Short answer, checked 20 Oct 2026: a store selling $5,000 a month (100 orders of $50) pays Shopify Basic $2,448 a year billed yearly, a $348 plan plus $2,100 of card fees at 2.9% + 30¢. Of the eight alternatives priced with a total, only two come in lower, on renewal prices: Hostinger Ecommerce at $2,207.88 and WooCommerce on Hostinger Premium at $2,231.88. Squarespace Core, Wix Core and Ecwid Venture tie Shopify, and BigCommerce Growth costs $2,862 at its published card rate.
Nine alternatives costed for a store with 100 orders a month, eight with a yearly total, covering plan fees, card processing and platform fees, read on vendor pages on 20 Oct 2026.
Leaving Shopify saves less than most roundups suggest, because the plan fee is the small line on the bill. For a store taking 100 orders a month, card processing is 85.8% of Shopify Basic's yearly bill, so a platform with the same card rate saves nothing. Three bills sit inside the price: the plan, the card rate and, on an outside gateway, a platform fee. Toolradar data: Toolradar tracks 110 e-commerce platforms, and 34% of them are free, freemium or open source while 65% are paid only.
The scenario store sells physical goods: 100 orders a month at a $50 average order ($5,000 a month, $60,000 a year) from US customers paying by standard card, with one login, about 40 products and a custom domain. Each total is twelve months of plan fee (billed yearly unless a row says otherwise) plus card fees at the vendor's printed rate plus any platform fee. On Shopify Basic the card fee is 2.9% of $5,000, which is $145, plus 100 x 30¢, which is $30: $175 a month.
Methodology: we started from the 110 platforms in the e-commerce platforms category and priced nine alternatives from vendor pages that print US dollar prices. Prices were read on 20 Oct 2026, and totals are our arithmetic. Rows run from the lowest yearly total at 100 orders to the highest. Sellfy and Payhip are digital-first tools that also list physical products, so they are priced on the same basket and labelled. For features, see the best e-commerce platforms guide and the Shopify alternatives page.
Top Picks
Picked by editorial review, informed by G2 and Capterra review volume and rating and by media mentions, the signals behind our category rankings. How we rate
Standalone store plan with unlimited products and no platform transaction fee.
Starting price
From $4.99 /mo (offer); renews $8.99
4.4 (1,487 reviews)
Best for
Cost-first sellers who use Stripe or PayPal and accept a plan that renews higher.
A free plugin with no platform fee; hosting is separate and WooPayments charges 2.90% + 30¢.
Starting price
Plugin free; host $10.99/mo renewal
4.5 (2,337 reviews)
Best for
Owners who will run WordPress and want no platform fee or revenue share.
Core has no store transaction fee and charges 2.9% + 30¢ on cards, which ties Shopify Basic.
Starting price
Core $29/mo billed yearly
4.5 (4,558 reviews)
Best for
Design-led shops that want unlimited products and contributors on one yearly plan.
| Tool | Starting price | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hostinger Ecommerce | From $4.99/mo (offer); renews $8.99 | 4.4 1,487 reviews | Cost-first sellers who use Stripe or PayPal and accept a plan that renews higher. |
| WooCommerce | Plugin free; host $10.99/mo renewal | 4.5 2,337 reviews | Owners who will run WordPress and want no platform fee or revenue share. |
| Squarespace | Core $29/mo billed yearly | 4.5 4,558 reviews | Design-led shops that want unlimited products and contributors on one yearly plan. |
| Wix eCommerce | Core $29/mo billed yearly | 4.3 12,672 reviews | Owners who want a drag-and-drop builder with 5 collaborators on the entry store plan. |
| Ecwid | Venture $29/mo billed yearly | 4.6 987 reviews | Sellers adding a store to an existing site who need a small catalog on one flat plan. |
| BigCommerce | Growth $79/mo billed annually | 4.3 922 reviews | Stores that will outgrow Core's sales band and want no platform fee on embedded payment providers. |
| Payhip | Free plus 5% fee; Pro $99/mo | 4.7 10 reviews | Digital-first sellers with some physical goods at low volume who prefer a percentage cut to a plan fee. |
| Sellfy | Premium $119/mo billed yearly | 4.0 58 reviews | Digital-first creators who also sell print-on-demand or physical products on a flat plan. |
| Volusion | Professional $79/mo (basis unstated) | 2.4 502 reviews | Merchants who want five staff accounts on a fixed monthly plan and will confirm card fees with Volusion. |
Hostinger Ecommerce
Standalone store plan with unlimited products and no platform transaction fee.
- Starting price
- From $4.99/mo (offer); renews $8.99
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.4 (1,487 reviews)
Best for: Cost-first sellers who use Stripe or PayPal and accept a plan that renews higher.
- Pro: Lists unlimited products, no platform transaction fee and a free .store domain with the 12-month plan.
- Pro: Payments run through Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
- Pro: At renewal prices the scenario totals $2,207.88, which is $240.12 under Shopify Basic.
- Con: No card rate is printed, so the card cost uses Stripe's published 2.9% + 30¢, and the page states no renewal term.
- Con: The $4.99 offer is labelled Black Friday; the plan renews at $8.99, and one month costs $11.99.
However, these prices require a significant 4-year commitment, which might be a barrier for some.
WooCommerce
A free plugin with no platform fee; hosting is separate and WooPayments charges 2.90% + 30¢.
- 4.4 on G2 (1,284 reviews)
- 4.5 on Capterra (1,052 reviews)
- 5.0 on SourceForge (1 reviews)
- Starting price
- Plugin free; host $10.99/mo renewal
- Free plan
- Free to use
- Rating
- 4.5 (2,337 reviews)
Best for: Owners who will run WordPress and want no platform fee or revenue share.
- Pro: Its pricing page lists no platform fee, no revenue share and no extra fee for third-party payment solutions.
- Pro: Hostinger's WordPress hosting page says WooCommerce is included, and Premium renews at $10.99 a month.
- Pro: On that host the scenario totals $216.12 under Shopify Basic at renewal pricing.
- Con: WooCommerce's own page budgets $25 to $350 a month for hosting.
- Con: Hostinger's WooCommerce hosting page starts at Unlimited, renewing at $16.99 a month ($2,303.88 in total, still under Shopify).
WooCommerce offers an incredibly generous pricing model, being entirely free as an open-source plugin.
Squarespace
Core has no store transaction fee and charges 2.9% + 30¢ on cards, which ties Shopify Basic.
- Starting price
- Core $29/mo billed yearly
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.5 (4,558 reviews)
Best for: Design-led shops that want unlimited products and contributors on one yearly plan.
- Pro: Core lists a 0% online store transaction fee, while Basic lists 2%.
- Pro: Annual plans include a free custom domain for one year.
- Pro: Plus lowers the card rate to 2.7% + 30¢, which beats Core past $10,000 of monthly sales.
- Con: Core ties Shopify Basic, so it saves nothing at the scenario's sales, and Basic's $19 plan totals $3,528 because of its 2% store fee.
- Con: Core lists a 0.15% fee, capped at $0.99, when its automated global tax calculation runs.
It's best for individuals and small businesses looking for an all-in-one, aesthetically pleasing website solution.
Watch out
2% transaction fee on Basic plan
Wix eCommerce
Core is the first Wix plan with an online store; Wix Payments charges 2.9% + 30¢ on most US cards.
- Starting price
- Core $29/mo billed yearly
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.3 (12,672 reviews)
Best for: Owners who want a drag-and-drop builder with 5 collaborators on the entry store plan.
- Pro: Core lists the online store, abandoned cart recovery, 50,000 products and 5 collaborators; Light has no online store.
- Pro: The plans page lists a 14-day money-back guarantee.
- Pro: All plans include hosting, a custom domain and 24/7 customer care.
- Con: Core ties Shopify Basic at the scenario's sales.
- Con: American Express costs 3.7% + 30¢ on Wix Payments, and cross-border cards add 1.5%.
Wix eCommerce starts at Core, $29/mo billed annually on wix.com/pricing (September 2026).
Watch out
App Market reviews, upsell, and email tools are extra monthly bills
- Starting price
- Venture $29/mo billed yearly
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.6 (987 reviews)
Best for: Sellers adding a store to an existing site who need a small catalog on one flat plan.
- Pro: The pricing table lists no per-sale fee charged by Ecwid on any of its four plans.
- Pro: Venture lists up to 100 products, automated tax calculations and a custom checkout.
- Pro: Lightspeed Payments, available in the US, lists a flat 2.9% + 30¢ with a $15 chargeback fee.
- Con: Venture ties Shopify Basic at the scenario's sales.
- Con: Abandoned cart emails and staff accounts start on Business at $49 a month billed yearly.
Ecwid's pricing is quite generous, especially with its robust Free tier offering 10 products.
BigCommerce
Plans follow sales bands: Core stops at $30,000 of trailing-year sales value, so the scenario needs Growth.
- Starting price
- Growth $79/mo billed annually
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.3 (922 reviews)
Best for: Stores that will outgrow Core's sales band and want no platform fee on embedded payment providers.
- Pro: Orders through embedded providers such as BigCommerce Payments, Stripe and PayPal carry no platform fee.
- Pro: At 20 orders a month Core totals $1.20 less than Shopify Basic at 2.89% + 30¢.
- Pro: Its payments page lists 2.59% + 30¢ on Growth for eligible US merchants.
- Con: Growth totals $2,862 at the published rate, $414 above Shopify Basic, or $3,030 at the pricing footnote's 2.89% + 29¢; published rates need US eligibility and a PayPal Braintree application.
- Con: Bands count gross order value minus 10%, so $60,000 a year becomes $54,000, over Core's band.
It's best for growing businesses looking for a robust, scalable e-commerce solution.
Watch out
App store add-ons for advanced features
- Starting price
- Free plus 5% fee; Pro $99/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.7 (10 reviews)
Best for: Digital-first sellers with some physical goods at low volume who prefer a percentage cut to a plan fee.
- Pro: Every plan lists all features, unlimited products and unlimited revenue.
- Pro: The home page lists inventory management for physical products.
- Pro: At 20 orders a month Plus gives Payhip's lowest total, $1,008 a year.
- Con: Pro totals $3,288 at the scenario's sales, $840 above Shopify Basic; the 5% tier alone adds $3,000 a year.
- Con: PayPal and Stripe still charge their standard rates on every plan, and the pricing page shows monthly prices only.
Payhip's pricing is very generous, especially with its 'Free Forever' tier which only charges a 5% fee per sale.
- Starting price
- Premium $119/mo billed yearly
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.0 (58 reviews)
Best for: Digital-first creators who also sell print-on-demand or physical products on a flat plan.
- Pro: Lists no transaction fee on any plan, with physical products on all three.
- Pro: Business and Premium add cart abandonment, upselling and an affiliate program.
- Pro: Its FAQ puts Stripe or PayPal fees at typically 2.9% + 30¢.
- Con: The scenario's sales pass Business's cap, so Premium applies and totals $3,528, which is $1,080 above Shopify Basic.
- Con: No price is printed above $200,000 a year.
Sellfy's pricing is fair, especially considering the 0% transaction fees.
Volusion
Professional lists $79 a month for 5,000 products, 5 staff accounts and a $100K yearly sales cap; its pricing table prints no card rate.
- 1.0 on Trustpilot (386 reviews)
- 3.2 on G2 (68 reviews)
- 3.8 on Capterra (48 reviews)
- Starting price
- Professional $79/mo (basis unstated)
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 2.4 (502 reviews)
Best for: Merchants who want five staff accounts on a fixed monthly plan and will confirm card fees with Volusion.
- Pro: Professional covers the scenario's sales and products, with 5 staff accounts.
- Pro: Its payments page names Volusion Payments, powered by Stripe, and PayPal Checkout as preferred gateways.
- Pro: Business lists $299 a month with annual payment.
- Con: The plan fee alone is $948 a year, 2.7 times Shopify Basic's yearly plan.
- Con: The pricing table prints no card rate, and off preferred gateways a 1.25% fee applies.
Volusion's pricing is on the higher side compared to some competitors, especially for the lower tiers.
Other E-commerce Platforms worth considering
More published tools from our E-commerce Platforms category, ordered by our category ranking. They are not part of the editorial picks above.
What a cheaper Shopify alternative has to beat
A cheaper Shopify alternative is an online store platform whose yearly bill, meaning plan fee plus card processing plus any platform fee, comes in below Shopify's for the same sales. A lower plan price alone does not qualify.
Shopify prints Basic at one price billed yearly and a higher one billed monthly, 2.9% + 30¢ on online cards through Shopify Payments, and a 2% fee on top for another gateway.
Hosted builders (Squarespace, Wix, Ecwid, BigCommerce) bundle hosting with a payments product. Hostinger sells a standalone ecommerce plan, WooCommerce is a free plugin on hosting you buy, and Sellfy, Payhip and Volusion price by sales band, transaction fee or plan tier.
Why the card rate matters more than the plan fee
At the scenario's volume, a plan $10 a month cheaper saves $120 a year, and a card rate 0.2 points lower saves the same $120. At five times the volume the rate saves $600 while the plan gap stays put, so the order of the table changes with sales.
Squarespace Basic beats Core only below $500 of monthly sales, because its 2% store fee outgrows the $10 plan gap. Squarespace Plus (2.7% + 30¢) beats Core past $10,000 a month, and Shopify Grow beats Basic past $25,000 ($600 a year of plan gap against a 0.2-point card-rate gap). At 500 orders a month Squarespace Plus has the lowest yearly total, $10,488, ahead of Hostinger Ecommerce at $10,607.88 on renewal prices; the switch comes at $20,005 of monthly sales. See Shopify vs BigCommerce and Shopify vs WooCommerce.
Key Features to Look For
Card processing rate (Essential)
Shopify Basic, Squarespace Core, Wix, Ecwid and WooPayments list 2.9% + 30¢. BigCommerce lists 2.59% + 30¢ on Growth for eligible US merchants, against 2.89% + 29¢ in its pricing footnote. Volusion prints no rate.
Billing toggle (Essential)
Shopify, Squarespace and Ecwid list a lower monthly price billed yearly, and Wix shows yearly prices only.
Sales bands and caps (Important)
BigCommerce Core stops at $30,000 and Growth at $100,000 of trailing-year sales value, and Sellfy caps its plans at $10,000, $50,000 and $200,000 a year.
Offers and renewals (Important)
Hostinger Ecommerce lists $4.99 a month for 12 months, renewing at $8.99; Premium hosting lists $2.49 for 48 months, renewing at $10.99; Wix lists a time-limited 50% offer.
What to check before you move off Shopify
-
Compare the card rate on the pricing and payments pages: BigCommerce's footnote says 2.89% + 29¢, its payments page 2.59% + 30¢ on Growth for eligible US merchants.
-
Price the renewal, not the offer, and add domains, apps, extensions and tax tools.
Evaluation Checklist
Compute the card fee as sales x rate + orders x 30¢.
Switch each pricing page to yearly billing and note what is paid up front.
Find the platform fee that applies on another gateway.
Pricing Overview
Below Shopify Basic
Hostinger Ecommerce and WooCommerce on Hostinger Premium, at renewal prices.
$2,207.88 to $2,231.88 a year
Level with Shopify Basic
Squarespace Core, Wix Core and Ecwid Venture, each at Shopify Basic's monthly equivalent and card rate.
$2,448 a year
Above Shopify Basic
BigCommerce Growth, Payhip Pro and Sellfy Premium, whose plan fees outweigh any card-rate gain.
$2,862 to $3,528 a year
Shopify with an outside gateway
Shopify Basic with a gateway assumed at 2.9% + 30¢, plus Shopify's 2% fee.
$3,648 a year
Plan fee only
Volusion Professional, whose pricing table prints no card rate.
$948 a year
Pricing Comparison
| Tool | Plan priced and billing basis (USD per month) | Card rate used (printed by) | Yearly total at 100 orders a month: plan + card fees | Yearly total at 20 orders a month | Yearly total at 500 orders a month | Free plan or trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ecommerce, 8.99 at renewal (12-month offer 4.99) | Stripe 2.9% + 30¢ (Stripe) | 107.88 + 2,100 = 2,207.88 | 527.88 | 10,607.88 | 30-day money-back guarantee | |
Plugin 0; Hostinger Premium host 10.99 at renewal (48-month offer 119.52 prepaid) | WooPayments 2.90% + 30¢ (WooCommerce) | 131.88 + 2,100 = 2,231.88 | 551.88 | 10,631.88 | Plugin free, hosting paid | |
Shopify (baseline) | Basic, 29 billed yearly (39 billed monthly) | Shopify Payments 2.9% + 30¢ (Shopify) | 348 + 2,100 = 2,448 | 768 | 10,848 | 3-day trial, then an introductory offer |
Squarespace | Core, 29 billed yearly (39 billed monthly) | Squarespace Payments 2.9% + 30¢ (Squarespace) | 348 + 2,100 = 2,448 | 768 | 10,488 (Plus, 49 billed yearly, 2.7% + 30¢) | 14-day free trial |
Core, 29 billed yearly, paid up front | Wix Payments 2.9% + 30¢ (Wix) | 348 + 2,100 = 2,448 | 768 | 10,848 | Free plan has no store; the store starts on Core | |
Ecwid | Venture, 29 billed yearly (35 billed monthly) | Lightspeed Payments 2.9% + 30¢ (Ecwid) | 348 + 2,100 = 2,448 | 768 | 10,848 | No free plan listed; Starter at 5 covers 10 products |
Growth, 79 billed annually (105 billed monthly) | BigCommerce Payments 2.59% + 30¢ on Growth, eligible US merchants (BigCommerce) | 948 + 1,914 = 2,862 (3,030 at 2.89% + 29¢) | 766.80 (Core, 29 annually, 2.89% + 30¢) | 12,558 (Scale, 299 annually, 2.39% + 30¢) | 15-day trial, no card needed | |
Payhip | Digital-first; Pro 99 (monthly prices only); Plus 29 + 2% fee; Free 0 + 5% fee | Stripe 2.9% + 30¢ (Stripe) | 1,188 + 2,100 = 3,288 | 1,008 (Plus) | 11,688 (Pro) | Free Forever plan with a 5% fee |
Sellfy | Digital-first; Premium 119 billed yearly (159 billed monthly) | Stripe 2.9% + 30¢ (Sellfy FAQ) | 1,428 + 2,100 = 3,528 | 1,128 (Business, 59 billed yearly) | No price printed above 200,000 a year | 14-day free trial |
Shopify with an outside gateway (baseline 2) | Basic, 29 billed yearly, plus Shopify's 2% fee on sales | Outside gateway assumed at 2.9% + 30¢ | 348 + 1,200 + 2,100 = 3,648 | 1,008 | 14,448 (Grow, 79 billed yearly, 1% fee) | Not applicable |
Volusion | Professional, 79 (billing basis not stated) | None in the pricing table; 1.25% fee off preferred gateways | 948 plan only; no total | 420 plan only (Personal, 35) | 3,588 plan only (Business, 299 with annual payment) | 14-day free trial (payments page) |
Prices read on vendor pages on 20 Oct 2026, in US dollars: Shopify pricing and Shopify gateway availability, Squarespace pricing, Wix plans and Wix Payments fees, Ecwid pricing and Lightspeed Payments, BigCommerce pricing and BigCommerce Payments, Hostinger Ecommerce, Hostinger WordPress hosting and Hostinger WooCommerce hosting, WooCommerce pricing and WooPayments fees, Stripe pricing, Payhip pricing and Payhip, Sellfy pricing, Volusion pricing and Volusion Payments. The outside-gateway row assumes a gateway at 2.9% + 30¢. WooPayments uses its fee page rate of 2.90% + 30¢ on US cards. BigCommerce's footnote says 2.89% + 29¢, which would make Growth 3,030; published rates need US eligibility. Hostinger prints no renewal term, so its totals assume twelve monthly renewals. Totals are our arithmetic, using the lowest-cost plan that covers each volume.
Mistakes to Avoid
- ×
Comparing plan prices only. Squarespace Basic is $19 a month billed yearly, yet its 2% store fee makes it $1,080 a year dearer than Core here.
- ×
Ignoring the outside-gateway fee. Shopify Basic adds 2% on another gateway, $1,200 a year here before the gateway's own rate.
- ×
Buying under your sales band. At $60,000 a year a store is over BigCommerce Core's $30,000 band and moves to Growth.
Expert Tips
- →
Use the crossovers: Squarespace Basic beats Core below $500 of monthly sales, Plus beats Core past $10,000, and Grow beats Basic past $25,000.
Red Flags to Watch For
-
An offer far below the renewal: Hostinger Premium lists $2.49 a month for 48 months, then renews at $10.99.
-
A free tier that takes a cut: Payhip's Free Forever plan takes 5%, or $3,000 a year here.
The Bottom Line
For this scenario Shopify Basic is hard to beat by much: Hostinger Ecommerce and WooCommerce on Hostinger Premium come in $240.12 and $216.12 lower on renewal prices, while Squarespace, Wix and Ecwid tie it. Choose Hostinger or WooCommerce for the lowest total, Squarespace Plus once sales pass $20,005 a month at $50 orders, and stay on Shopify when its tools matter more than $240 a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a cheaper alternative to Shopify for a small store?
At 100 orders a month billed yearly, Hostinger Ecommerce totals $2,207.88 a year and WooCommerce on Hostinger Premium $2,231.88, both at renewal prices, against $2,448 for Shopify Basic. Squarespace, Wix and Ecwid tie Shopify. Checked 20 Oct 2026.
How much does Shopify cost per year for a small store?
Shopify Basic is $29 a month billed yearly, or $39 billed monthly, plus 2.9% + 30¢ on cards through Shopify Payments. At 100 orders of $50 a month that is $348 plus $2,100, a total of $2,448 billed yearly or $2,568 billed monthly.
Does Shopify charge transaction fees?
Not on Shopify Payments. With another gateway its pricing page lists a third-party fee of 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced and 0.2% on Plus. On Basic that adds $1,200 a year here.
Is WooCommerce cheaper than Shopify?
It can be, depending on the host. WooCommerce has no platform fee and WooPayments lists 2.90% + 30¢ on US cards. On Hostinger Premium at its $10.99 monthly renewal the scenario totals $2,231.88; WooCommerce's own $25 to $350 hosting budget gives $2,400 to $6,300.
Which Shopify alternatives have no transaction fees?
Squarespace Core, Plus and Advanced list a 0% online store transaction fee, and Ecwid lists no per-sale fee. Hostinger Ecommerce and Sellfy state none, BigCommerce charges nothing on embedded payment providers, and Payhip Pro lists none. Card processors still charge their rate.
Is there a free Shopify alternative?
Few are free in practice. Payhip's plan named Free Forever costs $0 a month but takes 5% of sales, $3,000 a year at the scenario's sales. WooCommerce is a free plugin, yet hosting is paid. Ecwid starts at $5 a month for 10 products.
When does the cheapest option change as sales grow?
Among the rows with a total, Hostinger Ecommerce is lowest at 20 and 100 orders a month at renewal prices. At 500 orders Squarespace Plus is lowest at $10,488, because its 2.7% card rate outweighs its plan fee.
Cite this page: Toolradar, "Cheaper Shopify Alternatives in 2026: Yearly Cost Compared", updated October 2026, https://toolradar.com/guides/cheaper-shopify-alternatives
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