Updated: January 2026
Online store and commerce platforms
Payment processing that developers love to implement
Stripe processes payments for internet businesses. The payments infrastructure that developers love—commerce technology company. The developer experience defined the category. The features cover global commerce. The reliability is proven. Internet businesses often start with Stripe for developer-friendly payments.
Open-source headless commerce platform
Medusa provides open-source e-commerce infrastructure. Headless commerce with flexibility—build custom storefronts on solid backend. The open-source model provides freedom. The architecture is headless. The community is growing. Developers wanting open-source commerce foundation choose Medusa for customizable e-commerce.
Complete business platform for knowledge entrepreneurs
Kajabi provides everything creators need to sell knowledge online. Courses, coaching, communities, and marketing—the all-in-one platform for creator businesses. The integration eliminates tool sprawl. The templates look professional. The marketing features are included. Creators building course businesses choose Kajabi for complete creator business infrastructure.
Visual web design and CMS platform
Webflow builds websites with professional control. Visual development with code-level power—web design for serious designers. The visual control is exceptional. The code output is clean. The CMS is capable. Designers wanting professional web design without code choose Webflow for visual development.
Payments for digital products
LemonSqueezy simplifies selling digital products globally. Payments, subscriptions, taxes, and licensing—merchant of record that handles the hard parts of selling software. The MoR model shifts liability. The global handling is comprehensive. The experience is modern. Software creators wanting simple global sales use LemonSqueezy for merchant of record services.
Open-source e-commerce platform by Adobe
Magento powers e-commerce for serious online retailers. Open-source flexibility with enterprise features—the platform for stores that need customization at scale. The customization is unlimited. The ecosystem is extensive. The hosting options are varied. Large e-commerce operations choose Magento for unlimited flexibility and proven scale.
Open-source headless commerce platform
Saleor provides open-source e-commerce with GraphQL. Headless commerce that's genuinely open—flexible e-commerce infrastructure. The GraphQL API is native. The open-source is real. The flexibility is high. Developers wanting open-source headless commerce choose Saleor for flexible e-commerce.
Course platform focused on simplicity and marketing
Teachable powers online course businesses. Course hosting, payments, and student management—the infrastructure for selling knowledge online. The course building is straightforward. The payment handling is built in. The platform is proven. Course creators building education businesses choose Teachable for online course hosting.
Create and sell online courses with your own platform
Thinkific powers course businesses with professional tools. Course creation, marketing, and sales—complete platform for knowledge entrepreneurs. The course creation is polished. The marketing tools are included. The business features are comprehensive. Course creators building serious education businesses choose Thinkific for professional course hosting.
Print-on-demand dropshipping platform
Printify provides print-on-demand with provider network. Multiple print providers for custom products—POD with production options. The provider network provides choices. The integration covers stores. The pricing is per-product. Sellers wanting print-on-demand flexibility use Printify for multi-provider POD.
E-commerce platforms power online stores—product catalogs, checkout, payments, shipping, and inventory. Some are all-in-one hosted solutions (Shopify, BigCommerce); others are self-hosted software (WooCommerce, Medusa) that you run on your own infrastructure.
The e-commerce landscape has consolidated around Shopify for most merchants. But alternatives thrive in niches—WooCommerce for WordPress users, BigCommerce for mid-market, and headless solutions (Shopify Hydrogen, Medusa) for custom builds. Your choice affects everything from design flexibility to transaction fees.
Modern e-commerce goes beyond basic storefronts. Today's platforms include omnichannel selling (social, marketplaces), subscription commerce, B2B features, and extensive app ecosystems. The best platforms grow with your business rather than forcing migration.
Product variants, inventory tracking, collections, and catalogs. The foundation of any store.
Payment processing, cart functionality, and checkout optimization. Conversion lives or dies here.
Shipping rates, label printing, carrier integrations, and fulfillment automation.
Store appearance, themes, and customization. Balance brand uniqueness with mobile optimization.
Extensions for marketing, reviews, loyalty, and operations. The app ecosystem often matters more than core features.
Sales data, customer insights, and inventory reports. Data-driven decisions improve performance.
Different business types have different e-commerce needs:
The right platform depends on your business model and growth plans:
Shopify's dominance continues—most merchants don't seriously consider alternatives. Headless commerce is growing but remains a niche for well-resourced brands. Amazon's influence drives merchants to own customer relationships. B2B e-commerce is maturing rapidly. Subscription commerce tools have proliferated. AI is entering—personalization, product descriptions, and customer service. International commerce features are improving across platforms.
For most merchants, yes. The transaction fees (0-2% depending on plan) are offset by Shopify's reliability, app ecosystem, and reduced development costs. The alternatives—WooCommerce's maintenance burden or enterprise platforms' complexity—often cost more in hidden ways. Calculate your break-even: at high volume, Shopify Plus or alternatives may save money.
Shopify is better for most merchants—easier setup, better security, less maintenance. WooCommerce makes sense if you're already on WordPress, need specific customization, want to avoid transaction fees, or have developers to maintain it. Shopify's ecosystem and app quality generally exceed WooCommerce's. Choose WooCommerce for control; Shopify for convenience.
Shopify with DSers or Spocket apps is the standard choice. Easy setup, reliable platform, and proven dropshipping integrations. AliExpress/CJDropshipping integrations work smoothly. WooCommerce with AliDropship is a cheaper alternative. The platform matters less than product selection and marketing—don't over-invest in technology for dropshipping.
Consider Shopify Plus when you're doing $1-2M+ annually or hitting limitations: checkout customization, international expansion, B2B features, or API rate limits. The $2,000+/month cost needs justification. Some brands upgrade too early for prestige; others wait too long and fight limitations. Evaluate specific features you need, not revenue alone.
Headless (Shopify Hydrogen, Medusa, commercetools) separates frontend from backend, enabling custom shopping experiences. Worth it for brands with strong development resources wanting unique customer experiences. Overkill for most merchants—significant complexity for marginal benefits. Consider headless when you're constantly fighting platform limitations, not as a starting point.
At Toolradar, we combine editorial expertise with community insights:
Rankings are updated regularly. Last updated: January 2026.
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