It has never been easier to start selling online with a huge range of online store builders on the market. They range from 100% dedicated e-commerce platforms to more versatile tools that give you a series of related features. This means that when you’re thinking about how to build an online store, you need a lot of background information.
Every business has solutions, from independent creatives willing to develop a web store, to large multinational organizations planning to conquer the world.
Here, we concentrated on the platforms, meeting the requirements of most small and medium-sized enterprises, and particularly those who are just starting out with online or physical product sales.
This article will do the hard work for you, telling you about the top tools you can choose from today so you can make an informed decision.
1. Bitrix24
Pros: A seriously powerful online store builder for free. What more do you want?
Cons: Not too much to say here
Bitrix24 have clearly thought about the entire process behind their online store website builder. Sure, you get an intuitive CMS to create your website and a bunch of payment options, but you also have a powerful customer relationship management tool so you can keep records of your customers and develop marketing campaigns to create loyalty.
Now for the big news: you can get started without spending a penny! That includes as many pages as you want, a custom domain name, SEO tools, a shipping cost calculator, and so much more. Plus, you don’t have to worry about coding. A simple drag-and-drop session can have you up and running in minutes.
Bitrix24 Bottom Line
Bitrix24 is more than just CRM software – it’s about the development of the online business from the very start.
Probably, Bitrix24 will be the best e-commerce website builder in 2024. Of course, it’s hard to make sure about it, but most reviews online prove it. Besides, it’s one of the most affordable options in the market.
Bitrix24 is packed to the top with useful instruments. It has almost everything that a "Customer Relationship Management" needs in 2024.
It’s one of the best choices for contact management.
Bitrix24 is connected with numerous online applications and social networks, which makes integrations available.
Bitrix24 is one of the most popular and cheapest e-commerce platforms for newbies thanks to 24/7 support for anyone experiencing difficulties with e-commerce features.
Bitrix24 is about comprehensive e-commerce store management. It will help you organize your deadlines and tasks in accordance with your capabilities. You won’t have to suffer and sacrifice the hours of your private life to build your business - Bitrix24 will do most things for you automatically. You’ll finally manage to prioritize, assign, and create something new.
Bitrix24 will help you develop projects without any additional basements, thanks to your team that will always be online. The collaboration will be seamless and effortless.
2. Shopify
Pros: Perfect for beginners without technical skills
Cons: No free version and it is at the higher end of the price scale
Shopify is the most well-known thoroughbred of the e-commerce platforms on this list and is still one of the easiest online shop builders to use. Part of this is the fact that it is hosted on Shopify’s servers, a great community that answers a huge array of questions, and SEO support — perfect if you’re no tech wizard.
You get a bunch of excellent features such as templates, multi-channel selling (online, social media, offline), and among the best UX you can possibly get.
Shopify Bottom Line
It’s among the most effortless choices, regardless of the price (probably, it’s the only disadvantage here). Its ease of use makes the app a flawless e-commerce website builder.
Shopify has pre-made, high-quality templates. There’s a perfect drag-drop tool (it’s the best solution for anyone who has no experience in e-commerce business).
There’s a 24/7 support team with huge FAQ database you can refer to at any time if you’re not sure what to do or experience difficulties.
Shopify comes with about 1,200 integrated apps and plugins. You get SMS and Email marketing, Google ads, Search Engine Optimization, Facebook ads, and anything you might need to sell online.
3. WooCommerce
Pros: Unbeatable if you already have a WordPress website
Cons: It can be difficult to use if you’re not a developer
As an open-source plugin for WordPress, WooComerce is ideal if you’ve already got your website set up and just need that final touch. It is totally free (minus maintenance and hosting costs) and there are zero transaction fees, which is a big plus if you’re just getting your web store started. That doesn’t mean it skimps on features either. You get mobile-friendly templates, a bunch of integrations, and an infinite number of products for your site.
The open-source advantages go even further, as it is one of the online store builders with the best communities to help you out whenever you run into issues. If you are lucky enough to have a developer on your team, you can take the source code and give it a really personal touch.
WooCommerce Bottom Line
Seamless WordPress integration. If you use WooCommerce, you are a trusted seller because you have all integration options at your fingertips. Merely install it as a plugin, and you can start selling.
Cost-effective eCommerce solution. You may start using the basic features at no cost. As your company grows and your co-worker’s skills develop, you can incorporate premium add-ons to improve the functionality and simplify the work of your team.
Extensive customization options. Thousands of WordPress pre-made themes are at your disposal. Customize your online business however you want with a few clicks.
WooCommerce is a secure and reliable e-commerce platform. Specialized security tools give your consumers a safe online purchasing environment. Security is also connected with powerful analytics and SEO tools for the best inventory management.
Community and support for further success and development in social media and other online platforms available.
4. BigCommerce
Pros: Plenty of features with the free version
Cons: Your sales per month are capped unless you upgrade
BigCommerce may be the little brother of Shopify when it comes to market share, but it is growing in popularity for offering a more affordable set of tools. You can forget about transaction fees, even if your payment app is a third-party integration. Furthermore, you get a great list of features with the free version, whereas others hold a lot of the better tools back until the paid tiers.
BigCommerce has got your back when it comes to SEO and reporting, the kind of things that come into play once you’ve got to grips with the basics.
However, it’s not all rosy. BigCommerce puts a limit on your sales per month before bumping you up a payment tier. If you’re OK with that, it’s a safe bet.
BigCommerce Bottom Line
Templates – so convenient! 12 free templates for the new site builders and those who start dealing with online sales.
As a beginner, you get everything you need! Convenient drag-and-drop page builder for the newbies. Numerous integrations with payment gateways plus multiple payment methods.
SEO can’t be ignored. Blogging functionality and always-growing SEO tools for e-commerce website development.
Regular help. 24/7 online support and professional reporting in case of any trouble.
Bonuses! Product review functionality and seasonal discount coupons.
Online interaction with the apps and social networks. Seamless integration with third-party apps.
5. Square Online
Pros: Excellent connectivity between online and offline stores
Cons: You can get better quality for less cost elsewhere
Square made their name offline, so they’ve got a good sales pedigree. Now on the world wide web, they’ve jumped onto the bandwagon and provide a solid product for a very reasonable price. They started life in brick-and-mortar, and they combine the two very well so you can sync your physical and online inventories.
On the downside, although there is a free version available, you don’t get as many features as with other similar products and you do have to deal with processing and transaction fees.
Square Online Bottom Line
With Square, you get an excellent support team – numerous users say it’s one of the most attractive e-commerce website builder options for the newbies with its regular help, support, and online consultations 24/7.
Square offers an easy-to-use site dashboard and automatically keeps track of product sales. It’s one of the cheapest ecommerce website builders at present. Unfortunately, it’s not fully suitable for most users. If it’s your first time using an app like this, you’ll have to take your time to get used to it. Nevertheless, don’t forget about the stable support team!
Square has in-built marketing features (it’s about advertising and e-commerce).
6. Wix
Pros: Super intuitive and great apps from Wix’s App Market
Cons: Once you’ve picked a theme, you have to keep it
Wix is first and foremost a user-friendly drag-and-drop website builder. You can easily stand out from your competitors by using one of the countless free templates and adapting it to your brand.
If you can deal with Wix branding on your site and no analytics, you can in theory stick with the free version, but most users feel pushed into upgrading. Starting at $23 per month for the e-commerce-dedicated Business Basic, you get your essential custom domain, abandoned cart recovery and many more handy features.
Wix Bottom Line
Wix is pretty affordable. However, if you want to get rid of Wix's branding within the tool, you’ll have to pay for premium plans. Yep, it’s not the cheapest solution.
Everything will look great, but you’ll still be bound by restrictions and additional payment options. It’s not among the best ecommerce website builders this year yet. It has great potential, but you’ll still have to pay quite a lot for the options that can really be beneficial.
Regardless of all imperfections, Wix has great customer support. It’s functional, regardless whether you use it from an online app or the official website.
Live editing is what makes Wix stand out of all e-commerce website builders. You get a chance to play around what you want and develop your website the way you want it to look and function.
Unfortunately, Wix, with all its functionalities, has several disadvantages. They are lack of flexibility, limited monetization, slow loading, and more. You’ll have to adjust to it to get it working. Nevertheless, it’s really a powerful tool that will not cost you a ton of money.
If you’re a patient website builder, you’ll learn how to deal with Wix.
7. Shift4Shop
Pros: Excellent SEO and templates
Cons: No free version or mobile app
Shift4Shop is another one of the early birds in the e-commerce world and after all these years, it’s still a leading website builder. What really sets it apart is its SEO optimization which helps you get your products out there without hemorrhaging money on expensive ads.
It comes with a range of website templates that compete with the best, and you have excellent customization capabilities.
Unlike most of the platforms here, Shift4Shop doesn’t have a mobile version and you can’t create online shops for free once you’ve used up the free trial.
Shift4Shop Bottom Line
Online support is helpless, but there’s a chance to get in touch with the users. If you are a new website builder, you’ll get a bit more experienced while communicating with someone who has already been through it.
Shift4Shop is the best option for USA users and e-commerce website owners because it has seamless and effortless set up and integration.
Shift4Shop offers gift certificates and membership rewards. You also get website designs and redesigns for any e-commerce website that are straightforward and full of customization options for your unique business.
8. Sellfy
Pros: Very original in its focus on digital products
Cons: Not much room for creative expression
Sellfy is an easy web store builder with the distinctive quality of being designed for digital products. You can use it to automate payments — through Stripe and PayPal — and delivery, which is a great time saver.
Whether you yourself are a web designer or not, you can get started straight away with very little technical knowledge needed. However this comes at a cost as there are very few options to customize your website to your own brand. Charging around the same as its main competitors, this does mean it’s perhaps best only for online stores specializing in digital products.
Sellfy Bottom Line
Just the beginning. It’s a starter store for anyone who needs support with an e-commerce website.
Smart analytics. Sellfy offers marketing features, robust customizations, and analytics.
Needs further development. Unfortunately, it’s a newly developed platform that still needs a bit of improvement.
What is the best online store builder for me?
Of course, the best website builder for online stores really depends on what you need. Are you experienced in the game, confident in your abilities? Or are you still wondering how to create an online business for the first time?
The good news is, if you’re still at the stage when you’re asking yourself “how long does it take to create the best e-commerce website?”, you’ll be happy to know that all the tools listed here are so easy. Just upload your content and you’re ready to go.
Ultimately, if what you want is an excellent all-round e-commerce website builder or an e-commerce store with tools to accommodate all aspects of your shop, you can’t look much further than Bitrix24.
Document creation, sharing, and collaboration are all available through Bitrix24 document management tools. Access rights and document version control contribute to data security and smooth cooperation.
