Best e-commerce platforms in 2026

E-commerce platforms give you a store, checkout, payments, inventory and shipping tools. Hosted platforms handle everything for a monthly fee; open-source options give more control but need hosting and maintenance.

1. 1
   shopify.com Free trial

   Shopify: The leading hosted e-commerce platform

   Key features: Online store builder, Checkout and payments, Inventory, Apps and themes, Point of sale.

   Best for: Businesses of all sizes selling online. / Web, iOS, Android
2. 2
   woocommerce.com Free

   WooCommerce: Free, open-source e-commerce plugin for WordPress

   Key features: Products and checkout, Payments integrations, Extensions, Themes, Full code access.

   Best for: WordPress site owners who want full control over their store. / WordPress plugin
3. 3
   bigcommerce.com Free trial

   BigCommerce: Hosted e-commerce platform with strong built-in features

   Key features: Store builder, No platform transaction fees, Multi-channel selling, B2B features, Headless commerce.

   Best for: Growing and mid-market online stores. / Web
4. 4
   business.adobe.com Paid

   Adobe Commerce: Enterprise e-commerce platform built on Magento

   Key features: Highly customisable store, B2B commerce, Multi-store, Adobe integrations, Magento Open Source option.

   Best for: Large and enterprise retailers with development teams. / Web, Self-hosted
5. 5
   prestashop.com Free

   PrestaShop: Free, open-source e-commerce software popular in Europe

   Key features: Store management, Modules marketplace, Multi-language, Themes, Self-hosting.

   Best for: Merchants who want an open-source store with hosting control. / Self-hosted
6. 6
   ecwid.com Free trial

   Ecwid: Add an online store to any existing website (by Lightspeed)

   Key features: Embeddable store, Sell on social media, Point of sale, Mobile app, Multi-channel.

   Best for: Small businesses adding a store to an existing site. / Web, iOS, Android
7. 7
   wix.com Freemium

   Wix: Drag-and-drop website builder with hundreds of templates

   Key features: Drag-and-drop editor, Templates, Online store, Bookings, AI site builder.

   Best for: Small businesses and beginners building their first website. / Web, iOS, Android
8. 8
   squarespace.com Free trial

   Squarespace: Website builder known for elegant, design-led templates

   Key features: Designer templates, Online store, Scheduling, Email campaigns, Domains.

   Best for: Creatives, portfolios and small businesses who value design. / Web, iOS, Android