6 Best Shopify Alternatives for CBD Brands

CBD brands face unique challenges that mainstream ecommerce platforms often fail to address. From high-risk payment processing restrictions to complex compliance requirements, selling hemp-derived products online demands a flexible, scalable platform built for regulated industries. While Shopify remains popular, its transaction fees, product variant limits, and payment gateway restrictions push many CBD merchants toward alternatives that offer greater control without costly workarounds. This guide examines six Shopify alternatives that deliver the payment flexibility, subscription capabilities, and customization CBD brands need to scale profitably.

Key Takeaways

• Transaction fees add up fast: Shopify charges additional transaction fees (typically ~0.6–2% depending on plan) when using external payment gateways, while alternatives like Swell and BigCommerce charge zero transaction fees—saving high-volume CBD brands thousands annually
• Native subscriptions eliminate app dependencies: Swell's built-in subscription engine removes the need for third-party apps like ReCharge or Bold, reducing integration complexity and churn
• Product variant limits restrict CBD catalog flexibility: Shopify caps products at 3 options and 100 variants, while Swell offers unlimited product options and attributes essential for CBD products with multiple potencies, flavors, and sizes
• High-risk payment processing varies significantly: BigCommerce supports 9+ payment processors including CBD-friendly gateways, while Square Online locks merchants into processing rates of 3.5% + $0.10 for in-person, 3.8% + $0.30 for online, and 4.4% + $0.15 for keyed-in transactions
• Headless architecture enables compliance customization: API-first platforms like Swell allow CBD brands to build custom age verification, COA management, and state-specific shipping restrictions without plugin limitations

1. Swell — API-First Platform with Native Subscription Commerce

Swell stands as the premier choice for CBD brands prioritizing subscription commerce and headless flexibility. Built from the ground up as an API-first platform, Swell eliminates the limitations that force CBD merchants to cobble together third-party apps on traditional platforms.

Key Features:

• Native subscription billing with flexible intervals (monthly, yearly, custom schedules)
• Unlimited product options and variants with custom attributes for potency, flavor, and size variations
• 0% transaction fees on external payment gateways
• Multi-currency support across 230 currencies with explicit pricing rules
• Custom checkout via API for age verification and compliance workflows
• 99.963% platform uptime with enterprise-grade reliability

Pricing Structure:

• Starter: $29/month (up to $50K annual sales)
• Basic: $79/month (up to $250K annual sales)
• Standard: $299/month (up to $1M annual sales)
• Unlimited: $2,250/month (up to $5M annual sales)
• Custom/Enterprise: Negotiated pricing for $10M+ merchants

Swell's headless commerce architecture proves invaluable for CBD brands requiring custom compliance workflows. The platform's unified Backend API—the same API powering Swell's own dashboard and checkout—ensures developers can build custom age verification gates, COA display systems, and state-specific shipping restrictions without plugin dependencies.

The native subscription engine separates Swell from competitors requiring costly add-ons. CBD subscription boxes, auto-replenishment programs, and membership models run seamlessly with features including automatic payment retry, dunning rules for churn reduction, and customer self-service for pause/resume functionality.

For CBD brands seeking enterprise-level capabilities without enterprise complexity, Swell's combination of subscription-first architecture and unlimited product modeling creates a foundation for scalable growth.

2. BigCommerce — Zero Transaction Fees with Extensive Payment Options

BigCommerce delivers enterprise features at accessible pricing, making it a strong contender for CBD brands prioritizing payment flexibility and B2B capabilities.

Standout Capabilities:

• Zero transaction fees regardless of payment gateway
• 9+ payment processor integrations including CBD-friendly options like PaymentCloud, PayKings, and NMI
• 600 product variants per product (vs. Shopify's 100)
• Native B2B features including customer groups and price lists
• Advanced SEO tools built into the platform
• 99.99% uptime SLA

2025 Pricing:

• Standard: $39/month (up to $50K annual sales)
• Plus: $105/month (up to $180K annual sales)
• Pro: $399/month (up to $400K annual sales)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

BigCommerce's CBD compliance documentation and extensive payment gateway ecosystem address the high-risk payment challenges CBD merchants face. The platform supports manual COA uploads, age verification apps, and zone-based shipping restrictions for state compliance.

The primary limitation: subscription commerce requires third-party apps like Bold Subscriptions, adding $50-200 monthly to operational costs. For CBD brands where recurring revenue isn't central, BigCommerce's zero transaction fees and extensive native features provide compelling value.

3. WooCommerce — Open-Source Flexibility with WordPress Integration

WooCommerce offers complete platform ownership for CBD brands prioritizing SEO, content marketing, and maximum customization control.

Core Strengths:

• Open-source with self-hosted flexibility
• Unlimited product variants and customization options
• WordPress integration for superior content marketing
• Extensive plugin ecosystem (59,000+ WordPress plugins)
• No platform-imposed transaction fees
• Full data ownership and portability

Cost Structure:

• Hosting: $15-$200/month depending on traffic
• Premium plugins: $50-200 as one-time purchases
• Specialized Subscriptions: Industry-specific solutions like Bookings ($249/year) or Memberships ($199/year)

For CBD brands with existing WordPress sites or strong content marketing strategies, WooCommerce unifies blog and commerce under one roof. The SEO advantages from WordPress—including Yoast and RankMath integration—drive organic traffic more effectively than closed platforms.

The trade-off involves technical responsibility. WooCommerce merchants manage hosting, security updates, and plugin compatibility. Payment processing for CBD requires Square (US-only) or Viva.com (EU-only), limiting gateway flexibility compared to BigCommerce or Swell.

4. Shift4Shop — Budget-Friendly Platform with Free Tier

Shift4Shop provides a genuinely free option for CBD startups, combining $0 monthly fees with best-in-class SEO tools and extensive payment gateway support.

Key Features:

• $0/month tier with unlimited products
• 100+ payment gateway options including high-risk CBD processors
• Built-in AMP pages and schema markup for SEO
• Age verification requirements enforced
• Compliance documentation support
• Granular URL customization

Pricing:

• Free tier: $0/month (transaction limits apply)
• End-to-End: $229/month (premium features)

Shift4Shop's SEO capabilities stand out among budget platforms. AMP page support, automatic schema markup, and customizable URL structures give CBD brands organic visibility advantages typically reserved for premium platforms.

The limitations include a dated interface compared to modern alternatives and a smaller app ecosystem. For bootstrapped CBD brands under $50K revenue prioritizing SEO and payment flexibility over design sophistication, Shift4Shop's free tier delivers exceptional value.

5. Square Online — Omnichannel Integration with Dedicated CBD Program

Square Online serves CBD brands operating both retail and online channels through its dedicated CBD program and unified inventory management.

Omnichannel Capabilities:

• Unified POS and e-commerce inventory sync
• Dedicated CBD approval program with streamlined underwriting
• Free hardware offers for qualifying merchants
• Built-in age verification
• No monthly platform fees

CBD Program Pricing:

• Platform: Free
• In-person processing: 3.5% + $0.10
• Online processing: 3.8% + $0.30
• Keyed-in/virtual terminal: 4.4% + $0.15

Square's fast CBD approval process and omnichannel sync make it attractive for brands with physical retail locations. However, merchants remain locked into Square processing at rates higher than industry averages.

The platform also carries account stability concerns. User reports indicate sudden shutdowns despite compliance, creating business continuity risks for scaling CBD brands.

6. Wix — Design-First Simplicity for Non-Technical Users

Wix offers the fastest path to launching a CBD store for non-technical users, with drag-and-drop builders and 200+ templates optimized for e-commerce.

Ease-of-Use Features:

• Drag-and-drop design with CBD-friendly templates
• All-in-one hosting, SSL, and CDN included
• Built-in age verification
• Go live in hours, not weeks

Pricing:

• Light: $17/month
• Core: $29/month
• Business: $39/month
• Business Elite: $159/month

The critical limitation for CBD brands: Wix Payments typically cannot be used for CBD, forcing merchants to integrate third-party high-risk processors. This adds complexity and potentially higher fees. Limited API access also restricts custom compliance implementations.

For CBD brands prioritizing beautiful design over advanced features, Wix delivers rapid deployment. Brands anticipating growth beyond basic e-commerce should evaluate platforms with stronger API access and payment flexibility.

Why CBD Brands Leave Shopify

Understanding Shopify's limitations clarifies why alternatives gain traction among CBD merchants:

Transaction Fee Burden

Shopify charges 0.5-2% fees on sales processed through external payment gateways. Since Shopify Payments doesn't support CBD, every CBD merchant pays these fees—adding $5,000-$20,000 annually for brands processing $500K-$1M.

Payment Processing Restrictions

Shopify Payments excludes CBD products, forcing merchants to integrate third-party high-risk processors while still paying platform transaction fees. Alternatives like Swell and BigCommerce charge zero fees on external gateways.

Product Modeling Constraints

Shopify's 3-option, 100-variant limit creates friction for CBD catalogs featuring multiple potencies, sizes, flavors, and formulations. Swell's unlimited variants and custom attributes accommodate complex CBD product structures without workarounds.

Subscription App Dependencies

CBD subscription models on Shopify require third-party apps adding $50-300/month in costs. Native subscription platforms like Swell eliminate these dependencies while providing superior retention tools.

Choosing the Right Platform for Your CBD Brand

By Business Model:

• Subscription-first CBD brands: Swell (native recurring billing, retention automation)
• Budget-conscious startups: Shift4Shop (free tier, 100+ gateways)
• Omnichannel retail + online: Square Online (unified POS inventory)
• Content-driven marketing: WooCommerce (WordPress SEO ecosystem)
• B2B wholesale + DTC hybrid: BigCommerce (customer groups, price lists)
• Non-technical rapid launch: Wix (drag-and-drop simplicity)

By Revenue Stage:

• Pre-launch to $50K: Shift4Shop free tier or Square Online
• $50K-$500K: BigCommerce Plus or Swell Standard
• $500K-$5M: Swell Unlimited or BigCommerce Pro
• $5M+: Swell Custom/Enterprise

For CBD brands requiring sophisticated subscription management, unlimited product modeling, and headless flexibility for compliance customization, Swell provides the strongest foundation for long-term growth without re-platforming.

Frequently Asked Questions

What payment processors work with CBD e-commerce platforms?

CBD brands typically use high-risk payment processors including PaymentCloud, PayKings, NMI, and Authorize.net. BigCommerce offers a strong selection with 9+ processor integrations specifically for CBD merchants. Swell's flexible payment gateway architecture supports custom processor integrations through its unified payment abstraction layer. Square Online restricts merchants to Square processing only at higher rates.

How do transaction fees compare between Shopify and alternatives for CBD?

Shopify charges 0.5-2% transaction fees on all external payment gateways—mandatory for CBD since Shopify Payments excludes hemp products. Swell, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and Shift4Shop charge zero platform transaction fees, passing only the payment processor's standard rates. For a CBD brand processing $500K annually, eliminating transaction fees saves $2,500-$10,000 per year.

Why is native subscription support important for CBD brands?

CBD products—oils, gummies, topicals—lend themselves to recurring purchases, making native subscription engines like Swell's valuable for automatic payment retry, dunning management, and churn reduction. Shopify requires third-party apps costing $50-300/month that create integration points where failures occur. Native subscriptions also enable flexible billing intervals, mixed carts (subscription + one-time), and prorated invoicing without app limitations.

Which platform handles CBD product variants best?

Swell offers unlimited product options, variants, and custom attributes—essential for CBD products spanning multiple potencies, sizes, flavors, and formulations. BigCommerce supports 600 variants per product, significantly more than Shopify's 3 options and 100 variants cap. WooCommerce also provides unlimited variants through its open-source flexibility.

What compliance features should CBD e-commerce platforms include?

CBD platforms need age verification (21+ in many states), COA (Certificate of Analysis) display capabilities, state-specific shipping restrictions, and THC content labeling. Swell's API-first architecture enables custom compliance workflows through its developer tools. BigCommerce and Shift4Shop offer compliance documentation support with age verification requirements. Square's dedicated CBD program includes compliance review during the application process.