Shopify still leads the hosted e-commerce market. It captures roughly 30% of the U.S. e-commerce platform market and powers millions of live stores worldwide, according to DemandSage. But "biggest" isn't the same as "best fit for you." Between rising app costs, transaction fees on non-Shopify-Payments orders, and 2026 pricing changes rippling across the industry, more merchants are actively comparing alternatives before they build.
This guide breaks down 6 real Shopify alternatives for 2026: what they cost, where they charge extra, and who they're actually built for. The list includes Cartva, a newer all-in-one platform built around WhatsApp-first selling, print-on-demand, and dropshipping.
Why merchants are looking for a Shopify alternative in 2026
A few recurring pain points show up across comparison sites and reviews:
- Transaction fees stack up. Unless you use Shopify Payments, Shopify still charges an extra fee on every order processed through a third-party gateway.
- The app tax. Core features like reviews, upsells, loyalty, and advanced SEO often live behind paid apps, and those subscriptions add up fast on top of the plan fee.
- Checkout customization is gated. Deep checkout control is limited to the highest (Plus) tier, which starts in the thousands per month.
- Competitors are adjusting pricing too. BigCommerce's 2026 update introduced a new "Open Payment Provider" fee for merchants who don't use an approved gateway. It's a reminder that every platform's fee structure is worth re-checking yearly, not just Shopify's.
None of that makes Shopify a bad platform. It just means the "default" choice isn't automatically the cheapest or the best match for every business model.
The 6 best Shopify alternatives in 2026, at a glance
| Platform | Free plan | Starting price (billed annually) | Platform transaction fee | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WooCommerce | Software is free (hosting not included) | ~$0 + ~$8–15/mo hosting | 0% (WooCommerce itself) | Full control on your own WordPress site |
| BigCommerce | No | $29/mo (Core) | 0% with an approved gateway; up to 2% otherwise | Scaling B2B and multi-storefront brands |
| Wix | Yes (no store on the entry plan) | $29/mo (Core) | 0% | All-in-one website + store for services |
| Squarespace | No | $16/mo (Basic, 2% fee) or $23/mo (Core, 0% fee) | 2% on Basic, 0% on Core and up | Design-led brands and creators |
| Square Online | Yes | $0 (Free plan) | 0% platform fee; 3.3% + $0.30 processing on Free | Retailers already using Square POS |
| Cartva | Yes (Basic) | $5/mo (Solo, or $1/mo for the first 3 months) | 0% platform fee; 0–1.5% card markup by plan | WhatsApp-first sellers who want dropshipping + POD built in |
1. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a free plugin that turns a WordPress site into a store. It's open-source and self-hosted, and measured by number of live stores it remains one of the most widely used e-commerce systems on the web.
Strengths: total control over code and design, a massive plugin ecosystem, no platform lock-in.
Weaknesses: "free" is misleading. Once you add hosting ($8–15/mo), a decent theme, and the paid extensions most stores end up needing, realistic budgets land around $250–500/year. Setup and maintenance (security updates, plugin conflicts) are on you.
Best for: merchants who already know WordPress, or have a developer on hand and want full ownership of their store's code.
2. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is the strongest hosted alternative for stores planning to scale into serious volume. As of its 2026 pricing update, plans were renamed Core ($39/mo, $29/mo billed annually), Growth ($105/mo, $79/mo annually), and Scale ($399/mo, $299/mo annually).
Strengths: native B2B tools (company accounts, price lists, quoting), multi-storefront support without extra apps, and 0% transaction fees if you use one of its approved payment providers.
Weaknesses: each plan has an annual revenue cap, and crossing it auto-upgrades you to the next tier's price. Use a non-approved payment gateway and a new "Open Payment Provider" fee (2% down to 0.6% depending on plan) applies on top of standard card processing.
Best for: growing B2B or wholesale-heavy businesses that will outgrow a simple storefront.
3. Wix
Wix started as a general website builder and added strong commerce tools on top. The Core plan ($29/mo annually) unlocks selling, and Business ($39/mo annually) adds multi-currency and expanded shipping.
Strengths: the easiest drag-and-drop editor of the group, native booking tools alongside product sales, and 0% Wix transaction fees (you still pay standard payment-gateway processing, ~2.9% + $0.30).
Weaknesses: built more for content-and-commerce hybrids than large catalogs. It's less suited to stores selling hundreds of SKUs or needing deep inventory logic.
Best for: service businesses and small catalogs that want a polished website and a store in one place.
4. Squarespace
Squarespace is best known for template quality. Plans run Basic ($16/mo), Core ($23/mo), Plus ($39/mo), and Advanced ($99/mo), all billed annually. The entry Basic plan still carries a 2% Squarespace fee on sales; Core and above waive it.
Strengths: genuinely best-in-class design templates, strong for brand-forward and portfolio-style stores.
Weaknesses: fewer commerce-specific features and third-party apps than Shopify or BigCommerce, and checkout customization is more limited.
Best for: creatives, artists, and design-conscious brands where the storefront itself is part of the pitch.
5. Square Online
Square Online is the natural pick if you already run Square in a physical location. It has a genuine Free plan, plus Plus ($49/mo) and Premium ($149/mo) tiers.
Strengths: built-in sync between in-person POS and online orders, so inventory, customers, and reporting stay in one place. No monthly cost required to start selling.
Weaknesses: on the Free plan, online card processing runs higher (3.3% + $0.30) than Plus/Premium (2.9% + $0.30), and marketing/content tools are lighter than dedicated e-commerce platforms.
Best for: retailers, cafés, and pop-up sellers who need online and in-store sales in sync.
6. Cartva
Cartva takes a different starting point: most merchants outside the U.S./Europe sell primarily through chat and social, not a standalone website visit. So instead of treating WhatsApp as an afterthought integration, Cartva builds around it. A shared inbox, keyword-triggered auto-replies, and broadcast campaigns are part of the core product, not an add-on app.
Plans: Basic is free. Solo is $5/mo, Grow is $12/mo, and Enterprise is $39/mo (all billed annually), with $1/month for the first 3 months on any paid plan. See the full breakdown on the Cartva pricing page.
Strengths:
- Zero platform transaction fee on every plan. Only card processing (Stripe/PayPal) carries a small markup (1.5% on Solo, 0.5% on Grow, 0% on Enterprise), and MonCash, NatCash, and cash on delivery are always 0%.
- Print-on-demand and dropshipping are native, not bolted-on apps: Printful for custom products, CJ Dropshipping and Doba for sourcing, all connected from one dashboard. (If you're new to the model, see how to start print on demand in 2026.)
- Marketplace sync included free on every plan, so you can import from Shopify or publish to Etsy without a paid app.
- No-code setup: a store can go live the same day.
Weaknesses: smaller app/theme ecosystem than an incumbent like Shopify, since the platform is newer. That's the trade-off for a tighter, WhatsApp-native feature set.
Best for: merchants who sell through WhatsApp, Instagram, or a diaspora/community audience and want dropshipping and print-on-demand working out of the box, without stitching together three separate app subscriptions.
Which Shopify alternative should you choose?
- You already know WordPress and want full control: WooCommerce.
- You're scaling into B2B or multi-storefront territory: BigCommerce.
- You want an all-in-one website with light e-commerce: Wix.
- Design and brand feel are the priority: Squarespace.
- You run a physical location on Square: Square Online.
- You sell through WhatsApp/social and want print-on-demand or dropshipping without extra apps: Cartva.
If you write about ecommerce platforms rather than sell on one, the comparison above is also a monetisable topic — see how recurring commissions work in ecommerce affiliate marketing.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a truly free Shopify alternative?
Yes. WooCommerce's core software is free (hosting isn't), Square Online has a genuine free plan, and Cartva's Basic plan is free with no time limit, though each has trade-offs in fees or features at that tier.
Which Shopify alternative has the lowest fees?
For platform-level transaction fees specifically, Wix, BigCommerce (with an approved gateway), and Cartva all charge 0%. Cartva additionally offers 0% on MonCash, NatCash, and cash-on-delivery orders regardless of plan.
Can I switch from Shopify without losing my products and orders?
Most alternatives, including Cartva, support importing products from an existing Shopify store. Order history typically stays in Shopify's records unless you export it manually before migrating.
Is Cartva a good fit if I don't sell on WhatsApp?
Cartva still works as a standard online store with Stripe/PayPal checkout, print-on-demand, and dropshipping. WhatsApp tools are there when you need them, not a requirement to use the platform.
Start comparing with a real store, not just a demo
The fastest way to know if a platform fits is to build in it. Start free on Cartva and see your first product live in minutes. No credit card required for the Basic plan.
Sources: DemandSage: Shopify Market Share · BigCommerce: 2026 Pricing Update · Squarespace: Shopify Alternatives · Wix: E-commerce Plans · Square: Online Store Plans · WooCommerce