According to the US Department of Commerce, as of the second quarter of 2023, ecommerce sales accounted for more than 15.4% of all retail sales in the US. This figure is only expected to increase in 2024 with the global landscape still pushing more consumers to shop online.
Whether you are selling physical goods, digital products or services, with the help of a website builder, you, too, can embrace e-commerce. In fact, one of the advantages of using an ecommerce platform is that it makes it much easier to gather customer data that you can use to improve your marketing. To help you get started or possibly scale your existing ecommerce store, here are 12 of the best ecommerce website builders (in no particular order).
The Best eCommerce Website Builder: 2024 Review:
Similarly to Wix, BigCommerce also started out as a content management system. It might not be as big as Shopify yet, but it definitely can offer the same value. It was founded in 2009 and since then it has made more than $25 billion in merchant sales and boasts more than 5,000 apps and design partners. While it offers great scalability, its learning curve is higher. So, while it might be a good choice for a smaller business, it is less of a good choice for beginners. It offers four paid plans: Standard ($29.95 per month), Plus ($79.95 per month), Pro ($299.95 per month) and Enterprise (custom pricing upon request). Just like some of the other website builders, it also does not charge transaction fees (irrespective of the plan you choose). Some of the main features included in all four plans are: While Wix might be better known as a content management system (CMS), they have done a lot of work to change that perception and push towards ecommerce. In fact, if you didn’t know better, you would think that they actually started out as an ecommerce software company. With Wix, it is really easy to set up your store. One of its most popular features is the “what-you-see-is-what-you-get” (WYSIWYG) drag-and-drop editor so that you can see the changes that you make in real time. Also, unlike many of the other ecommerce website builders, Wix lets you design your site first before you have to add your products and pay attention to the more technical things like shipping, payments, taxes, etc. They offer four paid plans with ecommerce capabilities. These are Connect Domain ($4.50 per month), Combo ($8.50 per month), Unlimited ($12.50 per month) and VIP ($24.50 per month). All in all, it is a good solution for smaller businesses and/or beginners. Some of the main features included in all the plans are: Just like Wix, Squarespace is aimed at smaller businesses that want to sell a couple of items online. While it is not a good choice for dropshipping, it is a good website builder for digital goods, subscriptions or services. One of the main advantages of Squarespace is that it can integrate your products well with social media and blogs. The use of photography and clean design is also what attracts many users to try out Squarespace. Though, if you prefer using a drag-and-drop editor, you will be disappointed. That being said, it is still easy to use and does not come with a steep learning curve. It offers two plans that are specifically designed with commerce in mind. The Basic Commerce plan is $27 per month, while the Advanced Commerce plan is $49 per month. Though, if you would prefer to be billed annually, you can save 25%. Some of the main features included in both these plans are: Shopify is one of the most popular ecommerce website builders across the globe and do not really need much of an introduction. Plus, you can rest assured knowing that they have been in the business for enough years to know what they are doing. Thanks to its very intuitive interface and curated themes, it is easy to use. You will be able to set up a store quickly without any coding knowledge. Unlike some of the other website builders discussed in our list, this platform appeals to both smaller and larger businesses. It offers three paid plans: Basic Shopify ($24 per month), Shopify ($69 per month) and Advanced Shopify ($299 per month). Some of the main features offered by all three plans are: Volusion, in fact, was one of the first website builders for ecommerce. It was founded in 1999 already by Kevin Sproles, a website designer who had a vision to provide shopping cart software. With regards to ease of use, he succeeded. It is relatively easy to set up and run Volusion (that is if you plan on sticking to very simple things). Though, it becomes a lot harder when you want to add more advanced features. If you do get stuck, they do offer support. Users who sign up for the Personal plan will be able to access only online support, but the three other plans (Professional, Business, and Prime) offer round-the-clock phone support. All in all, it is a good solution for medium to big businesses as they offer a decent selection of features, but not as many as website builders like BigCommerce or Shopify. Some of the main features included in its three paid plans are: Jimdo is one of the most popular ecommerce website builders and has helped users to create more than 20 million websites. In short, all you basically have to do is take your product photos, add your details and fill in your payment info. It is easy to create a store thanks to its drag-and-drop what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) builder. If you get stuck, all the plans offer support (though, bear in mind, that only email support is provided). For online stores, it offers three pricing plans: Basic ($15), Business ($19) and VIP ($39). All these prices are per month, but you will be billed annually. The size of your website will be determined by the plan you select. With the Basic plan, you will have only 10 pages. The Basic plan also lacks quite a number of useful features that include discount codes, strikethrough prices, social marketing, product variants and social selling. No wonder, the Business plan is regarded as its bestseller. If you are a smaller business or a first-time seller, Jimdo is a good website builder to check out as you do not need any coding knowledge and it does not charge transaction fees. Though, if you are looking to scale and take on Amazon, rather check out one of the other website builders mentioned in our list. Some of the main features included in its three paid plans are: Big Cartel is a great ecommerce website builder for creatives and small independent businesses that want to sell photography and art. If you have some printed merch that you would like to sell, this can also be a good avenue to explore. It was founded in 2005 by Matt Wigham who was looking for a place to sell band merchandise. Since then, they have helped creatives from all over the globe sell more than $2.5 billion of their work. Overall, it is very easy to use and if you encounter any issues, it offers a setup wizard and email support. Though, if you are looking to scale, this might not be the best builder for you. Big Cartel offers two paid plans and one free plan. With the free plan, you can list five products, making it perfect for artists and creatives who still have a limited range. Once you have expanded your range, you can upgrade to the Platinum plan ($9.99 per month for 50 products), Diamond plan ($19.99 per month for 500 products). While Shift4Shop is not one of the most well-known ecommerce builders, it still deserves an honorable mention. Overall, it is not the best option if you are new to creating an ecommerce store as it can be hard to use and it is not that intuitive. Luckily, unlike some of the other builders mentioned, they offer phone support. So, that can be reassuring. Also, did we mention that they offer free solution? Yup, $0 for an enterprise-grade plan with unlimited products, users, features, themes, bandwidth, migration assistance, SEO & marketing tools, API access, 24/7 customer support, and a whole lot more. Premium account without the premium price – what is there not to love? All in all, it is a good option for medium to large enterprise ecommerce stores. Thanks to the unlimited plan, the platform offers good scalability. Weebly is simple to use and comes with a variety of decent templates. All you have to do is select a theme, add your products, set up taxes and shipping and choose how you would like to accept payments. It will create a storefront for you automatically that you can then customize if you feel the need. For setting up an online store, it offers three paid plans. These are Pro ($12 per month when billed annually), Business ($25 per month when billed annually), and Business Plus ($38 per month when billed annually). The Pro plan is more geared towards groups and organizations, while the Business and the Business Plus plans are aimed at small businesses and stores. As we feel that the Pro plan might just be too basic (and considering that the Business plan is very affordable), we’re only listing some of the main features offered by the Business plan. Main features offered by the Business plan include: Ecwid is one of the best solutions for small businesses that want to explore ecommerce. It offers an ecommerce website builder and a WordPress plug-in for existing websites. One of its new features that deserve to be highlighted is its Instant Site. This feature allows you to create a small one-page store for a limited time. This can work great if you plan on hosting an event. Just like Big Cartel, it also offers a free plan. In addition to this free plan, there are also three paid plans available. These are: Venture ($15 per month), Business ($35 per month) and Unlimited ($99 per month). Though, if you prefer to be billed annually, you can take about 17% off that price. Some of the main features offered by its three paid plans include: PrestaShop is an innovative solution that you can use to create an online store. It is already used by more than 300,000 merchants. As it is an open-source, cloud-hosted ecommerce platform, it is scalable, flexible and sustainable. Currently, it offers over 600 features and 5,000 themes and modules. With regards to its pricing, the core functionality is free. Though, to make your website more functional, you will have to pay for add-ons. You will also have to pay for your own support, SSL and web hosting. If you have grown familiar using WordPress, an additional option may be to consider using the WooCommerce plug-in. It is free and offers the standard ecommerce features. With regards to pricing, it is open source and the plug-in is available for free. Bear in mind that you will still have to pay for things like a hosting plan and other add-ons. These additional expenses can actually add up. So, it is best that you do the math beforehand. 1. BigCommerce
2. Wix.com
3. Squarespace
4. Shopify
5. Volusion
6. Jimdo
7. Big Cartel
8. Shift4Shop
9. Weebly
10. Ecwid
11. PrestaShop
12. WordPress and WooCommerce
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 5 best e commerce websites?
The top 4 best ecommerce websites in 2024 include:
Amazon.com
Alibaba.com
Walmart.com
Ebay.com
Which free website builder is best for ecommerce?
These are the best free website builders that are the best for ecommerce:
Sellfy
Weebly
Webstarts
Mozello
What is the number 1 ecommerce site?
Amazon is the number 1 ecommerce website. It’s not only the leader in America, but it’s also the leading e-commerce site in most countries.
What are the top 3 biggest online shopping sites?
These are the top ranking websites for e-commerce and shopping around the world:
Amazon
Ebay
Walmart
What are the top 10 ecommerce websites?
These are the 10 most popular ecommerce sites in India:
Amazon
Flipkart
Alibaba
Snapdeal
Myntra
IndiaMART
Book my Show
Nykaa
