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AliExpress vs Shopify

AliExpress logo

AliExpress

Software

Global retail marketplace for dropshipping

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shopify logo

Shopify

Software

The most trusted ecommerce platform to start, grow, and scale your business

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only AliExpress has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: AliExpress aliExpress publishes no platform-wide pricing; each individual seller sets item price, shipping cost and return policy on the marketplace (archived homepage, 31 Dec 2023).; Shopify using any payment provider other than Shopify Payments adds a transaction fee on top of the card rate, at 2% on Basic falling to 0.2% on Plus
  • They diverge on capability: AliExpress covers Product catalog, Shopify covers Hosted ecommerce platform.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AliExpress and Shopify actually diverge.

Attributes where AliExpress and Shopify differ
AttributeAliExpressShopify
Starting priceFree$29/month
Pricing modeltransactionsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20102006

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 AliExpress

  • Product catalog
  • Supplier network
  • Competitive pricing
  • Quality control
  • Dispute resolution
  • Shipping options
  • Payment methods
  • Buyer protection

Only in Shopify

  • Hosted ecommerce platform
  • Payment processing
  • Inventory management
  • Order tracking
  • Marketing automation
  • Apps and integrations
  • Multi-channel selling
  • SSL certificate

What people use each for

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

AliExpress

No use cases recorded yet. See the AliExpress review.

Shopify

  • Running a hosted ecommerce store with payments and fulfilmentnot AliExpress
  • Selling across online, in person and social channels from one cataloguenot AliExpress

Where each one falls short

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

AliExpress

  • AliExpress publishes no platform-wide pricing; each individual seller sets item price, shipping cost and return policy on the marketplace (archived homepage, 31 Dec 2023).

Shopify

  • Using any payment provider other than Shopify Payments adds a transaction fee on top of the card rate, at 2% on Basic falling to 0.2% on Plus
  • That fee makes the cheapest plan the most expensive place to use an outside processor, which is the opposite of how plans usually work
  • Card rates also improve with the plan, from 2.9% on Basic to 2.7% on Advanced
  • Amex is charged at a higher rate than other cards on every plan below Plus
  • Plus starts at $2,300 a month
  • The advertised lower monthly prices require paying a year up front

Pricing, plan by plan

AliExpress

Free
  • BuyerFree
    • Browse products
    • Purchase items
    • Buyer protection

Shopify

$29/month
  • Starter$5/month
    • Buy Button & Sales Channel
    • Abandoned checkout recovery
    • Basic reporting
  • Basic$29/month
    • Online store
    • Up to 2 staff accounts
    • Basic reports
  • Standard$79/month
    • Professional reports
    • Gift cards
    • Up to 15 staff accounts

Which should you pick?

Choose AliExpress if

  • You need product catalog.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want supplier network.
AliExpress review

Choose Shopify if

  • You need hosted ecommerce platform.
  • You also want payment processing.
Shopify review

Questions people ask

Is AliExpress or Shopify better?
Neither clearly leads. AliExpress starts at Free and Shopify at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AliExpress or Shopify?
AliExpress has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for AliExpress and $29/month for Shopify.
Does AliExpress or Shopify run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use AliExpress for free?
Yes. AliExpress has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Shopify starts at $29/month.
What can AliExpress do that Shopify cannot?
AliExpress covers Product catalog, Supplier network, Competitive pricing, Quality control. Shopify covers Hosted ecommerce platform, Payment processing, Inventory management, Order tracking.
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Related pages

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