Best Shopify Alternatives for Your Online Store

Shopify powers millions of ecommerce businesses around the world, and its popularity is undeniable. But in 2025, the ecommerce market is moving fast, and merchants are taking a hard look at what their platforms can really do.

Analysts project that global ecommerce revenue will reach $4.32 trillion by the end of 2025, fuelled by shifting consumer behaviour, rapid digital innovation, and expanding international opportunities. To stay competitive, businesses need ecommerce platforms that can scale quickly, adapt to new demands, and support complex business models — not just what's popular.

That's why more merchants are actively searching for Shopify alternatives. Some are hitting growth ceilings, others want more control or fewer limitations, and many are finding that their Shopify store no longer meets their growing needs.

In this guide, we'll explore the best alternatives to Shopify. You'll learn the pros and cons of each platform and why so many fast-growing brands are switching to BigCommerce to unlock greater flexibility, scalability, and long-term success.

What is Shopify?

Shopify is ecommerce software that helps you build and manage an online store. With it, you can create a website, list products, process payments, set up shipping, and sell through channels like social media and online marketplaces.

As a cloud-based, hosted platform — also known as SaaS (software-as-a-service) — Shopify handles software maintenance and hosting for you, making it a simple and accessible solution for new sellers.

That simplicity is a big part of Shopify's appeal. It's especially popular among beginners and small businesses that are just getting started and don't have complex operational needs. However, for brands that require more flexibility, deeper customisation, or multi-channel scalability, Shopify may start to feel limiting as they grow.

Why Consider Shopify alternatives in 2025?

Now that we've covered the basics, let's explore why you might be looking for a Shopify alternative to power your ecommerce business. For many merchants, it starts with transaction fees and payment flexibility. If you don't use Shopify's proprietary gateway, Shopify Payments, you could face transaction fees of up to 2% per sale, depending on your payment processor, such as Stripe or PayPal. That's a tough pill to swallow if you already have a preferred payment provider or if your business sells products considered high risk and therefore ineligible for Shopify Payments.

Beyond payments, Shopify often requires merchants to rely on third-party apps for essential ecommerce features, which can quickly lead to bloated tech stacks, rising costs, and a disjointed admin experience that complicates inventory management. Customisation is another challenge. Many users report feeling boxed in by Shopify's templated architecture and limited flexibility, especially when it comes to SEO controls, checkout customisation, and backend integrations.

Designerie, a hybrid B2B and B2C home furnishings brand hit several roadblocks while trying to scale on Shopify, including missing features for B2B buyers and limited backend flexibility. Designerie ultimately migrated to BigCommerce to gain more advanced functionality without the need for heavy customisation or third-party workarounds.

Of course, not every migration is driven by features alone. For many merchants, it comes down to mounting frustrations — with support, flexibility, or just knowing there's a better fit elsewhere. Whatever the reason, the good news is this: Shopify isn't your only option, and there are plenty of powerful alternatives that can better support your goals.

Top Shopify alternatives for 2025

No matter what obstacles you're facing with Shopify, whether you're scaling fast or launching a startup, your next platform should solve those problems without creating new ones. And while every online business is different, here are some features that you might want to take into consideration.

1. BigCommerce.

Founded in 2009, BigCommerce is a flexible ecommerce platform that empowers businesses of all sizes, from fast-growing DTC brands to complex B2B enterprises, to build, manage, and scale their online stores without compromise.

While Shopify may be ideal for getting started, BigCommerce is often the better long-term solution for merchants who want room to grow, more control, and fewer limitations. The platform's open architecture and commitment to flexibility give businesses the freedom to customise and integrate with the tools they already use, while still benefiting from the ease of SaaS.

BigCommerce also recently launched Catalyst, a modern front-end architecture and composable framework that helps merchants create lightning-fast, visually rich storefronts. It's built on a foundation of performance, flexibility, and developer freedom — giving brands even more power to deliver unique shopping experiences.

Pros.

• Robust out-of-the-box features included with every plan, reducing reliance on third-party apps.

• Support for over 130 payment gateways with no additional transaction fees, no matter which one you choose.

• Catalyst framework for fast, composable storefront development.

• Page Builder, a drag-and-drop visual editor, makes site changes easy without requiring code.

• Seamless omnichannel capabilities, including native integrations with Instagram, Facebook, Amazon, Walmart, and more.

• Strong SEO tools, including customisable URLs, dynamic sitemaps, and access to robot.txt and microdata.

• 24/7 technical support, with over 85% of issues resolved on the first call.

• Extensive partner ecosystem, including trusted Agency and Technology Partners across every category.

• Fully customisable checkout experience to improve conversion rates and match your brand identity.

• Robust native B2B features, including customer groups and pricing, plus advanced B2B offerings through B2B Edition — such as quoting tools and invoicing.

Cons.

• BigCommerce currently offers limited theme options.

• Brands can experience vendor lock-in and find it difficult to move platforms if they choose to leave BigCommerce.

2. WooCommerce.

Launched in 2011, WooCommerce is an open-source plugin designed to transform WordPress websites and blogs into ecommerce websites. This makes WooCommerce a good alternative to Shopify if you're already familiar with WordPress.

However, if you're worried you can only use WooCommerce with your WordPress blog, don't be. For instance, BigCommerce has an easy-to-use extension that will integrate with your existing WordPress site.

Pros.

• The plugin itself is completely free to use with any WordPress site.

• It's easy to integrate with any existing WordPress site.

• Because it's open source, you can fully customise your store's code.

• You have access to hundreds of free and paid extensions.

Cons.

• Even though the plugin is free, you're still responsible for monthly fees like domain hosting, an SSL certificate, finding an email provider, and other features.

• To make the most of your ecommerce store, you'll probably need the help of a dedicated developer or designer, unless you're already comfortable with web design.

• Adding core features to WooCommerce requires plug-ins, leading to more complexity and lower site performance.

3. Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento).

First released in 2007, Magento is an ecommerce platform built on open-source technology and known for its deep customisation capabilities. In 2018, Adobe acquired Magento and later rebranded its enterprise offering as Adobe Commerce.

If you're a fan of Adobe's ecosystem and have access to strong developer resources or advanced ecommerce tools, Adobe Commerce may be a more fitting alternative to Shopify — especially for highly customised, large-scale ecommerce builds.

Pros.

• Because it's open source, you have access to the backend to customise everything in your store.

• Magento has a large network of over 260,000 developers worldwide creating additional functionality for the platform.

• Enterprise businesses on Magento Commerce have the option of a cloud-hosted solution as part of the package hosted on AWS or a self-hosted solution.

• You get access to a large partner ecosystem for third-party apps and add-ons.

Cons.

• Magento Open Source is strictly on-premise, so you either need to host it yourself or go through a third-party web hosting provider.

• While Magento provides patches and upgrades, you are responsible for installing and managing these updates.

• No matter which version you choose or how you host your website, you'll need a developer, in-house IT team, and/or an agency to manage the build and maintenance.

• Magento has an extremely extensive setup, which leads to high costs to complete the builds.

4. Square.

Best known for its point-of-sale tools, Square now offers Square Online, an ecommerce solution built for small businesses that want a quick and simple way to sell online. Its clean templates and intuitive builder make it easy to launch a stylish storefront with minimal effort — especially for sellers already using Square for in-person payments.

Square Commerce is ideal for small catalogues, local business owners, and entrepreneurs, but it falls short for growing brands that need advanced features, deep customisation options, or multichannel selling capabilities.

Pros.

• Clean, modern templates that are easy to customise without coding.

• Seamless integration with Square POS for unified in-person and online selling.

• Simple onboarding and user-friendly interface.

Cons.

• Limited customisation and flexibility compared to more robust platforms.

• Fewer advanced features for SEO, merchandising, or promotions.

• Not ideal for businesses with large or complex product catalogues.

• Minimal support for B2B selling or international expansion.

• The app and integration ecosystem is relatively small.

5. Pinnacle Cart.

Started in 2003, PinnacleCart is a shopping cart solution designed for small to mid-sized businesses with a strong focus on marketing.

As a Shopify alternative, it's a great choice if you're looking for more control over your storefront, as well as additional SEO features.

Pros.

• You can either choose hosting on PinnacleCart or you can choose to manage hosting on your own.

• SEO-friendly features, such as schema.org tags and custom URLs.

• Unlimited products and categories on every plan.

Cons.

• If you choose to host with PinnacleCart, there are caps on bandwidth and storage for their lowest $79.95 plan, so as you get more traffic you are going to pay extra or have to upgrade to a more expensive plan that offers unlimited bandwidth.

• Because PinnacleCart has versions, you'll need to manage upgrades.

• There's a very limited partner network, as it only integrates with 64 apps.

• Unlike Shopify's wide selection of themes, PinnacleCart only has 12 themes available.

6. Shift4Shop.

Since 1997, Shift4Shop has offered ecommerce software with a focus on SEO.

So if you're an SEO junkie and you rely heavily on organic search, you might prefer Shift4Shop to Shopify.

Pros.

• Wide variety of SEO tools, like Google AMP for products and 301 redirects.

• Built-in blogging platform included with every plan.

• For very small stores, you can get a full ecommerce platform for less than the Basic plan on Shopify.

• Over 100 online payment solutions, including international processors.

Cons.

• Limited number of staff users, costing an additional $10 a month per user.

• There's a steep learning curve, making it sometimes difficult to navigate the store builder and find the tools you need.

• The free themes all have a very similar design that's not as modern as the themes offered by Shopify or BigCommerce.

7. Wix.

Founded in 2006, Wix makes it easy for anyone to build a website — especially beginners — and offers business plans ideal for ecommerce brands.

If you have limited experience and want an extremely simple web builder with helpful tutorials, Wix could be a better option than Shopify.

Pros.

• A drag-and-drop website builder makes it easy to get your store up and running quickly.

• You get support for six options per product and a total of 300 variants SKUs.

• Wix has a robust, well-organised Help Centre that's easy to search.

• Each of their premium plans for ecommerce sites offers a free domain for one year.

Cons.

• Unless you're on an enterprise plan with custom storage space, you're limited to a maximum of 50GB.

• Wix doesn't offer Apple Pay or Amazon Payments as payment providers.

• There's currently no customer support via chat, so you'll need to call or submit a ticket.

• Searching through the app store can be challenging since Wix offers so many different website options that aren't focused on ecommerce.

How BigCommerce stands out

BigCommerce distinguishes itself from Shopify and other competitors by offering a powerful combination of flexibility, scalability, and built-in functionality. Its flexible architecture gives merchants more control over their ecommerce experience while still delivering the ease and reliability of a hosted platform. With no additional transaction fees and robust native features included in every plan, BigCommerce helps businesses grow without the bloat or cost of relying on dozens of third-party apps.

Where other platforms may limit backend access or require costly add-ons, BigCommerce empowers merchants with an all-in-one set of enterprise-grade tools right out of the box — including advanced SEO capabilities, customisable checkout, and support for over 130 payment gateways. The platform's extensive API capabilities make it easy to connect with existing systems like ERPs, PIMs, CRMs, and marketing tools, enabling brands to build efficient, end-to-end ecommerce operations.

For omnichannel sellers, BigCommerce offers native integrations with leading marketplaces and social media platforms, such as Amazon, Walmart, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, all managed through a unified backend. And with its Multi-Storefront features, merchants can easily manage multiple brands, regions, or customer segments from a single account — streamlining operations while tailoring each storefront to its audience.

BigCommerce also recently launched Catalyst, a composable front-end framework designed for speed, performance, and design freedom. Built for modern development teams, Catalyst helps brands create high-converting storefronts that stand out and scale fast.

For B2B merchants, BigCommerce B2B Edition delivers powerful features like customer-specific pricing, invoicing tools, account hierarchies, and quote management — making it a standout for hybrid and wholesale-focused businesses.

Support is another area where BigCommerce shines. Merchants receive 24/7 technical support, and enterprise customers gain access to a dedicated Customer Success Manager, implementation support, and solution architects to help guide their growth and optimise platform performance.

For businesses that need more freedom to innovate, the flexibility to scale globally, and a partner invested in long-term success, BigCommerce offers a future-ready platform — without compromise.

Choosing the right platform for your business

There's no shortage of Shopify competitors, like Big Cartel, Volusion, Weebly, Ecwid, and Open Cart. Finding the right platform depends on your unique business needs, whether it's flexibility, ease of use, B2B capabilities, or total cost of ownership. To help guide your decision, the table below compares key features across top ecommerce platforms in 2025, including pricing, scalability, customisation, payment processing, and support.

Use this comparison as a quick reference to identify which platform aligns best with your goals today and in the future.

Examples of Shopify merchants who have migrated to BigCommerce

To dive in a little deeper, take a look at the following brands and hear in their words why they made the switch from Shopify to BigCommerce.

Designerie.

Designerie, a high-end European furniture importer and hybrid B2B/B2C brand, initially launched on Shopify but quickly found the platform limiting — especially as the B2B side of their business began to scale. The team needed a solution that could support customer-specific pricing, simplify backend operations, and offer a premium experience for trade buyers without relying on extensive custom workarounds or third-party apps.

After evaluating alternatives, Designerie migrated to BigCommerce for its native B2B capabilities, backend flexibility, and ease of integration with external systems. The brand now manages multiple storefronts, customises B2B experiences, and empowers sales reps to generate quotes and track engagement — all through a centralised, scalable platform.

"When we were comparing Shopify Plus to BigCommerce, it was clear that BigCommerce's B2B wholesale functionality was far superior and the ease of integration to our back-end systems made it much better across the board. You just simply don't find this level of native capabilities on Shopify Plus," said Brandon McCarthy, Managing Director at Designerie.

UntilGone.

UntilGone, a fast-moving daily deals marketplace, initially migrated from a custom Ruby on Rails setup to Shopify Plus — but quickly ran into major limitations. Shopify's restrictive architecture and API rate limits made it nearly impossible for the team to maintain accurate inventory, integrate their custom ERP and PIM systems, or keep up with the dynamic nature of their constantly rotating product catalogue.

Looking for a platform that could offer both enterprise-level scalability and integration freedom, UntilGone chose BigCommerce. With its robust APIs, flexible architecture, and strong support team, the brand now powers multiple deal sites, connects seamlessly to backend systems, and leverages AI for personalised product recommendations — resulting in a 200% increase in email-driven revenue.

"Shopify architects their platform so you use only their products. Because of this, Shopify became more and more limiting for us, specifically with their API rate limits. This made it impossible to keep things up to date, and we eventually had to start making compromises about keeping our inventory current," explained Richard Bell, President and Owner of UntilGone.

The final word

Shopify may be one of the most recognisable names in ecommerce, but in 2025, recognition alone isn't enough. Today's merchants need more than a starter platform — they need a solution that can evolve with their business, support complex operations, and remove limitations, not add them.

There are a variety of Shopify alternatives available, each with their own strengths. But when it comes to combining out-of-the-box functionality, enterprise scalability, deep customisation, and world-class support, BigCommerce stands out as a future-ready platform that helps brands grow with confidence.

Whether you're looking to expand internationally, streamline your tech stack, enhance your B2B capabilities, or simply get more flexibility from your platform, BigCommerce is built to meet you where you are — and grow with you from there.

Curious how BigCommerce compares? Take a closer look at the platform built for growth, flexibility, and long-term success — no matter how complex your business becomes.