Quick Overview
- 1#1: Shopify - All-in-one e-commerce platform that enables businesses to build, manage, and scale online stores with advanced shopping cart features.
- 2#2: WooCommerce - Open-source WordPress plugin that transforms any site into a customizable online store with robust shopping cart capabilities.
- 3#3: BigCommerce - Scalable SaaS e-commerce platform designed for growing businesses with multi-channel shopping cart support.
- 4#4: Squarespace - Intuitive website builder with integrated e-commerce tools for creating beautiful stores with seamless shopping carts.
- 5#5: Wix - Drag-and-drop website builder featuring comprehensive e-commerce functionality including customizable shopping carts.
- 6#6: Adobe Commerce - Highly flexible open-source platform for enterprise-level e-commerce with advanced shopping cart customization.
- 7#7: Shift4Shop - Hosted e-commerce solution offering built-in marketing tools and a feature-rich shopping cart for small to medium businesses.
- 8#8: Ecwid - Embeddable e-commerce widget that adds a powerful shopping cart to any website or social platform.
- 9#9: PrestaShop - Free open-source e-commerce platform with modular tools for managing shopping carts and online sales.
- 10#10: OpenCart - Lightweight open-source shopping cart solution ideal for simple online stores with extensive extension support.
We evaluated tools based on feature depth, ease of use, scalability, and overall value, ensuring they cater to the demands of startups, small businesses, and enterprises alike while delivering reliable, high-performance functionality.
Comparison Table
Selecting the ideal shopping cart software is essential for successful online businesses, and this comparison table explores top options like Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Squarespace, Wix, and more. Readers will learn key details about features, usability, scalability, and pricing to identify the best fit for their unique needs.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Shopify All-in-one e-commerce platform that enables businesses to build, manage, and scale online stores with advanced shopping cart features. | enterprise | 9.5/10 | 9.7/10 | 9.3/10 | 9.0/10 |
| 2 | WooCommerce Open-source WordPress plugin that transforms any site into a customizable online store with robust shopping cart capabilities. | other | 9.2/10 | 9.5/10 | 7.8/10 | 9.8/10 |
| 3 | BigCommerce Scalable SaaS e-commerce platform designed for growing businesses with multi-channel shopping cart support. | enterprise | 9.2/10 | 9.5/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.7/10 |
| 4 |  Squarespace Intuitive website builder with integrated e-commerce tools for creating beautiful stores with seamless shopping carts. | creative_suite | 8.3/10 | 8.0/10 | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 |
| 5 | Wix Drag-and-drop website builder featuring comprehensive e-commerce functionality including customizable shopping carts. | creative_suite | 8.2/10 | 7.9/10 | 9.4/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 6 | Adobe Commerce Highly flexible open-source platform for enterprise-level e-commerce with advanced shopping cart customization. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 9.6/10 | 5.2/10 | 7.1/10 |
| 7 | Shift4Shop Hosted e-commerce solution offering built-in marketing tools and a feature-rich shopping cart for small to medium businesses. | enterprise | 8.2/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.8/10 | 9.0/10 |
| 8 | Ecwid Embeddable e-commerce widget that adds a powerful shopping cart to any website or social platform. | specialized | 8.2/10 | 7.9/10 | 9.1/10 | 8.6/10 |
| 9 | PrestaShop Free open-source e-commerce platform with modular tools for managing shopping carts and online sales. | other | 8.1/10 | 8.7/10 | 6.5/10 | 9.3/10 |
| 10 | OpenCart Lightweight open-source shopping cart solution ideal for simple online stores with extensive extension support. | other | 8.2/10 | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 | 9.8/10 |
All-in-one e-commerce platform that enables businesses to build, manage, and scale online stores with advanced shopping cart features.
Open-source WordPress plugin that transforms any site into a customizable online store with robust shopping cart capabilities.
Scalable SaaS e-commerce platform designed for growing businesses with multi-channel shopping cart support.
Intuitive website builder with integrated e-commerce tools for creating beautiful stores with seamless shopping carts.
Drag-and-drop website builder featuring comprehensive e-commerce functionality including customizable shopping carts.
Highly flexible open-source platform for enterprise-level e-commerce with advanced shopping cart customization.
Hosted e-commerce solution offering built-in marketing tools and a feature-rich shopping cart for small to medium businesses.
Embeddable e-commerce widget that adds a powerful shopping cart to any website or social platform.
Free open-source e-commerce platform with modular tools for managing shopping carts and online sales.
Lightweight open-source shopping cart solution ideal for simple online stores with extensive extension support.
Shopify
enterpriseAll-in-one e-commerce platform that enables businesses to build, manage, and scale online stores with advanced shopping cart features.
The expansive App Store and Theme Library enabling infinite customization and third-party integrations without developer dependency
Shopify is a leading all-in-one e-commerce platform that powers online stores with robust shopping cart functionality, enabling seamless product listings, checkout processes, and order management. It supports businesses in handling payments, inventory, shipping, and customer data through an intuitive dashboard and vast app ecosystem. Designed for scalability, Shopify caters to solo entrepreneurs up to enterprise-level operations with multi-channel selling capabilities.
Pros
- Vast app store with 8,000+ integrations for endless customization
- Excellent scalability and 99.99% uptime for high-traffic stores
- Built-in Shopify Payments for low-friction global transactions
Cons
- Transaction fees on non-Shopify Payments gateways (0.5-2%)
- Advanced features require higher-tier plans or paid apps
- SEO tools are solid but require apps for deeper optimization
Best For
Entrepreneurs, SMBs, and scaling brands seeking a user-friendly, feature-rich platform to build and grow online stores without coding expertise.
Pricing
Starts at $29/mo (Basic), $79/mo (Shopify), $299/mo (Advanced), with Plus at $2,000+/mo; 3-day free trial, no transaction fees with Shopify Payments.
WooCommerce
otherOpen-source WordPress plugin that transforms any site into a customizable online store with robust shopping cart capabilities.
Seamless WordPress integration with 59,000+ plugins and themes for infinite customization
WooCommerce is a free, open-source e-commerce plugin for WordPress that turns any WordPress site into a powerful online store with features for product management, payments, shipping, taxes, and inventory control. It supports unlimited products and customers, multi-currency, and various payment gateways out of the box. With over 60,000 active installations and a vast ecosystem of extensions, it scales from small shops to enterprise-level stores.
Pros
- Completely free core plugin with no transaction fees
- Thousands of extensions for unlimited customization
- Huge community support and WordPress integration
Cons
- Requires WordPress setup and hosting knowledge
- Performance optimization needed for high traffic
- Premium extensions can add significant costs
Best For
WordPress users and developers seeking a highly customizable, scalable shopping cart without upfront software costs.
Pricing
Free core plugin; premium extensions $49-$299/year; requires hosting ($5-50/month).
BigCommerce
enterpriseScalable SaaS e-commerce platform designed for growing businesses with multi-channel shopping cart support.
Built-in B2B functionality including customer groups, pricing rules, and quote management
BigCommerce is a fully hosted SaaS e-commerce platform that enables businesses to create scalable online stores with advanced features for product management, inventory control, and multi-channel selling. It supports both B2C and B2B operations, offering tools for payments, shipping, SEO optimization, and customer management without transaction fees. Ideal for growing businesses, it provides extensive customization through themes, apps, and APIs.
Pros
- No transaction fees on any plan
- Robust B2B and multi-channel selling capabilities
- Extensive app marketplace and API integrations
Cons
- Higher pricing for small businesses
- Steeper learning curve for non-technical users
- Limited free themes compared to competitors
Best For
Mid-sized to enterprise businesses seeking scalable e-commerce with strong B2B features and omnichannel support.
Pricing
Starts at $29/month (Standard), $79/month (Plus), $299/month (Pro), with Enterprise custom pricing; annual billing discounts available.
Squarespace
creative_suiteIntuitive website builder with integrated e-commerce tools for creating beautiful stores with seamless shopping carts.
Seamlessly integrated designer-quality templates with e-commerce functionality for store aesthetics that rival custom builds
Squarespace is a comprehensive website builder with integrated e-commerce capabilities, allowing users to create visually stunning online stores without coding. It provides essential shopping cart features like inventory management, secure payment processing via Stripe and PayPal, discount codes, abandoned cart recovery, and order tracking. While not a standalone cart solution, it excels in blending professional design templates with commerce tools for small-scale selling.
Pros
- Stunning, mobile-responsive templates optimized for e-commerce
- Intuitive drag-and-drop interface for quick store setup
- Built-in tools like abandoned cart emails and inventory tracking
Cons
- Limited third-party app integrations compared to Shopify
- Transaction fees on lower plans (3% on Basic)
- Less scalable for high-volume or complex stores
Best For
Creative professionals and small businesses seeking a beautiful, easy-to-manage online store without needing advanced customizations.
Pricing
Commerce plans start at $27/month (Basic, annual billing with 3% transaction fees) up to $49/month (Advanced, no fees); higher tiers required for full cart features.
Wix
creative_suiteDrag-and-drop website builder featuring comprehensive e-commerce functionality including customizable shopping carts.
Seamless drag-and-drop store builder that automatically syncs design and functionality with your Wix website
Wix is an all-in-one website builder with integrated e-commerce capabilities via Wix Stores, enabling users to create customizable online shops without coding. It handles product listings, inventory management, secure payments, shipping, taxes, and marketing tools like abandoned cart recovery. While powerful for small stores, it's best as part of a full website ecosystem rather than a standalone cart solution.
Pros
- Intuitive drag-and-drop interface for building stores that match site design
- All-in-one platform including hosting, domains, and marketing tools
- Strong template library and mobile optimization
Cons
- Limited scalability for high-volume or enterprise-level stores
- Transaction fees apply unless using Wix Payments (2.9% + 30¢)
- Fewer advanced multichannel selling options compared to dedicated platforms
Best For
Small businesses and solopreneurs seeking an easy-to-use, visually appealing online store integrated with a custom website.
Pricing
E-commerce requires Business plans starting at $27/month (Basic) up to $159/month (Business VIP); 14-day free trial available, transaction fees extra on some plans.
Adobe Commerce
enterpriseHighly flexible open-source platform for enterprise-level e-commerce with advanced shopping cart customization.
Headless architecture with PWA Studio for blazing-fast, mobile-first storefronts and shopping experiences
Adobe Commerce, formerly Magento, is a powerful open-source e-commerce platform that provides advanced shopping cart functionality for building scalable online stores. It supports complex product catalogs, multi-store management, B2B/B2C operations, and seamless integrations with payment gateways, shipping providers, and marketing tools. Designed for high-volume retailers, it excels in customization, performance optimization, and customer experience personalization through Adobe's ecosystem.
Pros
- Highly scalable for enterprise-level traffic and global operations
- Extensive customization via open-source code and vast extension marketplace
- Advanced B2B features like quote management and customer segmentation
Cons
- Steep learning curve requiring skilled developers for setup and maintenance
- High costs for Commerce edition, hosting, and custom development
- Complex performance tuning needed for optimal shopping cart speed
Best For
Mid-to-large enterprises needing deeply customizable, high-performance shopping cart solutions for complex e-commerce needs.
Pricing
Community Edition free; Commerce Cloud starts at ~$22,000/year for entry-level (up to $1M GMV), scaling to $125,000+ for higher tiers, plus implementation fees.
Shift4Shop
enterpriseHosted e-commerce solution offering built-in marketing tools and a feature-rich shopping cart for small to medium businesses.
Zero transaction fees when using integrated Shift4 Payments gateway
Shift4Shop is a fully hosted e-commerce platform designed for creating and managing online stores, offering unlimited products, bandwidth, and storage on all plans. It includes built-in tools for inventory management, SEO, email marketing, and multi-channel selling across platforms like Amazon and eBay. The platform integrates seamlessly with Shift4 Payments, eliminating transaction fees when using their gateway.
Pros
- Unlimited products, bandwidth, and storage on every plan
- No transaction fees with Shift4 Payments integration
- Extensive built-in marketing and SEO tools
Cons
- User interface feels dated and less intuitive than modern competitors
- Limited free theme options with extra costs for premium designs
- Customer support response times can be inconsistent
Best For
Small to medium-sized businesses seeking a cost-effective, all-in-one shopping cart solution with strong payment processing integration.
Pricing
Plans start at $29/month (Lite), $79/month (Pro), and $229/month (Premium), billed annually; no transaction fees with Shift4 Payments.
Ecwid
specializedEmbeddable e-commerce widget that adds a powerful shopping cart to any website or social platform.
Universal embed code that integrates a complete store into any website, social channel, or app without migrations
Ecwid is a versatile shopping cart platform that allows users to embed a fully functional online store into any existing website, blog, or CMS like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace without needing to rebuild their site. It supports multi-channel selling across social media (Facebook, Instagram), marketplaces (Amazon, eBay), and even mobile apps or email campaigns. Ideal for small businesses, it offers inventory management, secure payments via 50+ gateways, and SEO tools, with a free plan to get started quickly.
Pros
- Seamless integration with any website or platform via simple embed code
- Multi-channel selling support for social media and marketplaces
- Generous free plan with core e-commerce features included
Cons
- Limited product catalog (10 items) and 2% transaction fees on free plan
- Advanced customizations require higher-tier plans or coding
- Reporting and analytics less robust than dedicated enterprise platforms
Best For
Small to medium businesses wanting to quickly add e-commerce to an existing website without switching platforms.
Pricing
Free plan (up to 10 products, 2% transaction fee); Venture ($15/mo, 100 products, no fees); Business ($35/mo, 2,500 products); Unlimited ($99/mo, unlimited products and staff accounts).
PrestaShop
otherFree open-source e-commerce platform with modular tools for managing shopping carts and online sales.
Its massive marketplace of over 3,000 modules and themes for unparalleled customization without vendor lock-in
PrestaShop is a free, open-source e-commerce platform designed for building and managing online stores with robust product catalog management, inventory tracking, and order processing. It supports multi-store setups, multiple languages and currencies, and integrates with numerous payment gateways and shipping providers. With a vast marketplace of over 3,000 modules and themes, it enables extensive customization tailored to various business needs.
Pros
- Completely free open-source core with no licensing fees
- Extensive module marketplace for advanced features and integrations
- Strong SEO tools, multi-language support, and multi-store capabilities
Cons
- Steep learning curve requiring technical knowledge for setup and maintenance
- Performance issues with large catalogs without optimization
- Relies on self-hosting, increasing responsibility for security and updates
Best For
Small to medium-sized businesses seeking a highly customizable, cost-free e-commerce platform with technical resources for self-management.
Pricing
Core software is free; premium modules/themes ($50-$300+), hosting ($5-$50/month), and optional paid support/plans ($99+/year).
OpenCart
otherLightweight open-source shopping cart solution ideal for simple online stores with extensive extension support.
Massive marketplace with over 13,000 extensions for endless customization possibilities
OpenCart is a free, open-source e-commerce platform that enables businesses to create and manage online stores with features like product catalogs, inventory management, and order processing. It supports multi-store setups, multiple languages, and currencies, making it suitable for international sellers. With a vast extension marketplace exceeding 13,000 modules, it offers extensive customization without high costs.
Pros
- Completely free core software with no licensing fees
- Over 13,000 extensions and themes for high customizability
- Strong multi-store, multi-language, and SEO capabilities
Cons
- Steep learning curve for non-technical users
- Requires self-hosting and manual security updates
- Limited native support; relies on community forums
Best For
Tech-savvy small to medium businesses needing a free, highly extensible shopping cart without subscription fees.
Pricing
Free open-source core; optional costs for hosting ($5-50/month), premium extensions/themes ($20-200 each), and support.
Conclusion
The top 10 shopping cart software options present strong solutions for diverse business needs, with Shopify leading as the top choice thanks to its all-in-one approach that streamlines building, managing, and scaling online stores. WooCommerce stands out as a flexible open-source tool for those using WordPress, while BigCommerce excels in scalability for growing businesses with multi-channel support. Ultimately, the best pick depends on specific needs, but Shopify remains the most versatile and robust option.
Ready to start or grow your online store? Try Shopify today to experience a seamless, feature-rich shopping cart that adapts to your business goals.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison