The best free Ecommerce platform website is a terrific way to test your idea if you have a new business and limited funding before forking out the cash for the entire nine yards. In this article, I will tell you that people turning to internet buying as a result of the pandemic, it’s critical now more than ever for small businesses to be able to conduct online sales. how to design your store Can you genuinely sell for nothing, though?
Yes, you may sell an infinite amount of things with Square Online, After hours of testing and research on the best free eCommerce platform, without registering for a premium plan. However, there are many excellent website builders that provide free plans or free trials, so it’s not the only method to establish a free online store.
You’ve come to the perfect site if you want to create an online store without paying any money.
All of the platforms on this list have passed our testing, making them the best of the best. For analysis and a quick look at each builder, We are confident that we can help you in finding the ideal one for your company. Here is the list of the best free eCommerce platform with full reviews and how to choose one complete guide.
The Best Free Ecommerce Platform Guide
1:Square online
The best platform for selling for free with the Best Instagram shop integration.
Ecommerce Platform | Free Features | Pricing |
Firstly, a Free website with SEO tools Pickup, delivery & shipping Secondly, Sell on Instagram & Facebook Accept Afterpay Further, Self-serve ordering And Sync with Square POS | Free plan option, paid plans start at $12 per month. | |
Reason to buy | Square Online makes it easy to create a professional Ecommerce website Store. | RATING ★★★★★ |
Example of a square online store
The Art of Bonsai
Bonsai is a captivating form of Asian art that involves cultivating small trees in containers to mimic the appearance of full-size trees. This art of illusion requires various techniques, including pruning, wiring, and shaping, to make the trees appear aged and realistic. Additionally, the creation of deadwood is often employed to impart aesthetic appeal. Bonsai, pronounced “bone-sigh,” has become increasingly popular worldwide, and enthusiasts can attest to the meditative and therapeutic benefits of this practice. With patience and dedication, anyone can master the art of bonsai and create stunning, miniature landscapes in their homes or gardens.
Paid Features
- Firstly, No Square ads and a Free domain for 1 year.
- Secondly, Custom font uploads and Password-protected pages.
- Integration with the rest of Square.
- including the customer directory, gift cards, and POS.
- Support by phone, email, and live chats.
- Integration with Instagram.
- Multichannel selling is supported by Square Online (online, offline, social, etc.)
Free plan Limitations
Further, a custom domain is not allowed. Your website’s URL will appear as follows: www.accountname.squareonline.com/siteaddress
You will only be given a few features. Abandoned cart recovery, or complicated shipping tools You won’t get customer feedback. In your store, there will be advertisements.
Therefore, it’s a better choice if you’re on a tight budget however, Squarespace provides superior value. Compared to Square’s most affordable plans, the built-in features offered by Squarespace’s e-commerce options are of superb quality.
2:Wix
Best for drag-and-drop designing.
E-commerce Platform | Free Features | Pricing |
Firstly, Domain Assigned URL: accountname.wixsite.com/siteaddress Secondly, Wix ads appear on every page & favicon in URL Storage Up to 500MB Bandwidth Up to 500MB Customer support available | Free Plan and From $23 per month. | |
Reason to buy | Wix has a durable and growing business with its website platform subscriptions | RATING ★★★★★ |
Wix Store Builder Example
Andrea Miranda Salas is a Brooklyn-based product designer who specializes in creating decorative and architectural items. Her website is a testament to her passion for materials, methods, and craftsmanship.
The website’s unique feature is the use of white spaces and high-quality photos that not only provide breathing room for the content but also for the visitors’ eyes. Moreover, the website boasts a fixed navigation bar that follows you down the page and offers interactivity when clicked. The only things that move on the website are the products available for purchase. It’s a great example of a stylish and well-maintained website.
Paid Features
- Firstly, Flexible theme options and Bandwidth From 1GB and up are available.
- Secondly, Faster response time with Premium & VIP support options included.
- Thirdly, Remove Wix ads.
- Further, One–pagers and Mobile-friendly view.
- Drag-and-drop functions.
- HTML embed code Support for blogs.
- Facebook remarks.
- Email marketing, social media, and other communications.
Free plan limitations
Most crucially, the free plan does not allow you to collect money. Again, you can create your store without paying anything, but you must pay when you’re ready to start selling.
However, the Wix favicon will appear next to your site’s address. Wix advertisements are also included on every page. You cannot alter templates or have a custom domain.
3:Ecwid
Excellent for small to medium-sized businesses that execute both online and offline commerce.
E-commerce Platform | Free Features | Pricing |
Firstly, Sell on your website, social media, Marketplaces, all from a single dashboard. 10 products Mobile Optimized Further, Add a store to any website Sell simultaneously on multiple sites | Free Plan and From $12.50 per month. | |
Reason to buy | Your brand + Ecwid’s e-commerce Perfect for agencies, web hosts, and fintech companies | RATING ★★★★★ |
Ecwid store example
This Florida business aims to improve the world by selling fashionable clothing made from recycled materials, such as plastic bottles and fishing nets retrieved from the ocean. Moreover, they donate part of their proceeds to the Surfrider Foundation, making them a brand that is both stylish and socially conscious.
Paid Features
- E-goods: 25GB per file and Wholesale pricing groups.
- Abandoned cart saver.
- eBay US integration.
- Further, Create orders and Product dimensions.
- Phone support and 2 hours of custom development.
Limitations of the free plan
However, Digital items, employee accounts, and promotional codes are not accessible to you. These features are only offered in premium plans, along with many more, For Instance below.
- Firstly, Product Visualization.
- Further, Recommendations / Personalization.
- Promotions and Discounts, Product Search and Filtering.
- Order Process and Checkout Process.
- Shipping Options and Payment Processing.
4:Weebly
Weebly is an easy-to-use site builder with a free option.
E-commerce Platform | Free Features | Pricing |
500 MB Storage Domain with Weebly branding Search engine optimizing Free SSL Security Further, Contact form and leads Capture Chat, Email, and Community Form | Free plan option, paid plans start at $12 per month. | |
Reason to buy | Any business owner looking to start a straightforward online store with a blog should choose Weebly. | RATING ★★★★★ |
Example of Weebly Store
Kerlin BBQ has one of the most delicious BBQ-based foods in Texas. You can order during normal business hours and cater your next event from them or when they aren’t sold out.
Weebly Paid Features
- Firstly, Pop-up Notification and Phone Support.
- Secondly, Accept payments through a third party.
- Further, Unlimited storage and responsive designs.
- Online store and App integration.
- Domain registrar and page editor.
- 24-hour customer service assistance.
Limitations of the free plan
However, Each upload’s specific file size is the only limitation. The maximum file size for uploads for free websites is 10 MB, on subscription services, it varies from 100 MB to 250 MB (1 GB for films).
Although, Even free sites on the Weebly free plan, all Weebly website plans have unlimited storage and bandwidth you can launch your store using a subdomain. Moreover, you cannot purchase a full domain.
Weebly offers a wide range of pricing options, from free to business plans, making it simple to create a website, blog, or online store in an amazingly simple manner.
5:Bigcartel
Best for Artists and small creative brands.
E-commerce Platform | Free Features | Pricing |
Firstly, One image per product 5 products only Free customization Further, Sell online & in person Real-time Stat Use a custom domain Sales tax autopilot Product option group | Free plan option, paid plans start at $19.99 per month. | |
Reason to buy | Simple to build a unique online store, sell your work, and run a creative business. | RATING ★★★★★ |
Example of Bigcartel store
Chaos Makeup is a revolutionary brand founded by the talented celebrity makeup artist, Megan Martinez, in Corpus Christi, TX. The brand is dedicated to creating high-quality, multi-use makeup products that cater to the diverse needs of makeup enthusiasts. The uniqueness of Chaos Makeup lies in the fact that every product is handcrafted with a lot of love and care. Moreover, the brand is committed to giving back to society, and a portion of every purchase is donated to local and international animal rescues and humanitarian goods. It’s worth mentioning that Chaos Makeup and Chaos Cosmetics are the brainchild of the same entity, making it a brand to watch out for.
Bigcartel Paid Features
- Firstly, Free customizable theme options.
- Secondly, Sell online & in person store.
- Thirdly, Real-time stats and the use of a custom domain.
- Theme code editing.
- Google Analytics and Inventory tracking.
- Further, Offer discount coupons & run promos and Bulk Editing.
- Shipment tracking and Product option groups.
Free plan limitations
However, a custom domain is not available on the free plan. You won’t be able to track inventory or add numerous photos for a single product either.
The Best Free Ecommerce Platform Software
Woocommerce
The Best Free Ecommerce platform open source.
E-commerce Platform | Features | Pricing |
It’s Free but You have to buy hosting Starts at $2.95 per month | It’s Free but you have to buy hosting Starts at $2.95 per month | |
Reason to buy | Order tracking + customer engagement + delivery status updates+ inventory management, and more | RATING ★★★★★ |
Example of Woocommerce store
Is WooCommerce truly cost-free?
WooCommerce, an open-source WordPress plugin, is a cost-effective solution for building an online store with a premium feel. However, there are some hidden costs associated with it. If you want to use additional payment gateways or modern shipping features, you will have to pay for premium plugins.
Limitations of the free plan
For new online stores, the default plugin and its free add-ons should be enough, but additional expenditures may be necessary for specific payment gateways or shipping solutions. WooCommerce also offers assistance in handling taxes, which may come at an extra cost. Therefore, it is crucial to consider your business needs and budget before selecting the appropriate plugins for your WooCommerce store. With numerous options available, you can find the perfect plugin to meet your specific requirements.
Presta shop
The Best Free eCommerce platform for MVP testing.
E-commerce Platform | Free Features | Pricing |
Activity Dashboard and CRM Cataloging/Categorization Credit Card Processing and Customer Accounts Customer Management Design Management Document Management Email Marketing, For Small Businesses Inventory Tracking Multi-Channel Marketing and Multi-Stores | No monthly fees, no commission on sales, always 100% free | |
Reason to buy | PrestaShop is free to download and use. No monthly fees, no commission on sales, always 100% free | RATING ★★★★★ |
Prestashop Example
Huygens, the natural beauty dispensary, offers “tailor-made” organic cosmetic products.IN 2021 Huygens made its first step in the United States of America and Canada with the Detox market as a Leader in clean beauty.
Key Features of PrestaShop
PrestaShop has several competitive benefits besides just being free and open source. I’ll discuss a few of the most notable built-in features as there is a very large list of benefits that persuade retailers to choose this solution.
- Firstly, Tools for inventory management include item monitoring and out-of-stock notifications.
- Simple data import and export in CSV format.
- Advanced SEO capabilities, such as managing meta descriptions, titles, and URLs.
- A wide range of payment alternatives, including offline processing, Skrill, WorldPay, PayPal Standart, and others.
- Accurate shipping estimates and endless listings.
- Creating personalized promos.
- Automation of customer emails.
Limitation of Prestashop
- Limited scalability
Firstly, PrestaShop’s limited scalability is a major flaw. These small and medium-sized retailers can use this e-commerce platform. But PrestaShop isn’t the best option when the platform has to grow.
- A bad-quality design
However, PrestaShop offers a respectable look for the low-cost retailer. The plan, however, is neither appealing nor appropriate for large-scale stores. Even while PrestaShop includes vital features, its designs lack a polished appearance. - No official support group
Although, there are no PrestaShop specialists or support staff available. but this is e-commerce platform’s primary drawback, the users do not view this as a disadvantage, though, as there are more than 700,000 active members (on support sites) who are constantly ready to help the users anytime a problem arises.
Nopcommerce
Free and open-source eCommerce platform.
E-commerce Platform | Free Features | Pricing |
Multi-store and multi-vendor functions, Advanced SEO settings and marketing settings, Various tools for affiliate and client loyalty programs, one-page checkout, extended product attributes and many others. | Free Plan and Premium Support service From 83 $ | |
Reason to buy | Unlike other eCommerce platforms with similar features, you can use all built-in nopCommerce features absolutely free. | RATING ★★★★★ |
Nopcommerce store example
GoldFellow is dedicated to empowering consumers with knowledge to make informed financial decisions. The company has taken a transparent approach by posting actual prices paid for gold on their website every day, regardless of the amount. Their gold buyers in Fort Lauderdale have developed a system that allows you to approve the payment amount in advance.
To further enhance the selling experience, GoldFellow introduced several innovations, including a gold payments gallery and a gold calculator. These tools help you understand the value of your gold before selling. Such commitment to transparency and customer satisfaction has earned GoldFellow an “A” rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Nopcommerce premium services
- Firstly, Support from the core team and General questions.
- Development and customization questions.
- Any Bug Fixing.
- Configuration, installation and upgrade questions, optimization, etc.
- Architectural advising.
- Custom code review.
Limitation of free plan
However, NopCommerce is free to download and use, just like most open-source software. Developer skills are required to use the free plan, and there are Design limitations. However, you’ll need to plan for the costs of site hosting, themes, add-ons, an SSL certificate, and any custom programming you can’t do yourself. Additionally, you might need to purchase some Microsoft goods if you haven’t previously in order to use them with nopCommerce.
Magento
The best multi-channel eCommerce platform and the Best for large online retailers.
E-commerce Platform | Free Features | Pricing |
Catalog Management. Order Management. Search Engine Optimization. Advertising and Marketing. Internationalization and Easy Checkout. Payment Modes and Analytics &Reporting. | It’s Free but you have to buy hosting Starts at $2.95 per month | |
Reason to use | Magento can help you manage multiple stores from one admin panel, saving you a lot of time | RATING ★★★★★ |
Magento store example
Magento key Features
- Firstly, it gives Powerful features to support huge stores
- Further, Magento can manage thousands of products
- Lastly, Trusted by major brands like Nike, Samsung, and Ford
Magento is not for small businesses or novice users because it requires some prior tech knowledge to utilize. The benefit is that Magento is the most potent e-commerce platform on this list, which is the reward. For very large stores that already have a sizable following of devoted clients, we advise using Magento.
Limitation of Magento
Although Magento has a tonne of capabilities, those features can make it clumsy and resource-intensive. As a result, you may need to budget some money and time for optimization because it could cause your site to load slowly.
Magento can be learned, but if you had programming abilities, that would be the key factor in your decision. Because they have the resources and budget to hire a developer who is familiar with development code, bigger businesses are known to choose Magento.
In conclusion:
Square Online is the free eCommerce platform you should use if you want to start selling without registering for a premium plan. With its free plan, you can sell an infinite amount of products and have access to social network integrations and shopping cart features. The Ecommercefix team researchers discovered it to be the most user-friendly platform, despite its restricted capabilities and design flexibility. And anytime you’re ready for the full e-commerce experience, you may pay to upgrade.
I just want you to be aware that I haven’t included all of the open-source applications available. The best aspect is that they are all free and constantly being improved. That is a significant bonus if you want to scale up easily in the long run while saving a little money in the short term. you can check more ideas of worldwide e-commerce giants through this link.
Although open-source e-commerce platforms have their benefits, you should give non-open-source alternatives like Shopify, BigCommerce, or Volusion careful consideration. With these platforms, you only have to pay a minimal monthly price, spend less time looking for hosting or maintaining your website, and always receive attentive customer service, but if you want to make your own website select the best hosting for your business.
Please feel free to ask any questions you may have regarding this analysis of free and open-source e-commerce systems in the comments section below.