6 Best Shopify Alternatives for 2026

While Shopify commands 29% market share with over 4 million active stores, merchants increasingly encounter limitations that constrain growth: rigid product variant caps, checkout restrictions, and transaction fees that eat into margins. Modern ecommerce platforms now offer API-first architectures, unlimited customization, and built-in subscription billing that eliminate these pain points without requiring expensive app stacks. This analysis examines six Shopify alternatives—from headless commerce solutions to beginner-friendly builders—to help you identify the right platform for your business model.

Key Takeaways

• Transaction fee savings add up fast: Shopify charges 2% external gateway fees, while platforms like Swell and BigCommerce charge 0%—on $250K annual revenue, that's $5,000 saved per year
• Product variant limits create catalog constraints: Shopify caps products at 100 variants with only 3 options, while Swell offers unlimited variants with 4+ option types—critical for brands with complex product configurations
• Built-in subscriptions eliminate app dependency: Swell includes native recurring billing on all plans, while Shopify requires third-party apps like ReCharge that add $600-$1,200 annually plus integration complexity
• Headless architecture enables frontend freedom: API-first platforms like Swell support React, Vue, Svelte, or any JavaScript framework, delivering 50% faster deployment compared to traditional templated systems
• Checkout customization requires enterprise pricing on Shopify: Full checkout control costs $2,300/month on Shopify Plus, while Swell provides fully customizable checkout via API on all plans starting at $29/month

1. Swell — The API-First Platform Built for Unlimited Flexibility

Swell represents the modern approach to headless commerce: an API-first architecture designed from the ground up for developers and brands that refuse to accept platform limitations.

Core Strengths:

• Unlimited products, variants, and custom attributes with 4+ built-in option types
• 0% transaction fees on any external payment gateway
• Native subscription billing with flexible intervals, dunning management, and customer self-service
• Full checkout customization via API or hosted PCI-compliant checkout
• Multi-currency support across 230 currencies with explicit pricing rules
• Content localization in 170 languages

Pricing Structure:

• Starter: $29/month (up to $50K annual sales, 2 admin users)
• Basic: $79/month (up to $250K annual sales, 5 admin users)
• Standard: $299/month (up to $1M annual sales, priority support)
• Unlimited: $2,250/month (up to $5M annual sales, 100% uptime SLA)

The platform's greatest strength lies in its unified API. Every feature in Swell's dashboard—from checkout to order management—uses the same Backend API available to developers. This means anything the platform can do natively, you can customize or extend.

Velobici, a cycling apparel brand generating 75% from bundles, migrated from WooCommerce to Swell specifically for this flexibility. Their multi-currency pricing spans 17 currencies (GBP, EUR, USD, JPY, and more), with multilingual storefronts serving a global customer base.

For subscription businesses, Swell's native recurring billing eliminates the ReCharge dependency. Mixed carts support subscription and one-time products in single checkout. Separate billing and fulfillment schedules allow billing monthly while shipping quarterly. Automatic payment retry and card expiration notifications reduce involuntary churn.

Brands like Spinn Coffee use Swell to connect their DTC marketplace with a mobile app and IoT coffee brewer, enabling customers to purchase from multiple roasters with flexible subscription scheduling—complexity that would require significant workarounds on Shopify.

2. BigCommerce — Enterprise Features Without Transaction Fees

BigCommerce positions itself as the enterprise-ready alternative with zero transaction fees on any plan. The platform bundles advanced features that Shopify charges extra for.

Standout Capabilities:

• Zero transaction fees on all payment gateways
• Unlimited products, file storage, and bandwidth
• Built-in faceted search and advanced SEO tools
• Multi-channel selling across Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and Instagram
• Native B2B functionality including customer-specific pricing
• Headless commerce support via API

Pricing:

• Standard: $29.95/month
• Plus: $79.95/month (abandoned cart recovery)
• Pro: $299.95/month (Google Shopping integration)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

BigCommerce earns a 4.3/5 rating from Forbes, with users praising built-in functionality that reduces app dependencies. The platform handles high-volume merchants effectively, though some users report a steeper learning curve compared to Shopify or Wix.

Best for: Mid-market brands prioritizing zero transaction fees and built-in enterprise features without the complexity of fully headless architecture.

3. WooCommerce — Complete Control for WordPress Users

WooCommerce remains the most popular WordPress ecommerce plugin, offering complete code ownership for merchants willing to manage their own hosting.

Key Advantages:

• Free core platform (pay only for hosting and extensions)
• Complete access to code, database, and server
• Thousands of plugins and themes
• Unlimited products, variants, and customization
• REST API for headless implementations

True Costs:

• Plugin: Free
• Hosting: $5-25/month (basic) to $100+/month (managed)
• Premium plugins: Varies ($50-500+ per plugin)
• Payment processing: Standard gateway rates only

WooCommerce achieves a 4.6/5 on Capterra. Users appreciate complete control but note the maintenance burden: manual updates, security patches, and performance optimization fall on the merchant.

Best for: WordPress-native brands with technical resources or developer relationships who prioritize data ownership over convenience.

4. Wix — Fast Launch for Simple Storefronts

Wix serves merchants who prioritize design and speed over advanced ecommerce functionality. The drag-and-drop builder enables launching stores within hours rather than weeks.

Platform Highlights:

• Visual drag-and-drop editor with 800+ templates
• Built-in Wix Payments with 0% platform transaction fees
• Up to 500 product variants
• Abandoned cart recovery on business plans
• Native POS for in-person sales

Pricing:

• Light: $17/month (limited ecommerce)
• Core: $29/month (full ecommerce features)
• Business: $39/month (advanced features)
• Business Elite: $159/month (priority support)

Wix powers 3.8% of all websites globally. The platform excels for small catalogs and straightforward product configurations but lacks the API depth and customization options that growing brands need.

Best for: First-time merchants, small product catalogs, and brands prioritizing design over technical flexibility.

5. Squarespace — Design-Forward for Creative Brands

Squarespace dominates among creative professionals and design-conscious brands, offering polished templates that require minimal customization to look professional.

Design Strengths:

• Award-winning templates optimized for visual brands
• Built-in blogging, email marketing, and scheduling tools
• Member areas for gated content and subscriptions
• Integrated appointment booking
• 0% transaction fees on Commerce plans

Pricing:

• Business: $27/month (3% transaction fee)
• Commerce Basic: $35/month (0% transaction fee)
• Commerce Advanced: $65/month (advanced features)

Squarespace works well for portfolios, creative services, and smaller product catalogs. The platform prioritizes aesthetic cohesion over ecommerce depth, limiting appeal for high-SKU merchants or those needing advanced B2B functionality.

Best for: Creative professionals, photographers, artists, and brands where visual presentation drives conversions.

6. Magento (Adobe Commerce) — Enterprise Customization at Scale

Magento remains the enterprise choice for brands requiring maximum customization and handling massive catalogs. Adobe Commerce (the cloud version) powers major retailers including Nike and HP.

Enterprise Capabilities:

• Unlimited customization with open-source codebase
• Multi-store, multi-brand, multi-currency from single installation
• Advanced B2B with custom catalogs, quoting, and purchase orders
• Sophisticated inventory management across warehouses
• PWA Studio for headless implementations

Investment:

• Open Source: Free (self-hosted, requires significant development)
• Adobe Commerce: Custom pricing ($22,000-$125,000+ annually)
• Implementation: $50,000-$500,000+ for enterprise deployments

Magento's power comes with complexity. Implementation timelines stretch 6-12 months for enterprise deployments, and ongoing maintenance requires dedicated technical resources or agency partnerships.

Best for: Large enterprises with $10M+ annual revenue, complex B2B requirements, and dedicated development teams.

Choosing the Right Shopify Alternative

Platform selection depends on your growth stage, technical resources, and business model:

Choose Swell when you need:

• Unlimited product variants and custom attributes
• Native subscription billing without third-party apps
• Full checkout customization without enterprise pricing
• B2B and DTC from a single backend
• API-first architecture for custom storefronts

Choose BigCommerce when you need:

• Enterprise features without headless complexity
• Zero transaction fees with traditional storefront builder
• Strong built-in SEO and multi-channel selling

Choose WooCommerce when you need:

• Complete code ownership and self-hosting
• Maximum plugin ecosystem variety
• WordPress CMS integration

Choose Wix or Squarespace when you need:

• Fast launch with minimal technical setup
• Simple product catalogs under 100 SKUs
• Design-first approach for creative brands

Choose Magento when you need:

• Enterprise-scale customization with dedicated development
• Complex multi-brand, multi-store architectures
• B2B quoting and purchasing workflows

For brands evaluating their next platform, consider the total cost of ownership including platform fees, transaction costs, and required app subscriptions—Swell's zero transaction fees and built-in subscription billing can significantly reduce costs compared to Shopify's app-dependent model.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main disadvantages of Shopify that lead merchants to seek alternatives?

The most common pain points include 2% transaction fees on external payment gateways, the 100-variant limit with only 3 product options, restricted checkout customization without Shopify Plus ($2,300/month), and dependency on third-party apps for subscriptions and B2B features. Brands with complex product catalogs, recurring revenue models, or custom checkout requirements often find these limitations unsustainable.

How does a headless commerce platform differ from traditional solutions like Shopify?

Headless commerce separates the frontend presentation layer from the backend commerce engine. Platforms like Swell provide APIs that connect to any frontend—React, Vue, Svelte, mobile apps, or IoT devices—while handling all commerce logic. This architecture delivers 50% faster deployment and enables teams to update storefronts without touching backend systems.

Can I migrate my existing Shopify store without losing data or SEO rankings?

Yes. Most platforms offer migration tools or partner services for data transfer. Users report smooth migrations from Shopify taking days to weeks depending on catalog complexity. Preserve SEO by implementing proper 301 redirects, maintaining URL structures where possible, and ensuring metadata transfers correctly. Swell supports Shopify theme uploads, providing migration flexibility for design assets.

Which Shopify alternative offers the best features for subscription-based businesses?

Swell provides the most comprehensive native subscription capabilities without third-party apps. Features include flexible billing intervals, separate invoicing from fulfillment schedules, mixed cart support, automatic payment retry with dunning rules, customer self-service portals, and prorated plan changes. Shopify requires apps like ReCharge ($600-$1,200 annually) that add integration complexity.

Are there any free Shopify alternatives suitable for small businesses?

WooCommerce offers a free core plugin, though you'll pay for hosting ($5-25/month minimum), premium extensions, and payment processing. For hosted solutions, Swell's Starter plan at $29/month provides unlimited products and built-in subscriptions—competitive with Shopify's entry pricing while eliminating transaction fees on external gateways and including features Shopify charges extra for.