Choosing the wrong ecommerce platform is an expensive mistake. Here's how to pick the right one for your business model before you build.
Shopify, Squarespace, Wix, BigCommerce — you pay a monthly fee and the provider handles hosting, security, and software updates. Easiest to start, fastest to launch, but you're dependent on the provider's infrastructure and pricing decisions.
WooCommerce (WordPress plugin), Magento, PrestaShop — you download and install software on your own hosting. Maximum flexibility and no ongoing platform fees, but you're responsible for hosting, security, and maintenance.
The frontend (what customers see) is built separately from the backend (product management, cart, checkout). Maximum performance and flexibility — but requires significant technical resources. Not for most small businesses.
Shopify charges 0.5–2% transaction fees if you use a payment processor other than Shopify Payments. On $500,000 annual revenue, a 1% transaction fee = $5,000/year. Always calculate the true total cost of ownership, including transaction fees, app subscriptions, and theme costs — not just the monthly platform fee.
| Platform | Transaction Fee (own gateway) | Transaction Fee (their gateway) |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify | 0.5–2% depending on plan | 0% (Shopify Payments) |
| Squarespace | 0% (Commerce plans) | 0% |
| WooCommerce | 0% (you control) | Depends on gateway |
| Webflow | 0% | 0% |
| Business Stage | Recommended Platform | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Starting out (0–$5K/mo revenue) | Shopify Basic or Squarespace | Fast setup, no technical skill needed |
| Growing ($5K–$50K/mo) | Shopify or WooCommerce | Better analytics, more payment options |
| Scaling ($50K+/mo) | Shopify Advanced or Webflow + Shopify | Advanced reporting, lower per-transaction costs |
| Technical team available | WooCommerce or headless | Maximum flexibility, no platform dependency |
| Content + ecommerce hybrid | Webflow + Shopify Buy Button | Best CMS + best checkout combined |
| Shopify | Squarespace | Webflow | Hostinger (WooCommerce) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | High | Very High | Medium | Medium |
| Design flexibility | Medium | Medium | Very High | High |
| Starting price | $29/mo | $23/mo | $23/mo | $3.99/mo |
| App/plugin ecosystem | 8,000+ | Limited | Growing | 60,000+ (WordPress) |
| Best for | Pure ecommerce | Design-first brands | Custom design + ecommerce | Content + ecommerce |
We've reviewed all four of these platforms in depth — including pricing, SEO capability, speed benchmarks, and who each is best for.
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