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Ecwid vs Shopify

Ecwid logo

Ecwid

Software

Sell anywhere ecommerce platform

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 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.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ecwid and Shopify actually diverge.

Attributes where Ecwid and Shopify differ
AttributeEcwidShopify
Starting priceFree$29/month
Free tierYesNo
Founded20092006

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 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

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

$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 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 $29/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 $29/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 $29/month.
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 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.
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Related pages

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