Best Shopify alternatives I’d choose in 2026
Shopify is definitely one of the best website builders for eCommerce on the market. However, it’s not without its drawbacks. Pricing, transaction fees, and some customization limits can make it less than ideal for certain users. If you’re considering a platform that better fits your budget or store needs, exploring Shopify alternatives is worth your time.
Over one month, together with the Cybernews research team, I reviewed 34 website builders to find the best options for running a successful online store. In this article, I share the top 7 Shopify alternatives.
Best alternatives to Shopify in 2026
- Wix – best overall Shopify alternative (now 50% OFF)
- Hostinger Website Builder – budget-friendly Shopify alternative (now 81% OFF)
- PrestaShop – Shopify alternative for advanced users (visit site)
- WooCommerce – feature-rich alternative to Shopify (visit site)
- SITE123 – Shopify alternative with a simple website editor (visit site)
- GoDaddy website builder – basic Shopify alternative (visit site)
- Squarespace – Shopify alternative that offers the most design flexibility (visit site)
Reasons you might want to look into Shopify alternatives
Shopify is popular and powerful, but it’s not perfect for every store. Here are the main reasons to consider a different platform:
- Extra transaction fees – Shopify charges additional transaction fees (up to 2%) if you don’t use Shopify Payments. Some alternatives, like Hostinger’s website builder, include 0% transaction fees.
- Paid apps add up quickly – Essential add-ons like advanced marketing, subscriptions, or product reviews often require paid third-party apps from the Shopify App Store, with monthly fees that accumulate quickly.
- Higher starting price – Shopify gives a 3-day free trial and $1.00/month for the first 3 months, but regular plans start at $29.00/month, which adds up fast for small stores. Some builders, like Hostinger, start at only at $2.69/month.
- Customization can require coding – While the platform is beginner-friendly, adding more advanced elements or deeper design changes may require editing Liquid code, which can be challenging for new users.
- Limited built-in features compared to some competitors – Shopify offers fewer built-in features for general website needs compared to all-in-one builders. Platforms like Wix or Hostinger include email marketing, appointment booking, and advanced AI design editors by default, while Shopify requires third-party apps for these.
Best Shopify alternatives – detailed list
When looking for Shopify alternatives, I looked into several aspects to determine worthy web builders. I focused on price, ease of use, eCommerce features, and customizability. Here is my list of the best web builder alternatives to Shopify in 2026.
1. Wix – website builder that doesn’t require technical knowledge
| Starting price: | $17.00/month |
| Free domain: | ✅ Yes |
| Free SSL: | ✅ Yes |
| Current deal: | Get Wix with 50% OFF |
Wix is a leading website builder on the market. It’s not only affordable, as it offers a free version, but Wix is also exceptionally easy to use. It’s equipped with helpful AI tools that make image generation, fixing problems, and creating custom functions fast and accessible to users of different levels. For this reason, Wix is an excellent option for beginners in website building.
Here are my reasons why Wix is a good alternative to Shopify:
- Lower entry and recurring costs. Wix’s store plans start at $17.00/month/month, which is below Shopify’s regular $29.00/month, so small shops pay less month to month.
- No extra platform transaction fee. You can avoid Shopify’s third-party transaction fee of up to 2% when you use Wix Payments, which preserves more of each sale.
- Fewer paid apps needed. Wix bundles email, SEO, coupons, and abandoned-cart recovery in its plans, so merchants need to buy fewer third-party apps.
- Lower setup cost. Over 2000 free templates and built-in design tools reduce theme or design expenses and make ongoing costs easier to forecast.
Wix compared to Shopify
Here’s a quick look at how Wix stacks up against Shopify:
| Wix | Shopify | |
| ⭐ Rating: | ||
| 🥇 Overall rank: | #2 out of #37 | #7 out of #37 |
| 💵 Price: | From $17.00/month | From $29.00/month |
| 🪄 Ease of use: | Powerful interface, pretty easy to use | Foolproof design options |
| 🎨 Templates: | 2700 | 1050 |
| 🏢 Business features: | Massive array of various business features | Excellent first-party features, good app market |
| 👨💻 24/7 live support: | Yes | Yes |
| ✂️ Free domain (first year): | Yes | No |
| 🔒 Free SSL certificate: | Yes | Yes |
| 🔥 Coupons: | Wix coupon 50% OFF | Get Shopify deal - 25% OFF |
2. Hostinger Website Builder – affordable website builder
| Starting price: | $2.69 |
| Free domain: | ✅ Yes |
| Free SSL: | ✅ Yes |
| Current deal: | Get Hostinger Website Builder, 81% OFF + free months |
Hostinger Website Builder is another great option for eCommerce website builders. I was pleasantly surprised by the incredible combination of price and quality. It may not offer everything Shopify can – but what it can offer, it does at a massively reduced cost. What's even better is that you can get an even lower price with the Hostinger promo code CNSPECIAL. Or, if you're a new user, take advantage of the Hostinger code CNHOSTFIRST.
Here are my reasons why Hostinger Website Builder is a good alternative to Shopify:
- Considerably cheaper. Hostinger Website Builder is considerably cheaper than Shopify. At the price of $2.69/month, it’s hardly a competition with Shopify’s $29.00/month.
- Zero platform transaction fees. With Hostinger’s business plan, you keep 100% of your profits because Hostinger does not charge extra transaction fees on sales. Shopify, by contrast, can add an extra 2% fee if you use a third-party payment provider.
- More payment options. Hostinger Website Builder lets you offer payments via Stripe, PayPal, and others (methods vary by country), while Shopify offers many gateways but can charge extra fees if you don’t use Shopify Payments.
- Built‑in tools help reduce extra costs. Hostinger Website Builder includes AI‑powered store tools like product image and description generators, SEO, email marketing, and analytics. This reduces reliance on paid third‑party apps, which are common on Shopify.
Hostinger Website Builder compared to Shopify
Here’s a snapshot comparing Hostinger Website Builder with Shopify:
| Hostinger Website Builder | Shopify | |
| ⭐ Rating: | ||
| 🥇 Overall rank: | #5 out of #37 | #7 out of #37 |
| 💵 Price: | From $2.69/month | From $29.00/month |
| 🪄 Ease of use: | Extremely easy to use | Foolproof design options |
| 🎨 Templates: | 300 | 1050 |
| 🏢 Business features: | eCommerce functionality, analytic tools, SEO settings | Excellent first-party features, good app market |
| 👨💻 24/7 live support: | Yes | Yes |
| ✂️ Free domain (first year): | Yes | No |
| 🔒 Free SSL certificate: | Yes | Yes |
| 🔥 Coupons: | Hostinger Website Builder coupon 81% OFF! | Get Shopify deal - 25% OFF |
3. PrestaShop – free web builder
| Starting price: | Free (starting price of hosting provider $2.69/month) |
| Free domain: | ❌ No |
| Free SSL: | ❌ No |
PrestaShop is free open-source software aimed specifically at eCommerce. It’s a good solution for expert users, as it offers many advanced features to take advantage of.
Here are my reasons why PrestaShop is a good alternative to Shopify:
- Free core software. You can download and run PrestaShop’s core for free, so you avoid a recurring platform license. Expect to pay for hosting, a domain, SSL, and any premium modules or themes you need.
- More advanced SEO features. PrestaShop has stronger SEO tools that are readily available to use. They help with optimizing and fine-tuning product listings, integrating Google Analytics, and controlling URL structures. On the other hand, Shopify offers more simplistic SEO tools that cover the basics. For example, tools for generating meta tags, alt text, and managing redirects. It’s possible to get more advanced SEO tools for Shopify that would match the capabilities of Prestashop. However, it requires an app from Shopify's app store, which increases the price of the service further.
- Suited for advanced users. PrestaShop is very particular about its audience. This is reflected in its more advanced eCommerce features, allowing full control of the site and high flexibility in customization that is only attainable for advanced users. Shopify targets a broader audience, making its services easily accessible to beginners. This comes at the price of limited flexibility and control for the user.
- Full ownership and customization. The main difference between PrestaShop and Shopify is that PrestaShop is open source, so you can modify the code and build custom features without platform restrictions. Shopify is easier to use but more locked down, which can limit advanced customization.
PrestaShop compared to Shopify
Here's a quick comparison of PrestaShop and Shopify side by side:
| PrestaShop | Shopify | |
| ⭐ Rating | ||
| 💰 Price | Free | From $29.00/month |
| ⚙️ Ease of use | Moderate; steeper learning curve for beginners | Easy, beginner friendly |
| 🎨 Templates | 846 | 1050 |
| 🛠️ Business features | Highly customizable and extendable | Excellent first-party features, good app market |
| 📞 24/7 live support | No | Yes |
| 🌐 Free domain (first year) | No | No |
| 🔒 Free SSL certificate | No | Yes |
| 🎟️ Coupons | Visit coupon page | Get Shopify deal – 25% OFF |
4. WooCommerce – web builder with an extensive selection of eCommerce features
| Starting price: | Free (starting price of hosting provider $2.69/month) |
| Free domain: | ❌ No |
| Free SSL: | ❌ No |
Much like PrestaShop, WooCommerce is completely free to use but requires separate hosting. The main difference is that WooCommerce runs as a plugin on WordPress, which gives you access to a large ecosystem of themes and plugins.
Here are my reasons why WooCommerce is a good alternative to Shopify:
- Good value. WooCommerce compares to Shopify in many areas, which makes it a strong contender. The biggest advantage WooCommerce has over Shopify is that it’s free and only requires you to cover costs of the chosen hosting provider. By choosing a reliable and affordable hosting provider such as Hostinger, the price won’t exceed $1.79/month.
- No extra platform transaction fees. WooCommerce doesn’t charge additional platform fees on sales. You only pay standard payment processing rates, while Shopify adds up to 2% in extra fees if you use third-party payment providers.
- Easy customization. As a WordPress plugin, WooCommerce allows you to customize your online shop any way you like. It has a large amount of built-in eCommerce tools and, just like Shopify, allows third-party app integration for specific user needs. Unlike Shopify, you’re not limited to a closed system, so you can build exactly what you need.
- Allows more control over your site. Advanced and well-polished eCommerce features available on WooCommerce give you more control over your site’s design, functionality, and SEO. However, Shopify is much more restricted in terms of how much you can alter the platform.
WooCommerce compared to Shopify
Here’s a brief overview of WooCommerce in comparison to Shopify:
| WooCommerce | Shopify | |
| ⭐ Rating | ||
| 💰 Price | Free | From $29.00/month |
| ⚙️ Ease of use | Moderate; steeper learning curve for beginners | Easy, beginner friendly |
| 🎨 Templates | 103 | 1050 |
| 🛠️ Business features | Highly customizable, open-source, full code access | Excellent first-party features, good app market |
| 📞 24/7 live support | No | Yes |
| 🌐 Free domain (first year) | No | No |
| 🔒 Free SSL certificate | No | Yes |
| 🎟️ Coupons | Visit coupon page | Get Shopify deal – 25% OFF |
5. SITE123 – a simple business solution
| Starting price: | $4.60/month |
| Free domain: | ✅ Yes |
| Free SSL: | ✅ Yes |
| Current deal: | Get SITE123 now 50% OFF |
SITE123 focuses on easy website building for businesses. Also, SITE123 stands out from other best website builders because it focuses more on the niche aspect of the online store rather than simply giving a selection of templates.
Here are my reasons why SITE123 is a good alternative to Shopify:
- Affordability. While SITE123 is not the cheapest option on the list, it’s evidently more affordable than Shopify: SITE123 costs from $4.60/month, while Shopify’s starting price is $29.00/month.
- Built-in features reduce extra costs. SITE123 includes basic eCommerce tools, like product management and order handling, so you won’t need as many paid apps as you would with Shopify.
- Pre-made blocks. Depending on the niche you have chosen upon starting using SITE123, you get a website base that comes with certain sections set up for you. Shopify is more template-oriented, so you have to select one of the available templates that you like the most.
- Faster customer support. SITE123 has its agents readily available to help 24/7 through a live chat. As evident from our SITE123 review, they do a faster job in providing support than Shopify does. Based on our Shopify review, first contact is always made with a chatbot that prolongs the time getting to an agent, if such help is needed.
SITE123 compared to Shopify
Here’s a glance at SITE123 and how it compares to Shopify:
| SITE123 | Shopify | |
| ⭐ Rating: | ||
| 🥇 Overall rank: | #14 out of #37 | #7 out of #37 |
| 💵 Price: | From $4.60/month | From $29.00/month |
| 🪄 Ease of use: | Very easy to use and manage | Foolproof design options |
| 🎨 Templates: | 160 | 1050 |
| 🏢 Business features: | Simple first and third-party features | Excellent first-party features, good app market |
| 👨💻 24/7 live support: | Yes | Yes |
| ✂️ Free domain (first year): | Yes | No |
| 🔒 Free SSL certificate: | Yes | Yes |
| 🔥 Coupons: | SITE123 now 50% OFF | Get Shopify deal - 25% OFF |
6. GoDaddy website builder – web builder with a built-in marketing solution
| Starting price: | $9.99/month |
| Free domain: | ✅ Yes |
| Free SSL: | ✅ Yes |
| Current deal: | Get up to 62% OFF GoDaddy website builder |
GoDaddy is more than just a website builder. It’s an all-in-one website and marketing suite that combines useful features. With the help of these features, you can not only represent but also grow your business.
Here are my reasons why GoDaddy is a good alternative to Shopify:
- Clear functionalities. GoDaddy’s app ecosystem is intentionally small, which keeps stores simpler to run. Since it’s so clutter-free, it’s a great solution for users who look for a website builder that gets the job done and doesn’t overwhelm them with too many functionalities.
- In-house SEO. GoDaddy has the necessary SEO tools readily available. So you don’t have to look for a third-party app to cover it as it’s commonly the case with Shopify.
- Built-in marketing suite. GoDaddy cares about your online presence and making your business visible. Therefore, it has an option for creating and launching ads on social media. Additionally, GoDaddy allows you to manage everything from one place – its dashboard. Shopify doesn’t have built-in marketing solutions, so a third-party app is necessary and will cost you extra.
- Native appointment scheduling for service businesses. GoDaddy includes a built‑in system that lets customers book appointments and events directly from your website without needing an extra booking app, which Shopify lacks without relying on third-party apps.
GoDaddy compared to Shopify
Here’s a summary of GoDaddy versus Shopify for building online stores:
| GoDaddy website builder | Shopify | |
| ⭐ Rating: | ||
| 🥇 Overall rank: | #23 out of #37 | #7 out of #37 |
| 💵 Price: | From $9.99/month | From $29.00/month |
| 🪄 Ease of use: | Very simple to use, a bit limiting | Foolproof design options |
| 🎨 Templates: | 270 | 1050 |
| 🏢 Business features: | In-house features, suited for beginners | Excellent first-party features, good app market |
| 👨💻 24/7 live support: | Yes | Yes |
| ✂️ Free domain (first year): | Yes | No |
| 🔒 Free SSL certificate: | Yes | Yes |
| 🔥 Coupons: | Cybernews Website Builder Coupons | Get Shopify deal - 25% OFF |
7. Squarespace – web builder with beautiful designs
| Starting price: | $16.00/month |
| Free domain: | ✅ Yes |
| Free SSL: | ✅ Yes |
| Current deal: | Get up to 36% OFF Squarespace |
Squarespace is an excellent choice for those who are looking for a variety of templates. Offering over 199 templates, it's a nearly perfect solution for users who aren’t experienced in website building but want a professionally looking site.
Here are my reasons why Squarespace is a good alternative to Shopify:
- Cheaper long-term costs for small stores. While Shopify offers a 3-day free trial and $1.00/month for the first 3 months, its regular Basic plan jumps to $29.00/month. Squarespace’s plans include core features at a lower monthly rate.
- Built-in features reduce app expenses. Some Squarespace plans include SEO, marketing tools, and email campaigns, so you won’t need extra paid apps. Shopify stores frequently add paid apps, which can quickly increase monthly costs.
- Better blogging and content creation capabilities. Squarespace can hardly be matched when it comes to well-designed blogging features. You can easily create high-quality blog posts, articles, and other content alongside your eCommerce store, which is a great advantage for building brand identity and driving organic traffic. In comparison, Shopify, while capable of blogging, doesn’t offer the same seamless integration.
- Unified support for the site. When issues arise, Squarespace support covers your entire site (blog, store, marketing) under one roof. Shopify users may need help from multiple app or theme developers, which can cost more in time and sometimes paid support.
Squarespace compared to Shopify
Here’s a quick view of Squarespace compared with Shopify:
| Squarespace | Shopify | |
| ⭐ Rating: | ||
| 🥇 Overall rank: | #8 out of #37 | #7 out of #37 |
| 💵 Price: | From $16.00/month | From $29.00/month |
| 🪄 Ease of use: | Perfect for beginners | Foolproof design options |
| 🎨 Templates: | 199 | 1050 |
| 🏢 Business features: | Solid in-house eCommerce and marketing | Excellent first-party features, good app market |
| 👨💻 24/7 live support: | Yes | Yes |
| ✂️ Free domain (first year): | Yes | No |
| 🔒 Free SSL certificate: | Yes | Yes |
| 🔥 Coupons: | Squarespace coupon 36% OFF | Get Shopify deal - 25% OFF |
Best Shopify alternatives compared
| Shopify alternative | Rating | Best for | How many templates | Free plan | Starting price | Free domain | Blogging | eCommerce | Custom email | HTML/CSS editing | Live chat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | Design customization | 2700 | ✅ Yes | $17.00/month | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | |
| Hostinger Website Builder | Easy website building | 300 | ❌ No | $2.69/month | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | |
| PrestaShop | Full control of the site | 846 | ✅ Yes | Free | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | |
| WooCommerce | Easy design customization | 103 | ✅ Yes | Free | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | |
| Site123 | Ease of use | 160 | ✅ Yes | $4.60/month | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | |
| GoDaddy | Small business websites | 270 | ❌ No | $9.99/month/month | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | |
| Squarespace | Beautiful site designs | 199 | ❌ No | $16.00/month/month | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
Final recommendations
Shopify is an excellent option for many types of users. With such a broad variety of features Shopify has to offer, everyone can find something for themselves, whether that would be eCommerce, small business, or other type of website.
However, you might want to look for alternatives that are cheaper and better suit your needs. For example, if you are looking for more design options, you might want to look into Wix. It’s known for its abundant template gallery and a simple web builder. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, Hostinger Website Builder might be your pick.
FAQ
Is there a website like Shopify but free?
Yes, there are several websites like Shopify that are free. The closest alternative to Shopify is WooCommerce, which compares to Shopify in most areas. Other similar websites to Shopify that have free plans are Wix and SITE123.
What is the #1 eCommerce platform?
Wix is the #1 eCommerce platform that is affordable, easy to use, and has a vast template library. It’s accessible to both beginner and advanced users. Its handy AI tools speed up the online store building process and help support less experienced users.
What is the UK equivalent of Shopify?
ShopWired is the UK equivalent of Shopify. It's a UK based eCommerce platform and is specifically designed to cater to UK business.
Is Wix better than Shopify?
Whether Wix is a better option than Shopify depends solely on your web-building needs. Wix is perfect for small and medium businesses that require user-friendly and low-priced web builders with flexible design options, while Shopify is better suited to businesses that focus on growth.
