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E-Commerce · head to head

Ecwid vs Shopify

Ecwid logo

Ecwid

E-Commerce

Sell anywhere ecommerce platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shopify logo

Shopify

E-Commerce

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

From
$24/month
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; 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: Ecwid covers Omnichannel selling, Shopify covers Hosted ecommerce platform.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ecwid and Shopify actually diverge.

Attributes where Ecwid and Shopify differ
AttributeEcwidShopify
Starting priceFree$24/month
Free tierYesNo
Founded20092006

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-Commerce).

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
  • Email marketing
  • Analytics
  • Mobile app
  • API access

Only in Shopify

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

Both cover

  • Payment processing
  • Inventory management

What people use each for

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

Ecwid

  • E-commerce store setup with no transaction fees charged by Ecwidnot Shopify
  • Multi-channel selling across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterestnot Shopify
  • Automated email marketing with abandoned cart recovery campaignsnot Shopify
  • Inventory management and order tracking across all sales channelsnot Shopify
  • AI-powered product photo background removal and enhancementnot Shopify

Shopify

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

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

Ecwid

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

Shopify

$24/month
  • Basic$24/month
    • For solo entrepreneurs
    • $32/month on monthly billing
    • 2.9% + AED1.00 transaction fee (standard cards)
  • Grow$69/month
    • For small teams
    • $92/month on monthly billing
    • 2.8% + AED1.00 transaction fee (standard cards)
  • Advanced$299/month
    • For global reach
    • $399/month on monthly billing
    • 2.7% + AED1.00 transaction fee (standard cards)
  • Plus$2300/month
    • For complex businesses
    • most competitive transaction rates

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 Shopify if

  • You need hosted ecommerce platform.
  • You also want order tracking.
Shopify review

Questions people ask

Is Ecwid or Shopify better?
Neither clearly leads. Ecwid starts at Free and Shopify at $24/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ecwid or Shopify?
Ecwid has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Ecwid and $24/month for Shopify.
Does Ecwid or Shopify run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Ecwid for free?
Yes. Ecwid has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Shopify starts at $24/month.
What is Ecwid best used for?
Ecwid is most often used for e-commerce store setup with no transaction fees charged by ecwid, multi-channel selling across instagram, facebook, tiktok, and pinterest, automated email marketing with abandoned cart recovery campaigns, inventory management and order tracking across all sales channels. Of those, e-commerce store setup with no transaction fees charged by ecwid and multi-channel selling across instagram, facebook, tiktok, and pinterest are not what Shopify is typically brought in for.
What can Ecwid do that Shopify cannot?
Ecwid covers Omnichannel selling, Product catalog, Email marketing, Analytics. Shopify covers Hosted ecommerce platform, Order tracking, Marketing automation, Apps and integrations. Both handle Payment processing, Inventory management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ecwid: Does Ecwid charge transaction fees?

Ecwid states on its site: no transaction fees. However, pricing tiers and their specific features are not disclosed on the vendor's public pages.

Source
Shopify: How much does Shopify cost?

Shopify's Basic tier is $24/month (or $32/month monthly), Grow is $69/month (or $92/month monthly), Advanced is $299/month (or $399/month monthly), and Plus starts at $2,300/month. Annual subscriptions include 25% discount versus monthly billing.

Source
Ecwid: Is there a free version of Ecwid?

Ecwid offers a free tier to launch a store and start selling. Specific upgrade tiers and costs are not listed on the vendor's website.

Source
Shopify: Does Shopify offer a free trial?

Yes, Shopify offers 3 days free, then $1/month for 3 months without requiring a credit card.

Source
Ecwid: How much does Ecwid cost?

Ecwid does not publish pricing details on its website. The vendor directs users to contact sales or view pricing, but specific rates are not displayed publicly.

Source
Shopify: What payment processing fees does Shopify charge?

Transaction rates vary by plan: Basic charges 2.9% + AED1.00 (standard cards), Grow charges 2.8% + AED1.00, Advanced charges 2.7% + AED1.00, and Plus offers the most competitive rates. American Express charges 0.1% higher across all plans.

Source
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