Best Free eCommerce Website Builders to Launch Your Online Store

Consequently, we decided to examine the top free eCommerce website builders currently available. In this article, we will discuss their advantages and disadvantages, as well as provide an overview of our overall experience with each platform.

Enjoy.

What is an eCommerce website builder?

An eCommerce website builder is a software or platform that allows sellers to create and manage an online store without extensive coding or technical knowledge. It provides tools and templates specifically designed for building and customizing eCommerce websites.

These website builders typically offer a user-friendly interface that allows users to choose from pre-designed templates, customize the layout, add products, set up payment gateways, and manage inventory, among other essential eCommerce features. They often include drag-and-drop functionality, making it easy to arrange elements on web pages without the need for coding skills.

eCommerce website builders also provide features such as order management, customer management, marketing tools, and analytics to help businesses effectively run and grow their online stores. Some builders may offer additional functionalities like integration with shipping providers, social media platforms, and email marketing services.

Best free eCommerce website builders

Let’s delve into the top free eCommerce website builders available in the market today.

Ecwid

Ecwid is a popular eCommerce website builder that offers a range of features for creating and managing online stores. It stands out for its simplicity and versatility, allowing users to seamlessly integrate their stores into existing websites, social media platforms, or even mobile apps.

Pros of Ecwid

• Easy integration. Ecwid excels in integrating with various platforms, making it convenient for users to add an online store to their existing websites, blogs, or social media pages. It provides plugins and extensions for popular platforms like WordPress, Wix, and Facebook, ensuring a smooth integration process.
• Mobile-friendly. Ecwid understands the importance of mobile commerce and offers responsive designs that adapt to different screen sizes. This enables customers to easily browse and purchase products using their mobile devices, enhancing the overall shopping experience.
• Multi-channel selling. With Ecwid, you can sell your products not only through your website but also across multiple channels, including social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This expands your reach and allows you to tap into different customer bases.
• Simple store management: Ecwid provides an intuitive dashboard that simplifies store management. You can easily add and categorize products, set up shipping options, manage orders, and track inventory. It also offers built-in marketing tools for promoting your store and increasing sales.

Cons of Ecwid

• Limited free plan. While Ecwid offers a free plan, it comes with certain limitations. The free plan is suitable for small businesses with a limited number of products, but if you require advanced features or have a larger inventory, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.
• Customization limitations. While Ecwid provides some customization options, they are relatively limited compared to other eCommerce builders. Users may feel restricted in terms of modifying the design and layout of their store, as well as adding advanced functionalities.
• Transaction fees on the free plan. If you opt for the free plan, Ecwid charges a transaction fee for each sale you make. This can eat into your profits, especially for higher volume businesses. To avoid transaction fees, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.

Overall, Ecwid is a user-friendly eCommerce website builder that offers convenient integration options and multi-channel selling capabilities. However, its customization limitations and transaction fees on the free plan are aspects to consider when evaluating whether it aligns with your specific business needs.

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WebStarts

WebStarts is a versatile website builder that also offers eCommerce functionality, allowing users to create and manage online stores with ease. With its user-friendly interface and range of customizable templates, WebStarts aims to simplify the process of building an eCommerce website.

Pros of WebStarts

• User-friendly interface. WebStarts provides a straightforward drag-and-drop editor, making it easy for users to build and customize their online stores without any coding knowledge. Thanks to the intuitive interface, you can get a smooth and enjoyable website building experience.
• Customizable templates. WebStarts offers a wide selection of professionally designed templates that you can customize to your business needs. You can easily modify the layout, colors, fonts, and images to create a unique and visually appealing online store.
• Mobile responsive design. All WebStarts templates are mobile responsive, ensuring that your eCommerce website looks and functions seamlessly across different devices and screen sizes. This enhances the user experience and helps drive mobile sales.
• eCommerce features. WebStarts provides essential eCommerce features, including inventory management, order tracking, and payment gateway integration. You can easily add products, set pricing, and manage orders, making it convenient to run your online store efficiently.

Cons of WebStarts

• Limited eCommerce functionality. While WebStarts offers basic eCommerce functionality, it may not have the advanced features that some businesses require. It lacks certain advanced inventory management options, complex discounting capabilities, and more advanced marketing tools.
• Limited third-party integrations. WebStarts has limited options for integrating with third-party services and applications. This may be a drawback if you rely on specific tools or services for your business operations, such as shipping providers or email marketing platforms.
• Limited support. WebStarts’ customer support is somewhat limited compared to other website builders. The availability of live chat or phone support may be restricted, and the responsiveness of their support team could be improved.
• Limited SEO features. While WebStarts allows you to optimize your website for search engines, it offers fewer SEO features compared to some other eCommerce website builders. This may impact your ability to fully optimize your online store for organic search traffic.

Overall, WebStarts is a user-friendly website builder that provides an accessible way to create an eCommerce store. Its customizable templates and mobile-responsive designs contribute to an appealing user experience. However, it falls short in terms of advanced eCommerce functionality, limited third-party integrations, and SEO features. Evaluating your specific business requirements is essential to determine if WebStarts meets your needs.

Strikingly

Strikingly is a website builder that offers an easy and intuitive platform for creating stunning websites, including eCommerce stores. With its focus on simplicity and modern design, Strikingly aims to provide users with a hassle-free experience in building their online presence.

Pros of Strikingly

• User-friendly interface. Strikingly features a user-friendly interface that allows even beginners to create professional-looking eCommerce websites without technical expertise. Its drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to customize layouts, add content, and manage product listings effortlessly.
• Beautiful templates. Strikingly offers a collection of visually appealing templates designed with modern aesthetics. These templates are mobile responsive, ensuring that your eCommerce store looks great on any device. The templates can be customized to match your brand and business requirements.
• Simplified eCommerce features. Strikingly simplifies the process of adding eCommerce functionality to your website. It provides essential eCommerce features, such as product listings, secure payment integration, and shopping cart functionality. Managing inventory and processing orders is made straightforward through the platform.
• One-page websites. Strikingly specializes in one-page websites, which can be advantageous for small eCommerce stores or businesses with a limited product range. This approach provides a seamless and focused user experience, where visitors can quickly view and purchase products without navigating through multiple pages.

Cons of Strikingly

• Limited customization. While Strikingly offers beautiful templates, the customization options can be somewhat limited compared to other website builders. Users may find it challenging to make extensive modifications to the design or layout of their eCommerce store beyond the provided options.
• Limited eCommerce functionality. Strikingly’s eCommerce features are relatively basic compared to dedicated eCommerce platforms. It may lack certain advanced functionalities, such as advanced inventory management, complex discounting options, or more sophisticated marketing tools.
• Limited third-party integrations. Strikingly has a limited range of third-party integrations available. This may be a limitation if you rely on specific services or applications for your eCommerce business, such as shipping providers or email marketing platforms.
• Scalability constraints. Strikingly’s focus on simplicity and one-page websites may not be suitable for larger eCommerce businesses with a vast product range or complex requirements. As your business grows, you may find that the platform lacks the scalability needed to accommodate your expanding needs.

Overall, Strikingly is an accessible and user-friendly website builder that offers a streamlined approach to building eCommerce stores. Its beautiful templates and simplified eCommerce features make it ideal for small businesses or individuals looking for a straightforward online selling solution. However, its customization limitations, basic eCommerce functionality, limited integrations, and potential scalability constraints should be taken into consideration when evaluating its suitability for your specific business needs.

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Best eCommerce website builders with free trial

Shopify

Shopify is one of the leading eCommerce website builders that provides a comprehensive platform for creating, managing, and growing online stores. While it is known for its robust features and scalability, it’s important to note that Shopify is not available as a completely free website builder. However, it does offer a free trial period, allowing users to explore its capabilities before committing to a paid plan.

Pros of Shopify

• Powerful eCommerce features. Shopify offers a wide range of features specifically designed for eCommerce. It provides tools for inventory management, order fulfillment, payment gateways, and shipping options, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes. It also supports multiple sales channels, including online, mobile, social media, and physical retail.
• Extensive app store. Shopify boasts an extensive app store that offers a wide range of plugins and integrations to enhance the functionality of your online store. From marketing and SEO tools to customer service and analytics, the app store provides an array of options to customize and optimize your eCommerce business.
• Scalability. Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, Shopify scales with your needs. It can manage high traffic volumes, large product catalogs, and complex operations. Shopify Plus, the enterprise-level solution, offers additional features for larger businesses, such as advanced analytics, customizable checkout, and dedicated support.
• Professional themes and customization. Shopify provides a wide selection of professionally designed themes that can be customized to match your brand identity. The themes are responsive, ensuring your online store looks great on any device. Additionally, Shopify’s robust theme editor allows for deeper customization, enabling you to create a unique and visually appealing eCommerce website.

Cons of Shopify

• Learning curve. Shopify’s extensive features and customization options come with a learning curve. Users who are new to eCommerce or have limited technical knowledge may find it overwhelming initially. Although Shopify provides extensive documentation and support resources, it may still take time to fully grasp all the platform’s capabilities.
• Limited design control. While Shopify offers customization options, users may find some limitations in terms of design control compared to fully customizable platforms. Making extensive design modifications might require knowledge of coding or hiring a developer.
• App dependency. To unlock certain advanced functionalities, you may need to rely on third-party apps. While the app store provides a wide range of options, using multiple apps can increase costs and potentially impact website performance if not managed properly.
• Transaction fees. For users who choose to use external payment gateways instead of Shopify Payments, transaction fees are charged on each sale. This can affect profit margins, particularly for businesses with high transaction volumes. To avoid these fees, users can opt for Shopify Payments, but it may not be available in all countries.

Overall, Shopify is a feature-rich and scalable eCommerce website builder suitable for businesses of all sizes. Its powerful eCommerce features, extensive app ecosystem, and professional themes make it a popular choice. However, the cost, learning curve, limited design control, and potential app dependency should be considered when determining if Shopify is the right platform for your specific eCommerce needs.

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Wix

Wix is a popular website builder that offers a free plan, making it an attractive option for individuals and small businesses looking to establish an online presence. It provides an intuitive and user-friendly platform that allows users to create visually appealing websites, including eCommerce stores, without the need for coding skills.

Pros of Wix

• User-friendly interface. Wix features a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor that simplifies the process of building a website. Users can easily customize the layout, add elements, and modify the design to create a personalized online store. The intuitive interface makes it accessible to users with no technical expertise.
• Extensive template collection. Wix offers a vast collection of professionally designed templates across various industries and categories. These templates are visually appealing and mobile-responsive, ensuring that your eCommerce store looks great on different devices. They serve as a solid foundation for building a visually stunning online store.
• App market for additional functionality. Wix has an App Market that offers a wide range of apps and integrations to enhance the functionality of your website. Users can add features such as advanced product galleries, customer reviews, marketing tools, and more. The App Market allows for scalability and customization as your business needs evolve.
• eCommerce features. Wix provides essential eCommerce features, including product listings, inventory management, secure payment gateways, and order tracking. Users can set up product variations, discounts, and shipping options, making it convenient to manage an online store within the platform.

Cons of Wix

• Wix branding and ads. With the free plan, Wix displays its branding (such as a Wix logo) on your website. While it doesn’t hinder functionality, it can be a drawback for businesses seeking a more professional and branded online presence. Additionally, free websites on Wix may display ads, which can detract from the user experience.
• Limited storage and bandwidth. The free plan on Wix has limitations on storage and bandwidth. This means that as your website grows, you may encounter restrictions in terms of the number of products you can list, media files you can upload, or the amount of traffic your website can handle. Upgrading to a paid plan is necessary to access more storage and bandwidth.
• Limited SEO capabilities. While Wix offers some basic SEO tools, its capabilities in terms of advanced SEO optimization are relatively limited compared to dedicated SEO platforms. This may impact your ability to fully optimize your eCommerce store for search engine visibility and organic traffic.
• No custom code. With the free plan, users cannot add custom code to their Wix website. This limitation may restrict users who have specific customization needs or require more advanced functionality that requires custom code integration.

Overall, Wix’s free website builder offers a user-friendly platform with attractive templates and essential eCommerce features. It’s suitable for individuals and small businesses starting out, but limitations such as Wix branding, ads, limited storage, and restricted SEO capabilities should be taken into account. If you require more advanced functionality or want to remove these limitations, upgrading to a paid plan is necessary.

Squarespace

Squarespace is another popular website builder known for its sleek and modern designs, making it an appealing option for individuals and businesses looking to create visually stunning websites. However, it’s important to note that Squarespace does not offer a completely free plan. While it provides a free trial period, a subscription is required to maintain an active website.

Pros of Squarespace

• Beautiful templates. Squarespace provides a wide range of professionally designed templates that are visually appealing and modern. These templates are mobile-responsive, ensuring that your website looks great on different devices. The templates serve as a solid starting point for creating an aesthetically pleasing website or eCommerce store.
• Design customization. Squarespace provides users with extensive customization options to personalize the appearance of their website. The intuitive drag-and-drop editor allows users to modify layouts, change fonts and colors, and add multimedia elements easily. This flexibility allows for creative freedom and brand consistency.
• Robust features. Squarespace offers a comprehensive set of features to support website building and eCommerce functionality. It includes built-in features such as blogging, SEO optimization tools, social media integration, and more. For eCommerce, Squarespace offers essential features like inventory management, secure payments, and order tracking.
• Strong customer support. Squarespace is renowned for its reliable customer support. They provide multiple channels for assistance, including live chat, email, and an extensive knowledge base. Their support team is responsive and knowledgeable, ensuring that users can get help when needed.

Cons of Squarespace

• Cost. Squarespace does not offer a completely free plan, and ongoing subscription fees are required to maintain an active website. While it provides a free trial period, businesses or individuals on a tight budget may find the cost of a subscription to be a drawback.
• Limited third-party integrations. Squarespace has a more limited range of third-party integrations compared to some other website builders. While it covers essential integrations such as payment gateways and email marketing services, users may find that it lacks integration options with specific tools or services they require for their business operations.
• Learning curve. While Squarespace provides a user-friendly interface, some users may find that it has a steeper learning curve compared to simpler website builders. Fully utilizing its features and customization options may require some time and effort, especially for users with limited technical skills.
• Code access restrictions. Squarespace does not provide direct access to the website’s underlying code. While it offers extensive customization options through the platform, users who require more advanced customizations or specific code modifications may find these limitations frustrating.

Overall, Squarespace is a powerful website builder known for its sleek designs and comprehensive features. However, it’s important to consider the associated costs, limited third-party integrations, potential learning curve, and code access restrictions when evaluating Squarespace as a website builder for your specific needs.

Final thoughts

Choosing the right free website builder for your eCommerce needs requires careful consideration of various factors. While there are several options available, each platform comes with its own set of pros and cons.

Remember, no single free website builder will meet all your specific needs. Evaluate your priorities, scalability requirements, and desired features to make an informed decision. By understanding the strengths and limitations of each platform, you can select the best free eCommerce website builder to kickstart your online selling journey.