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Software · head to head

3dcart vs Swell Commerce

3dcart logo

3dcart

Software

All-in-one ecommerce platform for online retailers

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Swell Commerce logo

Swell Commerce

Software

Headless ecommerce for modern brands

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Swell Commerce has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 3dcart limited scalability compared to enterprise e-commerce platforms; Swell Commerce each plan carries an annual revenue ceiling, and exceeding it is charged as a percentage of the excess: 2 percent on Starter down to 0.4 percent on Unlimited
  • They diverge on capability: 3dcart covers Store builder, Swell Commerce covers Headless architecture.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 3dcart and Swell Commerce actually diverge.

Attributes where 3dcart and Swell Commerce differ
Attribute3dcartSwell Commerce
Starting price$19/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
Founded19972019

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 3dcart

  • Store builder
  • Unlimited products
  • Shopping cart
  • Payment processing
  • Email marketing
  • SEO optimization
  • Mobile responsive

Only in Swell Commerce

  • Headless architecture
  • GraphQL & REST APIs
  • Subscription commerce
  • Multi-currency support
  • Custom checkout
  • Webhook integrations
  • Developer-friendly SDK

Both cover

  • Inventory management

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

3dcart

No use cases recorded yet. See the 3dcart review.

Swell Commerce

  • Running a headless commerce backend with APIs for a custom storefrontnot 3dcart
  • Selling subscription products alongside one off purchasesnot 3dcart
  • Operating multi currency stores from one commerce backendnot 3dcart

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

3dcart

  • Limited scalability compared to enterprise e-commerce platforms
  • Payment processing tied to Shift4 Payments after acquisition
  • Fewer advanced marketing and analytics features than competitors

Swell Commerce

  • Each plan carries an annual revenue ceiling, and exceeding it is charged as a percentage of the excess: 2 percent on Starter down to 0.4 percent on Unlimited
  • Starter at $29 a month allows 2 admin users and includes only 100,000 API requests and 1GB of storage per month
  • Additional API requests cost $5 per 100,000 and extra storage $5 per GB
  • Role based permissions and developer support are restricted to the Unlimited plan at $2,250 a month
  • Advanced reports and priced currencies require the Standard plan or higher
  • Published prices are the billed yearly rates, so monthly billing costs more

Pricing, plan by plan

3dcart

$19/month
  • Starter$19/month
    • Unlimited products
    • Basic templates
    • Email support

Swell Commerce

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Unlimited products
    • API access
    • Basic support
  • Standard$299/month
    • Everything in Community
    • Priority support
    • Advanced features
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Dedicated support
    • SLA guarantees

Which should you pick?

Choose 3dcart if

  • You need store builder.
  • You also want unlimited products.
3dcart review

Choose Swell Commerce if

  • You need headless architecture.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want graphql & rest apis.
Swell Commerce review

Questions people ask

Is 3dcart or Swell Commerce better?
Neither clearly leads. 3dcart starts at $19/month and Swell Commerce at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 3dcart or Swell Commerce?
Swell Commerce has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $19/month for 3dcart and Free for Swell Commerce.
Does 3dcart or Swell Commerce run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Swell Commerce for free?
Yes. Swell Commerce has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. 3dcart starts at $19/month.
What can 3dcart do that Swell Commerce cannot?
3dcart covers Store builder, Unlimited products, Shopping cart, Payment processing. Swell Commerce covers Headless architecture, GraphQL & REST APIs, Subscription commerce, Multi-currency support. Both handle Inventory management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

3dcart: What is the starting price for 3dcart?

3dcart (now Shift4Shop) starts at $19/month with no setup fees, transaction fees, or hidden fees.

Source
3dcart: Does 3dcart include hosting?

Yes. 3dcart includes web hosting, domain support, and built-in website building tools with no separate hosting costs.

Source
3dcart: What happened to 3dcart?

Shift4 Payments acquired 3dcart in November 2020. The platform is now operated under the name Shift4Shop but maintains the same core functionality and pricing.

Source
3dcart: Does 3dcart offer free templates?

Yes. 3dcart provides dozens of professionally designed, industry-specific templates that are mobile-friendly, SEO optimized, and highly customizable.

Source
3dcart: What payment methods does 3dcart support?

3dcart integrates with multiple payment gateways including Shift4 Payments, Stripe, PayPal, and other major payment processors.

Source
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