You probably want your business to be online if you’re reading this blog post. You’re not certain which online store builder is best for you.

There is no one “best” online store builder. Each offers a unique set of features that may or not be right for your business.

We have compiled the best 12 online store builders to help you find the right answer to all your questions.

Continue reading to find out which one is best for your small business.

What does an online store builder look like?

An E-commerce store builder, also known as an online store builder, is a platform that lets you build, customize, manage, and operate an online business.

What does an online store builder look like?

An online store builder must include all tools necessary to complete the process. This includes hosting, design, marketing tools and reports as well as payment options. An online store builder doesn’t require you to be a programmer or coder.

A store builder online is usually designed with a user-friendly interface. It has preset styles and drag-and-drop functionality, as well templates. You can then create your design, layout, and then integrate your brand’s content and elements into it.

A store builder online works in the following way:

1. You pick a specific template that best fits your needs from your builder’s library
2. Edit its built-in elements
3. Add your own content (i.e., texts, images, videos, and social buttons) to customize your website
4. Publish!

These are 5 traits of a great online store builder that is suitable for small businesses

Although there are many online store builders on the market today, not all may be right for you. Here are some qualities to look out for when choosing an online store builder.

It suits your budget

When it comes to selecting the right platform for your business, budget is often a key determinant. It doesn’t matter if your business is a start-up or an established brick and mortar company that moves online, it is important to know what you will pay.

Consider free services if you are a beginner. We’ll discuss this later! These services allow you to get your feet wet in the world of web design without spending a lot. You have a lot of room to grow your business with a free platform.

It’s important to consider scalability when comparing different online store builders. Your online store builder should be able to support growth once your website is up and running.

You will find the right template for you

Your audience can spot a poorly designed website within a mile. You should make a good first impression by choosing an online store builder that is modern, mobile-friendly, customizable, and clean. It should be in line with your brand’s theme and preferences.

It should be easy to use

An online store builder should make it easy to set up your store. If you are unsure of which option to choose, you should consider an intuitive editing tool. This will allow you to quickly design your online store the way you want it to look.

Your online store builder must be easy to use

Drag-and-drop functionality can be a great feature to look out for. It allows you to drag and drop elements around the page with just a few clicks. Other features you will need to edit the page include adding new content, changing colors and uploading media without needing any special skills.

You should be able to customize it.

While templates and themes are important in making your online shop more accessible, you may want to customize those elements. An online store builder should offer multiple options for customizing your online business.

You can create new pages, modify colors, upload images, add buttons and icons in any size or shape you like. You want to create something that is representative of your brand. Choose an online store builder that allows you to modify the templates and make them your own.

It should seamlessly integrate with other apps

Many online store builders allow third-party integrations to improve your site’s functionality, and the user experience. To ensure seamless user experience, it is important to know which third-party apps your online shop builder supports.

Here are the top plugin types you should be looking out for:

• Accounting plugins that solve sales, revenue, taxes, profits

• Apps that help you ship your products

• Email marketing apps that will help you stay in touch with your customers

• An online platform that rewards your customers when they use your products

6 Best Free Online Store Builders for Small Businesses

1. WooCommerce

WooCommerce can be managed within WordPress admin. It can also be used on WordPress websites. WooCommerce powers around 30% of online stores today.

If you are familiar with WordPress and want to add Ecommerce to your existing WordPress site, the open-source platform is a great choice. WooCommerce is free and easy to use. It also has a mobile-friendly website design that makes it highly user-friendly.

WooCommerce allows you to add E-commerce features such as shipping options, online payments, product listings and more. To use WooCommerce, however, you must have an existing website. It’s an excellent choice if you have WordPress.

WooCommerce’s main features

• WordPress Content Integration
• Automated taxes
• Calculation of custom tax
• Shipping options flexible
• Taxes that can be geo-located
• Analytics and reporting
• CRM Store Management
• Currency default

2. Strikingly

The mission is to “build your brand” as well as “conquer all the world.” With this online store builder, you can start moving things in the right direction. This builder has helped to create thousands of websites. You can choose from a variety of templates that have been contributed by site owners around the world.

Strikingly, a niche-focused online store builder, specializes in one-page websites. It’s an excellent choice for creating a simple store, thanks to its in-depth editor, and the outstanding support team.

Strikingly main features

• Online store building tool
• Drag-and-drop editor
• Option to purchase domain
• Analytics built-in
• SSL Free

3. Ucraft

Ucraft, another powerful and inspiring online store builder, is also available. Start by choosing a template and then design, forge, and refine your store like a pro.

Ucraft, unlike other site editors, is code- and design-free. You only need trackpad and mouse experience to create any type of online store. It’s simple, we know. And that’s exactly what it should be.

Drag-and-drop builders allow you to move blocks around, add new elements and attach text. You’re almost done with your online shop. Ucraft comes with multiple marketing media that will ensure your online shop is always in demand.

Ucraft allows you to connect your domain name to your online shop with a free subscription. Ucraft allows you to choose the URL for your website.com, unlike other online store builders that include their domain name. You can also use website.ucraft.net as a subdomain. This is not hard to remember.

Ucraft’s main features

• Export/import products
• Inventory tracking
• Secure checkout
• 50+ payment gateways
• Shipping Methods: 20+
• Calculate your tax
• Currency selection
• Coupons and discounts
• Cart saver
• App market
• Custom invoices
• Marketing and social tool integrations

4. Site123

Site123 can help you realize your long-term goals for your online business. It’s simple to create your online store, as the name implies.

Site123 will make your online store responsive and cross-browser-compatible. It also features performance optimizations that enhance the user experience. You only need to follow three simple steps and you are done. Remember that publishing actions are already in the third step. #1. Choose the type of online store you want #2. Upload your content #3. Upload your content #3.

Site123 offers a free subdomain, 500GB storage, and 1GB bandwidth. Premium plans allow you to connect your domain or buy one from their dashboard. You can also use it to optimize your online store for search engines, and achieve higher rankings for targeted keywords.

Site123’s main features

• Store designing options
• 80 currencies available from all over the world
• Products
• PayPal payment method
• Wire transfer payments
• Management and creation of coupons
• Shipping and Tax
• Integration of payment gateways
• Inventory tracking in stores

5. Jimdo

Jimdo, a German company, is an excellent candidate for international businesses. It offers the possibility to set up an online store in more languages than just nine.

Instead of using static templates, the platform uses flexible content blocks which can be modified based on user behavior. Jimdo automatically creates pages and navigation menus that are tailored to your industry. A local beauty shop can get a map page that includes their address, logo and text blocks. It also has opening hours and other details.

Dolphin is an AI technology that takes only 3 minutes to create an online store. If you don’t feel comfortable setting up an online shop, Dolphin could be the best choice. Dolfin creates the website design for you by simply providing more information about you and your business.

Creator, on the other hand, is essential for those who dare to dream. It’s not difficult to do, Creator gives you the freedom you need when creating your online store. No matter what method you use, the final product will be an innovative online store that is ready for customers to visit, shop, and experience.

Jimbo’s main features

• Custom domain
• Mobile optimization
• Various payment methods
• There are no transaction fees
• Management of orders
• SEO tools
• Discount codes customized

6. WebStarts

WebStarts claims it is the #1 free website builder due to the many tools and freedom of design.

It can be used to edit content or sell products. It allows you to add up to ten products, including digital ones, to your online shop with a free plan. You can also integrate online payment systems such as WePay and others.

You can move elements around freely to make your design. You’ll also get 1GB cloud storage and 1GB bandwidth per month with the free plan. Visitors can close the ad that will appear on your store. The URL is actually quite nice: website.webstarts.com.

Webstarts’ main features

• Mobile-ready
• Automated domain registration
• Coupon codes
• Sell digital products
• Acceptance of credit cards instantly
• Custom shipping
• Variants of products
• Sales reporting
• Inventory management
• Acceptance of PayPal

Six of the best online store builders that charge a small fee

7. Shopify

Shopify has exceeded more than 1 million merchants around the world in October 2019. It is therefore safe to say that Shopify is the most widely used E-commerce platform on the market.

It is easy to set up an online shop using pre-built Shopify templates. There are nearly 100 templates to choose from, all of them professional and mobile-friendly.

You can even get marketing resources, SEO, secure shopping Carts, social media integration and support for over 100 payment gateways. Shopify offers both paid and free add-ons to help you expand your online store.

Shopify’s most important features

• 70+ Professional Themes
• Mobile readiness
• Support for SEO
• Blog platform with full functionality
• SSL Certificate Free
• 100 payment gateways
• Domain name
• Customers profiles and accounts
• Shipping rates flexible
• Dropshipping Access

Shopify pricing plans:

• Basic Shopify Plan: $29/month
• Shopify Plan: $79/month
• Advanced Shopify: $299/month

8. Wix

Wix has a strong reputation as a website-builder. This is an advantage over other Ecommerce platforms that have a more narrow focus.

Its original mission was to help people create websites quickly. Now it has many features and functions that will meet all your requirements for your online store. Wix’s unique ability to cater to people with no knowledge of starting an online shop is one of its greatest strengths. Wix offers everything you need, from templates to font selections to help you start an online shop.

Wix now has over 180 million users across 190 countries and is growing at an impressive rate. Wix is a great solution for small businesses as it allows you to set up your online store in just a few minutes.

Wix’s main features

• Drag-and-drop editing
• 500+ customizable templates
• Wix ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence – The first website builder for artificial intelligence)
• More than 100 fonts
• Media galleries
• Design features that are advanced
• Wix Logo Maker
• Wix Business Name Generator
• Mobile optimization
• Blogging features
• App market

Wix pricing plans:

• Connect Domain Plan: $4.50 per month
• Combo Plan: $8.50/ month
• Unlimited Plan: $12.50 per month
• VIP Plan: $24.50/month

9. Weebly

Weebly has over 530,000 domains and is the most popular online store builder for those with no technical skills. It offers web hosting, domain registration, and E-commerce functions. This platform is suitable for start-ups and small businesses.

Weebly is packed with many features and integrates seamlessly with Square. Weebly is the perfect solution for Square users who want to integrate an online store and a Square POS.

You can still use Weebly’s Ecommerce platform to connect third-party online payments solutions, even if you don’t use Square.

Weebly’s most important features

• Drag-and-drop Builder
• Email templates such as abandoned cart and welcome emails
• Site stats & SEO
• Tracking tools for shipping and inventory
• App integration

Pricing plans for Weebly:

• Pro Plan: $12/ month
• Business Plan: $25/month
• Business Plus Plan $38 per month

10. BigCommerce

BigCommerce is a more expensive option than other online store builders. However, it covers all the major necessities that you’ll need. It has been used to power over 100,000 online shops and generated more than $17million in sales, making it one the largest E-commerce platforms.

BigCommerce is able to cater to many users because of its extensive features. BigCommerce has split its product lines into two main segments, Enterprise and Essentials. The Essentials section is the best option unless you run a multi-billion-dollar company.

BigCommerce Essentials is an all-in-one platform that supports you from the moment you sign up to the day you manage your store. BigCommerce offers everything you need, including templates that will help you design your store and other advanced features like multi-channel sales, marketing tools, etc.

BigCommerce’s most important features

• Online store building made easy
• Access to marketing tools
• Simple storefront
• Domain name for business owners
• Products and merchandising
• Shipping Support
• Marketing via social media
• Analytics and reporting
• Hosting and security
• Analytics and SEO

Pricing plans for BigCommerce:

• Standard Plan: $29.95/month
• Plus Plan: $71.95/month (billed annually).
• Pro Plan: $269.96/month (billed annually).
• Pricing for Enterprise Plans: Custom pricing

11. SquareSpace

When I think about SquareSpace my thoughts immediately go to the beautiful homepage. This company is a master at creating beautiful websites that look great for personal and small business websites.

SquareSpace, like Wix and Weebly, supports many features including subscriptions, services and appointments as well as digital files such as music and photos. Its content management system is also very easy to use. Pick one of the pre-made templates, then modify any parts you wish to change, and you are done.

SquareSpace’s most important features

• Templates and themes that are modern
• Drag-and-drop Builder
• Responsive image loader
• Social links
• Direct editing
• Automated image scaling
• Simple to use content management system

SquareSpace pricing plans:

• Personal Plan: $12 per month (billed annually).
• Business Plan: $18 per month (billed annually).
• Basic Commerce: $26/month (billed annually).
• Advanced Commerce: $40/month (billed annually).

12. Volusion

Volusion is one of the first E-commerce platforms. It continues to be a market leader in store design options, multichannel features and industry-leading E-commerce platform.

The platform offers almost everything you need for selling online, including a unique feature called Quick wins. This feature provides personalized setup assistance and training in key E-commerce tools.

Volusion’s main features

• More than 300 templates
• Easy Editor
• Custom domain
• Navigation editor
• Search function
• CSS editor
• Around 80 apps from third parties
• Reporting tools that are easy to use
• Education resources built-in (how-to blogs and video tutorials as well as informative articles)

Volusion’s pricing plans

• Personal Plan: $26.10/month (billed annually).
• Professional Plan: $71.10/month
• Business plan: $269.10 per month
• Prime Plan: Based on your annual GMV, Gross Merchandise Volume

More to you

There is a lot of pressure to get your business online quickly. We encourage you to do your research before you make any purchase on an online store builder.

There is no single solution for best online store builders. Compare and contrast all the options. What works for one person may not work for you.