E-commerce website builder — which builder is best in 2020?

The E-commerce industry has seen a massive boost in the year 2020. According to experts, e-commerce can reach $4.13 trillion this year. The trend of customers buying online from their homes’ comfort is increasing, making current times best to start an e-commerce business.

If you are looking to sell your products or services online, then e-commerce websites are a perfect platform. If you are clueless about building an e-commerce website of your own, then there are some best e-commerce website builders for your rescue.

What is the need for an e-commerce website builder?

Website builders can help you create your website without much hassle for everyone new to website creation and coding. Without using the website building tools, the task of building a website can be arduous and daunting. Some benefits of e-commerce website builders include:

• You can build your website quickly without any programming experience.
• Most e-commerce website builders offer a full package. You can get plugins, these, and even layouts to customise your website according to your requirements.
• The functionalities of these website builders are relatively straightforward.
• Different plugins are available for various websites, whether you want to build a website to start a small store or a full-fledged business.

We have tested some e-commerce website builders so that you can choose the best one that fits your needs.

Shopify

Shopify tops the list easily as it one of the most favourite e-commerce builders in recent times. It has earned the highest customer scores.

Check out Shopify

Shopify key features

• Shopify has a huge app store with all kinds of tools you will require to build your e-commerce website quickly.
• Shopify has more advanced tools than Wix and Squarespace because it is wholly dedicated to building an e-commerce website.
• With built-in drop shipping tools, Shopify acquires an edge over others. If you are an owner of a small business and are struggling with your product’s storage, Shopify can be your ideal pick.
• You can sync your inventories so that you can manage and organise your sales from one place.

Shopify pricing

• Shopify offers starting plans from $29 per month, but you can save some bucks by subscribing to an annual package than a monthly one.
• You can even save up to 10% if you go for a year package and 20% for a two years plan subsequently.

Shopify pros

• 93% of Shopify users recommend it because of the vast app market and an extensive range of tools.
• Shopify’s inventory system can help you manage your store by providing alerts when the product gets out of stock.

Shopify cons

• Small business Shopify has a low value of money as the prices are quite for someone who’s online business has just started.
• The transaction fee is one of the major let down of Shopify.

WooCommerce

WooCommerce is becoming increasingly popular in the e-commerce builder market because of having the WordPress plugin.

WooCommerce is becoming increasingly popular in the e-commerce builder market because of having the WordPress plugin.

Check out WooCommerce

WooCommerce key features

• It can be difficult to use if you’re not used to WordPress. However, it’s the best option if you are used to WordPress.
• You can develop your template using this e-commerce website builder or even install the mobile-optimised template.
• WooCommerce has got all the necessary SEO options that you would require to get the website highlighted. However, you may need some help from extra plugins like Yoast.

WooCommerce pricing

• WooCommerce is a free plugin, and you don’t have to pay for using it.
• However, every plugin needs hosting and a domain, so you need to consider that.
• If you want to add premium themes and extensions, it comes as an extra cost. However, you can find a lot of themes and extensions for free.

WooCommerce pros

• WooCommerce easily supports the large online selling websites as it has got all the right features to do so.
• It offers two accounts, one for the customer and one for an administrator with different rights.
• This e-commerce site builder provides many free and paid themes that can help you modify your selling site according to your requirements.

WooCommerce cons

• For inexperienced users, this site builder platform can be a bit daunting to use.
• WooCommerce does not offer central support like Shopify.

Wix

Wix can become the best e-commerce website builder for you if you want to run a small business. T does offer very advanced features like other e-commerce builders but is perfect enough for a person who has just started in an e-commerce industry.

Check out Wix

Wix key features

Wix key features

• Wix has to be the best e-commerce building website when it comes to value for money. Wix provides rich features and a variety of e-commerce plans at an affordable price.
• Wix can be the pick for beginners as it is relatively easy to use and has tons of tools to work with.
• The e-commerce tools are not as powerful as other e-commerce website builders like Shopify and BigCommerce.
• The drag and drop style of editing provides you with creative freedom.

Wix pricing

The starting subscription fee is zero, which means you can build your e-commerce website to get started with your business without spending a single buck. However, to sell your product, you need to upgrade your package to a ‘business basic plan,’ which can cost you $23 per month.

Wix pros

• You can build and run your store smoothly as Wix requires no technical skills to get started.
• The creative control gives you the authority to design your store yourself and add videos and other products as per your requirements.

Wix cons

• The inventory is less potent than others.
• Wix lacks the feature of multi-channel selling.

Squarespace

If you are looking for an e-commerce website builder that will help you make the most eye-pleasing portfolio or an online business site, then Squarespace is your e-commerce website builder pick as it is equipped with all the creative tools to cater to your requirements.

Check out Squarespace

Squarespace key features

• Squarespace stages your products with the perfection that other web builders fail to provide. It offers more than 100 flexible tools that adapt fully to mobile devices.
• Squarespace is perfect for the ones that are after the high-end design of the website. You can say that when it comes to design, Squarespace outperforms other website builders.
• It allows multi-channel selling but with one option only, i.e., Instagram.

Squarespace pricing

• If you subscribe to the annual plan, Squarespace offers the lowest prices, i.e., $18 per month. However, month by month, this website build can cost you $26.
• With an exclusive offer code, you can even get a discount on an $18 per month plan, and the subscription will cost only $16.20 per month.

Squarespace pros

• Squarespace offers you an impeccable social media integration to promote your store using social media channels.
• With so much flexibility, Squarespace offers the best templates in the market.

Squarespace cons

• The payment options are limited; i.e., you can only use PayPal, Apple Pay, or Stripe.
• You can’t add extra features to your store.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce is found to be the strongest performer amongst e-commerce websites by Forrester Research. BigCommerce earned the highest scores in five criteria: A/B and Multivariate Testing, Expanded Sales Channels, Delivery Model, Platform Integration and Technology Partners, and Marketplace.

Check out BigCommerce

BigCommerce key features

• BigCommerce has the most number of built-in features than any other e-commerce website builder, and unlike Shopify, it relies significantly less on apps. Therefore, you can term BigCommerce as the most scalable or expandable e-commerce website builder in the market.
• BigCommerce has a multi-channel selling feature and that too through many networks like eBay, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Amazon, etc.
• BigCommerce is the ideal choice for the individuals that run sizeable online selling sites or businesses as it is equipped with tools that can help grow your business rapidly.
• BigCommerce has excellent SEO tools that can help your business to get highlighted by Google.

BigCommerce pricing

• BigCommerce offers three plans to choose from when it comes to pricing.
• The cheapest one can cost you around $29.95 per month. This plan has a 15-day trial so that you can try it out before subscribing to it.

BigCommerce pros

• Variety of multi-channel integration support tools so that you can sell across many platforms.
• BigCommerce is the most scalable amongst other e-commerce builders.

BigCommerce cons

• Not a cup-of-tea for beginners as it uses complex terminologies and tools.

Conclusion

If you do not know how to code the website and are struggling to start a business online, then e-commerce website builders can help. Choosing the right e-commerce website builder depends mainly on your budget. Suppose you are not a tech pro and are sceptical about which e-commerce site builder you should choose. In that case, many platforms offer free trials and comparatively less complicated tools for you to handle your online selling website easily.

With all the features combined, Shopify tops the list of the best e-commerce website builders. However, Squarespace can be the right choice if you’re looking for a high-end website building platform. For less experienced, Wix can be of great help in getting started with the business. If you know how to work with WordPress, then you can opt for WooCommerce.

When you have chosen the e-commerce platform to go with, next step is to choose the right hosting. Of course if you choose Shopify or similar you get hosting in the package. However, if you choose some other you might need hosting. I’ve made a list of the best hosting companies, you should check it out.