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.
| Product | Best for | NerdWallet rating | Payment processing fees | Monthly fee | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Shopify Ecommerce on Shopify Ecommerce's secure website |
| 2.9% + $0.30 | $29/month Basic Plan. Grow & Advanced Plans Available. | on Shopify Ecommerce's secure website | |
 Square on Square's secure website |
| In-person: 2.6% + $0.15 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0 Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations. | on Square's secure website | |
 Wix on Wix's secure website |
| N/A | N/A Business Basic: $27 per month. Business Unlimited: $32 per month. Business VIP: $59 per month. | on Wix's secure website |
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.
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.
Best all-in-one payments service
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.15
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$0
Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.
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.
Best all-in-one payments service
Square
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.15
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$0
Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.
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.
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
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.