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The best e-commerce website builder for most online stores in 2026 is Shopify, with Basic from $29/mo billed yearly, the deepest selling toolkit and thousands of apps. Wix and Squarespace (both from $29/mo billed annually for their store-ready plans) are better if design and content matter as much as products, and Square Online is the best free option, with no monthly fee and 3.3% + 30 cents per online card payment.
We compared eight builders on price, transaction fees, card rates and store features, based on each company’s published pricing and documentation.
Updated October 2026.
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Best e-commerce website builders at a glance
Prices as published in October 2026, per month, billed annually unless noted.
| Builder | Best for | Store plan from | Platform transaction fee | US online card rate | Free trial or plan | Our rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Best overall | $29/mo (Basic) | 0% with Shopify Payments; 2% with other gateways on Basic | From 2.9% + 30 cents | 3-day trial, then $1/mo for 3 months | 4.7/5 |
| Wix | Design flexibility | $29/mo (Core) | None stated | 2.9% + 30 cents (Wix Payments) | Free plan (no selling); 14-day refund | 4.4/5 |
| Squarespace | Design-led brands | $29/mo (Core, 0% fee) | 2% on Basic ($19), 0% on Core and up | 2.9% + 30 cents on Basic and Core | 14-day free trial | 4.4/5 |
| Square Online | Free store, local sellers | $0 (Square Free) | None | 3.3% + 30 cents free; 2.9% + 30 cents on Plus | Free plan | 4.4/5 |
| BigCommerce | Scaling and B2B | $29/mo (Core) | 0% with embedded providers | From 2.89% + 29 cents | 15-day free trial | 4.3/5 |
| WooCommerce | WordPress control | Free plugin plus hosting | None | About 2.5% to 2.9% + 30 cents (WooPayments) | Free core software | 4.2/5 |
| Hostinger Website Builder | Lowest price | $3.49/mo (Unlimited, 48 months) | 0% | Depends on gateway | 30-day money-back | 4.1/5 |
| Ecwid by Lightspeed | Adding a store to any site | $5/mo (Starter, 10 products) | 0% | Depends on gateway | Check current offer | 4.0/5 |
Our verdict: choose Shopify for a dedicated online store, Square Online to sell for free or alongside a physical location, Wix or Squarespace for a content-rich brand site with a shop, and WooCommerce if you want full control on WordPress.
How we evaluated e-commerce website builders
We compared published pricing, transaction and card processing fees, product limits, sales caps, trial and refund terms, and store features (inventory, shipping, taxes, point of sale) as of October 2026. We did not run test stores for this guide. We weighed:
- Total cost of selling: plan price plus platform fees and card rates.
- Store features: catalog tools, checkout, shipping, tax, discounts and multi-channel selling.
- Ease of use: setup, templates and day-to-day management.
- Scalability: product limits, sales caps and higher-tier features.
- Ecosystem and support: apps, integrations and help resources.
Ratings are our editorial assessment based on those criteria.
The 8 best e-commerce website builders in 2026
1. Shopify: best e-commerce website builder overall
Those who want to sell online and combine that with a physical store can find all they need to manage both options with Shopify. Shopify has set the pace in e-commerce with a website builder, point-of-sale hardware, and customer chat options.
Read our full review here.Best for: most businesses whose main goal is selling products online, from first store to high volume.
Price: Basic costs $29/mo billed yearly ($39 monthly), Grow $79/mo and Advanced $299/mo; Shopify Plus starts at $2,300/mo. New stores get a 3-day free trial, then $1/mo for three months on most plans. The old $5 Starter plan is no longer available to new stores.
Fees: with Shopify Payments, US online card rates start at 2.9% + 30 cents on Basic and fall on higher plans. Using a third-party gateway adds 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow and 0.6% on Advanced.
Pros:
- Most complete selling toolkit
- Thousands of apps and themes
- Built-in point of sale and multi-channel selling
Cons:
- Extra fee for third-party gateways
- Apps add monthly costs
- No free custom domain
Read our Shopify review or start a Shopify trial.
2. Wix: best for design flexibility
Best for: small brands that want a fully customized site with a store, bookings or events.
Price: selling starts on Wix’s Core plan at $29/mo billed yearly ($36 monthly). Business costs $39/mo and Business Elite $159/mo, with progressively more advanced e-commerce features. Yearly plans include a free domain for a year, and there is a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Fees: Wix Payments in the US charges 2.9% + 30 cents per card transaction; Wix’s pricing pages do not list an extra platform transaction fee.
Pros:
- Complete design freedom
- Stores, bookings and events in one platform
- Free plan to build before you pay
Cons:
- No selling on the free or Light plans
- Large catalogs are easier on Shopify or BigCommerce
- Apps can add cost
Read our Wix review or start a Wix online store.
3. Squarespace: best for design-led brands
Squarespace is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) program that allows people to build and host a website. The company has added e-commerce, domain name tools, and lots of analytics. It also replaced backend coding with simpler drag-and-drop features.
Read our full review here.Best for: creatives, boutiques and lifestyle brands selling a modest catalog alongside content.
Price: Basic costs $19/mo billed annually ($25 monthly) with a 2% fee on product sales; Core costs $29/mo ($39 monthly) with 0% fees; Plus is $49/mo and Advanced $99/mo. There is a 14-day free trial, and annual plans include a free domain for a year.
Fees: Squarespace Payments charges 2.9% + 30 cents on Basic and Core, 2.7% + 30 cents on Plus and 2.5% + 30 cents on Advanced for US domestic cards. Digital products and memberships carry separate fees on lower plans.
Pros:
- Polished templates
- 0% product transaction fees from Core
- Lower card rates on higher plans
Cons:
- 2% fee on Basic
- Smaller app ecosystem than Shopify
- Less suited to very large catalogs
Read our Squarespace review or try Squarespace free.
4. Square Online: best free e-commerce website builder
Square Online builder is an easy-to-use website builder that lets users create attractive online stores. It provides businesses with a simple and straightforward way to get online and start selling. Square Online has grown to include advanced mobile processing solutions like analytics, reporting, payroll, point of sale, recurring payments, invoices, and multiple apps.
Read our full review here.Best for: restaurants, retailers and service businesses that also sell in person.
Price: since Square’s unified plans launched in October 2025, a website and online ordering are included in Square Free at $0. Square Plus costs $49/mo per location and Square Premium $149/mo, with custom pricing (Square Pro) for businesses processing over $250,000 a year.
Fees: online card payments cost 3.3% + 30 cents on the free plan and 2.9% + 30 cents on Plus and Premium; international cards add 1.5%.
Pros:
- Sell online with no monthly fee
- Inventory synced with Square point of sale
- Pickup and delivery options for local businesses
Cons:
- Higher card rate on the free plan
- Simpler design tools
- Free store uses a square.site address
Read our Square Online review or start free with Square Online.
5. BigCommerce: best for scaling and B2B
While it may not be the biggest name in the industry, BigCommerce has put itself into the limelight by offering several features like search engine optimization (SEO), web hosting, customer groups, and segmentation. It is one of the most versatile platforms for global sales, using multiple currencies, payment, and versatile shipping options.
Read our full review here.Best for: growing stores with large catalogs, multiple sales channels or wholesale customers.
Price: Core costs $29/mo billed annually ($39 monthly) for online sales up to $30,000 a year; Growth $79/mo for up to $100,000; Scale $299/mo; Performance from $1,499/mo. There is a 15-day free trial.
Fees: no BigCommerce fee with embedded payment providers (cards from 2.89% + 29 cents); open payment providers add 2% on Core, 1% on Growth and 0.6% on Scale.
Pros:
- Strong built-in catalog and B2B features
- No fee with embedded payments
- Multi-channel selling
Cons:
- Annual sales caps force upgrades
- Fewer themes than Shopify
- More complex for small shops
Read our BigCommerce review or start a BigCommerce trial.
6. WooCommerce: best for WordPress and full control
Best for: WordPress users who want to own their store and customize everything.
Price: the WooCommerce plugin is free. You pay for hosting (WooCommerce estimates about $25 to $350 a month for most stores, though budget hosts start much lower), any paid extensions ($29 to $299 a year each) and payment processing. WooPayments costs about 2.5% to 2.9% + 30 cents per card transaction.
Hosting: for a budget start, Hostinger WooCommerce plans begin at $3.49/mo on a 48-month term (renewing at $16.99/mo), and Bluehost eCommerce Essentials costs $14.99/mo on 36 months (renewing at $21.99/mo). See our e-commerce hosting guide.
Pros:
- Free, open-source and fully customizable
- No platform transaction fees
- Huge WordPress plugin ecosystem
Cons:
- You manage hosting, updates and security
- Extensions add up
- Steeper learning curve
Read our WooCommerce review or visit WooCommerce.
7. Hostinger Website Builder: cheapest e-commerce website builder
Zyro is a website builder that has tools and features for both standard websites and e-commerce stores. It offers a drag-and-drop builder so it’s pretty easy to use. Its affordable price also makes Zyro a website builder to look at.
Read our full review here.Best for: small shops on a tight budget that want an AI-assisted builder with hosting included.
Price: e-commerce is included from the Unlimited plan at $3.49/mo on a 48-month term ($167.52 upfront), renewing at $16.99/mo. The Premium plan ($2.49/mo) does not list e-commerce.
Fees: Hostinger charges 0% transaction fees; your payment provider’s rates apply. Plans include a free domain for a year and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Hostinger Website Builder replaced Zyro, whose site now redirects to Hostinger.
Pros:
- Lowest price for a store-ready builder
- 0% transaction fees
- AI design and writing tools
Cons:
- Four-year prepayment for the best price
- Fewer store features than Shopify
- Renewal price much higher than intro
Read our Zyro (Hostinger Website Builder) review or get Hostinger Website Builder.
8. Ecwid by Lightspeed: best for adding a store to any site
Best for: people who already have a website (or social pages) and want to add a store widget.
Price: Starter costs $5/mo for up to 10 products. Venture costs $29/mo billed annually ($35 monthly) for up to 100 products, Business $49/mo annually for 2,500 products and Unlimited $119/mo annually. Ecwid repriced its paid tiers on March 2, 2026, and charges no transaction fees.
Pros:
- Works with existing websites and social channels
- No transaction fees
- Cheap entry plan
Cons:
- Product limits on lower plans
- Less design control than a full builder
Ecwid does not have a namechk go-link, so visit ecwid.com to compare plans.
Other e-commerce builders we considered
Weebly is a web hosting service that includes a professional website building tool. It has a simple editor and simple pricing to match. Easily build a free website to help get discovered and grow a customer base in style.
Read our full review here.- Weebly: still sold by Square with a free plan, but its pricing page appears not to have been updated recently and Square now focuses on Square Online. See our Weebly review.
- Shift4Shop: its US plans page still lists Basic ($29), Plus ($79) and Pro ($229) plans and a $0 “End-to-End” plan for US merchants only, while its homepage advertises a $41/month plan. Shift4Shop states it does not offer refunds, so confirm current terms before signing up. See our Shift4Shop review.
What features should you look for in an e-commerce website builder?
E-commerce features
Inventory management, product variants, discount codes, abandoned cart recovery, shipping rates and automatic tax calculation.
Ease of use
A clear dashboard for orders and products matters more than a flashy editor once you are selling every day.
Premade templates
Store templates optimized for product pages, collections and checkout on mobile.
Affordable upgrades
Check transaction fees and card rates on each tier. Moving from a 2% fee plan to a 0% plan often pays for itself as sales grow.
SEO tools
Editable product titles, descriptions and URLs, structured data, redirects and automatic sitemaps.
Website analytics
Sales, conversion and traffic reports, plus integrations with Google Analytics and ad platforms.
Form builders
Contact, wholesale inquiry and custom order forms.
Integrations with other sites
Selling on marketplaces and social channels, plus email marketing and accounting integrations.
Effective customer support
24/7 support matters when checkout or payments break during a sale.
Which e-commerce website builder should you choose?
Match the builder to how you sell:
- You only sell online and plan to grow: Shopify, or BigCommerce if you have a large catalog or wholesale customers.
- You have a shop, cafe or salon and sell in person too: Square Online, which syncs with Square’s point of sale and has a free plan.
- Your brand, portfolio or content matters as much as the products: Squarespace or Wix.
- You already run WordPress or want full ownership: WooCommerce on a reliable host.
- You want the lowest possible cost: Square Online’s free plan, Ecwid Starter or Hostinger Website Builder.
- You already have a website and just need a store: Ecwid, which embeds a store into existing sites.
How much does an e-commerce website cost in 2026?
Expect to pay $29 to $39 a month for a store-ready plan on the leading builders (Shopify Basic, Wix Core, Squarespace Core, BigCommerce Core), plus card processing of roughly 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction in the US. Square Online can cost $0 a month if you accept a higher card rate, and WooCommerce on budget hosting can start under $5 a month before extensions. Add a domain name after any free first year, and budget for paid apps, themes and email marketing.
Before you launch, check that your store name is available as a domain and on social media with Namechk, or brainstorm with the business name generator. For general builders, see our list of the best website builders.
FAQs
What is the best e-commerce website builder in 2026?
Shopify is the best e-commerce website builder for most online stores in 2026, with Basic from $29/mo billed yearly, built-in inventory, shipping and point of sale, and thousands of apps. Wix and Squarespace are better for design-led brands, Square Online is the best free option, and BigCommerce suits fast-growing or B2B stores.
How long does it take to create an e-commerce website with a website builder?
A small store with a handful of products can be live in a day or two with Shopify, Wix, Squarespace or Square Online, especially if your product photos and descriptions are ready. Larger catalogs take longer because each product needs images, variants, prices and shipping settings. Allow time to test checkout, taxes and order emails before launch.
Which e-commerce website builder has no transaction fees?
Several builders charge no platform transaction fee: Squarespace on Core and above, BigCommerce with embedded payment providers, Hostinger Website Builder, Ecwid, WooCommerce, and Shopify when you use Shopify Payments. You still pay card processing, typically around 2.9% + 30 cents per US online transaction. Square Online charges no platform fee but has a higher card rate on its free plan.
How do I get a custom domain name for my online store?
Register a domain with a registrar or claim the free first-year domain included with annual plans from Wix, Squarespace or Hostinger, then connect it in your store settings. Shopify does not include a free custom domain, but you can buy one through Shopify or connect one you own. Check availability first with Namechk.
What is the cheapest way to start an online store?
Square Online’s free plan is the cheapest way to start selling, with no monthly fee and 3.3% + 30 cents per online card payment. Ecwid’s Starter plan costs $5/mo for up to 10 products, and Hostinger Website Builder includes e-commerce from $3.49/mo on a 48-month term. WooCommerce is free software but needs hosting.
How much maintenance does an e-commerce website require?
Hosted builders like Shopify, Squarespace, Wix and BigCommerce handle software updates, security and hosting, so your maintenance is mostly products, orders, prices and content. A WooCommerce store needs more upkeep: you or your host must update WordPress, WooCommerce and plugins, monitor security and keep backups. Plan weekly checks either way.
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