Top 10 Best E-Commerce Platforms Worldwide

E-commerce has exploded in popularity over the last two decades. More and more businesses are moving their operations online and leveraging the power of the internet to connect with customers globally. Global e-commerce sales hit $5.7 trillion in 2022 and are expected to grow to $21 trillion by 2030, at a CAGR of 16.9% from 2023 to 2030. 

With this massive growth, the market has also seen a proliferation of e-commerce platforms that aim to make building and managing an online store easier for businesses.

Setting up an online store can feel overwhelming with so many website options out there. You may be wondering, which platform is right for your products and fits your budget. This guide will make your search easier by reviewing the top 10 best e-commerce platforms used by shop owners worldwide. We looked at features, pricing, and support to pick the best ones. By the end of this blog, you’ll confidently choose a store that fits your needs. Let’s discuss some important factors to consider when choosing the best e-commerce platform for your needs.

Factors to Consider

Key factors that help you decide the best e-commerce platform:

Features	Think about what functionality you need both now and in the future. Consider options for products, payments, taxes, shipping, themes, apps/integrations, etc.
Budget	Platforms range widely in pricing tiers so define your budget limits upfront. Consider initial setup fees too alongside ongoing hosting/transaction costs.
Ease of use	If you lack coding skills, prioritize intuitive dashboards. Admin layout should be logical & customizable for your team.
Customization	Can you modify templates, layouts, and design elements? Or are you stuck within standard configs? Flexible options allow unique tweaks.
Scalability	What volume can it handle? Select one with room to grow as sales increase versus hard limits restricting expansion.
Reporting	Make sure it provides robust analytical data on customer behavior, demographics, and top products and funnels for optimization.
Platform pitches	Read reviews from real users across different industries to see its actual performance beyond marketing fluff.
Hosting options	Consider fully hosted vs. self-hosted flexibility and related cost factors under infrastructure.

Must Read: Tips for Growing D2C Brands on E-commerce Platforms

10 Best E-Commerce Platforms

From legacy giants like Shopify and Magento to emerging challengers, we’ll outline key features and use cases to help you find the best fit. Let’s begin our review with a look at each of the current front-runners in the space.

1. Shopify

Coming in at number one is the undisputed champion – Shopify. Since launching in 2006, this Canadian company has powered over 1 million businesses toward success. Some key highlights about our favorite e-commerce all-star:

Overview

Shopify provides merchants with a complete backend platform to build and customize an online storefront. From payment processing to marketing tools, they’ve got you covered.

Features
Beautiful Themes	Their library of professionally designed themes allows you to create an attractive store without design experience. You get easy drag-and-drop customization too.
Apps & Integrations	Over 8,000 apps give you extra functionality like inventory management, SMS notices, loyalty programs, and more. You can integrate with major carriers, Facebook, Google, and more.
Mobile Friendly	All Shopify stores are fully responsive, allowing smooth shopping on any device like phones and tablets.
Payment Processing	Shopify Payments lets you accept credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other popular payment methods.
Analytics & Reports	Detailed stats help you track audience demographics, best-selling items, and search terms. You can adjust your strategies based on data insights.
Inventory Management	Manage stock levels, and vendor orders and track individual item sales from the admin dashboard.
Customer Accounts	Users can easily sign up to manage orders, save address/payment info, and subscribe to email lists.
Admin Permissions	Invite staff members and set custom permission levels so only select users can view sensitive info.
24/7 support	Their top-notch customer support is available via live chat, email, and phone.

Ideal For

The combination of ease of use and powerful features makes Shopify ideal for just about any e-commerce business – from small startups to large enterprises. It’s the perfect platform for beginners with no technical expertise looking for quick setup and easy management.

Shopify also offers advanced capabilities like multi-location inventory to support sophisticated operations. The platform scales to handle high volumes of products, orders, and traffic without issue.

Shopify Pricing

2. WooCommerce

Clocking in at number two is WooCommerce. This open-source plugin gives WordPress websites supercharged e-commerce abilities.

Overview

WooCommerce is a favorite among WordPress owners looking to sell online. After installing the free plugin, your self-hosted site gains a full digital storefront optimizing existing site investments.

Features
Product Catalog	Display your items beautifully with photos, descriptions, and unlimited variations per type.
Customizable Checkout	Fully design the checkout flow from payment forms to order confirmations.
Secure Payments	170+ payment gateways ensure shoppers can pay how they like from credit cards to digital wallets.
Inventory Tracking	Know what’s in stock, low, or sold with real-time inventory level updates.
Reporting	Glean insights from sales, earnings, and demographic reports to fine-tune strategies.
Customer Accounts	Give shoppers easy login access to view orders, addresses, and more of their account details.
Shipping Options	Support international orders with calculated rates from top carriers globally.
Email Marketing	Send automated newsletters to subscribers and one-off promotional campaigns.
Extensions Gallery	From product PDFs to loyalty programs, 3,000+ extensions add functions to supercharge your store!

Ideal For

The extreme customizability of WooCommerce makes it ideal for established brands looking for flexibility and developers who want full control over site design and functionality.

It’s also a great option for WordPress users who want to add e-commerce capabilities to an existing site. Some development skills are useful to get the most out of WooCommerce.

WooCommerce Pricing

3. BigCommerce

Jogging in at number 3 we’ve got BigCommerce! Now this platform has been ballin’ in the e-commerce lane for over 15 years.

Overview

BigCommerce gives online retailers a fully hosted platform complete with autopilot features and top-notch security. No tech skills are needed – they run the backend so you can focus on sales!

Features
Storefront Customization	Flexible themes allow full control over colors, headers, footers, and more of your aesthetic.
Abandoned Cart Recovery	Nab lost sales by automatically sending reminders to customers who left items unpurchased.
Email Marketing	Create triggered and segmented campaigns directly from their marketing platform.
Reporting & Analytics	Data tools provide actionable insights for improving campaigns, categories, and more.
Accept Payments	Integrate popular gateways including PayPal, Amazon Pay, and Bitcoin for easy checkout worldwide.
Order Management	View, ship, refund or resend receipts for a seamless post-purchase experience.
Multi-Channel Sync	List inventory across Amazon, Google Shopping, eBay, and social platforms from one dashboard.
Product Reviews	Collect authentic feedback to boost trust and highlight top sellers.
Mobile Optimization	Stores seamlessly scale down to tiny touchscreens for on-the-go shopping convenience.

Ideal For

The combination of usability and advanced features makes BigCommerce a great fit for medium to large e-commerce businesses. It is best suited for growing brands seeking a premium all-in-one solution without dev work. BigCommerce powers over 90,000 stores worldwide!

BigCommerce Pricing

4. Magento Commerce

Coming down the home stretch at number 4 we have Magento Commerce!

Magento Commerce is a self-hosted open-source e-commerce platform with powerful enterprise-grade capabilities designed for ambitious brands.

Overview

As one of the OGs of ecom software, Magento is trusted by over 250k companies worldwide like Sony, Pepsi, and L’Oréal. Their platform powers ultra-customizable stores at an enterprise scale.

Features
Product Content Management	Detailed specifications and custom attributes like CAD files.
Promotions Engine	Discount rules, coupon codes, and gift options for seasonal sales boosts.
Customer Segmentation	Target messaging using 50+ attributes like purchase history.
Inventory Management	Allocate stock by location, set thresholds, or supplier replenishment.
Reporting Sandbox	Build fully customized analytics dashboards from 200+ metrics.
Order Management	Print shipping docs, and track omnichannel returns from customer profiles.
Content Staging	Review site changes pre-live without affecting production traffic.
Payment Integrations	Support all major processors plus B2B invoicing, and purchase orders.
APIs & Web Services	Complete headless storefronts plus customizable integrations.

Ideal For

The self-hosted and customizable nature of Magento makes it a perfect solution for established large brands particularly those with complex e-commerce requirements like B2B operations, subscriptions, global sites, etc.

It also suits agencies or developers looking for a robust foundational e-commerce platform to build tailored solutions on top of.

Magento Pricing

Also Read: How to Setup Marketing Budget

5. Squarespace

Up next at number 5 we got Squarespace taking the pitch as one of the sleeker e-commerce solutions out there. Squarespace provides an all-in-one content management and e-commerce platform with beautiful design capabilities.

Overview

Squarespace makes it easy for anyone to create a stunning website or online store through an elegant drag-and-drop interface. No coding expertise is required.

Features
Gorgeous Templates	Stylish professionally-designed themes allow customizing the look and feel of your site without technical skills.
Customizable Stores	Flexible layouts provide controls over product pages, carts, and checkout to structure the shopping experience as needed.
Online Bookings	Event organizers can allow bookings, class signups, and appointment reservations directly online.
Light Search Capabilities	Basic keyword searches help visitors discover relevant products and content across the site catalog.
Email Collection Tools	Capture leads by gathering names and emails to build your mailing list and promote special offers.
Contact Forms	Streamlined contact pages let customers easily contact you or request services directly through the site.
Basic Analytics	See what’s ticklin’ fancies on your site without all the graphs and nonsense.
Image Galleries	Showcase your products or portfolios in striking galleries by customizing attractive image displays.
Mobile Optimization	The responsive design automatically adapts neatly to any screen size for viewing on all devices.

Ideal For

The elegant design capabilities make Squarespace ideal for creatives, photographers, artists, and bloggers looking to sell online. Service-based businesses can also benefit from the beautiful templates.

Squarespace Commerce is also great for small retail businesses selling in person who want to add an online storefront.

Squarespace Pricing

6. Wix

Wix is a user-friendly drag-and-drop website builder that also offers robust e-commerce capabilities through Wix Stores.

Overview

For newcomers trying to get their sites up fast without technical skills to spare, Wix provides instantly beautiful pre-fab designs at a click. You can choose from hundreds of designer-made templates for your site and customize it fully with Wix’s editing tools.

Features

Features
Templates	Stunning professionally created themes offer various brands and aesthetics to choose from without technical design skills.
Site Builders	Intuitive drag-and-drop tools allow constructing pages and sites without coding experience.
Online Stores	Basic e-commerce capabilities provide initial retail functions for testing product sales.
App Marketplace	Additional features like contact forms or event calendars expand functionality through third-party integrations.
Search Optimization	Built-in SEO elements aid discoverability by helping sites appear in engine results.
Contact Forms	Streamlined pages allow visitors to easily contact site owners or request info.
Image Galleries	Customizable display options present photography, videos, or work samples visually.
Analytics	Basic metrics offer high-level traffic and engagement insights for initial evaluation.
Mobile Responsiveness	Fluid design adapts cleanly across any device screen for accessibility on all platforms.

Ideal For

Wix is fantastic for e-commerce beginners who don’t have website design or technical skills. The intuitive editor and stylish templates make opening an online boutique or store effortless.

Wix is also ideal for layabouts like musicians, and lamington vendors needing fresh spreads without development fuss.

Wix Pricing

7. Big Cartel

Big Cartel specializes in providing simple yet powerful online storefronts for small businesses and independent ventures.

Overview

Big Cartel makes it easy to start selling products online without the typical headaches of running an online store. The platform is designed for creative entrepreneurs, artists, musicians, and craft makers.

The simple setup gets your shop online in just a few minutes. Pick a theme, add products, set shipping rates, and publish your store – no coding needed.

Features
Templates	Simple yet stylish ready-made themes showcase stores in an attractive and customizable way.
Store Layout Customization	Merchandise pages, carts, and colobos can be arranged according to owner preferences.
Product Types	Items for both physical goods like apparel as well as, digital releases like music, or videos are supported.
Payment Processing	Major credit cards and PayPal allow easy purchasing worldwide through integrated processors.
Inventory Tracking	Remaining stock quantities can be monitored to avoid overselling out-of-stock items.
Customer Profiles	Order and mailing address histories give insight into repeat customers.
Shipping Quotes	Accurate rates are calculated directly for both domestic and international deliveries.
Social Media Sync	Announcements promoting upcoming releases or sales can be automatically shared.
Basic Analytics	High-level statistics provide insights into traffic sources and top-performing products.
Mobile Responsiveness	Items for both physical goods like apparel, as well as digital releases like music or videos, are supported.

Ideal For

Big Cartel suits creative entrepreneurs on a budget who want to quickly get their products online. It is ideal for Musicians, artists, and designers needin’ a tick shop setup quick as a whistle while focusing on art.

Big Cartel Pricing

8. Shift4Shop (Previously known as 3dCart)

Pulling into the station at #8 we got Shift4Shop (Previously known as 3dCart) on deck. Shift4Shop is a value-packed, fully-featured e-commerce platform suitable for SMBs and high-volume enterprises alike.

Overview

Shift4Shop includes everything from site building to payment processing, shipping, and fulfillment – making it an end-to-end solution. The platform is versatile enough to support small startups and large product catalogs alike.

The interactive dashboard simplifies site management. Powerful marketing and SEO capabilities help drive sales. Integrations with top payment gateways, CRM software, accounting tools, and shipping carriers streamline operations.

Features
Product Configurators	Customizable sizing tools and 3D part visualization empower intricate customization.
Image Management	Streamlined uploading and cropping tools optimize product photography for clear presentation.
File Integration	Blueprints, specs, and other supporting documents can be directly associated with listings.
BOM Compatibility	Production software compatibility allows accurate cost-estimation through bill of materials integration.
Size Charts	Customizable measurement templates provide transparent sizing guidance.
Photo Upload	Bulk image imports accommodate diverse, complex inventories.
Bulk Pricing	Volume-based discounts and priced option lists accommodate larger wholesale or B2B clients.
Custom Attributes	Bespoke fields beyond standard specs facilitate highly tailored configuration.
3D Renderings	High-quality, detailed 3D imagery showcases intricate items more compellingly than basic photos alone.
Mobile Optimization	Detail-rich storefronts remain engaging and easy to navigate across any device.

Ideal For

Shift4Shop suits any type and size of e-commerce business. The extensive built-in capabilities make it a particularly ideal one-stop-shop for lean startups and fast-growing SMBs looking to scale.

Shift4Shop Pricing

Also Read: Low-Cost Guerilla Marketing Ideas

9. Volusion

Volusion provides an affordable all-in-one e-commerce solution designed to help small businesses sell online.

Overview

Volusion streamlines creating an online storefront with starter site builder templates. The easy-to-use interface lets you customize the design, add products, process payments, and track orders.

The platform handles security, hosting, and speed optimization for you. Marketing tools like email campaigns, SEO optimization, and social media integration help promote products.

Features
Product Management	Robust catalog tools handle complex inventories with custom fields, variants, etc.
Online Storefront	Flexible store themes can be fully customized with company branding and design preferences.
Marketing Automation	Robust email marketing plus targeted ads and campaigns through integration.
Reporting Analytics	Granular data insights help owners evaluate performance, traffic sources, and best sellers.
Order Management	View, track, and ship orders end-to-end plus easily manage returns or exchanges.
Loyalty Programs	Automated reward tiers like discounts can be applied to engage repeat customers.
Inventory Tools	Stock levels can be monitored across channels while auto-replenish streamlines reorder.

Ideal For

Volusion is great for small business owners, retailers, and entrepreneurs looking for an all-in-one commerce solution to quickly build their first online store and sell.

It goes well with established traders pushing volume, and needing that pro suite of bells and whistles under the hood for expanded operations.

Volusion Pricing

10. PrestaShop

PrestaShop is an open-source e-commerce platform built on flexibility, customization, and a passionate community.

Overview

PrestaShop gives developers and store owners complete control to customize and tailor their online store’s design, features, and functionality. The open-source model provides endless possibilities to build a platform aligned with your specific business needs.

As an established platform, PrestaShop offers a long track record of reliability and security. A global community of over 250,000 members contributes ideas, collaborates, and provides guidance for new users.

Features
Modular Page Builder	Flexible drag-and-drop blocks configure pages without HTML/CSS coding.
Catalog Management	Robust inventory tools support unlimited custom listings, attributes, etc.
Catalog Display	Products can be filtered, sorted, grouped, and presented across many storefronts.
Template Customization	Themes can be modified endlessly from colors to layout without limits.
API Integrations	Themes can be modified endlessly from colors to layouts without limits.
Multi-Store Capabilities	A single back-end can power multiple storefronts in various languages/currencies.
Analytics Dashboards	Actionable data insights provide metrics on traffic sources, best sellers, and more.
Rich Admin Controls	Administrator account customization empowers flexible team permissions.
Dev-Friendly Tools	Direct database access plus code customization suits experienced developers.
Mobile Optimization	Fluid, responsive design ensures elegant shopping on any modern device/OS.

Ideal For

The open-source model makes PrestaShop ideal for developers wanting to handcraft an online store aligned perfectly with a brand’s needs.

It also suits businesses who established platforms with the flexibility to add custom features and integrations as needed.

PrestaShop Pricing

Conclusion

That wraps up our look at the best e-commerce platforms ruling the online retail space right now. Hope this little yarn gave you a better idea of what’s available out there for starting your online venture.

While all the contenders we covered have pros for specific set-ups, hopefully going over the features and depths has you better equipped to choose the right thoroughbred for your specific needs.

Don’t forget – it always pays to avoid a dud and test the waters first before committing long-term. Consider starting with a free option or a month-to-month plan till the platform matches your expectations.

Wishing all you eager entrepreneurs the very best stringing together your swag online and racing towards success. With the right tools and hustle, there’s no reason your brand can’t gallop full steam into new opportunities. Now get to it and give these platforms a fair crack of the whip!

Best E-Commerce Platforms: FAQs