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Software · head to head

Ecwid vs FastSpring

Ecwid logo

Ecwid

Software

Sell anywhere ecommerce platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
FastSpring logo

FastSpring

Software

Merchant-of-record commerce platform for global payments, subscriptions, and tax compliance

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ecwid has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Ecwid the $5 a month Starter plan caps the catalogue at 10 products; FastSpring pricing is not published and requires contacting sales for a quote, making cost comparison difficult upfront.
  • They diverge on capability: Ecwid covers Omnichannel selling, FastSpring covers Global online payments.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ecwid and FastSpring actually diverge.

Attributes where Ecwid and FastSpring differ
AttributeEcwidFastSpring
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptiontransaction
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebweb, api
Founded20092006

Identical on both: 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 Ecwid

  • Omnichannel selling
  • Product catalog
  • Payment processing
  • Inventory management
  • Email marketing
  • Analytics
  • Mobile app
  • API access

Only in FastSpring

  • Global online payments
  • Subscription billing
  • Branded checkout
  • Tax compliance
  • Fraud prevention
  • Digital invoicing and quotes

What people use each for

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

Ecwid

  • Adding a store to an existing website or social pagenot FastSpring
  • Selling physical goods and digital downloads from one cataloguenot FastSpring

FastSpring

  • Selling software or SaaS internationally without a local tax entitynot Ecwid
  • B2B invoicing and custom quotes for enterprise SaaS dealsnot Ecwid
  • Recurring subscription billing for digital productsnot Ecwid
  • Reducing fraud and chargebacks on digital purchasesnot Ecwid

Where each one falls short

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

Ecwid

  • The $5 a month Starter plan caps the catalogue at 10 products
  • Staff accounts start at the Business plan, and are limited to 2 until the Unlimited plan
  • Abandoned cart recovery requires the Business plan at $65 a month
  • In person selling through POS integration is Unlimited only, at $149 a month
  • The Venture plan at $35 a month still caps products at 100

FastSpring

  • Pricing is not published and requires contacting sales for a quote, making cost comparison difficult upfront.
  • As a merchant-of-record, FastSpring takes on more control of the checkout and payment relationship than a pure payment gateway like Stripe.
  • Revenue share pricing can become more expensive than flat per-transaction gateway fees at very high volumes.
  • Primarily targeted at software/digital goods sellers, so it is less suited to physical product e-commerce.

Pricing, plan by plan

Ecwid

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 10 products
    • Basic storefront
    • Standard payment methods
  • Unlimited$99.08/month
    • Unlimited products
    • Advanced features
    • Priority support

FastSpring

On request
  • Custom$undefined/mo
    • All-in-one transaction-based pricing based on sales volume
    • No subscription fees or per-feature charges
    • Discounted rates for ACH and wire transfers

Which should you pick?

Choose Ecwid if

  • You need omnichannel selling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want product catalog.
Ecwid review

Choose FastSpring if

  • You need global online payments.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want subscription billing.
FastSpring review

Questions people ask

Is Ecwid or FastSpring better?
Neither clearly leads. Ecwid starts at Free and FastSpring at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ecwid or FastSpring?
Ecwid has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Ecwid and On request for FastSpring.
Does Ecwid or FastSpring run on more platforms?
Ecwid runs on Web. FastSpring runs on web, api.
Can I use Ecwid for free?
Yes. Ecwid has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. FastSpring starts at On request.
What is Ecwid best used for?
Ecwid is most often used for adding a store to an existing website or social page, selling physical goods and digital downloads from one catalogue. Of those, adding a store to an existing website or social page and selling physical goods and digital downloads from one catalogue are not what FastSpring is typically brought in for.
What can Ecwid do that FastSpring cannot?
Ecwid covers Omnichannel selling, Product catalog, Payment processing, Inventory management. FastSpring covers Global online payments, Subscription billing, Branded checkout, Tax compliance.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

FastSpring: What does FastSpring cost?

FastSpring uses flat-rate, all-in-one pricing based on transaction volume, with fees withheld from payouts. There is no minimum volume or subscription fee, and pricing is typically quoted based on expected sales volume after contacting their sales team.

Source
FastSpring: Is there a free plan?

FastSpring does not offer a free plan; instead pricing is transaction-based with no upfront subscription cost, and merchants only pay a commission on completed sales.

Source
FastSpring: What does FastSpring integrate with or include compared to a payment gateway like Stripe?

FastSpring bundles international payments, subscription management, tax compliance, fraud prevention, reporting, and B2B invoicing into one price, whereas gateways like Stripe charge separately for many of these features.

Source
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