12 Best WooCommerce Alternatives

There was a time when most online ecommerce businesses ran on either Amazon or eBay. Now there's a whole range of great platforms to help you build an online store of your own, from Shopify to Etsy.

One of the most popular of these is WordPress’ WooCommerce plugin. Just install it on your existing WordPress site and a couple of mouse clicks later you have a basic all-in-one ecommerce site ready to go.

WooCommerce is fantastic, but it's far from perfect. It's not exactly the flashiest bit of software on the planet and takes some finessing to get right. Plus, there are plenty of new players out there doing exciting things in the $4.89 trillion dollar ecomm space.

So with that in mind, we’ve put together a definitive list of the best WooCommerce alternatives, covering WordPress plugins and dedicated ecommerce site builders. Let's get stuck in.

A (very) quick history of WooCommerce

It’s September 2011. Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO is at the top of the charts, The Lion King 3D is in theatres and WordPress is strictly a content management system for blogs and basic text-based websites.

That is until a bunch of ecommerce plugins launch (notably, WooCommerce) and add a variety of fresh features and advanced functionality to empower burgeoning online businesses to sell their products on the web.

Using WordPress as a base, WooCommerce lets you build an ecommerce site and set up your store in a few minutes. You can list products, take payments, track inventory and fulfil orders all from one spot.

And it does a good job. It’s (mostly) free, relatively simple to get started with the basics, and can be highly customizable if you’re the type that doesn’t mind tinkering with some code.

However, there are a few drawbacks:

• It’s complex and a bit unintuitive
• Requires a ton of tweaks/code to get right
• Integrations don’t always work
• You need to pay for extensions + third-party hosting

So maybe, just maybe, there's a better solution out there for you. It's best to keep an open mind (some life advice for you), especially when it comes to business tools. This brings us to the main course—looking at WooCommerce alternatives.

The two types of WooCommerce alternatives

So there are two main ways WooCommerce alternatives are served up:

• Attached to WordPress — e.g. a WordPress plugin
• Through a dedicated ecommerce site — e.g. a hosted Paperform product page

Which solution you go for depends on whether you’re tethered to WordPress, or are willing to take your business elsewhere. And with WooCommerce powering just over a quarter of the ecommerce market, there are plenty of other options.

We’ve split our list into both categories to make it a bit easier to understand what they’re all about and decide what you want to go for. Let’s get stuck into it.

6 best WooCommerce alternatives for WordPress (WordPress plugins)

These are the direct alternatives to WooCommerce—they’re available as plugins that you can add to the WordPress backend to help build your online storefront and order processes.

📚 Find out more about our favourite WordPress ecommerce plugins.

1. Paperform

Free trial: 14-days, no credit card required

Good for: The simplest way to add a beautiful ecommerce store to your site

With Paperform’s WordPress plugin you can add a full-scale ecommerce solution to your site with ease (and without any code). Whether you’re selling digital items or hand-crafted physical goods, our platform is all you’ll need to start selling online in a matter of minutes.

It works a bit differently than most products on this list. Instead of tacking on to your WordPress backend, our plugin gives you full access to our versatile form builder. No "lite" version or restrictions—build a custom solution and embed it anywhere on your site.

📚 Learn how to build a one-page website with Paperform.

Manage stock levels and SKUs through our dashboard, add custom pricing rules and coupons, generate custom receipts and even take subscriptions. With support for the top players like Stripe, Square and PayPal and 3,000+ integrations at no extra cost, Paperform really is one of the easiest and smartest ways to sell online.

⚖️ Paperform vs WooCommerce: Our verdict
We are a bit biased here, but Paperform really is the way to go if you want to sell products online without all the complicated setup. However, we don’t offer any features that allow you to customise your WordPress website itself, so if that’s what you’re after, stick with WooCommerce.

2. Shopify Buy Button

Free trial: Yes

Good for: Quick and hassle-free ecommerce

Shopify’s Buy Button offers one of the easiest ways to add ecommerce functions to your site without any bells and whistles. Seriously, none. This basic tool allows you to generate a 'buy' button that can be embedded anywhere on your WordPress site.

The button then connects with Shopify—one of the web’s largest online storefront solutions—to run your checkout through their platform. Customize the button to fit your business, then connect with over 100 payment gateways and you're done.

It’s a great solution for folks looking for a super simple way to sell products on WordPress. We can’t emphasise the “simple” part enough. Shopify Buy Button doesn't have any site building functionality, so while it will help you sell stuff, it’s not quite a fully-fledged alternative.

⚖️ Shopify vs WooCommerce: Our verdict
If you’re looking for a full eCommerce website then there’s no competition. WooCommerce takes the cake. However, if you just want an easy way to sell stuff online? It’s hard to go past Shopify Buy Button.

3. Ecwid

Free trial: Free for up to 10 products

Good for: Cross-platform sales across your website and social media

Ecwid is a bit of a double whammy: while you can use their plugin to add ecommerce to your WordPress website, you can also build a basic store of your own. There's even an option to create links and sell directly on Facebook, Instagram or any other social media channels.

This flexibility sums up Ecwid’s business model. They’re all about giving merchants the power to easily sell what they want, wherever they want it. Like WooCommerce, you can manage inventory, update stock and look after sales all in the same central software.

There’s a reason Ecwid has nearly two million downloads on the WordPress Plugin directory—it really is one of the best ways to add a store to your site. And with Ecwid Shopping Cart, you also get access to a free mobile app that you can use as a POS.

⚖️ Ecwid vs WooCommerce: Our verdict
In our opinion, Ecwid just edges out WooCommerce in a tight one, thanks to their fantastic order management interface and multi-channel sales features. Though it’s important to note that, unlike WooCommerce, Ecwid is paid, closed-source software, which will turn off some tech-savvy power users.

4. Easy Digital Downloads

Free trial: No (but they do offer a full refund within 30 days of purchase.)

Good for: A simple avenue to sell digital products.

Maybe you don’t need support for physical products or complex order management processes. If you’re just after a way to sell digital products—from eBooks and PDFs to digital art (or even a WordPress plugin of your own), then Easy Digital Downloads is a nice solution.

Getting started it’s about as simple as it gets. Just download and install the plugin. From there you can add a customizable shopping cart and buy button to your site, as well as add customer account profiles and set up discount codes and coupons.

There are also a range of official and third-party integrations you can buy to power up your site. These give you access to useful tools, however can be quite costly (for example, a Mailchimp integration on a single site costs $49).

⚖️ Easy Digital Downloads vs WooCommerce: Our verdict
Easy Digital Downloads isn’t the most fully-featured alternative to WooCommerce. However, if you’re a blogger or entrepreneur looking for an easy way to monetise digital content, then it’s a good option.

5. MemberPress

Free trial: No, but there's a 14-day money-back guarantee

Good for: Monetising online courses and digital content.

MemberPress is an ecommerce plugin that specialises in helping businesses and independent creators build, manage and track membership subscriptions. It’s a suitable option if you're looking to sell online courses or gate content behind a paywall.

Setup is easy. Install the plugin, enter the payment gateway details, add products and you’ll be ready to take signups. You have ultimate control over what your customers can access, and can even build your own password-protected community forums.

The last thing you need when running a subscription business is payment problems (we know that all too well). So to curb any potential issues, MemberPress allows you to enter gateway API keys and then adjust settings to each individual gateway. They also have a comprehensive User Manual and a support team on hand if you get stuck.

⚖️ MemberPress vs WooCommerce: Our verdict
MemberPress can’t replace WooCommerce for every business—it only offers a fraction of the features. However, if you need to set up a membership website then it’s an excellent solution.

SureCart

Free trial: Yes

Good for: Stores seeking an alternative to WooCommerce that emphasizes ease of management

SureCart is a promising new WooCommerce alternative that adopts a headless eCommerce approach. By letting SureCart manage transactions and do the heavy lifting, while you control the front end of the store on your website, it offers a unique and efficient way to run a store.

You won't need expensive hosting to deliver a top-notch user experience, as the server is securely linked to your store through an authenticated API, ensuring that all your data is fully protected.

Managing your store is streamlined with SureCart, thanks to its intuitive interface that resembles familiar page builders. A setup wizard guides you through the basics, and adding a product can be done in less than a minute.
SureCart vs WooCommerce: Our verdict SureCart presents a modern and user-friendly option that doesn't yet match WooCommerce in market reach, but shows promise. Its simplicity, manageability, and accessibility to users of all skill levels make it a noteworthy option for those exploring alternatives to traditional eCommerce platforms. It's a solution that stands out for its innovation and potential to grow.

6 best WooCommerce alternatives (dedicated platforms)

We’ve covered the best plugins, but there’s a whole world outside of WordPress. Let’s move on to the dedicated ecommerce website builders.

1. Paperform

Free trial: 14 days, no credit card necessary.

Good for: The fastest and easiest way to sell your products online

What if we told you there was an easier way to sell online? A way that doesn’t require hosting or HTML code or purchasing a WordPress theme? Paperform’s built-in ecommerce features give you just that: an all-in-one solution for your online store with a fraction of the setup.

Just add our Product question type to list your products and services, then hop into our theme options to customize your page. Tweak colours, fonts and UI, or even translate the site to multiple languages to suit multiple markets. Whether you’re a design pro or a newbie, you’ll be able to start selling in minutes.

You can manage everything about your store from our easy-to-use dashboard. Create dedicated product pages with images, videos or even GIFs. Manage stock, set SKUs and discount codes, or use conditional logic to build a dynamic shopping experience.

Selling digital items? Set up a paywall, take subscriptions and set up bookings and appointments for product calls.

Paperform supports all major gateways with no additional fees because we think your money is just that—your money.  For no extra charge, you can also connect to your favourite web apps to simplify workflows and cut down on busy work.

Automate email marketing, share form entries to Sheets or send customer information to your CRM. With 3,000+ integrations, there’s a solution for everyone.

Oh, and we get that sometimes you’ll run into a few snags. It happens. That’s why we’ve got a Help Center chock full of handy tutorials, as well as an award-winning customer support team that can lend you a hand any time. 24/7.

⚖️ Paperform vs WooCommerce: Our verdict
We won’t lie—if you’re looking for a traditional ecommerce website with WordPress hosting, go with WooCommerce. But if you’re looking for something that’s fresh, new and dead simple (while still offering complex functionality and a downright beautiful front-end) try Paperform.

2. Shopify

Free trial: 14 days, no credit card necessary.

Good for: ecommerce websites of any shape or size

Unless you’ve been living under a rock you would’ve heard of Shopify. It’s, without doubt, one of the best ecommerce platforms to help you sell things online—whether it’s food, jewellery or the hottest new body scrub.

Shopify gives you all the tools you need to manage your business in-person or online. Build a storefront to fit your brand, embed products and take payments with all the leading gateways. It’s less technical than WooCommerce and simple to get up and running.

It’s hard to find a bad word to say about Shopify. The dashboard is comprehensive, resources are plentiful and there’s an active community that you can turn to if you have any hiccups. Its sales ecosystem also doesn’t require plugins for functionality, and there are a range of solutions for your business as it scales.

⚖️ Shopify vs WooCommerce: Our verdict
To put it simply, Shopify is one of the best WooCommerce alternatives you'll find.

3. BigCommerce

Free trial: Yes - 15 days

Good for: A ecommerce platform for large companies

By now you get the gist. BigCommerce is yet another WooCommerce alternative that helps you launch an online store. So how does it set itself apart? Well, it’s a solution aimed at large companies and enterprises, with a few unique features and built-in SEO and conversion tools to help growth.

BigCommerce splits the process into three steps: build, run, and grow. Build your online storefront, run your day-to-day inventory management and order processes, and then grow the business with practical advice on optimising your site and maintaining a successful ecommerce store.

In terms of features, BigCommerce definitely has WooCommerce covered. From cross-channel commerce to B2B payments and a High Availability infrastructure that promises 99.99% uptime, BigCommerce is a premium platform with a capital P.

⚖️ BigCommerce vs WooCommerce: Our verdict
Big companies are really BigCommerce’s focus. So if you’re part of a large company that wants an ecommerce solution that can solve complex queries and work without any need for tweaks, then BigCommerce will be a good choice.

4. Squarespace

Free trial: Yes - 14-days

Good for: Aesthetically pleasing ecommerce websites for creatives

Squarespace is a WooCommerce alternative aimed at creative folks who want a website that looks professional and works without much elbow grease. Just apply your branding, upload images and other visuals and stock your online store with product listings.

Unlike WordPress, Squarespace has ecommerce capabilities built into all plans. You can sell products and services, accept subscriptions and use it as a point of sale (POS) solution if you have a brick and mortar store. There are also handy blogging tools and analytics that are fairly basic, but effective.

While Squarespace’s ecommerce functionality is comprehensive, the emphasis is definitely on form over function. From the (usually) intuitive drag and drop web builder to the vast collection of templates, the building process is quick and relatively simple for any experience level.

⚖️ Squarespace vs WooCommerce: Our verdict
If you’re a creative, artist, photographer or just starting up a small business then Squarespace is a good option for a website builder.

5. Wix

Free trial: No

Good for: Flexible, cost-effective ecommerce websites

There was a time when Wix was at the bottom rung of website builders, but in recent years it’s climbed up to be a popular alternative to WooCommerce. This is largely thanks to excellent customization options, high-quality templates and its overall ease of use.

Like many of the alternatives on this list, Wix allows you to sell items and manage your online store across multiple sales channels. You can offer subscriptions, source and Dropship products and keep an eye on things away from the computer with the Wix Owner app.

What about payments? Wix supports credit cards and a range of popular payment options. You can automate sales tax and set recurring payments for memberships2. It’s also worth pointing out that, like Paperform, there are no extra transaction fees for online payments.

⚖️ Wix vs WooCommerce: Our verdict
Wix and Squarespace are comparable in terms of the alternative they offer to WooCommerce. Both allow you to launch quickly and have a range of templates and similar base features.

6. nopCommerce

Price: Free

Good for: B2B eCommerce businesses with unique requirements

Last but not least WooCommerce alternative is nopCommerce. It is an open-source eCommerce software that targets a wide range of B2B and B2C businesses. Offering all common features (like mobile responsiveness, one-page checkout or SEO), it truly shines when it comes to meeting non-standard business needs.

Features such as multi-vendor, multi-store, and omnichannel are available out-of-the-box. Thanks to multi-language and multi-currency support, the platform is ready to scale worldwide. By adding POS, ERP, CRM, WMS, and PIM systems, it’s possible to automate all the repetitive tasks, like price management, synchronization with the warehouse, new product upload, etc.

And when we say that nopCommerce is free, we mean it! There aren't any transaction fees, monthly expenses, or hidden costs. Businesses benefit from endless customization options and can build enterprise-level stores at no cost thanks to the source code.

⚖️ nopCommerce vs WooCommerce: Our verdict

This is an optimal solution for middle-sized businesses and enterprises that need flexibility and scalability above all. Boasting on built-in B2B features, nopCommerce also solves many security issues typical of WooCommerce.

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Paperform: the easiest WooCommerce alternative

We think Paperform is the best WooCommerce alternative. Shocking, right? If we said another tool it would be like PlayStation recommending you buy an Xbox, or Coca-Cola serving Pepsi at the company Christmas party.

The bottom line is that you’ll have to choose whichever ecommerce tool sounds best to you. If you need a solution for your enterprise-scale business, for example, then BigCommerce would be a no brainer.

But Paperform offers something different. You get full ecommerce functionality without all the hassle that comes with looking after a website. Plus it’s available as a WordPress plugin or as its own dedicated platform, so by signing up you can hit two birds with one stone.

Why not give it a go today with our 14-day free trial? There’s no credit card required, so unlike those Netflix trials you keep forgetting to cancel, you don’t have to worry about being charged.

💡 WooCommerce FAQs

Is WooCommerce the same as WordPress?
No, WooCommerce isn’t the same as WordPress. It’s a plugin for WordPress that adds ecommerce features on top of the pre-existing product.

Which platform is better than WooCommerce?
We wouldn’t outright say that any of the solutions listed are better than WooCommerce. Though, we would say that there are platforms listed that offer better solutions for certain use cases.

Can WooCommerce do subscriptions?
You can set up subscription-based products and services with WooCommerce. However, unlike Paperform, it’s not available in the base product. To access this feature you need to purchase WooCommerce Subscriptions for $199/year.

Can WooCommerce do bookings and appointments?
With WooCommerce you can manage bookings, reservations and appointments. But just like subscriptions, this isn’t available out of the box. WooCommerce Bookings costs $249/year.