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When launching your business, one of the most critical decisions is choosing an e-commerce platform. Your e-commerce platform determines how customers find your business, browse your products, and make purchases. To help you get started, we've researched and picked out some of the top platforms to help you manage your inventory, accept credit cards, and more. Your best e-commerce platform will fit your budget and be easy to use.
Shopify Ecommerce
Payment processing fees
2.9% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$29/month
Basic Plan. Grow & Advanced Plans Available.
Learn more on Shopify's website
Pros
- Transparent, flat swipe fees.
- E-commerce-friendly features, including access to vendors and resources to build an online store from scratch using this platform; drop-shipping, curbside pickup and local delivery options.
- Ability to automatically email customers who abandon carts and don’t complete purchases.
- Tracks inventory, hides out-of-stock products and offers inventory analysis.
- Setup is nearly instant.
- Plans are month-to-month and easy to cancel if needed; you can also “pause” your store for no subscription fee, or “pause and build” for a reduced monthly fee.
Cons
- No free plans available.
- Live support is only available via chat, not phone.
- Additional transaction fees apply if you don’t use Shopify’s in-house payment processing.
Square
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.15
Online: 3.3% + $0.30
Online: 3.3% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$0
for Free plan; $49 Plus plan; $149 Premium plan.
on Square's website
Pros
- Offers a free mobile card reader and free POS software plan.
- Can subscribe to related services, such as payroll, that integrate with its POS system.
- No termination fees or long-term contracts.
- No chargeback or PCI compliance fees.
Cons
- Complex businesses might prefer a processor that integrates with more specialized POS systems.
- Free plan processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Wix
Payment processing fees
N/A
Monthly fee
N/A
Business Basic: $27 per month. Business Unlimited: $32 per month. Business VIP: $59 per month.
on Wix's website
Pros
- Standout features for service businesses.
- Option to choose your own payment processor.
- Custom app builder.
Cons
- Feature list may be overwhelming for small businesses.
- Limited features for selling physical products.
- Storage space limitations.
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Default Shopify Ecommerce
Payment processing fees
2.9% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$29/month
Basic Plan. Grow & Advanced Plans Available.
on Shopify's website
Pros
- Transparent, flat swipe fees.
- E-commerce-friendly features, including access to vendors and resources to build an online store from scratch using this platform; drop-shipping, curbside pickup and local delivery options.
- Ability to automatically email customers who abandon carts and don’t complete purchases.
- Tracks inventory, hides out-of-stock products and offers inventory analysis.
- Setup is nearly instant.
- Plans are month-to-month and easy to cancel if needed; you can also “pause” your store for no subscription fee, or “pause and build” for a reduced monthly fee.
Cons
- No free plans available.
- Live support is only available via chat, not phone.
- Additional transaction fees apply if you don’t use Shopify’s in-house payment processing.
Shopify’s POS system is well-equipped to handle all the complexities that come with selling items via an online store. In all subscription tiers, you can set up an online shop and add products almost instantly, sell through multiple channels including social media, connect with vendors, automatically email customers who abandon their carts, process payments at reasonable rates and make sales in 133 currencies and multiple languages.
Read full review
Pros
- Transparent, flat swipe fees.
- E-commerce-friendly features, including access to vendors and resources to build an online store from scratch using this platform; drop-shipping, curbside pickup and local delivery options.
- Ability to automatically email customers who abandon carts and don’t complete purchases.
- Tracks inventory, hides out-of-stock products and offers inventory analysis.
- Setup is nearly instant.
- Plans are month-to-month and easy to cancel if needed; you can also “pause” your store for no subscription fee, or “pause and build” for a reduced monthly fee.
Cons
- No free plans available.
- Live support is only available via chat, not phone.
- Additional transaction fees apply if you don’t use Shopify’s in-house payment processing.
Shopify’s POS system is well-equipped to handle all the complexities that come with selling items via an online store. In all subscription tiers, you can set up an online shop and add products almost instantly, sell through multiple channels including social media, connect with vendors, automatically email customers who abandon their carts, process payments at reasonable rates and make sales in 133 currencies and multiple languages.
Read full review
Pros
- Transparent, flat swipe fees.
- E-commerce-friendly features, including access to vendors and resources to build an online store from scratch using this platform; drop-shipping, curbside pickup and local delivery options.
- Ability to automatically email customers who abandon carts and don’t complete purchases.
- Tracks inventory, hides out-of-stock products and offers inventory analysis.
- Setup is nearly instant.
- Plans are month-to-month and easy to cancel if needed; you can also “pause” your store for no subscription fee, or “pause and build” for a reduced monthly fee.
Cons
- No free plans available.
- Live support is only available via chat, not phone.
- Additional transaction fees apply if you don’t use Shopify’s in-house payment processing.
Square
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.15
Online: 3.3% + $0.30
Online: 3.3% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$0
for Free plan; $49 Plus plan; $149 Premium plan.
on Square's website
Pros
- Offers a free mobile card reader and free POS software plan.
- Can subscribe to related services, such as payroll, that integrate with its POS system.
- No termination fees or long-term contracts.
- No chargeback or PCI compliance fees.
Cons
- Complex businesses might prefer a processor that integrates with more specialized POS systems.
- Free plan processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Square’s simple flat-rate processing, free POS software, variety of hardware options and accounting integrations make it an excellent choice for many businesses. It’s an especially good fit for brick-and-mortar business owners who value convenience and want an all-in-one system. It can accommodate retail shops, service-based businesses, restaurants and cafes.
The Free plan’s processing rates are on the high end, but we think the robust feature set helps make up for that. Additionally, there are no additional fees for PCI compliance, account termination or chargebacks.
Read full review
Pros
- Offers a free mobile card reader and free POS software plan.
- Can subscribe to related services, such as payroll, that integrate with its POS system.
- No termination fees or long-term contracts.
- No chargeback or PCI compliance fees.
Cons
- Complex businesses might prefer a processor that integrates with more specialized POS systems.
- Free plan processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Square’s simple flat-rate processing, free POS software, variety of hardware options and accounting integrations make it an excellent choice for many businesses. It’s an especially good fit for brick-and-mortar business owners who value convenience and want an all-in-one system. It can accommodate retail shops, service-based businesses, restaurants and cafes.
The Free plan’s processing rates are on the high end, but we think the robust feature set helps make up for that. Additionally, there are no additional fees for PCI compliance, account termination or chargebacks.
Read full review
Pros
- Offers a free mobile card reader and free POS software plan.
- Can subscribe to related services, such as payroll, that integrate with its POS system.
- No termination fees or long-term contracts.
- No chargeback or PCI compliance fees.
Cons
- Complex businesses might prefer a processor that integrates with more specialized POS systems.
- Free plan processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Wix
Payment processing fees
N/A
Monthly fee
N/A
Business Basic: $27 per month. Business Unlimited: $32 per month. Business VIP: $59 per month.
on Wix's website
Pros
- Standout features for service businesses.
- Option to choose your own payment processor.
- Custom app builder.
Cons
- Feature list may be overwhelming for small businesses.
- Limited features for selling physical products.
- Storage space limitations.
Wix is a website builder for individuals and businesses alike, but this review focuses on Wix’s e-commerce website builder capabilities. In that space, Wix stands out for its appointment booking and ticket sales tools. It also offers special features that make Wix a good fit for hotels, restaurants and fitness businesses.
Wix’s customization options don’t end there — and it actually offers so many choices that Wix may become overwhelming. If you run a smaller e-commerce business with few staff members, you might prefer a simpler option. Also, if you primarily make money by selling physical products, other platforms have more advanced tools for inventory management and shipping than Wix.
Read full review
Pros
- Standout features for service businesses.
- Option to choose your own payment processor.
- Custom app builder.
Cons
- Feature list may be overwhelming for small businesses.
- Limited features for selling physical products.
- Storage space limitations.
Wix is a website builder for individuals and businesses alike, but this review focuses on Wix’s e-commerce website builder capabilities. In that space, Wix stands out for its appointment booking and ticket sales tools. It also offers special features that make Wix a good fit for hotels, restaurants and fitness businesses.
Wix’s customization options don’t end there — and it actually offers so many choices that Wix may become overwhelming. If you run a smaller e-commerce business with few staff members, you might prefer a simpler option. Also, if you primarily make money by selling physical products, other platforms have more advanced tools for inventory management and shipping than Wix.
Read full review
Pros
- Standout features for service businesses.
- Option to choose your own payment processor.
- Custom app builder.
Cons
- Feature list may be overwhelming for small businesses.
- Limited features for selling physical products.
- Storage space limitations.