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E-commerce & Retail · head to head

Ecwid vs Swell Commerce

Ecwid logo

Ecwid

E-commerce & Retail

Sell anywhere ecommerce platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Swell Commerce logo

Swell Commerce

E-commerce & Retail

Headless ecommerce for modern brands

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Ecwid the $5 a month Starter plan caps the catalogue at 10 products; 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: Ecwid covers Omnichannel selling, Swell Commerce covers Headless architecture.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ecwid and Swell Commerce actually diverge.

Attributes where Ecwid and Swell Commerce differ
AttributeEcwidSwell Commerce
Founded20092019

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-commerce & Retail).

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
  • Email marketing
  • Analytics
  • Mobile app
  • API access

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.

Ecwid

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

Swell Commerce

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

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

Ecwid

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

  • You need omnichannel selling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want product catalog.
Ecwid 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 Ecwid or Swell Commerce better?
Neither clearly leads. Ecwid starts at Free and Swell Commerce at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ecwid or Swell Commerce?
Ecwid starts at Free and Swell Commerce at Free.
Does Ecwid or Swell Commerce run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Ecwid for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Swell Commerce is typically brought in for.
What can Ecwid do that Swell Commerce cannot?
Ecwid covers Omnichannel selling, Product catalog, Payment processing, Email marketing. Swell Commerce covers Headless architecture, GraphQL & REST APIs, Subscription commerce, Multi-currency support. Both handle Inventory management.
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Related pages

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