⏳ Do you want to skip the read and get right to my winner? Shopify is the Winner within this Ecwid vs Shopify comparison platform test.
Introduction to our Ecwid vs Shopify Comparison:
When you’re starting to build your brand name, you’ll need a good e-commerce platform that suits your business needs. With numerous online platforms, Ecwid vs Shopify, like many others, help you make your business stand out and make the running of your e-commerce store smoother.
In this article, let's dive deep and find out why Ecwid Shopify are leading names in the e-commerce industry. By the end of this article, you’ll see which platform can help take your business to a whole new level – Ecwid or Shopify?
Quick Comparison Table For Ecwid vs Shopify
| Criteria | Ecwid | 🥇 Shopify (My Top Pick!) |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Very user-friendly, especially for integrating e-commerce into existing websites. | Also user-friendly with a more intuitive and streamlined interface for building a store from scratch. |
| Key Features & Flexibility | Offers the necessary features to start selling online, but fewer customization options. | Highly flexible with advanced features, and extensive app store for add-ons. |
| SEO & Marketing | Basic SEO features are available, with some limitations. | Strong SEO features and marketing tools for more effective campaigns. |
| E-commerce | Strong focus on easily integrating e-commerce into existing sites. | A more comprehensive e-commerce platform for building a store from scratch. |
| Customer Support and Resources | Email, chat, and phone support for paid plans, and a knowledge base. | 24/7 support via email, live chat, and phone, plus forums and documentation. |
| Pricing | Free plan available. Paid plans start from $15/month. | No free plan. Paid plans start from $29/month. |
| My View | Best for merchants who want to add an online store to an existing website quickly and easily. | Best for those looking to create a fully-featured, standalone online store. |
| Try for Free | Try for Free | Try for Free |
Overview: The Brands to Beat in E-commerce
With the influx of e-commerce platforms available online, Ecwid Shopify has made a name for their user-friendly interfaces able to accommodate both small and large scale businesses. Before we dive deeper into the nitty-gritty details of these platforms and resolve the Ecwid Shopify rivalry, let’s take a look at what they were meant to do and how these platforms intend to help your business.
What is Ecwid?:
What is Ecwid? As an e-commerce platform that targets small to medium scale businesses, Ecwid is the leading builder for using existing websites for e-commerce purposes. Ecwid utilizes plug-ins to integrate e-commerce solutions to your existing sites.
What is Shopify:
On the other hand, Shopify has been a trusted e-commerce platform since early 2004. It allows you to build your e-commerce store from the ground up with beginner-friendly apps and functions. Shopify is branded as a one-stop-shop for all online stores.
Ease of Use:
A significant factor to consider before using any e-commerce platform is its ease of use. Finding a platform that can cater to your business’s specific needs will allow you to establish your online store much easier.
Ecwid:
Both platforms have user-friendly interfaces that you can easily maneuver without any coding knowledge. When it comes to image management, Ecwid has the upper hand. Unlike Ecwid alternative Shopify, where you have to ensure all product images have the same aspect ratio before uploading, Ecwid allows you to select a global aspect ration to all your pictures in a few clicks.
Shopify:
Shopify’s drag-and-drop feature and high-quality themes make customizations a breeze even for beginners. This Ecwid alternative has everything you need in an e-commerce store such as SEO options, built-in analytics, inventory management, and an Exchange marketplace that lets you see how your online store is performing in a glance.
Winner -Ecwid! within our ‘Ease of Use' category for Ecwid vs Shopify comparison.
Features and Flexibility:
Which e-commerce platform offers the best feature – Ecwid or Shopify?
Out-of-the-box:
When comparing Ecwid or Shopify functionality, Shopify holds an endless design and customization possibilities that you can easily maneuver thanks to its drag-and-drop feature. Created as a website building platform, it has numerous features that can assist you in building up your online store.
Ecwid vs Shopify Themes and Templates:
Ecwid:
A platform’s design capability is a significant criterion to compare Ecwid vs. Shopify. On the one hand, Ecwid, as an e-commerce plugin, provides you full design customization for starter themes based on your online store’s needs. These designs and themes are intended to integrate with your existing website.
Shopify:
On the other hand, With over 60 theme options to choose from, Shopify gives you the creative freedom to explore and customize every aspect of your site’s themes and templates.
Ecwid vs Shopify Third-party apps:
Third-party apps – which platform offers better choices in Ecwid vs. Shopify?
Shopify:
Choose between hundreds of premium and free third-party apps with Shopify.
Ecwid:
Ecwid too has a vast array of third-party apps on their App Market that you can choose to incorporate to your website.
Shopify vs Ecwid Hosting, Back-up, and Migration:
Shopify:
Free hosting are from Debian Linus Servers that are firewall protected. Automated backups are not built into the system and users need to save their stores’ information into *.csv files in which case you’re going to be better off with a third-party app to help you out like Rewind. To migrate to Shopify from a different host, you only need to upload a CSV file. Migration is stress-free and quick.
Ecwid:
On the other hand, since Ecwid is primarily an e-commerce plugin, it relies on your website’s existing hosting and domain. Good news, it is compatible with Wix, Weebly, Facebook, and any other websites.
Winner -Shopify! within our ‘Features and Flexibility' category for Ecwid Shopify comparison.
Ecwid vs Shopify eCommerce Tools:
E-commerce is an essential tool for entrepreneurs who want entice page visitors to do business – Let’s review Ecwid vs Shopify comparison.
Ecwid:
Ecwid differs from Shopify primarily because it is not a site builder; instead, it is a store plugin. It provides you the ability to quickly turn any sie into an e-commerce site enriched with personalized metrics and e-commerce KPIs.
Shopify:
Shopify, however, is a site builder specifically for e-commerce. The platforms provide ease when it comes to strategic positioning and sales capabilities that do not require overwhelming technical knowledge.
Winner – Shopify! within our ‘E-Commerce tools' category for Ecwid vs Shopify comparison.
SEO and Mobility:
The site’s ranking dictates your online store’s presence in a highly saturated market. SEO in Ecwid or Shopify comes in handy. These platforms help you reach your target audience by taking advantage of search engine algorithms in place.
Because of the nature of Ecwid, it has minimal SEO tools that you can use to enhance your current website content.
Shopify, on the other hand, has a plethora of SEO options that ensure your site’s ranking. It provides analytics for you to be able to maximize your content.
Winner – Shopify! within our ‘SEO and Mobility' category for Ecwid Shopify comparison.
Support and Resources:
No matter how perfect platforms may seem, there is always room for error.
Shopify provides full priority chat and email support to all its merchants 24/7.
Ecwid, however, only provides support to merchants subscribed to its top-tier plans.
Winner – Shopify! within our ‘Support and Resources' category for Ecwid vs Shopify comparison.
Ecwid vs Shopify Pricing:
Cost-effectiveness is a primary criterion for any entrepreneur. If you’re considering a cheaper plan, bear in mind that it has fewer tools than a more expensive yet comprehensive plan.
Ecwid:
Ecwid offers three packages and a Free plan option that are all compatible with various websites.
Ecwid's free plan allows you to create a one-page e-commerce site that can feature ten products.
The Venture plan gives you four sales channels including Facebook shop, Instagram store, and a mobile point-of-sale, it has the same promotional options as the free plan and an additional Android and iOS management app. Highlight up to 100 products with a 25Gb allotment per file.
The Business plan and Unlimited plan has all the perks of the first two plans plus additional support options and up to 2500 products and unlimited product highlights.
Ecwid do offer a 14 day free trial but their Terms of Service page states that they do not provide refunds for Products and Services.
Shopify:
Ecwid alternative Shopify has three main paid subscription plans that range from $29- $299 a month.
Most features are the same except for the staff accounts. The basic plan allows two staff accounts, Shopify has five staff accounts, while the Advanced Shopify plan has a maximum of 15 staff accounts.
Two other plans are available.
- The first is a basic ‘Lite’ plan, but this does not allow the establishment of an eCommerce store. Instead, you simply add a ‘buy button’ to your existing store.
- The other is top end ‘Enterprise’ for large organisations. Pricing needs to be discussed with Shopify to understand your needs.
As stated on their terms of service page, the platform offers a 14-day trial, letting you wade through Shopify first before committing.
Winner – Ecwid! within our ‘Pricing' category for Ecwid Shopify comparison.
Ecwid vs Shopify Comparison Winner:
Whilst both platforms are excellent choices for your online eCommerce presence, we have used and studied both platforms thoroughly and find Shopify the Winner within this Ecwid Shopify comparison platform test.
Conclusion and Recommendation to our Ecwid vs Shopify Comparison:
Wrapping up, in this Ecwid vs Shopify comparison, Shopify is the overall winner. It may be more expensive than Ecwid; however, it makes up with its astonishing features and functionality. Shopify will force you to learn, but you’ll surely be rewarded with quality and interactive websites.
What is Shopify best used for?
As a one-stop-shop site builder, Shopify has the upper hand in customization capabilities that do not require coding skills. Its wide array of tools and apps that can further enhance your website is unparalleled.
What is Ecwid best used for?
Ecwid, on the other hand, is undeniably an excellent option for entrepreneurs who do not want to build an e-commerce store from scratch. It can easily be integrated with most websites and is a cheaper option for smaller businesses that want to get their footing.
Shopify vs Ecwid Alternative:
Remember; everyone's needs are different so what we have found the better between Ecwid or Shopify, may not be the best option for you. Instead a Shopify Ecwid alternative could more relevant. Please do your own research based on your businesses needs.
Here's a list of the best Shopify Ecwid alternatives to create a an online store:
| Rank | Key Features | Price (Basic Paid Plan) | Transaction Fee | My View | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Shopify | Comprehensive e-commerce features, large app store, excellent SEO tools | $29/month Check Pricing | 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction (for online credit card rates) | Ideal for most online stores due to its comprehensive features | Try For Free |
| 2. Squarespace | Beautiful templates, great for small to medium-sized stores, powerful marketing tools | $12/month Check Pricing | None (but payment processor fees apply) | Great for creatives and those who need a visually stunning online store | Try For Free |
| 3. Webflow | Deep customization options, good for web designers, CMS features | $12/month Check Pricing | 2% on customer's checkout total | Best for designers needing high degree of customization | Try For Free |
| 4. Square Online | Syncs with Square POS, good for small to medium-sized stores, unlimited products | Free to start, e-commerce from $12/month Check Pricing | Yes, 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction | Great for existing Square POS users | Try For Free |
| 5. WooCommerce | Open-source, highly customizable, requires WordPress | Free Check Hosting Pricing | Depends on payment gateway used | Best for WordPress users and those who want total control | Try For Free (with Nexcess Hosting) |
| 6. Wix | User-friendly, great for small stores, wide range of templates | $14/month Check Pricing | None (but payment processor fees apply) | Great for small businesses or beginners | Try For Free |
| 7. Big Cartel | Designed for creators and artists, easy to use, limited features | Free for up to 5 products, plans from $9.99/month Check Pricing | None (but payment processor fees apply) | Ideal for artists and creators with smaller product lines | Try For Free |
| 8. Ecwid | Can be integrated into any website, good for small to medium-sized stores | Free for up to 10 products, plans from $15/month Check Pricing | Depends on payment gateway used | Good for those who want to add a store to an existing site | Try For Free |
| 9. Volusion | Good inventory system, comprehensive e-commerce features | $29/month Check Pricing | None (but payment processor fees apply) | Good for medium-sized businesses | Try For Free |
| 10. Weebly | Easy to use, good for small stores, powered by Square | Free to start, paid plans from $6/month Check Pricing | 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction | Good for small businesses or beginners | Try For Free |
Ecwid vs Shopify Final Word:
From our end, weighing their pros and cons, Shopify is the clear comparison winner.
Did this Ecwid Shopify guide help you discern which e-commerce platform is right for your business – Ecwid vs Shopify? We certainly hope so. Various platforms boost your e-commerce presence; Ecwid or Shopify are excellent platforms to try out. It all depends on what suits your business needs.
For those who are still undecided, a final important note when considering Ecwid Shopify. Shopify offers a 14-day free trial period. It would do no harm whatsoever to take advantage of such an offer and test-drive to see which fits your business model most appropriately. Two weeks should be ample time for you to test-drive each platform in order to decide as to which suits your needs best.
That’s all for now:
If you've read our Ecwid Shopify comparison up to here, we are grateful. Remember to always keep abreast of the latest developments on website builders, eCommerce, and other Shopify Ecwid alternative comparison articles, such as the ones below;
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