you need to get up and running: SSL certificates, domain hosting, more than 200 professionally designed themes, plus essential ecommerce features like the world’s best-converting checkout, simple order management, and abandoned cart recovery emails.
Use Shopify’s AI tools to streamline your store design process, create landing pages and product listings, and receive guidance on everything from shipping to analytics.
Sell unlimited products through your store and all major marketplaces and social platforms thanks to easy integrations.
Accept payments smoothly with Shopify Payments or select from more than 100 payment gateways including PayPal and Bitcoin. Boost conversions with the internet’s best accelerated checkout.
After you’ve made a sale, use Shopify Shipping to print shipping labels in one click and save up to 88% with major carriers.
Need more ecommerce tools? Explore more than 8,000 Shopify apps to extend your store’s marketing, sales, and customer support capabilities.
Plans and pricing
- Starter: $5/month (billed monthly). Ideal for quick social selling with no-code setup, basic order management, built-in analytics, and 24/7 support.
- Basic: $29/month (billed annually). Card rates: 2.9% + 30¢ online, 2.6% + 10¢ in person, 2% fee for third-party payment providers. Features include up to 77% shipping discount, 10 inventory locations, and 24/7 chat support.
- Shopify: $79/month (billed annually). Card rates: 2.7% + 30¢ online, 2.5% + 10¢ in person, 1% fee for third-party payment providers. Features include up to 88% shipping discount with insurance and five additional staff accounts.
- Advanced: $299/month (billed annually). Card rates: 2.5% + 30¢ online, 2.4% + 10¢ in person, 0.6% fee for third-party payment providers. Features include enhanced support, 15 additional staff accounts, and 10 times checkout capacity.
- Plus: $2,300/month (billed on a three-year term). Features include competitive credit card processing rates, unlimited staff accounts, priority 24/7 phone support, 200 inventory locations, and the ability to sell wholesale and B2B.
Start your Shopify free trial, no credit card required. Get three days free, then the first three months for $1/month.
Features
- Mobile-friendly designs let customers shop easily from any device
- AI tools to build and manage your online store
- Full control over HTML and CSS for those who like to tweak every detail
- SEO-optimized to help customers find you
- Simple inventory and order management
- Unlimited bandwidth means no extra fees, no matter your traffic
- Detailed analytics to guide your business decisions
- Shopify POS integration for selling in person and online
- Manage on the move with the Shopify mobile app
- Round-the-clock support via email, live chat, and phone
Pros
- User-friendly interface that’s accessible for beginners
- Scalable platform that grows with your business
- Rich selection of professional themes and templates
- Extensive app marketplace to extend functionality
- Built-in payment processing with Shopify Payments
- Reliable customer support across multiple channels
- Hosting and security handled for you
G2 rating ⭐: 4.4
2. Shift4Shop
Shift4Shop is designed for retailers looking to quickly establish an online presence. It offers a range of ecommerce tools and mobile-responsive themes, making it a practical choice for store owners.
Why choose this ecommerce website builder?
Shift4Shop focuses on providing essential ecommerce features with limited customization options. This makes it straightforward for those who prefer a structured approach to setting up their online store.
Plans and pricing
- Free plan: $0/month when processing a minimum of $1,000 per month with Shift4Shop
- Paid plan: Starting at $39/month for new customers using PayPal or other payment processors
Features
- Supports multiple payment processors
- More than 90 free templates to launch your website
- Built-in SEO tools to enhance your site’s visibility
- Abandoned cart notifications to recover potential sales
Pros
- Free plan if you process over $1,000/month with Shift4Shop
- No product limits
- No transaction fees
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Free website migration service
Cons
- Less customization flexibility compared to platforms like Shopify
- Unintuitive user interface with a learning curve
- Must process $1,000/month in sales to use free plan
G2 rating ⭐: 3.9/5
3. Squarespace
Squarespace is known for its contemporary templates and intuitive drag-and-drop builder. Upgrading to a paid plan unlocks access to the platform’s ecommerce features.
Why choose this ecommerce website builder?
Starting with a template, you can customize your site’s look by adjusting colors, text, and images to match your brand. Squarespace supports various payment methods including Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Afterpay. The Commerce Advanced plan also supports selling subscriptions and gift cards.
If you’re already using Squarespace for a non-ecommerce website, you can easily add ecommerce features with the Shopify Buy Button for $5 per month. This small piece of code lets you tap into Shopify’s extensive payment options and tracking tools.
Pricing and plans
- Basic plan: $16/month (billed annually). Includes website builder, free custom domain, Squarespace AI, up to two contributors, 2.9% + 30¢ credit card rates, 2% online store transaction fee, and 7% digital content/memberships fee.
- Core plan: $23/month (billed annually). Adds unlimited contributors, advanced analytics, CSS/JavaScript customization, 0% online store transaction fee (still 5% for digital content), professional shipping and tax services.
- Plus plan: $39/month (billed annually). Features lower credit card rates (2.7% + 30¢), reduced digital content fee (1%), and API integrations for advanced sales functionality.
- Advanced plan: $99/month (billed annually). Offers the lowest credit card rates (2.5% + 30¢), 0% transaction fees on all sales, and all premium features.
Features
- Drag-and-drop builder with a variety of templates and starter layouts
- Responsive designs that adjust to screen size and device
- Custom WYSIWYG editing for various content types
- Unlimited product listings
- Automated post-purchase email sequences
Pros
- Built-in ecommerce capabilities for online stores
- Strong security features, including SSL encryption
- Professional-looking results with minimal effort
- Mobile app for managing your site on the go
- Reliable customer support
Cons
- Fewer third-party extensions compared to Shopify
- Basic SEO tools that may not satisfy advanced users
- Limits control and flexibility
G2 rating ⭐: 4.4/5
4. BigCommerce
BigCommerce caters to large-scale businesses with its robust ecommerce tools and customizable platform, offering web hosting and extensive site customization.
Why choose this ecommerce website builder?
BigCommerce is equipped for international sales, SEO optimization, and multichannel selling across social platforms and online marketplaces.
Pricing and plans
- Standard plan: $29/month (billed annually). For businesses processing up to $50,000 in online revenue, card rates starting at 2.89% + 29¢, up to four inventory locations, ability to add three storefronts (for $30 each), unlimited products and users.
- Plus plan: $79/month (billed annually). For businesses processing up to $180,000 online revenue, card rates starting at 2.35% + 49¢, up to five inventory locations, ability to add five storefronts (for $50 each), abandoned cart emails, and customer groups.
- Pro plan: $299/month (billed annually). For businesses processing up to $400,000 online revenue, card rates at 2.35% + 49¢, up to eight inventory locations, ability to add eight storefronts (for $100 each), advanced product filters, and Google store reviews.
All plans include a 15-day free trial with 0% added payment fees and 24/7 support. An additional Enterprise plan for businesses processing at least $1 million in online revenue has custom pricing and the option to request a demo.
Features
- Visual editor for drag-and-drop customization
- Themes that can be tailored using HTML, CSS, and Javascript
- Checkout customization through API and SDK
- Support for digital wallets like Amazon Pay and Apple Pay
- Multicurrency and multilingual support for global sales
Pros
- Many premium features included at lower price points
- Over 65 payment providers serving 230 countries and more than 140 currencies
- 24/7 phone and live chat support on all plans
- Real-time shipping quotes available on all plans
Cons
- Less intuitive setup compared to competitors like Shopify
- Limited website design customization, especially with content placement
- Automatic revenue-based plan upgrades when sales exceed thresholds
- Only 12 free themes available
G2 rating ⭐: 4.2/5
5. Wix
Wix offers a non-technical website builder to create online stores. Users can build an ecommerce website using the drag-and-drop builder for free, but need to upgrade to a paid plan to start selling.
Why choose this ecommerce website builder?
Wix provides essential tools for managing your ecommerce business, including order tracking, online payment acceptance, and multichannel selling. However, the basic plan lacks advanced inventory management features like low-stock alerts and tax calculators. Stores with large inventories may want ecommerce software with more advanced inventory-tracking tools.
Pricing and plans
- Core plan: $29/month. 50 GB storage space, multicloud hosting, basic marketing suite, accept payments, basic ecommerce features, five site collaborators.
- Business plan: $36/month. 100 GB storage space, multicloud hosting, standard marketing tools, accept payments, standard ecommerce features, 10 site collaborators.
- Business Elite plan: $159/month. Unlimited storage space, multi-cloud hosting, advanced marketing tools, accept payments, advanced ecommerce features, developer platform, 100 site collaborators.
All plans include a 14-day money-back guarantee, web hosting, AI creation tools, and 24/7 customer support.
Features
- User-friendly interface for building online stores
- Wide range of templates to customize your site
- Integrations for selling on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and eBay
- Free SSL certificate to secure customer data and transactions
- SEO-optimized product pages to improve search visibility
- Ability to import product details via CSV files
Pros
- Easy to use, with flexible design options
- Wide range of professionally designed templates for various industries
- Various plans, including a free option for limited budgets
Cons
- Limited inventory management features such as low-stock alerts, which are available with Shopify
- Unable to transfer content between templates
- Free plan includes Wix ads and domain, requiring paid upgrades to remove
G2 rating ⭐: 4.2/5
6. Volusion
Volusion provides a set of tools that allow users to craft a homepage and product pages, supporting a variety of payment gateways for smooth transactions.
Why choose this ecommerce website builder?
Volusion is equipped with inventory and analytics tools to help monitor your store’s performance. It features a native “suggested products” function to enhance customer experience. However, it’s designed primarily for selling physical products; digital goods aren’t supported.
Pricing and plans
- Personal plan: $35/month. Up to $50,000 GMV/year, 100 products max, one staff account.
- Professional plan: $79/month. Up to $100,000 GMV/year, 5,000 products max, five staff accounts.
- Business plan: $299/month. Up to $400,000 GMV/year, unlimited products, 15 staff accounts.
- Prime plan: Custom pricing based on GMV. Unlimited GMV/year, unlimited products, unlimited staff accounts, VIP support with dedicated success manager.
Volusion offers a 14-day free trial.
Features
- Drag-and-drop content blocks for easy customization of page layouts
- Responsive themes that adapt to mobile devices
- CSS editor for detailed customization of site elements
- Set recurring billing for subscription products
- All plans come with live chat and email support
Pros
- Supports a wide range of payment options
- Offers a mobile app
Cons
- Limited features in the basic plan, which remains costly
- Sales volume and product listing limits
- No support for selling digital products, unlike Shopify
G2 rating ⭐: 3.2/5
7. GoDaddy
GoDaddy is widely recognized for its web hosting services but also offers a capable website builder for online stores. It’s built for those looking to integrate ecommerce into a broader digital presence.
Why choose this ecommerce website builder?
GoDaddy simplifies online store creation with more than 100 mobile-friendly templates, plus built-in tools for SEO and email marketing campaigns.
Pricing and plans
- Basic plan: $9.99/month (billed annually). Includes custom domain, built-in SEO, unified inbox and website chat, content and design tools, secure SSL, and 100 email marketing sends/month. Renews at $16.99/month.
- Premium plan: $14.99/month (billed annually). Everything in Basic plus booking recurring appointments, online payments and deposits, email marketing tools, social ad creation, and 25,000 email marketing sends/month. Renews at $29.99/month.
- Commerce plan: $20.99/month (billed annually). Everything in Premium plus selling unlimited products, selling on leading marketplaces, automated inventory sync across channels, automated sales tax calculators, and 100,000 email marketing sends/month. Renews at $34.99/month.
GoDaddy also offers a seven-day free trial.
Features
- Extensive template selection to quickly start your online store
- Integration with social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook
- Automated management of sales and inventory across all channels
- Multiple payment options including Google Pay and Venom
- Point-of-sale integration to connect online and physical sales
Pros
- Easy cancellation process
- Popular mobile app with full desktop functionality
- All-in-one business solution
Cons
- All themes use similar homepage layouts
- Can’t add individual elements or make customizations
- Limited to 1,000 orders per month for marketplace selling
- Mediocre ecommerce features compared to competitors
G2 rating ⭐: 3.9/5
8. Hostinger
Hostinger offers a streamlined approach to building an online store with its drag-and-drop website builder. It’s designed for users who want a lightweight yet functional ecommerce platform.
Why choose this ecommerce website builder?
Hostinger integrates with tools like Google Analytics and Facebook ads, providing insights to enhance your marketing efforts. While it doesn’t offer a free plan, monthly fees are low and include a range of basic ecommerce tools.
Pricing and plans
Hostinger has one ecommerce website builder plan. Its Business Website Builder plan costs $3.99/month (billed annually) and includes 50 websites, 50 GB NVMe storage, 100,000 visits monthly, 50 mailboxes, daily backups, dedicated IP address, advanced WordPress acceleration. After the first year, it renews at $13.99/month.
Features
- Drag-and-drop editor for easy customization
- CRM tools to manage emails, discounts, and coupon codes
- Comprehensive reporting and integration with marketing tools
Pros
- Affordable plan with free cloud hosting
- Extensive WordPress tools like plugin and theme updates
- AI-powered tools
Cons
- Product listing limit of 500 items
- No free trial, but frequent promotional discounts
G2 rating ⭐: 4.4/5
9. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a plug-in for WordPress users, transforming any WordPress site into a functional ecommerce store. It’s ideal for those already familiar with the WordPress environment.
Why choose this ecommerce website builder?
WooCommerce integrates deeply with WordPress, offering extensive features for inventory management, secure payments, and shipping. Its functionality can be expanded with numerous plug-ins and themes available for purchase.
Pricing and plans
Free, with additional costs for WordPress hosting and plug-ins. WordPress’s Commerce hosting plan is $45 per month.
Features
- Designed for WordPress, leveraging its extensive ecosystem
- Mobile-friendly design ensures a great shopping experience on all devices
- Full control over customer and business data with no third-party access
- Open source for complete store customization
Pros
- Free and open source with extensive customization options
- Ideal for adding ecommerce to an existing WordPress site
- Basic functionality without additional plug-ins
Cons
- For WordPress users only
- Plug-ins and hosting can add up and increase costs
- Limited customer support
G2 rating ⭐: 4.4/5
10. Square Online
Square Online, formerly known as Weebly, offers a user-friendly platform that lets anyone start building an ecommerce website for free. However, to use your own domain or remove ads, you’ll need to purchase a paid plan.
Why choose this ecommerce website builder?
If you’re looking for a free ecommerce builder, Square Online’s basic plan includes features like real-time shipping updates and coupon capabilities. For more advanced features, however, upgrading is necessary. Square Online also integrates with Square POS for streamlined in-store payment processing.
Plans and pricing
- Free plan: $0/month with 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction. Includes website builder, SEO tools, Square POS sync, pickup/delivery options, customer accounts, and multiple payment types.
- Plus plan: $29/month (billed annually) with 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction. Adds website themes, expanded customization, QR code ordering, personalized ordering, advanced item settings, subscriptions, and free domain for one year.
- Premium plan: $79/month (billed annually) with 2.6% + 30¢ per transaction. Includes lower processing rate, real-time shipping rates, and premium customer support on top of all Plus features.
Features
- Bulk inventory management to import and edit product details
- Mobile-optimized websites for an accessible customer experience
- Coupon builder available with a paid plan
- Integration with Square point of sale for unified business management
Pros
- Free plan available with no monthly fees (transaction fees only)
- User-friendly interface with easy setup
- Multiple payment types supported
- Mobile-responsive design works across all devices
Cons
- Limited customization options on free plan
- Real-time shipping rates only available on Premium plan
- Premium customer support restricted to highest tier
G2 rating ⭐: 4.2/5
How to choose an online store builder
Whether you’re launching your first startup or expanding your ecommerce empire, consider these factors when selecting a platform:
Budget, business plans, and pricing
How much are you willing to spend on your store each year? What are your plans for growth? Some ecommerce website builders charge more as you add more product listings and process more orders. Think about what your business needs to launch today, but also consider how many products you’ll offer down the road.
Website-building skill level
How much technical skill do you have? Many site builders use drag-and-drop technology to help you create the best ecommerce site possible. But you’ll still need basic skills to create product pages, add products to your store, and set up any apps or plug-ins. Consider how much experience you have working with software and back-end builders.
Customization
Do you want a simple website to showcase your products? Or do you need more advanced features like size charts for product pages or a live chat window? Think about how you want your website to look and feel and what extra features you need to make it happen.
Support
If you’re new to ecommerce, you’ll likely need some help. Does your desired site builder have live support and tutorials? Consider a platform that can help you solve problems quickly and easily so you can get your store live and start selling online.
Payment gateways
You need payment gateways to accept payments from customers securely and to make payments easy for shoppers. For example, Shop Pay’s express checkout feature can increase checkout speed by four times and help customers get what they want, faster. Shopify also offers integrations with more than 100 payment gateways, so you can offer the best options for your shoppers, no matter where they are in the world.
Find the best website builder for your ecommerce business
Now that you’re equipped with the right information, it’s time to explore your options. Each builder has its strengths and weaknesses, but understanding your specific needs will help you choose the right one for your ecommerce business idea.
Investing in a professional ecommerce website can elevate your brand and increase sales. With many platforms offering free trials, you have the opportunity to find the perfect fit for your business needs.
Illustration by Till Lauer
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Ecommerce website builder FAQ
What are the best free ecommerce website builders?
Some of the best free ecommerce website builders include Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Square Online, GoDaddy, and Volusion.
How much does it cost to build your own ecommerce website?
If you want to build a free online store, use an ecommerce site builder to get started. Many platforms like Shopify offer a free trial, giving you time to create the best online store for your business and pay once the trial ends.
Is it easy to create an online store?
Yes. With storefront builders like Shopify, you can access well-designed templates to launch your store in minutes. You can customize colors, text, images, layouts, and more to tailor your store to your brand.
What is the best ecommerce website builder for beginners?
Shopify is the best ecommerce website builder for beginners because it’s super easy to set up and use, with step-by-step guidance that doesn’t require any tech knowledge. It comes with everything needed to start selling right away, including built-in payment processing, plenty of support resources, and a helpful community.
