8 of the Best E-commerce Platforms for Small Business Owners

If you’re looking to start a new business, or attract customers to your business, you’ll need an online presence and possibly an e-commerce platform. In fact, global e-commerce sales are forecast to reach $6.88 trillion in 2026, a 7.2% increase from 2025. 

Today, over 2.7 billion people are shopping online for convenience and personalized experiences. In fact, nearly 21% of all retail spending now happens through digital storefronts. That’s something to keep in mind whether you’re starting a new side hustle or looking to create an online shop to go with your existing brick-and-mortar store.

But with so many e-commerce platform options available, which one is right for you? Here are 8 of our favorites.

Note that all listed features and pricing are accurate as of the date this article is published. Features and prices may change over time.

1. Shopify.

Shopify is an all-in-one platform that handles everything from hosting to payment processing.

• What’s new: Shopify Magic (AI tools) now generates product descriptions and email marketing copy, saving new owners’ hours of manual work.
• Noteworthy Features:
  • Shopify POS Lite: Included in all plans. It’s a powerful tool that allows brick-and-mortar owners to seamlessly sync in-store sales with their online inventory.
  • Shop Pay: Offers one-tap checkout, which can increase conversion rates by up to 50% for mobile shoppers.
• Pricing: Starts at $29/month (Basic plan) when billed annually.

2. Wix.

With its intuitive drag-and-drop editor, Wix gives business owners creative control without needing to touch a line of code. 

• What’s new: An enhanced AI Website Builder that can create a personalized store layout based on a brief chat-based conversation.
• Noteworthy Features:
  • Wix Bookings: Perfect for service-based businesses (like salons or tutors) that also want to sell physical products.
  • Automated Tax: Integrated with Avalara to handle complex sales tax calculations automatically.
• Pricing: The “Core” e-commerce plan starts at $29/month.

3. BigCommerce.

If you plan to sell on Amazon, eBay, and Instagram simultaneously, take a look at BigCommerce. It offers many “out-of-the-box” features, meaning fewer paid apps are needed.

• What’s new: Multi-Storefront (MSF) is now more accessible for smaller plans, allowing you to manage different brands or regions from one login.
• Noteworthy Features:
  • Zero Transaction Fees: BigCommerce doesn’t charge you for using third-party payment gateways.
  • Advanced SEO: Includes customizable URLs and “Rich Snippets” to help your products show up higher in Google searches.
• Pricing: Standard plan starts at $39/month.

4. Squarespace.

For artists, photographers, and boutique retailers, Squarespace offers professional-looking templates. It can help turn a simple shop into a high-end brand experience.

• What’s new: Courses and Memberships are now deeply integrated, allowing you to sell digital content or gated access alongside physical goods.
• Noteworthy Features:
  • Fluid Engine: A highly flexible editor who allows for “pixel-perfect” placement of images and text.
  • Abandoned Cart Recovery: Now included in lower-tier commerce plans to help win back customers who left without buying.
• Pricing: Core plans (formerly Business) start at $23/month when billed annually.

5. WooCommerce.

WooCommerce is a free plugin for WordPress. It can be a good choice if you already have a WordPress site or want “open-source” freedom to customize your site.

• What’s new: WooCommerce Payments has been streamlined to offer a “Shopify-like” experience for managing money directly from the WordPress dashboard.
• Noteworthy Features:
  • Infinite Plugins: With over 50,000 WordPress plugins, you can add almost any niche feature imaginable.
  • Jetpack Security: Powerful tool for small businesses to handle automated backups and malware scanning.
• Pricing: Software is free, but hosting (approx. $10–$30/month) is required.

6. Square Online.

If you already use Square for your in-person card payments, Square Online is built to bridge the gap between a physical shop and a website.

• What’s new: Square AI (conversational assistant) can now handle customer inquiries and provide neighborhood-specific business insights like local weather or trending items.
• Noteworthy Features:
  • Local Delivery & Pickup: Highly customizable settings for “Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store.
  • Free Plan: You can start selling for $0/month (paying only transaction fees), which is nice for testing a new business idea.
• Pricing: Free version available; paid plans with custom domains start at $29/month.

7. Ecwid by Lightspeed: for Existing Websites

Ecwid is a widget that you can drop into any existing website. It’s a good choice for businesses that already have a site and just want to add a “Buy Now” button.

• What’s new: The Instant Site feature now allows you to create a standalone one-page shop in minutes if you don’t have a website yet.
• Noteworthy Features:
  • Social Media Sync: One of the easiest ways to sync your catalog to TikTok Shop and Instagram.
  • Mobile App: Highly rated app that allows you to scan barcodes and manage inventory from your phone.
• Pricing: Free for up to 5 products; Venture plan is $19/month.

8. Adobe Commerce.

Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento) is a high-level platform for businesses with large inventories or complex B2B needs. It typically requires more technical skill but offers more power than other options.

• What’s new: Adobe Sensei AI provides hyper-personalized product recommendations, based on real-time browsing behavior.
• Noteworthy Features:
  • B2B Suite: Built-in tools for custom pricing, quote management, and fast bulk ordering.
  • PWA Studio: Allows you to build “Progressive Web Apps” that feel like a mobile app but run in a web browser.
• Pricing: Custom pricing (typically for businesses with $1M+ in revenue).

A Few Recommendations for Small Business Owners:

• For the absolute beginner: Consider Shopify or Square Online.
• For the creative/artist: Take a look at Squarespace.
• For the side-hustler on a budget: Check out Ecwid or the free tier of Square Online.

Protect Your Online Store with E-commerce Insurance

Now that you’ve picked the best e-commerce platform for your business, there’s another item you may want to consider: business insurance. 

We can make finding what you need fast and easy. Here are some coverages we recommend for e-commerce businesses:

General liability insurance.

Also known as GL insurance, general liability coverage can help handle costs from third-party accidents, property damage, and bodily injury.

General liability insurance also works if you operate your e-commerce business out of an office, warehouse, or your home. 

Professional liability insurance.

This coverage can help protect you from claims related to libel, slander, or copyright infringement. Unfortunately, it’s very easy to get caught in a mix-up related to one of these claims, even if you never intended to do harm.

This way, your business can keep operating normally, without facing disastrous financial consequences.

Cyber liability insurance.

As an online business owner, you could be an attractive target for people trying to steal customer information or take down your website (which is the same as taking down your business).

Cyber business liability insurance can help claims associated with stolen customer data, cyberattacks, breaches, and fraud.

Even better, we can get you a quote for cyber coverage in 60 seconds right here.

An E-commerce Website Builder Can Elevate Your Business

In today’s world, e-commerce is critical to the success of most businesses. Whether you’re a restaurant owner needing to implement a takeout solution, a retailer selling boutique-style clothing, a jewelry designer, or a toy manufacturer, you’ve probably noticed that people are buying more online than ever before.

To stay competitive in today’s market, it’s critical that you choose the right e-commerce platform to power your online store — and protect your online business along the way.

Looking for more information about starting and running an e-commerce business? Check out these helpful guides:

The Complete Guide for Building an Online E-commerce Business

How to Sell Products Online: Just Follow Our Easy Step-by-Step Guide

6 Biggest Benefits of E-commerce Business Insurance