The digital marketplace is growing faster than ever, and businesses can’t afford to get left behind. And with over 27 million ecommerce websites competing for attention globally, the question isn’t whether to go online—it’s how to stand out.
The secret to thriving often lies in the tools you use. But let’s be honest: with so many ecommerce platforms on the market, finding the right fit for your growing business can feel overwhelming.
In this guide, we’ll take you through the five best ecommerce platforms for small businesses in 2025—platforms that will help you level up your digital presence, boost sales, and connect with customers wherever they are.
Let’s dive in and find the perfect solution to fuel your business growth!
What Makes a Good Ecommerce Website Builder?
Choosing the right ecommerce website builder is one of the most critical decisions a small business owner can make. The best ecommerce platform for small businesses helps you create a store that showcases your products and delivers a seamless shopping experience for your customers.
Here’s what to look for when selecting an ecommerce website builder –
1. Ease of Use
A user-friendly platform can make all the difference, especially for small business owners who may not have technical expertise. Look for features like drag-and-drop builders, pre-designed templates, and intuitive dashboards that simplify the process of building and managing your store.
A steep learning curve can be a roadblock, so opt for platforms designed with simplicity in mind.
2. Cost and Affordability
Budget constraints are a common challenge for small businesses, so affordability is a major determinant. You need to factor in initial subscription costs, as well as, additional fees like transaction charges, add-ons, or payment gateway integrations (especially for WordPress).
Some platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce, offer tiered pricing plans that allow you to start small and scale up as your business grows.
3. Customization Options
Your online store should reflect your unique brand identity to create a memorable shopping experience. The best ecommerce platforms provide extensive customization options for design, layout, and branding.
From color schemes and fonts to interactive elements, the ability to personalize the look and feel of your store can help you stand out in a crowded market.
4. Payment Gateways and Security
Running an online store means having to cater to different customer preferences, and offering a range of secure payment options falls in that criteria.
Look for platforms that support multiple payment gateways, including credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, and other emerging options. Powerful security features, such as SSL certificates and PCI compliance, are non-negotiable to protect sensitive customer information.
5. Scalability and Performance
Your chosen platform should grow with your business, so you need to choose a builder that can handle increased traffic, larger product catalogs, and expanding sales without compromising performance.
Look for features like cloud hosting and separated product tables to ensure that your website remains responsive and reliable as your customer base expands.
6. Customer Support
Reliable customer support can be a lifesaver, whether you’re troubleshooting technical issues or seeking advice on optimizing your store. Look for platforms that offer 24/7 support through multiple channels, such as live chat, email, and phone.
Top 5 Ecommerce Platforms for Small Businesses
With hundreds of ecommerce websites popping up every day around the globe, novice store owners are always on the lookout for ecommerce platforms with features to simplify running a business online.
And with so many platforms, each with unique features, vying for their attention, getting the right one can feel like finding a needle in a haystack. So, here are the five best ecommerce platforms for small businesses –
1. EasyCommerce
Price: Free to install (charges include essential ecommerce features like hosting/domain/themes etc.)
WordPress Compatibility: Yes
Best For: Small and medium-sized enterprises seeking an affordable and customizable ecommerce solution.
EasyCommerce is a powerful and free-to-use ecommerce plugin designed specifically for WordPress users who want a seamless way to create and manage online stores. It’s developed with intuitive tools to sell physical products, digital downloads, or even services.
Built with an API-first approach, EasyCommerce is effortlessly compatible with countless free and premium plugins, themes, and tools available within the WordPress ecosystem to give you unparalleled customization flexibility.
With an intuitive design and a step-by-step setup process, you can effortlessly launch your online store in record time. Once it’s up and running, a streamlined workflow allows you to focus on growth rather than logistics.
EasyCommerce combines affordability, functionality, and customization in a way that helps businesses build a strong online presence without overextending their resources.
2. Shopify
Price: Starts from $29/month (plus additional costs for apps, themes, and transaction fees).
WordPress Compatibility: No
Best For: Small to large businesses seeking scalability.
Shopify is a user-friendly ecommerce platform designed to help entrepreneurs build, manage, and grow their online stores. Shopify has a hosted solution that handles all the technical aspects like hosting, security, and software updates so that you can focus on your business.
The platform has a huge array of themes, apps, and integrations that allow you to customize your store and add advanced functionality as your business grows. With built-in marketing tools, seamless payment options, and powerful analytics, Shopify comes with a suite of features for growing businesses.
However, the platform does come with additional costs for premium themes, apps, and transaction fees if you don’t use Shopify Payments, which can add up for smaller businesses.
3. WooCommerce
Price: Free to install (additional costs for hosting, domain, themes, and premium extensions)
WordPress Compatibility: Yes
Best For: Small to medium-sized businesses looking for a highly customizable ecommerce solution.
WooCommerce is a flexible and widely-popular ecommerce plugin designed specifically for WordPress users who want to turn their websites into fully functional online stores.
As an open-source platform with access to thousands of WordPress themes and plugins, store owners can get complete control over their store’s design and developers can modify the code to add custom functionalities. So, whether or not you have the technical expertise, WooCommerce is a great platform to build your online store.
While WooCommerce is powerful, it does require more hands-on management than a fully hosted platform like Shopify. While WooCommerce is powerful, it does require more hands-on management than a fully hosted platform like Shopify.
4. PrestaShop
Price: Free to install (additional costs for hosting, domain, premium themes, and modules).
WordPress Compatibility: No
Best For: Small to medium-sized businesses seeking a feature-rich and flexible ecommerce solution.
PrestaShop is an open-source ecommerce platform that provides a high degree of customization (over 6,000 themes and modules) to businesses seeking a tailored solution without platform constraints.
The platform has built-in marketing tools, SEO capabilities, and a user-friendly interface that helps you effortlessly handle products, orders, and customer interactions.
Prestashop also supports multiple languages and currencies for businesses looking to reach a global audience. However, setting up and customizing a PrestaShop store may require technical knowledge or the assistance of a developer, especially for those without prior experience in web development.
5. Squarespace
Price: Start at $23/month (additional costs for premium templates and third-party integrations).
WordPress Compatibility: No
Best For: Small to medium-sized businesses seeking a design-focused ecommerce solution.
If your main focus is to create a visually appealing online presence without compromising ease of use, then Squarespace is the website builder for you! With over 140 professionally designed, mobile-responsive templates, anyone can create a unique website that stands out.
Squarespace supports the sale of physical and digital products, services, and subscriptions. It also provides tools for inventory management, product variants, and SEO, and integrates with multiple payment gateways, including Stripe and PayPal.
However, this platform falls short in terms of pricing and transaction fees (3% on sales). And while the additional costs can be competitive, these expenses can accumulate, particularly for small businesses with limited budgets.
Best Ecommerce Platforms for
Small Businesses: A Feature Comparison
| Features | EasyCommerce | Shopify | WooCommerce | PrestaShop | Squarespace |
| Price | Free to install (additional costs) | Starts at $29/month | Free to install (additional costs) | Free to install (additional costs) | Start at $23/month |
| Ease of Use | User-friendly and intuitive | Easy and ideal for beginners | Moderately user-friendly (requires familiarity with WordPress) | Moderate ease of use (requires technical experience) | Very user-friendly |
| Customization Options | Highly customizable (open-source) | Limited customizations (without apps or coding) | Extensive customization options | Highly customizable (open-source) | Limited customizations |
| SEO Features | Strong SEO features (WordPress-based) | Good built-in SEO tools | Strong SEO features (WordPress-based) | Good built-in SEO tools | Good built-in SEO tools |
| Marketing Tools | Limited built-in tools (WordPress plugins) | Comprehensive marketing tools (built-in) | Limited built-in tools (WordPress plugins) | Basic marketing tools | Comprehensive marketing tools (built-in) |
| Third-party Integrations | Extensive integrations through WordPress | Large app store for integrations | Extensive integrations through WordPress | Extensive integration options with modules | Limited third-party integrations |
| Payment Options | Supports multiple payment gateways | Integrated payment gateways and Shopify Payments | Supports multiple payment gateways | Supports multiple payment gateways | Integrated payment gateways |
| Transaction Fees | No transaction fees | Transaction fees unless using Shopify Payments | No transaction fees | No transaction fees | Transaction fees on lower plans |
| Hosting | Hosting not included | Hosting included | Hosting not included | Hosting not included | Hosting included |
| Multilingual Support | Limited multilingual support via plugins | Multilingual support with apps | Multilingual support via plugins | Multilingual and multi-currency support | Multilingual support with limitations |
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right ecommerce platform for your small business depends on your specific needs, budget, and technical expertise. EasyCommerce is great for WordPress users seeking a free, customizable solution.
Shopify offers user-friendly, hosted services for ease of use. WooCommerce provides flexibility and control for WordPress users, while PrestaShop excels in advanced customization. For a design-focused, simple option, Squarespace is a great fit.
Each platform has strengths and trade-offs, so consider your priorities to find the best ecommerce platform for small businesses.