Shopify Alternatives: Explore Shopify Competitors in 2025

Numerous e-commerce websites in the US rely on Shopify. Its intuitive platform enables businesses to establish and oversee an e-commerce site with utmost simplicity; gaining focus is a natural outcome. However, it is not the holy grail for anyone, and there may be some perfect alternatives to Shopify for someone.

The global e-commerce market is now said to reach $6.56 trillion by 2025, and entrepreneurs and established brands are taking a closer look at cost-effective alternatives that fulfill their needs for customization and growth aspirations. Along with high commission fees, limitations on scalability for select use cases, and heavy dependence on third-party apps, several other factors have pushed them away from Shopify itself.

The following is a comprehensive guide about the top alternatives to Shopify for 2025, which would yield better prices, superior features, or greater flexibility. The right platform would make all the difference between small and large enterprises in scaling their eCommerce success.

Why Explore Other eCommerce Platforms Beyond Shopify?

Let’s examine the reasons why entrepreneurs are now choosing websites like Shopify.

Limited Flexibility for Customization

Shopify makes store creation easy for all beginners, providing drag-and-drop editors and pre-designed themes. Still, advanced customizations in Shopify always require some coding knowledge of Shopify’s proprietary Liquid language. For instance, creating a tailored checkout experience or unique product page design might require hiring a developer, adding to overall costs.

High Transaction Fees and Pricing

Shopify charges additional transaction fees (up to 2%) for stores using payment gateways other than Shopify Payments. For example, a store processing $10,000 in monthly sales via PayPal would pay an extra $200 in fees. Platforms like BigCommerce and WooCommerce charge no such fees, providing a cost advantage for high-volume sellers.

Restricted Functionality for Specific Business Models

Shopify often falls short for businesses with unique needs. For instance, creators selling digital products such as eBooks and online courses might find Shopify tools inadequate. Sellfy, on the other hand, has these features built-in: selling digital goods, managing subscriptions, and pay-what-you-want pricing.

What to Consider When Selecting a Platform for Your Business

Here’s what you should consider and evaluate before you choose an ecommerce platform:

Flexibility and Customization Options

The ability to make changes in the appearance and functionality of a store is important in branding and creating user experiences. Thus, you should look for a platform that allows design flexibility and provides tools for workflow or feature customization.

Pricing and Transaction Fees

Besides the basic subscription fee, consider transaction fees, charges for payment processing, and add-on or extension costs. These unseen fees will add up fast and make a dent in your profitability.

Scalability and Growth Potential

Support your long-term business aspirations with the platform you go for. Technology should be very non-constraining in terms of growth, whether growth is in terms of inventory, market expansion, or just driving traffic. Scalability, therefore, becomes enormously important.

Integration with Other Services and Tools

Smoothened integrations with third-party services for payment gateways, analytics, inventory management, and marketing tools ensure seamless operation and efficiency.

Quality of Technical Support and User Community

Reliable technical support combined with an active user community is able to save hours and money when challenges arise. Look for platforms with open support channels and rich learning resources.

Leading Shopify Plus Competitors

Adobe Commerce
The first Shopify alternative is Adobe Commerce. This is one of the most dynamic and individualized eCommerce platforms specifically made for the larger commercial enterprise.

Pros

• Full flexibility for customization.
• Strong multi-store management capabilities.
• Scalable for large inventories and global operations.

Cons

• High cost for Adobe Commerce Cloud.
• Requires technical expertise or a development team.

Pricing Structure

• Open Source: Free but requires hosting, domain, and development costs.
• Adobe Commerce Cloud: Starts at $40,000 per year, depending on business size and needs.

Best-Suited Business Types
Large enterprises or businesses with technical teams that need full control over their online operations.

BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a similar SaaS platform to Shopify. Despite its slightly higher price given certain features, it has in-built SEO, multi-channel selling capabilities, as well as extensive functions perfectly fitting the needs of businesses vast and small.

Pros

• No transaction fees.
• Supports unlimited products and staff accounts.
• Strong SEO and marketing features.

Cons

• Limited free themes.
• Annual sales limits on plans.

Pricing Structure

• Standard: $39/month.
• Plus: $105/month.
• Pro: $399/month.
• Enterprise: Custom pricing.

Best-Suited Business Types
Small to mid-sized businesses aiming for growth without relying on extensive third-party integrations.

Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus is an enterprise solution that has advanced customization, automation tools, and dedicated account management as its features.

Pros

• Scalable for large businesses.
• Extensive app ecosystem.
• Dedicated support and merchant success programs.

Cons

• High costs compared to standard Shopify plans.
• Customization still limited compared to open-source platforms.

Pricing Structure

• Starts at $2,000/month, with additional costs for apps and customizations.

Best-Suited Business Types
High-volume retailers or global brands needing enterprise-grade features and support.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Salesforce Commerce Cloud offers omnichannel capabilities with seamless integration with the Salesforce ecosystem.

Pros

• AI-driven insights.
• Strong multi-channel support.
• Deep integration with Salesforce CRM.

Cons

• Expensive for small businesses.
• Steeper learning curve for non-Salesforce users.

Pricing Structure

• Custom pricing based on gross merchandise value and business needs.

Best-Suited Business Types
Businesses already using Salesforce or those who want to deliver personalized customer experiences.

Commercetools
Commercetools is a headless commerce platform. It facilitates personalized development in the hands of companies for eCommerce activities.

Pros

• Highly customizable with headless architecture.
• Scalable for omnichannel commerce.
• Supports microservices for modular functionality.

Cons

• Requires technical expertise for implementation.
• Expensive compared to traditional platforms.

Pricing Structure

• Custom pricing based on usage and enterprise needs.

Best-Suited Business Types
Enterprises with in-house technical teams aiming for fully customized, future-proof solutions.

SAP Commerce

SAP Commerce offers a suite of powerful utilities for managing intricate product catalogs, omnichannel transactions, and customer engagements within the SAP Customer Experience arsenal.

Pros

• Good for managing complex product catalogs.
• B2B and B2C capabilities.
• Seamless integration with SAP ERP systems.

Cons

• Expensive for smaller businesses.
• Requires significant technical expertise.

Pricing Structure

• Custom pricing based on business size and requirements.

Best-Suited Business Types
Enterprises already using SAP products or those managing complex B2B operations.

WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin that can transform any WordPress site into a full-featured eCommerce store. 

Pros

• Free core plugin.
• Highly customizable with thousands of themes and extensions.
• Strong SEO capabilities through WordPress.

Cons

• Requires technical know-how for setup and maintenance.
• Costs can add up with premium plugins and hosting.

Pricing Structure

• Free plugin, with additional costs for hosting, domain, and premium extensions.

Best-Suited Business Types
Small to medium businesses already using WordPress or those requiring a customizable and budget-friendly solution.

Shopify Plus Alternatives: Feature Comparison in 2025

Key Feature Comparison

Pricing Comparison and Business Suitability

Evaluation of Ease of Use and Support

Recommendations for Selecting an eCommerce Platform

Here are a few ways to ensure you consider every angle when choosing an ecommerce platform:

Assess Your Business Needs

Think through:

• Business Model: Are you B2B, B2C, or a mix of the two? 
• Complexity of Product: Are you requiring advanced configuration of products, or would you like to support subscriptions or digital goods? 
• Target Market: Will you sell in one region or expand internationally, with support for multi-language and multi-currency?

Compare Functionality and Pricing

There is a disparity on features offered by the various eCommerce platforms when compared to the costs they charge. This means:

• First Feature Set: Does the platform offer out-of-the-box facilities related to SEO, marketing, cross-selling, and analytics?
• Customizable: Are you looking for customization? Open-source solutions such as WooCommerce and Adobe Commerce allow for customization through technical knowledge. 
• Pricing Structure: Compare upfront costs like subscription fees against hidden costs like transaction fees, plugins that need to be paid for, and hosting. 

Consider Scalability and Support

Your eCommerce platform is supposed to scale with your company: 

• Scalability: If you expect rapid growth, set your sights on platforms meant for high-volume merchants, such as Salesforce Commerce Cloud or Shopify Plus. 
• Technical Assistance: The support options available for various platforms are totally different these days: Shopify has 24/7 support; open-source ones depend mostly on community forums or third-party developers.

Partner with an eCommerce Expert

The selection of platforms and implementation can be complex. A certified partner such as Elogic, an eCommerce professional agency, assures seamless transition and tailored solutions. 

Conclusion

Shopify is not a universal solution for everyone. In some cases, another platform might be a better choice. Thus, you must analyze your business needs first and then choose among the top Shopify competitors. 

Need expert guidance? Elogic can help you find, customize, and implement the best eCommerce solution for your business. Get in touch with Elogic today to scale your online store effectively.