My journey in digital marketing began at an e-commerce agency. I worked closely with clients running their businesses on e-commerce platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, and Magento.
It was there that I developed a strong foundation in understanding what makes an e-commerce platform beneficial: fully connected functionality, scalability, and ease of use. I have always been curious about which platform would suit most businesses. I wanted to test e-commerce platforms that would support not just my dream pet store business but also a digital store and a newsletter in the future.
I don’t love coding, and I wanted tools that would support me from the get-go. To ensure a well-rounded evaluation, I collaborated with different business owners to understand how these platforms have evolved over the years to meet modern business needs.
Below, I will share my experience with the six best e-commerce platforms after hands-on testing and detailed analysis. Whether you're launching a pet store, selling digital products, or building a newsletter, this guide will help you choose the best e-commerce platform for your small business and beyond.
Shopify: Best e-commerce platform for small businesses
Simple to set up, reliable, and comes with built-in tools for payments, inventory, and shipping. (plans start at $29/mo)
WooCommerce: Best for flexible WordPress-powered online stores
Highly customizable with plugins and themes, great for scaling as your store grows. (free plugin, paid extensions available)
Salesforce Commerce: Best for unified, enterprise-level shopping experiences
Provides AI-powered personalization and seamless integrations with Salesforce CRM and marketing tools. (pricing on request)
SAP Commerce Cloud: Best for large enterprises needing scalability
Handles high transaction volumes and integrates with enterprise systems, making it a fit for organizations prioritizing scalability. (pricing on request)
Wix: Best for small businesses wanting a website builder with e-commerce
Perfect for startups that need customizable templates and integrated store functionality. (plans start at $16/mo)
Ecwid: Best for adding e-commerce to an existing site or social channels
A simple way to add online sales without moving to a new platform. (plans start at $25/mo)
* These e-commerce platforms are top-rated in their category, according to G2's 2025 Spring Grid Report. Most e-commerce platforms provide pricing details upon request. I have included pricing information only for e-commerce platforms that publicly share their pricing plans.
In my experience, e-commerce platforms have made running an online store simple for everyone. They allow you to list products, process payments, track inventory, and manage orders, all from one place. But the best e-commerce platforms go well beyond the basics. They’ve evolved into comprehensive business hubs that handle both marketing and analytics.
During my testing, I discovered how far these tools have come in helping businesses grow. Features, including AI-powered recommendations, automated inventory tracking, and integrations with marketplaces and social platforms, are all common. These platforms are designed to optimize every step of the customer journey, from browsing to checkout, and when they personalize that journey well, companies typically see a 10–15% revenue lift.
To understand which e-commerce software has the best customer reviews, I used AI to analyze patterns in G2 Grid® Reports and thousands of user ratings across platforms.
My goal was to answer the questions merchants actually ask, like which platform is easiest for first-time store owners, which scales best for enterprise retailers, or which delivers the highest ratings for usability, integrations, and ROI.
I looked at how each platform supports different stages of the online selling journey. Whether it’s quickly launching a new storefront, managing complex product catalogs, integrating with ERP systems, or selling seamlessly across social channels. I also used AI to analyze user reviews and G2 Grid® Reports to compare reliability, scalability, and overall customer satisfaction.
This guide includes screenshots from my own testing and G2 vendor pages to give you a clear picture of how these platforms actually look and function in practice.
By blending hands-on insights with real user feedback, I’ve compiled this list to help entrepreneurs, small businesses, and enterprise teams choose the best e-commerce solution for their goals. Whether that’s getting to market fast, expanding into new channels, or scaling efficiently as sales grow.
Choosing the right e-commerce platform is critical for the smooth operation of any business. I found some platforms that were incredibly effortless to use, while others required more learning but offered more advanced tailoring options. It all depends on your business size, goals, and technical expertise.
A user-friendly e-commerce platform for businesses should offer intuitive dashboards, clear navigation, and minimal technical requirements — all things I prioritized during testing. These are some other factors I considered when evaluating the best e-commerce platform:
Over the past few weeks, I have tested six e-commerce platforms that really stood out. Even though this list is short, it has something for every business size. And like me, you will also relate to some of the wins and some losses for each platform.
The list below contains genuine user reviews from e-commerce platforms. It’s important to note that in the context of this list, vendors offering a free trial are also considered free.
To be included in this category, a solution must:
*This data was pulled from G2 in 2025. Some reviews may have been edited for clarity.
One of the first e-commerce platforms I got to work with was Shopify, and I have come a long way since then. Shopify offers two different options:
I was lucky enough to test both these platforms in different scenarios. For small and medium businesses, I found Shopify to check all the right boxes. I loved their user interface back then, and I still love it now. And the biggest win for me? No coding is required for this tool's most basic setup. As per G2 Data, it is most popular with smaller businesses, where 80% of users are small businesses and 15% are mid-market.
It was easy to set up a store and link up with third-party platforms to import dropshipping products. I also enjoy their impressive library of themes, which are not just pretty but also functional and optimized for mobile. I also appreciate the payment integration options on Shopify, which are straightforward to set up.
Their enterprise offering, Shopify Plus, was a different experience altogether. When I worked with clients running a larger business, Shopify Plus was a boon to them. Enterprises and high-growth businesses require these additional advanced features and configurability.
I personally loved that I could create multiple storefronts under one account. This is a game-changer if you operate in different markets or languages. The account also comes with access to Shopify’s Launchpad tool, which helps you plan and automate sales events.
One more positive? You’ll also get dedicated support from Shopify Plus, which includes a merchant success manager. Working with them was like having my own personal guide for the platform. Shopify Plus API also allows for advanced modifications, which helped me integrate systems without any effort.
Shopify and Shopify Plus offer a great range of templates, making it easy to set up a visually appealing store without extensive design experience. However, customizing pages wasn’t always simple; I either had to rely on developers or spend extra time learning Liquid, Shopify’s coding language. That said, once mastered, this flexibility made it possible to create tailored, unique store designs that better matched my brand.
Shopify generally runs smoothly and handles day-to-day operations with ease. Some reviewers did note that updates occasionally caused lags, which could disrupt store management in real time. Even so, many appreciate that Shopify consistently rolls out improvements, and greater stability during updates would make an already reliable platform even stronger.
Another feature worth highlighting is Shopify’s advertising integrations, which allow businesses to track and optimize their marketing efforts. While some users encountered inconsistencies in measurement, these tools still provide valuable visibility into campaigns. With refinements to tracking accuracy, they could become an even more powerful asset for performance-driven teams.
Overall, Shopify and Shopify Plus deliver strong value through dedicated support, customization options, reliable performance, and marketing integrations, with most reviewers agreeing that the platform empowers businesses to scale successfully.
Shopify is my go-to solution for creating e-commerce websites via their headless and admin API. With their headless and admin API, everything becomes really flexible and easy to work with NextJS. I can freely design my UI and business logic with the power of NextJS while also leaving the complexities of making an inventory system, CMS, and product management part to Shopify. I use Shopify as an e-commerce solution in almost all my e-commerce projects. While the implementation can be a bit complicated in the beginning, it gets really easy with time. Their customer support can be a bit slow, but they get the job done.
- Shopify Review, Aditya S.
Though it's easy to set up, the fees are a little high, and you are restricted as to how much you can really do without adding plug-ins. Depending on the type of business, their payment gateway also does not work, and you have to obtain a third-party POS. When issues do occur, they cause a lot of lag time as it's hard to Decide the owner of the issue.
- Shopify Review, Ishan P.
We at under510.com are very satisfied with Shopify Plus! No system out there is perfect, but they are, without a doubt, the best in class. No other e-commerce platform comes close. We run our brand through Shopify every day, 24/7, as a single-channel D2C, and it has transformed our brand with its exceptional scalability, customization, and seamless integration with third-party apps. The platform handles high traffic effortlessly, ensuring smooth operations even during peak times. The support team is outstanding, providing prompt assistance whenever needed. The ease of setting up Shopify Plus is also noteworthy- essentially plug and play while also being infinitely customizable.
The advanced automation tools streamline our workflows, freeing up time for strategic initiatives. Shopify Plus also makes expanding into international markets a breeze with multi-currency and multi-language support. The robust security measures and 99.99% uptime give us peace of mind. Overall, Shopify Plus is a powerhouse platform that has allowed us to build our brand from the ground up. Highly recommended!
- Shopify Plus Review, Chayim C.
One downside of Shopify Plus is the cost, which can be steep, especially when you factor in the need for additional apps to get the functionality you want. While the platform is powerful, some features you might expect to be included require third-party apps, adding to the expense. Additionally, while the support is generally good, there can be times when it feels a bit slow or not as thorough as you’d like, which can be frustrating when you’re dealing with urgent issues.
- Shopify Plus Review, Gautama S.
Choosing the right platform is just step one, make sure you also secure it with the best e-commerce fraud protection software.
In my experience working with e-commerce clients, I found WooCommerce to be one of the easiest to work with, and the data backs it up. According to G2 Data, it ranks #1 for ease of use in the e-commerce platforms category. Of course, if you are familiar with WordPress, getting accustomed to WooCommerce is easy. With its WordPress integration capabilities, it was easy to see why many businesses chose this platform.
One of my favorite things about WooCommerce is the countless free and premium plugins that let you customize your store exactly how you want. From payment gateways to tracking inventory, it made handling the client's website easy. The final thing that I love about this tool is that it is free to start! WooCommerce itself doesn’t come with a price tag, and many features are accessible without paying a dime.
Whether you’re selling physical products, digital downloads, or even subscriptions, this tool is versatile and flexible for all needs. I’ve run small hobby stores, and they hold up well.
While the base platform is free, I saw my clients feel the pinch in some cases. Many advanced functionality requires paid extensions, such as advanced shipping options or robust analytics. These extra costs can add up over time, though many reviewers note that the flexibility to choose only what’s needed makes it easier to scale affordably.
Another area I was stuck fixing was the plugins. Some plugins broke others or caused unexpected bugs, requiring trial and error to find a stable combination. G2 reviewers have mentioned similar challenges, emphasizing the need for careful plugin selection to avoid compatibility issues. That said, the wide plugin ecosystem is also what makes WooCommerce highly customizable for unique business needs.
WooCommerce worked like a charm for my small hobby store. But performance tends to slow down with a large product catalog or traffic spikes. Without technical know-how, such as caching and database optimization, maintaining speed can become challenging. Still, when optimized, many reviewers say WooCommerce scales well and delivers reliable performance.
Lastly, I know not everyone is familiar with WordPress. WooCommerce doesn’t work as a standalone solution, making it less accessible for those without WordPress experience. At the same time, the tight integration with WordPress is what gives WooCommerce its flexibility and control over store design and functionality.
Overall, WooCommerce stood out as one of the most reliable e-commerce platforms for digital products. It offers flexible delivery options and product access controls while providing the extensibility needed for long-term growth.
The best thing about WooCommerce is that it is free to use, and you also find a lot of built-in shipping and payment options. You can add different types of products, from simple Products to Digital and Products with variations; order management in WooCommerce is very easy; you don't need any programming knowledge to install it and add products. Payment methods like PayPal and Stripe are already available in WooCommerce, and for most payment methods, you will also find free plugins from payment providers. There are forums and many resources to help you start a shop with WooCommerce, and most of them are free. You do not need to pay any fee for a basic shop.
- WooCommerce Review, Dhananjay S.
If you rely on premium plugins for your e-commerce store's website, the monthly or annual costs can begin to increase. Some of the free or lifetime purchase plugins stop being developed, resulting in a need to look for new solutions. It can be difficult to know what to use to expand functionality while keeping costs down. Make sure you really think about your store, what functionality it will need, what plugins will be needed, and what the total costs will be. If you don't need to rely on a web developer to do all this, it can help keep costs low.
- WooCommerce Review, Jeffrey K.
Concerned about security? Take a look at 10 E-commerce Security Threats to Save Your Business From
I know that Salesforce offers almost every business solution you can think of, but what about e-commerce platforms? Salesforce Commerce does a great job here, too. Similar to Shopify, Salesforce offers both B2C Commerce and B2B commerce platforms.
I am a fan of a good user interface, and Salesforce Commerce absolutely nails this aspect, once you get the hang of it. Navigating the platform feels intuitive, and I was able to manage products, customers, and even promotional campaigns uninterrupted.
For B2C? It’s just as efficient with personalized shopping experiences and integration with CRM tools. If you’re in B2B, you’ll love how flawlessly it handles complex catalogs and tiered pricing.
Integration is another area in which I found Salesforce to be reliable. The platform syncs beautifully with other Salesforce products (of course, it’s Salesforce!), which means I was not scrambling to piece together customer data from different systems. Plus, API support is another favorite of mine. It makes connecting third-party tools like payment gateways and shipping services relatively painless.
Salesforce's scalability is another positive. I was able to use Salesforce Commerce without any issues for both mid-sized and enterprise businesses.
From what I’ve observed in G2 reviews, Salesforce Commerce offers powerful customization features that give businesses the ability to shape workflows to their needs. I also found that while it can feel complex at first, most users agree that once you get past the learning curve, the flexibility is incredibly rewarding.
I noticed in reviews that the platform stands out for its integration and cloud capabilities, which many users value for connecting seamlessly across tools and systems. A few did mention performance slowdowns during high traffic or updates. I experienced something similar, but with better optimization, this could become a smoother experience.
Another common highlight in reviews is its flexibility and scalability, making it suitable for businesses that plan to grow. I did see some users point out that costs for advanced personalization and third-party integrations can add up. That said, with careful planning, most reviewers felt the platform’s extensive capabilities justify the investment.
- Salesforce Commerce for B2C Review, Taelor M.
Customization and Flexibility: It provides robust tools for customizing the user experience, allowing businesses to tailor the platform to their specific needs and industry requirements.
Integration Capabilities: The platform integrates seamlessly with other Salesforce products and third-party applications, enabling a unified view of customer interactions and business processes.
Advanced Analytics: Salesforce Commerce for B2B includes powerful analytics and reporting tools that help businesses gain insights into customer behavior, sales trends, and performance metrics. Scalability: It supports a wide range of business sizes and can scale as your business grows, accommodating increasing transaction volumes and expanding product catalogs.
- Salesforce Commerce for B2B Review, Mohd B.
Curious about dropshipping? See why E-commerce dropshipping is promising for Entrepreneurs.
I was pleasantly surprised while testing SAP Commerce Cloud. One of the things I love about it is its integration capabilities.
If your business relies on SAP ERP or S/4HANA, the seamless connection between these systems is very helpful. The platform is also great at juggling both B2B and B2C models. It handles the complexities of these different business types with ease, making it incredibly versatile.
SAP Commerce Cloud also shines when it comes to scalability. Whether deploying new microservices or scaling up to meet seasonal demand, the platform holds up well. The cloud-based architecture seems super reliable.
From what I’ve seen in G2 reviews, the cost of SAP Commerce Cloud can be a consideration for smaller businesses, especially if you’re new to SAP’s ecosystem. I also felt the setup process was a bit complex at first, but once configured, the platform’s flexibility really stands out, a strength that many G2 users also highlight.
During deployment, I noticed performance slowdowns, particularly when updating frequently. A number of G2 reviewers mentioned similar challenges, especially for businesses that rely on regular updates. That said, once things stabilize, the system runs smoothly and delivers the reliability you’d expect from SAP.
In terms of support, I found responsiveness a little inconsistent at times. While SAP provides a wide range of resources, getting timely help on tricky issues could be faster. Still, the availability of documentation, forums, and expert communities makes it easier to find solutions, something many users on G2 also appreciate.
I would say that SAP Commerce Cloud is an amazing experience as it gives a unified view of a business. It has everything in one place and can handle B2B, B2C, and other business models as well. We can manage our orders very effectively. Its UI is very simplified and interactive, which is very useful for managing day-to-day operations.
- SAP Commerce Cloud Review, Atul B.
One of the things we liked the least was the customization capability. Although it is customizable in most aspects, a skilled development team is necessary to make any modifications, even if they are simple at a visual or functionality level.
- SAP Commerce Cloud Review, Ivan R.
When I first started my career in digital marketing, Wix was one of the easiest sites to set up and experiment with. For a person with no coding experience, I had a fully functional website up and running in no time.
Wix's drag-and-drop editor is my absolute favorite. The templates are perfect for starting a blog, launching an online store, or showcasing your portfolio. In fact, 90% G2 Users praise this function.
Wix also offers many design options. Want to tweak a color here or move a section there? No problem. Wix also packs in features like contact forms, email integrations, and even e-commerce tools. I found setting up an online store for clients surprisingly straightforward.
From my experience and what I’ve seen in G2 reviews, Wix is a great platform for beginners thanks to its ease of use and flexibility. I did run into some challenges when exploring more advanced features, but for anyone just starting out, the learning curve is minimal and the setup feels straightforward.
I also noticed that customization and third-party app integration are strong points for Wix. It’s easy to adapt your site to specific needs, and many users appreciate the wide app marketplace. That said, long loading times on mobile devices, especially for those with slower internet connections, were a recurring concern on G2. With better performance optimization, this could be even stronger.
Finally, from both my experience and reviewer feedback, Wix works best for simpler websites and small businesses. While advanced users may find it limiting, it remains a solid starting point for tech startups exploring e-commerce services. Its balance of simplicity and functionality makes it appealing for those looking to get online quickly without heavy technical demands.
For me, it is really well-suited. It has a lot of premium features, and the ability to create websites, online shops, and marketplaces from scratch without any coding or programming experience is fantastic. It offers highly premium services for free. It has always helped me learn something new and construct websites for various projects and organizations. It has provided me with many things that others do not offer after payment. They provide the best customer service.
- Wix Review, Sunny D.
We sometimes have difficulties preparing images to work in different templates. This challenge is most likely due to our restricted design capacity rather than a flaw in Wix. We would appreciate tutorials on how to use the photo blocks more easily.
- Wix Review, Ram S.
Thinking about using Wix for your website? Check out our in-depth review on Is Wix Worth it? to see if it’s the right fit for you!
Ecwid was not a tool that was familiar to me before this testing, but I am glad I stumbled upon this super-easy-to-use tool! As per G2 Data, it caters almost exclusively to small businesses, with 97% Small-Business and only 3% Mid-Market representation.
If you are like me and dread complicated tech setups, you’ll appreciate Ecwid’s effortless-to-use design. The step-by-step setup guide walked me through everything, from uploading my product images to configuring payment options. I especially liked how the dashboard provided clear prompts for tasks like connecting a domain or enabling shipping options.
Another thing I appreciate is how customizable everything is. I was able to tweak the store to fit my brand’s look and feel by using Ecwid’s built-in themes and plugins. They also offer widgets that allow me to embed my store directly into my existing website without hassle.
The platform also excels at customer management. Its features include tracking orders, sending notifications, and even setting up discounts or special offers, which makes customer retention easier.
Product management is another area in which Ecwid surprised me. I found adding, updating, or organizing products very straightforward, which is a huge plus when you’re managing a growing inventory.
From what I’ve seen in G2 reviews and in my own experience, the free plan is a great way to get started with Ecwid. It provides a solid entry point for beginners. That said, many advanced features, like abandoned cart recovery, multichannel selling, and detailed sales analytics, are locked behind paid tiers. Reviewers note this as a limitation, though unlocking these features can significantly help streamline operations for growing businesses.
I found Ecwid to be very user-friendly for basic store setups, which makes it a strong choice for beginners. However, as I advanced in using it, I wished for more robust capabilities. Features like customer segmentation and real-time sales tracking would add a lot of value, and several G2 users have also expressed the same need.
Design flexibility is another area with room for improvement. While the platform works smoothly out of the box, I would appreciate more customization for checkout and product pages without relying on third-party apps or extra fees. This aligns with feedback from 52 G2 users who also highlighted this as an opportunity.
Overall, Ecwid's plug-and-play features make it a strong contender for entrepreneurs looking for an easy way to set up an online store. It gives businesses a fast, simple start with plenty of potential to scale.
The Ecwid website is user-friendly, and you can manage everything in your store in one place. That's what I love most about this website. I canceled my GoDaddy account and made this website my business home for my brand. I started off with a free account, then upgraded to a venture where I could expand my brand with up to 100 products I could sell to my customers. Also, it has a lot of marketing options, including connecting your Facebook and Instagram shop and more. All of that is on one platform, so it is very convenient for me to manage everything I need to promote and sell my products even faster because of the advantage this site gives you as an entrepreneur. Customer support is very friendly, and they are very prompt when asking your questions and getting your matters and issues resolved as quickly as possible. On my days off from work, I check my website for updates, and when I am not, I get emails from Ecwid about how my store is doing and any tips to help me promote my store. The integration of Facebook and Instagram setup was a good start to getting more viewers to my site, as well as Pinterest. Thanks, Ecwid, for the amazing features and for making being a seller easier.
- Ecwid Review, Charnelle K.
I tend to make multiple products from one logo; I just wish as I created the first product, I could choose what product I want to accompany a whole outfit or home decor in one fell swoop. Ecwid gives about five options at a time for clothing; I am a power user, and I'd like to see at least 15-20 options to quickly create several products at the same time, basically better batch processing of multiple products, and mock-up downloads should be a bit more streamlined.
- Ecwid Review, Shindon B
Shopify and Wix are excellent choices for small businesses due to their ease of use, affordability, and built-in features. Shopify offers scalability and a robust app ecosystem, while Wix provides flexibility and beginner-friendly tools.
Shopify and Salesforce Commerce are excellent choices for businesses focused on growth. Shopify offers a scalable structure with tools like Shopify Plus, designed for high-growth businesses needing advanced features like automation and multi-channel selling.
Salesforce Commerce, on the other hand, is built for enterprise-level scalability, offering extensive customization and integration options to support complex operations. These platforms grow with your business, ensuring they can handle increased traffic, larger inventories, and more demanding customer needs without compromising performance.
WooCommerce and Shopify are excellent for SEO. WooCommerce provides extensive flexibility with plugins for custom URLs, meta tags, schema markup, and fast page load times. Shopify simplifies SEO for beginners with built-in tools and features like auto-generating sitemaps and optimizing site speed.
Yes, most e-commerce platforms, such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce, allow integration with social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, as well as marketplaces like Amazon and eBay. These integrations help you sell across multiple channels seamlessly.
Yes, many platforms, including Shopify and Ecwid, offer abandoned cart recovery features. These tools automatically remind customers to complete their purchases and help with retargeting campaigns.
Whether you’re just starting your e-commerce journey or looking to scale an established business, choosing the right platform is the foundation for your success. The platforms I’ve explored here are designed to handle the challenges of modern online retail, offering tools to streamline operations, optimize customer experiences, and grow your business efficiently.
As someone who has worked in digital marketing and tested these tools firsthand, I can say that the right platform is about finding the one that aligns with your business goals, technical skills, and growth plans.
To choose the best e-commerce platform for you, ensure you explore the options and make use of those free trials! I hope this list helped clear your confusion on which tool to try.
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