Building a successful online store begins with choosing the right foundation, and WordPress is a great place to start. With thousands of themes and plugins, you can easily create and customize a store that suits your vision.
WordPress is an open-source platform, which means you can launch your business with a small budget and scale up when it starts to take off. However, most store elements will be managed solely by you, the store owner.
So, you need to be careful of which ecommerce plugin you choose, as the right plugin can make the process easy and efficient. This guide will explore the best WordPress ecommerce plugins available, considering factors like ease of use, pricing, features, and integration capabilities.
Stay tuned to find the WordPress ecommerce plugin to suit your business!
10 Best Ecommerce Plugins for WordPress Success
Before jumping into the top plugins for ecommerce on WordPress, you must decide if you want you launch your business on WordPress or elsewhere. Here’s a list of pros and cons for WordPress for ecommerce to help you start your business on the right path.
In terms of WordPress ecommerce plugins, there are several suitable options to choose from, we will only focus on the seven that are the most successful within the industry.
Follow along to find the perfect WordPress ecommerce plugin to launch your business online!
1. EasyCommerce
Best for: All Ecommerce Businesses
Price: Free to install and use, addons start from $39.99
EasyCommerce is a free and feature-rich WordPress ecommerce plugin that helps just about anyone set up an online store, regardless of prior technical knowledge. With its API-first architecture, you can easily integrate with a huge list of themes, plugins, and third-party tools, either from WordPress or from the EasyCommerce addons.
Beyond customization, EasyCommerce also has a user-friendly interface that lets you effortlessly navigate all in-plugin features so you can intuitively manage your store without waiting for the plugin to catch up.
So, ditch the bloated, cluttered plugins that require you to install multiple plugins for the most basic features, and get everything in one place with EasyCommerce.
Highlighted Features
- AI essentials like copywriter, image generator, smart search, etc.
- Track sales, orders, and abandoned carts directly from your dashboard.
- Manage your product catalog, stock levels, and variations easily on one page.
- Recover lost sales by sending abandoned cart reminders directly from the dashboard.
- Supports popular payment methods like PayPal, Stripe, Mollie, and Braintree.
- Sell digital downloads and licensed items like PDFs, eBooks, JPEGs, ZIP files, and more from your store.
- Accurate Shipping and Tax calculators based on weight/rate and country/region.
Downsides
- Cannot be used outside of WordPress.
- Themes and third party tool compatibility is still growing.
2. WooCommerce
WordPress Rating: 4.5
Best for: All Ecommerce Businesses
Price: Free, add-ons range from $0 to $150/year
When we think of WordPress ecommerce plugins, WooCommerce is usually the first one that comes to mind. It’s a highly versatile plugin that handles everything from physical products to digital downloads and even memberships.
Get access to hundreds of free and paid themes to design your store, however you want. This level of customizability is hard to come by, which makes it one of the main reasons merchants prefer to use WooCommerce over its alternatives.
You can also use the WordPress Extension Store to add almost any functionality to your store, but keep in mind that having too many plugins activated on WordPress can slow down load times and performance significantly.
Highlighted Features
- Sell physical and digital products with customizable options and variations
- Manage inventory and orders from a user-friendly dashboard
- Accept payments securely via 100+ gateways, including Stripe, PayPal, and Square.
- Integrate with popular tools like Google Ads, Mailchimp, etc.
Downsides
- No dedicated customer support
- Hampers speed when the site grows.
- Requires additional extensions for every other thing
- An obsolete interface comes with a higher learning curve
If you’re looking for a WooCommerce alternative that looks to solves all of its downsides and complexities, here’s a detailed blog to help you make an informed decision.
3. WC Affiliate
WordPress Rating: 4.5
Best for: All Ecommerce Businesses
Price: $79.99/year for a single WordPress site
WC Affiliate is a simple yet powerful plugin to build and manage a full-fledged affiliate program for your Woocommerce store.
With this affiliate tracking plugin, you can invite affiliates to sign up, create unique referral links, and track their activity from your WordPress dashboard. The plugin automatically tracks visits, clicks, sales, and conversions, so both you and your affiliates always know what’s working.
You can decide how affiliates will earn: a flat commission or a percentage of each order. The system also supports advanced features like multi-level commission, cross-domain cookie sharing, short-link generator, banner creation for specific events, and adding a coupon for specific affiliates.
If you are launching your first affiliate program, WC Affiliate stands out as the go-to platform with a complete set of specialized affiliation features.
Highlighted Features
- Export or import affiliate data using CSV format.
- Enable cross-domain tracking across multiple sites.
- View real-time reports, graphs for visits, conversions, and earnings.
- Automate affiliate payouts through PayPal or Stripe for smooth disbursements.
Downsides
- Lacks sufficient integration with third-party CRMs, form builders, or marketing tools.
[Download WC Affiliate/Get Pro]
4. Ecwid Ecommerce Shopping Cart
WordPress Rating: 4.5
Best for: Small and Medium-sized Businesses
Price: Freemium, paid plans start at $12.50/month
Ecwid is one of the easiest SaaS ecommerce platform with WordPress usability. Additionally, you can even sell on social media without extra setup.
The dashboard sits right inside WordPress, so you can manage products, payments, and sales channels in one place. It works with Stripe, Square, PayPal, and even manual payments.
For shipping, Ecwid links with popular couriers and shows rates automatically at checkout. It also has Google Ads integration, so you can run campaigns to reach more people.
Analytics needs a third-party app, but you can install it directly from the dashboard (available from the Venture plan)
Small shops can start with the free plan, which has all the basics. For features like mobile POS, social media store integration, or Amazon syncing, you’ll need the premium plan.
Want to make the switch from Ecwid? Read up on our blog to find an Ecwid alternative, for both inside and outside WordPress.
Highlighted Features
- Add an online store to any website or media with easy setup.
- Sell across multiple platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Amazon.
- Manage inventory and orders from a single, user-friendly dashboard.
- Accept payments from over 50 global payment options securely.
Downsides
- The starter plan limits product listings to only 5 items.
- Scaling your WordPress store can be restricted on larger inventories.
- Requires managing both the WordPress site and the Ecwid dashboard.
5. BigCommerce
WordPress Rating: 3.9
Best for: Small and Medium-sized Businesses
Price: Free to download, accounts start at $29.95/month
The BigCommerce for WordPress plugin connects your BigCommerce account directly to your WordPress site. This lets you manage product catalogs, fulfillment, payments, and more from WordPress without touching the backend of BigCommerce.
It uses a headless approach which separates your ecommerce infrastructure from WordPress, keeping your site fast and flexible. You can also embed product listings anywhere on your site using product blocks, similar to WooCommerce.
BigCommerce has a list of features to streamline your operations, such as marketing tools for promotions and discount codes, abandoned cart recovery emails, and comprehensive analytics. It has three core plans and an enterprise solution to cater to businesses of all sizes.
Highlighted Features
- Manage multiple storefronts from a single dashboard.
- Sell on Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and more with multi-channel integration.
- Use built-in B2B tools like custom pricing and customer segmentation.
- No transaction fees, strong SEO elements, and secure hosting.
Downsides
- Advanced features require expensive plans.
- Fewer customization options compared to competitors like Shopify.
- Beginners may find the platform overwhelming at first.
6. MemberPress
WordPress Rating: 4.9
Best for: Membership WordPress sites
Price: Plans start from $179.50/year
For merchants looking to create a subscription-based online store, MemberPress stands out as a top contender. This powerful WordPress ecommerce plugin lets you sell exclusive content, online courses, downloadable products, and more, all behind secure paywalls.
With subscription-based stores, secure payment is always a cause for concern. MemberPress ensures a safe transaction process by integrating with popular payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.net.
With a flexible approach to content access control, you can design tiered membership plans to grant access to specific content based on the level the user chose (e.g., Premium, Silver, Gold). It also encourages unauthorized users to upgrade for full access by redirecting them to designated URLs.
While there’s no free plan available, MemberPress has tiered subscriptions with intuitive features right from the base level, so you don’t need any additional plugins.
Highlighted Features
- Create unlimited membership levels with powerful access rules and content dripping.
- Built-in course builder (LMS) to easily sell and manage online courses.
- Advanced reporting dashboard to track revenue, subscriptions, and member activity.
- Integrations with popular tools like WooCommerce, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, and more.
Downsides
- Limited visual customization for registration and logins forms without custom code.
- Some users report plugin conflicts and slow support response.
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7. Easy Digital Downloads
WordPress Rating: 4.7
Best for: Businesses selling Digital Products
Price: Freemium, paid plans start at $99.50/year
Easy Digital Downloads (EDD) is the top WordPress ecommerce plugin for businesses specializing in digital products like eBooks, music, software, or other downloads. This WordPress ecommerce plugin comes with plenty of options for businesses that want to sell multiple versions of a product.
EDD has a bundle download functionality, enabling merchants to create and sell curated packages of digital products for a special price. It also comes with built-in analytics to track different metrics, directly from its dashboard.
Its detailed download logs and customer management tools let you track transactions and understand your customer behavior. You can also implement popular payment gateways, or simply add extensions from third-party developers to expand your payment options.
Highlighted Features
- Sell unlimited digital products with a built-in shopping cart and easy checkout.
- Offer recurring subscriptions with flexible billing and free trial options.
- Secure file delivery with link expiration, download limits, and access control.
- Track sales performance using built-in reports and customer insights.
Downsides
- Designed to sell digital products only.
8. WP Simple Pay
WordPress Rating: 4.5
Best for: Businesses selling all types of Products.
Price: Freemium, paid plans start at $299.50/year
WP Simple Pay is an amazing payment plugin to accept payments through Stripe. It’s an ideal WordPress payment solution for individuals or ecommerce owners who are looking for a quick and easy way to sell services, digital products, or accept donations.
Once the plugin is installed, you can create custom payment forms and place them anywhere on your site. WP Simple Pay supports a wide variety of payment methods, including credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and even Buy Now, Pay Later services like Klarna.
This plugin is also flexible for those who are looking to accept payments on WordPress without building a full shopping cart system. If you are running a small business, managing a nonprofit, or launching a side project, this plugin helps you start collecting payments with confidence.
Highlighted Features
- Add custom fields to payment forms for collecting extra customer info.
- Enable coupon codes and discount options directly on checkout forms.
- Support multiple languages and currencies for global payments.
- Send customizable email receipts and payment confirmations automatically.
Downsides
- Integrates only with Stripe and doesn’t support PayPal
- Advanced features like recurring payments and custom fields require a paid plan.
9. MonsterInsights
WordPress Rating: 4.6
Best for: All types of WordPress ecommerce business.
Price: Freemium, paid plans start at $299.60/year
As its name suggests, MonsterInsights is an analytical tool that helps you access important website data from your WordPress dashboard through Google Analytics. It’s hugely popular among WordPress website owners with varying needs, including online ecommerce stores.
Getting started with Monsterinsights is quick and simple. Once it is connected, you will get clear, easy-to-read reports right inside your WordPress admin area.
For ecommerce sites, MonsterInsights offers built-in tracking features. You will be able to see key metrics like revenue, conversions, top-selling products, and cart activity.
If you are new to analytics or want a more efficient way to view your site data, it can help you make decisions based on visitor behavior within your WordPress site.
Highlighted Features
- Enable advanced event tracking like clicks, downloads, and video plays automatically.
- Use AI-powered insights to understand data and get smart recommendations.
- Set up custom dimensions to track authors, categories, tags, and more.
- Get real-time stats to see what’s happening on your site as it happens.
Downsides
- May impact site speed due to extra scripts or tracking cookies.
- Supports up to 10M page views/month with limits on events and ecommerce.
10. WP Charitable
WordPress Rating: 4.9
Best for: All type of busniesses.
Price: Freemium, paid plans start at $69/year
Charitable is a flexible and beginner-friendly WordPress plugin built for raising funds directly from the website. If you are supporting a non-profit, running a personal cause, or helping a community, then it’s a perfect match for you.
With this WordPress plugin, you can create custom fundraising campaigns and place a donation form anywhere on your site. The plugin is mobile-responsive, so your forms look great on all devices.
It supports both one-time and recurring donations. You can also offer suggested amounts, let donors choose how much to give, and more.
Charitable is a reliable solution that doesn’t rely on third-party platforms or charge extra fees per transaction. It gives you full control over your campaigns and helps you connect directly with your supporters.
Highlighted Features
- Create unlimited fundraising campaigns with customizable goals.
- Accept donations through PayPal, Stripe, and other payment options.
- Track donations and campaign performance with real-time reports
- Integrate with email tools and manage donors easily and securely.
Downsides
- Pricing is a bit high for startups or small businesses.
- No additional support for free users.
How to Choose the Best Ecommerce Plugin for Your Business
When choosing the best WordPress ecommerce plugin, evaluate your specific needs, compare features like payment gateways and security, and consider costs and scalability. If you are starting small, then EasyCommerce is a perfect option for you.
This plugin will offer you useful features in the free version. And other top options include Easy Digital Downloads for digital products, and WooCommerce for physical products.
Here is more detail of what you need to know-
- Define your need: Identify what you are selling (physical goods, digital goods, or subscriptions), your business size, and your level of technical skill.
- Check payment options: Make sure the plugin supports the payment gateways you need (e.g., PayPal, Stripe).
- Review Integration options: See if it integrates with your tools, like email marketing or CRM platforms.
- Compare costs: Some plugins are free with paid add-ons, others have subscription fees. You should pick based on the pricing of these platforms. This will save you from unwanted costs.
- Ensure scalability: Pick a plugin that is new and can grow continuously with your business. Also, it doesn’t affect your site speed when the products, traffic increase.
Wrapping Up
Finding the right WordPress ecommerce plugin can be a tricky process, which ultimately depends on the specific needs of your business. In this blog, we’ve taken an in-depth look at the top seven ecommerce plugins in the market to professionally curate your online presence.
Explore each option carefully before picking the one to launch your business and thrive online!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is an ecommerce plugin?
An ecommerce plugin is a software application that adds online store functionality to a website. It typically includes product management, shopping cart, payment processing, and order fulfillment.
Does WordPress have an ecommerce plugin?
Yes, WordPress has many ecommerce plugins available. Some popular options include EasyCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, and MemberPress.
Is WordPress good for ecommerce?
Yes, WordPress is a great platform for ecommerce. It’s flexible, customizable, and has a large community of developers and users.
What are the requirements for running an ecommerce website?
To run an ecommerce website, you’ll need:
- A domain name
- A web hosting account
- A WordPress installation
- An ecommerce plugin
- A payment gateway