Are you thinking about building an ecommerce website for your business? If yes, you are in the right place, as this post will give you valuable information about the seven best free ecommerce platforms in 2022. So without further ado, let us dive right in.
WooCommerce
Woo Commerce is one of the most popular open-source plugins that you can use on WordPress. All you need is to download and run on your web hosting provider’s site. However, you must remember that WooCommerce does not host a website for you, so you will have to buy a domain name and web hosting service separately.
For this, you can use various websites such as GoDaddy, Wix, etc. However, WooCommerce personally recommends using Bluehost, which will cost as little as $15.95 per month. WooCommerce packs a wide variety of functions to enhance your website.
WooCommerce has an extension store with functions like multi-channel integrations and cart recovery. However, you may have to pay for certain extensions. WooCommerce is a perfect platform if you are not tech-savvy.
From physical products to digital downloads and drop shipping stores to affiliate products, WooCommerce can help you open any type of online store.
BigCommerce
If you’re looking for an all-in-one ecommerce platform in 2022, BigCommerce is the right choice. If you have an existing website, you can use the BigCommerce plugin to create an online store for your business.
BigCommerce offers a 15-day free trial and is easy to get started. The trial allows you to set up an online business free of cost, and you don’t have to provide your credit card details for a free trial. If you decide to continue using BigCommerce after the free trial is over, you can choose from a variety of payment methods, including PayPal, Stripe, etc. The upgrade cost after your free trial starts at $29.95 per month.
You can also integrate various third-party apps into your BigCommerce website. Additionally, you will also find a wide range of built-in themes and templates to give your ecommerce site a professional look.
Shopify
Shopify is the world’s most popular out of the 7 best free ecommerce platforms in 2022. It offers a 14-day free trial without needing any credit card details. It has a user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop functionality, making it ideal for beginners to create a personal or business website.
Shopify gives you access to an app marketplace with a wide range of apps to add extra features and functionalities to your online store. You will also get 24/7 support via live chat, email, phone, and Twitter.
For instance, you can use an on-site search bar feature to enable a powerful user experience. It allows your customers to search for products via quick access. You can also use the search bar option to collect data on customers’ behavior, what they are looking for etc. You can use this information to optimize your website further and run a promotion on the most wanted products and services.
When you sell on Shopify, the platform will charge you 2.9% on top of 30 cents for each payment transaction. However, this is a built-in feature, so you do not need to worry about adding or setting a payment feature manually. Once your free trial ends, Shopify will charge you $29 per month to use its services.
Square Online
Suppose you are looking to create a free online store. In that case, Square Online tops the list among the 7 best free ecommerce platforms. You can easily create a website using templates. However, these templates don’t offer much flexibility for customization. There are two built-in templates, but you can download more from an online source.
Although free, you can use a wide array of features with Square to grow your business before you start paying for any other professional website. Square uses a technology known as Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI) to generate an automatic website based on your answers to some questions.
If you wish to upgrade, you can pay a $12 per month subscription, which is still cheaper than other ecommerce platforms in this post.
Big Cartel
As an ecommerce platform, Big Cartel offers numerous impressive features at an inexpensive paid plan. If you’re running a small business selling less than five products and don’t have plans for expansion, Big Cartel is for you.
However, this comes at the cost of customizability. When signing up, you’ll get tips, and pop-up prompts to guide you create an online store. The cheapest paid plan will cost you $9.99 per month with shipment and inventory tracking. However, you can get more features by paying an additional $12.
Wix
Wix is one of the most popular and well-known ecommerce platforms today. You get access to a rich collection of templates with an easy-to-use interface. If you are a small to medium-sized business looking for a platform to create and host an online store, Wix is perfect for you.
Choose your business’s niche, and Wix will recommend a bunch of suitable templates. The user-friendly builder has a drag-and-drop functionality that allows beginners to create a unique and interactive website in no time.
The best part is that you can create a website for free to try. If you wish to upgrade, you can start by paying as little as $23 per month. You can sign up for a paid plan with a money-back guarantee if you cancel within 14 days of purchasing.
Squarespace
Out of the 7 best free ecommerce platforms in 2022, Squarespace has the best design templates. You will also be able to use impressive ecommerce features at a low price. If you’re a seller with no previous knowledge about creating a website, you can use Squarespace to build and manage your online store.
The drag-and-drop template editing feature allows you to design and review your online store/website in real-time. You can try Squarespace for free with a 14-day trial and upgrade later with a business plan at $18 per month.
Conclusion
Creating a website doesn’t have to be an expensive project for small businesses and independent sellers. Whether you’re a freelancer, a startup, or an established company from any industry, you can use one of the above-mentioned 7 best free ecommerce platforms in 2022. Simply go online and start designing your online store for free. Once you’re happy with the looks, features, and performance, you can pay for a subscription.
